The Ranger

This document provides suggestions and insights into how to translate the ideas of the
Ranger class from the source material into Path nder Fate Accelerated.
"For those who relish the thrill of the hunt,
Sample Iconics
there are only predators and prey.
Be they scouts, trackers, or bounty hunters,
Garak, Pailey, Yuler
rangers share much in common: unique
mastery of specialized weapons, skill at stalking Starting Archetype Sets
even the most elusive game, and the expertise Commando
to defeat a wide range of quarries. Rangers are
Combative +3, Primal +1
deft skirmishers, either in melee or at range.
Survivalist
Knowledgeable, patient, and skilled hunters,
these rangers hound man, beast, and monster
Combative +2, Primal +2
alike; while some track man-eating creatures to Stalker
protect the frontier, others pursue more Combative +1, Roguish +2, Primal +1
cunning game—even fugitives among their Feral
own people."
Focused +1, Primal +3
Archetype Considerations
Four Archetypes are of potential interest Strikers
to a ranger, but an individual ranger might The source material o ers rangers as
only have bonuses in two of them. Primal e ective melee and ranged combatants.
covers the "wildlands survivor" facet,
Rangers are often stereotyped as using
Combatives covers the "warrior" facet,
bows and arrows, and in later editions of
Roguish covers the "skilled and canny"
the game due to the in uence of a certain
facet, and Focused covers the "alert and
popular book character dual-wielding
t" facet.
rangers became a thing. But in actuality, a
Primal is the most essential Archetype of given ranger might prefer sword and
the four for a ranger. All rangers should board, two-handed weapons, thrown
have at least Primal +1. However, gaining weapons, or whatever.
Primal +3 or higher is something that can
Skill-monger
be deferred until some major milestones
Rangers are skilled, particularly in
have passed, or avoided altogether for a
wilderness settings. They excel at
ranger who is not a spell caster.
tracking, sneaking around, and surviving
Combatives is the next most essential
in the wilderness, and are also capable
Archetype for many but not all rangers.
hunters.
Rangers that are top-tier warriors who also
Support / Utility
happen to have a wilderness slant to them
will generally go heavy Combatives with a In addition to being respectable front
splash of Primal, for instance. line combatants, rangers eventually gain
some nature magic spells.
Roguish is also a solid Archetype to base
a ranger character on, such as the Stalker Pet
set of Starting Archetypes demonstrates.
Super cially, some people might assume
that Roguish is synonymous with "thief",
but that is not the case. Roguish
encompasses a broad range of skills, and
o ers a lot to a ranger that is not entirely
anchored in being competent in wilderness
settings.
So called "urban rangers", bounty
hunters, thief-catchers, some scouts and
skirmishers, and the like are all examples
of roguish rangers.
Focused is a secondary Archetype for
rangers. Rangers are generally de ned by
their skill more than their innate
superiority, and going too heavy into
Focused can dillute this theme, pulling a
character towards other character
concepts. Focused +1 is a good splash for
practically any kind of ranger, but creeping
up higher on a starting character will tend
to make the character seem less like a
ranger and more like a barbarian or some
other concept altogether.
Some rangers get an animal companion.
Diverging From Source Material
The source materials' conception of the
ranger has changed over the years, with
each new edition of the rules presenting a
di erent take.
The underlying elements of the "ranger"
concept have generally included a
martially competent, skilled character
heavily focused on wildnerness
adventuring. Secondary ability to cast
nature related spells is also usually a
thing as well.
However, you shouldn't feel obligated to
adhere to source material; you are free to
be creative. Assign your Approach and
Archetype bonuses, and de ne your
character's Aspects and Stunts to best
realize your "ranger" concept.

Most starting rangers looking to match the source material should consider the
Commando set of Starting Archetypes, while starting rangers who prefer to accentuate
their wilderness abilities and ramp up into spellcasting should consider the Survivalist set
of Starting Archetypes. Rangers that want to be capable in both urban and wilderness
settings should consider the Stalker set of Starting Archetypes.
And of course, you are free to twiddle the dials to whatever permutation you like; for
instance Combative +1, Primal +3 or Combative +1, Roguish +1, Primal +2, or even
Combative +1, Roguish +1, Focused +1, Primal +1 are all equally valid.
Going a little further a eld, the Feral set of Starting Archetypes o ers an extreme
variation on the ranger concept. A character going that route would have to rely heavily
on Aspects, Approaches, and Stunt choices to anchor the character in the ranger concept
instead of something more like a druid or similar nature-based full caster. Pailey is an
example of such a verge character; she's somewhere between druid and ranger, but her
Stunts pull the character concept closer towards ranger.

