Now that Rangers have died down...

[Elladar]

The Ranger

The ongoing question is: What is a ranger? Throughout the editions, it has overlapped with other classes, been a warrior, a rogue, a druid, a barbarian and even a little bit of wizard. It has had favored enemies, favored terrain, animal companions, and multiple weapon styles. It has been a strong spellcaster, a weak spellcaster, and a non-spellcaster. So where does this all lead?

With survey about the newest UA ranger out, it made me decide to pull this back out. I posted it on the wizards site, but then the shutdown began. These were my thoughts. Please give me any feedback.

I posit that the ranger needs to be first examined without mechanics to determine what the point is. There seem to be three themes that come up repeatedly that resonate with many players as to why they find the class compelling, whether it is mechanically the best or the worst (and it has been both, many times).

Broadly, these are: a connection to nature, flexibility, and survival.

Nature’s Warrior: First and foremost, the ranger has a strong connection to nature. Whether they are paragon guardians of the forest or cullers of the herd, exploiters of the wild or guardians of civilization, rangers have long understood the natural world in a way few others can. More than a druid (who is nature’s caretaker), the ranger is nature’s warrior, be it through cooperation or exploitation. (Many of us older players are stuck on the Aragorn-all-rangers-must-be-good vibe, possibly even more than the lawful-stupid paladin archetype. It is a beautiful thing to recognize that rangers of Malar can exist, as well as cannibalistic Halfling rangers).

Flexibility: Back in the dawn of time, it was very difficult for characters to have abilities from a number of sources, and rangers called to those of us who wanted to cover a range of situations. In many ways, that was the ranger’s true defining niche—a niche that has disappeared over the editions as more flexibility entered the game as a whole. What this means, is that we need to come up with different ways for rangers to be flexible. This may make it a more complex class than some of the others, with trickier resource management, but it is probably ok to have one warrior that is more challenging. (Arguably the paladin is on par for resource management, but really they are more focused on nova damage than flexibility, so it is a distant comparison).

Survivor: Whether in the wilderness or combat, the ranger is tough. They may be able to take more punishment, or they may be able to avoid it (through stealth, trickery, or avoidance). Endurance of the elements and control of the situation and conditions around them are the hallmarks of a good survivalist. Countless times the ranger is the last one standing at a near-TPK, or better yet the one who circumvents the potential TPK in the first place.

DESIGNER’S NOTE ON THE BUILD: The build is inspired by the UA rangers, the rangers (and other classes, kits, prestige classes and paragon paths) from each edition, and many of the thoughts and ideas brought up in discussion on these boards.
There is not a spell-less variant (though the warden could happily go his whole career without using a spell slot for spells). If you want a wilderness warrior who doesn’t cast spells but has maneuvers, make a dex-based outlander rogue/fighter or any number of other possible “rangers.”
Mechanically, a few things define this class. The unique one is the expenditure of hit dice for more options than simply healing. Rangers use their internal fortitude and ability to “cowboy up” is ways that traditional fighters and rogues simply cannot. It may bring up (and hopefully eliminate) the “hit points are meat” debate.
Similarly, rangers use concentration for many effects other than spells, a result of their intense focus.
The other unifying mechanic (often connected to the first) is flexibility. The base chassis is able to alter features with time and effort, and each of the archetypes has options to react on the fly to new situations. Mostly, they are tactically fluid with ways to alter the landscape of a battle (whether literally or metaphorically).
Depending on feedback, I will repost this without designer’s notes and such, as well as with more fluff description (rather than the quasi-historical analysis of the class).
In all honesty, I would be tempted to call this class The Woodsman, or The Wanderer, or possibly The Explorer, and have the first archetype be called The Ranger, but sacred cows and all. Without further ado, the class:

The Ranger
Class Features
As a ranger, you gain the following class features.

