Explorer (Ranger Archetype)

Nature knows no bounds in what it is capable of–the explorer is no different. These rangers have a broad skill-set, understanding that to truly thrive in nature, one must be willing to adapt to it.

Blended Training

The explorer gains a combat, magic, or skill talent at 1st, 2nd, and 3rd level, and 3/4ths of a talent thereafter. In addition, they gain a utility talent at every even level. Explorers use their casting ability modifier as their practitioner and operative modifier.

This replaces spells and all combat style feats.

Spell Pool

An explorer gains a small reservoir of energy he can call on to create truly wondrous effects, called a spell pool. This pool contains a number of spell points equal to his class level + his casting ability modifier (minimum 1). This pool replenishes once per day after roughly 8 hours of rest.

Casting

The explorer can combine spheres and talents to create magical effects. An explorer is considered a Low-Caster. (Note: All casters gain 2 bonus talents and a casting tradition the first time they gain the casting class feature.)

This replaces endurance and swift tracker.

Explorer Territories

At 1st level, the explorer chooses one explorer territory, as listed below. Once chosen, this choice cannot be changed. The explorer gains the spheres associated with his territory as bonus spheres, as well as an additional ability from the territory at 2nd level and every 5 ranger levels thereafter.

This replaces track, wild empathy, woodland stride, camouflage, and hide in plain sight.

Specialized Territory

At 4th level, the explorer can replace a talent from each of his territory’s associated spheres whenever he gets a full 8 hours of rest (which cannot be used to meet prerequisites). If one of his territory’s associated spheres is a magical sphere, his caster level in that sphere is treated as if he were a Mid-Caster instead.

This replaces hunter’s bond.

Explorer Territories

Academic [SM—]

Territory Spheres: Divination and Study

Tease Apart (Ex)

At 2nd level, by spending 1 full-round action dissecting a corpse, an explorer can focus his attacks against similar creatures, gaining the benefits of your highest favored enemy bonus against creatures with the same type (and subtype, for humanoids and outsiders). This bonus lasts until the explorer dissects another corpse of a different creature type, switching his bonuses to the new creature type. A dissected corpse is considered destroyed for the purposes of reanimation; the corpse must have been dead for no longer than 1 day per class level.

Well-Traveled (Ex)

At 7th level, the explorer can spend one plan to gain the benefits of a favored terrain that he does not possess at +2 for one hour per class level. This counts as a [plan] talent to determine the number of plans the wayfarer can prepare.

Strategic Formulation (Ex)

At 12th level, The explorer can spend one plan to gain the benefits of a favored enemy that he does not possess at +2 for one hour per class level. This counts as a [plan] talent to determine the number of plans the explorer can prepare.

No Land Too Strange (Ex)

At 17th level, the explorer’s favored terrain bonus in all favored terrains increases by +2, and he treats all other terrains as if they were favored terrains (+2 bonus). If a naturally occurring condition of temperature or weather requires a check or saving throw, he automatically succeeds. All allies within 60 feet of him gain a +2 bonus on these checks and saves.

Duskstalker

Territory Spheres: Infiltration and Scout

Devious Tactics

At 2nd level, the explorer gains the devious technique agent class feature, treating his ranger level as his agent level for determining its effects. A devious technique is triggered whenever the explorer successfully damages a favored enemy, but can only be triggered once per turn. Additionally, the damage bonus associated with his favored enemy is doubled if the creature is also scouted. The explorer can choose rogue talents or slayer talents in place of feats.

Shadowed Stalker

At 7th level, whenever a favored enemy attempts a Perception check against the explorer (such as to oppose a Stealth or Sleight of Hand check), they suffer a penalty to the check equal to his favored enemy bonus–this bonus is doubled when using Stealth to snipe such a creature. Additionally, whenever the explorer would make an attack of opportunity provoked by a scouted creature’s movement, he can instead expend the attack of opportunity and move up to his speed (after the provoking creature completes their movement). The explorer must end this movement so that the provoking creature is within his reach, or as close as possible if he is unable to reach the creature. This movement does not provoke attacks of opportunity from the provoking creature, and may only be used against an individual creature once per round. If the creature is his favored enemy, he can still make the attack of opportunity against the provoking creature before they move, but can only move up to half his speed.

