Ranger
Your heart is as pure as gold and as strong as a lion's, even though your appearance may be grim and worn. You wander, but you are not lost. You have deep roots in nature, but you are also devoted to the people who depend on nature's beneficence. Innocents may look down on you from the comfort of their crofts, not understanding that you protect them from monsters they cannot imagine -- and you wouldn't have it any other way, for how can the innocent remain innocent unless protectors shelter them? You are that protector, and you range over the wilds of nature, keeping common folk safe from danger and evil.
Role: As an adventurer, you are a defender to those in your group who need protection. Your wilderness lore helps you to lead your group out of doors. And your fierce determination toward enemies, especially enemies you know well, makes you an able warrior.
Restrictions: You must be good in alignment, seeking to advance the well-being of others, to protect the weak, to fight evil relentlessly. If you find this requirement to be restrictive, if you are inclined to betray those who trust you, if you seek to loot and pillage those who need help, then talk with your game master about your options for other classes and retraining your character.
Base Attack Bonus: +1.0 / level.
Caster Level: +0.5 / level.
Will Save: +0.25 / level.
Fort Save: +0.50 / level.
Reflex Save: +0.50 / level.
Hit Die: d8.
| Level | Base Attack Bonus | Caster Level | Fort Save | Will Save | Ref Save | Special |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | +1 (+1.0) | 0 (0.5) | +0 (+0.50) | +0 (+0.25) | +0 (+0.50) | Tyro Signature: Defend the Weak |
| 2nd | +2 (+2.0) | 1 (1.0) | +1 (+1.00) | +0 (+0.50) | +1 (+1.00) | Gentle Hand or Track |
| 3rd | +3 (+3.0) | 1 (1.5) | +1 (+1.50) | +0 (+0.75) | +1 (+1.50) | Ranger Style: Hardy or Favored Enemy |
| 4th | +4 (+4.0) | 2 (2.0) | +2 (+2.00) | +1 (+1.00) | +2 (+2.00) | Favored Terrain or Skilled in Exploration |
| 5th | +5 (+5.0) | 2 (2.5) | +2 (+2.50) | +1 (+1.25) | +2 (+2.50) | Tyro Tier Choice |
| 6th | +6 (+6.0) | 3 (3.0) | +3 (+3.00) | +1 (+1.50) | +3 (+3.00) | Adventurer Signature: Natural Bond |
| 7th | +7 (+7.0) | 3 (3.5) | +3 (+3.50) | +1 (+1.75) | +3 (+3.50) | Herbal Healing or Swift Tracker |
| 8th | +8 (+8.0) | 4 (4.0) | +4 (+4.00) | +2 (+2.00) | +4 (+4.00) | Ranger Style: Alert or Favored Enemies |
| 9th | +9 (+9.0) | 4 (4.5) | +4 (+4.50) | +2 (+2.25) | +4 (+4.50) | Favored Terrains or Weatherworn |
| 10th | +10 (+10.0) | 5 (5.0) | +5 (+5.00) | +2 (+2.50) | +5 (+5.00) | Adventurer Tier Choice |
| 11th | +11 (+11.0) | 5 (5.5) | +5 (+5.50) | +2 (+2.75) | +5 (+5.50) | Hero Signature: Scatter Enemies |
| 12th | +12 (+12.9) | 6 (6.0) | +6 (+6.00) | +3 (+3.00) | +6 (+6.00) | Community Support or Cunning Pantomime |
| 13th | +13 (+13.0) | 6 (6.5) | +6 (+6.50) | +3 (+3.25) | +6 (+6.50) | Ranger Style: Focused or Favored Enemies |
| 14th | +14 (+14.0) | 7 (7.0) | +7 (+7.00) | +3 (+3.50) | +7 (+7.00) | Favored Terrains or Silent Strider |
| 15th | +15 (+15.0) | 7 (7.5) | +7 (+7.50) | +3 (+3.75) | +7 (+7.50) | Hero Tier Choice |
| 16th | +16 (+16.0) | 8 (8.0) | +8 (+8.00) | +4 (+4.00) | +8 (+8.00) | Legend Signature: Folk and Fauna |
| 17th | +17 (+17.0) | 8 (8.5) | +8 (+8.50) | +4 (+4.25) | +8 (+8.50) | Camouflage or Ranger's Counsel |
| 18th | +18 (+18.0) | 9 (9.0) | +9 (+9.00) | +4 (+4.50) | +9 (+9.00) | Ranger Style: Valiant or Favored Enemies |
| 19th | +19 (+19.0) | 9 (9.5) | +9 (+9.50) | +4 (+4.75) | +9 (+9.50) | Favored Terrains or Secure Camp |
| 20th | +20 (+20.0) | 10 (10.0) | +10 (+10.00) | +5 (+5.00) | +10 (+10.00) | Legend Tier Choice |
Skill Proficiencies
The ranger's proficient skills (and the ability scores used to boost each skill) are Bluff (Cha), Climb (Str), Craft (Int), Disguise (Cha), Gather Information (Chr), Handle Animal (Cha), Heal (Wis), Jump (Str), Knowledge (Geography, Local, Nature) (Int), Language (Sylvan) (Int), Profession (Wis), Ride (Dex), Search (Int), Spot (Wis), Stealth (Dex), Survival (Wis), Swim (Str), Tactics (Int), Tumble (Dex), and Use Rope (Dex).
