Foundations | |
Required Abilities | Con, Dex, Per |
Axiom | Sensate |
Affinity | Primal |
Spell Casting | Per |
Spell Attack | San |
Saving Throws | Dex, Kno, San |
Hit Dice | D10 |
HP @ Lvl 1 | Your Con Modifier + 1d10 or 6. |
HP @ Higher Lvls | Your Con Modifier + 1d10 / Level After 1st |
Introduction
Clad in lacquered bamboo and leaf armor, the ogre gripped his wooden sword tightly as he counted the goblins in their fresh lair; listened to them planning their raid that night as he scooped up a handful of small stones and pine needles from the forest floor.
Wyrlde is not a safe place.
Grinning around the blood from her broken nose, the elf gazed down into the smoking, ember like eyes of the wood troll and laughed as she broke a branch free and ran it through her hand, the leaves becoming an arrowhead growing from the shaft, drawing back with extra care to aim this time.
And yet, there are those whose task and trade is the making of it a safer place, whose place in the world is to carve out the sickness of the wild places and protect the natural order.
The dwarf tested the spoor between calloused fingers, nose picking out the faint scent of lilac berries, found only in one area. He had the damnable thing now. The lilac cactus burrs could be handy when he came upon the aberration he had been tracking for a month. No more would it kill fawns and kits, or level hamlets when he was done. He hefted his crystal tipped glaive with ease and dabbed at the sweat on his forehead.
Background:
No matter that once the world was filled with people and dangers were few, that era, that age is so long ago that the world itself has forgotten. The War of the Gods brought much into the world that should not be there, and centuries later they still roam free, unchecked in the minds of many.
Except there is a check. There are those who are dedicated to removing those things – the trolls and things, aberrations and abominations, monstrosities and grimms, the Yoma and pestilential plants. They are the Rangers.
Legend:
Rangers are wilderness warriors, survivalists, and while there are some found in the settled areas, their primary role is that of folks who keep the roads, paths, and trails clear, who protect the wilderness from degradation by anyone, and who are dedicated to wiping out the remnants of the God’s War.
Rangers are one of the oldest of the Professions – the earliest Rangers were the scouts of the Bitter Road, who would be ahead by days of the main group and would be the first to encounter the hazards and seek out the safe ways.
Rangers often act as military scouts, as pathfinders, as village defenders, hamlet protectors, forest guardians, and more. Many will guide caravans through their territory and do a hand off to the next, and most Rangers are able to spot the markings and signs that speak of another ranger’s territory or a Conclave’s presence.
Rangers are expected to be able to stand alone, but also to accept help when it is offered, and to seek to aid others who do not seek to disrupt the natural lands. Rangers ae infamous for their bowmanship, as they have long ago learned that they are more effective at a distance than close in.
Of course, being able to turn into a bear or a bee when needed is also quite useful.
Role
Proficiencies | |
Skills (Pick 2) | Pick from any. |
Spell Proficiency | Simple, Rudimentary, Intermediate |
Armor Training | Standard |
Weapon Training | Simple, Common, Adept, Expert, Specialist |
Rangers are generally attuned to the nature in which they live, and while there are Croft Rangers, they are rare and unusual and often not trusted by other Rangers, for they have chosen to protect the Crotfs, or mortal settlements, which most rangers feel is better left to the Reeves.
Reeves don’t disagree with this.
Rangers are drawn to the Boonies The places and spaces between the cities and towns. They are protectors and defenders of villages and hamlets and steadings, and they survive on the edge, taking only what they must, and living in a balance with the world itself. They are the hardy and often solitary folks whose ancient charge is to free us from the things unleashed in the God’s War and let roam.
Much of the world is not natural. There are things out there. The dread foes have little respect for nature. Goblins see it as useful for building and burning, Imps only look to mischief and delight in sickening it and blighting crops, Grendels will steal the crops and curdle the milk, and they are only some of the problems. Someone must path find, must serve as a defense for hamlet and steading, camp and village. Land sharks can terrorize and who has the power to defend?