Camouflage

At 12th level, the explorer can use Stealth to hide in any of his favored terrains, even if the terrain doesn’t grant cover or concealment. At 17th level, he can also attempt Stealth checks to hide in his favored terrains even while being observed.

Ever-Shrouded

At 17th level, the explorer always considers his favored enemies as if they were scouted for determining the benefits he would gain from it. Additionally, the explorer’s favored enemies that use an unusual form of sensory perception (such as blindsight, tremorsense, etc.) cannot automatically foil his use of Stealth, and must still attempt a Perception check to detect him–this does not benefit spells and effects used to uncover information about the explorer, such as scrying or the Divination sphere divine ability.

Grovewarden

Territory Spheres: Survivalism and Nature.

Druidic Practices

At 2nd level, the explorer gains Animist as a bonus feat. When he uses this feat to apply the effects of a (spirit) talent to a talisman, it does not occupy a talisman benefit, and he can dredge an area-based geomancing effect using the feat as a free action instead of an immediate action.

Additionally, the explorer immediately gains the potency benefit for any refined component that originates from his favored enemy. If he dredges within an area of his favored terrain, he doubles the area he can dredge.

Nature’s Stride

At 7th level, the explorer can move through any sort of undergrowth (such as natural thorns, briars, overgrown areas, and similar terrain) at his normal speed and without taking damage or suffering any other impairment. This includes such areas that are enchanted or magically manipulated to impede motion, even if those areas confer the entangled condition.

If the area is within his favored terrain, he ignores all forms of difficult terrain within it, not just undergrowth.
If the explorer has the Grant Spirit talent, he can spend 1 spell point to grant this ability’s effects to a creature as if it were a (spirit) ability.

Favored Fane

At 12th level, the explorer reduces the spell point cost of any Nature sphere effect he creates by 1 (minimum 1) and increases his Nature sphere caster level by 2 whenever he is within his favored terrain. Additionally, the explorer treats his ranks in the (harvest) package’s associated skill as being 4 higher for determining the effects of components harvested from his favored enemies, and in the (dredge) package when dredging an area within his favored terrain.

Tender to the Primordial

At 17th level, the explorer can apply any amount of talisman benefits to a single talisman, as long as each component originates from one of his favored enemies. Additionally, the explorer can dredge an area within his favored terrain by spending 1 round (instead of 10 minutes) or a move action (instead of a full-round action).

Herbalist [SM—]

Territory Spheres: Herbalism and Life

Forager (Ex)

At 2nd level, the explorer gains the forage ability of a 1st-level courser.

Folk Remedy (Su)

At 7th level, the explorer can brew potions that use the Life sphere, even if he does not have the Distill ++++ Compound feat. If he possesses this feat, he gains a +5 bonus to all checks made to brew Life sphere potions. Furthermore, when he creates a Life sphere potion, he may increase the DC of his Craft check by +5 per talent to include a Life talent he does not possess. He may also use his Heal skill to attempt the Craft check. In addition, the explorer may add a single tincture, tonic, or aroma he has created into a Life potion he has created, applying both effects to a creature who consumes the potion.

Emergency Medicine (Su)

At 12th level, when the explorer creates a Life potion, he may reduce the crafting time to a single standard action, and may brew the potion even in distracting and dangerous conditions (such as combat). Such potions tend to deteriorate quickly, however, and lose their potency after 1 hour. In addition, the explorer may use a Life sphere ability or a Life sphere potion as part of the action to administer first aid once per round.

Healing from Anywhere (Su)

At 17th level, once per day when the explorer rests to regain spell points, he may create three Life sphere potions at no gp cost in a process that takes 10 minutes. In addition, any Life sphere effect or potion the explorer creates is treated as being under the effects of the Maximize Spell metamagic feat.

Trapper [SM—]

Territory Spheres: Time and Trap

Charged Trap (Su)

At 2nd level, whenever the explorer places a snare using the Trap sphere, he may spend 1 additional spell point to add an alter time effect to the trap. Any creature who triggers the snare activates the alter time effect; if it is normally a targeted ability, the creature is immediately affected by that ability, though they are allowed a saving throw if appropriate (though they use the Trap sphere DC instead of the Time sphere DC as normal). If the alter time effect normally creates an area effect, the square itself is used as the center of that effect (even if it would normally be centered on the caster) and all creatures within the area are immediately affected by the ability, attempting saves as normal if appropriate. Any alter time effect with a duration longer than instantaneous lasts for 1 round per caster level, regardless of its normal duration, though the temporal trapper may dismiss it on his turn as a free action. If the explorer knows the Temporal Trap talent from the Time sphere, he does not need to spend a spell point when using this ability, though he must pay all other costs of the alter time effect as normal.