Hit Points
Hit Dice: 2d6 per ranger level
Hit Points at 1st Level: 12 + your Constitution modifier
Hit Points at Higher Levels: 2d6 (or 7) + your Constitution modifier per ranger level after 1st

Proficiencies
Armor: Light armor, shields
Weapons: Simple weapons, martial weapons
Tools: Herbalism kit
Saving Throws: Strength and Dexterity OR Wisdom OR Constitution (see below)
Skills: Proficient in Survival, plus choose three from, Animal Handling, Athletics, Insight, Investigation, Nature, Perception, Stealth.

Equipment
You start with the following equipment, in addition to the equipment granted by your background.
• Leather armor
• (a) two martial melee weapons or (b) a martial weapon and a shield
• (a) a dungeoneer’s pack or (b) an explorer’s pack
• (a) a longbow and a quiver of 20 arrows or (b) a martial weapon

The Ranger

Level	Class Feature
1	Primeval Archetype, Natural Explorer
2	Fighting Style, Spellcasting
3	Primeval Archetype Ability, Primeval Awareness
4	Ability Score Increase, Survivalist
5	Hunter’s Quarry
6	Primeval Archetype Ability
7	Poultices
8	Ability Score Increase, Land’s Stride
9	Primeval Archetype Ability
10	Hide in Plain Sight
11	Natural Antivenin
12	Ability Score Increase
13	Primeval Archetype Ability
14	Rugged
15	Primeval Archetype Ability
16	Ability Score Increase
17
18	Feral Senses
19	Ability Score Increase
20	Primeval Archetype Ability

Expending Hit Dice: The ranger’s toughness often allows him or her to adapt more quickly or survive hardships better than other characters. When a feature references expending hit dice, it is on a one for one basis (thus a single-classed ranger will have double the hit dice of other classes). Unless otherwise noted, using the hit die is part of the action that triggered it. The expended hit die does not recover any hit points unless otherwise noted.

Primeval Archetype: (Level 1) Choose the Stalker, Shaman or Warden Primeval Archetype. You gain your second saving throw based on this choice (this feature cannot grant a third saving throw proficiency).

Natural Explorer: (Level 1) As the class feature in the Player’s Handbook with the following exception. Rangers can quickly adapt to new situations by quickly reconnoitering the surroundings, testing the local conditions, and relating it all to the interconnectedness of the natural order. At the end of a short or long rest, you may expend a hit die to switch terrain types. You choose a native terrain from the list provided. You may always revert to your native terrain without spending a hit die (though you still need a rest).

DESIGNER’S NOTE: This ability to change terrain will allow a ranger to feel more like a wanderer of the world than someone who should best stay in their homeland where they have a stronger advantage.


Fighting Style: (Level 2) As the class feature in the Player’s Handbook with the following exception. With time and understanding of their environment, rangers are able to adapt to their surroundings. Perhaps in studying the rocky badlands around you, you recognize that the lines of sight are too short for archery, and that defense will be more useful. You practice with the terrain and push your body to adapt to different conditions. After a long rest, the ranger may expend a hit die to change fighting style.

DESIGNER’S NOTE: This does not add power, as they still cannot have more than one at once through this feature. Instead, it allows flexibility. More often than not, a player will have a preferred style anyway (possibly linked to preferred magic weapons), but this gives the chance to prepare as a good survivalist does.

Spellcasting: (Level 2) As the class feature in the Player’s Handbook with the following exceptions. All rangers know the druidcraft cantrip. Additionally, they may prepare spells in the same way as the paladin, but with wisdom as the casting stat.

DESIGNER’S NOTE: This encourages higher wisdom scores, especially for the spirit shaman, who already favors wisdom, and should feel more like a spellcaster than the others (while the warden is less likely to have spell versatility). The druidcraft just feels like the almost mundane activities of a ranger (weather prediction, altering the area, perhaps to make a camp more comfortable, etc.). It might be better to make a woodcraft cantrip of some sort that involves hiding trails, masking scents and concealing the smoke from fires, but this seemed easier.

