Ranger - Spiritual Powers - Tier 3

Calm Stampede

Tier: 3

Prayer: 1 round

Spirit Cost: 35

Range: 10// per level (line of sight)

Duration: Instantaneous

Area of Effect: 10 animals per level within a radius of 10// per level

Classification: Charm or Animal

Out-of-control herds can cause significant loss of life as well as property damage. Moreover, a Ranger has a duty to protect the wilderness and the creatures within from being trampled to death by crazed cattle. To that end, the Ranger can call upon Nature to instantly pacify a herd of out-of-control animals. Note: If the Ranger has Animal Handling, Herding, or Animal Lore, the period of pacification is extended by one hour for each skill that the Ranger possesses.

Thanks to the rather long range of this spell, the Ranger could theoretically cast this spell with the aid of a spyglass or telescope. Likewise, the Ranger could cast this spell from the relative safety of a hang glider (assuming hang gliding is, in fact, considered "safe").  When the Ranger casts this spell, she selects one animal as the focal point of the spell (typically the alpha male or herd leader if this information is known). That animal forms the center of the radius for this spell. Affected animals will immediately stop running and will be pacified for a period of time proportional to the Ranger's level. While pacified, no other stimuli can trigger a new stampede. Additionally, pacified animals will obey reasonable commands given by their humanoid handlers (like "go home" or "turn left" or "follow this road").

• Levels 1 to 4: Animals are pacified for one hour.
• Levels 5 to 9: Animals are pacified for six hours.
• Levels 10 to 14: Animals are pacified for 12 hours.
• Levels 15 to 19: Animals are pacified for 18 hours.
• Levels 20 and higher: Animals are pacified for 24 hours.

Changes from the printed (book) version: Animals no longer mindlessly follow the Ranger but instead will obey their humanoid handlers.

Control Floods

Tier: 3

Prayer: 1 round

Spirit Cost: 30

Range: Special

Duration: 1 round per level to set perimeter; 1 hour per level for protection

Area of Effect: The defined perimeter

Classification: Defense or Elemental Water

While the Ranger certainly is aware that flooding and natural disasters are simply the way of the world and are neither good nor evil, the Ranger also has an obligation to protect humanoid life. To that end, a Ranger can call upon nature to protect specific places from flooding. Typically, a Ranger may protect a village, nature park, or a herd of animals from being damaged/injured/killed by flood water. To accomplish this feat, the Ranger and several chosen companions can walk, run, or ride out a perimeter that defines the scope of protection. Within the perimeter, the ground magically is able to absorb much more water than usual and is able to transfer the overage to the local aquifer beneath the ground.

To define the perimeter, the Ranger and/or chosen companions can walk, run, ride a horse or other land-based mount, or drive a ground-running vehicle during the initial period of the spell. However, the Ranger (and/or companions) cannot define a perimeter while flying or swimming. Additionally, a teleportation spell cannot be used to define the perimeter. Teleportation can, however, be used to mark the start of a perimeter. For example, the Ranger could cast this spell on herself and three companions. Two of them could use a teleport spell to travel a thousand feet away and then start marking the perimeter.  

Unlike casting a magic circle, the perimeter does not have to be perfectly sealed. If the perimeter is still being drawn when the initial definition period ends, the boundary closes as if by a snap function (essentially, this is equivalent to converting a polyline into a polygon in a CAD program).

During the period of protection, excess water flowing past the boundary is routed underground and into the aquifer. The ground will still get soggy and muddy, but the floodwaters will not rise enough within the boundary to threaten life or cause significant property damage.

• Levels 1 to 4: The Ranger can select three companions.
• Levels 5 to 9: The Ranger can select five companions.
• Levels 10 to 14: The Ranger can select seven companions and teleport* three up to 1,000' away to an outdoor place that he/she has previously visited.
• Levels 15 to 19: The Ranger can select nine companions and teleport* four up to 1,500' away to an outdoor place that he/she has previously visited.
• Levels 20 and higher: The Ranger can select eleven companions and teleport* five up to 2,000' away to an outdoor place that he/she has previously visited.

