Ranger A Survey of Wild Warfare. In this course, students will study the principles of wilderness survival and the history of the untamed lands of Khorvaire. The indominable Professor Tolaoi and I, Professor Thornlong, will lead expeditions into the King’s Forest, the Frontières de l'Ombre, and the Les Désolations Démoniaques. Survival not guaranteed.
—angel Thornlong Professor of Natural Evolution & Talaen Tolaoi Professor of Military Studies
MA1106: Warfare in the Wild The classic image of the Ranger is a warden of the wilds, a cunning skirmisher with a touch of Druidique magic, but the Ranger can fill many roles. A typical Ranger is perceptive and stealthy, familiar with the wilds and a subject matter expert on the habits and tactics of a variety of enemies.
A Wild Life A survivalist’s experience in the wild rarely comes quick or easy. Failure, repetition, study, are all parts of dealing with the various obstacles of a given environment, but a Ranger has a knack for picking up on the hints that nature leaves behind in the mud, rock, or underbrush. Whether kin of an outlander tribe, the troupe of entertainers traveling off the beaten path, or the noble family who values time in the outdoors, those with this attention for detail have typically spent a significant amount of time in the wilds. When choosing a terrain, remember that someone who understands the intricacies of the swamp or Underdark has likely spent years exploring in the darkest reaches of L'Ombre
Marches or Khyber, respectively. Consider what that intimacy means. Those with an acute understanding of the Les Désolations Démoniaques, might have been born into the Tribus des Charognes only to escape and adopt the ways of the Cinq Nations or could have functioned as a Brelon scout left alone in that hostile land after an expedition was slaughtered by its hellish denizens. The experiences behind a deep territorial knowledge is usually anything but natural and tends to differ from person to person, ranging from summers of cherished vacations to events of great tragedy, loss, or seclusion best forgotten to the past. In exploring Eberron, many races deemed “monsters” call Droaam home, including some Géants and other monstrosities, while a soldier who fought on the Droaam border could have participated in many engagements with gnolls and Gobelins. Rangers familiar with grassland or forest environs probably roamed the farmlands of Aundair or the Plaines de Talenta but could be an Eldeen warden, a settler from Q’barra, or a poacher from the King’s Forest of Breland. The Wilderness Experience table presents some of the most inhospitable environments of Khorvaire and suggests options for Favored Enemy and Natural Explorer tied to the region, as a source of inspiration, but the table is only a partial list and there is always room for expansion.
Expanded Natural Explorer Options For those who want to draw special attention to Eberron or distinction between multiple Rangers in a party, the favored terrain options for the Natural Explorer feature have been expanded to include unnatural and urban environments. Unnatural environments are twisted by magic or populated with alien flora and fauna, like the Les Désolations Démoniaques and the Les Terres des Lamentations, while massive cities, such as the mile-high towers of Sharn or the fortress metropolis of Korth characterize sprawling urban environments. A Ranger can add these environments as a type of favored terrain at 1st, 6th, or 10th level instead of choosing from the options in the Player’s Handbook.
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If ya don’t know where you came from, it
Connection to the Wilderness The Ranger is often depicted as a champion of the natural world and shares many spells with the druid. While it’s easy to present this magic as a form of Druidique spellcasting, and a Ranger could be familiar with wild environments, this doesn’t have to translate to respect for nature or any connection to druids. A bounty hunter may have learned to hunt Humains in Dévastation environments but prefers to spend the gold earned for the bounties in a gambling den in Sharn. In creating a Ranger, leave no approach without consideration.
Martial On the edge of the Les Terres des Lamentations, a Cyran Hunter warns the salvage team of the dangelrs that lie on the other side of the dead-grey mists. In the wild frontier between Brelandeand Droaam, a Field Marshal guides allies as they ambush marauding Minotaures. A Monster Hunter tracks an elite team of templars to a haunted crypt in Xen’drik. If a Ranger is a martial specialist who operates as an expert navigator in the most unsettling environments, their class features might represent military training instead of a primal connection to the natural world. Primeval Awareness is a ritual that lets the Ranger track
doesn’t much matter where you’re going.
enemy movements. Hunter’s mark is an arcane targeting implementation that focuses martial prowess. The fog cloud and entangle spells manipulate natural environments but one might describe them as a smoke screen or sprung vine trap, using the wild as a tool, not working in harmony with it. The magic of a martial Ranger has more in Commun with a wizard than a druid, and with the DM’s approval, the character might use an arcane focus as a spellcasting focus for Ranger spells. When creating a martial Ranger, consider how and where you learned your skills. What nation did you serve? Were you part of a larger army, or attached to a small strike force? The soldier background conveys a continuous positive connection with your former comrades, while criminals and folk heroes work as deserters. You have the skills you need to survive in the wild but prefer the comforts of civilization any day of the week. It isn’t in your nature to be sentimental about mud and shrubs, and you have no compunctions about weaving a trail of scorched earth in your wake.
