Crypt Ranger (Character Kit)

The Crypt Ranger
Perrin paused for a moment, crouching on the soft undergrowth near the path. The quiet sounds of the moonlit night drifted in to him as he caught his breath. Tracking his quarry had taken its toll on the young ranger, but Perrin was determined to put an end to the crea- ture’s rampage. He looked up as his dog made a low growl. He moved forward to see what Bloodfang was staring at so fierce/y. A small scrap of dirty white rag hung caught on the branch of a bush. He removed it and examined it carefully. The weave was similar. A quick sniff told him all he needed to know. Images of the desert and ancient burial tombs appeared in his head. Perrin smiled and patted his dog on the head.
Let’s go, Bloodfang. We’re on the track of the mummy.” Description: In the darkest night, as the undead things creep forth to terrorize the unsuspecting populace, who rises to protect the commoner and noble alike from the vile monsters? Clerics and fighters are good enough when they have a present threat to fight, but when you need to hunt down and eradicate undead, there is only one person to consider: the Crypt Ranger.
Requirements: In addition to the normal requirements for a ranger, Crypt Rangers must have an Intelligence score of at least 14.
Primary terrain: A Crypt Ranger can pick any land as a primary terrain. Certain terrain types, such as the arctic tundra, are less likely to harbor undead, but with enough imagination, even the arctic could be the basis for a Crypt Ranger campaign.
Role: The Crypt Ranger is the defender of all living things from the threat of the undead. He lives to hunt down and eradicate undead, as they are a perversion of the natural flow of life. He travels from place to place within (and, if need be, outside) his chosen ter- ritory, protecting his charges from attacks as well as investigating rumors of any mysterious events that may pro- vide a clue as to the location of his next hunt. Crypt Rangers tend to be highly motivated, energetic warriors who rely on their wits as well as their brawn. The undead are in many cases intelligent and unforgiving, and one wrong slip could lead to death . . . or worse. The Crypt Ranger is usually driven and brave. He devotes his life to tracking and eliminating creatures that cause many to quake in fear. In this, he is matched only by the Deathslayer (see The Complete Book of Necromancers) and his paladin counterpart, the Ghosthunter (from The Complete Paladins Handbook).
Secondary Skills: Forester, scribe, trader/barterer, weaponsmith.
Weapon proficiency: Crypt Rangers may choose from any of the weapons that the ranger class can use. Crypt Rangers must take one weapon profi- ciency in a bludgeoning weapon, but there are no other restrictions. Because of their profession and quarry, magical versions of normal weapons are highly prized by Crypt Rangers.
Non-weapon proficiency:
* Bonus: Ancient history.
* Recommended: Alertness, blind-fighting endurance, hunting, persuasion, reading/writing. Many of the proficiencies that a Crypt Ranger chooses seem unusual for a warrior, but much of his time is spent hunting down clues and stories, both from books and people. Other proficiencies should be chosen with this in mind.
Armor/equipment: Crypt Rangers must travel quickly. They prefer light armor, but they can use any armor or equipment if the situation requires.
Species enemy: Crypt Rangers choose any undead type for their species enemy. Normally, these would be undead such as ghouls, skeletons, zombies, or the like, but in certain cases can include liches, vampires, or ghosts. Crypt Rangers may also choose as a species enemy a related opponent such as lycanthropes. Many reserve a special hatred toward necromancers as the guiding force behind much of the evil the undead perform.
Followers: As per normal rangers. Special benefits: Protection from evil.
This is a special form of the 1st-level wizard spell. It gives a Crypt Ranger’s undead opponents with a -2 to any attack rolls, as well as providing a +1 to all of the ranger’s saving throws. This represents the uncommon good luck that Crypt Rangers enjoy, as well as their training for combat with the undead. Immunity to fear and scare effects. Many undead radiate auras that cause the normal adventurer or commoner to flee in horror or fright. The Crypt Ranger is immune to this effect generated by creatures of the same level/hit dice or lower.
Detect Undead. Crypt Rangers have the ability to detect undead as the 1st-level wizard spell with a base 50’ radius. This increases at a rate of 5’ per level. One round of concentration is required to activate this ability. The ranger can deter- mine direction and distance to the undead, but not the exact type of undead. The effect lasts for one round, and three attempts per day can be made.
Special Hindrances: While greatly appreciated by the populace they serve, Crypt Rangers are also regarded with extreme caution and fear. The mere sight of a known Crypt Ranger can cause a panic in people as they wonder what foul creature brings him to their commu- nity. For this reason, Crypt Rangers suffer a -3 to reaction roles from O-level NPCs who know of their profession.
The special attack forms of many undead are another concern for Crypt Rangers. Aging 10 years, losing levels of experience, and the chance to wind up as one of the undead are all occupational hazards for this kit. The penalty for failure or carelessness requires those choosing this kit to have a strong motivation.
Crypt Rangers are also subject to a great deal of harassment from the enemies they make. To have a necromancer, lich, or vampire lord as an enemy is to sleep very lightly. Crypt Rangers try to counter this problem by being very good at what they do and leaving none to become a future enemy. This doesn’t mean they become twisted assassins, but it means Crypt Rangers must become very good at tying up loose ends.
over his head. Waiting until he could feel the vibrations of their movement, Paelor grasped the handles of the trapdoor above him. With a heave, Paelor sprung up from the roadbed, dirt and rocks exploding outward. As he howled at the top of his lungs and flailed his arms, the strips of cloth billowed, and his face glowed with an eerie luminescence in the moonlight. Screams ripped through the night us his acting had its desired effect. Paelor laughed grimly as the frightened teenagers fled back down the road as fast us they could. They were idiots out to prove their manhood by stealing rocks and souvenirs from     the tombs of Overbarrow. He could imagine the stories that would circulate among the pubs tomorrow. The ghost of Overbarrows attacks local youths. He sighed us he started resetting his trap. lf only it were this easy with adventurers!
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