The Ranger's Personality (CRH)

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After considering the ranger's background, core traits, and routine duties, let's focus on his personality. The purpose of this section is to help players and DMs determine how ranger characters may behave in a campaign—for instance, how he responds to NPCs, interacts with other PCs, and reacts in combat situations. There are several courses to consider.
To begin with, you can consult the previous volumes in the Complete Handbook series. The first four books The Complete Warrior, Priest, Wizard, and Thief provide lists of archetypes drawn from literature, film, and other fictional and mythological sources. In these books, players are encouraged to adopt the Folk Hero, the Vigilante, or other archetypes as models for their characters' personalities. Many of these archetypes can also be adapted to ranger characters; the archetypes in The Complete Fighter's Handbook are especially applicable.
The Complete Bard's Handbook features a series of tables containing traits associated with intellect, interests, and other personality components. The key traits listed on these tables can be picked or determined randomly. The tables can be used for rangers as well as bards (or for that matter, any other character).
You can also refer to the kit descriptions in Chapter 4 of this book, many of which suggest traits associated with a particular ranger type. Players can use the descriptions as springboards for working out the details of their rangers' personalties.
Another way to shape a character's personality is to come up with a single word that summarizes his identity. This word—which we'll call the defining characteristic—describes the essential nature of the character and how he comes across to others. While a character's personality is comprised of many elements, the defining characteristic is the most dominant, the trait from which all other personality components arise.
If basing a personality on a single word seems restrictive or artificial, think about how you describe people in your own life. A particular teacher may be crabby, a close friend may be funny, a favorite game designer may be eccentric. Defining characteristics may also spring to mind for fictional characters; consider the noble Sir Galahad, the brilliant Sherlock Holmes, the stingy Ebenezer Scrooge. The defining characteristic forms an overall impression. The details come afterwards.
There's no best method for choosing a defining characteristic. Whatever word seems appropriate to you is good enough, so long as it brings the character into focus and feels right. To get you started, a sample list of defining characteristics appropriate for rangers is given below. The descriptions are intentionally vague, since personal interpretations are more important than rigid definitions. After all, it's your character!
You'll know if you've chosen a good defining characteristic if you can immediately begin to visualize how the ranger will respond in various situations. For instance, an arrogant ranger may enter a deserted castle without hesitation, certain that he can contend with whatever dangers wait inside. In combat, he may fight aggressively and enthusiastically, each blow accompanied by a declaration of his own magnificence. If defeated, the arrogant ranger may sulk for days, his ego taking longer to heal than his fleshly wounds. Of course, it's not necessary to think through every situation before it occurs—having your character react spontaneously is a big part of what makes role-playing fun—but deciding on a primary characteristic can be a lot of help in getting him off the ground.
If you like, you can choose secondary traits that complement the defining characteristic. These secondary traits, called corollary characteristics, add dimension to the character; in combination with the defining characteristic they help define a unique individual. The entries below list several corollary characteristic suggestions for each defining characteristic. Choose one or two that appeal to you, or make up your own. Any corollary characteristics are fine, so long as they don't contradict the defining characteristic; an arrogant ranger might also be proud and but it's unlikely he'd be shy, too.
Some kits work with certain defining characteristics better than others, and each entry below lists a few recommendations. However, don't feel restricted by them. You can use any defining characteristic with any kit that feels right to you. Likewise, you can mix and match the various corollary characteristics, or ignore them altogether. You may also use the defining characteristics in conjunction with the archetypes from the first four Complete Handbooks or to supplement the trait tables from the Complete Bard. Regardless of your approach, the goal remains the same—to create ranger personalties that are believable and interesting.
==List of Defining Characteristics==
===Altruistic===
A selfless humanitarian who puts the welfare of others before his own, the Altruistic ranger tirelessly fights for the common good. Unhampered by jealousy or self-interest, he commands respect from friends and foes alike. He shows mercy to his opponents, compassion to the dispossessed, and unwavering loyalty to his friends.
Corollary Characteristics: Kind, honest, reserved, introverted, reverent, courteous.
Suggested Kits: Beastmaster, Greenwood Ranger, Guardian, Seeker, Warden.
===Analytical===
An agile mind and eclectic interests mark the Analytical ranger. He loves knowledge and relishes every opportunity to ponder the mysteries of nature. New cultures, unusual creatures, and scholarly strangers fascinate him. He respects intellectual prowess more than physical skills, and may seek to negotiate with a potential opponent rather than engage in combat.
Corollary Characteristics: Ponderous, meticulous, dignified, thoughtful, cautious, dispassionate.
Suggested Kits: Explorer, Seeker, Stalker.
===Arrogant===
An arrogant ranger believes he can do no wrong. He views indecision as weakness and compromise as cowardice. He glories in the memory of his accomplishments, which typically have been both numerous and impressive. If there are stronger, smarter, or more skilled rangers than himself, he is unaware of them—or at least, he chooses not to acknowledge them.
Corollary Characteristics: Haughty, confident, patronizing, energetic, extroverted, optimistic.
