Twilight Ranger

Urban Rangers are, by necessity, a canny and versatile lot -- and none are more cunning and capable than the handful of Rangers who make Dirt City their home. Dwelling perpetually on the fringe between the wilds of Izen and the ³jungle² of city streets and sewers, they belong entirely to neither one world nor the other. They call themselves Twilight Rangers.

Having learned their skills from solitary masters, most Twilight Rangers remain loners and tend to be quiet and intense. They seldom claim allegiance to any of the major Houses, preferring the loose organization of their own kind. The major Houses have mixed feelings about this, and it is not unheard of for some high-ranking operative, feeling snubbed, to send assassins after a particular Twilight Ranger. For this reason, Twilight Rangers have a particular hatred for assassins, and will never knowingly aid one.

Twilight Rangers have a guild, of sorts, in Dirt City. It is primarily a loose network for the exchange of information, and the recruiting and training of new Twilight Rangers. It has no hierarchy, and almost no structure; the members themselves decide what needs to be done and what information needs to be shared.

Because they spend as much time learning to survive in the wilds of the city as the wilds outside the walls, Twilight Rangers develop a unique set of skills and abilities that are different from other Rangers, and more akin to the skills of Rogues. Unlike Rogues, however, Twilight Rangers are more likely to be good-aligned.

Most Twilight Rangers are humans, although their ranks also include half-elves, half-orcs, gnomes, and halflings. Good-alinged Drow often find themselves drawn to this class. Elves are rare in Dirt City, but the few elves you encounter there are very likely Twilight Rangers.

Recently, Twilight Rangers have been turning up in other cities of the Wold as well. They are still few and far between outside of Dirt City, but those who seek them out can (eventually) find them. Perhaps one day there will be a thriving Twilight Ranger guild in every city.

Twilight Rangers use their skills in a variety of ways. Many act as guides in and around the city. Some are professional hunters, whether for game or evildoers. More experienced Twilight Rangers act to protect those who may be targeted for assassination. And of course, there are the adventurers.

Game Mechanics

This ranger variant gains all the normal class features of the ranger, with the following changes and additions.

• Weapon Proficiency: As Ranger class, except that Twilight Rangers are not proficient with two-handed melee weapons, and are proficient with hand crossbows.

• Animal Companion: The Twilight Ranger's choices are limited to dog, riding dog, dire rat, horse (light or heavy), owl, pony, or snake (Small viper).

• Spells: The Twilight Ranger does not gain the ability to cast divine spells.

• Sneak Attack: At 5th level, the Twilight Ranger gains the Sneak Attack ability. This ability functions the same as for a 1st-level rogue (+1d6), except the Twilight Ranger can only apply Sneak Attack damage to a Favored Enemy. Damage becomes +2d6 at 10th level,+3d6 at 15th and +4d6 at 20th level.

• Trap Sense (Ex): Starting at 4th level, the Twilight Ranger has an intuitive sense that alerts her to danger from traps, giving her a +1 bonus on Reflex saves made to avoid traps and a +1 dodge bonus to AC against attacks made by traps. This bonus becomes +2 at 9th level, +3 at 14th level, and +4 at 19th level.

• Woodland Stride: The Twilight Ranger's Woodland Stride ability also functions in urban environments.

• Camouflage: The Twilight Ranger's Camouflage ability also functions in urban environments.

CREDITS: Created by Kathy for the Dirt City game.