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By: Kihe Blackeagle
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Working Notes for "Range Guides" (cf. movie _Deathsport 3000_ (?), starring
David Carradine) (written for 1st ed. AD&D, including particularly _Unearthed
Arcana_, _Oriental Adventures_, and related _Dragon_ articles updating and
expanding the Ranger class):
The world of the Range Guide is a world shattered by years of horrendous
"modern" warfare, and is inhabited by a number of nasty mutant monster types
and many even nastier humans/humanoids. Remnants of technology still exist, and
can be used to ease life's burdens to some degree, but the ultimate skills of
the Range Guide do not rely on any single item produced by technology (although
some special skills *may* be possible, based upon the campaign setting).
Settings which I believe to be compatible with this class, within the
commercially-produced AD&D modules, include Arduin, DarkSun, HollowWorld,
SpellJammer, and the area of Old Aurim and the Crystal Sea on the continent of
Taladas. Some regions of the Known World described in the Voyages of the
Princess Ark (name?) are also near-perfect.
Range Guides are predominantly female rangers with psionic "wild talents".
[This will be approximated for 1st ed.; 2nd ed. folk may be able to adapt
entries from _The Psionics Handbook_] The rarely-seen highly skilled males of
this class/profession tend to be truly exceptional human beings. All known
RangeGuides to this point have been "pure" humans.
Minimum Ability Scores: as for Ranger. Additionally, the character must qualify
for psionics "immediately" (i.e. using scores as modified for age of 12 to 14
Earth years). No known RangeGuides have ever been multi-class, although a few
rare individuals are believed to be dual-class
RangeGuides may be approximated at the present time by the following: using the
Ranger class as a base, remove "Giant-Class" damage bonuses. Replace the
"followers gained" tables to reflect a magic-poor environment. Home region is a
form of desert or dry savannah; adjust required non-weapon proficiencies and
bonuses / penalties accordingly. RangeGuides may choose slings instead of bows
when determining weapon proficiencies, and will choose bastard or two-handed
swords before any other long-blade. RangeGuides often specialize in either
knife (both melee and thrown) or bastard sword. RangeGuides tend to be horse-
riders, and many are legendary in their skills when breeding and training
horses. At least one non-weapon skill chosen should be useful in leading /
guiding / guarding caravans.
RangeGuides gain an unarmed combat mode that can be approximated using
_Oriental Adventures_ method for martial style. This should be derived from the
examples given for judo, adding the "Whistler" as a special weapon. Whistler-
swords are formed out of very rare volcanic glass, and may be treated for most
purposes as the equivalent of a bastard sword. (Technological enhancements
applied to a Whistler make it un-chippable, and -- when used by one trained in
its secrets -- the equivalent of a +3 magic blade for all purposes.) Whistler-
swords are really quite rare... (When using the 1st ed. _Space Marines_
materials as a source of technological weapons, "Whistler" swords may be
treated as vibro-blades in skilled RangeGuide hands, monoedge weapons
otherwise.)
Normal psionic abilities should be weighted heavily toward empathy, object
reading, animal telepathy, mind over body, levitation, or molecular
manipulation. Many of the best known RangeGuides also use cell adjustment or
some other form of psychic healing. Reduce all range determinations by 50%
under normal conditions (save vs. death when imprisoned / tortured to double