Design Goals

"I SPEND A LOT OF MY LIFE AWAY FROM CIVILIZATION,

keeping to its fringes to protect it. Don't assume that because I don't bend the knee toyour king that I haven’t done more to protect him than all his knights put together." — Soveliss, The Hunter

DEADLY HUNTERS

Warriors of the wilderness, rangers specialize in hunting the monsters that threaten the edges of civilization: humanoid raiders, rampaging beasts and monstrosities, terrible giants, and deadly dragons.

They learn to track their quarry as a predator does, moving stealthily through the wilds and hiding themselves in brush and rubble. Rangers focus their combat training on techniques that are particularly useful against their foes. Thanks to their familiarity with the wilds, rangers acquire the ability to cast spells that harness nature's power, much as a druid does.

Their spells, like their combat abilities, emphasize speed, stealth, and the hunt. A ranger's talents and abilities are honed with deadly focus on the grim task of protecting the borderlands.

INDEPENDENT ADVENTURERS

Though a ranger might make a living as a hunter, a guide, or a tracker, a ranger's true calling is to defend the outskirts of civilization from the ravages of monsters and humanoid hordes that press in from the wild. In some places, rangers gather in secretive orders or join forces with druidic circles. Many rangers, though, are independent almost to a fault, knowing that, when a dragon or a band of orcs attacks, a ranger might be lhe first-and possibly the last-line of defense.

This fierce independence makes rangers well suited to adventuring, since they are accustomed to life far from the comforts of a dry bed and a hot bath. Faced with city-bred adventurers who grouse and whine about the hardships of the wild, rangers respond with some mixture of amusement, frustration, and compassion.

But they quickly learn that other adventurers who can carry their own weight in a fight against civilization's foes are worth any extra burden. Coddled city folk might not know how to feed themselves or find fresh water in the wild, but they make up for it in other ways.

Creating a Ranger

As you create your ranger character, consider the nature of the training that gave you your particular capabilities. Did you train with a single mentor, wandering the wilds together until you mastered the ranger's ways? Did you leave your apprenticeship, or was your mentor slain perhaps by the same kind of monster that became your first favored prey? Or perhaps you learned your skills as part of a band of rangers affiliated with a druidic circle, trained in mystic paths as well as wilderness lore.

You might be self-taught, a recluse who learned combat skills, tracking, and even a magical connection to nature through the necessity of surviving in the wilds. What made you join up with a band of adventurers? Do you find it challenging to teach new allies the ways of the wild, or do you welcome the relief from solitude that they offer? What's the source of your particular hatred of a certain kind of enemy? Did a monster kill someone you loved or destroy your home village? Or did you see too much of the destruction these monsters cause and commit yourself to reining in their depredations? Is your adventuring career a continuation of your work in protecting the borderlands, or a significant change?

HOMELAND

All rangers, regardless of how they came to take up the profession, have a strong connection to the natural world and its various terrains. For some rangers, the wilderness is where they grew up, either as a result of being born there or moving there at a young age. For other rangers, civilization was originally home, but the wilderness became a second homeland. Think of your character’s backstory and decide what terrain feels most like home, whether or not you were born there. What does that terrain say about your personality? Does it influence which spells you choose to learn? Have your experiences there shaped who your enemies are?

d6	Homeland
1	You patrolled an ancient forest, darkened and corrupted by several crossings to the Shadowfell.
2	As part of a group of nomads, you acquired the skills for surviving in the desert.
3	Your early life in the Underdark prepared you for the challenges of combating its denizens.
4	You dwelled on the edge of a swamp, in an area imperiled by land creatures as well as aquatic ones.
5	Because you grew up among the peaks, finding the best path through the mountains is second nature to you.
6	You wandered the far north, learning how to protect yourself and prosper in a realm overrun by ice.

Views of the World

A ranger’s view of the world begins (and sometimes ends) with that character’s outlook toward civilized folk and the places they occupy. Some rangers have an attitude toward civilization that’s deeply rooted in disdain, while others pity the people they have sworn to protect— though on the battlefield, it’s impossible to tell the difference between one ranger and another. Indeed, to those who have seen them operate and been the beneficiaries of their prowess, it scarcely matters why rangers do what they do. That said, no two rangers are likely to express their opinions on any matter in the same way.