Rangers often work in small contingents, called Conclaves, to patrol and preserve a territory, always on the lookout for signs of the Dread foes, and always seeking to exterminate those things that were left over from the God’s War. They leave the fae and fell, the celestial and the infernal, to others, but the so-called natural order of things is not in balance on Wyrlde, and they have taken on the task of restoring it.
A ranger in a city is rare, and almost always linked to them either adventuring or reporting something. A town may see a ranger more often, for the same reasons, though not usually for as big of one that would push them to a city.
They are comfortable in Villages and Hamlets, for Rangers abhor walls, and do not think we should have to hide behind them to survive. Here they will trade, exchanges furs and remedies, gathered materials and poultices, for the things they need. Which isn’t much, and almost always something made in a way they cannot.
It is said no ranger is ever truly unarmed. They are Sensates, gifted with a preternatural talent, drawing the power of the things themselves into their own mana and shaping them. They can create weapons as strong as steel for a short time, and they are gifted in ways of fighting that are drawn from the world in which they live.
Fortes
Warden of the Wilds
Rangers always have Advantage on all checks regarding Warmachines. Warmachines cannot surprise a Ranger, nor conceal themselves from one within 50 yards (150 feet).
Rangers gain Advantage on Wisdom (survival) checks to track includes Aberrations, Abominations, Corruptions, Grimms, Horrors, Warmachines, and Trolls.
Naturally Skilled
Rangers always have Tracking, Nature, Survival, Animal Handling, and Primalism skills.
Biome Mastery
Rangers tend to focus on a particular kind of terrain that they become intimately familiar with. These are built around Biomes. Choose one the following biomes as your favored:
Frigid | Wooded | Grassland | Scrubland | Desert |
Riparian | Wetland | Underdark | Oceanic | Croft. |
No matter where a Ranger is, they commit to studying the natural world, and so as you gain greater degrees of mastery, you can add additional biomes. 1 additional Biome can be gained at each Degree of Mastery: 5th, 9th, 13th, and 17th. Thus, by 17th Level, a Ranger will have mastered five biomes.
In a biome they have mastered:
- Difficult terrain will not slow you.
- You cannot become lost except by magical means.
- You remain alert to danger, even while doing other things.
- You can move stealthily at a normal pace.
- Foraging is doubly useful.
- When tracking, you learn exact number, sizes, how long ago they passed, and usually some odd bit of trivia.
Martial Nature
Rangers are said to never be without a weapon at hand or armor available. Often rangers are seen to have some unusual weapons for their biome. Having studied their biomes so extensively and adding in their intuitive grasp of Primal magic, they are able to locate and sense items in nature that are usable as weapons, and then shape them into such. An Elfin wood ranger was famous for her use of only a wooden blade and a bow while dressed almost entirely in leaves.
Nature Blade
Starting at 1st Level, ranger gain perhaps the most famous of all the Ranger abilities. They can sense around them the presence of wood and similar items – even shaped wood such as a quarter staff or bo stick –and using their magic reshape it into a weapon. Rangers can only shape weapons they know how to use, and only the Ranger can use the weapon. Rangers will often prefer to use this in place of a forged weapon, made in some city (except, of course, for Croft Rangers).
It takes 3 actions to create a Nature Blade. One to identify the materials, one to expend mana and shape it, and one to fix it in that form. It costs 3 mana points each use and lasts for an hour per level of the ranger; during that time the weapon will become as durable and as deadly as a sharpened steel blade.
It must be formed from a single substance in a single mass derived from something once living (including amber).
Nature Blade can be used to shape other forms of weapons according to the weapon training of the Ranger:
At 5th Level, ice, resin, and clay can be shaped, and the weapon is treated as a magical weapon.
At 9th Level, amber, stone, and crystal can be shaped.
