Armored ranger

I remember seeing some data that suggests that rangers are a fairly popular class in D&D, in spite of whatever "strength" is associated with the build. The archetype is just compelling, and with some really famous characters like Aragorn and Drizzt to give it extra oomph, there will probably always be a popular place for the ranger.

That doesn't mean that the archetype itself isn't somewhat malleable and subject to differing interpretations. In fact, it seemed that during the 3e era at least that I noticed that the making of alt.rangers seemed to be one of the most common things to show up in the class development front. Not just from third parties either, although there certainly were many interpretations there; even WotC themselves got into the act in some of the Complete Class series of books, like the Scout from Complete Adventurer for example. Given that D&D rarely spends as much time focusing on the wilderness as it probably should, rangers do tend to evolve to a kind of hybrid class that is mostly like a fighter, but with some thief and cleric abilities here and there. Looking at the mechanics that way, the ranger maybe doesn't exactly fit the archetype, but tends to be relatively heavily armored (although not like a fighter or cleric, but still), marginally sneaky but not really focusing on that, and capable of fighting in a unique fashion with bow and arrow and two weapon fighting or other such thing. He becomes more of a light skirmisher than a sneaky outdoorsman, in other words.

I don't think the art has very often reflected this reality though, that rather than being sneaky and woodsy, he's just a light skirmisher that is capable in combat without soaking up damage like a fighter. So, here's a Hero Forge image I created for the heckuvit that reflects the "ranger as light skirmisher" archetype. His metal and leather armor is probably not at all appropriate for sneaking through the woods, but I'm confessing that that's not his role. I dislike the idea of applying MMO group roles to analog RPGs, but this ranger is a striker who's meant to deal out damage while the fighter tanks. He's not going to be as good at is a a sorcerer or wizard or warlock, because magic is OP in D&D the last few editions (much, no doubt, to Gary Gygax's dismay) but his flexibility and ability to do some non-combat proficiencies and even be a supplemental tank if needs be makes up for it.

In a more grounded, less D&D-like swashbuckling action game, this would just be a more interesting take on a fighter than the "I sit here wearing heavy armor and hitting things over and over and over again" vibe that the fighter tends to have in "modern" D&D (since 3e, at least.)

Alternate build

I've also been playing around with new logos still. I have a few new fonts, and I'm re-discovering fonts that I'd forgotten long ago. Here's a few more options.