The Ranger is an Outdoorsman/Survival Expert, a Wilderness Warrior, a Borderlands Guardian. Magic or magical seeming abilities are something that might come in/be picked up or figured out in time, but hey are FAR from integral. For a very magic/spell ranger (like 5e's half-caster) -have a subclass. For animal companion/"if there's no WoW pet they're not ranger" types -have a subclass. For a shadowy tracker/"urban ranger/investigtor"/bounty hunter type -have a subclass.
A Ranger must have wilderness and survival skills. They are a skill-dependent class, primarily, making them more akin/directly relate [thematically] to rogues rather than warriors. So Stealth must be part of the equation.
A Ranger must have above average combat ability. In keeping with their roguish "specialization" [vs. the general combat competence of Fighter-types] this is primarily expressed through the "Favored Enemy/Prey/Hunter's Quarry" type of mechanic to give better/impressive attack and damage bonuses, but only against certain creatures/specific situations (again, like sneak attack). Things like dictating "fighting styles" are kinda superfluous/meaningless.
A Ranger must "range," i.e. be able/have features to move more/better/faster/extra. This may be fluffed as some spiritual/mystical connection with the natural world, preternatural skill, experience, whatever -a ranger [again, like other rogues] needs to be an extra-maneuverable class when compared to other classes.
Steel Dragons' "World of Orea" Homebrew Setting Ranger Class
Primary abilities: Dexterity (the Ranger is a Rogue category class, hence Dex is default Prime abilitiy); Constitution; Intelligence (you need to know and remember a lot of things. It's not about "mystical connections to nature" -that's what druids are for- it's about accumulatng and implementing knowledge)
d10 HD (+ Con mod)
Light armors to start
All simple, All ranged, Single-handed Martial.
Skills: STEALTH, Lore: Nature; Survival; 1 bonus Language of your choice (nothing assists learning language like travel).
1: Wilderness Expertise: choose a favored terrain, +2 to all ability, skill, or save rolls within the chosen terrain. +3 to
Stealth, Survival, Nature Lore, and Tracking in your favored terrain. Accumulate new ones very 4 levels.
"Tricks & Tasks" ["TnT"] my system's way of doling out Rogue-specific skills: Flat +5 bonus to roll (in addition to ability mod) on specific tricks or tasks the Rogue-class is trained/learned to do:
Tracking [Int] -the ranger's primary class shtick that no other class knows how to do;
Concealment [Dex] -making camouflage (self or area, e.. hunting blinds, etc...) in natural surroundings;
1 additional Player's Choice "TnT". You accumulate additional "TnT" as you level.
Keen Senses: +2 regardless of ability score to Perception, Search/Investigation, or other rolls reliant on senses.
2: Strider: Gain 10' of movement. Do not suffer loss of movement in natural difficult terrain (enchanted terrain effects normally).
3: Martial Prowess: Armor Advancement: Gain proficiency with shields, ring mail, & chain shirts. Ranger treats these armors as "light" and do not impose on their movement or skill rolls.
Hunter's Strike: Select two creatures to be Hunter's/Favored Marks/Prey/Quarry [whatever phrase you prefer]. Pick one more each level after.
+2 to hit and damage, Lore, and Tracking rolls against these creatures. Must choose from
Beast, Plant, Humanoid, or Undead.
4: (Choose another one Rogue "Tricks/Tasks")
5: Ability Boost (+1 primary ability, +1 to another ability -cannot be primary. cannot exceed racial maximums)
"Mark"ed Improvement: Your Hunter's Strike bonus is now +3 and you can choose creatures from the
Faye, Giants, Giantkin, Dragonkin, or Shapeshifter creature categories.
6: Champion's Renown (a homebrew feature of my system that all classes receive)
Expertise Improvement: Wilderness Expertise bonus increases to +3 skills/saves/ability checks, +4 for Stealth, Survival, Nature Lore or Tracking. Choose a second terrain type.
7: Natural Affinity: Herbal Healing: make a survival check (to find appropriate medicinal plants) heal up to 2hp per level or end one poison effect (as 1 dose of antitoxin) per day;
Wild Empathy: improve/calm disposition of natural/normal animals, magical beasts, sylvan, and faye creatures of intelligence no higher than 9.
Martial Prowess: Armor Advancement: Gain proficiency with all Medium armors. Ranger treats these armors as "light" and do not impose on their movement or skill rolls.