At 13th Level, snow, soil, and water can be shaped
At 17th Level, the air itself can be shaped.
- Sling Bullets & Needle Darts: This allows small pebbles to be used with a throwing motion that makes them akin to a sling bullet, aided by the mana. Cactus spines, pine needles, small stones, and similar small items. The catch with this is that there is an additional cost of 1 point of mana for every three items thrown. Legend tells of a Ranger who once used the flowers of her field as throwing stars.
- Choking and Blinding Dusts: This allows the Ranger to grab a handful of sand, dirt, ash, and empower it to either render sightless for 1 round or choke for one round their opponent.
- Grappling Vines: found mostly in use among the wetland rangers, this ability can empower a vine or weeping branch into a whip with a chance to Grapple.
- Arrows: there is no such thing as wood that isn’t suitable for an arrow to a Ranger. 1 mana point for every three arrows. Leaves and petals are often used as fletching and tips, making a flower one of the deadliest things in the hands of a ranger.
- Ice spear: known mostly to those who meet them in winter, Rangers can shape a short spear.
Nature Armor
At 1st Level, Rangers are also able to take the wood, stone, leaves, twigs, spines, and bark, hides and assorted odds and ends of the world around them and fashion them into a set of armor that will last one hour per level of the Ranger and costs 5 mana points to fashion it.
Each section of nature armor takes an action to fashion from materials in the area. The sections are: Boots, Legs, Chest, Hands, Arms, Head. Shields are optional and cost an additional point of mana.
Nature armor provides AC of 2 plus Dex modifier per section, for 12 + Dexterity modifier. It also provides camouflage, acting as a ghillie suit and granting a advantage on Stealth checks in natural settings.
At 5th Level, Rangers can create 2 items per Action, and increases AC by 1 (13 Base).
At 9th Level, Rangers can create 3 times per Action, and increases AC by 1 (14 Base).
At 13th Level, Rangers can create 4 items per Action, and increases AC by 1 (15 Base).
At 17th Level, Rangers can create 5 items per Action, and increases AC by 1 (16 Base).
Wild Shape
The power of nature infuses you, allowing you to assume the form of an animal.
As a Bonus Action, you transform into a Fauna or Flora form that you have learned for this. To do this, you must expend 3 points of Mana, and possess something of the creature you seek to become (a bone, desiccated flesh, a few teeth, a hide) that becomes a part of when they transform. At first Level, you need to make a successful Con check with the CR of the Fauna as your DC.
You stay in that form or another you know, provided you do not revert back to normal for a number of hours equal to your Ranger level or until you use Wild Shape again, have the Incapacitated condition, or die. You can also leave the form early as a Bonus Action.
Known Forms
You know a number of forms for this feature equal to your Ranger level+2, chosen from among Fauna stat blocks that have a maximum CR within 2 of your level. Rather than choosing, you may start with the Riding Horse, Spider, and Wolf. Whenever you finish a Long Rest, you can replace one of your known forms with another eligible form.
Most Rangers will choose a specialty, in keeping with the way that the Fauna are organized..
You can use Wild Shape a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus. You regain one expended use when you finish a Short Rest, and you regain all expended uses when you finish a Long Rest.
Rules While Transformed
While in a form, you retain your personality, memories, and ability to speak, and the following rules apply:
Game Statistics
Your game statistics are replaced by the statistics of the Fauna, but you retain your Hit Points; Hit Dice; Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma scores; class features; languages; and feats. You also retain your skill and saving throw proficiencies and use your Proficiency Bonus for them, in addition to gaining those of the creature. If the creature has the same proficiency as you and the bonus in its stat block is higher than yours, use the creature’s bonus instead of yours. If the creature has any legendary or lair actions, you can’t use them.
Temporary Hit Points
When you assume a Wild Shape form, you gain a number of Temporary Hit Points equal to your Ranger level.
