After reading Pan's post about rangers (which I've copied below) I had a look at the lore page concerning rangers. It seems to say that all rangers have a 'woodsy' type background, wereas Pan's post gives the class a much greater scope and choice of RP. I wondered if it would be a good idea to update the ranger page, unless of course you want our rangers to all have forest type backgrounds.
-Pan's Post Copied from Forums-
A Ranger... well this is a topic I love to discuss so here comes the long useless post.
As far as DnD is concerned, Rangers base their lives around one thing. Their Favored Enemies. This basic principle implies that normally rangers restrict themselves to a particular area and become the protectors of it. Normally being the protectors of the area means that there is a certain creature, or a certain group of creatures that are a natural enemy to the area that is being protected. They are ever watchful and that means they have to learn the way of their enemies to keep their borders secure.
Now you might see above that I mention "area" and not "forest". Simply because a ranger can also be guardians to other domains. There really is a type of ranger for each climate AND there is a city ranger as well. So you can have your desert ranger, your plains ranger, your grasslands ranger, even your mountain ranger. And of course the particular enemies of those lands.
There is one true aspect from all the above posts that I consider rangers normally to follow. Rangers are either gruff loners or they normally have a darker less than pleasant side to them. Their ways normally mean learning things about their enemies that people simply do not want to know. I suppose that is what happens when you know the culture and habits of foul creatures or from people who NORMALLY mean harm to you. Thus they gain an insight into their enemy that eventually leaves a mark on their lives. This goes particularly deep for rangers who have to deal with the threat of undeath or outsiders.
Now another important aspect that rangers have to deal with is of course the defense of their territories. So its important to understand that while NWN (or any online game) is indeed focused in battle. Rangers are martial classes who, unlike druids who choose peaceful intervention, a ranger's way almost always leads to combat. While a particularly large amount of druids (not all!!) normally expend all their resources to make a peaceful settlement that benefits the land. A ranger sees a band of "insert favored enemy" and is already making preparations to end their lives or kick them away from their territories.
A ranger doesn't have to be tied to a deity. While Layonara is very religious, there is no denying that. The ties to a territory have absolutely nothing to do with a dogma of religion. Granted Folian S'pae is a deity that encompasses most of the things that rangers are. However Folian is a deity tied to the forests and this automatically removes it from the other aspects rangers have. I can completely see a Desert Ranger worshiping the fire or destruction aspect of Pyrtechon. Just as much as I can see the same ranger not worshiping anyone due to the desolation normally found in the desert.
Finally I suppose its important to discuss the aspect of the spells granted to rangers. Now in Layonara all spells come from the Weave. That has been set in stone and all spellcasting classes do so. There is no way around this, everyone gets spells from the Weave. Even the magic hating dwarves and those connected to nature like druids. Everyone gets spells from the Weave. Heh said that enough? Let me say that again. Everyone gets spells from the Weave. Now I said it plenty of times.
But!! And this is the important but...
The focus however from which you get your spells varies from class to class and even from player to player. Druids focus on the land and the land shapes the weave in natural manners. Voraxians shape the weave to increase their might in battle through their faith. And our friends the Rangers focus on their aspect of the hunt to such level that their abilities are enhanced to improve it. Focus on this bringing this particular magical touch. Though less than wise rangers may not particularly reach this level of insight and simply are good at what they do through mere physical matters.
Oh and on the fighting aspect and the horrid horrid misconception that rangers are Bowmen. This is far far far far from the truth. A ranger uses the best means to eliminate their enemies, this simply means debilitate from afar then cleanup when up close. A ranger loneliness normally means that they have to be smarter than the normal fighter in combat. They have to normally deal with greater numbers and they need to do this in the loneliness of their territory. So what do they do? Well they set traps first of all, that should disable a few. Then when the trap triggers they shoot from a distance and try to disable as many as possible. Finally when he is finally spotted or the invaders take the protection of cover, the ranger sneaks in and eliminates the threat up close as fast as possible. How do you do this as fast as you can? Well... have as many weapons as you can. Hence the dual wielding.
Now the role of the ranger in a party can be of many aspects. You can consider him a scout, a skilled trapster, a second line fighter who normally does significant amount of damage to particular creatures or a protector of mages. Truly its one of the most diverse classes.
Maybe I've typed enough, though I love this subject as you can see, mostly because I think Rangers are one of the classes that have the most possibilities and are seriously downplayed sometimes as just bowmen. Heh I'll step of the podium for now and go get some work done.
