5e: The Explorer 2 is now on DMsGuild!

The Explorer 2 is now available for purchase on DMsGuild!

The Explorer 2. Cover Art © Jack Holliday. Licensed for use.

Late last year I released the Explorer: a complete rebuild of the Ranger designed so that the entire core class has no magic, and instead has feature called Exertion, a a short rest recharge resource they can spend to accomplish great feats. Thus the Explorer satisfies my desire for a nonmagical Ranger, which I know is shared by many others. Two of the class archetypes cater to this demand: the Avenger and the Watchkeeper cater to this demand. Yet magic can also be introduced back into the class through your choice of archetypes, allowing the Explorer to be the best of both worlds! The Explorer contains two magical archetypes: the primal-powered Ranger (which is the closest to the original Ranger class, naturally) and the arcane-using Delver, an expert dungeon explorer.

With the release of The Explorer 2, four new Paths are available to your Explorer:

The Bounty Hunter

A bounty hunter dedicates themselves to the risky business of pursuing dangerous criminals such as deadly killers, corrupt priests, and lunatic mages.

Many are former soldiers and scouts who seek to make use of their wartime skills. Bounty hunters are fundamentally mercenaries, but while some are simply in it for the money others see their career as an honourable calling. A few even work full time for law enforcement agencies or guilds, and must conduct themselves in a manner befitting their employer’s image.

The Canary

The original canaries were dwarves who accompanied workers in the mines specifically to watch out for environmental dangers. Should the work break through into other tunnels, the canaries were the first to scout ahead. It was (and still is) an extremely dangerous profession, but canaries are accorded great respect among the dwarves for the important role that they play.

As a canary, you know that the underdark is a perilous place, and have made it your business to guide those who would dig deep or wander in the dark below. Hopefully with you present they will be forewarned and forearmed against any dangers, and more likely to emerge safely once more into the light.

The Gravewalker

Some gravewalkers train to be the ultimate undead hunters, whether that be to take vengeance against them or to free their trapped souls. Other gravewalkers see death as merely another great adventure and aren’t prepared to wait until their life is over to experience it. Whatever their motivations, a gravewalker takes inspiration from the undead to learn powers that are beyond the usual understanding of the living.

As a gravewalker, you are an expert on all things undead, capable of communicating with them, breaking the chains that bind them, and fighting them on equal terms.

The Guerilla

A guerilla is an expert at unconventional warfare, employing hit and run tactics and other tricksy methods to overcome a force which, on paper, may seem superior. Some guerillas specialise in fighting in the wilds, while others may employ their cunning in the narrow winding alleys of a city.

Guerillas are forged through necessity in the fires of war. You may have belonged to your home nation’s army, where you served as a scout. Or perhaps you joined a desperate rebellion against a tyrannical authority?

Guerillas are always self-sufficient and like their independence. Whether they respect authority or mistrust it, they always prefer to keep a distance from it.