No Spellcasting
You can’t cast spells, but transforming doesn’t break your Concentration on a spell you’ve already cast or prevent you from taking actions that are part of a spell, such as the Call Lightning spell, that you’ve already cast.
Objects
Your ability to handle objects is determined by the form’s limbs rather than your own. In addition, you choose whether your equipment falls to the ground in your space, merges into your new form, or is worn by it. Worn equipment functions as normal, but the DM decides whether it is practical for the new form to wear a piece of equipment based on the creature’s size and shape. Your equipment doesn’t change size or shape to match the new form, and any equipment that the new form can’t wear must either fall to the ground or merge with it. Equipment that merges with the form has no effect until you leave the form.
Wild Shape Improvement
At 5th Level, you no longer need the Con Check, and gain an extra use.
At 9th Level, you can adopt a form that has a Fly Speed, as well as gain an extra use.
At 13th Level, you can cast many of your Shaman spells in any shape you assume using Wild Shape, as well as gain an extra use.
At 17th Level, you can use your Wild Shape an unlimited number of times.
Wanderer’s Gifts
At 1st Level, you gain a beast companion that accompanies you on your adventures and is trained to fight alongside you. Choose a beast that is no larger than Medium and that has a challenge rating of 1/4 or lower. Add your proficiency bonus to the beast’s AC, attack rolls, and damage rolls, as well as to any saving throws and skills it is proficient in. Its hit point maximum equals the hit point number in its stat block or four times your ranger level, whichever is higher. Like any creature, it can spend Hit Dice during a short rest to regain hit points.
The beast obeys your commands as best as it can. It takes its turn on your initiative. On your turn, you can verbally command the beast where to move (no action required by you). You can use your action to verbally command it to take the Attack, Dash, Disengage, or Help action. If you don’t issue a command, the beast takes the Dodge action. Once you have the Extra Attack feature, you can make one weapon attack yourself when you command the beast to take the Attack action.
If you are incapacitated or absent, the beast acts on its own, focusing on protecting you and itself. The beast never requires your command to use its reaction, such as when making an opportunity attack. While traveling through your favored terrain with only the beast, you can move stealthily at a normal pace. If the beast dies, you can obtain a new companion by spending 8 hours magically bonding with a beast that isn’t hostile to you and that meets the requirements.
At 5th 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. This includes Aberrations, Abominations, Corruptions, Grimms, Horrors, Warmachines, and Trolls.
At 9th Level, you learn to attack with such unexpected speed that you can turn a miss into another strike. Once on each of your turns when you miss with a weapon attack, you can make another weapon attack as part of the same action.
At 13th Level, you draw on the powers of nature to hide yourself from view briefly. As a bonus action, you can magically become invisible, along with any equipment you are wearing or carrying, until the start of your next turn. You can use this feature a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus, and you regain all expended uses when you finish a long rest.
Apprenticeship
Starting Gear | |
Gear | Small Backpack, Tinderbox, Large Sack, 30’ Rope, Waterskin |
Tools or Kit | Choose 2 |
Focus | Staff, Rod, Wand, or baton |
Armor | Any Standard |
Weaponry | A huntng knife, 2 Ranged, 1 Melee. |
Wealth Bonus | 15 |
Rangers generally operate in a group of 3 to 7, covering a wide-ranging territory outside a settled area. New rangers are taught some basics at a nearby Adventurer’s Guild, before joining a small Troop led by an experience Adept or higher Ranger. For the next few years they learn the ins and outs of surviving in the wilds, when to eat, how to make a camp that is safe, how to identify sources of water and food, how to locate essential plants, and other things in addition to the use of their gifts in general.
Ranges are often overwhelmed by Towns and Cities, but will still venture there as needed, simply choosing to make such trips as speedy as possible. They much prefer Villages and Hamlets, and will support a small steading with fresh game or other things in exchange for things like milk, cheese, bread, and other luxuries.