* In accordance with the prohibition against spiritual powers being used as "murder" spells, the Ranger's teleportation power in this spell is limited in the following ways: 1.) It will not deliver the targets to an indoor locale; 2.) It will not deliver the targets within 50' of unallied people; 3.) It will not deliver the targets to somewhere inherently lethal ("Sure, I visited the bottom of this lake last week with scuba gear. Have fun!")

Changes from the printed (book) version: The spell no longer has a cool-down period between uses.

Create Firewall 

Tier: 3

Prayer: 1 round

Spirit Cost: 30

Range: Special

Duration: 1 round per level to set perimeter; 1 hour per level for protection

Area of Effect: The defined perimeter

Classification: Defense or Elemental Fire

In many ways, this spell works in a manner almost identical to that of Control Floods. The Ranger and her companions are able to define a perimeter against which a forest fire or other conflagration cannot penetrate. Typically, a Ranger may protect a village, nature park, or a herd of animals from being damaged/injured/killed by a forest fire (or other type of wildfire). To accomplish this feat, the Ranger and several chosen companions can walk, run, or ride out a perimeter that defines the scope of protection. Within the perimeter, the ground magically repels flame, and the wind pushes outward so that sparks cannot fly into the protected region. Additionally, trees, grasses, and homes at the edge of the periphery can withstand much more heat than usual and will not catch on fire or take damage even if heated to a level far above the organism's (or structure's) normal level of tolerance.

To define the perimeter, the Ranger and/or chosen companions can walk, run, ride a horse or other land-based mount, or drive a ground-running vehicle during the initial period of the spell. However, the Ranger (and/or companions) cannot define a perimeter while flying or swimming. Additionally, a teleportation spell cannot be used to define the perimeter. Teleportation can, however, be used to mark the start of a perimeter. For example, the Ranger could cast this spell on herself and three companions. Two of them could use a teleport spell to travel a thousand feet away and then start marking the perimeter.  

Unlike casting a magic circle, the perimeter does not have to be perfectly sealed. If the perimeter is still being drawn when the initial definition period ends, the boundary closes as if by a snap function (essentially, this is equivalent to converting a polyline into a polygon in a CAD program).

During the period of protection, the ground (and plants) near the periphery may steam from excess heat but will not actually take damage. Humanoids should take care, however, to avoid heat damage.  While this spell will offer some protection (+2 against any saves pertaining to exposure), casting "Survive Extremes" offers better protection used when combating forest fires (and is stackable with Create Firewall).

• Levels 1 to 4: The Ranger can select three companions.
• Levels 5 to 9: The Ranger can select five companions.
• Levels 10 to 14: The Ranger can select seven companions and teleport* three up to 1,000' away to an outdoor place that he/she has previously visited.
• Levels 15 to 19: The Ranger can select nine companions and teleport* four up to 1,500' away to an outdoor place that he/she has previously visited.
• Levels 20 and higher: The Ranger can select eleven companions and teleport* five up to 2,000' away to an outdoor place that he/she has previously visited.

* In accordance with the prohibition against spiritual powers being used as "murder" spells, the Ranger's teleportation power in this spell is limited in the following ways: 1.) It will not deliver the targets to an indoor locale; 2.) It will not deliver the targets within 50' of an unallied person; 3.) It will not deliver the targets to somewhere inherently lethal ("Sure, I visited this foot bridge before it got washed out last week. Is it a thousand-foot drop? Oops!")

Changes from the printed (book) version:  The Ranger and companions do not get fire resistance. However, the barrier now unconditionally holds fire at bay.