Skill Ranks per Level: 4 + Int modifier.
Weapon and Armor Proficiencies
Select any three weapon groups of your choice (see the rules for weapon groups in Weapons and Armor). You are proficient with all simple and martial weapons in these three groups. You are also proficient with light armor, medium armor, bucklers, light shields, and heavy shields (not tower shields).
Spells and Spell Casting
At second level, when your caster level is one, you can cast natural spells, which are drawn from the natural spell list presented in Spell Lists. As with all characters, you follow the general magic rules for spell slots per day, based on your caster level, which advances by half a caster level every time you gain a ranger level. As an naturalist, wisdom is your spell casting ability score.
KNOWN SPELLS LIST: Each time you gain a caster level, you learn two new spells. Because you are an naturalist, you may choose to pick spells from the natural spell list. The level of the spell cannot exceed half your new ranger level (minimum 1).
Class Abilities
TYRO TIER
Level 1 Ranger Tyro Tier Signature Ability: Defend the Weak (Su) You are a beacon of hope, ready to help those in need. This ability has three facets:
- If your max lionheart point total is less than 5, raise it to five. Each time you gain a character level after gaining this ability, this floor increases by 1. Modifications to lionheart points due to excellent hit point rolls cannot reduce your total to less than this floor.
- If a creature within 30 ft is not hostile to you (or is pretending to be non-hostile), then you can tell whether that creature is weaker than you, that is, it currently has fewer hit points than your current total -- you can sense this as a free action usable at will.
- If a non-hostile creature is weaker than you, and if an enemy within 30 ft is about to make an attack roll against it, then you can spend a lionheart point to force the enemy to attack you instead (no save or spell resistance applies). It must make at least one attack against you before it can make an attack roll against any other creature. (It can use spells or special attacks that do not require attack rolls freely.) You gain a bonus to armor class equal to your odd (column A) Wisdom bonus against this foe's first attack against you. You can use a lionheart point in this way once per round, in addition to normal lionheart point use.
Level 2 Ranger Tyro Tier Interaction Ability (pick one):
- Gentle Hand (Ex): You are good with animals. You gain two bonus ranks in the Handle Animals skill. If you already have ranks in those skills, you may redistribute those ranks to other skills. You use Wisdom instead of Charisma with this skill. When you teach or train a creature, change any required time from weeks to days.
- Track (Ex): You can track as if you had the Track feat, but without the feat you have a -4 non-proficiency penalty doing so. Whether you have the feat or not, you gain a +3 competence bonus on track checks.
Level 3 Ranger Tyro Tier Combat Ability (pick one):
- Ranger Style: Hardy (Ex): You gain a new d8 hit die, modified by your Constitution as usual, and possibly modifying your lionheart points. This hit die affects your hit point total only, and does not raise your level. This bonus hit die counts when considering effects based on your total hit dice but not on level. In addition, you can take Hardass tree feats without meeting the tier requirements, although you still have to take the lower feats before the ones above it on the tree.
- Favored Enemy (Ex): Select a creature type from the ranger favored enemies table. You gain a +2 bonus on Knowledge, Sense Motive, Search, Spot, and Survival (tracking) checks against creatures of this type. Likewise, you get a +2 bonus on weapon attack and damage rolls against them. You may make Knowledge skill checks untrained when attempting to identify these creatures and their capabilities.
