Character Creation (CRH)

The Complete Ranger's Handbook

Chapter 1: Character Creation
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Character Creation
Ranger Requirements Level Advancement Spell Use Armor and Weapons Thief Abilities
Primary Terrain
Types of Primary Terrain Choosing a Primary Terrain

Let's begin our examination of the ranger with a look at the numbers—the statistics, adjustments, and level progressions that define the ranger class. This is the raw data common to all rangers, regardless of their backgrounds or personalities.

This chapter compiles the basic information in the Player's Handbook regarding the ranger class, as well as the relevant material from the warrior section. In addition, some concepts, such as armor adjustments and level improvements, are clarified and expanded. A new concept, primary terrain, is also introduced.

In later chapters, we'll be discussing the ranger's special abilities in more detail, along with role-playing tips and options for refining his personality. But for now, we'll concentrate on the fundamentals, beginning with the most basic consideration of all—the ranger's class requirements.

Ranger Requirements

It's tough being a ranger. The requirements are high, among the most demanding of any character class.

Table 1: Class Qualifications

Ability Requirements	Strength 13 Dexterity 13 Constitution 14 Wisdom 14
Prime Requisites	Strength Dexterity Wisdom
Races Allowed	Human Elf Half-elf
Alignments Allowed	Lawful good Neutral good Chaotic good

As any player knows who's tried to roll up a ranger using the standard method (Method I, that is, described in Chapter 1 of the Player's Handbook), the dice seldom cooperate. In fact, it's just about impossible to generate the high die-rolls required for a ranger by this method. Method II isn't much better, and though Methods III and IV improve the chances somewhat, the odds are hardly favorable. Only by using Methods V and VI do you have a fighting chance of rolling up a ranger from scratch.

Not all Dungeon Masters allow these alternative methods, effectively restricting the number of rangers in their campaigns to a tiny minority. Players wanting ranger characters may find such restrictions frustrating, but remember that good DMs usually have their reasons for imposing these limitations. Perhaps rangers aren't prevalent in the campaign world, or he may feel that rangers will introduce problems of balance; rangers are, after all, a most formidable character class.

However, if your DM is agreeable to having rangers in his campaign, Table 2 is a quick way to generate ranger ability scores. Roll 1d12 and use the statistics indicated.

Table 2: Pregenerated Ability Scores

D12 Roll	Str	Dex	Con	Int	Wis	Cha
1	15	14	17	14	15	10
2	15	15	18	13	14	6
3	14	16	15	14	17	12
4	15	14	15	14	16	9
5	15	15	14	13	15	13
6	16	13	15	13	14	8
7	18*	13	14	15	14	7
8	13	15	15	13	16	10
9	16	13	14	14	17	14
10	13	14	15	16	15	14
11	14	17	14	13	14	15
12	16	13	16	13	14	13

* Make a percentile roll with d100 to find the ranger's exceptional Strength Score.

Level Advancement

As rangers earn experience, they advance in level at a different rate than normal fighters. They acquire 1d10 hit points for each level up to 9th, and thereafter gain 3 hit points per level. The rates of advancement and hit point acquisition, along with the ranger's THAC0 scores (the number rolled on 1d20 to hit armor class 0), are listed in Table 3.

Two adjustments to these figures also apply:

• Rangers with Strength, Dexterity, and Wisdom scores of 16 or more receive a 10% bonus to their awarded experienced points. A ranger must have 16 or more in all three of these abilities to qualify for this bonus.
• Rangers with exceptionally high Constitution scores are entitled to a special hit point adjustment. A score of 17 give the ranger a +3 bonus per hit die, while a score of 18 results in a +4 bonus.

Table 3: Experience Levels

Level	XP Needed	Hit Dice (d10)	THAC0
1	0	1	20
2	2,250	2	19
3	4,500	3	18
4	9,000	4	17
5	18,000	5	16
6	36,000	6	15
7	75,000	7	14
8	150,000	8	13
9	300,000	9	12
10	600,000	9+3	11
11	900,000	9+6	10
12	1,200,000	9+9	9
13	1,500,000	9+12	8
14	1,800,000	9+15	7
15	2,100,000	9+18	6
16	2,400,000	9+21	5
17	2,700,000	9+24	4
18	3,000,000	9+27	3
19	3,300,000	9+30	2
20	3,600,000	9+33	1

Table 4 summarizes the proficiency slot allowances and saving throws applicable to the ranger as he advances in level. Note that, like a fighter, if a ranger uses a weapon with which he isn't proficient, he incurs a -2 penalty.