Divert Tidal Wave

Tier: 3

Prayer: 1 round

Spirit Cost: 60 (initially) + 20 (annually to maintain)

Range: Special

Duration: 1 round per level to set perimeter; Protection lasts until discharged

Area of Effect: The defined perimeter

Classification: Defense or Elemental Water

While a Ranger is typically a guardian of natural regions such as forests, deserts, and mountains, he still feels a kinship with humanity and will thus protect life where possible. In this case, a Ranger can call upon Nature to protect a seaside village, small port, or coastal town from tidal waves. Unlike other protection spells, the power of Divert Tidal Wave is dormant until triggered. If the village is lucky, the spell never gets triggered. While the spell is expensive to cast, it is relatively cheap to maintain. The Ranger must pay a 20 SP per year maintenance to keep the protection active. If, for some reason, the Ranger has insufficient spiritual points when the maintenance is due, the protection ends. The Ranger is also aware that the protection has either been continued for another year or it has been terminated as a result of a spiritual overdraft.

Like other spells in this tier, the area of effect for Divert Tidal Wave operates along the notion of marked perimeters. To define the perimeter, the Ranger and/or chosen companions can walk, run, ride a horse or other land-based mount, or drive a ground-running vehicle during the initial period of the spell. However, the Ranger (and/or companions) cannot define a perimeter while flying or swimming. Additionally, a teleportation spell cannot be used to define the perimeter. Teleportation can, however, be used to mark the start of a perimeter. For example, the Ranger could cast this spell on herself and three companions. Two of them could use a teleport spell to travel a thousand feet away and then start marking the perimeter.  

Unlike casting a magic circle, the perimeter does not have to be perfectly sealed. If the perimeter is still being drawn when the initial definition period ends, the boundary closes as if by a snap function (essentially, this is equivalent to converting a polyline into a polygon in a CAD program).

It should be known that the protection offered by this spell also creates a warding field equal in height to the tallest structure or life-form within the area of effect when the spell is cast. Thus, if the tallest building in town is five floors high, but a skyscraper gets built downtown three years later, the top of the new building is not going to be protected. Furthermore, the spell does not actually stop a tidal wave from making landfall; the water simply goes somewhere else. A Mathematician would likely be able to make a mathematical model that could estimate where the diverted water would actually go.

• Levels 1 to 4: The Ranger can select three companions.
• Levels 5 to 9: The Ranger can select five companions.
• Levels 10 to 14: The Ranger can select seven companions and teleport* three up to 1,000' away to an outdoor place that he/she has previously visited.
• Levels 15 to 19: The Ranger can select nine companions and teleport* four up to 1,500' away to an outdoor place that he/she has previously visited.
• Levels 20 and higher: The Ranger can select eleven companions and teleport* five up to 2,000' away to an outdoor place that he/she has previously visited.

* In accordance with the prohibition against spiritual powers being used as "murder" spells, the Ranger's teleportation power in this spell is limited in the following ways: 1.) It will not deliver the targets to an indoor locale; 2.) It will not deliver the targets within 50' of unallied individuals; 3.) It will not deliver the targets to somewhere inherently lethal ("Sure, I visited that cobra farm last week while wearing Kevlar armor. Have fun!")

Changes from the printed (book) version: The spell now lasts until discharged so long as a modest yearly maintenance fee is paid.

Foresee Earthquake

Tier: 3

Prayer: 1 round

Spirit Cost: 22 (initially) then 5 per day to maintain

Range: Internal to the Ranger

Duration: Until cancelled, dispelled, or maintenance cost is not paid

Area of Effect: Half-mile radius (initially)

Classification: Divination or Elemental Earth

One of the oddities of nature is that certain animals appear to be able to sense when an earthquake is immanent. The Ranger, by calling up Nature, can ask for similar forewarning.

Once the spell is cast, the Ranger will have a one-day warning that an earthquake of Richter 6.0 or higher will transpire. Presumably, the Ranger would take that time to warn others and get to a place of safety. At higher level, the Ranger's detection radius increases as well as the time frame for the warning. The spell will persist indefinitely so long as the Ranger pays a daily maintenance fee of 5 spirit points. The timing is important, however. Thus, if the Ranger initially casts this spell at noon, the maintenance cost is due at noon the next day. The Ranger can, of course, dismiss the spell at any time. Likewise, as this spell is essentially a buff that can be detected with Detect Magic, the spell can be targeted for Dispel Magic.

