NWN2 HB
Ranger
The forests and hills are home to fierce and cunning creatures, such as
bloodthirsty owlbears and malicious displacer beasts. But more cunning and powerful than these
monsters is the ranger, a skilled hunter and stalker. He knows the woods as if they were his home
(as indeed they are), and he knows his prey in deadly detail.
A ranger can use a variety of weapons and is quite capable in combat. His skills allow him to
survive in the wilderness, to find his prey, and to avoid detection. He also has special knowledge
about certain types of creatures, which makes it easier for him to find and defeat such foes.
Finally, an experienced ranger has such a tie to
nature that he can actually draw upon natural power to cast divine spells, much as a druid does.
• Key Abilities: Strength, Wisdom
• Hit Points per Level: 8
• Base Attack Bonus: High
• High Saves: Fortitude, Ref lex
• Weapons: All simple and martial weapons
• Armor: Light, medium, shields (not tower shields)
• Base Skill Points: 6
• Spellcasting (4th level): Ranger Spells. Divine (Wisdom based, armor does not inhibit
spellcasting)
Ranger Special Abilities
• Bonus Feat^: Track
• Favored Enemy*^: You choose a creature type (such as outsiders or undead) and gain a bonus to
Listen and Spot against them, as well as a bonus to damage you deal to them in combat.
Animal Companion*^
Combat Style (2nd level)^: You select one of two combat styles to pursue:
archery or two-weapon combat. When wearing light or no armor, you effectively have extra feats
depending upon your choice of combat style. Additional bonus feats are gained at levels 6 and 11.
Bonus Feat (3rd level)^: Toughness
Woodland Stride (7th level)^: You walk faster than normal when outdoors. Swift Tracker (8th
level)^: You can track with little effort, using your tracking skill while still moving at normal
speed. This lets you keep the tracking skill active at all times without penalty.
Evasion (9th level)^
Camouf lage (13th level)^: You can use Stealth Mode while running when in outdoor areas.
Hide in Plain Sight (17th level, only usable outdoors)^
3.5PHB
Class Features
All of the following are class features of the ranger.
Weapon and Armor Proficiency: A ranger is proficient with all
simple and martial weapons, and with light armor and shields
(except tower shields).
Favored Enemy (Ex): At 1st level, a ranger may select a type of
creature from among those given on Table 3–14: Ranger Favored
Enemies. Due to his extensive study on his chosen type of foe and
training in the proper techniques for combating such creatures, the
ranger gains a +2 bonus on Bluff, Listen, Sense Motive, Spot, and
Survival checks when using these skills against creatures of this
type. Likewise, he gets a +2 bonus on weapon damage rolls against
such creatures.
At 5th level and every five levels thereafter (10th, 15th, and 20th
level), the ranger may select an additional favored enemy from those
given on the table. In addition, at each such interval, the bonus
against any one favored enemy (including the one just selected, if so
desired) increases by 2. For example, a 5th-level ranger has two
favored enemies; against one he gains a +4 bonus on Bluff, Listen,
Sense Motive, Spot, and Survival checks and weapon damage rolls,
and against the other he has a +2 bonus. At 10th level, he has three
favored enemies, and he gains an additional +2 bonus, which he can
allocate to the bonus against any one of his three favored enemies.
Thus, his bonuses could be either +4, +4, +2 or +6, +2, +2.
If the ranger chooses humanoids or outsiders as a favored enemy,
he must also choose an associated subtype, as indicated on the table.
If a specific creature falls into more than one category of favored
enemy (for instance, devils are both evil outsiders and lawful
outsiders), the ranger’s bonuses do not stack; he simply uses
whichever bonus is higher. See the Monster Manual for more information
on types of creatures.
Track: A ranger gains Track (see page 101) as a bonus feat.
Wild Empathy (Ex): A ranger can use body language, vocalizations,
and demeanor to improve the attitude of an animal (such as a
bear or a monitor lizard). This ability functions just like a Diplomacy
check to improve the attitude of a person (see page 72). The ranger
rolls 1d20 and adds his ranger level and his Charisma bonus to
determine the wild empathy check result. The typical domestic
animal has a starting attitude of indifferent, while wild animals are
usually unfriendly.
To use wild empathy, the ranger and the animal must be able to
study each other, which means that they must be within 30 feet of
one another under normal visibility conditions. Generally,
influencing an animal in this way takes 1 minute, but, as with
influencing people, it might take more or less time.
The ranger can also use this ability to influence a magical beast
with an Intelligence score of 1 or 2 (such as a basilisk or a girallon),
but he takes a –4 penalty on the check.
Combat Style (Ex): At 2nd level, a ranger must select one of two
combat styles to pursue: archery or two-weapon combat. This choice
affects the character’s class features but does not restrict his
selection of feats or special abilities in any way.
If the ranger selects archery, he is treated as having the Rapid
Shot feat, even if he does not have the normal prerequisites for that
feat.
If the ranger selects two-weapon combat, he is treated as having
the Two-Weapon Fighting feat, even if he does not have the normal
prerequisites for that feat.
The benefits of the ranger’s chosen style apply only when he
wears light or no armor. He loses all benefits of his combat style
when wearing medium or heavy armor.
Endurance: A ranger gains Endurance (see page 93) as a bonus
feat at 3rd level.