Table: Favored Enemies Aberrations & Oozes Animals & Magical Beasts Constructs & Fey Dragons Humanoids (ogres, trolls, & giants) Humanoids (goblins, gnolls, & kobolds) Monstrous Humanoids Outsiders (Air, Earth, Fire, Water) Outsiders (Evil) Plants Undead Vermin
Level 4 Ranger Tyro Tier Exploration Ability (pick one):
- Favored Terrain (Ex): Select a type of terrain from this list:
- Badlands and Desert
- Estuaries and Oceans (including salt water shores)
- Glaciers, Taiga, and Tundra
- Grasslands and Plains
- Hills and Mountains
- Jungles and Rain Forests
- Lakes, Rivers, Marshes, and Swamps (including fresh water shores)
- Natural Caves
- Temperate Forests
- Skilled in Exploration (Ex): Select one of these skills: Climb, Fly, Gather Information, Jump, Knowledge, Language, Search, Stealth, Survival, Swim, or Use Rope. If it was not a class skill for you, it is now. You gain a +2 competence bonus using that skill, and you reroll the die if you roll a natural 1 with the skill.
Level 5 Ranger Tyro Tier Choice: Select a Ranger Tyro Tier Interaction, Combat, or Exploration ability that you have not yet chosen, or choose a feat for which you qualify from among these feat trees: Cavalry Tree, Defender Tree, Dual-Wielder Tree, Equestrian Tree, Hardass Tree, or Shooter Tree.
ADVENTURER TIER
Level 6 Ranger Adventurer Tier Signature Ability: Natural Bond (Su): You form a powerful bond with a creature or with spirits of your ancestors. Ancestral spirits reveal the future to you and cast spells for you. A tame companion helps you as in combat, in scouting, as a mount, and as a loyal and faithful friend.
Spirit Bond You form a bond with ancestral spirits who assist you with the mystical elements of your class. By communing with these spirits, you gain glimpses of things to come. This manifests in these ways:
- Each day, as long as you are within a natural setting, you can cast augury as a spell-like ability with a caster level equal to your character level. Five levels after gaining this ability, you can use your augury spell-like ability even when you are not in a natural terrain -- and if you are in a natural setting, you can cast divination instead. After ten levels, you can use legend lore in a natural setting, or augury or divination anywhere. You can use this ability a number of times per day equal to your odd (column A) Wisdom modifier.
- You can, as a swift action, call on spirits to cast any one natural spell you know, without using one of your slots. The spirits use a spiritual slot that is equal to the level of the spell, as if with a Wisdom of 20. Every four levels thereafter, you can ask the spirits to cast an additional spell in this way.
Tame Companion You gain a tame companion, an animal and friend, at no cost. It remains a creature with the animal type, even though over time it gains powers beyond those of other animals. Only a normal, unmodified animal may become a tame companion. You cannot have a tame companion if you already have a companion of any other sort. Your choices for your tame companion's form, as well as special abilities gained at certain levels, are detailed below. See below for details on your tame companion. And consult the general rules for companions for more information.
Level 7 Ranger Adventurer Tier Interaction Ability (pick one):
- Herbal Healing (Su): You can search for certain herbs, moss, or leaves in a natural setting, taking 1d8 hours to find a single dose. The herbs that you find can be dried and used later. When you crush and cast these herbs into boiling water, the vapors spread out within a 10 ft radius, refreshing and healing those present over the course of one minute. The herbs grants a +2 bonus on your heal skill checks. They cure all nonlethal damge. They reduce the severity of the following conditions by one step: tired, fatigued, exhausted; queasy, sickened, nauseated. You and those you tend can benefit from herbal healing only once per day.
- Swift Tracker: You can move at your normal speed while using Survival to follow tracks without taking the normal -5 penalty. You take only a -5 penalty (instead of the normal -20) when moving at up to twice normal speed while tracking.
Level 8 Ranger Adventurer Tier Combat Ability (pick one):
- Ranger Style: Alert (Ex): You are always alert and seldom surprised. When determining surprise at the start of combat, you can choose to take 10 on Spot checks to determine if you are aware of foes, and you have a +4 competence bonus on such rolls. You also gain a bonus on initiative checks equal to your odd (column A) Wisdom modifier, in addition to your normal Dexterity modifier.
