pathFinal Fantasy

© Square Enix, Final Fantasy Opera Omnia

Rangers are the master of ranged combat. Be it gun, bow or crossbow, it’ll be a ranger that you need to take the toughest shots, neutralizing limbs and inflicting a bevy of status conditions from afar.

Role: Rangers focus primarily on ranged damage, using their called shots and specialty ammunition to hamper and harass their foes.

Alignment: Any

Hit Die: D8

Starting Wealth: 5d6 × 10 gp (average 175 gp.) In addition, each character begins play with an outfit worth 10 gp or less.

Class Skills

The ranger’s class skills are Climb (Str), Craft (Int), Handle Animal (Cha), Heal (Wis), Intimidate (Cha), Knowledge (All) (Int), Perception (Wis), Profession (Wis), Ride (Dex), Stealth (Dex), Survival (Wis), and Swim (Str).

Skill Ranks Per Level: 6 + Int modifier

Table: Ranger

Class Features

Weapon and Armor Proficiencies

Rangers are proficient in bucklers, light armour, all simple weapons, and all bows and crossbows (Including exotic bows and crossbows).

Limit Break

At 1st level, a ranger gains the ability to use limit breaks. At the start of each day the ranger chooses Battle or Daredevil as his limit break mode. When a ranger uses a limit break, they may use a limit break from their chosen mode or the following limit break, unique to them:

Rapid Fire (Su): The ranger makes a full attack with her ranged weapon as a standard action, gaining an additional attack at their highest base attack bonus. For every limit break stack consumed, they may make an additional attack at their highest base attack bonus.

Ranger Style

At 1st level, the ranger can choose to gain either Rapid Reload, Precise Shot or Point Blank Shot as a bonus feat without meeting the prerequisites.

As a temporary alternative until Gunner is released, a Ranger may also opt to gain proficiency with firearms, Gunsmithing, and begins play with a battered light autoloader. Her starting weapon is battered, and only she knows how to use it properly. All other creatures treat her gun as if it had the broken condition. If the weapon already has the broken condition, it does not work at all for anyone else trying to use it. This starting weapon can only be sold for scrap (it’s worth 4d10 gil when sold).

Mental Focus (Ex)

At 1st level, the ranger selects Intelligence, Wisdom or Charisma, to determine what ability score his saving throw DCs and class features will use. Once made, the choice cannot be changed. This ability score is hereafter referred to as his Focus modifier.

Called Shots (Ex)

At 1st level, the ranger can use a called shot as a full-round action. Rangers learn 1 called shot at 1st level, and a new one at 4th and every 3 levels thereafter. If a called shot requires a save, the DC is calculated at 10 + his Focus modifier + half his ranger level. Alternatively, a Ranger can ready a Called Shot as a standard attack action, even if he has moved.

Called Shot: Arm - The ranger takes aim to disable a foe’s arm. If the ranger’s attack hits, the target makes a Fortitude save or loses use of that arm for a number of rounds equal to 1d4 + his Focus modifier. The target immediately drops anything in that arm if they fail the save. A creature trying to cast while under the effects of Called Shot: Arm suffer a 25% arcane spell failure chance

Called Shot: Leg - The ranger takes aim to slow a foe’s movements, hitting the leg. If the ranger’s attack hits, the target makes a Fortitude Save or has their base move speed halved for a number of rounds equal to 1d4 + his Focus modifier. This reduction stacks with the reduction of movement from difficult terrain.

Called Shot: Ear - The ranger takes aim to disorient and hinder a foe’s senses. If the ranger’s attack hits, the target makes a Reflex save or is deafened for 1d4+Focus modifier rounds.

Called Shot: Throat - The ranger takes aim to prevent communication or spellcasting. If the ranger’s attack hits, the target makes a Fortitude save or is Silenced for a number of rounds equal to 1d4+Focus modifier.

Called Shot: Heart - The ranger takes aim to end a foe in a single shot. If the ranger’s attack hits, the target makes a Fortitude save, adding half the damage dealt to the DC. If the target fails, they are reduced to -1 HP and begin dying immediately. Merciful rangers, or those who need their quarry alive, can instead choose to set the target's nonlethal damage amount to be equal to their maximum hit point total (This is not the same as dealing nonlethal damage). This is a death effect. Called Shot; Heart can only be used once per day per target. Prerequisites: The ranger must be 16th level to select this Called Shot.

Called Shot: Foot - The ranger takes aim to pin a foe in place. If the ranger’s attack hits, the target makes a Fortitude save or is immobilised for 1d4+Focus modifier rounds.

