Still, I really dig the class itself. And as a bonus, there's no reason you can't be a human Ranger. Just take out the infravision ,invulnerability to sleep and paralysis, and the vulnerability to iron. Heck, the bonus to secret door checks still makes sense. If you wanted to drop demi-humans from you campaign, it works out. You can even let the ranger retain 30' of "darksight," because of all their nighttime activities.
Anyway, without further ado, The Ranger.
Ranger (Elf)
a DCC class
Introduction
Scouts and hunters are generic professions, but a Ranger is something special. In the case of the DCC class, the Ranger represents a kind of elven warrior that lives to protect the Elfhomes at all costs. They will act both as the last line of defense, as well as agents in the human world.
As such, Rangers are prepared with both rigorous martial training, as well as skills more suited to subterfuge. Rangers are expected to be wise in the ways of the forest, but they must also be capable of carrying out extended missions in human settlements. Indeed, while Rangers lack the magical training of their aristocratic brethren, their supernatural talents find themselves expressed in their uncanny aim and inhuman grace.
While the elfin Warlocks who learn the ways of arcane power are on the road to becoming elfin Lords, Rangers walk a different path. Elfin aristocracy reveres magical talent in the same way the human nobility is founded on martial prowess, and Rangers are not taught the ways of the mage. For obscure and various reasons, the ranks of Rangers are filled with elves who are denied a place in the Elfhomes, even as they are essential to the continuing survival of the cities of their kind. Most are reticent to explain the circumstances that led them to this fate, but Rangers are often possessed of a kind of melancholy that is unique to those who cannot be slain by time.
Summary
Rangers are an elfish class that hybridizes aspects of the thief and the warrior classes. In this context, the usual elf class should be renamed the Warlock (Elf) class. Rangers are especially adept in a wilderness environment, and some of their skills are unique - especially their talent for setting makeshift traps. Because they devote themselves to such a broad array of disciplines, Rangers are forced to specialize in single class of weapon in which to truly excel.
Rules
Hit points
A Ranger earns 1d8 hit points per level.
Weapon training
Rangers are proficient with battleaxes, clubs, crossbows, daggers, darts, hand axes, javelins, longbows, longswords, polearms, shortbows, short swords, slings, spears, staffs and two-handed swords. Note, however, that Rangers are better with some weapons than others; refer to the details for weapon specialization for more information.
Because of their sensitivity to iron (as explained below), elf characters are trained from an early age with mithril weapons. Before they depart on a life of adventure, they have acquired mithril equipment. At 1st level, an elf character may purchase one piece of armor and one weapon that are manufactured of mithril at no additional cost. Mithril armor weighs slightly less than iron or steel armor of the same type and can be worn by the elf without the pain normally associated with metal armors.
Alignment
Rangers are typically lawful, though the more grizzled veterans are often neutral, and the rare rogue Ranger could be chaotic.
Weapon specialization
Rangers must specialize in a class of weapons. At first level, the Ranger must select two specific weapons to specialize in, and this cannot be changed at a later point (without some kind of quest). These weapons are collectively referred to as the Ranger’s specialization class. Note that the selected weapons are not themselves classes of weapons; thus, a Ranger could specialize in the longbow and the short sword, but not “bows” and “swords.”
When using a weapon of that class, the Ranger gets a deed die and better criticals, much like a warrior. The deed die may be used to perform Mighty Deeds. When not wielding such a weapon, Rangers get a simple attack modifier and less severe critical hits. Basically, the Ranger fights like a warrior with weapons from his specialization, and fights like a thief with everything else.
Traditionally, Rangers will select one ranged weapon and one melee weapon. The longbow is considered to be the iconic weapon of these lone guardians, but there is considerable variation. Javelins and even throwing darts are not unheard of.
Infravision
Elves can see 60’ in the dark.
Immunities
Elves are immune to magical sleep and paralysis.
Vulnerabilities
Elves are extremely sensitive to the touch of iron. Direct contact over prolonged periods causes a burning sensation, and exposure at close distances makes them uncomfortable. An elf may not wear iron armor or bear the touch of iron weapons for extended periods. Prolonged contact with iron causes 1 hp of damage per day of direct contact.
Heightened Senses
Elves are astute and observant. All elf characters receive a +4 bonus to detect secret doors. Moreover, when simply passing within 10 feet of a secret door, elves are entitled to a check to detect it.
