WARRIOR-RANGER KIT Warden Description: Wardens work for nobles, kings, or wealthy landowners and are charged with managing and protecting a tract of land or area owned by his or her overlord. Wardens keep their masters' lands free of monsters and guard against spies and trespassers, intervening when natural disasters occur and seeing to the welfare of the animal population. While a Warden may operate alone, making decisions as he or she sees fit, the Warden must ultimately answer to a higher authority. Areas overseen by Wardens vary by size and geography, depending on their overlord's holdings and interests. A Warden may be in charge of a game reserve or may oversee a parcel of farmland. He or she may supervise a private park or be responsible for undeveloped property in the mountains or desert. The size of a guarded land may range from a few square miles for Wardens just beginning their careers to vast estates. Generally, as a Warden's experience increases, so the boundaries of the land he or she supervises. Wardens are often used as counter-terrorist or counter-intelligence operatives seeking out potential infiltrators and dealing with them, and it is most often in this role that they take up adventuring careers. Some Wardens in this line of work do not have full-time patrons but operate as freelance intelligence advisers and security specialists. Wardens must be lawful good, neutral good, or lawful neutral, being one of the few types of Rangers that can have a non-good alignment. Wardens share the same racial restrictions as other Rangers, save that tieflings and half-orcs are seen as too untrustworthy to be allowed the responsibilities of this kit; however, dwarves and halflings may become Wardens. In addition to standard Ranger ability score requirements, a Warden must have at least a 12 Intelligence. Weapon Proficiencies: As a standard Ranger. Special Benefits: Wardens are often called upon to assess the threat potential of trespassers and those they are able to observe, and most of their special abilities are related to their skill at protection and guardianship: Detect Enemies: Wardens have an uncanny sense about being ambushed, attacked from concealment, or attacked from behind, as well as for noticing subtle clues and visual signs. A Warden thus gains a +1 bonus to his or her Observation proficiency score for every three levels of experience (rounding up), and this bonus is doubled in his or her Primary Terrain. In addition to the normal applications of this proficiency, any time a Warden is attacked from the rear or by surprise he or she is entitled to a roll against this enhanced Observation skill. If this roll is successful, any attack from behind is resolved as a normal attack against the Warden's frontal armor class (even if the Warden does not turn to face the attacker), with none of the bonuses usually gained for attacking from the rear. In addition, the Warden is entitled to make a free attack against his or her ambusher (if within melee range), even if the Warden has already taken his or her normal allowance of actions in that round. If the creature attempting to attack the Warden from behind is a Ranger, Rogue, or similarly stealthy creature, the Warden's chance of detecting and countering the attack is halved (i.e., treated as a normal Observation check). If the ambusher is magically invisible or otherwise not normally detectable, the Warden may still sense and counter the impending attack, though his or her chance of detection is halved and his or her free attack suffers all normal penalties for attacking an invisible creature. This ability can also be used to determine hostile intentions or lack thereof in a creature under observation by a Warden. A Warden can also use it to look for concealed items (especially weapons) being carried by a creature, and a successful Detect Enemies check will reveal the general size, location, and type of hidden weapons or caches of stuff on a person (e.g., hidden within or beneath clothing, stashed within easy reach out of sight nearby), though not the contents of a container (e.g., a scroll case hidden in the lining of a backpack might be noted, but not what is inside the main section of the backpack nor what is inside the scroll case). The ability to Detect Enemies can also be used to divine the class, level, race, and nationality/place of origin of a given NPC. Exacting information of is rarely gained, but a Warden can use this ability to determine the general threat potential posed by a given creature. Any of these latter applications of Detect Enemies must be made at only half the normal chance of success. Missile Mastery: As a standard Ranger. Patron: Many Wardens work as freelance security and counter-intelligence operatives, which affords them great freedom of movement and the choice to do as they wish with their talents, but most elect to find employment with a powerful Patron. A Warden who works for a Patron receives several additional benefits over and above those received by a common Warden. A Warden with a Patron has his or her living expenses paid by his or her employer and also receives a monthly stipend of 10 g.p. per level of experience. Further, when undertaking an expedition on behalf of his or her Patron a Warden can request a cash advance to cover his or her expenses of up to 50 g.p. per level of experience. This bonus for expenses can be requested no more than once per level, and the funds must be spent only on goods and services directly relating to the success of the expedition. In lieu of money, a Warden may receive the loan of a mount, weapons, or equipment necessary for the undertaking, or possibly assistance in the form of troops to help deal with a threat to the overlord's lands or interests. A Warden who maintains good standing with his her employer may also ask a special boon or favor once per year as a reward for his or her dedicated service. It is traditional that this boon be granted by the Patron, to the extent that the Patron's resources allow, although exceptionally greedy or ill- considered requests reflect very badly upon the Warden. Finally, a Warden's position as advisor, messenger, and representative of a powerful Patron grants a +2 bonus to reactions with those of the upper class (including aristocrats, government officials, and affluent private citizens) of his or her same culture and a +1 bonus with other middle and upper class characters, who recognize the Warden's position of responsibility and as a representative of authority. Priestly Powers: As a standard Ranger two levels lower than their actual level. Wardens gain access to the Guardian and Wards spheres but lose access to the Animal sphere. Primary Terrain: Wardens do not truly have a Primary Terrain as such, but they are very aware of the value of knowing the terrain and making the best use