Called Shot: Hand - The ranger takes aim to disarm a foe from a distance. If the ranger’s attack hits, he may make a disarm maneuver, using his weapon’s attack bonus in place of his CMB. If it succeeds, the target’s dropped weapon is knocked 5 feet backwards from the target. A creature trying to cast while under the effects of Called Shot: Hand suffer a 25% arcane spell failure chance

Called Shot: Wallet - The ranger takes aim to relieve the target of an item about their person. Instead of an attack, this called shot allows the ranger to make a Steal maneuver, using his weapon's attack bonus in place of his CMB. If it succeeds, the item is ripped from the target 1d3x10 feet in the same "direction" as the attack. (For example, if you are to the left of the target, the item is launched to the right of the target.)

Disengage (Ex)

At 1st level, as a full round action, the ranger may move up to his speed away from a target who threatens him in melee, without provoking attacks of opportunity from the target, and make a single shot against that target. You can use a Called Shot or Specialty Ammo as part of the attack with Disengage. Disengage counts as Withdrawing for the purpose of feats such as Run

Speciality Ammo (Ex)

The ranger’s resourcefulness grows, and he can stockpile special types of ammo. At 2nd level, he chooses one type of ammo to gain access to. He gains one ammo type at 2nd level, and can choose another at 5th level and every 3 afterwards (8th, 11th, 14th, 17th and 20th). The ranger prepares a stockpile of speciality ammo equal to his ranger level + his Focus modifier per day. Unless otherwise specified, speciality ammo deals the same damage as the weapon it is fired from. If a speciality ammo requires a saving throw, the DC is calculated at 10 + his Focus modifier + half his ranger level.

Blinding Shot - The ranger’s ammo has a small powder charge attached, that irritates optical organs on impact. The target makes a Reflex save or is blinded for a number of rounds equal to 1d4 + his chosen ability modifier.

Net Shot - the ranger’s ammo releases a fiber string net that binds feet to the floor. The target makes a reflex save, and on a fail, is knocked prone and immobilised for a number of rounds equal to 1d3 + his chosen ability modifier. To escape early, the target can make either a strength check or escape artist check as a standard action, using the same DC as the ranger's original shot. Escaping negates the immobilised condition, but still leaves you prone. This action can still be taken even though you are immobilised

Punt Shot - The ranger’s ammo contains a secondary non-lethal charge to impact the foe and push them backwards. Any opponents hit by this attack are also hit with a free bull rush attack, substituting his attack roll for the combat maneuver check and using his Focus modifier in place of Strength or Dexterity. If the target cannot move due to other effects, such as being immobilised, he takes an additional 1d6 bludgeoning damage instead. Range modifiers to hit are applied to the bull rush check too.

Magnet Shot - The ranger’s ammo has a small magnet embedded in the head. When making this attack, he gains a +3 bonus on the attack roll if the opponent is wearing metal armor (or is made of metal).

Bounce Shot - The ranger’s ammo is designed to impact a hard surface and continue its journey rather than stop. The ranger may designate one spot within the first range increment of their weapon, and use that spot to calculate line of sight, cover and other similar things. The damage dice of the weapon decreases by one step, and the distance from the ranger to the designated spot, as well as from the spot to the target are included for calculating penalties for range.

Shrapnel Shot - The ranger’s ammo hits a designated spot and bursts into a small cone of shredding shrapnel. The ranger may target an empty square (AC 10). A successful hit causes the ranger’s shot to output a 15 foot cone in the direction the shot was fired, dealing the ranger’s weapon’s damage dice to anyone within that cone, with a Reflex save for half. Any modifiers the ranger’s bow has to damage also applies to Shrapnel Shot.

Ranger Talents

As a ranger gains experience, he learns a number of talents that aid him against his foes. Starting at 2nd level, a ranger gains one ranger talent. He gains an additional ranger talent for every 2 levels of ranger attained after 2nd level. Unless otherwise stated, a ranger cannot select an individual talent more than once.

Ranger talents can be found here

Favored Hunt (Ex)

Rangers often focus their skills to hunt a particular type of enemy and to focus their efforts in surviving in particular terrains. At 3rd level and every 3 levels afterwards, the ranger chooses one favoured enemy and one favoured terrain.

Favored Enemies grant a +2 bonus on Bluff, Knowledge, Perception, Sense Motive, and Survival checks against creatures of his selected type. Likewise, he gets a +2 bonus on weapon attack and damage rolls against them. A ranger may make Knowledge skill checks untrained when attempting to identify these creatures.

If the ranger chooses humanoids or outsiders as a favored enemy, he must also choose an associated subtype, as indicated on the table below. (Note that there are other types of humanoid to choose from—those called out specifically on the table below are merely the most common.) If a specific creature falls into more than one category of favored enemy, the ranger’s bonuses do not stack; he simply uses whichever bonus is higher.

If the ranger chooses an organisation he gains his favoured enemy bonuses against all members of the chosen organization, regardless of their creature type or subtype. The GM is the final arbiter of what is acceptable or not. For example, "Armies" would be too broad to select as a favoured enemy, but "Galbadian Army" wouldn't. On the other hand, a specific street gang might be too strict to be useful and thus the GM could allow them to have all street gangs in a city be a favoured organisation. Lastly, GMs are advised to take their specific campaign into account when determining organisations. For example, in one campaign "Shinra Grunts", "Turks" and "SOLDIERS" might be considered separate organisations, while in another just "Shinra" would be an acceptable choice.