It should be known that the Ranger cannot foresee man-made earthquakes. Thus, the Ranger would not get forewarning that someone was going to detonate a nuclear warhead along a fault line. The reason why this is so because a man-made earthquake is not the result of a buildup of plate stress over time. A Ranger can, however, attempt to counter a spell-based, man-made Earthquake. In the latter example, the Ranger matches his Willpower + Level against the Willpower +  Level of the enemy spellcaster. If the Ranger succeeds, the artificial earthquake fizzles. If the Ranger uses Foresee Earthquake to counter an earthquake-causing spell, this action is treated as an interrupt.

• Levels 1 to 4: The radius of divination is one-half mile, and the warning is one day.
• Levels 5 to 9: The radius of divination is one mile, and the warning is three days. The detection threshold is Richter 5.5.
• Levels 10 to 14: The radius of divination is two miles, and the warning is five days. The direction of the epicenter is also known. The detection threshold is Richter 5.0.
• Levels 15 to 19: The radius of divination is three miles, and the warning is seven days. The direction and distance of the epicenter are known. The detection threshold is Richter 5.0.
• Levels 20 and higher: The radius of divination is four miles, and the warning is nine days. The direction and distance of the epicenter are known. The detection threshold is Richter 5.0, and the Ranger will know the exact strength of the earthquake.

Changes from the printed (book) version: This spell now scales with the Ranger's level.

Pestilence Warding

Tier: 3

Prayer: 1 round

Spirit Cost: 30

Range: Special

Duration: 1 round per level to set perimeter; 1 hour per level for protection

Area of Effect: The defined perimeter

Classification: Defense or Animal

Insects are vital to every living, thriving ecology. However, huge swarms of insects can be harmful, destructive, and sometimes deadly. Fortunately. the Ranger can call upon nature to divert annoying insects elsewhere.

A Ranger will often cast this spell to protect large swaths of crops from being destroyed by locust swarms. A Ranger might also use this spell to protect a small village from being attacked by killer bees. Regardless of the reason or the insect type, affected bugs are not killed by this spell, merely diverted. The process of defining the perimeter of protection is identical to that of the Control Flood and Create Firewall spells.

To define the perimeter, the Ranger and/or chosen companions can walk, run, ride a horse or other land-based mount, or drive a ground-running vehicle during the initial period of the spell. However, the Ranger (and/or companions) cannot define a perimeter while flying or swimming. Additionally, a teleportation spell cannot be used to define the perimeter. Teleportation can, however, be used to mark the start of a perimeter. For example, the Ranger could cast this spell on herself and three companions. Two of them could use a teleport spell to travel a thousand feet away and then start marking the perimeter.  

Unlike casting a magic circle, the perimeter does not have to be perfectly sealed. If the perimeter is still being drawn when the initial definition period ends, the boundary closes as if by a snap function (essentially, this is equivalent to converting a polyline into a polygon in a CAD program).

During the period of protection, the warding essentially creates an invisible wall that is permeable to all manner of life forms except insects. Thus, a human walking through the perimeter might feel the sensation of having to push through a layer of gauze while an insect would encounter a surface that would seem like solid glass.

• Levels 1 to 4: The Ranger can select three companions.
• Levels 5 to 9: The Ranger can select five companions.
• Levels 10 to 14: The Ranger can select seven companions and teleport* three up to 1,000' away to an outdoor place that he/she has previously visited.
• Levels 15 to 19: The Ranger can select nine companions and teleport* four up to 1,500' away to an outdoor place that he/she has previously visited.
• Levels 20 and higher: The Ranger can select eleven companions and teleport* five up to 2,000' away to an outdoor place that he/she has previously visited.

