Ranger

 

Diverse Training

A ranger’s weapon of choice is whatever can get the job done. Some forest wardens work with nothing more than a handaxe. Specialized scout soldiers who patrol for signs of invasion on the borders of countries carry sturdy swords and train extensively to fight against humanoid combatants. Bounty hunters on the trail of dangerous monsters often require unorthodox implements and traps. For rangers who spend most of their time submerged or in a perpetual blizzard, a harpoon or torch may be their preferred tool.

Being a ranger entails exposing oneself to the world’s perils on a regular basis. They face anything from dire beasts to perilous rock formations. To avoid the mortal dangers most rangers prefer to tackle a problem from a safe distance first, and should a melee skirmish be unavoidable they keep it short and sweet, with the option to retreat always readily available. The ability to make these judgment calls quickly make rangers valuable adventurers, in particular as guides for long journeys through untamed lands.

Ultimate Survivalists

Rangers retain much of their survival savviness even in terrain they are unfamiliar with, quickly adapting through their observation skills and general outdoor bushcraft knowledge. They can easily locate items of sustenance in the wild, from materials to set up camp, medical supplies to remove a poison, or sources of food where there seems to be none. Self-sufficiency is not the same to all rangers however—where one may think it is better to collect fresh wood and feathers to make new arrows, another might decide scavenging parts on a recent battlefield is more sensible, and the slightest change in circumstances could switch the opinions of both. This flexibility is of utmost importance to a ranger and part of why they excel at surviving for long periods of time out in the wild.

Creating a Ranger

When creating your ranger, ask yourself the following questions: who trained them, and in what environment did the training take place? Who or what do they consider to be the greatest threat? What are their duties or the goals they hope to achieve by becoming a ranger? Are they rangers that work for a community, a country, or for themselves? 

What kind of weapons and tools does your ranger prefer to use?  What aspect of survival—handling wild animals, tracking, foraging, identifying herbs, or some other outdoors skill—do they excel in? Why and how do they contribute to an adventuring party? Under what circumstances would they give it their all or run for safety? 

Table: Ranger

Level	Proficiency Bonus	Features	Knacks Known	Maneuvers Known	Maneuver Degree
1st	+2	Exploration Knacks, Familiar Terrain, Studied Adversary	2	—	—
2nd	+2	Combat Maneuvers, Stride and Seek, Trained Accuracy	3	2	1st
3rd	+2	Ranger Archetype	3	3	1st
4th	+2	Ability Score Increase, Wilderness Mystique	4	3	1st
5th	+3	Extra Attack, Stride and Seek (2)	4	4	2nd
6th	+3	Adversarial Focus, Game Hunting	5	4	2nd
7th	+3	Ranger Archetype Feature	5	5	2nd
8th	+3	Ability Score Increase, Explorer’s Instinct	6	5	2nd
9th	+4	Flash of Steel, Hunter’s Focus	6	6	3rd
10th	+4	Trackless Hunting	7	6	3rd
11th	+4	Ranger Archetype Feature	7	7	3rd
12th	+4	Ability Score Increase, Wilderness Lore	8	7	3rd
13th	+5	Guarded Post	8	8	4th
14th	+5	Tactical Advantage	9	8	4th
15th	+5	Ranger Archetype Feature	9	9	4th
16th	+5	Ability Score Increase, Survivalcraft	10	9	4th
17th	+6	Hunter’s Intent	10	10	5th
18th	+6	Flora and Fauna	11	10	5th
19th	+6	Ability Score Increase, Extreme Exploration	11	11	5th
20th	+6	Nature’s Scion	12	11	5th

 

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CLASS FEATURES

As a ranger, you gain the following class features.

Hit Points

Hit Dice: 1d10 per ranger level

Hit Points at 1st Level: 10 + your Constitution modifier

Hit Points at Higher Levels: 1d10 (or 6) + your Constitution modifier per ranger level after 1st

Proficiencies

Armor: Light armor, medium armor, shields

Weapons: Simple weapons, martial weapons

Tools: Choose one from herbalism kit, navigator’s kit, poisoner’s kit, and a musical instrument

Saving Throws: Strength, Dexterity

Skills: Choose three from Animal Handling, Athletics, Insight, Investigation, Nature, Perception, Stealth, and Survival

Equipment

You begin the game with 150 gold which you can spend on your character’s starting weapons, armor, and adventuring gear. You can select your own gear or choose one of the following equipment packages. Also consult the Suggested Equipment section of your chosen background.