Primeval Awareness: (Level 3) You increase your connection to the land around you. You can spend an action to expend one ranger spell slot. Until your next long rest (or until you use this feature again), you gain an awareness of the landscape, extending for one mile per level of the spell slot expended. In your favored terrain, this range increases by two miles. You cannot be surprised in an area of awareness.
Additionally, you can focus on the subtle signs in an area for one minute at any time during the duration. This allows you to determine the presence of (and differentiate between) the following types of creatures in the area of awareness: aberrations, celestials, dragons, elementals, fey, fiends and undead. You can determine general direction relative to you (north, south, east or west).
Each archetype provides an additional benefit in the area of awareness.

DESIGNER’S NOTE: Not only does the increased level of knowledge gained by this feature encourage its use, it also fits the theme of a ranger being aware of and prepared for danger. With each archetype gaining additional benefits, it will also influence play style, as it adds elements of the ambuscade feature of the UA ranger.

Survivalist: (Level 4) You gain expertise (per the rogue ability) in the Survival skill.

DESIGNER’S NOTE: I’m not even positive when this would help, but in those situations, the ranger should be the best.

Ability Score Increase: (Level 4, 8, 12, 16 and 19) As described in the Player’s Handbook

Hunter’s Quarry: (Level 5) As a bonus action select a creature you can see within 90 feet. As long as you maintain concentration, that creature is your quarry (even if they leave the initial range). You deal an extra 2d6 damage to the target (3d6 at 9^th level, 4d6 at 13^th level and 5d6 at 17^th level) whenever you hit it with a weapon attack. You also gain advantage on Wisdom (Perception) and Wisdom (Survival) checks to locate your quarry.

DESIGNER’S NOTE: This is an easier to achieve, more specific, half-powered version of what the rogue gets (sneak attack), at the expense of two resources (bonus action and concentration), both of which are useful to the ranger in other ways (see the archetypes). This gives them a damage boost that is more flavorful than an extra attack, but not so strong to make them a true striker (as they are really more of a versatile survivor).
It also replaces favored enemy. It has always seemed odd mechanically to focus on killing one type of creature over others (and has always been somewhat tough to make useful as a DM). It seems more like a background issue than a class feature. Much like favored terrain, it is strange to make the versatile, flexible character focus on a single type of opponent.

Poultices: (Level 7) As described in Unearthed Arcana, though they can be used on any creature type (with the possible exception of undead and constructs, at the DMs discretion).

Land’s Stride: (Level 8) As described in the Player’s Handbook

Hide in Plain Sight: (Level 10) As Vanish in the Player’s Handbook

DESIGNER’S NOTE: The name is a recent tradition, and fits the description of Vanish better.

Natural Antivenin: (Level 11) As described in Unearthed Arcana

Rugged: (Level 14) At the end of a short rest, you regain a hit die.

Feral Senses: (Level 18) As described in the Player’s Handbook

 

[Elladar]

Stalker:
Known for skilled and patient hunting, stalkers have learned how to turn nature to their advantage. With knowledge of terrain and an understanding of the connections in the natural world, they are able to take down deadly prey with little help, save from their well-trained animal companion. Cunning is a key element of the stalker. A connection to nature is all well and good, but it should be understood and mastered as well.

Level 1:
Elusive: You gain proficiency in Dexterity Saving Throws.
Trainer: You gain proficiency in Animal Handling

Level 3:
Stalker’s Awareness: In an area of primeval awareness, you gain the following additional benefit. When sensing creatures, you can determine their strength relative to you (much stronger, near equal, or much weaker). The DM determines this based on the expected encounter difficulty.
Additionally, when you roll initiative in an area of awareness, you gain a special turn before anyone else acts. On this turn you can use the Hide or Dash actions only.
Hunting Companion: You have a creature that you have trained to hunt with you. You can describe it any way you like (an animal, a plant, a fictional creature etc.), but its statistics and game mechanics remain the same regardless. See the Hunting Companion section below for details.
Bolster: Ranger Level 3. You may spend hit dice to heal your hunting companion during a short rest (healing the same amount you would heal yourself).
You may also expend 3 hit dice as an action to revivify an adjacent hunting companion who has been reduced to 0 hit points in the last minute. The companion returns to consciousness with 1 hit point.
Adaptation: You may add one of the Creature Characteristics listed in the Hunting Companion section to your companion. Once chosen, the characteristic is permanent so long as you keep that companion.

