Arcanger

While most rangers learn their skills from studying their surroundings and nature, a few choose to follow a more academic path. These rangers find the arcane arts almost as interesting as their nature lore and spend time studying from different schools of arcane knowledge. As a result many of their abilities come from the realm of arcane rather than the druidic domains. The Arcanger fills just as comfortable slinging magic missiles or fireballs as firing a bow or swinging swords.

Arcangers continue with many of their woodland abilities including favored enemies and tracking, but they cast arcane spells from studying their spellbook. This ranger can still fulfill the role of a martial skirmisher, but he may also fill in as an adventuring group’s arcane power house as needed.

## Abilities

### Favored School (Ex)

The arcanger selects an Arcane School at 3rd level and gains a +2 bonus to any saving throws against spells of that type and a +2 bonus to any caster checks when casting spells of that type. The arcanger may choose another school at 8th level, 13th level, and 18th level. When he gains another school he adds another +2 bonus to his saving throws and caster checks for previously selected Favored Schools.

This ability replaces the ranger’s Favored Terrain class feature.

### School Mastery (Sp)

The arcanger’s effective spell caster level is effectively the same as his ranger level when casting spells from his favored schools. In addition the bonus gained from the schools selected is applied to the DC of spells cast by the arcanger.

This replaces wild empathy.

### Spells (Sp)

The arcanger gains spells from the Mage/Wizard list rather than the ranger list. The arcanger must have an Intelligence of at least 10 + the spell level in order to learn and cast the spell. The arcanger must prepare his spells ahead of time from studying spells from his spellbook. The arcanger may add three first level spells at 4th level and an additional spell is gained at every level through 15th level and is limited to spells he may be able to cast based on class and spell level. The arcanger does gain bonus spells based on his Intelligence score.

The arcanger does ignore the armor check penalty when casting spells with a somatic component if wearing light or no armor and the arcane spell chance failure is reduced by 5% when wearing medium armor (minimum of 0%).

### Cantrips (Sp)

The ranger gains the ability to cast 2 different cantrips at 3rd level, and the ability to cast a third one at 5th level and a fourth one at 7th level. He receives his first spellbook at 3rd level and begins with six cantrips of his choosing. The ranger may decide to select two new cantrips rather than a normal spell at any level he gains a new spell (other than 4th when he receives three 1st level spells).

Spells and Cantrips that require a touch attack and cause damage gain the favored enemy bonuses granted to hit and damage. When the ranger is the object of a spell cast by a caster that is on his favored enemy list, he gains a +2 bonus to any allowed saving throws.

Spells and Cantrips alters the ranger’s Spell ability gained at 4th level. In addition, the ranger’s Favored Enemy ability and armor proficiency is altered as described.

### Arcane Bond (Ex or Su)

The arcanger may choose to bond with his favored weapon or with an animal companion (use the list given for the normal ranger ability).

If the weapon is chosen, the arcanger must have the weapon in his possession to cast arcane spells and it must be of at least masterwork quality. If the spell has a somatic component the weapon must be in his hand. If the arcanger does not have the weapon in his possession or in his hand, he must make a concentration check (DC 20 + spell’s level) or lose the spell. The arcanger may cast any one spell that the arcanger has in his spellbook (even if he doesn’t have it prepared) once per day through his weapon. This may be used in conjunction with an attack (similar to the Magus Spellstrike ability) though it may still provoke attacks of opportunity if he does not cast defensively.

If the animal companion is chosen, the ranger must choose an animal from the list granted for familiars and conforms to the abilities of a familiar equal to the arcanger’s level -3. The animal’s initial hit dice, hit points, and attacks may be that of a normal member of its species or based on the familiar statistics gaining half the hit points of the ranger, effective hit dice equal to the ranger’s class level, and the ranger’s base attack bonus; use whichever values are better. The same is true for the animal’s saving throws, CMB, and CMD. The animal gains the same bonuses for the ranger’s favored enemies and favored school.

This ability replaces the Animal Companion ability.