The warden, also known as a ranger, is a fighter whose skills are specially suited to the wilderness. All wardens have a preferred terrain type (e.g., forest, jungle, swamp, mountains, hills, desert, tundra, et. al.), and, like druids, they typically establish themselves as custodians of a particular stretch of wilderness. Unlike druids, however, wardens may be of Lawful as well as Neutral alignment, as their chief goal isn't so much the preservation of the multiverse's natural balance as the protection and conservation of their home range and its inhabitants.
Upon entering their profession, wardens are inducted into the local Ward, an enclave of wardens operating within a given wilderness area. Within the Ward, the ranger is tutored by another warden of greater ability. Their initial instruction consumes the first four levels of their careers; during this time, wardens may not venture alone or of their own accord and are for all intents and purposes, bonded apprentices to their higher-level mentors. Upon reaching 5th-level, the warden is inducted as a formal member of the local Ward, but must remain in Ward's service until reaching name level. At that time, the warden may exercise one of three high-level options.
Understandably, wardens prefer their wilderness surroundings to that of urban or even moderately settled rural environs. As a result, they are sometimes saddled with an unsavoury reputation by the inhabitants of those settlements that happen to border their range; for their part, wardens do little to dispell such perceptions, believing that they are best able to perform their duties without the help or hindrance of those who do not know or appreciate their business.
In combat, wardens may don any protective gear desired, though they prefer lighter armour so as not to overly restrict mobility (typically no more than 300cn encumbrance); as a result, enchanted armour or magicked protective devices are highly sought after (q.v., magical armour, in our optional rules, for weight reduction of magic armour). Their choice in weapons leans toward the practical: easily-wielded bladed weapons for melee and non-mechanical missile weapons for long-range attacks. Using their stealth ability within familiar home terrain, wardens prefer to harass foes from a distance, using missile fire and their smattering of offensive magic-user spells. When forced into melee, or when confronting their preferred foe, wardens use stealth to make good backstabbing attempts to deliver maximum damage against their opponent(s).
Class Details
Primary Attribute: Strength and Intelligence.
Experience Bonus: 5% for Strength and Intelligence 13-15, 10% for Strength and Intelligence 16-18.
Hit Dice: 1d6 per level up to 9th level. Starting with 10th level, +2 hit points per level, and Constitution adjustments no longer apply.
Maximum Level: 36.
Armour: Any (though mobility is preferred, so total ENC is not to exceed 300cn, including shield).
Weapons: Axe, bow (any except crossbow), dagger, sling, spear, sword (any type); Weapon Mastery as normal PC (RC/75).
Combat: Attacks as thief of equal level.
Special Abilities: Fighter Combat Options and Set Spear vs. Charge manoeuvres (RC/Chapter 8), backstab (as thief; RC/23); At 1st-level – General Skills of Nature Lore, Stealth, Survival (all within their favoured terrain), and Tracking; at 3rd-level – +1 "to-hit" and damage vs. "preferred foe" (see below); at 4th-level – cast Magic-user spells as magic-user of 1/4 current level while in armour.
Special Abilities
A warden's "apprenticeship" lasts until reaching 5th-level. During this period, the ranger is given instruction in his fundamental skills:
At 1st-level, the warden is taught the general skills of Nature Lore, Stealth, Survival, and Tracking; the first three of these skills naturally pertain to the terrain type of the warden's wilderness range. Their combat skills are augmented with the fundamentals that allow them access to the fighter combat options and set spear vs. charge manoeuvres. For close-quarters ambushing, wardens are also taught to backstab, a feat they may perform as a thief (RC/23).
At 3rd-level, the warden must choose a "preferred foe," against which he gains a permanent +1 "to-hit" and damage bonus. Preferred foes are of a general type only and may be selected from the monster types cited on RC/155-6 (i.e., giant animal, prehistoric animal, construct, enchanted monster, dragon, dragon-kin, humanoid, giant humanoid, demihuman, human, lowlife, monster, planar monster, or undead). Once the preferred foe is chosen, it may not be changed, though the warden's combat bonus does apply to all representatives of the monster type selected. As expected, the type of preferred foe chosen is encountered in or near the warden's home range.