Level 6:
Crafty You can add your intelligence modifier to Stealth checks in addition to dexterity. Special training and coordination also allows your hunting companion to follow your silent directions while sneaking. It too adds your intelligence modifier to its Stealth checks.
Fast Movement: Add 5 feet to your speed, as well as to your hunting companion’s.
Additional Adaptation: You may select a second characteristic for your hunting companion.

Level 9:
Evasion: As described in the Player’s Handbook
Teamwork: The companion gains a superior tactical option. You have taught your companion to fight beneficially in tandem with humanoids. As such, it gains a tactical maneuver (see statistics below). This ability is usable once per short rest. You can spend a hit die to force your companion to perform this option an additional time.
Maneuverability: Your companion gains improved maneuverability. A land animal gains a swim speed equal to ½ its movement (or an aquatic creature gains a land speed equal to ½ its movement). An air animal gains the hover ability.
Additional Adaptation: You may select a third characteristic for your hunting companion.

Level 13:
Improved Fast Movement: Add 5 more to your speed (for a total of 10), as well as to your hunting companion’s.
Lightning Reactions: You add your intelligence modifier to your initiative in addition to your dexterity.
Bestial Fury: As described in the Player’s Handbook.
Additional Adaptation: You may select a fourth characteristic for your hunting companion.

Level 15:
Share Spells: As described in the Player’s Handbook.
Skirmisher’s Stealth: You combine speed and stealth in combat to make yourself hard to pin down. You are difficult to detect even if you attack or otherwise take actions that would normally reveal your presence. At the start of your turn, pick a creature you are hidden from. You remain hidden from that creature during your turn, regardless of your actions or the actions of other creatures. As a bonus action at the end of your turn, you can make a Dexterity (Stealth) check to hide again if you fulfill the conditions needed to hide. Otherwise, creatures are aware of you at the end of your turn. Your hunting companion gains this benefit as well.
Ambuscade: During your special turn when initiative is rolled, you may take the Attack action.
Additional Adaptation: You may select a fifth characteristic for your hunting companion.

Level 20:
Companion Mastery: You no longer need to concentrate to command your hunting companion. Additionally, it can perform its teamwork benefit any number of times without spending a hit die, as long as you are adjacent to it or its target.
Additional Adaptation: You may select a sixth characteristic for your hunting companion.


Hunting Companion
You have a natural companion who hunts with you. If you ever lose your companion (whether through its death or departure), you may choose to spend a day exploring the nearby wilderness for a new companion. Alternately, you can expend a hit die after a short rest spent in vigorous searching. You may choose a new companion at this time (and it should fit thematically with the terrain it is drawn from).
You choose either a land or air creature as your hunting companion. Regardless of the species chosen, the statistics remain the same (see below), as modified by your intensive training.
Through concentrated practice and training, your companion has learned to hunt in tandem with you. Each round, on your initiative, your companion can make a move action as directed by you (no action on your part).
As a bonus action, you can focus your concentration on your companion, issuing it new orders every round. So long as you maintain concentration (without further need to use a bonus action), you can give it one command per round. These commands include the Attack, Dash, Disengage, Dodge and Hide actions. In suitable circumstances the DM may also allow the Interact with an Object action (as long as the physiology is appropriate).
If you do not maintain concentration, your companion will Dash towards you or to a safe place away from (and not toward) enemies at your direction.
If you are not maintaining concentration on your companion, you can spend a hit die to give it a command through sheer determination.
Any saving throws or checks are vs DC 8+your proficiency bonus+ your intelligence modifier.

