Ranger Build

Resourceful and able to adapt easily to most combat situations, these combatants combine melee and ranged skills to add versatility to the battlefield. Mobile damage dealers who prefer light or medium armors so as not to inhibit movement, they tend to pick up a variety of weapon proficiencies, adjusting their tactics to the type of enemy. Typically part of an undermanned local militia or small organization, they are trained to fill multiple roles. Rarely found on the frontlines, their role in a group is to assess threats and eliminate them, often acting as protectors for ranged allies and aiding melee allies with flanking tactics.

Build Notes

With a number of skills in both the ranged and melee combat specialties, Rangers begins with more combat options than many of the other roles. While the proficiencies are focused on movement skills that provides them with mobility, players can choose to sacrifice a number of skills to pick up the Performance specialty, allowing for additional move options as the character advances, or the Statecraft specialty for leadership and diplomacy skills that are often underused. It should be noted though, that attempting to advance three specialty skill trees will spread points out quite a lot and make it challenging to pick up Expert and Master level skills.

Background

With the Ranger role, some of the optional Background Packages work better than others, to get started, six  recommendations are listed below:

  • Adventurer
  • Explorer
  • Nomad
  • Outlaw
  • Wanderer
  • Wayfarer

Skill Trees

Armed Combat
(10 + 5 skill = 15 points)
• Evade
• Parry
• Stab
• Swing
• Weapon Proficiency
• Weapon Proficiency

Ranged Combat
(10 + 5 skills = 15 points)
• Dodge
• Quick Draw
• Retreat
• Shoot
• Weapon Proficiency

Athletics
(3 skills = 3 points)
• Climbing
• Jumping
• Running

Cunning
(2 skills = 2 points)
• Observation
• Stealth

Vigilance
(4 skills = 4 points)
• Care
• Concentrate
• First Aide
• Search

Starting Gear

Rangers begin play with a suit of armor two melee weapons, and a ranged weapon with starting ammo, the quality of which is based on the starting wealth class. Because these characters might carry a quiver, those who begin with an Explorer Pack may substitute a Haversack for the Backpack or spread the gear across other containers. These packs do not have a specific monetary value, rather they are designed to ensure that starting characters have the basic gear they need to begin play. Substitutes for items of a roughly equal value may be made with GM approval.

These characters are scraping by, living in communal areas when they can and sleeping on the ground when they can’t, with just enough money to manage a decent meal…on most days. Their meager possessions amount to:

  • Hide Armor (Poor)
  • Two Simple Melee Weapons (Poor)
  • Ranged Weapon (Poor)
  • 3 local coins

Although hardworking, these characters have little to show for it, living in a semi-private communal area. Their careworn possessions include:

  • Studded Leather or Chain Shirt (Poor)
  • Light Helm (Poor)
  • Any Two Melee Weapons (Poor)
  • Ranged Weapon (Poor)
  • Explorers Pack (Poor)
  • 25 local coins

Coming from a family of skilled tradespeople, low level civil servants, or lifelong military service, these characters have decent lodgings and a comfortable lifestyle. Their gear is fairly new and includes:

  • Studded Leather or Chain Shirt (Standard)
  • Light Helm (Standard)
  • Any Two Melee Weapons (Standard)
  • Ranged Weapon (Standard)
  • Explorers Pack (Standard)
  • 100 local coins

Coming from a family of landowners, business people, or mid-level civil servants, wealth and power has long been a part of how they define themselves among their peers. This attitude shows in their gear which includes:

  • Any Light or Medium Armor (Standard)
  • Any Helm (Standard)
  • Any Two Melee Weapons (Standard)
  • Ranged Weapon (Masterwork)
  • Explorers Pack (Standard)
  • 250 local coins

Coming from a lifestyle of luxury beyond anything that most people can imagine, the very best is the only quality they will accept, which includes:

  • Any Light or Medium Armor (Masterwork)
  • Any Helm (Masterwork)
  • Any Two Melee Weapons (Masterwork)
  • Ranged Weapon (Masterwork)
  • Explorers Pack (Masterwork)
  • 750 local coins
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