If you haven’t yet thought about the details of your character’s worldview, consider putting a finer point on things by summarizing that viewpoint in a short statement (such as the entries on the following table). How might that feeling affect the way you conduct yourself?

d6	Views of the World
1	Towns and cities are the best places for those who can’t survive on their own.
2	The advancement of civilization is the best way to thwart chaos, but its reach must be monitored.
3	Towns and cities are a necessary evil, but once the wilderness is purged of supernatural threats, we will need them no more.
4	Walls are for cowards, who huddle behind them while others do the work of making the world safe.
5	Visiting a town is not unpleasant, but after a few days I feel the irresistible call to return to the wild.
6	Cities breed weakness by isolating folk from the harsh lessons of the wild

Class Features

As a Ranger, you gain the following class features

Natural Explorer

You are adept at traveling, tracking and surviving in wild regions. You gain the following benefits:

• Explorer’s expertise: Your proficiency bonus is doubled for the Survival skill if proficient. If not proficient in Survival, choose any other Ranger skill you're proficient in to be doubled instead.

• Wilderness Guide: While traveling for an hour or more, difficult terrain doesn’t slow you or your group’s travel, you can always find your way back to the last trail or road you've used unless affected by magical means, and you can move stealthily at normal pace.

• Resourceful: When you forage, you find twice as much food as normal. Additionally, you have advantage on Wisdom (Survival) checks when looking for shelter.

Favored Terrain

You are particularly familiar with one natural environment. Choose one type of terrain: Arctic, Coast, Desert, Forest, Grassland, Mountain, Swamp, Underdark, or Urban and gain its bonus below. When you reach 6th level, and again at 10th level, choose one more terrain that you have traveled.

• Arctic You gain resistance to cold damage, or DR3 if you already have it, and have advantage on Dexterity (Acrobatics) checks to balance on unstable surfaces.

• Coast You gain a swim speed equal to your speed. If you already have a swimming speed, it is increased by 10 feet instead. Additionally, you have advantage on Strength (Athletics) checks to swim in rough currents.

• Desert You gain resistance to fire damage, or DR3 if you already have it, and have advantage on Constitution saving throws to avoid exhaustion from lack of food or water.

• Forest You have advantage on Wisdom (Survival) checks to determine direction and gain proficiency in Perception. If you already have this proficiency, the bonus is doubled for any ability check with it and for passive Perception.

• Grassland Your speed increases by 10 feet, and you have advantage on Constitution saving throws to avoid exhaustion due to an extended march.

• Mountain You gain a climb speed equal to your speed. If you already have a climb speed, it is increased by 10 feet instead. Additionally, you have advantage on Strength (Athletics) checks to climb difficult surfaces.

• Swamp You gain resistance to poison damage, or DR3 if you already have it, and have advantage on Constitution saving throws against disease.

• Underdark You learn Undercommon. If you do not have darkvision, you gain it with a range of 30 feet. If you have darkvision from another feature, its range increases by 30 feet instead.

• Urban You learn languages twice as fast and gain proficiency in Investigation. If you already have this proficiency, the bonus is doubled for any ability check you make that uses it and for your passive Investigation.

Favored Prey

You have experience studying, tracking and hunting any type of foe. Once per long rest, If you spend at least 10 minutes studying a creature or its remains, or ten hours with appropriate literary material, you can choose that type of creature as your Favored Prey if you have none, or replace your current one. If the studied creature is a humanoid, you select its race and one closely related race instead. You have advantage on Wisdom (Survival) and Wisdom (Perception) checks to find your Favored Prey. Available creature types are beasts, fey, monstrosities, and undead.

You have particularly significant experience tracking one type of enemy or two races of humanoids. Choose which becomes your favored enemy and learn one language of your choice spoken by that enemy. You gain benefits against these creatures as if they were your Favored Prey.

Fighting Style

At 2nd level, you adopt a particular style of fighting as your specialty. Choose one of the following options. You can't take a Fighting Style option more than once, even if you later get to choose again.

• Archery: You gain a +2 bonus to attack rolls you make with ranged weapons.