Land Animal: (alternately, in an aquatic campaign this could be a swimming animal with a swim speed instead of a land speed, and the water breathing trait).
The stats remain the same regardless of the creature. It could be a wolf, a pony, a bear, a hunting hound, a panther, a giant spider, a giant snake, a clawfoot dinosaur, a platypus bear, a living stone, an awakened plant, or a Frumious Bandersnatch. (Or a shark, giant sea horse, aquatic snake, sea turtle, sea lion, etc.)

Size: medium
Move 40’
AC 12+your proficiency bonus
HP: ½ your total
Attack: +2+your proficiency bonus, 1d8+2+your proficiency bonus damage

Str 14 Dex 14 Con 10 Int 3 Wis 14 Cha 7

Saves: Choose one. Add your proficiency bonus.
Skills: Athletics: 2+your proficiency bonus
Perception: 2+your proficiency bonus (advantage on hearing or smell)
Stealth: 2+your proficiency bonus (but see Crafty)
Survival: 2+your proficiency bonus

Teamwork Benefit: Knock Down. Whether a trip, a pounce, a swipe or a sweep, on one successful attack the target must make a Strength save or fall prone.

Air Animal: The stats remain the same regardless of the animal. It could be an eagle, a hawk, a pterosaur, a winged snake, a giant dragonfly, a fruit bat etc.
Size: small
Move: 5’, fly 60’
AC 12+your proficiency bonus
HP: ½ your total
Attack: +2+your proficiency bonus, 1d6+2+your proficiency bonus damage

Str 14 Dex 14 Con 10 Int 3 Wis 14 Cha 7

Saves: Choose one. Add your proficiency bonus.
Skills: Perception: 2+your proficiency bonus (advantage on sight)
Stealth: 2+your proficiency bonus (but see Crafty)
Survival: 2+your proficiency bonus

Teamwork Benefit: Distract. With carefully timed tactics, your companion distracts the target. On a successful attack, the target must make a constitution save or be blinded until the companion’s next turn. This ability resets on a short rest.

Creature Characteristics:

Amphibious: As described in the Monster Manual.
Beast of Burden: The creature is considered one size category larger for determining carrying capacity.
Bigger: Your land (or aquatic) companion can be size large, and your air companion can be size medium. You must be at least 9th level to select this characteristic.
Blindsight: As described in the Monster Manual. You must be at least 15th level to choose this characteristic.
Blood Frenzy: As described in the Monster Manual. You must be at least 13th level to select this characteristic.
Climb: The creature gains a climb speed equal to ½ its land speed. You must be at least 6th level to choose this characteristic.
Darkvision: As described in the Player’s Handbook, 60’ range.
Extraordinary: One of your companion’s ability scores increases by 2 (your choice). You may select this feature more than once, but no ability can be increased more than two times (for a total of +4).
False Appearance: If the creature remains motionless, it is indistinguishable from a specific natural object (a shrub, a stone, the bark of a tree, etc.)
Flyby: As described in the Monster Manual. You must be at least 13th level to choose this characteristic.
Illumination: As described in the Monster Manual (under giant fire beetle). This effect can be initiated or suppressed as an action.
Mimicry: The companion can imitate sounds you have taught it. A creature can determine the sounds are false with an insight check.
Pack Tactics: As described in the Monster Manual. You must be at least 9th level to choose this characteristic.
Poison: The creature’s attacks do an extra 1d8 poison damage. On a successful Constitution save the damage is negated. You must be at least 9th level to choose this characteristic.
Relentless: As described in the Monster Manual.

 

[Elladar]

Shaman
From a young age, the shaman has seen the spirits, giving them a voice in the material world. They in turn taught her how to call upon them to lead others and protect herself in a harsh and unforgiving environment.

Level 1:
Willful: You gain proficiency in Wisdom Saving Throws.
Bonded: You gain proficiency in the Medicine skill.