Pailey is a half-wild Half-Elf with a strong connection to all things sylvan. In

addition to being fully at home in the woodlands, able to run as swiftly as the
wolves and strike just as suddenly, she is also innately able to work powerul magics
affecting the natural world.
Approach Considerations
A Flashy ranger is virtually unheard of.
Rangers are pretty much invariably Sneaky and usually Careful . Some are also Quick
or Clever , or both.
Some rangers are Forceful , but they are a minority; rangers tend to be more subtle.

What Kind Of Ranger, Exactly?

Generally speaking, when de ning a character in Path nder Fate Accelerated that you
envision falling into the "ranger" category, you might start out by asking yourself the
following questions:

1. Does my ranger have the ability to cast Specialist's Specialist

spells, or do they instead rely on their
advanced skills and competence?
2. Does my ranger specialize in the
wilderness or a particular terrain type,
or are they equally capable in all
environments?
3. Does my ranger specialize in a
particular ghting style such as two-
weapon ghting or archery, or is how
they engage in con ict not a central
theme for the character?
In a broad sense, D&D rangers are a
very specialized sub-type of ghter, or a
ghter-druid hybrid.
However, the D&D conception of a
ranger doesn't necessarily match up that
closely with the concept as presented in
non-D&D licensed ction and mythology.
If your idea of a ranger is more of a
hunter, or a woodsy warrior, or a forest
bandit, or lightly armored infantry, and so
on, you are free to express your concept.

4. Does my ranger have an emnity with A large design space falls within the
one or more types of opponents or are label of "ranger"; have fun with it.
they equally capable against any type of
foe?

Spellcaster or Not?
If you want your ranger to be a spellcaster you need to decide how deeply you are
going to invest in Primal. If you want to start as a full spell caster, you'll need Primal +3,
which won't leave much room to incorporate other facets into the character.
If you want to play a character who has some wilderness tricks and perhaps a few extra-
normal or minor spell-like abilities you can go with Primal +2.
Otherwise, Primal +1 is where you'll want to turn the dial.
And if you don't want your ranger to be a spellcaster it opens up possibilities for other
special abilities, such as animal companions, fancy ghting styles, and favored terrain
and foes.
Preferred Environment or All-Terrain?
Some rangers specialize in a speci c kind of terrain, such as the mountains, or the
forest, and hone their skills in their chosen environment to extreme mastery. Other
rangers are comfortable in any clime and place, possibly even in cities and other bastions
of civilization.
Answering this question will lead you to settle on the disposition of Primal and Roguish
for your ranger. And obviously, if you are going "full wilderness" you shouldn't assign any
+'s to Roguish.
If your ranger does have a favored terrain, it is also more likely that they might have an
animal companion from that terrain.

Garak is a survivor in every sense of the word. An infamous bounty hounter,

reknowned for his ability to track down and kill or capture criminals, highwaymen,
brigands, debtors, and such like no matter where they might ee to or where they
might hide. Competent, tricky, and resourceful, he's a bad Dwarf to cross and an
even worse one to have on your trail.

Fighting Style or General Mayem?

Many, but not all, rangers specialize in a
A good way for a ranger with high
particular ghting style. Others are just
Combatives to di erentiate themselves
generally capable of physical violence by
from a ghter is in their choice of
whatever means necessary.
Approaches.
Either way, answering this question will
Fighters tend to favor Forceful with
lead you to adjust the Combatives dial on
Flashy being another favorite for more
your ranger, and will also guide your choice
swashbuckling types, while rangers tend
of Stunts. It is probably also suggestive of
to prefer Sneaky and Careful.
an Aspect or even your High Concept.

For instance, if a de ning feature of your ranger is that you are a skilled archer or a
dual-wielder at a minimum you'll likely want a decent Combatives bonus and at least one
relevant Stunt to anchor that concept.
Alternately, if you are not taking Combatives at all but you want to be a weapon
specialist of some kind you'll de nitely need to allocate a Stunt slot to allowing a di erent
Archetype to be used in place of Combatives in certain scenarios, such as "when armed
appropriately".