Animal Companion (Ex): At 4th level, a ranger gains an animal
companion selected from the following list: badger, camel, dire rat,
dog, riding dog, eagle, hawk, horse (light or heavy), owl, pony, snake
(Small or Medium viper), or wolf. If the DM’s campaign takes place
wholly or partly in an aquatic environment, the DM may add the
following creatures to the ranger’s list of options: crocodile,
porpoise, Medium shark, and squid. This animal is a loyal
companion that accompanies the ranger on his adventures as
appropriate for its kind. (For instance, an aquatic creature can’t
adventure with a ranger on land and shouldn’t be selected by a
nonaquatic character without extenuating circumstances). In most
cases, the animal companion functions as a mount, sentry, scout, or
hunting animal, rather than as a protector.
This ability functions like the druid ability of the same name (see
page 35), except that the ranger’s effective druid level is one-half his
ranger level. For example, the animal companion of a 4th-level
ranger would be the equivalent of a 2nd-level druid’s animal
companion. A ranger may select from the alternative lists of animal
companions just as a druid can, though again his effective druid
level is half his ranger level. Thus, he must be at least an 8th-level
ranger to select from the druid’s list of 4th-level animal companions,
and if he chooses one of those animals, his effective druid level
would be reduced by 3, to 1st level. Like a druid, a ranger cannot
select an alternative animal if the choice would reduce his effective
druid level below 1st.
Spells: Beginning at 4th level, a ranger gains the ability to cast a
small number of divine spells (the same type of spells available to
the cleric, druid, and paladin), which are drawn from the ranger
spell list (page 191). A ranger must choose and prepare his spells in
advance (see below).
To prepare or cast a spell, a ranger must have a Wisdom score
equal to at least 10 + the spell level (Wis 11 for 1st-level spells, Wis
12 for 2nd-level spells, and so forth). The Difficulty Class for a saving
throw against a ranger’s spell is 10 + the spell level + the ranger’s
Wisdom modifier.
Like other spellcasters, a ranger can cast only a certain number of
spells of each spell level per day. His base daily spell allotment is
given on Table 3–13: The Ranger. In addition, he receives bonus
spells per day if he has a high Wisdom score (see Table 1–1: Ability
Modifiers and Bonus Spells, page
. When Table 3–13 indicates thatthe ranger gets 0 spells per day of a given spell level (for instance,
1st-level spells for a 4th-level ranger), he gains only the bonus spells
he would be entitled to based on his Wisdom score for that spell
level. The ranger does not have access to any domain spells or
granted powers, as a cleric does.
A ranger prepares and casts spells the way a cleric does, though he
cannot lose a prepared spell to cast a cure spell in its place. A ranger
may prepare and cast any spell on the ranger spell list, provided that
he can cast spells of that level, but he must choose which spells to
prepare during his daily meditation.
Through 3rd level, a ranger has no caster level. At 4th level and
higher, his caster level is one-half his ranger level.
Improved Combat Style (Ex): At 6th level, a ranger’s aptitude in
his chosen combat style (archery or two-weapon combat) improves.
If he selected archery at 2nd level, he is treated as having the
Manyshot feat (page 97), even if he does not have the normal
prerequisites for that feat.
If the ranger selected two-weapon combat at 2nd level, he is
treated as having the Improved Two-Weapon Fighting feat (page
96), even if he does not have the normal prerequisites for that feat.
As before, the benefits of the ranger’s chosen style apply only
when he wears light or no armor. He loses all benefits of his combat
style when wearing medium or heavy armor.
Woodland Stride (Ex): Starting at 7th level, a ranger may move
through any sort of undergrowth (such as natural thorns, briars,
overgrown areas, and similar terrain) at his normal speed and
without taking damage or suffering any other impairment.
However, thorns, briars, and overgrown areas that are enchanted or
magically manipulated to impede motion still affect him.
Swift Tracker (Ex): Beginning at 8th level, a ranger can move at
his normal speed while following tracks without taking the normal
–5 penalty. He takes only a –10 penalty (instead of the normal –20)
when moving at up to twice normal speed while tracking.
Evasion (Ex): At 9th level, a ranger can avoid even magical and
unusual attacks with great agility. If he makes a successful Reflex
saving throw against an attack that normally deals half damage on a
successful save (such as a red dragon’s fiery breath or a fireball), he
instead takes no damage. Evasion can be used only if the ranger is
wearing light armor or no armor. A helpless ranger (such as one who
is unconscious or paralysed) does not gain the benefit of evasion.
Combat Style Mastery (Ex): At 11th level, a ranger’s aptitude in
his chosen combat style (archery or two-weapon combat) improves
again. If he selected archery at 2nd level, he is treated as having the
Improved Precise Shot feat (page 96), even if he does not have the
normal prerequisites for that feat.
If the ranger selected two-weapon combat at 2nd level, he is
treated as having the Greater Two-Weapon Fighting feat (page 95),
even if he does not have the normal prerequisites for that feat.
As before, the benefits of the ranger’s chosen style apply only
when he wears light or no armor. He loses all benefits of his combat
style when wearing medium or heavy armor.
Camouflage (Ex): A ranger of 13th level or higher can use the
Hide skill in any sort of natural terrain, even if the terrain doesn’t
grant cover or concealment.
Hide in Plain Sight (Ex): While in any sort of natural terrain, a
ranger of 17th level or higher can use the Hide skill even while
being observed.