(Choose another one Rogue "Tricks/Tasks")
8: Retributive Strike: Gain one free melee attack, immediately, when you are attacked in melee by one of your Hunter's Mark creatures.
9: "Mark"ed Improvement: Your Hunter's Strike bonus is now +4 and you can choose
two creatures at 9th level (back to one per level after). May now add/choose from
Dragons, Elementals, Fiends, or Aberration creature categories.
Ability Boost: Add 1 point to your primary class ability and 1 point to another (not prime) ability of your choice, up to your racial maximum. if your prime ability is maxed, you may apply these points to other abilities as you choose.
10: Monster Slayer: choose one category of creature from among your Hunter's Marks and yu now apply your Hunter's Strike bonus to
all creatures in that category.
(Choose another one Rogue "Tricks/Tasks")
11: Expertise Improvement: Wilderness Expertise bonus increases to +4 skills/saves/ability checks, +5 for Stealth, Survival, Nature Lore or Tracking. Choose a third terrain type.
12: Secret Lore: limited cantrip and nature magic & item use (Won't bore with the details of the homebrew)
13: "Mark"ed Improvement: Your Hunter's Strike bonus is now +5 and you can choose
two creatures at 13th level (back to one per level after). May now add/choose Marks from
any/all creature categories.
Ability Boost: At 13th level, your 2 "boost"points can be used to exceed racial maximum in your primary class ability, to a maximum of 20.
14: Hero's Boon (a homebrew feature of my system all classes receive)
(Choose another one Rogue "Tricks/Tasks")
15: Monster Slayer (2): choose another category of creature from among your Hunter's Marks and you now apply your Hunter's Strike bonus to
all creatures in that category.
16: Wilderness Warrior (homebrew system-specific mechanics going on here)
: The ranger is a warrior of the wild. Unlike other non-Warrior category classes, rangers continue to gain Hit Points (2) at each level beyond 15th. Also, for your weapon proficiencies at 17th and 19th levels, the ranger is allowed to choose any from
all weapon lists, including those normally restricted to Warrior classes only.
17: Class Paragon (a homebrew system-specific feature)
: Warden: You are a beacon of excellence in your class and your near pinnacle experiences grant the following abilities:
- Nature Magic Resistance: Auto-reroll failed saves (once per effect) against Nature magic or a magical or supernatural power of sylvan creatures, fayekin, or magical beasts. The ranger may use the higher of the two rolls.
- Armor Advancement: Gains Splint, Banded, and Plate mail (Partial Plate) as proficient armors. You suffer no penalties to your movement or skills for wearing these armors, treat as "Medium armor" for the ranger's purposes. Penalties accrued for over-encumbrance may still apply normally.
- Unerring Strike: 1 + Dex. mod. per day. Auto re-roll a missed attack on a Hunter's Mark target.
Ability Boost: A 17th you may apply the points to any ability scores to exceed racial maximums to a maximum score of 20.
18: Expertise Improvement: Wilderness Expertise bonus increases to +5 skills/saves/ability checks, +6 for Stealth, Survival, Nature Lore or Tracking. Choose a fourth terrain type.
(Choose another one Rogue "Tricks/Tasks")
19: Monster Slayer (3): choose a third category of creature from among your Hunter's Marks and you now apply your Hunter's Strike bonus to
all creatures in that category.
Unimpeded Stride: You ignore natural or magical diffcult terrain. Additionally, Dex mod times per day, you automatically avoid any attempts (grapples, spells, etc...) to hinder or force the ranger's movement.
20: Ranger-Lord:
- Beast-Lord: Normal creatures of the natural world: normal Beasts and Plants; and Sylvan, Magical Beasts or Fayekin creatures that are True Neutral or share moral alignment (Good, Neutral or Evil) of the ranger will not attack the Ranger unless they are under some form of dominance or other magical control.
- Master Hunter: The ranger may select any single creature, and spends a minimum of one round observing it. After which they apply their Hunter's Strike bonus (+5 to hit and damage) to an attack against it whether the target is a chosen Hunter's Mark or category of Monster Slayer the Ranger has or not.
- Horizon Wanderer: The ranger enjoys the use of their Wilderness Expertise bonuses in any terrain type.
That's a Ranger to me.
--SD