Luxuries they are – Ranges live a sparse lifestyle, often cold and wet, and see a settlement far more often frm a distance than close up. Many tend to have unusual or poor socialization habits from spending so long out in the Boonies. They can be nervous, jumpy, and very protective of themselves in highly populated areas.
Troops operate both as a group and in small pairs or singles for much of their apprenticeship, and are very rarely given time to enter any settlement, leaving them only with each other for company and friendship – which leads to not only strong teamwork, but an investment in group survival.
As can likely be guessed, rangers do not do well with the creatures that are abominable in the world, and are oft sworn foes of any of them.
Aspects
Orders & Mysteries
Rangers gain a choice of three weapon training slots at 1st level. One must always be a Melees weapon, one must always be a Thrown weapon, and one must always be a Ranged weapon.
Rangers are Sensates, who have the ability to learn up to Intermediate Mysteries but must choose between them and Orders. Rangers also are able to learn additional weapons.
At 1st Level, you gain an additional weapon training slot and are able to choose 1 1st Order OR 1 Simple Mystery.
At 5th Level, you gain an additional weapon training slot and are able to choose 1 2nd Order, or 1 first Order OR 1 Simple Mystery or 1 Rudimentary Mystery.
At 9th Level, you gain an additional weapon training slot and are able to choose 1 3rd Order, 1 2nd Order , or 2 first Orders OR 1 Simple Mystery or 1 Rudimentary Mystery or 1 Intermediate Mystery.
At 13th Level, you gain an additional weapon training slot and can choose 1 4th Order , 1 3rd Order , 2 2nd Order s, or 3 First Order s OR 1 Simple Mystery or 1 Rudimentary Mystery or 1 Intermediate Mystery.
At 17th Level you gain an additional weapon training slot and can choose 1 5th Order , 1 4th Order , 2 3rd Order , 3 2nd Order s, or 4 First Order s OR 1 Simple Mystery or 1 Rudimentary Mystery or 1 Intermediate Mystery.
Precepts
At 3rd Level, you can choose one aspect from the Postulant list.
At 7th Level, you can choose one aspect from the Initiate list, or one aspect from the Postulant list.
At 11th Level you can choose one aspect from the Member list, or one aspect from the Initiate list, or one aspect from the Postulant list.
At 15th Level you can choose one aspect from the Hieros list, or one aspect from the Member list, or one aspect from the Initiate list, or one aspect from the Postulant list.
At 19th Level you can choose one aspect from the Alumni list, or one aspect from the Hieros list, or one aspect from the Member list, or one aspect from the Initiate list, or one aspect from the Postulant list.
Maxims
At 4th Level, you can choose one Dedicated Maxim.
At 8th Level you can choose one Persistent Maxim or one Dedicated Maxim.
At 12th Level you can choose one Zealous Maxim or one Persistent Maxim or one Dedicated Maxim.
At 16th Level you can choose one Unyielding Maxim or one Zealous Maxim or one Persistent Maxim or one Dedicated Maxim.
At 20th Level you can choose one Absolutist Maxim or one Unyielding Maxim or one Zealous Maxim or one Persistent Maxim or one Dedicated Maxim.
Esoterica
At 2nd Level, you can choose one aspect from the Postulant list.
At 6th Level, you can choose one aspect from the Initiate list, or one aspect from the Postulant list.
At 10th Level, you can choose one aspect from the Member list, or one aspect from the Initiate list, or one aspect from the Postulant list.
At 14th Level, you can choose one aspect from the Hieros list, or one aspect from the Member list, or one aspect from the Initiate list, or one aspect from the Postulant list.
At 18th Level, you can choose one aspect from the Alumni list, or one aspect from the Hieros list, or one aspect from the Member list, or one aspect from the Initiate list, or one aspect from the Postulant list.