* In accordance with the prohibition against spiritual powers being used as "murder" spells, the Ranger's teleportation power in this spell is limited in the following ways: 1.) It will not deliver the targets to an indoor locale; 2.) It will not deliver the targets within 50' of unallied individuals; 3.) It will not deliver the targets to somewhere inherently lethal ("Sure, I visited this HazMat dump last week while wearing a radiation suit.  Have fun!")

Changes from the printed (book) version: The spell follows the perimeter rules of the other Tier 3 spells. The spell blocks all insects.

Purge Rat Plague

Tier: 3

Prayer: 1 round

Spirit Cost: 30

Range: Special

Duration: 1 round per level to set perimeter; cleansing is instantaneous

Area of Effect: The defined perimeter

Classification: Defense or Animal

While Rangers usually use their powers to aid natural regions like forests, deserts, and prairies, cities do actually have a kind of ecosystem and sometimes the urban ecosystem goes horribly awry. Specifically, cities tend to attract rats, and rats tend to carry diseases. The ordinary solution is to set out poison for the rats to eat. However, Rangers are generally against the wholesale use of poisons and thus may instead call upon Nature for a less-lethal solution to rat plagues. In this case the Ranger creates a perimeter that cleanses all rats (and other rodent vermin) within the boundary of all diseases and parasites. If the Ranger has animal lore, herbalism, or healing as noncombat proficiencies, the duration of the spell is extended by one round for each skill possessed).

Marking the perimeter follows the same mechanics as Create Firewall and Pestilence Warding. To define the perimeter, the Ranger and/or chosen companions can walk, run, ride a horse or other land-based mount, or drive a ground-running vehicle during the initial period of the spell. However, the Ranger (and/or companions) cannot define a perimeter while flying or swimming. Additionally, a teleportation spell cannot be used to define the perimeter. Teleportation can, however, be used to mark the start of a perimeter. For example, the Ranger could cast this spell on herself and three companions. Two of them could use a teleport spell to travel a thousand feet away and then start marking the perimeter.  

Unlike casting a magic circle, the perimeter does not have to be perfectly sealed. If the perimeter is still being drawn when the initial definition period ends, the boundary closes as if by a snap function (essentially, this is equivalent to converting a polyline into a polygon in a CAD program).

Once the perimeter is closed, all rats (and other disease-carrying vermin) within the area of effect are purged of all diseases and parasites. Thus, a plague-carrying rat would not only cease being a carrier of the disease but would also be freed from flea/tick infestation. Moreover, humanoids already sick from rat-caused diseases will not be able to spread the contagion to others. They aren't cured of their illness (that is a job for Priests, not Rangers), but they at least cannot spread diseases to others.

Of course, the only negative side effect of this spell is that the city's rat population does not actually decrease. Moreover, the rats are actually healthier and livelier after the spell is cast. They do, however, stop making people sick.

• Levels 1 to 4: The Ranger can select three companions.
• Levels 5 to 9: The Ranger can select five companions.
• Levels 10 to 14: The Ranger can select seven companions and teleport* three up to 1,000' away to an outdoor place that he/she has previously visited.
• Levels 15 to 19: The Ranger can select nine companions and teleport* four up to 1,500' away to an outdoor place that he/she has previously visited.
• Levels 20 and higher: The Ranger can select eleven companions and teleport* five up to 2,000' away to an outdoor place that he/she has previously visited.

* In accordance with the prohibition against spiritual powers being used as "murder" spells, the Ranger's teleportation power in this spell is limited in the following ways: 1.) It will not deliver the targets to an indoor locale; 2.) It will not deliver the targets within 50' of unallied individuals; 3.) It will not deliver the targets to somewhere inherently lethal ("Sure, I visited this vertical cliff face while rock climbing last week.  Have fun!")

Changes from the printed (book) version: The spell no longer summons rats but instead cures rats of plague and disease.