Level 3:
Natural Recovery: As the druid feature described in the Player’s Handbook.
Spirit Calling: Your natural connection to the spirits allows you to manipulate the forces of nature around you. At third level (and again at 6th, 9th and 13th), you may add one of the following cantrips to your list: Control Flames, Gust, Mold Earth, Shape Water.
Additionally, you gain the Ritual Caster ability (as the druid).
Shaman’s Awareness: In an area of primeval awareness, you gain the following additional benefit. When you sense the presence of creatures, you also determine their relative numbers: single, several (2-4), many (5-10), or overwhelming (more than 10).
Additionally, when you roll initiative in an area of awareness, you gain a special turn before anyone else acts. On this turn you can use the action only to cast a Spirit Calling cantrip or perform the Dash action.
Spirit Guide: Your connection to the natural order allows you to summon a spirit to aid you. It could be shaped as a bear, a panther, a troodon, a llama or any other medium creature you can imagine. It may be a primordial stalking spirit embodying the most vicious aspects of nature, or it may be a verdant lord of ages past. You may choose the form anew each time you use the feature, or keep the same spirit every time. You gain the Spirit Guide feature described below.
Spirit Boon: You may call on your spirit guide to aid yourself and your allies. Select a Spirit Boon from the list below. As a bonus action, choose one ally adjacent to the spirit guide (including yourself); this person receives the special boon effective immediately.
You regain the ability to call on your spirit guide in this way after a short or long rest. Additionally, you may spend a hit die to manifest a spirit boon an additional time.

Level 6:
Channel Spirits: You call on the spirits to guide your hands as an action. For the next 10 minutes you have proficiency with one chosen skill or tool. When you finish a short or long rest, you may use this power again. Additionally, you may spend a hit die to force a connection with the spirits, gaining an extra use of this power.
Spirit Link: As long as you can see your spirit guide, you can treat it as the origination point of a spell. You still need line of sight to the target, if required.
Additional Spirit Boon: You may choose an additional spirit boon. You may still only use one per rest.

Level 9:
Improved Channel Spirits: You may channel the spirits as an action to grant you expertise in a skill or tool with which you already have proficiency. For the next 10 minutes, you may double your proficiency bonus with the chosen skill or tool. When you finish a short or long rest, you may use this power again. Additionally, you may spend a hit die to force a connection with the spirits, gaining an extra use of this power.
Additional Spirit Boon: You may choose an additional spirit boon. You may still only use one per rest.

Level 13:
Improved Intensify Spirit Guide: You may intensify your spirit guide once per short rest without spending hit dice.
Improved Spirit Link: So long as your guardian spirit has line of sight to the target of a spell, you are considered to have line of sight. Similarly, you can spend an action to see through your spirit guide’s eyes.
Additional Spirit Boon: You may choose an additional spirit boon. You may still only use one per rest.

Level 15:
Improved Spirit Boon: You may use your Spirit Boon ability twice between rests.
Additional Spirit Boon: You may choose an additional spirit boon.


Level 20:
Greater Spirit Boon: Your spirit boon can affect two adjacent targets per use.
Fully Manifested: You may use Intensify Spirit at will. Additionally, when a spirit guide is destroyed in any form, you no longer lose a hit die.

Spirit Guide
As a bonus action, you can conjure the spirit guide into a space within 50’ of you. It remains as long as you maintain concentration. As a bonus action, you can move the spirit guide up to 30’ so long as it remains within line of sight. This movement never triggers opportunity attacks.
Allies can pass through the spirit, but enemies cannot. Additionally, the terrain within 5’ of your guide is difficult terrain for your enemies, but not your allies.
If any attack from an adjacent enemy is made at the spirit guide, it automatically hits but does no permanent damage. Instead, roll damage normally (with no chance of a critical). If a single attack does damage greater than your ranger level, the spirit disappears and you lose a hit die. If not, the attack passes harmlessly through the spirit. All other attacks and effects pass harmlessly through the spirit.

Disrupt Spirit: If an enemy provokes an opportunity attack from your spirit, you can choose to channel your life force through the spirit as a reaction. If you choose to do so, you lose a hit die, and the enemy must make a wisdom save (DC of your spellcasting modifier) or take 1d8+your wisdom modifier+ your proficiency bonus damage.

