Ranger

Rangers are one of the playable classes in and.

Background
Rangers are expert sharpshooters with any ranged weapon. Though they traditionally rely on bows and crossbows, some use firearms or even magical implements. Regardless of their choice of armament, even novice rangers can strike swiftly and leave severe wounds that quickly wear down an enemy's endurance and movement. They are assisted in their efforts by their animal Companions, incredibly tough and loyal creatures with whom rangers form lifelong bonds, who share their lives (literally) with their masters.

Rangers often choose as companions creatures with whom they share a strong natural affinity. The process of soul bonding connects ranger and beast to such a degree that both entities share stamina, health, and eventually death. It is believed that rangers bind themselves to animals in which they were recently, or most vividly, incarnated. Once bonded, ranger and companion never part unless one dies of natural causes. In some cases, the feelings of loss in a ranger can be so great that it takes years before they form a new bond. Evidence has suggested that the ranger/animal bond can even outlast death, which may be a contributing factor to their shared mortality. The soul affinity between the two runs so deep that they are united in all but a shared body, and one could hardly abandon his or her mortal existence without the other following suit.

Abilities
Rangers have the second highest single-target damage output capability and can use all abilities at a long range. They coordinate their strikes with the help of animal companions, which are an integral part of the class, and gain additional abilities as the ranger advances.

List of abilities

 * Ranger abilities (in )
 * Ranger abilities and passives (in )

Bond
Bond is an additional "power pool" resource added in. Rangers begin combat with full Bond (the amount of which is relative to their current level) and spend points to cast certain abilities, with more powerful abilities costing more points. After an encounter, Bond is replenished.

Talents

 * Vicious Companion – Trains the ranger's animal companion in vicious tactics, causing it to deal more damage with each hit.
 * Swift and Steady – The ranger becomes better able to shoot quickly, reducing the Accuracy penalty of Swift Aim.
 * Accurate Wounding Shot – The ranger's aim becomes deadlier, making his or her Wounding Shots more accurate.
 * Brutal Takedown – The ranger trains his or her animal companion to inflict Crush damage on opponents when using Takedown.
 * Thorny Roots – The ranger's Binding Roots sprout nasty thorns that do additional Pierce and Slash damage to the target.
 * Faithful Companion – The ranger's animal companion gains improved defenses against Charmed, Confused, and Dominated afflictions.
 * Resilient Companion – The ranger's animal companion gains improved Damage Reduction against all damage types.
 * Merciless Companion – Animal companions do small amounts of Sneak Attack damage against targets that qualify.
 * Strengthened Bond – Increases the shared bonus provided by Defensive Bond.

In

 * At character creation, rangers must pick one of six Animal Companions.
 * Rangers are able to select one ability at every odd level (1, 3, 5, etc.).
 * At every odd level (1, 3, 5, etc.), the next tier of abilities are unlocked.
 * As with other classes, rangers learn one talent at every even level (2, 4, 6, etc.).
 * Ranger abilities specify their own max uses and restoration type, independent of the ranger's level.

In

 * At character creation, rangers must pick one of six animal companions (Stag, Wolf, Lion, Bear, Antelope, and Boar), and select one 1st level ability (active only). This does not change for multiclass characters.
 * As with other classes, rangers pick 2 abilities at every level where a new power level is unlocked excluding the first (3, 5, 7, 9, 11, 13, 16, 19), and one ability at all other levels (1, 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 14, 15, 17, 18, 20). Ability points may be spent on active or passive abilities, and on any currently-unlocked power levels.
 * Multiclass characters pick 1 ability from either the ranger ability tree or the other class tree at all levels where a new power level isn't unlocked, and 1 ability for both classes at all levels where a new power level is unlocked (1, 4, 7, 10, 13, 16, 19).
 * Rangers use Bond (a power pool resource) to cast abilities. As with other power pool resources, the ranger starts with a pool of 3 Bond, which is increased by 1 at every power level, capping out at 11.
 * As with other classes, new ability power levels are learned every second level from level 1 (1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11, 13), then every third level from level 13 (16, 19). Multiclass characters may only learn up to (and including) power level 7 abilities, and unlock a new power level every third level from level 1 (1, 4, 7, 10, 13, 16, 19).

Subclasses
Rangers in are able to choose between four subclasses (or no subclass): Ghost Heart, Sharpshooter, Stalker, and Arcane Archer. A fifth subclass Gunhawk is exclusive to the companion Maia Rua.

Suggestions
Rangers provide superior options for all ranged weapons. Pistols by default offer the best damage in most situations out of the different types of guns. In Deadfire, Two-Handed Style with scepters can cause serious damage, and it won't cause you an Accuracy penalty if an opponent reaches you in melee range. A war bow offers significantly better damage if you have a Chanter or other class-type in your group that lowers your enemies' Armor Rating. Otherwise, a hunting bow provides somewhat superior damage.

A ranger's pet can prove both a blessing and a curse. In certain situations, your pet will just flat out quickly die. This of course will net you some terrible statistics that make the character much worse of an experience to play. If this concerns you, then you might consider the Ghost Heart subclass. However as a solo class ranger, you absolutely need your pet to help out with your front line's damage. About half of a ranger's abilities feed into the pet one way or another. The other part maintains keeping your ranger out of melee with your opponents in battle, while your character automatically takes its ranged shots against some victim.

If you like the idea of the Stalker subclass, then a blunderbuss is your only good weapon choice. Powder Burns (the blunderbuss weapon proficiency) may cause you some trouble, since it applies Disrtacted cause your entire friendly front line to respond as if automatically flanked - though this can be countered with something that nullifies or adds resistance to Perception Afflictions. The Arcane Archer subclass effectively turns you into a some what limited Wizard with better Accuracy, so early on you will need weapons with high Accuracy to compensate for your Accuracy penalty in those early levels. It has its rewards later, when you find a ranged weapon that does some sort of secondary damage as your Arcana skill grows much higher! The Sharpshooter subclass tends to work better with guns, since they operate off of reload instead of recovery, which behaves similar.

Ranger abilities fire off quickly, so it makes a good Multi Class mix with most other classes that tend to stay in the back lines and away from the front, especially Cipher, Wizard, Priest, Rogue, and Barbarian.

Notable characters
Category:Pillars of Eternity s, 3 Category:The White March - Part I s, 3 Category:Pillars of Eternity II: Deadfire s, 3