Stalker

Stalker is a Ranger kit that can use Backstab (a skill otherwise exclusive to thieves and most of its kits), finally making use of the Stealth ability Rangers get. Unlike unkitted rangers, stalkers are limited to wearing leather, studded leather and hide armor. The armor restriction supplements backstabbing, as most metal armors disable the Hide in Shadows ability.
Apart from armor, stalkers have no other restrictions in terms of weapons and protective gear. Moreover, wielding a shield does not interfere with the stealth ability.
Only humans, elves and half-elves can become stalkers. Stalkers have three prime requisites: Strength, Dexterity and Wisdom.
Stalkers can dual-class to clerics, but a Stalker/Cleric is restricted to clubs and staves as the only weapons suitable for backstabbing. However, that is not really a disadvantage in Baldur's Gate II, when this dual is typically done, as two of that game's best backstabbing weapons are quarterstaves: Staff of Striking very early and Staff of the Ram later. A Stalker/Cleric can also cast Righteous Magic to maximize backstab damage, just as the Cleric / Thief can. 
In the non-Enhanced version of Baldur's Gate II, stalkers could not dual-class with Throne of Bhaal installed.
If the player character is a stalker and commits a murder, for example, they will become a Fallen Ranger, which is a ranger without the special abilities, and they will lose a lot of experience points. Regaining those abilities is only possible at the end of Ranger-Protector of the Umar Hills , they can become normal stalkers once more.
==Character abilities table==
Character ability	Min. number.	Max. number
Strength 	13* 	18
Dexterity 	13* 	18
Constitution 	14 	18
Intelligence 	3 	18
Wisdom 	14* 	18
Charisma 	3 	
18
*Prime Requisites for Dual-Classing. Humans require a minimum of 15 strength and dexterity and a 17 in wisdom in order to dual class to a cleric.
Notes:
*The primary abilities table is based on the human class, because humans don't have any bonuses to primary abilities compared to the other races and acts as a 'neutral'.
==Special abilities of the Stalker==
===Stealth===
Rangers can hide in shadows if they wear leather armor, studded leather armor or no armor. Every ranger starts with 15% (not confirmed) modified by racial and dexterity bonuses at level 1 to successfully hide in shadows. Attempting to hide in shadows during the day or while not in shadows incurs a penalty to the hide check. Melee attacks receive a +4 to-hit bonus if performed while hidden. 
Stalkers receive a flat 20% bonus to Move Silently and Hide In Shadows at character creation.
===Backstabbing===
All melee attacks from concealment receive a -4 bonus to THAC0, but when Stalkers are invisible, either by Hide in Shadows or magical & item means, they can also execute a backstab. The weapons suitable for backstabbing are limited to fists, long swords, short swords, katana, scimitars, wakizashi, ninjatōs, daggers, clubs or quarterstaves. Backstabs inflict significantly more damage than a normal hit, but will break the Stalker's invisibility. Magical summoned melee weapons such as Shillelagh and Flame Blade can also be used as they are all within the stalker's melee weapon array.
Moreover, the +4 damage that Stalkers get against their racial enemy is factored into backstab calculations (unlike the bonus from exception strength). So Stalkers can do 8-16 more damage (depending on the multiplier) against their racial enemies on a successful backstab.
Stalkers have a lower backstab multiplier than thieves, getting capped at 4 times base damage at lvl 17:
Backstab multiplier /
Level	Stalker
1-8 	x2
9-16	x3
17+ 	x4
===Racial enemy===
Stalkers tend to focus on a particular creature, having a +4 THAC0 and +4 damage versus their racial enemy. The player chooses one of the types of creatures listed below:
*Beholders
*Carrion Crawlers
*Demonic/Fell creatures
*Dragons
*Elementals
*Ettercaps
*Faeries
*Genies
*Ghouls
*Gibberling
*Golems
*Gnolls
*Hobgoblins
*Imps
*Kobolds
*Kuo-Toa
*Lich
*Lycanthropes
*Mephits
*Ogres
*Otyugh
*Rakshasa
*Sahuagin
*Shadows
*Skeletons
*Slimes
*Spiders
*Trolls
*Umber Hulks
*Vampires
===Charm animal===
Rangers can charm animals to prevent fights or to gain advantages, starting at level 3.
===Priest Spellbook===
At level 8, the priest spellbook unlocks for stalkers. They can use the following spells from that moment. The spells the stalkers are able to use are the same as a druid. They can learn up to level 3 spells. Their number of spells is determined by their level and is not affected by the Wisdom attribute score.
====Bonus Spells====
Starting at lvl 12, stalkers can cast three wizard spells as if they were level 3 druid spells. Stalkers need to prepare the following spells in their spell book (at the level 3 spells page) in advance in order to be able to cast them:
*Haste
*Protection From Normal Missiles
*Minor Spell Deflection
==Class optimized items==
*Stalker Gauntlets 
==Gameplay==
Stalkers take a unique niche between warriors and backstabbing thieves.
