Explorer (Halfling, Ranger Archetype)

At 1st level, once per day, the explorer can focus on a single enemy within line of sight as a swift action. That creature remains the explorer’s focus until it is reduced to 0 or fewer hit points or surrenders, or until the explorer designates a new focus, whichever occurs first. The explorer gains a +2 bonus on attack and damage rolls against the target of his focus. At 5th level, and every five levels thereafter, this bonus increases by +2. At 4th level, and every 3 levels thereafter, the explorer can use this ability one additional time per day. This ability replaces favored enemy.

Know Direction (Ex)

An explorer can never get lost. As a standard action, the explorer can instantly know the direction of north from his current position. This functions like the know direction spell, and works in any environment in which "north" exists, but it may not work in extraplanar settings. The explorer’s knowledge of north is correct at the moment he determines “north”, but the explorer can get lost again within moments if he doesn’t find some external reference point to help him keep track of his direction.

In addition, whenever the explorer is asked for directions to a specific location, land region, or town, he can make a Wisdom check. If he is successful, he knows the most direct and efficient way to the desired location. If he fails, he doesn’t know and realizes the fact. He can also make this check if he is determining his own path to a desired location. This ability replaces wild empathy.

Woodland Stride (Ex)

At 3rd level, an explorer gains the ranger’s woodland stride class feature. This ability replaces endurance.

Terrain Bond (Ex)

At 4th level, the explorer forms a bond with the land itself, enabling him to direct others in such terrain. When in his favored terrain, the explorer grants all allies within line of sight and that can hear him a +2 bonus on initiative checks and Perception, Stealth, and Survival skill checks. Also, as long as they travel with him, the explorer’s allies leave no trail and can’t be tracked. The explorer can choose for the group to leave a trail, or even specific members of the group to leave a trail if he so desires. This ability replaces hunter’s bond.

Landmark (Ex)

At 6th level, an explorer gains the uncanny knack of remembering where he’s been. As a full-round action, an explorer can create a mental landmark for his current location and thereafter take a standard action to note the general direction of that landmark. The landmark doesn’t have to be a city or any kind of recognizable site—it could be in the middle of the ocean or even midair. This is considered a scrying effect.

A landmark location is one category more familiar for the purpose of teleporting (“studied carefully” becomes “very familiar” and so on). An explorer can have one landmark per level. He can discard an existing landmark as a standard action and does not need to be at that location to discard it. An explorer can take a minute to share a landmark with another explorer, and often do so to arrange meetings in unusual places without the need for maps or directions. An explorer can only detect the location of landmarks on his current plane, though they do not vanish if he leaves the plane and he can reference them if he returns to that plane. This ability replaces the combat style feat gained at 6th level.

Efficient Sleeper (Ex)

At 7th level, an explorer gains a +4 competence bonus to resist sleep effects and only needs 4 hours of sleep (or restful calm, for creatures that do not need actual sleep) instead of the normal 8 hours to become rested. Most explorers prefer to sleep the normal amount, and if they use this ability they like to make up for it on later days by sleeping late. This ability replaces woodland stride.

Master Traveler (Su)

At 20th level, the explorer becomes familiar with and comfortable in all possible terrains. His terrain bonus in all favored terrains increases by +2, and he treats all other terrains as if they were favored terrains (+2 bonus). If a naturally occurring condition of temperature or weather requires a check or saving throw, he automatically succeeds. All allies within 60 feet of him gain a +2 bonus on these checks and saves; if the explorer is in his first favored terrain, this bonus increases to +4. This ability replaces master hunter.

Table: Explorer