• Deep Delver’s Set (Cost 143 gold): Longbow and 20 arrows, scimitar, shortsword, scale mail, dungeoneer’s pack
• Marksman’s Set (Cost 106 gold): Battleaxe, longbow and 20 arrows, scimitar, padded leather, explorer’s pack

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Exploration Knacks

For a ranger exploration isn't just something that happens between destinations—it’s a way of life. You start with two ranger exploration knacks of your choice. Your exploration knacks are detailed at the end of the class description. The Knacks Known column of the Ranger table shows when you learn more exploration knacks.

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Familiar Terrain

At 1st level, you are particularly adept at traveling and surviving in natural environments. When making an Intelligence or Wisdom check related to any natural terrain, you gain an expertise die if using a skill you're proficient in. While traveling in any natural terrain, you gain the following benefits:

• Difficult terrain doesn’t slow your group’s travel.
• Your group can’t become lost except by magical means.
• Even when you are engaged in another activity while traveling you remain alert to danger. Your passive Perception increases by 2.
• If you are traveling alone, you can move stealthily at a normal pace.
• When you Hunt and Gather, you find twice as much Supply as you normally would.
• While tracking other creatures, you also learn their exact number, their sizes, and how long ago they passed through the area.

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Studied Adversary

You have significant experience studying, tracking, hunting, and even communicating with your enemies. Choose a type of adversary: aberrations, beasts, celestials, constructs, dragons, elementals, fey, fiends, giants, monstrosities, oozes, plants, or undead. Alternatively, you can select two humanoid heritages (such as gnolls and orcs) as studied adversaries.

You have advantage on Survival checks to track your studied adversaries, as well as on ability checks to recall information about them. You also learn to communicate with basic words in a language of your choice that is spoken by your studied adversaries, if they speak one at all.

During a long rest, you can replace a current studied adversary with a new one.

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Combat Maneuvers

At 2nd level, you gain the ability to use combat maneuvers. You gain proficiency in two combat traditions from the following list: Biting Zephyr, Mirror’s Glint, Rapid Current, Razor’s Edge, Spirited Steed, and Unending Wheel. You learn two maneuvers of your choice from traditions you are proficient with.

You gain an exertion pool equal to twice your proficiency bonus, regaining any spent exertion at the end of a short or long rest. You use your maneuvers by spending points from your exertion pool. The Maneuvers Known column of the Ranger table shows when you learn more maneuvers from a tradition you are proficient with, while the Maneuver Degree column shows the highest degree you can select maneuvers from at a given level.

Additionally, whenever you learn a new maneuver, you can choose one of the maneuvers you know and replace it with another maneuver of the same degree from a tradition you are proficient with.

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Stride and Seek

Your wilderness survival instincts guide your physical and mental training. You gain one of the following features at 2nd level. You gain the other feature when you reach 5th level in this class.

Hunter’s Target

You can use your bonus action to focus your attention on a specific enemy. Choose a creature you can see within 90 feet to mark as your quarry. For 1 hour, you are focused on this creature. You gain a +1 bonus to weapon attack rolls against the creature, and your weapon attacks against it deal an extra 1d6 damage. In addition, you have advantage on Perception and Survival checks you make to find it. If the creature drops to 0 hit points before the hour ends, you can use a bonus action to mark a new quarry. 

Once you use this feature, you can’t use it again until you finish a short or long rest .

Swift Feet

You can use your bonus action to move with greater agility. For 1 minute, your movement doesn’t provoke opportunity attacks. You can choose to end this effect early to either increase your Speed by 30 feet until the end of your turn or gain advantage on a weapon attack. 

Once you use this feature, you can’t use it again until you finish a short or long rest .

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Trained Accuracy

At 2nd level, you learn to maintain a level of discipline that spills over into everything you do. This perpetual state of focus allows you to perform incredible feats. When using Trained Accuracy, the bonus to attack rolls from Fighting Style: Archery becomes a +2 bonus to damage on ranged weapon attacks.