The main advantages of stalkers over thieves is their superior THAC0 and ability to hold on their own in melee due to higher hit points, greater APR and early access to protective headgear and shields. However, stalker's backstab multiplier is worse than the thief's and comes nowhere close to the Assassin's.
The only disadvantage of Stalkers when compared to other warrior classes is the inability to use metal armors.
==High-level class abilities==
High level class abilities are added in expansion. For all warrior classes and Monks, the pool of abilities consist of abilities which can be accesses from the special abilities menu. These HLAs are available once they reach levels beyond 3,000,000 xp, exact level varies by class.
* Whirlwind Attack, can be selected as many times you like
* Greater Whirlwind Attack, requires Whirlwind Attack, can be selected as many times you like
* Deathblow, can be selected as many times you like
* Greater Deathblow, requires Deathblow, can be selected as many times you like
* Resist Magic, can be selected as many times you like
* Power Attack, can be selected as many times you like
* Critical Strike, requires Power Attack, can be selected as many times you like
* Smite, requires Power Attack and Critical Strike, can be selected only once
* Hardiness, can be selected as many times you like
* War Cry, can be selected as many times you like
* Tracking, can be selected only once
==Experience table==
Level	XP
Required	Hit Dice (d10)	Attack per Round	Weapon Proficiency	THAC0	Saving throws D/W/P/B/S	Stealth Bonus
MS/HiS	HLA
1 	0 	1 	1 	
4 (+2)* 	20 	14/16/15/17/17 	45/40 	
2 	2,250 	2 	1 	 	19 	14/16/15/17/17 	51/46 	
3 	4,500 	3 	1 	5 	18 	13/15/14/16/16 	57/52 	
4 	9,000 	4 	1 	 	17 	13/15/14/16/16 	63/58 	
5 	18,000 	5 	1 	 	16 	11/13/12/13/14 	70/65 	
6 	36,000 	6 	1 	6 	15 	11/13/12/13/14 	77/72 	
7 	75,000 	7 	1.5 	 	14 	10/12/11/12/13 	85/80 	
8 	150,000 	8 	1.5 	 	13 	10/12/11/12/13 	92/87 	
9 	300,000 	9 	1.5 	7 	12 	8/10/9/9/11 	100/95 	
10 	600,000 	9+3 	1.5 	 	11 	8/10/9/9/11 	108/103	
11 	900,000 	9+6 	1.5 	 	10 	7/9/8/8/10 	116/111	
12 	1,200,000	9+9 	1.5 	8 	9 	7/9/8/8/10 	124/119	
13 	1,500,000	9+12 	2 	 	8 	5/7/6/5/8 	129/124	
14 	1,800,000	9+15 	2 	 	7 	5/7/6/5/8 	129/124	
15 	2,100,000	9+18 	2 	9 	6 	4/6/5/4/7 	129/124	
16 	2,400,000	9+21 	2 	 	5 	4/6/5/4/7 	129/124	
17 	2,700,000	9+24 	2 	 	4 	3/5/4/4/6 	129/124	
18 	3,000,000	9+27 	2 	10 	3 	3/5/4/4/6 	129/124	1
19 	3,300,000	9+30 	2 	 	2 	3/5/4/4/6 	129/124	2
20 	3,600,000	9+33 	2 	 	1 	3/5/4/4/6 	129/124	3
21 	3,900,000	9+36 	2 	11 	0 	3/5/4/4/6 	129/124	4
22 	4,200,000	9+39 	2 	 	0 	3/5/4/4/6 	129/124	5
23 	4,500,000	9+42 	2 	 	0 	3/5/4/4/6 	129/124	6
24 	4,800,000	9+45 	2 	12 	0 	3/5/4/4/6 	129/124	7
25 	5,100,000	9+48 	2 	 	0 	3/5/4/4/6 	129/124	8
26 	5,400,000	9+51 	2 	 	0 	3/5/4/4/6 	129/124	9
27 	5,700,000	9+54 	2 	13 	0 	3/5/4/4/6 	129/124	10
28 	6,000,000	9+57 	2 	 	0 	3/5/4/4/6 	129/124	11
29 	6,300,000	9+60 	2 	 	0 	3/5/4/4/6 	129/124	12
30 	6,600,000	9+63 	2 	14 	0 	3/5/4/4/6 	129/124	13
31 	6,900,000	9+66 	2 	 	0 	3/5/4/4/6 	129/124	14
32 	7,200,000	9+69 	2 	 	0 	3/5/4/4/6 	129/124	15
33 	7,500,000	9+72 	2 	15 	0 	3/5/4/4/6 	129/124	16
34 	7,800,000	9+75 	2 	 	0 	3/5/4/4/6 	129/124	17