- Favored Enemies (Ex): The bonus for the favored enemies you already have rises by +2. Select a new favored enemy; you gain a +2 bonus with this one. If a specific creature falls into more than one category of favored enemy, your bonuses do not stack; you simply use whichever bonus is higher. Requires Favored Enemy.
- Favored Terrains (Ex): The bonus for the favored terrain you already have rises by +2. Select a new favored terrain; you gain a +2 bonus with this one. If a specific terrain falls into more than one category of favored terrain, your bonuses do not stack; you simply use whichever bonus is higher. Requires Favored Terrain.
- Weatherworn (Su): You are at one with nature in all kinds of weather. Any penalties on Spot, Search, and Survival (and tracking) checks due to weather -- including rain, hail, falling snow, etc -- are eliminated for you. Non-magical wind imposes no penalty on your movement (even flying) or ranged attacks. You take no damage from duststorms, hail, natural lightning, and tornadoes. It costs you 1 square of movement to enter snow, not 2; and 2 squares of movement to enter heavy snow, not 4. In addition, you gain a +4 competence bonus to save against spells and spell-like abilities that have the words wind, storm, lightning, or weather in the title.
- Community Support (Ex): People who dwell in or near nature -- farmers, hunters, villagers, druids, barbarians, wood-cutters, fishers, herders, and more -- recognize your commitment to defending common folk and intuitively understand that you mean them well. Such people begin with an attitude of helpful and agree to just about any good-hearted request you make. You gain a +4 bonus on Gather Info checks when the information is something your community supporters may know about.
- Cunning Pantomime: As a standard action, you can communicate with a single creature as if using the Tongues spell. Because the communication is slow and lacks subtlety, you suffer a -4 penalty on all Bluff and Diplomacy checks relating to the creature you are communicating with when using this ability. You can use this ability for very simple communication with animals and magical beasts.
- Ranger Style: Focused (Ex): You can, as a standard action, focus on one target within your line of sight as your quarry. Whenever you are following the tracks of your quarry, you gain a +2 insight bonus on survival checks to track. You also gain the same bonus on attack and damage rolls made against your quarry, and all critical threats are automatically confirmed. You can have no more than one quarry at a time. If your quarry is also a favored enemy, you gain your favored enemy bonus to your armor class and saving throws against attacks your quarry launches on you. While you are focused on your quarry, you take a -1 on attacks and damage you make against other targets. You can end your focus at any time as a free action, but you cannot focus on a new quarry that day.
- Favored Enemies (Ex): The bonus for the favored enemies you already have rises by +2. Select a new favored enemy; you gain a +2 bonus with this one. If a specific creature falls into more than one category of favored enemy, your bonuses do not stack; you simply use whichever bonus is higher. Requires Favored Enemy.
- Favored Terrains (Ex): The bonus for the favored terrains you already have rises by +2. Select a new favored terrain; you gain a +2 bonus with this one. If a specific terrain falls into more than one category of favored terrain, your bonuses do not stack; you simply use whichever bonus is higher. Requires Favored Terrain.
- Silent Strider (Ex): You use Stealth while moving at your normal rate at no penalty, not at the usual -5; you can run and charge while using stealth at -5, not at the usual -20. You are assumed to be moving with stealth at all times as a default, and you can take 10 on all stealth checks under all circumstances (and it is assumed you do so unless you choose to roll).
- Ranger's Counsel (Ex): As a swift action, you can grant all allies within 30 feet that are within line of sight and can hear you a +2 bonus on skill checks with a single skill of your choice. You must have at least one rank in the chosen skill. This bonus lasts for 2 minutes. You can use this ability once per hour.
- Camouflage (Ex): So long as you do not move from the square in which you started your turn, you can use the Stealth skill to hide in any natural setting, even if the terrain doesn't grant cover or concealment. In a favored terrain, you also gain an additional +2 on your stealth check to use camouflage.
- Ranger Style: Valiant (Ex): So long as you are on the front line of a battle, in the thick of a fight, leading bravely by example, your allies within 30 ft gain a morale bonus on melee attacks equal to your even (column B) Charisma bonus (minimum 1). Increase this bonus by +2 if they are fighting one of your favored enemies. You do not gain this bonus yourself.