Charged Dart (Su)

At 7th level, whenever the explorer successfully damages an opponent with a dart made using the Trap sphere, he may, as an immediate action, use a single alter time effect against the creature, paying any spell point costs as normal.

Retroactive Trap (Su)

At 12th level, when a creature enters a square within the range of the explorer’s alter time effects, the explorer may spend a spell point to place a trap in the square as an immediate action. This ability may not be used in conjunction with charged trap.

Imprisoning Trap (Su)

At 17th level, the explorer may spend 5 spell points when placing a snare created with the Trap sphere to imbue it with magical energy capable of imprisoning the creature outside of time itself. Any creature who fails their Reflex saving throw against the snare must immediately succeed at a Will saving throw (DC 10 + 1/2 the explorer’s class level + his casting ability modifier) or be banished outside the flow of time, placed in a state of eternal temporal stasis. For the creature, time ceases to flow, and its condition becomes fixed. The creature does not grow older. Its body functions virtually cease, and no force or effect can harm it. The creature cannot return to reality under its own power, and can only be restored by another creature returning it to existence with a miracle, wish, Reclamation or a similar effect.

Wayfarer [SM—]

Territory Spheres: Athletics and Navigation

Tireless (Ex)

At 2nd level, the explorer may still take the run and charge actions while fatigued or exhausted. At 7th level, the explorer suffers no penalties to his movement due to being exhausted.

Connected to the Land (Ex)

At 7th level, while the explorer is within his favored terrain, he grants all allies within 120 feet that can see and hear him his favored terrain bonuses. This also allows his allies to leave no trail if they wish, making them unable to be tracked.

Boundless Wayfarer (Ex)

At 12th level, the explorer may climb and swim at his full base speed without taking a penalty, in addition to ignoring all difficult terrain within areas of his favored terrain (even difficult terrain that has been magically manipulated or created).

Scouting Expertise (Ex)

At 17th level, the explorer becomes a master scout. The explorer becomes immune to the fatigued and exhausted conditions, and treats the severity of all weather effects as three steps lower when determining their effects. The explorer’s allies within 120 feet also gain the benefits of his favored terrain ability whenever the explorer is within his appropriate terrain.

Wildheart

Territory Spheres: Alteration and Beastmastery ((handle animal) package).

Bestial Adaptation

At 2nd level, the explorer can use shapeshift on himself or his tamed creatures as a move action, and can maintain or dismiss a shapeshift effect used this way as a move action (or as a swift action at 12th level). Additionally, an explorer’s tamed creatures share half his favored enemy and favored terrain bonuses.

Favored Transformation

At 7th level, whenever the explorer spends 1 spell point to allow a shapeshift to persist without concentration, the effect lasts for 10 minutes per caster level (or 1 hour per caster level at 17th level).

Additionally, the explorer adds their favored enemy bonus to their caster level (maximum equal to his Hit Dice) when determining the effects of traits originating from talents associated with their favored enemy: aberration (Aberrant Body), animal (Animalistic Transformation), construct (Object Transformation), dragon (Dragon Transformation), fey (Fey Body), humanoid (Vitality), magical beast (Protean Mastery), monstrous humanoid (Twisted Shapeshift), ooze (Ooze Transformation), outsider (Outsider Body), plant (Plant Transformation), undead (Undead Body), vermin (Vermin Transformation).

Become the Prey

At 12th level, when the explorer denotes a creature as his quarry, he can shapeshift himself as part of the action to do so. As long as he has a quarry, his uses of shapeshift on himself gain a bonus trait from any Alteration sphere basic talent (even if he does not possess it) that is associated with his quarry in some fashion (similar to using the Mimicry talent). Additionally, the explorer’s tamed creatures gain the benefits of his quarry ability.

Evolved Physicality

At 17th level, the explorer’s tamed creatures gain the improved evasion ability. Additionally, traits originating from talents benefitting from the favored transformation ability do not count towards the total number of traits that the explorer can apply to a shapeshift, as long as it is used on himself or a tamed creature.