Wilderness Experience
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d8
Experience
Favored Enemy
Favored Terrain
1
The border of Droaam, where the Les Murailles Grises rise up from the plains. You’ve dealt with all manner of monsters, whether as enemies or merely neighbors: ogres and trolls, harpies and gnolls.
Géants or monstrosities
Mountain or grassland
2
The Forêt Imposantes of the Confins d'Eldeen. There are depths of the forest never even seen by Humain eyes, home to Fée spirits and dire animals.
Beasts or Fée
Forest
3
The depths of the Frontières de l'Ombre. Foul creatures and aberrations dwell in these fetid swamps.
Aberrations or monstrosities
Swamp
4
The Plaines de Talenta, home to hobbit tribes and wild Dinosaurees.
Beasts
Grasslands
5
The Les Désolations Démoniaques are infused with infernal energies, resulting in strangel plants and horrifying creatures. What brought you to this nightmare realm?
Fiends
Unnatural
6
The Désert des Lames. Did you fight alongside the Valénar Elfes, or did you oppose their conquest of the region?
Humains and Elfes
Desert
7
The towers of Sharn, from the dismal lower districts to the fortified heights of Humains and the spires. Gobelins
Urban
8
The Les Terres des Lamentations has only existed for four years, but there’s a high demand for salvagers and scouts willing to brave this twisted realm.
Unnatural
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Monstrosities or oozes
Natural
Unnatural
A Talenta Beast Master whispers calming words to her razorclaw mount, then calls on the spirits to guide her to her journey. A Horizon Walker patrols the ancient Gatekeeper seals that hold the powers of Xoriat at bay. A Féral Hunter prepares for a hunt by channeling predatory instincts. All of these are natural Rangers, following the traditional model of the warrior bound to the wild. A natural Ranger with the aspirant background was trained by a Druidique sect. An outlander could be a Talenta hobbit, a Féral from deep in the Forêt Imposantes, or a Demi-orc hunter from the Frontières de l'Ombre more cunning than a barbarian, but still tied to a primitive culture. Even a hermit or scholar could have sought isolation to commune with the Fée. Consider why your Ranger has chosen to abandon the wild for the life of an adventurer, and how you feel about the civilized world. Are you driven by revenge, searching for villains who massacred your tribe, or poachers who slew your animal companions? Have you been directed by your Druidique mentor to hunt out an artifact? Have you sworn to protect a fellow adventurer who saved your life or are you simply curious about the vast cities and their unnatural wonders?
Deep within the sewers of Sharn, a bounty hunter deploys the fibrous cords of a modified tanglefoot bag to ensnare a fugitive, as a Morgrave professor leads and expedition deeper into ancient Gobelin ruins, and a rat poacher catches supper with a makeshift bow and arrow. These citizens don’t have a primal connection to the less civilized natural world and aren’t trained to deal with it, but each has made their own path in their environment and picked up an assortment of tools and tricks along the way. With the DM’s permissions, an unnatural Ranger can cover a wide variety of concepts and can cosmetically flavor spells and class features to fit a multitude of avenues. You could cast hunter’s mark by whispering the target’s true name to the arrow, or by making an adjustment on a set of magical targeting goggles, while fog cloud could be an alchemical gas bomb. The important thing is that the rules remain the same; even if you describe your fog cloud as a smoke bomb, you follow all the usual rules and restrictions for casting a spell, and it won’t function in an antimagic field.
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serve as Arcanum irregulars. Gloom stalkers and Wasteland Wanders (Xanathar’s Perdu Notes) tend to take the lead in guiding these groups through uncertain environs.
Ranger Units A lone wolf, or one that functions within a pack or unit, Rangers can be found across Khorvaire, and might train, share resources and intel, or even blaze a trail together from time to time. All of the armies of the Cinq Nations have elite Ranger cells, and each might have their own specialized unites, which the mercenary background could establish such a tie to these forces.