Yuler is a skilled tracker and a deadly accurate archer. Swift and stealthy, he makes
every arrow count and rarely misses. And almost nothing avoids his notice.

Favored Enemy or Equal Opportunity?

Some rangers have one or more kinds of creature or person whom they are particularly
good at tracking down and killing. Other rangers are less picky about their opponents.
If you want to incorporate the source material's "favored enemy" or "giant-killer"
(reaching further back to earlier editions) theme it will generally just boil down to using
one or more Stunt slots to gain a bonus against a particular kind of opponent. You might
also re ect such an emnity in an Aspect to anchor the idea.
Stunts
 Ranger characters might nd the following Stunt categories of interest: Primordial, Warrior,
Archer, Durability.
The following Stunts are o ered as samples that might be relevant for some rangers.
However, the best Stunts are those that are tailor made to t your concept, so don't
hesitate to come up with your own or work with your GM to de ne something that is
"just right" for your character. See the Stunt options document for ideas on how to do
this.
Primal Hunter
Many rangers are masters of the natural world, supreme trackers and hunters, canny
in their instincts, and feral in their ferocity.

Alertness : Because I am unusually alert and perceptive I gain +2 while Focused to

notice things.

Ambusher : Because I am great at setting up ambushes, I gain +1 when I Sneakily

set up an ambush or create a related advantage.

Foe Bane : Because I have a favored enemy Race, when I succesfully attack a target
of that Race I in ict +2 shifts of extra stress. Additionally, if my attack results in a
tie I may use the boost to in ict a single point of stress on the defender,
immediately, as a free action.

Hunting Archer : Because I am a master archer and hunter, I may use Primal
instead of Combative to attack with any kind of bow and arrow.

Pass Without Trace : Because of my mastery of the natural world, I gain +1 when I
am Sneakily Primal while in the wildlands, I am unobstructed by undergrowth,
and if I take a full move I may move three zones instead of two. Finally, tracking
me in wildland areas is very di cult; those attempting it must overcome a
di culty equal to my ((Sneaky + Primal) * 2).

Pounce! : Because I excel at leaping into combat in a startling burst of aggression, I

gain +4 on my rst attack in a con ict if I act rst and can charge, lunge at, or
pounce upon an opponent.

Stalking Hunter : Because I am so good at stalking, hunting, and pouncing upon

prey unnoticed, I get +2 when I am Sneakily Primal and create advantage or
overcome challenges to set up and execute ambushes while in wildlands.
 Strider : Because I am eet of foot and able to move quickly, if I am in a con ict
and do nothing in an exchange except move, I may move an extra zone and I am
unobstructed by foot hazards of less than knee height. If I am in a contest
involving me walking rapidly or running, I gain +1 to overcome while I am Quick.

Swamp Fighter : Because I am so adept at ghting within swampy areas and using
my environment e ectively, I may add Primal as a bonus when I am Combative
in swamps and marshlands.

Swamp Stride : Because of my mastery of the natural world, I gain +1 when I am

Sneakily Primal while in swamps and marshlands, I am unobstructed by
undergrowth and areas of water, and if I take a full move I may move three
zones instead of two. Finally, tracking me in swampy areas is very di cult; those
attempting it must overcome a di culty equal to my ((Sneaky + Primal) * 3).

Tracker : Because I am so good at tracking a quary, I get +2 when I am Carefully

Primal and create advantage or overcome challenges related to tracking things
down in wilderness settings.

Two Weapon Fighting (-2) : Because I am so skilled at dual-wielding two weapons, I

gain +1 when I am Combative and attack or defend while armed appropriately.
Additionally if I make a physical attack while armed appropriately and split shifts
between exactly two opponents, I in ict +1 shift of additional damage to each
target.

Urban Jungle : Because I have mastered the art of fading away, blending in, and
avoiding notice even in urban areas among people, I can use Primal instead of
Roguish to create advantage and overcome when attempting to avoid being
noticed in civilized areas (Primal is already usable for this in rural, wildland
areas).

Quick Shot : Because I am skilled at rapidly shooting arrows, I gain +1 when I am

Quick and attack with any kind of bow or a hand crossbow against a target in my
zone or an adjacent zone. If I hit I in ict +1 shift of additional stress.