Skills
Rangers have a number of skills that improve as they gain levels, like thieves. The skill list is a little different, although there’s a lot of overlap. Here are all the Ranger skills:
- Bushcraft
- Backstab
- Sneak silently
- Hide in shadows
- Climb sheer surfaces
- Find trap
- Disable trap
- Set trap
- Disguise self
- Speak languages
- Use magic
Some of these are new, and described below.
Bushcraft skill
Bushcraft is a very broad skill; it covers a variety of activities specific to the wilderness setting, but it also covers the use of other kinds of skills in a way that is adapted to a wilderness environment. For instance, if a Ranger is attempting to hide via camouflage in the forest, then the Ranger may use his bushcraft skill bonus instead of his hide in shadows bonus. Basically, any time that a Ranger has a skill bonus for an activity, he may use his bushcraft skill in its place, if it provides a greater bonus.
Sometimes, there can be confusion about what constitutes “wilderness.” As a general rule, gardens and natural caves count as wilderness, but ancient ruins do not. In other words, interpret liberally, but not so liberally that the distinction becomes meaningless. Surfaces and structures manufactured by tool-using beings are not generally considered to be wild.
Here are the kinds of things that bushcraft can be used for (besides enhancing other skills):
- Tracking
- Survival
- Land navigation
- Constructing makeshift tools
- Building impromptu shelter
- Identifying natural resources and hazards
- Detecting unnatural features
Here is a list of other skills that are generally eligible to use the bushcraft modifier in wilderness conditions:
- Sneak silently
- Hide in shadows
- Climb sheer surfaces
- Find trap
- Disable trap
- Set trap
Set traps skill
When a Ranger wants to set a trap, there are two options. First, the player can describe what he or she wants the trap to do. In that case, the judge assigns a DC to the roll based on the table below, and the player rolls. On a success, the trap is set. On a failure, the time and materials spent on the trap are wasted, and the trap is not set, or an inferior version of the desired trap is created. On a fumble, the Ranger accidentally triggers the trap upon himself.
The other option is for the player to simply roll, and the judge can determine the trap that is created based on the roll (according to the table below) and available materials. This roll can still fail if it falls below the minimum roll to design a useful trap.
The following table describes the relationship between the DC of the set traps skill, the trap that can be set, and the time required to set the trap:
Traps
|
DC
|
Time required
|
|
8
|
1 minute
|
|
10
|
10 minutes
|
|
12
|
1 hour
|
|
14
|
4 hours
|
|
16
|
12 hours
|
|
20
|
24 hours
|
|
24
|
48 hours
|
There is a base DC of 15 to detect a trap, but the DC increases by 5 for every step that the roll was higher than needed to create the desired effect. The DC of a Reflex save to avoid an undetected effect starts at a base of 15, increasing at the same rate.
The effect of entangling or trapping something means it is temporarily immobilized, with a -4 penalty to most actions. To escape, a trapped character must make a Fortitude save as listed on the table; an entangled character rolls every round, while a trapped one does it every hour, and if three saves are failed, it cannot escape on its own. If the ensnared victim has an appropriate tool available, then the saving to escape will benefit from a bonus that increases over time, or even from the start (such as with a crowbar, for instance).
Damage for a trap that is not avoided is as listed. Note that any trap that causes damage can be enhanced with poison, if available (though this should require a skill check...best for a thief!). This includes a trap that only causes a scratch.
To create a trap, the character must have sufficient time and materials as determined by the judge, and the player should be able to generally describe the kind of trap that he wants to build. Working with insufficient materials should penalize the skill roll significantly (-5 for limited materials, -10 for nothing but clothes, -20 for nothing at all). The construction of a trap, especially a large one, can be facilitated by helpers in a roughly proportional manner (e.g. six hours to build an elephant trap with four helpers).
Speak languages skill
Speak languages is a skill used to communicate with others in an unfamiliar or barely-familiar language. It could be thought of as a spoken version to the read languages skill. It cannot be used for sophisticated communication, but to get the gist of what is being said, and to get one’s point across. Gestures and pantomime may be involved; players may get a bonus to their rolls for acting things out, so long as their gestures add both clarity to the message and entertainment to the performance.
Use magic skill
This skill includes the capability to cast spells from scrolls, but also to use magical items that require spell checks but no specific spell knowledge. This skill has more to do with the Ranger’s elfin nature than his training.