Intensify Spirit Guide: Once per long rest, you may intensify the physical manifestation of your spirit guide. This a bonus action and lasts for 1 minute. During this time your spirit guide becomes fully corporeal. When manifested, the spirit has the statistics of a brown bear with a bonus to attack rolls and saving throws equal to your wisdom modifier (though it can still appear however you choose). It has 34 hit points or half your maximum, whichever is higher.
When the spirit’s presence is intensified, it attacks as a normal creature under your full command on your initiative, so long as you spend a bonus action directing it each round (normal actions, normal defenses, normal opportunity attacks etc.). You do not lose a hit die when a manifested spirit is destroyed, nor when it makes a (standard) opportunity attack.
If your concentration is lost while you are maintaining a manifested spirit guide, you may spend a hit die as a reaction to maintain concentration.
Similarly, you may spend a hit die to keep your spirit guide manifested for an additional minute when the duration expires.

Spirit Boons
Chieftain’s Call: The target can immediately use a reaction to make a single melee attack.
Guardian’s Shroud: The target gains temporary hit points equal to 2d6+your wisdom modifier.
Seeker’s Eye: The target’s next attack within 1 round has advantage.
Stalker’s Fangs: The target’s next attack within 1 round does additional slashing damage equal to 1d6+your wisdom modifier.
Watcher’s Mantle: For the next minute, the target has resistance to lightning, cold and fire damage.
Weaver’s Wisdom: For the next minute, the target’s weapons are considered magical.

 

[Elladar]

Warden:
Guardians of the wild, wardens are able to call upon their connection to nature to alter the landscape and defend themselves. Hardiness is the hallmark of the warden

Level 1:
Solid: You gain proficiency in Constitution Saving Throws.
Adroit: You gain proficiency in the Athletics skill

Level 3:
Warden’s Awareness: In an area of primeval awareness, you gain the following additional benefit. When you sense the presence of creatures, you also determine their relative distance: immediate (within a quarter of the radius), close (within half the radius), or distant (beyond half the radius).
Additionally, when you roll initiative in an area of awareness, you gain a special turn before anyone else acts. On this turn you can use the Dash or Dodge actions only.

Combat Training: You gain proficiency in Medium armor. Additionally, you may add Great Weapon Fighting to your list of fighting styles.

Strength of Stone: You may choose to use your constitution bonus instead of your dexterity bonus for armor class, so long as you are wearing medium or lighter armor. The maximum dexterity modifier remains in effect (and applies to constitution as well).
Additionally, as a bonus action, you can spend a hit die to gain temporary hit points (1d6+con modifier).

Altered Terrain: You are able to expend spell slots to produce terrain-altering effects. Chose one of the terrain types listed in the altered terrain section.

Level 6:
New Altered Terrain: You may select a second altered terrain type.
Sentinel Form: Select one of the Sentinel Forms
Uncanny Dodge: As described in the Player’s Handbook.

Level 9:
New Altered Terrain: You may select a third altered terrain type.
Sentinel Form: Select a second of the Sentinel Forms

Level 13:
New Altered Terrain: You may select a fourth altered terrain type.
Sentinel Form: Select a third of the Sentinel Forms

Level 15:
Terrain Mastery: Your allies may ignore the effects of your altered terrain (if you choose). Additionally, by spending a hit die, you may manifest and concentrate on two different altered terrains at the same time (though you still need to expend the spell slots normally).
New Altered Terrain: You may select a fifth altered terrain type.
Sentinel Form: Select a fourth of the Sentinel Forms


Level 20:
One With the Earth: You may manifest two altered terrains simultaneously without spending a hit die, and for the cost of just one spell slot.
Form of the Verdant Lord: You may use any of your Sentinel Forms without spending a hit die (though they are still reactions).