Note: An adventurer that has Fighting Style: Archery gains no bonus to attack rolls from the fighting style when using Trained Accuracy, and instead gains a +2 bonus to damage on ranged weapon attacks.

Accuracy Bonus

When you make a weapon attack, you can use your reaction to gain an attack bonus or damage bonus as shown on the Accuracy Bonus table. Between long rests, you have a number of uses equal to your Wisdom modifier (minimum 1).

Table: Accuracy Bonus

Bonus	Cost
+1 hit or +1d6	1 use
+2 hit or +3d6 damage	2 uses
+3 hit or +5d6 damage	3 uses

 

Accuracy Reserve

If you have not moved since the beginning of your last turn, you gain a +1 bonus to weapon attack rolls until the end of your turn. You lose this bonus if you move.

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Ranger Archetype

At 3rd level, you choose an archetype that embodies your purpose as a ranger. Your choice grants you features at 3rd level and again at 7th, 11th, and 15th level.

Some ranger archetypes can grant spells. If you are using a ranger archetype that grants spells, you learn to innately cast those spells once each between long rests using material components found in nature (such as a handful of dry leaves or loose gravel instead of the tiny silver bell for the alarm spell). The spells that you cast in this way are always cast using the lowest spell level. Wisdom is your spellcasting ability for these spells.

When you reach 9th level in this class you gain a second use of your 1st-level ranger spell between long rests.

When you reach 17th level in this class you gain a second use of your 2nd-level ranger spell between long rests.

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Ability Score Improvement

When you reach 4th level, and again at 8th, 12th, 16th, and 19th level, you can increase one ability score of your choice by 2, or you can increase two ability scores of your choice by 1. As normal, you can’t increase an ability score above 20 using this feature.

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Wilderness Mystique

At 4th level your experience as an expert survivalist manifests at the subconscious level. Choose one of the following options:

Answering Silence

When others seek your advice on wilderness matters, they often arrive at the correct conclusion despite (or perhaps because of) the silence with which you respond. When a friendly creature makes a Nature or Survival check while within 5 feet of you, it gains an expertise die .

Fearsome Mysticism

Your uncanny abilities and single-minded focus can be unnerving to the uninitiated. You gain an expertise die on Intimidation checks against any creature that is neither proficient in Arcana nor casts spells. 

Kindred Spirit

You intuitively sense when another wilderness expert is nearby. Your passive Perception increases by 5 to detect hidden or invisible creatures within 30 feet of you, and you instantly detect whether any creature you can see is proficient with Stealth or Survival.

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Extra Attack

At 5th level you can attack twice, instead of once, whenever you take the Attack action on your turn.

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Adversarial Focus

At 6th level you gain an additional studied adversary, and you gain a +1 bonus on weapon attack rolls made against your studied adversaries.

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Game Hunting

At 6th level, you have advantage on any check made to locate or catch local game animals in the wild and gain the following features:

• You have proficiency with nets, and being within 5 feet of a hostile creature doesn’t impose disadvantage on your ranged attack rolls with a net.
• You can use a 30-foot length of rope or strong vine as a lasso and try to grapple a creature within 20 feet of you. As long as a creature is grappled by your lasso, it is also restrained . The lasso has AC 13 and 7 hit points. It is vulnerable to slashing damage and resistant to bludgeoning damage. If the lasso drops to 0 hit points, it is destroyed.
• When you use the Attack action and attack with a dual-wielding weapon, you can use a bonus action to attack with a net or use a lasso you are holding.

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Archetype Feature

At 7th level you gain another archetype feature.

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Explorer’s Instinct

At 8th level, once between long rests , you can take two reactions in a round instead of one.

In addition, whenever you learn a new ranger exploration knack or replace an existing one, you can choose from druid secrets of nature or fighter soldiering knacks.

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Flash of Steel

At 9th level you gain the Missile Volley or Whirlwind Strike combat maneuver. It does not count against your number of maneuvers known and you do not have to spend exertion points to activate it.

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Hunter’s Focus

At 9th level, you can remain focused on your Hunter’s Target for up to 8 hours.

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Trackless Hunting

At 10th level, you can’t be tracked except by magical means, unless you choose to leave a trail.