• Defense: While you are wearing armor, you gain a +1 bonus to AC.

• Dueling: When you are wielding a melee weapon in one hand and no other weapons, you gain a +2 bonus to damage rolls with that weapon.

• Two-Weapon Fighting: When you engage in two-weapon fighting, you can add your ability modifier to the damage of the second attack.

Spellcasting

By the time you reach 2nd level, you have learned to use the magical essence of nature to cast spells, much as a druid does.

Hunter

Emulating the Hunter archetype means accepting your place as a bulwark between civilization and the terrors of the wilderness. As you walk the Hunter's path, you learn specialized techniques for fighting the threats you face, from rampaging ogres and hordes of ores to towering giants and terrifying dragons.

Beast Master Magic

Starting at 3rd level, you learn an additional spell when you reach certain levels in this class, as shown in the Beast Master Spells table. The spell counts as a ranger spell for you, and is always prepared for you. These spells don't count against the number of spells you can prepare each day.

Animal Companion

Your connection with the wilds and it's inhabitants allows you to establish a powerful link with an Animal Companion, and together you become a formidable team.

This beast may come to you through many different ways: Maybe performing a ritual asking for guidance calls forth this beast. Perhaps he finds you first and seeing you as a kindred spirit, decides to join you on your adventures. Maybe you see it as your totem or guiding spirit and it manifests itself, or you could have raised this animal and it was already your companion. Work with your GM to find what fits best with your character.

If your animal companion is ever slain, the magical bond you share allows you to return it to life. With 8 hours of work and the expenditure of 100gp worth of rare herbs and fine food, you call forth your companion’s spirit and use your magic to create a new body for it. You can return an animal companion to life in this manner even if you do not possess any part of its body.

Animal Companion Features

Choose an animal companion between the Scout, the Stalker, or the Sentinel described at the end of this section. When an animal companion joins you, it gains the following features:

• Proficiency Bonus: Your animal companion uses your proficiency bonus and adds it to its attack rolls, AC and all saving throws.

• Hit Points : Your companion's hit points equal your ranger level x (4 + your companion's Constitution modifier) + your Wisdom modifier. When you recover hit points using Hit Die during short rests, your companion recovers the same amount as you do.

• Hunting Companion: Your companion gains the benefits of your Natural Explorer, Favored Prey, and Hunter's Mark features.

• Ability Scores: Whenever you gain the ability score improvement feature from the ranger class, your companion gains it as well. It cannot take feats.

Your animal companion in battle

• In combat, your companion shares your initiative count, but it takes its turn immediately after yours. If it can't see or hear you, the companion acts on its own.

• The only actions it takes on its turn is the Dodge action or the last action you commanded, unless you take a bonus action on your turn to command it to take one of the actions in its stat block or to take the Attack, Dash, Disengage, Help, or Hide action. The companion's movement and reaction don't cost you any actions.

• If you are incapacitated, the companion will do its best to defend you.

Scout Companion

Small beast, unaligned

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• Armor Class (10 + Dexterity modifier + Proficiency)
• Hit Points Ranger Level x (4 + Constitution modifier) + your Wisdom modifier
• Speed 10 ft., flying 60 ft.

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STR	DEX	CON	INT	WIS	CHA
7 (-2)	17 (+3)	10 (+0)	3 (-4)	17 (+3)	7 (-2)

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• Saving Throws All
• Skills Acrobatics, Perception, Stealth, Survival
• Senses Darkvision 120 ft.

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Actions

Beak or Talons Melee Weapon Attack (Dex + Proficiency) to hit, reach 5 ft., one target.

Hit: (1d4 + Dex) piercing or slashing damage

Features

3rd Level: Keen Sight. The scout companion has advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on sight.

3rd level: Flyby. The scout companion does not provoke opportunity attacks when it flies out of an enemies reach.

7th level: Assisted Fall. The scout companion's flying speed increases by 30 feet. Also, if it is within a distance of you equal to its flying speed and you are falling, it can use its reaction to grab you and slow your descent, reducing any falling damage you take by an amount equal to five times your ranger level.

11th level: Distraction. If the scout companion makes a successful attack against a creature, the next attack made against that creature will have advantage.