Altered Terrain
Your bond with nature’s strength manifests as an ability to manipulate the terrain around you as you fight.
As a bonus action, you expend a ranger spell slot to create an area of altered terrain. The altered terrain extends outward from you in all directions to a distance of five feet per level of the spell expended. The area moves with you, and you are unaffected. Any other creature is affected if it is within the radius (enemies and allies alike).
If your movement would remove a creature from the area of altered terrain, the effects on it end immediately. Likewise, if your movement places a creature within the area of altered terrain, it is immediately affected.
In addition to any other effects, the area becomes difficult terrain. Any save DCs are equal to 8+your proficiency bonus + your constitution modifier. The effects last as long as you concentrate, up to one round per ranger level, or until you manifest a new area of altered terrain.

Terrain Types:

Grasping Roots: You can create an area of writhing plant life around yourself. Any creature in the area is restrained unless it makes a strength saving throw. If it succeeds, it is free to move, though the area remains difficult terrain. If it is restrained, the creature can make a strength check as an action to try to free itself.
Poisoned Bog: You can create a poisonous bog. Any creature in the area must make a constitution saving throw each round or be poisoned.
Shattered Earth: You can create an area of shattered earth around yourself. Any creature in the area takes 2d4 points of damage for every 5 feet it moves.
Sirocco: You can create an area of swirling, stinging sand. The area is lightly obscured, and ranged attacks that pass through the area are at disadvantage. When it enters the area and at the start of its turn, a creature takes 5 slashing damage.
Winter’s Grip: You can create an area of icy terrain. When it enters the area and at the start of its turn, a creature takes 5 cold damage. Additionally, it must make a Dexterity saving throw or fall prone.



Sentinel Forms
Each of the forms can be activated by spending a hit die as a reaction to a particular type of attack. The benefit lasts for the triggering attack only.

Form of the Hemlock Sentinel: You gain resistance to the next necrotic attack.
Form of the Oak Sentinel: You may negate any forced movement (such as from a grapple or a spell) and instead remain rooted where you are.
Form of the Pine Sentinel: You may not be knocked prone.
Form of the Rowan Sentinel: You gain resistance to the next elemental attack (fire, cold, lightning).
Form of the Willow Sentinel: You may ignore the maximum dexterity quality of your medium or lighter armor.

 

[Xeviat]

I personally feel the ranger is fine as they are, they are just burdened by legacy "choice" mechanics in their favored enemy and favored terrain features. Also, lacking a smite-like ability, it's easy to forget how much of their damage is hidden away in their spells.

I also like spell casting Rangers. They've had spells since the beginning. I think a spell less ranger should be made the same as a spell less paladin or spell less bard: with fighter or rogue or both. My suggestions are small:

1) Move combat style to 1st level. This allows them to keep up with the fighter offensively (I did this to the paladin too). Lacking lay on hands or second wind, they fall behind defensively, but ...
2) Change Natural Explorer to not require favored terrain choice. Instead, they acclimate to the terrain they're in during a long rest. At level 6, this becomes a short rest, and at level 14 this becomes automatic. So, while the ranger lags defensively, they excel in exploration. (Comparable to rogues and expertise).
3) Move favored enemy to level 2. Remove enemy choices. Remove Hunter's Mark spell. Merge hunter's mark into favored enemy, combining features except languages. Uses spell slots and concentration as before. Eventually lets a higher slot be used to mark an unseen but detected target, like a pair of tracks.
4) Move Nature's Step to 6th level so it isn't blank.
5) Change Hide in Plain Sight to it's 3rd edition version, allowing hide under direct observation.
6) Make that level three spell slot to detect enemies thing into a spell.

Additionally, I'm revising beast masters, but that's a separate issue. I think the ranger has a good role and story, it just gets bogged down by it's mechanics. I do understand not liking it's spells, but I think they're both important and the easiest way to fit in Rangery things like traps and healing and talking to animals. I think animal companion should be a general spell, like find familiar, though, just not a combative animal.

 

[Elladar]

Thanks for taking a look. I'm not sure I get what you are saying thoug. Is this in response to my post? A lot of this stuff is in my build...

 

[Xeviat]

It is, but you're going in a different direction from the base, I feel, especially by putting the shaman and warden into it. I do like your consolidated companions, though.