Ranger abilities

This article is about ranger abilities in Pillars of Eternity. For ranger abilities in Pillars of Eternity II: Deadfire, see Ranger abilities (Deadfire).

The following is a list of ranger abilities in Pillars of Eternity. For more information see the Ranger class page.

List of abilities

Select one ability of the current or lower levels at each odd level. Animal Companion is learnt automatically by all rangers at level 1.

	Ability	Acquirable at level	Activation	Speed	Duration	Effects	Description
	Animal Companion	1 (automatic)	Passive	Average		Depends on type of Animal Companion	All rangers form a strong spiritual connection with a single creature, their animal companion. This connection allows rangers and their companions to coordinate attacks and efficiently take down prey. In most situations, the companion runs interference while the ranger attacks at range. Despite these advantages, there are risks to the relationship. Rangers share a literal life bond with their animal companions. When one is wounded, the can sense it and feel intense emotional pain. If a ranger or animal companion are knocked unconscious, the partner suffers from Bonded Grief, affecting Accuracy and other stats, until the downed ally is revived. If a ranger is ever killed, the animal companion immediately dies from grief.
	Antelope Companion	1 (automatic)	Passive			Summon: Antelope Companion	Antelope companions have naturally superior defenses (Deflection, Fortitude, Reflex, and Will). All rangers form a strong spiritual connection with a single creature, their animal companion. This connection allows rangers and their companions to coordinate attacks and efficiently take down prey. In most situations, the companion runs interference while the ranger attacks at range. Despite these advantages, there are risks to the relationship. Rangers share a literal life bond with their animal companions. When one is wounded, the other can sense it and feel intense emotional pain. If a ranger or animal companion are knocked unconscious, the partner suffers from Bonded Grief, affecting Accuracy and other stats, until the downed ally is revived. If a ranger is ever killed, the animal companion immediately dies from grief.
	Bear Companion	1 (automatic)	Passive			Summon: Bear Companion	Bear companions have unusually high Damage Reduction, giving them superior protection from all forms of damage. All rangers form a strong spiritual connection with a single creature, their animal companion. This connection allows rangers and their companions to coordinate attacks and efficiently take down prey. In most situations, the companion runs interference while the ranger attacks at range. Despite these advantages, there are risks to the relationship. Rangers share a literal life bond with their animal companions. When one is wounded, the can sense it and feel intense emotional pain. If a ranger or animal companion are knocked unconscious, the partner suffers from Bonded Grief, affecting Accuracy and other stats, until the downed ally is revived. If a ranger is ever killed, the animal companion immediately dies from grief.
	Boar Companion	1 (automatic)	Passive			Summon: Boar Companion	Boar companions inflict more damage when they are below 50% Endurance. All rangers form a strong spiritual connection with a single creature, their animal companion. This connection allows rangers and their companions to coordinate attacks and efficiently take down prey. In most situations, the companion runs interference while the ranger attacks at range. Despite these advantages, there are risks to the relationship. Rangers share a literal life bond with their animal companions. When one is wounded, the can sense it and feel intense emotional pain. If a ranger or animal companion are knocked unconscious, the partner suffers from Bonded Grief, affecting Accuracy and other stats, until the downed ally is revived. If a ranger is ever killed, the animal companion immediately dies from grief.
	Lion Companion	1 (automatic)	Passive			Summon: Lion Companion	Lion companions have the ability to Terrify enemies with a powerful roar. All rangers form a strong spiritual connection with a single creature, their animal companion. This connection allows rangers and their companions to coordinate attacks and efficiently take down prey. In most situations, the companion runs interference while the ranger attacks at range. Despite these advantages, there are risks to the relationship. Rangers share a literal life bond with their animal companions. When one is wounded, the can sense it and feel intense emotional pain. If a ranger or animal companion are knocked unconscious, the partner suffers from Bonded Grief, affecting Accuracy and other stats, until the downed ally is revived. If a ranger is ever killed, the animal companion immediately dies from grief.
	Stag Companion	1 (automatic)	Passive			Summon: Stag Companion	Stags can activate a melee attack that does damage to all enemies in a small area around the main target. All rangers form a strong spiritual connection with a single creature, their animal companion. This connection allows rangers and their companions to coordinate attacks and efficiently take down prey. In most situations, the companion runs interference while the ranger attacks at range. Despite these advantages, there are risks to the relationship. Rangers share a literal life bond with their animal companions. When one is wounded, the can sense it and feel intense emotional pain. If a ranger or animal companion are knocked unconscious, the partner suffers from Bonded Grief, affecting Accuracy and other stats, until the downed ally is revived. If a ranger is ever killed, the animal companion immediately dies from grief.