15th level: Assisted Flight. If you are within one size of the scout companion, it may use its action to grab you, occupying the same square. For the next minute together, you have flying speed equal to half the scout companion's flying speed, and you both have the effects of Flyby. While together, the companion's only action is to end this feature, and it does not have attacks of opportunity. You must finish a long rest to use Assisted Flight again.

Gloom Stalker Magic

Starting at 3rd level, you learn an additional spell when you reach certain levels in this class, as shown in the Gloom Stalker Spells table. The spell counts as a ranger spell for you, and is always prepared for you. These spells don't count against the number of spells you can prepare each day.

Dread Ambusher

At 3rd level, you master the art of the ambush. You can give yourself a bonus to your initiative rolls equal to your Wisdom modifier. At the start of your first turn of each combat, your walking speed increases by 10 feet, which lasts until the end of that turn. If you take the Attack action on that turn, you can make one additional weapon attack as part of that action. If that attack hits, the target takes an extra 1d8 damage of the weapon's damage type.

Umbral Sight

At 3rd level, you gain darkvision out to a range of 60 feet. If you already have darkvision from your race, its range increases by 30 feet. You are also adept at evading creatures that rely on darkvision. While in darkness, you are invisible to any creature that relies on darkvision to see you in that darkness.

Iron Mind

By 7th level, you have honed your ability to resist the mind-altering powers of your prey. You gain proficiency in Wisdom saving throws. If you already have this proficiency, you instead gain proficiency in Intelligence or Charisma saving throws (your choice).

Horizon Walker

Horizon walkers guard the world against threats that originate from other planes or that seek to ravage the mortal realm with otherworldly magic. They seek out planar portals and keep watch over them, venturing to the Inner Planes and the Outer Planes as needed to pursue their foes. These rangers are also friends to any forces in the multiverse – especially benevolent dragons, fey, and elementals – that work to preserve life and the order of the planes.

Spectral Defense

At 15th level, your ability to move between planes enables you to slip through the planar boundaries to lessen the harm done to you during battle. When you take damage from an attack, you can use your reaction to give yourself resistance to all of that attack's damage on this turn.

Monster Slayer Magic

Starting at 3rd level, you learn an additional spell when you reach certain levels in this class, as shown in the Monster Slayer Spells table. The spell counts as a ranger spell for you, and is always prepared for you. These spells don't count against the number of spells you can prepare each day.

Slayers's Sense

At 3rd level, you gain the ability to peer at a creature and magically discern how best to hurt it. As an action, choose one creature you can see within 60 feet of you. You immediately learn whether the creature has any damage immunities, resistances, or vulnerabilities and what they are. If the creature is hidden from divination magic, you sense that it has no damage immunities, resistances, or vulnerabilities. You can use this feature a number of times equal to your Wisdom modifier (minimum of once). You regain all expended uses of it when you finish a long rest.

Slayer's Prey

Starting at 3rd level, you can focus your ire on one foe, increasing the harm you inflict on it. As a bonus action, you designate one creature you can see within 60 feet of you as the target of this feature. The first time each turn that you hit that target with a weapon attack, it takes an extra 1d6 damage from the weapon. This benefit lasts until you finish a short or long rest. It ends early if you designate a different creature.

Supernatural Defense

At 7th level, you gain extra resilience against your prey’s assaults on your mind and body. Whenever the target of your Slayer’s Prey forces you to make a saving throw and whenever you make an ability check to escape that target's grapple, add 1d6 to your roll.

Magic-User's Nemesis

At 11th level, you gain the ability to thwart someone else's magic. When you see a creature casting a spell or teleporting within 60 feet of you, you can use your reaction to try to magically foil it.

The creature must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw against your spell save DC, or its spell or teleport fails and is wasted. Once you use this feature, you can't use it again until you finish a short or long rest.

Slayer's Counter

At 15th level, you gain the ability to counterattack when your prey tries to sabotage you. If the target of your Slayer’s Prey forces you to make a saving throw, you can use your reaction to make one weapon attack against the quarry. You make this attack immediately before making the saving throw. If the attack hits, your save automatically succeeds, in addition to the attack’s normal effects.