Favored Terrains grant a +2 bonus on initiative checks and Knowledge (geography) (Urban terrain instead grants a bonus on Knowledge (Local)), Perception, Stealth, and Survival skill checks when he is in this terrain. A ranger traveling through his favored terrain normally leaves no trail and cannot be tracked (though he may leave a trail if he so chooses).

Each time the ranger selects a new enemy or terrain, each previously chosen enemy or terrain’s benefit increases by +2. Thus, the first favored enemy or terrain will end on a +12 bonus, the second at +10 and so on.

By spending 8 hours in study or training, the ranger may choose to lose one of his favoured enemies and/or one of his favoured terrains and replace it with another favoured enemy and/or favoured terrain at the same bonus. If the ranger chooses two favoured enemies/terrains that he already has a bonus to (For example, Dragon at +6 and Fey at +2), he instead swaps the two bonuses. Rangers cannot choose to lose a creature-based favoured enemy in place of an organisation (Or vice versa. He can still swap the favoured enemy bonus between an organisation and a creature, though.), but he can chose to lose an old organisation for a new one.

Survivalist (Ex)

At 3rd level, the ranger perfects his skills of self-sufficiency. A ranger adds half his level (minimum 1) to all Survival checks.

Wild Empathy (Ex)

At 5th level, a ranger can improve the initial attitude of an animal. This ability functions just like a Diplomacy check to improve the attitude of a person (see Using Skills). The ranger rolls 1d20 and adds his ranger level and his Focus bonus to determine the wild empathy check result. The typical domestic animal has a starting attitude of indifferent, while wild animals are usually unfriendly.

To use wild empathy, the ranger and the animal must be within 30 feet of one another under normal visibility conditions. Generally, influencing an animal in this way takes 1 minute, but, as with influencing people, it might take more or less time.

The ranger can also use this ability to influence a magical beast with an Intelligence score of 1 or 2, but he takes a –4 penalty on the check.

Terrain Stride (Ex)

Starting at 7th level, a ranger in one of his favoured terrains may move through difficult or dangerous terrain at his normal speed and without suffering other impairments. (Examples include thorns or briars in a forest, icy ground in a tundra, rubble in a city.)

This ability only helps against terrain that is otherwise passable. This doesn’t allow him to ignore the effects of terrain that is inherently impassible. For example, this ability doesn’t allow him to ignore the dangers of magma flows, or move through a riptide.

Areas that are enchanted or magically manipulated to impede motion, however, still affect him.

Evasion (Ex)

When he reaches 9th level, a ranger can avoid even magical and unusual attacks with great agility. If he makes a successful Reflex saving throw against an attack that normally deals half damage on a successful save, he instead takes no damage. Evasion can be used only if the ranger is wearing light armor, medium armor, or no armor. A helpless ranger does not gain the benefit of evasion

Quarry (Ex)

At 11th level, a ranger can, as a standard action, denote one target within his line of sight, or a target he can unambiguously identify, as his quarry. Whenever he is following the tracks of his quarry, a ranger can take 10 on his Survival skill checks while moving at normal speed, without penalty. In addition, he receives a +2 insight bonus on attack rolls made against his quarry, and all critical threats are automatically confirmed. A ranger can have no more than one quarry at a time and the creature’s type must correspond to one of his favored enemy types. He can dismiss this effect at any time as a free action, but he cannot select a new quarry for 24 hours. If the ranger sees proof that his quarry is dead, he can select a new quarry after waiting 1 hour

Camouflage (Ex)

A ranger of 13th level or higher can use the Stealth skill to hide in any of his favored terrains, even if the terrain doesn’t grant cover or concealment.

Improved Evasion (Ex)

At 15th level, a ranger’s evasion improves. This ability works like evasion, except that while the ranger still takes no damage on a successful Reflex saving throw against attacks, he henceforth takes only half damage on a failed save. A helpless ranger does not gain the benefit of improved evasion.

Hide In Plain Sight (Ex)

While in any of his favored terrains, a ranger of 17th level or higher can use the Stealth skill even while being observed.

Improved Quarry (Ex)

At 19th level, the ranger’s ability to hunt his quarry improves. He can now select a quarry as a free action, and can now take 20 while using Survival to track his quarry, while moving at normal speed without penalty. His insight bonus to attack his quarry increases to +4. If his quarry is killed or dismissed, he can select a new one after 10 minutes have passed.

Grand Hunter (Ex)

A ranger of 20th level becomes a master hunter. He can always move at full speed while using Survival to follow tracks without penalty. In addition, his stockpile of speciality ammo increases to 2 times his Focus modifier and class levels, doubling in capacity. He can also make called shots as a free action, and full attacks apply the called shot each time a hit is made

Archetypes