- Favored Enemies (Ex): The bonus for the favored enemies you already have rises by +2. Select a new favored enemy; you gain a +2 bonus with this one. If a specific creature falls into more than one category of favored enemy, your bonuses do not stack; you simply use whichever bonus is higher. Requires Favored Enemy.
- Favored Terrains (Ex): The bonus for the favored terrains you already have rises by +2. Select a new favored terrain; you gain a +2 bonus with this one. If a specific terrain falls into more than one category of favored terrain, your bonuses do not stack; you simply use whichever bonus is higher. Requires Favored Terrain.
- Secure Camp (Su) You can declare a location to be your camp, that is, a place of refuge in a natural setting for you and your allies, covering up to 60 ft in radius. To enter your camp, enemies must make a Will save vs DC 9 + half your ranger level + your even (column B) Wisdom Bonus. Increase the DC by your favored terrain bonus if you are within a favored terrain. Once they have entered your camp, enemies take a penalty on all d20 rolls; the size of the penalty depends on how long ago you declared your camp: 1 minute, -2; 1 hour, -4; 1 day, -6; 1 month, -8; and 1 year, -10. You can have a number of camps equal in number to your even (column B) Wisdom modifier; you can designate a new camp (erasing an old one) with a minute of concentration.
- Camel - Size Large; Speed 50 ft.; AC +1 natural armor; Attack bite (1d4) or spit (ranged touch attack, target is queasy for 1d4 rounds, range 10 feet); Ability Scores Str 18, Dex 16, Con 14, Int 2, Wis 11, Cha 4;
- Watch Dog - Size Small; Size Small; Speed 40 ft.; AC +1 natural armor; Attack bite (1d4); Ability Scores Str 13, Int 2, Wis 14, Dex 18, Con 16, Cha 10; Special Qualities scent.
- Riding Dog - Size Medium; Speed 30 ft.; AC +2 natural armor; Attack bite (1d6); Ability Scores Str 17, Int 2, Wis 12, Dex 15, Con 17, Cha 6; Special Qualities scent.
- Dolphin - Starting Statistics: Size large; Speed swim 80 ft.; AC +1 natural armor; Attack slam (1d6); Ability Scores Str 16, Int 2, Wis 12, Dex 14, Con 16, Cha 7; Special Qualities hold breath, blindsight 120 ft.
- Falcon - Size Small; Speed 10 ft., fly 80 ft. (average); AC +1 natural armor; Attack bite (1d3), 2 talons (1d3); Ability Scores Str 10, Int 2, Wis 14, Dex 15, Con 14, Cha 7; Special Qualities racial +4 Spot and Search.
- Horse - Size Large; Speed 50 ft.; AC +4 natural armor; Attack bite (1d4), 2 hooves (1d6, secondary attacks); Ability Scores Str 16, Int 2, Wis 12, Dex 13, Con 16, Cha 8; Special Qualities scent.
- Pony - Size Medium; Speed 40 ft.; AC +2 natural armor; Attack 2 hooves (1d3); Ability Scores Str 14, Int 2, Wis 13, Dex 15, Con 15, Cha 9; Special Qualities scent.
- Companionable Silence (Su): Your mount gains all your class abilities involving the stealth skill. If you are within five ft of your companion, use your stealth check result for both of you.
- Faithful Mount (Ex): You have no penalty for riding bareback. You cannot fail a check to "Stay in Saddle" even if you are riding without a saddle. You gain a bonus on all other Ride checks when mounted on your companion equal to your even (column B) Wisdom bonus, in addition to your usual Dexterity bonus.
- Healing Licks (Sp): Your companion can lick a creature with 0 or fewer hit points and cure 1 point of damage as an at-will, full-round action.
- Ranger's Helper I (Ex): Your companion helps you make Survival checks, for tracking and other purposes. Roll both Survival checks per usual, add 1, and use the better result. In natural, outdoors settings, add 3 instead of 1.
- Ranger's Helper II (Ex): In a favored terrain, your companion gains all the benefits that you do.
- Ranger's Helper III (Ex): Interacting with a favored enemy, your companion gains all the benefits that you do.
- Share Senses I (Sp): With a standard action that works only if your companion is within 1 mile, you can see and hear what your companion sees and hears for one minute per character level; those minutes need not be consecutive. While piggy-backing on your companion's sight and hearing, you are blind and deaf.
