Ranger
The Tunnels
Ever-shifting, those endless caverns. One purple worm in the wrong place and the maps have to be re-written. If you're not willing to wait for reliable information that may be outdated by the time you get it, you might as well hire the woman who makes the maps to take you through.
She's a tough sort. Been in the Darks her whole life. Knows what's two miles away by smell, they say. Knows what crawls through these rotten crevices, and knows how to kill it. Her favorite prey, when she gets the opportunity, is man. Tracks them up through the surface, into their towns, into their homes, and puts them down for trespassing. Can't get away from her when she's got the trail, and she always gets the trail.
Whether you're traveling on business or safari, she's the guide for you.
Overview
The wild places of the world always conspire to destroy civilization, and civilization always conspires to destroy the wild places.
Walking the line between these two extremes is the Ranger, an agile survivalist that can channel natural magic to keep their territory in one piece.
Usually proficient in fighting with two weapons, archery, traps, and beast-taming, rangers guard nature from invasive humanoids, and help humanoids traverse it without destroying anything irreplaceable.
Their greatest talents are their knowledge of geography, and if they have home-field advantage and time to set up, a single ranger could lay down a deadly ambush for an entire group of invaders.
They tend towards being solitary, as they spend much of their time out in the wilderness they master, but they're known to gather in small groups or assist druids when the opportunity presents itself. Game-wardens, bounty-hunters, scouts, outcasts, loners, naturalists, cartographers, explorers, guides- any who find thrill in the hunt and feel at home in nature might choose to become a Ranger.
Key Mechanics
Favored Enemy - As they level up, rangers choose a number of Favored Enemies - types of creatures they know particularly well. They gain bonuses to damage against their favored enemies, as well as bonuses to track and detect them.
Dual-Wield - Rangers are proficient at wielding two weapons. As long as they're wearing light armor, they gain the benefits of Two-Weapon Fighting and Ambidexterity without having to take those feats. They also gain a bonus to armor class for dual-wielding as they level up, and eventually gain a second off-hand attack as part of this benefit.
Trackless Step - Rangers are stealthier when in wilderness areas.
Woodland Stride - Rangers become immune to natural movement-imparing effects.
Uncanny Dodge - Rangers do not lose their dexterity bonus to armor class when ambushed.
Evasion - Rangers gain the ability to avoid all damage if they succeed on a reflex save for half damage from an effect.
Hide in Plain Sight - In natural areas, rangers can enter stealth even when directly observed.
Studied Enemies - Every five levels of Ranger allows them to study additional favored enemies so long as they've killed one hundred of the target.
Tracking - Rangers can study tracks left by players at area transitions to learn information about who passed by. They can use the -tracks command to determine the kinds of enemies in an area and the area's balance of civilization, which druids can alter but cannot detect.
Animal Empathy - Rangers can have two dominated animals using Animal Empathy as long as 3/4 of their levels are ranger.
Animal Companion - Rangers eventually attract an animal to serve as a loyal friend and follower that levels up as they do.
Spellcasting - Rangers can cast divine spells at high enough level. In order to cast all their spells, they require a Wisdom score of 14, and they can cast spells up to 4th level. Wisdom score improves the number of spells that can be cast per day as well as the DC of any effects. Rangers have access to all of their spells, but must prepare a list ahead of time. They can change their spells each rest.
Notable Spells
Blade Thirst - Enchants a ranger's weapon to have a scaling enhancement bonus and heal them on hit.
Greater Magic Fang - Enchants an animal companion with scaling armor class, attack, and damage.
Camouflage and One With the Land - Improve a ranger's stealthiness and trap-setting abilities.
Path Option: Archer
Rangers wishing to specialize entirely in the bow can choose to become Archers, losing all dual-wield feats including AC bonuses in exchange for extreme proficiency with bows and the ability to create ammunition every day.
Bonus Feats
Rapid Reload, Rapid Shot, Point Blank Shot, Called Shot
Craft Ammunition
(Level 1) Iron, (Level 5) Steel, (Level 10) Damask
One Bundle per Rest can be created for Free of the above material at the noted level
Bonus damage: +2, Up to +8 at level 28.
Path Option: Totem Ranger
Rangers can choose a totem that will change all of their summons to be a certain kind of animal.
This is cosmetic only save that the summons retain the Animal type regardless of what they are, and if they then become Totem Druids they will use the same totem but not gain any benefits or penalties from the path's totem choice, only the ability to -polymorph, scaling with druid levels.
Key Mechanic at Level 20:
BAB: 20/15/10/5
HP: 200+20x Constitution
Saves: +12 Fort, +6 Reflex, +6 Will
Skills: 120 + 20x Intelligence: animal empathy, concentration, craft armor, craft trap, craft weapon, discipline, heal, hide, listen, lore, move silently, parry, ride, search, set trap, spot