Fell Ranger (Apath)

Unofficial rules compendium

The fell ranger has a very direct connection to nature, making him a shapeshifter and an intuitive practitioner of way of the void martial arts.

Class Information

This is a ranger archetype.

Publisher: Trailseeker, Purple Duck Games.

Hit Dice: d10.

Class Features

This archetype has all ranger class features, except as noted.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency

The fell ranger is proficient with all simple and martial weapons, but has no proficiency with shields or any kind of armor.

AC Bonus (Ex)

When unarmored, unencumbered, and not using a shield of any kind, the fell ranger adds his Wisdom bonus (if any) to his Armor Class and combat maneuver defense. In addition, a fell ranger gains a +1 bonus to AC at 1st level. This bonus increases by every four animal lord levels after level 4 (+2 at 8th, +3 at 12th, and so on).

These bonuses to AC apply even against touch attacks or when the fell ranger is flat-footed. He loses these bonuses when he is immobilized or helpless, when he wears any armor, when he carries a shield, or when he carries a medium or heavy load. These bonuses do not stack with the monk AC bonus class feature or other abilities that do not stack with the monk AC bonus.

This is a variant of way of the void martial arts, see Unarmored and Dangerous, also by Purple Duck Games. All information needed to use this ability is given here.

This replaces armor proficiency, shield proficiency, endurance, track, and swift tracker.

Combat Style

It is recommended that the fell ranger picks the natural weapon combat style, but this is not required.

Fell Shape (Su)

At 4th level, a fell ranger gains the ability to turn himself into any Small or Medium animal and back again. This ability functions like the beast shape I spell, except as noted here. Changing form (to animal or back) is a standard action and doesn’t provoke an attack of opportunity. The form chosen must be that of an animal the fell ranger is familiar with. A fell ranger in animal or magical beast form can still speak.

The fell ranger can use this ability 3 times per day plus a number of times per day equal to his Wisdom bonus (minimum 0), and can remain in animal form a number of hours equal to his class level each time.

As the fell ranger gains levels, this ability improves. At 7th level, the fell ranger can use fell shape as a swift action. At 10th level, a fell ranger can use fell shape to change into a Large or Tiny animal. The fell ranger’s wild shape now functions as beast shape II. Using fell shape as a standard action no longer counts against the daily limit. At 13th level, a fell ranger can use wild shape to change into a Huge or Diminutive animal or a Small or Medium magical beast, as beast shape III. At 16th level, a fell ranger can use wild shape to change into a Tiny or Large magical beast, as beast shape IV.

This replaces improved evasion and the ranger’s spells class feature. Fell rangers do not gain any spells or spellcasting ability, do not have a caster level, and don't get the ability to use spell trigger and spell completion magic items.

Table: Fell Ranger

Level	Base Attack Bonus	Fort Save	Ref Save	Will Save	Special
1st	+1	+2	+2	+0	1st favored enemy, wild empathy
2nd	+2	+3	+3	+0	Combat style feat
3rd	+3	+3	+3	+1	1st favored terrain
4th	+4	+4	+4	+1	Fell shape (beast shape I), hunter's bond
5th	+5	+4	+4	+1	2nd favored enemy
6th	+6/+1	+5	+5	+2	Combat style feat
7th	+7/+2	+5	+5	+2	Fell shape (swift action), woodland stride
8th	+8/+3	+6	+6	+2	2nd favored terrain
9th	+9/+4	+6	+6	+3	Evasion
10th	+10/+5	+7	+7	+3	3rd favored enemy, combat style feat, fell shape (beast shape II at-will)
11th	+11/+6/+1	+7	+7	+3	Quarry
12th	+12/+7/+2	+8	+8	+4	Camouflage
13th	+13/+8/+3	+8	+8	+4	3rd favored terrain, fell shape (beast shape III)
14th	+14/+9/+4	+9	+9	+4	Combat style feat
15th	+15/+10/+5	+9	+9	+5	4th favored enemy
16th	+16/+11/+6/+1	+10	+10	+5	Fell shape (beast shape IV)
17th	+17/+12/+7/+2	+10	+10	+5	Hide in plain sight
18th	+18/+13/+8/+3	+11	+11	+6	4th favored terrain, combat style feat
19th	+19/+14/+9/+4	+11	+11	+6	Fell shape (beast shape IV), improved quarry
20th	+20/+15/+10/+5	+12	+12	+6	5th favored enemy, master hunter

Summary of Changed Class Abilities

These abilities of the original class are lost or modified in this archetype:

• Armor Proficiency
• Spellcasting
• Master Hunter

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