History Main / ForestRanger

No, we aren't talking about the [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Park_ranger kind fellow at the national park who wears the snazzy uniform]] (but there's more of a connection than you might think - see below).

The Forest Ranger may also be a NatureHero and have similar associating tropes, however, the Forest Ranger is not a hero and may be a member of a large group of forest dwellers, such as an elven city, or even be a guard to such a city.

Primarily meshes with ArcherArchetype, but Rangers wielding an axe or spear are also common. If they are more civilized, they might use BowAndSwordInAccord. Lesser known fact -- the word "ranger" does not mean "one who fights from range", but "one who watches over a range". Like modern-day Park Rangers. So they are not at all limited to ArcherArchetype. Not to be confused with ''bushranger'', a term for a 19th-century Australian outlaw.

* The Ranger class from ''VideoGame/{{Majesty}}''. Although their main function is as {{Bold Explorer}}s who dispel the FogOfWar, they also vastly prefer nature and wilderness to the city, have herblore enough to poison weapons or make healing potions from the plants your other heroes sow, and will team up with the highly anti-civilization Barbarians when they're present. Their guilds are mobile campsites, and once the whole place is explored they'll go off to more wild regions. They also wear green and fit the ArcherArchetype. (Although it's downplayed, as they're more ''preferers'' of untamed forest than active guardians of it.)

No, we aren't talking about the [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Park_ranger kind fellow at the national park who wears the snazzy uniform.]]

* According to their lores in ''VideoGame/Dota2'', both Traxex (Drow Ranger) and Lyralei (Windranger) are protectors/guardians of the forests. They're also very deadly with bows.

Supernatural variants, be they TheFairFolk, [[{{Treants}} tree-creatures]] or {{Nature Spirit}}s, may also be a GeniusLoci. Compare NatureHero, MountainMan and HunterArchetype. Contrast CityGuards.

Supernatural variants, be they TheFairFolk, [[{{Treants}} tree-creatures]] or {{Nature Spirit}}s, may also be a GeniusLoci. Compare NatureHero and MountainMan. Contrast CityGuards.

** In both the ''TabletopGame/Greyhawk'' and ''TabletopGame/ForgottenRealms'', the goddesses Ehlonna and Mielikki respectively are considered to be this, with the latter being known as the Supreme Ranger.

* ''Series/TheLordOfTheRingsTheRingsOfPower'' has the CanonForeigner Silvan Elves like Arondir, Revion and Medhor, who were stationed for 79 years in the Southlands to watch over the people and make sure they don't make same mistake as their ancestors. They all wear carved wooden body armor and are the most in touch with nature among their kin.

* ''Franchise/TheWitcher'''s short stories provide a dark {{Deconstruction}} to this trope. There are Rangers who fit the general description, being master bowmen and spending most of their time in the forests -- but they spend it hunting elves, dryads, rusalkas, and other non-humans, some in revenge of their kin who were murdered by the Scoia'tael terrorists, others simply for the reward or out of racist hatred.

* ''Webcomic/StandStillStaySilent'': In that PlagueZombie infested world in which RaisingTheSteaks applies to all non-feline mammals, army scouts have the duty of killing the Plague Zombies in forests surrounding human dwellings to help protect the non-infected animals and humans alike. Lalli is a night one by profession, taking the shifts during which the infected individuals are the most active.

* ''Series/TheLordOfTheRingsTheRingsOfPower'' has the CanonForeigner Silvan Elves like Arondir, Revion and Medhor, who were stationed for 79 years in the Southlands to watch over the people and make sure they don't make same mistake as their ancestors. Arondir is implied to had grow up in Beleriand, perhaps near the Mouths of Sirion.

Primarily meshes with ArcherArchetype, but Rangers wielding an axe or BladeOnAStick are also common. If they are more civilized, they might use BowAndSwordInAccord. Lesser known fact -- the word "ranger" does not mean "one who fights from range", but "one who watches over a range". Like modern-day Park Rangers. So they are not at all limited to ArcherArchetype. Not to be confused with ''bushranger'', a term for a 19th-century Australian outlaw.

* ''Film/{{Broken Arrow|1996}}'': TheChick who helps the hero along the way is a forest ranger. She carries a large survival knife and occasionally freaks out over the destruction of important natural features, to comedic effect.

* According to their lores in VideoGame/{{Dota 2}}, both Traxex (Drow Ranger) and Lyralei (Windranger) are protectors/guardians of the forests. They're also very deadly with bows.

* The SlasherMovie ''The Ranger'' has a literal forest ranger serving as a villainous example, seeing himself as protecting the national park from people who trash it and using a hunting rifle (the modern version of the bow and arrow) as his weapon of choice alongside bear traps and axes, in contrast to the group of punk rockers from the city who serve as the protagonists. [[spoiler:He also kidnaps the FinalGirl in the hopes of awakening her more "natural" side.]]

Primarily meshes with ArcherArchetype, but Rangers wielding an axe or BladeOnAStick are also common. If they are more civilized, they might use BowAndSwordInAccord. Lesser known fact - the word 'ranger' does not mean 'one who fights from range', but 'one who watches over a range.' Like modern-day Park Rangers. So they are not at all limited to ArcherArchetype. Not to be confused with ''bushranger'', a term for a 19th-century Australian outlaw.

* The SlasherMovie ''The Ranger'' has a literal forest ranger serving as a villainous example, seeing himself as protecting the national park from people who trash it and using a hunting rifle (the modern version of the bow and arrow) as his WeaponOfChoice alongside bear traps and axes, in contrast to the group of punk rockers from the city who serve as the protagonists. [[spoiler:He also kidnaps the FinalGirl in the hopes of awakening her more "natural" side.]]

Primarily meshes with ArcherArchetype, but Rangers with AnAxeToGrind or wielding a BladeOnAStick are also common. If they are more civilized, they might use BowAndSwordInAccord. Lesser known fact - the word 'ranger' does not mean 'one who fights from range', but 'one who watches over a range.' Like modern-day Park Rangers. So they are not at all limited to ArcherArchetype. Not to be confused with ''bushranger'', a term for a 19th-century Australian outlaw.

* ''VideoGame/{{Gyromancer}}'' has Laska Terrado, a royal ranger who is assigned to help the mage Rivel track down a group of rogue knights in a [[TheLostWoods large, magical forest]]. When [[spoiler: she's killed there, she's revived in short order]] by the spirit of the forest, which considers her at least a potential protector.

** The [[OurElvesAreDifferent Bosmer (Wood Elves)]] of [[TheLostWoods Valenwood]] basically have this trope as a cultural hat. They are masterful archers and are bound by the "Green Pact", an agreement they made with their patron deity long ago to never harm or allow harm to come to the forests of Valenwood.

** The [[CelestialParagonsAndArchangels empyreal lord]] Cernunnos casts himself as an embodiment and protector of the wild places of the worlds, and his worshippers tend to be rangers, druids and other protectors of nature.

Supernatural variants, be they TheFairFolk, [[{{Treants}} tree-creatures]] or {{Nature Spirit}}s, may also be a GeniusLoci. Compare NatureHero. Contrast CityGuards.

* ''VideoGame/{{Rift}}'' has the Ranger rogue soul and the Beastmaster warrior soul.

* In ''VideoGame/GuildWars2'' the Ranger is a class, focus on [[BeastMaster attacking alongside trained animals]], and with moves that include setting traps and [[NatureHero wilderness survival]].

* "I am [[Creator/DrSeuss the Lorax]], I speak for the trees..."

No, we aren't talking about the [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Park_ranger kind fellow at the national park who wears the snazzy uniform]].