How to Create a Ranger Character for Third Edition Dungeons and Dragons

Print off a self made character sheet that includes a spot for spells, or make a copy of the official Dungeons and Dragons ranger character sheet.

Come up with an overall idea of who your character is and what sort of abilities she will have. Rangers can be a very diverse class because of their favored enemy options and spell casting abilities. Will your ranger be an expert hunter who knows the woods and back roads better than anyone else, or a silent stalker who can track and kill enemies in the shadows of a dark alleyway? Because of their emphasis on stealth and light weapons, a ranger can effectively be a master at two weapon fighting, or at ranged weapons like the bow.

Randomly determine statistics for your ranger by using a dice rolling method, or assign your stats by buying points according to the rules in the player's handbook. Make sure you know which method your Dungeon Master uses! Which statistic you put your highest score in will depend on how you want to play your ranger. Dexterity is important for ranged weapons, avoiding damage, and sneaking through a forest. Strength can be the most important if there is no fighter in your party and you intend to deal out the most damage. Rangers gain the ability to cast divine spells, so put at least a 14 in wisdom if you want to be able to cast all the spells that will become available to your character.

Choose a favored enemy from the list provided in the Player's Handbook. A ranger receives bonuses on certain skills when used against this type of enemy, and also is better able to hit and deal damage to them. A ranger who lives in an area with a heavy orc or goblin presence might choose "goblinoid" as a favored enemy, or one who expects to be traveling the planes of existence could choose a favored enemy such as "devils". Some dungeon masters may give hints about what type of creatures your ranger will be encountering most often to make a more informed decision, but others will leave you in the dark for the sake of not ruining any surprises in the campaign.

Make a decision about what skills and feats your ranger will start off with. This will go back to your original character concept. If you plan on playing a woodland guide you will probably want skills like animal empathy, intuit direction, or wilderness lore. Other good choices to round out a ranger's abilities would be the heal and move silently skills.

Consider your options for adding levels of a different class or gaining a prestige class later on. If you want your ranger to be better at fighting or have more hit points, you may want to multi-class as a fighter or barbarian. A more pious ranger who wants extra spells to use could take levels as a cleric. A ranger who takes some levels in rogue will be better able to sneak around and will gain the sneak attack ability.

Add the remaining design elements of the character like any behavioral traits, quirks, or convictions he might have. Decide if your character will worship a deity or not, and what alignment she will have. Hammer out a story that explains why your character is a ranger and how he came to join the adventuring group.

Buy any equipment you want your ranger to have. Ranger's automatically gain the benefits of the ambidexterity and two weapon fighting feats if they use light armor, so keep that in mind if you intend to have your character fight with two weapons.