In addition, whenever you learn a new ranger exploration knack or replace an existing one, you can choose to learn a rogue skill trick instead.

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Archetype Feature

At 11th level you gain another archetype feature.

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Wilderness Lore

At 12th level, your knowledge of wilderness lore deepens. Choose one of the following options:

Big Game Traps

Leveraging your skill with snaring small game, you take 10 minutes to set a trap or snare for a creature of Large size or smaller. 

The trap's DC is 8 + your Dexterity bonus + your proficiency bonus. A creature can spot the trap by making a Perception check against the trap's DC.

Describe the mechanics of your trap to the Narrator, including what triggers it and what happens when triggered. You may use the following examples or work with the Narrator to invent your own. 

When a creature enters the trapped area or interacts with the trapped object it makes a Dexterity saving throw against the trap's DC or triggers the trap.

Pendulum Trap. Creatures within 5 feet of the trap are struck by a swinging object that deals bludgeoning, piercing, or slashing damage (determined by the object) equal to 1d8 plus your Wisdom bonus. 

Pit Trap. The creature falls into a pre-existing pit or hazard that you have concealed.

Rope Trap. The creature is either knocked prone or restrained by a net or rope.

Waste Not

With 10 minutes work you can scavenge valuable cuts from the corpse of a beast, dragon, monstrosity, or plant that has a CR of 1 or higher and has died within the last hour. If sold to a collector, druid, or other naturalist, this notable component is worth an amount of gold equal to 5 × the creature’s CR.

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Guarded Post

Experience has taught you that defending others is often the key to survival. At 13th level choose one of the following options:

Defensive Marksman

When a hostile creature moves towards you or a companion, you can use your reaction to make a ranged weapon attack against it. 

Hunter’s Blind

You can spend 10 minutes constructing a natural shelter able to accommodate yourself and up to 9 other creatures of Medium size or smaller. The shelter blends in with its surroundings, and as long as no one moves into or out of it, the shelter is indistinguishable from a natural object. It is designed to allow creatures inside to see out but prevent anyone outside from seeing in. 

The shelter is comfortable and dry, regardless of the weather outside, and counts as a haven .

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Tactical Advantage

At 14th level you gain a third studied adversary. In addition, you can choose one of the following ranger tactics: 

Covered Shot

When you are protected by half cover , you gain the benefits of three-quarters cover (+5 to AC, Dexterity saving throws , and ability checks made to hide).

Nature’s Shadow

You gain an expertise die on Stealth checks.

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Archetype Feature

At 15th level you gain another archetype feature.

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Survivalcraft

At 16th level, basic survival skills have become second nature to you. Choose one of the following options:

Under the Stars

You gain the benefits of a long rest in half the normal amount of time.

Woodlore

Using your action, you can produce a flame at a moment’s notice even in wet or cold environments. You can hold the flame in your hand without harming yourself or your equipment. Without additional fuel, the flame lasts for 10 minutes, shedding bright light in a 10-foot radius and dim light for an additional 10 feet.

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Hunter’s Intent

At 17th level, you add your Wisdom bonus to the damage you inflict with a weapon attack.

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Flora and Fauna

At 18th level choose one of the following benefits:

Beastly Attack

Once on each of your turns, a beast that is friendly to you and able to see or hear you can use its reaction to make a single attack.

High Ground

You instantly analyze the natural foliage and features of a given terrain as well as how to leverage them to your advantage. You gain the following benefits:

• Your walking and climbing speed increase by 5 feet.

• When you are protected by three-quarters cover , you gain the benefits of total cover. 

• If you make a weapon attack against a creature, your movement does not provoke opportunity attacks from it until the beginning of your next turn.

• When you move through an area, you can cause it to become difficult terrain until the beginning of your next turn, and any creature that moves through the area during that time has disadvantage on its next attack roll.

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Extreme Exploration

Your travels and training have taken you to new heights and amazing depths. At 19th level, you gain two of the following benefits:

• You gain resistance to fire and cold damage.
• You gain immunity to poison.
• You gain a swimming speed and climbing speed equal to your Speed.

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Nature’s Scion

At 20th level, you are a master of yourself and your natural surroundings. You become extremely familiar with all types of terrain and can use the Master Tracker exploration knack at will.

