Ranger

Explore the Ranger class in Pillars of Eternity II: Deadfire. Learn about its unique mechanics, subclasses like Ghost Heart and Sharpshooter, and effective playstyles.

The Ranger in Pillars of Eternity II: Deadfire is an expert tracker and scout who fights alongside a loyal animal companion. This class utilizes the 'Bond' resource and boasts high Health, Accuracy, Deflection, Fortitude, Reflex, and Will.

Key Characteristics:

• Resource: Bond
• Health: 42 + 12 / level (High)
• Accuracy: 20 + 3 / level
• Deflection: 20 + 3 / level (Medium)
• Fortitude: 20 + 3 / level (Medium)
• Reflex: 20 + 3 / level (Medium)
• Will: 20 + 3 / level (Medium)
• Skill Bonuses: +2 Alchemy, +2 Bluff, +2 Diplomacy, +2 Stealth, +2 Survival

Ranger Subclasses:

• Ghost Heart: Companion must be summoned (costs Bond), immune to Bonded Grief and Engagement, susceptible to Spirit powers, cannot be healed.
• Sharpshooter: +1 Penetration with ranged weapons at <=4m, 15% Hit to Crit with ranged weapons at >4m, -10 Deflection, +10% Recovery Time.
• Stalker: Ranger and companion gain +5 Deflection, +1 AR when <=4m apart; suffer Bonded Grief when >7m apart.
• Arcane Archer: Can imbue arrows with magical effects (+5 Accuracy, +1 per 2 Arcana), suffers -5 Accuracy with other attacks, -15 Max Health.
• Gunhawk (Maia Rua exclusive): +20% range with firearms, 20% chance to Interrupt with pistol/arquebus, 5% chance per projectile to Interrupt with blunderbuss.

Playing a Ranger: The animal companion is a significant asset, providing flanking and attack bonuses, but its incapacitation heavily impacts the Ranger. For damage, the Wolf is recommended; for tanking, the Boar or Antelope. Abilities like Vicious and Resilient are crucial early investments. Play Dead at level 6 obsoletes companion healing/revival abilities. Takedown Combo offers a potent, albeit micro-intensive, interaction with Damage over Time effects.

The Ranger excels at ranged, single-target damage. Abilities like Concussive Shot -> Concussive Tranquilizer allow for anti-caster roles by interrupting and stripping buffs. High Accuracy ensures reliable hits, further enhanced by abilities like Stunning Shots. Mobility is provided by Evasive Roll, and crowd control by Binding Roots. Note that Twinned Shots is no longer a modal ability.

The Ghost Heart subclass mitigates the Bonded Grief penalty, allowing for more tactical companion use. Sharpshooter focuses on core damage, while Stalker emphasizes proximity bonuses but requires careful positioning. The Arcane Archer subclass is currently considered bugged and underperforming.

Rangers are not ideal for multiclassing due to the significant investment required for their companion. While some synergies exist (e.g., Sharpshooter/Tactician), the Ranger often doesn't significantly enhance other classes as much as it benefits from them. Prioritize Might and Dexterity for combat effectiveness, with Perception and Intellect being less critical.