Urban Ranger
Description
The forests may be home to fierce and cunning creatures, but no less so are city streets and sewers. Just as a normal ranger is skilled at hunting and stalking the woods, the urban ranger is adept can track his prey across rooftops and down alleys. The urban ranger stalks the treacherous streets of the city, relying on his knowledge of alleyways and underworld contacts to keep him alive.
Adventures: An urban ranger often accepts the role of protector, aiding those who live in or travel through cities. In addition, an urban ranger carries grudges against certain types of creatures and looks for opportunities to find and destroy them. He may adventure for all the reasons that a fighter does.
Characteristics: An urban 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 urban ranger has such a tie to his environment that he can actually draw upon natural power to cast divine spells, much as a druid does.
Alignment: Urban rangers can be of any alignment. Most are good, and such urban rangers usually function as protectors. In this role, an urban ranger seeks out and destroys or drives off evil creatures that threaten the city. Good rangers also protect those who travel through urban areas, serving sometimes as guides and sometimes as unseen guardians. Evil rangers, though rare, are much to be feared.
Religion: Though an urban ranger gains his divine spells from the power of nature, he like anyone else may worship a chosen deity.
Background: Some urban rangers gained their training as part of special military teams, but most learned their skills from small colleges found within cities who accepted them as students.
Races: Humans and half-elves often choose the urban ranger's path. They are comfortable in large cities, and they have the versatility to deal with all kinds of urban inhabitants.
Classes: Urban rangers get along well almost anyone. Since urban rangers don't often look to other people for support or friendship, they find it easy to tolerate people who are quite different from themselves, such as bookish wizards and preachy clerics. They just don't care enough to get upset about others' differences.
Role: The urban ranger's best role is that of a scout and secondary combatant. Without the heavy armor of the fighter or the staying power of the barbarian, the ranger should focus on opportunistic and ranged attacks. Most rangers user their animal companions as sentries, scouts, or to assist them in melee combat.
Game Rule Information
Urban rangers have the following game statistics.
Abilities: Dexterity is important for an urban ranger both because he tends to wear light armor and because several ranger skills are based on that ability. Strength is important because rangers frequently get involved in combat. Several ranger skills are based on Wisdom, and a Wisdom score of 14 or higher is required to get access to the most powerful ranger spells. A Wisdom score of 11 or higher is required to cast any ranger spells at all. One of the ranger's trademark skills, his ability to track foes, is based on Wisdom.
Alignment: Any.
Hit Die: d8.
Class Skills: The urban ranger's class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Climb (Str), Concentration (Con), Gather Information (Cha), Handle Animal (Cha), Heal (Wis), Hide (Dex), Jump (Str), Knowledge (Geography) (Int), Knowledge (Local) (Int), Listen (Wis), Move Silently (Dex), Profession (Int/Wis), Ride (Dex), Search (Int), Sense Motive (Wis), Spot (Wis), Swim (Str), and Use Rope (Dex).
Skill Points at 1st Level: (6 + Int modifier) × 4.
Skill Points at Each Additional Level: 6 + Int modifier.
Class Features
All of the following are class features of the ranger.
Weapon and Armor Proficiency: An urban ranger is proficient with all simple and martial weapons, and with light armor and shields (except tower shields).
Favored Enemy (Ex): At 1st level, an urban ranger may select a type of creature from among those given on the table below. Due to his extensive study on his chosen type of foe and training in the proper techniques for combating such creatures, the urban ranger gains a +2 bonus on Bluff, Gather Information, Listen, Sense Motive and Spot 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 urban 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 urban 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 urban ranger's bonuses do not stack; he simply uses whichever bonus is higher.
| Type (Subtype) | Examples |
|---|---|
| Aberration | beholder |
| Animal | bear |
| Construct | golem |
| Dragon | black dragon |
| Elemental | invisible stalker |
| Fey | dryad |
| Giant | ogre |
| Humanoid (aquatic) | merfolk |
| Humanoid (dwarf) | dwarf |
| Humanoid (elf) | elf |
| Humanoid (goblinoid) | hobgoblin |
| Humanoid (gnoll) | gnoll |
| Humanoid (gnome) | gnome |
| Humanoid (halfling) | halfling |
| Humanoid (human) | human |
| Humanoid (orc) | orc |
| Humanoid (reptilian) | kobold |
| Magical beast | displacer beast |
| Monstrous humanoid | minotaur |
| Ooze | gelatinous cube |
| Outsider (air) | arrowhawk |
| Outsider (chaotic) | demon |
| Outsider (earth) | xorn |
| Outsider (evil) | devil |
| Outsider (fire) | salamander |
| Outsider (good) | angel |
| Outsider (lawful) | formian |
| Outsider (native) | tiefling |
| Outsider (water) | tojanida |
| Plant | shambling mound |
| Undead | zombie |
| Vermin | monstrous spider |
Urban Tracking: An urban ranger gains Urban Tracking as a bonus feat.
Wild Empathy (Ex): An urban 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. The urban ranger rolls 1d20 and adds his Charisma bonus and half his ranger level 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 urban 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 urban 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, an urban 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 urban 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 urban 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 urban 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: An urban ranger gains Endurance as a bonus feat at 3rd level.