In addition, you learn Primordial if you don’t already know it and gain one of the following:

Elemental Mastery

By focusing on a specific natural element within 100 feet (air, fire, earth, water, or wood) you can attract similar essences to you. After 10 minutes of concentration , a creature of that element is drawn to your presence and becomes your loyal companion. This creature uses the wilderness guardian template with certain traits determined by its type. The creature is friendly to you and your companions, takes its turn immediately after yours, and obeys your verbal commands. The creature disappears after 1 hour, when it is reduced to 0 hit points, or you use a bonus action to dismiss it. Once you have used this feature, you can’t do so again until you finish a long rest .

Table: Elemental Mastery Wilderness Guardians

Air	Air elemental
Earth	Earth elemental
Fire	Fire elemental
Water	Water elemental
Wood	Shambling mound

 

Wilderness Guardian Template

A wilderness guardian keeps the statistics of its base creature, except as follows:

Armor Class. The guardian’s Armor Class increases by 2.

Challenge. The guardian’s challenge rating increases to CR 7. 

Languages. The guardian speaks Primordial in addition to any other languages it knows. 

New Trait:  Primal Force. The guardian gains +1 bonus to hit with its weapon attacks, dealing an additional 5 points of force damage on a hit.

Multiattack. If both attacks hit a Medium or smaller target, the target is grappled (escape DC 15), and the guardian uses its Engulf on it.

New Action: Engulf. The guardian engulfs a Medium or smaller creature grappled by it. The engulfed creature is blinded , restrained , and unable to breathe, and at the start of each of the guardian’s turns it makes a DC 15 Constitution saving throw or takes 2d8+4 bludgeoning damage (or fire damage for a fire guardian). If the guardian moves, the engulfed creature moves with it. The guardian can have only one creature engulfed at a time. 

New Action: Guard Life. The guardian uses its Engulf on a willing or unconscious ally without dealing damage. While engulfed, the ally is grappled but not restrained , can see and breathe normally, and has total cover . As soon as the ally takes an action, reaction, or bonus action, they are no longer engulfed. The guardian can release the ally at will (no action required).

Summon Stampede

You can spend an action speaking directly to the spirit of nature itself to request assistance. All beasts within a 1-mile radius of you are friendly to you for 1 minute, and for the duration on initiative count 20 (losing initiative ties), you can choose one of the following effects. You can’t use the same effect two rounds in a row.  Once you have used this feature, you can’t do so again until you finish a long rest.

Enraged Fauna. Up to 3 Huge native creatures of up to CR 8 charge forward, bowling into your enemies. Choose any number of creatures you can see within 100 feet. Each creature makes a Strength saving throw against your maneuver DC or takes 6d8 bludgeoning damage, or half damage on a success.

In addition, you can choose one of the Huge creatures to stay and fight. You can have only one such creature assist in this way at a time, and it retreats when bloodied or when you command it to leave.

Rushing Stampede. A Huge-sized horde of Small, Medium, and Large native creatures hurry through the area, traveling in a 30-foot wide straight line from a direction you choose. Until the start of your next turn, the area is difficult terrain . In addition, each enemy creature in the area makes a Dexterity saving throw against your maneuver DC. On a failure, a creature takes (21) 6d6 bludgeoning damage, is knocked prone , and stunned until the start of your next turn. On a success, a creature instead takes half damage and is rattled until the start of your next turn.

Swarming Pests. Several Medium-sized swarms of Tiny native creatures enter the spaces of up to 5 Small, Medium, or Large creatures you choose, or the space of a Huge or Gargantuan creature. Each enemy creature in the swarm’s area must make a Constitution saving throw against your maneuver DC or become blinded and slowed until the start of your next turn, and loses concentration on any spell or effect it is concentrating on. On a successful save, an enemy creature is instead slowed.

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Exploration Knacks

When you gain access to a new exploration knack, choose one of the following. Some knacks have requirements, such as minimum ranger level or another knack. You must meet those requirements before you choose that knack.