Luck
At first level, a Ranger’s Luck modifier applies to attack rolls with one specific kind of weapon. This kind of weapon must be chosen at first level and the modifier is fixed at its starting value – neither the weapon nor the modifier changes over the course of the warrior’s career. The weapon type must be specific: longsword or shortsword, not “swords.” In addition, the weapon must belong to the Ranger’s specialization.
Languages
At 1st-level, a Ranger automatically knows Common, the elfin racial language, plus five additional randomly determined languages. A Ranger knows one additional language for every point of Int modifier, as described in Appendix L of the DCC core rules.
Action dice
A Ranger’s action dice can be used for attacks or skill checks.
Table I: Ranger Progression
Level
|
Attack
|
Crit Die
|
Crit Table
|
Action Dice
|
Ref
|
Fort
|
Will
| ||
1
|
+1
|
1d10
|
II
|
1d20
|
+1
|
+1
|
+1
| ||
2
|
+2
|
1d12
|
II
|
1d20
|
+1
|
+1
|
+1
| ||
3
|
+2
|
1d14
|
II
|
1d20
|
+2
|
+1
|
+1
| ||
4
|
+3
|
1d16
|
II
|
1d20
|
+2
|
+2
|
+2
| ||
5
|
+4
|
1d20
|
II
|
1d20
|
+3
|
+2
|
+2
| ||
6
|
+5
|
1d24
|
II
|
1d20 +1d14
|
+4
|
+2
|
+2
| ||
7
|
+5
|
1d30
|
II
|
1d20 +1d16
|
+4
|
+3
|
+3
| ||
8
|
+6
|
1d30 + 2
|
II
|
1d20 + 1d20
|
+5
|
+3
|
+3
| ||
9
|
+7
|
1d30 + 4
|
II
|
1d20 + 1d20
|
+5
|
+3
|
+3
| ||
10
|
+8
|
1d30 + 6
|
II
|
1d20 + 1d20
|
+6
|
+4
|
+4
| ||
Table II: Ranger Skills
Level
|
1
|
2
|
3
|
4
|
5
|
6
|
7
|
8
|
9
|
10
|
Bushcraft
|
+3
|
+5
|
+7
|
+8
|
+9
|
+11
|
+12
|
+13
|
+14
|
+15
|
Backstab
|
+0
|
+1
|
+2
|
+3
|
+4
|
+5
|
+6
|
+7
|
+8
|
+9
|
Sneak silently
|
+1
|
+3
|
+5
|
+7
|
+8
|
+9
|
+10
|
+11
|
+12
|
+13
|
Hide in shadows
|
+0
|
+1
|
+2
|
+3
|
+4
|
+5
|
+6
|
+7
|
+8
|
+9
|
Climb sheer surfaces
|
+1
|
+3
|
+5
|
+7
|
+8
|
+9
|
+10
|
+11
|
+12
|
+13
|
Find trap
|
+1
|
+3
|
+5
|
+7
|
+8
|
+9
|
+10
|
+11
|
+12
|
+13
|
Disable trap
|
+0
|
+1
|
+2
|
+3
|
+4
|
+5
|
+6
|
+7
|
+8
|
+9
|
Set trap
|
+0
|
+1
|
+2
|
+3
|
+4
|
+5
|
+6
|
+7
|
+8
|
+9
|
Speak languages
|
+1
|
+3
|
+5
|
+7
|
+8
|
+9
|
+10
|
+11
|
+12
|
+13
|
Disguise self
|
+0
|
+1
|
+2
|
+3
|
+4
|
+5
|
+6
|
+7
|
+8
|
+9
|
Use magic
|
d12
|
d12
|
d14
|
d14
|
d16
|
d16
|
d20
|
d20
|
d20
|
d20
|
Deed Die *
|
d3
|
d4
|
d5
|
d6
|
d7
|
d8
|
d10
|
d10+1
|
d10+2
|
d10+3
|
Crit Die *
|
1d12
|
1d14
|
1d16
|
1d20
|
1d24
|
1d30
|
2d20
|
2d20
|
2d20
|
2d20
|
Crit Table *
|
III
|
III
|
III
|
IV
|
IV
|
V
|
V
|
V
|
V
|
V
|
* These values apply when the Ranger is using weapons in his specialization.
Table III: Ranger Titles
Level
|
Title (all alignments)
|
1
|
Hunter
|
2
|
Tracker
|
3
|
Scout
|
4
|
Commando
|
5
|
Warden
|
No comments:
Post a Comment