	Wolf Companion	1 (automatic)	Passive			Summon: Wolf Companion	Wolf animal companions do high damage and can more easily avoid Disengagement Attacks. All rangers form a strong spiritual connection with a single creature, their animal companion. This connection allows rangers and their companions to coordinate attacks and efficiently take down prey. In most situations, the companion runs interference while the ranger attacks at range. Despite these advantages, there are risks to the relationship. Rangers share a literal life bond with their animal companions. When one is wounded, the can sense it and feel intense emotional pain. If a ranger or animal companion are knocked unconscious, the partner suffers from Bonded Grief, affecting Accuracy and other stats, until the downed ally is revived. If a ranger is ever killed, the animal companion immediately dies from grief.
	Marked Prey	1	Active (1 per Encounter)	Average	30.0 seconds	Foe Target: Marked Self: +20% against Marked targets	Designates a single target as prey, giving the ranger and animal companion a damage bonus against that target.
	Wounding Shot	1	Active (2 per Encounter)	Average	10.0 seconds	Target: If successful: Hobbled ( vs ) User: Primary Attack, +100% damage over time (6.0 sec) ( vs )	As he or she would with fleeing prey, the hunter aims for a spot that will slow the target enemy's progress, Hobbling the target and inflicting Raw Damage over time to it.
	Predator's Sense	3	Passive			Self: +50% Damage against targets affected by Damage Over Time	Heightens the predatory instincts of the ranger's animal companion, giving them a damage bonus on any creature suffering a damage over time effect.
	Swift Aim	3	Modal	Instant		User: +20% Attack Speed, +50% Reload Speed, -7 Accuracy	The ranger gets into a speedy and fluid offensive rhythm, reducing Accuracy but increasing Fire Rate and reload time with ranged weapon and Attack Rate with melee weapons.
	Vicious Aim	3	Modal	Instant		User: -20% Ranged Attack Speed, -20% Reload Speed, +10 Ranged Accuracy, +20% Ranged Damage	By lowering Attack and Reload Rate, the ranger is able to take more careful aim, giving them increased Accuracy and Damage.
	Arrow Sense	5	Passive			+15 against ranged attacks	The ranger gains a portion of his or her animal companion's senses and instincts, becoming especially sensitive to incoming ranged attacks that target Deflection.
	Defensive Bond	5	Passive			Self (and Animal Companion): +15 Defense against AoE attacks	The empathic bond between ranger and animal companion yields a preternatural awareness of incoming danger, giving both a significant bonus to Defense when both are subjected to the same area of effect attack.
	Stalkers' Link	5	Passive			Self: +10 Accuracy when attacking the same target as animal companion	Long experience fighting together enables the ranger and animal companion to fight as a highly efficient team. The ranger gains an accuracy bonus when fighting any enemy already engaged by the animal companion.
	Driving Flight	7	Passive			Ranged attacks bounce +1 times	Each ranged attack loosed by the ranger contains such force as to fly straight through the first target and hit another target behind it for less damage.
	Heal Companion [WM2]	7	Active (2 per Encounter)	Fast		Animal Companion: +40 Endurance	The ranger can heal his or her animal companion.
	Takedown	7	Active (2 per Encounter)	Average	5.0 seconds	Foe Target: If successful: Prone for 5.0 sec ( vs ) User: Primary Attack ( vs )	Instructs the ranger's animal companion to rush a target, knocking it Prone.
	Binding Roots	9	Active (5 per Rest)	Fast	30.0 seconds	Foe Target: Stuck for 30.0 sec	Conjures roots from the ground underneath a target, causing them to become Stuck.
	Revive Companion [WM2]	9	Active (1 per Rest)	Fast		Animal Companion: Revive with 50 Endurance	The ranger can revive his or her animal companion and heal a small amount of Endurance.
	Master's Call	11	Active (3 per Rest)	Average	5.0 seconds	Foe Target: 15-20 Slash Damage ( vs ) Foe Target: If successful: Prone for 5.0 sec ( vs )	Calls the ranger's animal companion to his or her side, causing the companion to move back to the ranger at increased speed, ignoring Engagement and knocking any enemies in the way Prone.
	Play Dead [WM1]	11	Active (2 per Encounter)	Instant	10.0 seconds	User: +20 Endurance, Untargetable for 10.0 sec, Prone for 10.0 sec, Damage Shield for 10.0 sec	The ranger's animal companion falls over and appears to be dead (cannot be targeted) for a limited time. While playing dead, the companion regains Endurance.
	Stunning Shots	11	Passive	Average	2.0 seconds	Target (on Hit or Crit): Stunned for 2.0 sec	Takes advantage of enemy distraction while Engaged by the ranger's animal companion, Stunning the enemy (as a secondary attack) when the ranger lands a Hit or Critical Hit.
	Powder Burns [WM2]	13	Modal	Instant		User: Blinded for 2-6 sec Foe AoE: 30-42 Burn Damage ( vs )	The ranger overloads each shot of his or her firearm with excessive powder. The resulting blast generates a powerful cone of flame, but temporarily leaves the ranger Blinded.
	Twinned Arrows [WM1]	13	Modal	Instant		User: -10 Accuracy when using War Bow, Hunting Bow, +1 Projectiles when using War Bow, Hunting Bow	When the ranger uses a Hunting Bow or War Bow, they can opt to fire two arrows with each shot. Each shot has reduced Accuracy.
	Vengeful Grief [WM2]	15	Passive			Self: +20% Damage, +1.3 Move Speed, +20% Attack Speed	When a ranger or his or her animal companion are knocked out, the partner suffers the normal effects of Bonded Grief, but becomes filled with focused rage for a short duration. While so focused, they gain Speed, Movement, and do additional Damage.