Scout

Races: Human, Dwarf, Elf, Gnome, Gremlin, and Raptorkin

Type: Wild Fighter/Rogue ATT: M DEF: M HP: d8 MP: d6 EP: d6

(W) M (A) M (M) Low – Animal, Healing, Plant

Skills: High: Survival, Combat (Range), Sleuth

Special: Ranger.  Pet.  Sneaky, ranged combat or other, nature guy.

Basic Info: They’re called hunters, trackers, trailblazers, rangers, and wild-runners.  The Scout Class represents a fighter with rogue qualities and a hint of nature magic, best suited for wilderness encounters and survival.  Their trademark weapon is the bow and arrow, but other Paths exist such as dual-weapon, lash, spear, or throwing weapon.  Scouts are expert sneaks in natural settings, taking advantage of camouflage and ambush.  A party with a Scout will not likely go hungry while adventuring in the wide world, nor will they encounter terrain difficulty or be easily surprised.  Scouts have secondary Paths based on Terrain type, which give them various advantages as well as an animal companion.  The best thing about Scouts is that they combine a solid variety of uses both in combat and infiltration, being the quintessential adventurer survivalist.  The worst thing about Scouts is that in a lineup, they still play second fiddle to warriors, thieves, and druids.  Either way, if he or she has a clear destination or prey, a Scout finds their mark.

Character Building: Unless you plan on adopting a variant combat Path, DX is the primary Attribute Scouts will use, followed by CN.  You can make an urban Scout if you like, a bounty hunter or city skulk, and both those Attributes will serve just as well.  Don’t focus too much on Magic Skills, because the Scout’s strengths lie in combat, stealth, and Survival Skills.  If you know what Terrain the party will be in the most, or the one that you’d like the most advantages in, that should be you secondary Path when it comes time to choose it.  Same goes for the Hunted Mark ability: pick a creature you either think will appear often in your adventures, or one you think you’ll have the most trouble with.