Mysteries
Affinity | Axiom | Cipher | Manifestation | Orgone |
Primal | Sensate | 
| Shine | Cie |
Affinity Score | Axiom Score | Spell | Spell Book | Focal |
San | Per | Hex | Occultaire | Baton, Rod, Wand, Staff |
Spell Level | Spell Point Cost | Actions to Cast |
Cantrips / 0 | 1 | 1 |
1 Level Spells | 3 | 1 |
2 Level Spells | 5 | 2 |
3 Level Spells | 8 | 2 |
4 Level Spells | 12 | 3 |
5 Level Spells | 14 | 3 |
6 Level Spells | 17 | 4 |
7 Level Spells | 19 | 4 |
8 Level Spells | 21 | 5 |
9 Level Spells | 25 | 5 |
Rangers have their own specific Spell List for their spells and are considered quite skilled at the use of magic in the wilds. Their spells focus mostly on what are considered natural effects, and shy away from spiritual or elemental things. They make excellent companions for Shamans, however.
At 5th Level, you gain 1 Simple Mystery.
At 9th Level, you gain 1 Rudimentary Mystery, or 1 Simple Mystery.
At 17th Level, you gain 1 Intermediate Mystery, or 1 Rudimentary Mystery, or 2 Simple Mysteries.
Mana Stored & Spells Per Level
Complexity -> | Mana Stored | Simple | Rudimentary | Intermediate | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Mastery | Level | Cantrip | 1st Level | 2nd Level | 3rd Level | 4th Level | 5th Level | |
Novice | 1 | 7 | 3 | |||||
2 | 15 | 4 | 1 | |||||
3 | 22 | 4 | 1 | |||||
4 | 27 | 4 | 2 | 1 | ||||
Yeoman | 5 | 33 | 5 | 2 | 1 | |||
6 | 45 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 1 | |||
7 | 52 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 1 | |||
8 | 60 | 6 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | ||
Adept | 9 | 68 | 6 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | |
10 | 75 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | |
11 | 82 | 7 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | |
12 | 90 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 2 | |
Master | 13 | 97 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 2 |
14 | 105 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 3 | |
15 | 113 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 3 | |
16 | 120 | 8 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 4 | |
Grand Master | 17 | 127 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 4 |
18 | 135 | 9 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 | |
19 | 142 | 10 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 | |
20 | 150 | 10 | 10 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 6 | |
Proficiencies
At 2nd Level, you gain 2 proficiency slots.
At 6th Level, you gain 2 proficiency slots.
At 10th Level, you gain 3 proficiency slots.
At 14th Level, you gain 2 proficiency slots.
At 18th Level, you gain 2 proficiency slots.
Ability Score Increases
At 3rd Level, You gain 2 points.
At 7th Level, You gain 2 points.
At 11th Level, You gain 3 points.
At 15th Level, You gain 2 points.
At 19th Level, You gain 1 point.
Leveling Table
Level | Mastery | Prof Bonus | Skill | Forte | ASI | Maxims | Precepts | Mysteries | Orders | Esoterica |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Novice | 0 | Yes | Simple | First | |||||
2 | 0 | Yes | Yes | |||||||
3 | 0 | Yes | Yes | |||||||
4 | +1 | Yes | Rudiments | |||||||
5 | Yeoman / Doyen | +1 | Yes | Second | ||||||
6 | +1 | Yes | Yes | |||||||
7 | +1 | Yes | Yes | |||||||
8 | +2 | Yes | Medial | |||||||
9 | Adept | +2 | Yes | Third | ||||||
10 | +2 | Yes | Yes | |||||||
11 | +2 | Yes | Yes | |||||||
12 | +3 | Yes | Advanced | |||||||
13 | Master | +3 | Yes | Fourth | ||||||
14 | +3 | Yes | Yes | |||||||
15 | +3 | Yes | Yes | |||||||
16 | +4 | Yes | Expert | |||||||
17 | Grand Master | +4 | Yes | Fifth | ||||||
18 | +4 | Yes | Yes | |||||||
19 | +4 | Yes | Yes | |||||||
20 | +5 | Yes |
