# The Skirmisher Ranger
Many rangers rely on spells, but there are some who eschew aid from divine powers for their own reasons. These rangers employ the skills and traditions of Wildcraft in their quests, a combination of their wits, their wisdom, and their instincts. 

### Wildcrafts
As a Skirmisher, by 2nd level, you have learned a variety of skills and tricks to enhance your abilities. These skills are known as Wildcrafts. Some Wildcrafts augment your talents as a hunter or warrior, while others aid you as an explorer and survivor of the wilderness. Some Wildcrafts even provide boons to your companions and allies. Each Skirmisher cultivates a set of Wildcrafts unique to their own preferences, needs, and experiences.

At 2nd level, you learn two Wildcrafts, selected from the list below. At 4th level, and at every two Ranger levels thereafter, you learn another Wildcraft. In addition, each time you learn a new Wildcraft, you can retrain yourself by replacing one of your known Wildcrafts with a different one. You cannot select a Wildcraft more than once.

Some Wildcrafts require your target to make a saving throw. If so, the DC for the saving throw is 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Wisdom modifier.

You can use your Wildcrafts a number of times equal to half your Ranger level (rounded down) plus your Wisdom modifier. You regain all uses of Wildcraft when you finish a long rest.

The following is a list of Wildcrafts:

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* **Aiding Attack.** When you hit a creature with a weapon, you can grant your next ally to attack that creature advantage on their first attack roll as a free action.
* **Ambuscade.** When you roll	initiative,	you can use this Wildcraft to	gain	a	special	turn	that	takes place	before	other	creatures	can	act.	On	this	turn, you	can	use	your	action	to	take	either	the	Attack or	Hide action. If	you	would	normally	be	surprised at	the	start of	an	encounter,	you	are	not	surprised	but	you do	not	gain	this extra	turn.
* **Ammo Crafter.** You can use this Wildcraft to create ammunition twice as fast as other adventurers. You can also make javelins (up to a number equal to your Wisdom modifier) from natural materials on a short rest.
* **Bolster Companion.** When your animal companion is hit with an attack, you can use your reaction to increase your companion's AC by 5 for the purposes of that attack, possibly causing the attack to miss. If the attack still hits, your animal companion takes half damage instead of full damage on that attack. Your animal companion must be able to see you in order for this Wildcraft to work.
* **Catfall.** When you fall at least 20 feet, you can use your reaction to ignore the first 20 feet of fall damage. If you ignore all fall damage as a result, you do not fall prone when you land.
* **Critical Precision.** When you make a critical hit with a weapon attack against a creature of size Large or smaller, you can expend one of your uses of Wildcraft to force the creature to make a Dexterity saving throw with disadvantage. On a failure, the creature falls prone.
* **Distracting Attack.** If you decide to use this Wildcraft before making an attack and then hit with that attack, add an additional 1d8 to the attack's damage roll. Also, your target makes its attacks with disadvantage until the end of its next turn.
* **Feral Bond.** Your bond with your animal companion is enhanced by exceptional training. As a bonus action, you can grant yourself or your companion advantage on Charisma (Intimidation) checks, Charisma (Persuasion) checks, or Charisma (Performance) checks so long as you are each participating in the actions made as part of the check.
* **Gimme Shelter.** At the start of a short rest, you can roll a Wisdom (Survival) check with advantage against a DC of the DM's choosing. If you succeed, you create a temporary shelter that provides a refuge from the elements and camouflage requiring a DC 15 Wisdom (Perception) check to be noticed. If you use this Wildcraft at the start of a long rest, the DC for the check required to see the shelter is 17, and the shelter provides half cover.
* **Hawkeye.** When you use this Wildcraft as part of a ranged weapon attack, your attack ignores half and three-quarters cover.
* **Heel.** On your animal companion's turn, you can use your reaction to call it to you. As long as your animal companion ends its movement within five feet of you, its movement does not trigger opportunity attacks on that turn.
* **Herbal Remedies.** Choose a number of willing creatures up to your Wisdom modifier (minimum 1). During a short rest, whenever one of those creatures spends one or more Hit Dice to regain hitpoints, it can't roll less than your Wisdom modifier. You can also use this Wildcraft to consume or administer a healing potion as a bonus action on your turn.