Suggested Kits: Falconer, Forest Runner, Giant Killer, Mountain Man, Warden.
===Boisterous===
A boisterous ranger has little patience with social etiquette. He says what he thinks and behaves as he pleases, and may be oblivious to how his actions might offend others. A man of action, he likes to get to the point, avoiding what he considers to be time-wasting conversation and endless planning. Beneath it all, there often beats a heart of purest gold.
Corollary Characteristics: Brash, impulsive, lusty, spontaneous, intimidating, vulgar.
Suggested Kits: Feralan, Forest Runner, Giant Killer, Mountain Man, Pathfinder.
===Distrustful===
Usually as a result of limited contact with other people, the distrustful ranger remains emotionally distant from strangers and comrades alike. He may be cordial and cooperative, but he rarely gets close to anyone other than his animal followers. He is awkward in social situations, uncomfortable in large groups, and suspicious of friendly overtures. The reason is usually hidden in his past.
Corollary Characteristics: Suspicious, paranoid, cold, reflective, lonely, moody.
Suggested Kits: Beastmaster, Falconer, Feralan, Forest Runner, Mountain Man.
===Inspiring===
The inspiring ranger radiates authority and confidence, making him a natural leader. He instinctively takes charge in times of crisis, displaying bold initiative when others hesitate to act. His companions depend on his decisiveness and common sense, and he rarely lets them down. Always, he is the first to the battlefield and the last to leave.
Corollary Characteristics: Flamboyant, fearless, cheerful, driven, virtuous, honorable.
Suggested Kits: Explorer, Forest Runner, Justifier, Sea Ranger, Warden.
===Laconic===
The laconic ranger is a soft-spoken, thorough professional. He says little, sees much, and lets others go their own way as he goes his. He takes quiet pleasure in a job well done, and avoids needless confrontation with lazy, the foolish, and the incompetent (though he might remark with shrewd humor upon their foibles). He nearly always lends his neighbor a helping hand.
Corrollary Characteristics: Steady, thoughtful, pithy, keen, practical, skilled, canny.
Suggested Kits: Falconer, Guardian, Justifier, Pathfinder.
===Melancholy===
The melancholy ranger shoulders the weight of the world. Plagued with self-doubt and tormented by the injustice of a seemingly indifferent universe, he is preoccupied with his own misery and prone to deep depression. Ironically, though he may perceive himself as a failure, he may actually be quite accomplished. Whatever success he experiences, however, doesn't seem to bring him much pleasure.
Corollary Characteristics: Brooding, quiet, cynical, tentative, impulsive, neurotic.
Suggested Kits: Guardian, Greenwood Ranger, Justifier, Warden, Seeker.
===Merry===
The merry ranger is full of the joy of life. He spreads springtime and sunlight wherever he goes, regardless of how bleak the situation may be. Always ready with a tale, a story, or a practical joke to break the tension, he puts the counsel of the eternal doom-sayer to shame. Though he may, in fact, have serious problems of his own, these never discourage him for long, nor does he inflict them on his companions.
Corrollary Characteristics: Bright, flippant, vibrant, honest, buoyant, optimistic.
Suggested Kits: Forest Runner, Mountain Man, Pathfinder, Sea Ranger.
===Mysterious===
The mysterious ranger envelops himself in an aura of secrecy, keeping even the most pedestrian details of his background hidden from his companions. He seldom speaks, and when he does, his words may be ambiguous or laden with cryptic overtones. Though he dutifully fulfills his role within a party, he minimizes his contact with his comrades. For no apparent reason, he may disappear for days at a time, then reappear as unexpectedly as he departed. He may whisper poetry to his followers, make bizarre notations on the trunks of trees, or brew sweet-smelling soup which he dumps on the ground rather than drink, all without explanation. His strange behavior may be due to religious reasons, cultural requirements, or merely a desire to keep his companions at arm's length.
Corollary Characteristics: Eccentric, threatening, somber, distant, taciturn, studious.
Suggested Kits: Feralan, Pathfinder, Seeker, Stalker. 
===Nurturing===
The nurturing ranger serves as a caretaker and counselor, supporting his companions and followers in times of stress. He comforts the troubled, reassures the doubtful, and soothes the anxious. He has a kind word for all and strives to bring out the best in his friends by bolstering their self-esteem. He may leave leadership roles to others, preferring to work in the background, or a loss of leadership or sudden crisis may bring him to the fore.
Corollary Characteristics: Diplomatic, inquisitive, philosophic, humble, passive, empathetic.
Suggested Kits: Falconer, Guardian, Greenwood Ranger, Seeker.
===Obsessed===
A single, all-consuming goal motivates the obsessed ranger to the exclusion of all else. Typical obsessions include destroying a species enemy, revenge on an overlord who illegally annexed his territory, or locating a animal believed to be extinct. Though an obsessed ranger may function effectively within his party, the party=s objectives are always secondary to his own. Often, such a character will mature out of the obsession as the campaign continues.
Corollary Characteristics: Irritable, grim, passionate, anxious, determined, tireless.
Suggested Kits: Explorer, Giant Killer, Justifier, Sea Ranger.