Table 4: Level Improvements

Level	Prof.		Saving Throws
	W	N/W	PPDM	RSW	PP	BW	S
1	4	3	14	16	15	17	17
2	4	3	14	16	15	17	17
3	5	4	13	15	14	16	16
4	5	4	13	15	14	16	16
5	5	4	11	13	12	13	14
6	6	5	11	13	12	13	14
7	6	5	10	12	11	12	13
8	6	5	10	12	11	12	13
9	7	6	8	10	9	9	11
10	7	6	8	10	9	9	11
11	7	6	7	9	8	8	10
12	8	7	7	9	8	8	10
13	8	7	5	7	6	5	8
14	8	7	5	7	6	5	8
15	9	8	4	6	5	4	7
16	9	8	4	6	5	4	7
17	9	8	3	5	4	4	6
18	10	9	3	5	4	4	6
19	10	9	3	5	4	4	6
20	10	9	3	5	4	4	6

Proficiency Abbreviations

W = Weapon proficiency slots

N/W = Nonweapon proficiency slots

Saving Throw Abbreviations

PPDM = Paralyzation, Poison, or Death Magic

RSW = Rod, Staff, or Wand

PP = Petrification or Polymorph

BW = Breath Weapon

S = Spell

Spell Use

When a ranger reaches 8th level, he can learn priest spells of the animal and plant spheres. He acquires and employs spells the same way as a priest. Chapter 6 lists the spells available to a ranger. Chapter 9 explains the special relationships between rangers and priests.

Table 5 shows the number of spells a ranger may have memorized at each level. The "Casting Level" indicates the level at which spells are cast. For instance, the 1st level invisibility to animals spell cast by a 12th-level ranger has duration of 1 turn + 5 rounds (the spell lasts for 1 turn + 1 round/level, and the 12th-level ranger casts the spell at 5th level). The 2nd level warp wood spell cast by a 16th-level ranger has a range of 90 yards (the range is 10 yards/level, and the 16th-level ranger casts the spell at 9th level).

Regardless of his actual character level, a ranger's spells are never cast beyond 9th level.

The following restrictions also apply:

• Unlike priests, rangers don't get bonus spells for high Wisdom scores.
• Rangers may only use magical items specifically allowed to the warrior group. In no case may a ranger use clerical scrolls.

Table 5: Spell Progression

Ranger Level	Casting Level	Priest Spell Levels
		1	2	3
1-7	—	—	—	—
8	1	1	—	—
9	2	2	—	—
10	3	2	1	—
11	4	2	2	—
12	5	2	2	1
13	6	3	2	1
14	7	3	2	2
15	8	3	3	2
16+	9	3	3	3

Armor and Weapons

Like all warriors, the ranger is allowed to wear any type of armor. However, lighter armor provides him with special benefits, while heavier armor imposes a few restrictions.

A ranger may use two weapons simultaneously without the standard penalties (which are -2 for his main weapon, -4 for the second weapon) when wearing studded or lighter armor (armor with an Armor Class of 7 or more). The following restrictions also apply:

• The ranger must be able to wield his main weapon with one hand.
• The second weapon must be smaller in size and must weigh less than the main weapon.
• The ranger can't use a shield when using two weapons.

The ranger's choice of armor also determines whether he can hide in shadows and move silently. Armor with an AC of 6 or less—scale mail armor or heavier—is too inflexible and too noisy to enable him to take advantage of these special abilities.

Table 6 summarizes the AC, costs, and weight of the armor available to the ranger. The table also notes whether the armor allows the ranger to fight with two weapons without penalty, and to use his abilities to hide in shadows and move silently.

Table 6: The Ranger's Armor

Armor	AC	Cost (gp)	Weight (lb.)	T-W	HS/MS
Leather	8	5	15	Yes	Yes
Padded	8	4	10	Yes	Yes
Studded Leather	7	20	25	Yes	Yes
Ring Mail	7	100	30	Yes	Yes
Hide	6	15	30	No	B
Brigandine	6	120	35	No	B
Scale Mail	6	120	40	No	B
Chain Mail	5	75	40	No	B
Splint Mail	4	80	40	No	B
Banded	4	200	35	No	B
Bronze Plate	4	400	45	No	B
Plate Mail	3	600	50	No	B
Field Plate	2	2,000	60	No	B
Full Plate	1	4,000+	70	No	B

Abbreviations

T-W = Two-weapon fighting penalty. ("Yes" means the standard penalties for two-weapon fighting are ignored while wearing this armor.)