Weapon Mastery (-3) : Because I have spent many years mastering a type of
weapon, I gain +1 to Combatives when I attack, defend, create advantage, or
overcome while using any weapon of that type.

Durable Survivor
Many rangers are unusually resilient survivors, capable of living through incredible
trauma and harsh conditions.
 Immune To Mind-A ecting : Because I am immune to mind-a ecting abilities, I am
una ected by any malign e ect that relies on mental coersion or disorientation.

Immune To Poison : Because I am immune to poison, I am una ected by any

malign e ect that relies on poison.

Living O The Land : Because I am adept at surviving o of what nature o ers me,
I am always able to nd enough food and water to keep myself and a couple of
other people or animals healthy while in wildlands and rural areas (i.e. above
ground and not near a city or town). Additionally if I've had at least half a day to
become familiar with the terrain in a speci c area of wilderness I gain +1 on all
actions while being Primal. How large the area of wilderness might be is left to
the GM's discretion, but it should be at least ve square miles.

Primal Reduction : Because I am signi cantly more rugged, robust, and survivable
due to my deep connection with primal forces, I reduce by one (1) all physical
stress in icted on me, and I reduce by two (2) all environmental stress in icted
on me.

Resilience : Because of my impressive resilience, once per session if I would take a

Consequence I may instead spend a Fate point.

Rogue's Re exes : Because I have great re exes and am able to evade harm better
than most people, I may use Roguish to defend against any kind of indirect or
surprise attack and to avoid harm by getting out of the way of it. Narratively this
can take many forms, such as rolling out of the way, ducking behind cover,
'seeing it coming' and somehow interupting the attack, or by some other means
justi ed by the narrative.
This Stunt requires Roguish +2 to use.
NOTE: Roguish +3 and higher already allows a character to do this. This Stunt is for
characters who have Roguish +2 and are willing to allocate a Stunt to gain this ability.

Warrior's Mettle : Because I have trained extensively and am made of sterner stu
than most people, I may use Combatives to defend against ranged attacks and
targeted magic by de ecting such attacks with a precise ick or parry of my
weapon, or with my armor or a shield, or by some other means justi ed by the
narrative.
This Stunt requires Combative +2 to use.
NOTE: Combative +3 and higher already allows a character to do this. This Stunt is for
characters who have Combative +2 and are willing to allocate a Stunt to gain this ability.

Uncanny Animystic
 Some rangers are deeply in touch with the natural world, and have uncanny abilities
that are more than mundane.

Amphibious Swimmer : Because I am amphibious, I may add my Primal capability

bonus when I am Focused while swimming. Additionally, while swimming
underwater I can hold my breath for an entire scene before having to come up
for air.

Danger Sense : Because I am unusually alert and perceptive I gain +3 while Quickly
Focused to notice things that are dangerous, fast moving, or pose an imminent
threat to my safety.

Natural Weapons : Because I have natural weapons and am skilled in their use, I
may use Focused instead of Combative when my natural weapons are relevant.
In situations where it matters I can choose to be treated as attacking
barehanded or attacking with a weapon, whichever bene ts me more in the
situation. Finally, though I can be inconvenienced and my natural weapons can
be fouled or restrained, being disarmed is generally o the table for me.

Pass Without Trace : Because of my mastery of the natural world, I gain +1 when I
am Sneakily Primal while in the wildlands, I am unobstructed by undergrowth,
and if I take a full move I may move three zones instead of two. Finally, tracking
me in wildland areas is very di cult; those attempting it must overcome a
di culty equal to my ((Sneaky + Primal) * 2).

Companions
Rangers often have animal companions; see the Stunt options document for details
on how to incorporate companions into your character using Stunts.

Animal Companion (-3) : Because [describe the reason you have an animal
companion] , I have attracted a powerful animal companion that chooses to aid
me.

Animal Companion
Two (2) Aspects
Good At : Spread +4 around one to four skill-like abilities
Bad At : Spread -4 around one to four skill-like abilities
Stress [1][2][3]
Mild (2)
Moderate (4)

The ability to share the senses of an animal companion can be useful.

Companion's Senses : Because I share a mystical bond with my animal companion,
I may spend a Fate point to share their senses for a scene at a range of a few
dozen miles. This allows me to witness events through the senses of my
companion as if I were present. This can be detected by others with appropriate
senses as a Quick + Primal overcome action vs a Fantastic (+6) di culty.