The Église de la Flamme d'Argent The Église de la Flamme d'Argent is devoted to protecting the innocent from supernatural evil. Many threats are easily dealt with using the subtle talents of the Ranger as opposed to the radiant hammer of the paladin. The templars of the Flamme d'Argent are a military force, and there’s always a call for skilled unites of scout led by a Field Marshal on the battlefield. In addition to these standardized forces, there are also several specialized units. •
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The Arcanum is tasked to recover and destroy cursed artifacts and demonic treasures. These sorts of expeditions might require an entire party of adventurers, requiring Rangers to work alongside rogues, bards, and other specialists recruited to
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•
Kloijner’s Edge is an elite unit of Monster Slayers whose agents hunt down vampires, lycanthropes, and other predators that hide in plain sight.
•
Miron’s Tears are an urban legend. Stories say that this group was founded by Tira Miron before her final sacrifice, charged to protect the Church from heresy and corruption. According to rumor, it has lain dormant for centuries but now, those within the church believe splinter cells of Miron’s Tears are preparing to strike against the darkness that has spread throughout the church, cleansing the Flame itself. Originally, Miron’s Tears were comprised of Burghal Explorers (Xanathar’s Perdu Notes), Gloom Stalkers, Hunters, and specialize in observation and assassination.
The longbow is a devotional practice of the church, and a Ranger with the acolyte background might flavor spellcasting as a form of divine magic for a character with an ongoing relationship to one of these orders, although the soldier background is just as sound for a templar.
The Eldeen Sects The druid orders of the Confins d'Eldeen are the source of the most iconic Rangers of Eberron. The Protecteurs des Bois roam the borders of the Forêt Imposante, battling brigands and poachers and ensuring that the dangelrs of the forest don’t spill out to harm farmers. The Eldeen Sects are described in detail in the Druid section of this chapter, and the role of a Ranger is specific to each sect. •
The Peuple du Frêne are nature’s avengers. While barbarians are Commun among Peuple du Frêne raiders, Beast Masters and Hunters are both found among Peuple du Frêne raiders.
•
The Enfants de l'Hiver embrace the dark side of the natural world. Few glean the insights necessary of a Gloom Stalker, and most elite Winter Rangers train to be Monster Hunters or Wasteland Wanderers. The sect despises Mort-vivant as a particular violation of the natural order, and Winter Rangers are charged to lay these abominations to rest.
•
The Gardiens protect Eberron from extraplanar forces. While best known for fighting aberrations and the forces of Xoriat, they are equally concerned with the depredations of fiends and other outsiders. The sect trains both Horizon Walkers and Monster Hunters to prevent planar breaches and to destroy those creatures that have made it through.
•
The Chanteurs Écolo embrace the Fée as part of the natural world and the Domaine du Crépuscule is a massive Thelanian Zone De Manifestation in the Confins d'Eldeen. Greensinger Rangers roam these mystical forests and dance with the Fée. Beast Masters and Hunters are both found among the Chanteurs Écolo, along with a few Horizon Walkers who maintain the portals and work directly with the Archifée.
•
The Protecteurs des Bois are the largest and best organized of the sects and serve as the military of the Confins d'Eldeen, with Field Marshals, Hunters, and Beast Masters all serving important roles among the Wardens. A Ranger who follows this path might be an active member of the Wardens reporting back to the Great Druid Oalian, or a retired warden following their own path.
The aspirant and outlander backgrounds call to any character who wants to have an ongoing connection to one of these sects, but the soldier background could be adapted to reflect a tie to one of these as well. Rangers comprise the furthest frontline warriors of the Reaches. If the DM approves, a Ranger from one of the Eldeen sects might trade a language choice for Druidique or learn it during their adventures in the Reaches.
The Valénar Elfes Like those in the Confins d'Eldeen, Rangers make up a large portion of the fighting forces of the Valénar Elfes. Elfique cavalry often incorporates Beast Masters with a close spiritual bond to their remarkable mounts. Like all Valénar, Rangers usually trace their lineage to a particular patron ancestor and are duty-bound to emulate their hero from the past. This champion might have been a legendary Hunter, a Beast Master with a remarkable bond to a legendary warhorse, or an impeccable strategist, a Field Marshal who provided tactical support to allies in a crucial conflict that brought honor to the entire warclan. As an adventurer, consider why a Valénar Ranger isn’t riding with a warband. The reversal of the honor-bound archetype might be an exile driven from the Elfique people or set on a lone quest to reclaim an ancestral relic who lives in disgrace until it can be returned to the warband.