- Share Senses II (Sp): You may scry on your companion (as if casting the Scrying spell) once per day, You can cast through this Scrying as you can through the spell.
- Share Senses III (Sp): As a standard action, you may scry on your companion (as if casting the Greater Scrying spell) once per day, You can cast through this Scrying as you can through the spell.
Level 9 Ranger Adventurer Tier Exploration Ability (pick one):
Level 10 Ranger Adventurer Tier Choice: Select a Ranger Adventurer Tier Interaction, Combat, or Exploration ability that you have not yet chosen, or choose a feat for which you qualify from among these feat trees: Cavalry Tree, Defender Tree, Dual-Wielder Tree, Equestrian Tree, Hardass Tree, or Shooter Tree.
HERO TIER
Level 11 Ranger Hero Tier Signature Ability: Scatter Enemies (Su): After you successfully attack a foe, you can spend up to three lionheart points to give that foe a fear condition. The foe makes one will save per lionheart point you spend; if it fails one save, it is shaken for one minute; fails two saves, frightened for one hour; fails three saves, panicked for one day. If it is a favored enemy, then it is vulnerable to this even if it is immune to fear and mind-affecting attacks, and it suffers a penalty on the required will saves equal to your favored enemy bonus. The save is DC9 + half your character level + your even (column B) Wisdom modifier. You can use this ability once per round in addition to normal lionheart point use, but not against the same foe more than once per day.
Level 12 Ranger Hero Tier Interaction Ability (pick one):
Level 13 Ranger Hero Tier Combat Ability (pick one):
Level 14 Ranger Hero Tier Exploration Ability (pick one):
Level 15 Ranger Hero Tier Choice: Select a Ranger Hero, Adventurer, or Tyro Tier Interaction, Combat, or Exploration ability that you have not yet chosen, or choose a feat for which you qualify from among these feat trees: Cavalry Tree, Defender Tree, Dual-Wielder Tree, Equestrian Tree, Hardass Tree, or Shooter Tree.
LEGEND TIER
Level 16 Ranger Legend Tier Signature Ability: Folk and Fauna (Su): All animals and magical beasts are friendly and have the helpful attitude towards you; they will not attack you unless provoked. Also, you gain a bonus on all charisma-based skill checks equal to your even (column B) Wisdom modifier when interacting with demihumans (dwarves, elves, gnomes, halflings, humans, liontaurs, etc).
Level 17 Ranger Legend Tier Interaction Ability (pick one):
Level 18 Ranger Legend Tier Combat Ability (pick one):
Level 19 Ranger Legend Tier Exploration Ability (pick one):
Level 20 Ranger Legend Tier Choice: Select a Ranger Legend, Hero, Adventurer, or Tyro Tier Interaction, Combat, or Exploration ability that you have not yet chosen, or choose a feat for which you qualify from among these feat trees: Cavalry Tree, Defender Tree, Dual-Wielder Tree, Equestrian Tree, Hardass Tree, or Shooter Tree.
Tame Companions
A tame companion's abilities are determined by your character level, its hit dice, and the general rules for companions. Your companion is a creature of the animal type for all purposes. Each tame companion has different starting sizes, speed, attacks, ability scores, and special qualities. All animal attacks are made using the creature's full base attack bonus unless an attack is noted as a secondary attack. Animal attacks add the animal's Strength modifier to the damage roll, unless it is its only attack, in which case it adds 1-1/2 times its Strength modifier. Some have special abilities, such as scent. See Special Abilities and Universal Monster Rules for more information on these abilities. As you gain levels, your companion improves as well.
You may want to make a character sheet for your companion. Use the basic statistics for a creature of the companion's species listed below. Your companion gains a hit die each time you level, per the the general rules for companions.
For so long as your companion has an Intelligence less than three, you need to control it with the Handle Animals skill. Your companion gains bonus tricks for free equal in number to your even (column B) Wisdom modifier. If the companion's Int rises to 3 or higher, it no longer needs tricks, and can simply act as can any NPC.
Choose from the following options for your tame companion:
In addition to the capabilities above, when your tame companion gains an even hit die, select one of the Class Special abilities listed below or one in the Companion rules. If the name of these abilities include a roman numeral, it indicates that the prior ones in the series are required before an advanced one can be taken.