Ranger (FiD)

Starfox's Blades in the Dark fan page

The Ranger excels in surveillance and ranged combat, mastering the art of observing and targeting from afar. Skilled in tracking foes and gathering vital intelligence, they are experts at striking precisely and from a distance. Whether pinpointing an enemy’s location or neutralizing threats before they can act, the Ranger ensures they remain a step ahead of their adversaries.

An adaptation of the Hound playbook from Blades in the Dark. More focused on ranged combat than the D&D ranger. Rangers often multiclass with Animism to become more like ranges in D&D.

Special Abilities

1. Focused: You may expend your special armor to resist a consequence of surprise or mental harm (fear, confusion, losing track of someone) or to push yourself for ranged combat or reconnaissance.
2. Friend of Nature: You can use Hunt to befriend animals and creatures native to the natural terrain you are in. Limited outcome to be ignored, standard outcome to gain information, great outcome to make them allies.
3. Predator: When you gather information about a target, you can ask one additional question about their weaknesses or habits. Gain potency when you engage in combat with a target you have gathered information on.
4. Scout: When you gather info to locate a target, you get +1 effect. When you hide in a prepared position or use camouflage, you get +1d to rolls to avoid detection, including Hunt attacks when your location is not known.
5. Sharpshooter: When you push yourself on a Hunt attack, you can do one of the following: make a ranged attack at extreme distance beyond what’s normal for the weapon—a shot momentarily halts onlookers—hit an impossibly small mark like a ropes—hit a vital spot for increased effect..
6. Spirit Hunter: Your hunting pet is imbued with spirit energy. It gains potency when tracking or fighting the supernatural, and gains an arcane ability: ghost-form, mind-link, or arrow-swift. Take this ability again to choose an additional arcane ability for your pet.
7. Survivor: You are an expert at foraging and finding your way in the wild, +1d and improved effect on all Hunt checks in the wild. +1d to all crew healing treatment rolls. You and your crew does not need camping gear and can take two downtime actions when camping out.
8. Tough as Nails: Penalties from harm are one level less severe (though level 4 harm is still fatal).

Dangerous Friends

˄ ˅ Aerin, a bounty hunter.

˄ ˅ Elior, a warrior.

˄ ˅ Lioran, a herbalist.

˄ ˅ Rael, a bounty broker.

˄ ˅ Theren, a spy.

Items

☐-☐ Fine long range weapon.

☐, ☐ Fine short range weapon.

☐ Light camping gear.

■ Trained hunting pet cohort.

☐ Silver bullets.

☐ Spyglass.

• Fine Long Range Weapon: ☐-☐ A masterwork weapon that fits you perfectly, improving your effect. This can be a rifle, crossbow, or longbow. This refers to one particular weapon, if lost, you have to find a new one.
• Fine Short Range Weapon: ☐-☐ A masterwork weapon that fits you perfectly, improving your effect. This can be a hand weapon such as an axe, sword or rapier, or a short range weapons like a sling, hand crossbow, or pistol. This refers to two particular weapons, if lost, you have to find new ones.
• Light Camping Gear ☐: Bedroll, cooking pot, tarpaulin, fishing line, snares, all personalized and chosen to be lightweight. Roughing it out with this gear allows a single downtime action to remove stress. Lacking this does not allow any effective rest.
• A trained hunting pet ■: Your animal companion obeys your commands and anticipates your actions. It is Intelligent. Cohort (Expert: Hunter). See p 96.

Silver Bullets ☐: Especially cast in a holy or magical place, these silver bullets make potent attacks with a firearm. A similar effect for bows and crossbows can be gained with silver-tipped arrows and bolts. You have enough silver bullets for the entire score. Consumable.

• Spyglass ☐: Telescopic brass tube with lenses, amplifies three to four times.

XP

• Every time you roll a desperate action, mark xp in that action's attribute.

At the end of each session, for each item below, mark 1 xp (in your playbook or an attribute) or 2 xp if that item occurred multiple times.

• You addressed a challenge with reconnaissance or violence.
• You expressed your beliefs, drives, heritage, or background.
• You struggled with issues from your vice or traumas during the session.

Starting Actions

Hunt 2

Survey 1

4 points by choice, no higher than 2 in any one

Gather Information

• What do they intend to do?
• How can I get them to [X]?
• What are they really feeling?
• Where are they vulnerable?
• Where did [X] go?
• How can I find [X]?
• What's really going on here?