5 Backstory Ideas for Your Ranger in Dungeons and Dragons (D&D)

The Ranger is like a mixture of Druid and Fighter. They are best at firing on their enemies from afar, serving as a ranged damage dealer. However, they also have a limited variety of spells, ranging from utility to a bit of healing. The Ranger brings natural skills to the table as well, helping their party track enemies, forage for food or even prevent them from getting lost. Now it’s time to come up with a few quick backstory ideas to help bring your character to life. Here are five intriguing ideas to use in your game, or to build off of to create a unique character you’ll love to play.

#1: The Hunter

You live your life for the hunt, travelling your favored terrain in search of your prey. The Hunter is pretty much the gold standard for the Ranger, using their ranged attacks and tracking abilities to become the perfect predator. Your Hunter could be from a tribe, acting as one of their best options to catch prey, or you could be from the outskirts of a local village, the mysterious stranger who only comes into town to sell his catch. Maybe you’re the equivalent of a big game hunter, going out to exotic locales to hunt for prey that no one else has been able to catch. If you are going to play a Hunter, think about questions such as what drew you to the Hunt. Does your Hunter keep trophies, or is the adrenaline rush more of a draw? Do they do it simply to keep themselves employed, or has the hunting tradition been passed down through their family.

For many Hunters, you might have begun learning the tricks of the trade only to keep yourself fed. For others, the hunt is a way of life, and learning more about their enemies is the most important thing they can do. For some, they seek pride and glory for their kills, tracking their prey to the ends of the earth. Did you join your adventuring group to lend your skills to theirs on a particularly dangerous journey, or maybe are serving as a guide for a locale you know well. Maybe you seek to put the skills that you’ve learned to a greater test against more dangerous foes. Maybe work with your DM to see what kinds of monsters or large game you’ve managed to bring down, and if you have any scars or trophies to bring credence to your stories.

#2: The Bounty Hunter

Similar in many aspects to the Hunter above, the Bounty Hunter doesn’t track their prey through the endless wilderness, but instead takes his skills to work on the busy streets, seeking prey amongst the thronging masses. The Bounty Hunter is the urban ranger, using a network of contacts and an ability to hide amongst crowds the way most rangers camouflage in their native terrains. As a Bounty Hunter maybe you’re part of a guild who sends you contracts or maybe you work as a private investigator, hired by elites who want a job done without too many eyes on it. Being a Bounty Hunter means being able to blend in, and not being worried about getting a little dirty. Why did your character become a Bounty Hunter? How did he get into the career and did he have any mentors? How does he put his ranger skills to good use on city streets?

As a Bounty Hunter, the Bounty always comes first. Consider whether your character has any remorse for those they catch, or do they simply do it for the money. Does your Bounty Hunter have a code or limitations, or will they catch anyone if paid well enough. The Bounty Hunter might even work for another organization such as a prison or even a strict military institution hunting down deserters. Work with your DM to determine what your Bounty Hunter specialized in and if you have contacts or an organization you’d like to build out in your backstory.

#3: The Beast Master

The Beast Master grew up in the natural world. They might have been abandoned as a child, lost at sea and deserted on an island, or simply chose the natural world over the civilized one. The Beast Master uses their skills to interact and interface with nature, to protect the family they’ve developed and the land they’ve claimed. Consider how your Beast Master came to be wild, whether or not they have any connection to the world or whether they consider animals to be more friends than humans. This backstory works well for rangers wishing to have an animal companion.

Consider how your Beast Master learned their abilities. Are they more likely to fight with natural weapons, or have they stolen or built more advanced weaponry over time. Maybe they fight unarmed like the beasts they’ve grown akin to. If they have a beast that they work with like an animal companion, maybe it does most of the fighting for them. Consider why your Beast Master has joined the party. Were they forced back into civilization by someone else’s hands, or did they leave their old life behind to join civilization on their own terms, and consider why this transition is important to your character.

#4: The Farmer

Not all Rangers were trained in the ways of magic and as powerful warriors. For some, those abilities might be simpler, a way of life far away from busy city streets. The Farmer might have gained the abilities of a ranger over time, learning to track wildlife or hunt with a bow to keep themselves fed and keep their livestock safe. Maybe they’ve begun to develop magic as a strange dedication to the land, finding their ability to know the weather or even speak with their animals as a connection due to their loyalty to their farm. The Farmer has spent their entire lives on the edge of the natural world. Consider whether your Farmer wishes for something more, and their new gifts have spurred them on to find it in the greater world.

Consider why your Farmer left their farm, the place they’ve spent their entire life building. A farmer might not be afraid of hardship or work, but they often know little of the world at large. Maybe a storm or fire destroyed their farm and they have nothing left to work for, or maybe someone or something destroyed it and they are seeking their revenge. Decide what your farmer’s ultimate goal is, something lofty like power and fame? Or do they simply want to raise the money to buy their own farm to settle down. Perhaps they weren’t able to pay their own bills and their landlord repossessed the family homestead, and they are risking danger only to get it back.

#5: The Scout

As a Ranger, it is often your job to scout ahead, using your abilities to track and be unseen to determine what dangers might befall the party. What if this job had always belonged to your ranger. Perhaps you are a Scout, either for the military or a mercenary organization. You could even be a caravan guard who specializes in forward reconnaissance. Either way, you excel at moving unseen, using your environment to your advantage and reporting back to your superiors. You might even have a military rank or have sworn an oath to your kingdom and country. What organization does your Scout serve? Who do they owe their loyalty to? Is your Scout still on mission as they join their adventuring group, or have they left the service of their former commander?

Consider whether your Scout was drafted, or if they joined whichever organization of their own free will? Were they taught by a mentor or are they naturally graceful and analytical? What does your Scout mean to accomplish? Do they want to rise through the ranks, or are they opposed to a certain enemy? Do they simply perform their service for money? Work with your DM to decide who your Scout may have worked with, and why they left. If they left on good terms the NPCs you make could be great contacts in the future of the campaign.

If you like this article or any others I have written, consider liking, subscribing, tipping or pledging here on Vocal as it really helps me continue writing! If you are looking for other Articles about Rangers, check out the links below!

• Best Feats for Rangers
• Magic Items for Rangers

If you are looking for Backstory ideas for other classes check out my other articles by following the links below!

• Barbarian
• Bard
• Cleric
• Druid
• Fighter
• Monk
• Paladin
• Ranger
• Rogue
• Sorcerer
• Warlock
• Wizard