of the nuances of any given area for keeping themselves and those they protect out of harm's way while still keeping an eye on the landscape. Thus, they can spend an hour checking out the 'lay of the land' within an area up to 100 yards across per level of experience (or 1 mile across per level over 10th), and the Warden has a 25% chance +5% per level to be able to learn enough about that parcel of land to be able to consider it his or her Primary Terrain, gaining all normal benefits while within that area. This ability can be used in any type of terrain, including Urban and Subterranean areas, but it should be noted that a Warden does not receive any bonuses with animal-related non-weapon proficiencies within the studied area. Once a particular area has been studied, the Warden retains memory of how to make best use of it for defensive and stealthy purposes and can use Primary Terrain benefits whenever he or she is in that area. However, a Warden should keep track of how many times this is done, because he or she can keep a maximum of one such location 'in memory' for each level of experience, although he or she may 'dump' memory of a given location when he or she no longer finds it useful. If a Warden fails in an attempt to memorize or study a particular area, he or she cannot attempt to study that same area again until he or she has advanced a level. Roguish Repertoire: As a standard Ranger. Wardens also are very familiar with the use of traps, allowing them to Find/Remove (and Set) Traps in addition to their other thieving abilities. Their percentile score with traps is doubled in an area that they have studied as their Primary Terrain. Species Enemy: As a standard Ranger, save that because a Warden has no true Primary Terrain he or she can select as a Species Enemy only a creature that he or she has personally faced (rather than drawing upon common foes from his or her native terrain). Alternatively, a Warden can select the soldiers or emissaries of a particular government or organization as a Species Enemy. Superior Conditioning: As a standard Ranger. Tracking: As a standard Ranger. Special Hindrances: Wardens focus their attention on learning the lay of the land and how to best defend it, rather than how to lead travelers through it, and as a result they do not possess the Pathfinding ability that other Rangers do. They also gain their Primary Terrain bonuses only within an area that they have previously scrutinized and memorized; they can use Survival proficiency within such an area, but do not possess free Survival that is generally useful in any particular terrain type. Wardens deal primarily with people and the threats represented by sentient beings, and as a result they do not gain the Animal Empathy power nor access to spells of the Animal sphere. Their Priestly Powers in general are somewhat curtailed, being treated as if they were two levels lower than their actual level. Wardens must expend meticulous care in keeping his or her equipment in tip-top shape and otherwise working to 'keep up appearances', both to attract potential clients as well as to intimidate would-be trespassers. This results in a 50 percent increase in their living expenses from the normal amount. Wardens cannot be burdened down with entanglements or associates and cannot employ henchmen or hirelings until 10th level. They never attract Followers as other Rangers do. A Warden who has accepted a Patron must also abide by several other restrictions. First and foremost, a Warden with a Patron is accountable to that Patron for all of his or her actions, especially for any that might reflect badly upon the Patron. A Warden is not bound to remain at the side of his or her Patron at all times, but he or she will not undertake any personal adventures without direct order from or the express permission of his or her Patron. While traveling, a Warden must do all that he or she can to keep tabs on what is occurring and to spread the good name of his or her Patron. Should the Warden break the law, insult a noble, or otherwise behave improperly, his or her Patron will demand a full explanation and may severely reprimand or even terminate (literally, in the case of a particularly ruthless employer) the Warden. If a Warden receives a cash advance for expenses, he or she will be expected to make a full accounting of his or her expenditures and to return any leftover funds at the end of his or her expedition. Should a discrepancy be found, the Warden may be fined or imprisoned. The same applies if special equipment was loaned in lieu of cash. A Warden must also wear at all times the colors, insignia, symbol, crest, livery, or other identifying badge (including a flag or banner) of his or her Patron to indicate his or her allegiance and special position as the eyes, ears, and voice of his or her Patron. Finally, a Warden is always subject to orders from his or her Patron. Some orders are critical, others trivial, but all must be followed in order for the Warden to remain in good standing with his or her Patron. Failure to comply may result in a variety of penalties, ranging from fines to termination. A Patron may require the Warden to carry out a special order in conjunction with his or her primary assignment, or a Warden may simply receive burdensome duties as part of his or her regular job. In all cases, the DM decides when the Patron makes a special demand, the type of demand, and the penalty for violation. Some typical demands made of a Warden might include: - When an expedition takes the Warden far from home, he or she must take along a young relative of his or her Patron who wants to see the world. The Warden must accept responsibility for the relative's safety and behavior. - While on an expedition to a distant land, the Warden must make contact with a long-lost friend of his or her Patron and extend an invitation to visit. - In times of austerity for his or her Patron, the Warden must turn over some or all of the treasure he or she finds on an adventure. If for any reason a Warden is discharged from employment by his or her Patron, he or she will suffer a -2 reaction with all upper class NPCs and a -1 penalty with other NPCs as long as he or she remains unemployed, as rumors circulate about his or her untrustworthiness and lack of dependability. Once he or she has taken up service with a new employer, however, all past troubles are forgotten and forgiven. Bonus Proficiencies: Observation, Tracking Required Proficiencies: Heraldry, Local History Preferred Proficiencies: Administration, Agriculture, Charm, Etiquette, Bureaucracy, Diplomacy, Disguise, Etiquette, Grooming, Hunting, Information Gathering, Investigation, Language (Modern), Law, Linguistics, Monster Lore, Numeracy, Reading Lips, Reading/Writing, Riding (Land-based), Sign Language, Signaling, Sixth Sense, Survival