Animal Companion (Ex): At 4th level, an urbanranger gains an animal companion selected from the following list: badger, dire rat, dog, riding dog, eagle, hawk, owl, pony, snake (Small or Medium viper), or wolf. The animal cannot be larger than Medium size. 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 sentry, scout, or hunting animal, rather than as a protector.
This ability functions like the druid ability of the same name, 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, an urban 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. 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 the accompanying table. In addition, he receives bonus spells per day if he has a high Wisdom score. When the spells per day table indicates that the 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.
An urban 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, an urban ranger has no caster level. At 4th level and higher, his caster level is one-half his urban ranger level.
Improved Combat Style (Ex): At 6th level, an urban 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, even if he does not have the normal prerequisites for that feat.
If the urban ranger selected two-weapon combat at 2nd level, he is treated as having the Improved Two-Weapon Fighting feat, even if he does not have the normal prerequisites for that feat.
As before, the benefits of the urban 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.
Cityscape Stride (Ex): Starting at 7th level, an urban ranger may move through any sort of urban congestion (such as cluttered streets, thick crowds, market areas, and similar terrain) at his normal speed and without taking damage or suffering any other impairment. However, obstacles 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, an urban 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, an urban 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, even if he does not have the normal prerequisites for that feat.
If the urban ranger selected two-weapon combat at 2nd level, he is treated as having the Greater Two-Weapon Fighting feat, even if he does not have the normal prerequisites for that feat.
As before, the benefits of the urban 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): An urban ranger of 13th level or higher can use the Hide skill in any sort of urban terrain, even if the terrain doesn't grant cover or concealment.
Hide in Plain Sight (Ex): While in any sort of urban terrain, an urban ranger of 17th level or higher can use the Hide skill even while being observed.
Level Progression
| Level | Base Attack | Fort Save | Ref Save | Will Save | Special |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | +1 | +2 | +2 | +0 | 1st Favored Enemy, Wild Empathy |
| 2 | +2 | +3 | +3 | +0 | Combat Style |
| 3 | +3 | +3 | +3 | +1 | Endurance |
| 4 | +4 | +4 | +4 | +1 | Animal Companion |
| 5 | +5 | +4 | +4 | +1 | 2nd Favored Enemy |
| 6 | +6/+1 | +5 | +5 | +2 | Improved Combat style |
| 7 | +7/+2 | +5 | +5 | +2 | Cityscape Stride |
| 8 | +8/+3 | +6 | +6 | +2 | Swift Tracker |
| 9 | +9/+4 | +6 | +6 | +3 | Evasion |
| 10 | +10/+5 | +7 | +7 | +3 | 3rd Favored Enemy |
| 11 | +11/+6/+1 | +7 | +7 | +3 | Combat Style Mastery |
| 12 | +12/+7/+2 | +8 | +8 | +4 | 0 |
| 13 | +13/+8/+3 | +8 | +8 | +4 | Camouflage |
| 14 | +14/+9/+4 | +9 | +9 | +4 | 0 |
| 15 | +15/+10/+5 | +9 | +9 | +5 | 4th Favored Enemy |
| 16 | +16/+11/+6/+1 | +10 | +10 | +5 | 0 |
| 17 | +17/+12/+7/+2 | +10 | +10 | +5 | Hide In Plain Sight |
| 18 | +18/+13/+8/+3 | +11 | +11 | +6 | 0 |
| 19 | +19/+14/+9/+4 | +11 | +11 | +6 | 0 |
| 20 | +20/+15/+10/+5 | +12 | +12 | +6 | 5th Favored Enemy |
Spells Per Day
|
Starting Packages
Race: Elf.
Armor: Studded leather (+3 AC, armor check penalty –1, speed 30 ft., 20 lb.).
Weapons: Longsword (1d8, crit 19–20/×2, 4 lb., one-handed, slashing).
Short sword, off hand (1d6, crit 19–20/×2, 2 lb., light, piercing).
Note: When striking with both swords, the ranger takes a –4 penalty with his longsword and a –8 penalty with his short sword. If he has a Strength bonus, add only one-half of it to his damage roll with the short sword, which is in his off hand, but add the full Strength bonus to his damage roll with the longsword.
Longbow (1d8, crit ×3, range inc. 100 ft., 3 lb., piercing).
Skill Selection: Pick a number of skills equal to 6 + Int modifier.
| Skill | Ranks | Ability | Armor Check Penalty |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gather Information | 4 | Cha | – |
| Hide | 4 | Dex | -1 |
| Move Silently | 4 | Dex | -1 |
| Listen | 4 | Wis | – |
| Spot | 4 | Wis | – |
| Knowledge (Local) | 4 | Int | – |
| Climb | 4 | Str | -1 |
| Heal | 4 | Wis | – |
| Swim | 4 | Str | -2 |
| Search | 4 | Int | – |
Feat: Point Blank Shot.
Favored Enemy: Magical beast.
Gear: Backpack with waterskin, one day's trail rations, bedroll, sack, and flint and steel. Three torches. Quiver with 20 arrows.
Gold: 2d4 gp.
