asjwolverine
First Post
Thank you Iserith. So wisdom should be boosted?
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D&D 5E ranger getting caught all of time---What to do?
- Thread starter asjwolverine
- Start date
iserith
Magic Wordsmith
If it's always going to come down to a roll, anything that boosts the bonus to Stealth would be the way to go. Dexterity is the key ability score related to Stealth checks, so raising it up when you have the option is a good choice. Expertise (a class feature for rogues, bards) grants double proficiency bonus, but he'll need to multiclass to do this. Then magic items will help boost it further.
Z. H. Darkstar
Explorer
If you decide on multiclassing to gain Expertise, there are two ways to acquire it: Rogue 1 and Bard 3. I'll list some of the pros and come of each.
Rogue
Pros: Only takes 1 level to acquire Expertise. Gain +1d6 Sneak Attack and one skill proficiency. Going to Rogue 2 grants Cunning Action. Multiclass prerequisite ability score is Dex 13, which you already have. Going to Rogue 3 ups Sneak Attack to +2d6 and grants a subclass (Thief/Assassin/Mastermind are all good choices)
Cons: No spell slot progression unless taken to Rogue 3 for Arcane Trickster, and even then it's slower than your Ranger spell slot progression. Thieves Tools proficiency is wasted, as you already have two Rogues who can get advantage by using the Help action. Party Rogues may feel that you're stepping on toes.
Bard
Pros: Faster spell slot progression than Ranger. Gain access to useful cantrips like Message, Mage Hand, Prestidigitation, and Minor Illusion. Jack of All Trades boosts your nonproficient skills and initiative rolls. Bardic Inspiration and Song of Healing add a measure of support. Both Bard Colleges have useful 3rd level abilities (Cutting Words/Combat Inspiration). Lore Bard grants extra skill proficiencies on top of the one gained by going Bard.
Cons: Takes three levels to acquire Expertise. Multiclass prerequisite ability score is Cha 13. Bardic Inspiration uses and Bard spells use Cha. Valor Bard gained proficiencies are wasted. Musical instrument proficiency is mostly useless, as you're already using a component pouch for Ranger spells.
If you decide to multiclass, then I would go the Rogue route. In the instance that Ranger spells are not a key selling point to playing the class, this is the level progression that I would use.
Ranger 3/Rogue 1-2(depending on your value of Cunning Action)/Ranger 5(boost Dex at 4 and learn PWT at 5)/Rogue X (Thief is the best choice here)
You'll have 2 chances to land Sneak Attack via Extra Attack, have Expertise (preferably Stealth/Perception), be able to Use an Item via Cunning Action, gain advantage on Stealth when moving at half speed, and still have up to 5 ASI.
Rogue
Pros: Only takes 1 level to acquire Expertise. Gain +1d6 Sneak Attack and one skill proficiency. Going to Rogue 2 grants Cunning Action. Multiclass prerequisite ability score is Dex 13, which you already have. Going to Rogue 3 ups Sneak Attack to +2d6 and grants a subclass (Thief/Assassin/Mastermind are all good choices)
Cons: No spell slot progression unless taken to Rogue 3 for Arcane Trickster, and even then it's slower than your Ranger spell slot progression. Thieves Tools proficiency is wasted, as you already have two Rogues who can get advantage by using the Help action. Party Rogues may feel that you're stepping on toes.
Bard
Pros: Faster spell slot progression than Ranger. Gain access to useful cantrips like Message, Mage Hand, Prestidigitation, and Minor Illusion. Jack of All Trades boosts your nonproficient skills and initiative rolls. Bardic Inspiration and Song of Healing add a measure of support. Both Bard Colleges have useful 3rd level abilities (Cutting Words/Combat Inspiration). Lore Bard grants extra skill proficiencies on top of the one gained by going Bard.
Cons: Takes three levels to acquire Expertise. Multiclass prerequisite ability score is Cha 13. Bardic Inspiration uses and Bard spells use Cha. Valor Bard gained proficiencies are wasted. Musical instrument proficiency is mostly useless, as you're already using a component pouch for Ranger spells.