* **Hobbling Attack.** When you hit with a weapon attack, you can use this Wildcraft to roll an additional 1d8 damage to the attack's damage roll, and your target's speed is reduced by half until the end of its next turn. Additionally, your target cannot use any additional movement granted by use of a bonus action or reaction on its turn.
* **Quarry.** As a bonus action, you mark an enemy as your quarry. For one minute, if you hit your quarry with a weapon attack, you can add 1d6 to the attack's damage roll.
* **Quick Climb.** As a free action, you gain a climbing speed equal to your walking speed for one minute.
* **Quick Swim.** As a free action, you gain a swimming speed equal to your walking speed for one minute.
* **Ranger's Aid.** As a bonus action on your turn, you can grant all of your allies within 30 feet of you advantage on ability checks in a single skill of your choice. You must be proficient in the skill you choose. This effect lasts until the end of your next turn.
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* **Rattling Strike.** As a free action before making a weapon attack against a creature, you unleash a battlecry that sounds exactly like the roar of a grizzly bear. If your attack hits, you can add an additional 1d8 to the attack's damage roll. Additionally, the creature must make a Wisdom saving throw. If it fails, the creature is frightened of you until the end of your next turn.
* **Rugged Endurance.** As a reaction, you can add double the bonus from your Constitution modifier when making Constitution saving throws or when rolling hit dice to regain hit points.
* **Second Chance Strike.** When you miss with a melee attack, you can use your bonus action to reroll the attack with disadvantage. If the attack hits, add an additional 1d8 on the attack's damage roll.
* **Sic 'Em.** You can use your bonus action to grant your animal companion a melee attack against a creature within your companion's reach.
* **Skill Sage.** You can use a bonus action to gain advantage on a skill check involving any skill with which you are proficient.
* **Skirmisher's Stealth.** At	the	start	of	your	turn, pick	a	creature	you	are	hidden	from.	You	remain	hidden	from	that creature during	your	turn,	regardless	of	your actions or	the	actions	of	other creatures. As	a bonus	action at	the	end	of	your	turn, you	can make	a	Dexterity	(Stealth)	check	to	hide	again if you	fulfill	the	conditions	needed	to	hide. Otherwise,	creatures are	aware	of	you	at	the	end of	your	turn.
* **Stag's Leap.** You can use a bonus action to attempt a running long jump or running high jump without the need for a running start.
* **Surprise Shift.** As a reaction, you can move five feet in any direction. This movement does not trigger opportunity attacks.
* **Tangling Attack.** As a bonus action before making a weapon attack against a creature, you attach a snare to your weapon. If the attack hits, the creature must make a strength saving throw. If it fails, the creature is restrained until the end of its next turn.
* **Trial and Error.** Your experiences have given you an understanding of natural poisons. When you are subjected to an effect that allows you to make a Constitution saving throw to take only half damage from poison, you can use this Wildcraft to instead take no damage if you succeed on the saving throw, and only half damage if you fail. If the effect can render you Poisoned on a failed saving throw, you have advantage on the saving throw.
* **Uncanny Senses.** You can use your reaction to gain a +10 bonus to Wisdom (Perception) checks for one minute.
* **Vengeance Strike.** When an enemy within five feet of you hits another creature with a melee or ranged attack, you can use your reaction to make an attack against the enemy. If the attack hits, roll an additional 1d8 on the attack's damage roll.
* **Wilderness Expertise.** Choose two of your skill proficiences which are offered as part of the ranger skill proficiency list. Your proficiency bonus is doubled for any ability check you make that uses either of the chosen proficiencies. You must expend one of your uses of Wildcraft after each of your long rests in order to maintain the benefits of this Wildcraft.

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>##### By /u/thys_
>
> Based heavily on the Skirmisher Ranger archetype from Pathfinder. Also borrowed aspects of the "Herbal Remedies" and "Rugged Endurance" features from /u/ImFromNASA's YARV Ranger build, as well as the "Ambuscade" and "Skirmisher's Stealth" features from the shortlived 2015 Unearthed Arcana ranger playtest material. Made on The Homebrewery.