Beast Friend

If you spend 10 minutes befriending and feeding a Medium or smaller beast of CR 1/8 or less, you become its guardian ranger. It follows you and is loyal to you, but it acts independently. In combat, it rolls its own initiative and acts on its own turn. The beast won’t attack except as a reaction to being attacked, but it can take other actions as normal and makes death saving throws. You can only be a guardian ranger to one beast at a time.

Build Shelter

You can spend a day (8 hours) building a basic shelter which protects up to 8 people from the elements and reduces the likelihood of attack from monsters and bandits. The shelter counts as a haven . It lasts for as long as it is needed, but falls apart permanently after being left for a month unattended.

Once you have used this feature, you cannot do so again for a week.

Calls of the Wild

Using verbal and nonverbal cues to communicate with beasts, you can gain basic information from them or make a simple request (like delivering a short message or small object). 

Ear to the Ground

By expending 1 minute remaining stationary, using sound and vibrations alone, until you move or take an action you are able to deduce information up to 30 feet in every direction, as if using blindsight or tremorsense.

Expert Foraging

Once between long rests , you can take 1 minute to collect a number of edible, non-poisonous plants and grubs equal to your proficiency bonus. A creature can use its action to eat up to 5 plants or grubs, each of which restores 1 hit point. The grubs die and spoil 1 hour after being collected.

Forced Marcher

You can travel an additional number of hours equal to your proficiency bonus before needing to make a Constitution saving throw for a forced march.

Guide

While traveling, when you would have a failure or critical failure for a Scout journey activity, you succeed instead, and you can Scout while engaged in any other journey activity.

Healing Salves

Once between long rests you can spend an hour to collect natural ingredients and concoct an ointment that speeds healing. This salve is potent for 24 hours and has a number of uses equal to 1 + your Wisdom modifier. As an action, you can use the salve to restore 1d4 hit points to a creature within reach.

Herbal Bitters

You can spend an hour to collect ingredients and brew two servings of a bitter drink that is potent for 24 hours. Imbibing a serving takes an action and reduces fatigue by one level for 4 hours.

Huntsman

When you use the Hunt and Gather journey activity, you gain advantage on your Survival checks.

Longwalker

When you would gain a level of fatigue due to lack of Supply during a journey, you do not gain that level of fatigue. Alternatively, you can choose to accept the level of fatigue, allowing up to two traveling companions to forgo gaining a level of fatigue instead. Once you have used this feature, you cannot do so again for a week.

Master Tracker

Prerequisite: 9th level

You can spend 5 minutes looking at a 30-foot diameter outdoor area to study the ground and other clues. You learn all events which transpired in that area in the last 24 hours as though you had witnessed them yourself, although you do not learn secret information not obvious to an observer. The information you gain is only that which would be learned by sight; you do not gain sound-based information or learn what creatures in the area said to each other. 

Once you have used this feature, you can’t use it again until you finish a long rest .

Monster Mimic

By imitating how a beast or studied adversary sounds, looks, and moves, you gain advantage on Deception and Intimidation checks made to convince a creature that it is seeing or hearing that beast or studied adversary.

Poisons and Antidotes

Once between long rests you can spend 10 minutes to extract 3 doses of liquid poison (when ingested, a creature makes a DC 10 Constitution saving throw or is poisoned for 1 hour) from poisonous plants you’ve foraged with an hour of searching and DC 10 Survival check. Alternatively, using the same plants you can spend an hour making a dose of antitoxin (see Chapter 4: Equipment).

Read the Room

By spending 10 minutes observing facial expressions, body language, and vocal intonation, you can detect minute details which give you insight into the creatures within 30 feet of you. For the next minute, you can direct your focus on any one creature that you can see within 30 feet. If the creature you choose has an Intelligence of 3 or lower or doesn’t speak any language, the creature is unaffected.

You learn the surface thoughts of the creature—what is most on its mind in that moment. As an action, you can shift your attention to another creature’s thoughts.

Relentless Pursuit

Once you have successfully picked up the tracks of a creature, you are able to follow those tracks without any need for further checks for a period of up to 7 days.

See the Unseen

Prerequisite: 5th level

Once between long rests you can focus your attention on peripheral sights, sounds, and other signs of unseen passage. For the next hour, you can detect invisible creatures and objects, their location, movement, and actions, and even sense creatures and objects in the Ethereal Plane.