If you decide to multiclass, then I would go the Rogue route. In the instance that Ranger spells are not a key selling point to playing the class, this is the level progression that I would use.
Ranger 3/Rogue 1-2(depending on your value of Cunning Action)/Ranger 5(boost Dex at 4 and learn PWT at 5)/Rogue X (Thief is the best choice here)
You'll have 2 chances to land Sneak Attack via Extra Attack, have Expertise (preferably Stealth/Perception), be able to Use an Item via Cunning Action, gain advantage on Stealth when moving at half speed, and still have up to 5 ASI.
While there is some ambiguity; I think it's mostly due to how stealth is treated by 5e in general. I.e. there is a fair amount of dm fiat/house ruling expected.
I tend to rule as follows:
Not actively looking, but not distracted/engaged in a mentally demanding task (which wouldn't evolve situational awareness as part of the task): Passive Perception
Not actively looking, and distracted: No roll, no Passive Perception without some sort of in game prompt (or feat potentially)
Actively watchful/looking for a non-specific something: Perception roll, the rolled value replaces Passive until no longer actively watchful.
Actively looking for a specific, but undetected something: one time (action long) Perception roll; game situation may grant additional modifiers, dis/advantage, etc...
YMMV
leonardoraele
First Post
At 3rd level, he should have a Dexterity score of 16 (+3), and proficiency with the Stealth skill (+2). This is the best a ranger can achieve at this level. A rogue can have a maximum of +7, so they are better, but not that much.
However, consider that rogues have the Cunning Action feature, which let them hide as a bonus action on each of their turns, provided that they have cover or other environment feature to hide at. Rangers don't, they can only hide at the start of the combat, or take an entire turn to hide effectively.
I would suggest the same as BoldItalic did: talk to your DM and ask him what is he doing wrong. Ask him how stealth works and how he can use it better.
However, consider that rogues have the Cunning Action feature, which let them hide as a bonus action on each of their turns, provided that they have cover or other environment feature to hide at. Rangers don't, they can only hide at the start of the combat, or take an entire turn to hide effectively.
I would suggest the same as BoldItalic did: talk to your DM and ask him what is he doing wrong. Ask him how stealth works and how he can use it better.
Motorskills
Explorer
Even if both sides are playing it mechanically correctly, I would argue that the DM should always be aware of the 'game environment'.
If the DM is interrupting the flow of the game with wandering monsters, back them off a bit.
If the ranger player is not acting sufficiently tactically (but is playing politely etc), the DM can have a word with him aside, suggest ways that the ranger can excel more. And/or the DM should perhaps encourage a more experienced player to mentor the ranger properly.
The most important thing is FUN, everything else is secondary to that.
If the DM is interrupting the flow of the game with wandering monsters, back them off a bit.
If the ranger player is not acting sufficiently tactically (but is playing politely etc), the DM can have a word with him aside, suggest ways that the ranger can excel more. And/or the DM should perhaps encourage a more experienced player to mentor the ranger properly.
The most important thing is FUN, everything else is secondary to that.
asjwolverine
First Post
I agree and I have mentored him but now it's a talk with the DM. We are tired of the rogues being the toughest players. Even tougher than my fighter
Olaf the Stout
Hero
Honestly, I think a lot of this could be resolved by talking with the DM about the situation and asking him why the Ranger keeps getting spotted when, by your reckoning, the Ranger’s Stealth is decent enough to sneak up on most creatures not actively searching (i.e. using their passive Perception).
It may simply be a case of the DM and the player having a different idea about how the Stealth rules works.
This conversation with the DM may be made easier or more difficult, depending on your relationship with your brother. Hopefully it is a good one and it will be a simple misunderstanding or miscommunication that is quickly cleared up.
It may simply be a case of the DM and the player having a different idea about how the Stealth rules works.
This conversation with the DM may be made easier or more difficult, depending on your relationship with your brother. Hopefully it is a good one and it will be a simple misunderstanding or miscommunication that is quickly cleared up.
asjwolverine
First Post
Agreed but our issue is that the rogues never have an issue being spotted or heard.
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