At 4th-level, the warden gains the ability to cast Magic-user spells as a mage equal to 1/4 his current level (round down). This ability requires the use of a spellbook, and new spells are acquired and wielded through the normal spell-casting process. Despite their spell-casting ability, wardens cannot create new magic items, nor can they research new spells.
Higher Experience Levels
Upon reaching name level, the warden may choose to either build a stronghold or offer his services to other Wards outside his own. Those wardens who construct fortifications are known as Ranger Lords, while those who travel to another range are called Ranger Knights.
A ranger lord may build his stronghold either within the borders of his current Ward or without. Building within the current Ward is seen as advantageous, since it increases the Ward's size and bolsters the Ward's overall protection. If a ranger knight constructs his stronghold within his Ward, he attracts up to 25 followers (as outlined under the fighter entry on RC/138, though half will be wardens of levels 1-4), and his construction costs are halved, simulating the aid he receives from his fellows. The warden continues to attract followers at a rate of 3-8 (1d6+2) per additional experience level earned after name level.
If the ranger lord builds his stronghold outside his current Ward, he is essentially founding a new Ward somewhere else. The new Ward must be of a terrain type similar to that of the ranger lord's home Ward. While construction costs for establishing a stronghold in a new Ward are normal, the ranger knight receives up to 50 followers (as outlined under the fighter entry on RC/138, though half will be wardens of levels 1-6). The warden continues to attract followers at a rate of 4-14 (2d6+2) per additional experience level earned after name level.
In all cases, ranger lords build strongholds designed to fit in with the natural landscape as closely as possible. For example, a forest warden may build a fortified series of arboreal halls; a marsh warden might build a collection of dry, earthen mounds; a hill warden might base his stronghold within a natural cave, perhaps fortified with light stonework. A ranger lord's followers offer their loyalty in exchange for the warden's oath to protect them and their Ward.
A ranger knight who ventures to another wilderness area does so with the aid of 7-12 (1d6+6) wardens of levels 4-7 (1d4+3) who agree to offer their support. Upon arriving at his new range, the warden and his followers must submit to the dictates of the local Ward. While the warden's followers give their loyalty freely, no new followers are gained. The ranger knight may remain in the new range for as long as the Ward requires; when this period ends, the warden is free to venture elsewhere, or to strike out on his own, as described below.
Experience Table
| Level | XP Req'd | Notes |
| 1 | 0 | General skills, backstab |
| 2 | 2,400 | |
| 3 | 4,800 | Select "Preferred Foe" |
| 4 | 9,600 | Cast spells as 1st-level magic-user |
| 5 | 19,200 | "Apprenticeship" ends |
| 6 | 40,000 | |
| 7 | 80,000 | |
| 8 | 160,000 | Cast spells as 2nd-level magic-user |
| 9 | 320,000 | |
| 10 | 440,000 | |
| 11 | 560,000 | |
| 12 | 680,000 | Cast spells as 3rd-level magic-user |
| 13 | 800,000 | |
| 14 | 920,000 | |
| 15 | 1,040,000 | |
| 16 | 1,160,000 | Cast spells as 4th-level magic-user |
| 17 | 1,280,000 | |
| 18 | 1,400,000 | |
| 19 | 1,520,000 | |
| 20 | 1,640,000 | Cast spells as 5th-level magic-user |
| 21 | 1,760,000 | |
| 22 | 1,880,000 | |
| 23 | 2,000,000 | |
| 24 | 2,120,000 | Cast spells as 6th-level magic-user |
| 25 | 2,240,000 | |
| 26 | 2,360,000 | |
| 27 | 2,480,000 | |
| 28 | 2,600,000 | Cast spells as 7th-level magic-user |
| 29 | 2,720,000 | |
| 30 | 2,840,000 | |
| 31 | 2,960,000 | |
| 32 | 3,080,000 | Cast spells as 8th-level magic-user |
| 33 | 3,200,000 | |
| 34 | 3,320,000 | |
| 35 | 3,440,000 | |
| 36 | 3,560,000 | Cast spells as 9th-level magic-user |