HS/MS = Hide in shadows/move silently. ("Yes" means these abilities can be used while wearing this armor. "B" means these abilities can be used if the DM uses the Optional Armor Adjustments; see Table 13.)

Rangers can use any weapons listed in Chapter 6 of the Player's Handbook. As they rise in level, they're able to make more than one attack per round, as shown in Table 7.

Table 7: Ranger Attacks Per Round

Level	Attacks/Round
1-6	1/round
7-12	3/2 rounds
13-20	2/round

As explained in Chapter 9 of the Player's Handbook, a character fighting with two weapons is allowed to make an extra attack each combat round with his second weapon. This is added to any multiple attack routine the ranger receives at higher level. For instance, a 13th-level ranger normally makes two attacks per round (see Table 7). However, when fighting with two weapons, he's allowed three attacks per round, two with the primary weapon and one with the secondary weapon.

Thief Abilities

A master of stalking and tracking, the ranger shares the thief's talents for hiding in shadows and moving silently when he is in a natural outdoor setting. As a ranger's level increases, so do his abilities, as shown in Table 8.

Table 8: Base Thief Abilities

Level	Hide in Shadows	Move Silently
1	10%	15%
2	15%	21%
3	20%	27%
4	25%	33%
5	31%	40%
6	37%	47%
7	43%	55%
8	49%	62%
9	56%	70%
10	63%	78%
11	70%	86%
12	77%	94%
13	85%	99%
14	93%	99%
15+	99%	99%

The base percentages in Table 8 are modified by the ranger's race, Dexterity score, and armor. Tables 9-11 list these adjustments. Table 12 shows adjustments for the character kits described in Chapter 4. These adjustments reflect the predispositions of various character types for hiding in shadows and moving silently.

When attempting to hide in shadows, the ranger armor is assumed to cover his armor. Except for leather armor and elven chain mail, which can be concealed by normal clothing, a cloak or equivalent is needed to cover armor.

If a ranger attempts to move silently or hide in shadows in an indoor or underground setting, his cumulative chance of success is halved. Further considerations and restrictions of a ranger's thief abilities are discussed in Chapter 2.

Regardless of modifiers, the ranger's chance to hide in shadows or move silently can never be more than 99% or less than zero.

Table 9: Racial Adjustments

Race	Hide in Shadows	Move Silently
Human	—	—
Elf	+10%	+5%
Half-elf	+5%	—

Table 10: Dexterity Adjustments

Dexterity	Hide in Shadows	Move Silently
13-16	—	—
17	+5%	+5%
18	+10%	+10%
19	+15%	+15%

Table 11: Armor Adjustments

Armor	Hide in Shadows	Move Silently
None*	+5%	+10%
Leather	—	—
Padded	-20%	-20%
Studded
Leather	-20%	-20%
Ring Mail	-30%	-40%

 *This includes magical apparel such as cloaks and bracers, but not large or bulky garments.

Table 12: Kit Adjustments

Kit	Hide in Shadows	Move Silently
Beastmaster	+5%	—
Explorer	—	—
Falconer	—	—
Feralan	+10%	+10%
Forest Runner	+5%	+5%
Giant Killer	—	—
Greenwood Ranger	—	-5%
Guardian	—	—
Justifier	+5%	+5%
Mountain Man	-5%	-5%
Pathfinder	—	—
Sea Ranger	N/A	N/A
Seeker	—	—
Stalker	+10%	+10%
Warden	—	—

Optional Rule: Normally, thief abilities are denied to rangers wearing armor heavier than studded leather. However, the DM may decide to override this rule in his campaign, allowing rangers to wear any armor they like and still be able to hide in shadows and move silently. (Also, certain character kits described in Chapter 4 allow rangers to hide in shadows and move silently when wearing armor of AC 6 or less). Table 13 lists adjustments for optional armor.

Table 13: Optional Armor Adjustments

Armor	Hide in Shadows	Move Silently
Hide	-20%	-30%
Brigandine	-30%	-40%
Scale Mail	-50%	-60%
Chain Mail	-30%	-40%
Elven Chain	-10%	-10%
Splint Mail	-30%	-40%
Banded	-50%	-60%
Bronze Plate	-75%	-80%
Plate Mail	-75%	-80%
Field Plate	-95%	-95%
Full Plate	-95%	-95%