D&D 5E what version of the Ranger do you use?

[jgsugden]

PHB ranger works. I played a Ranger that went to 5, then switched to Lore Bard. As an archer, the DM considered him to be overpowered throughout his existence.

As a DM, I allow any version the player wants to play. It is all fine.

 

[pukunui]

I am currently DMing two games and playing in a third.

In one of my games, I’ve been keeping house rules to a minimum. That game has a straight PHB hunter ranger in it.

In my other game, I’m willing to experiment a bit more. I’ve currently got someone playing a PHB hunter ranger with two modifications: he’s using the Favored/Greater Favored Enemy features from the revised ranger, and Natural Explorer applies to all terrains (however, instead of allowing the pseudo-Expertise on all Int and Wis skills to be on all the time, I made it so he got Expertise in two ranger class skills).

In the game I’m playing in, one of the other players has a revised ranger PC.

 

[Seramus]

Biggest problem with Beastmaster is that... you can just buy trained animals.

Pros:
Don't have to spend as many actions.
Can have more than one.
Not restricted to CR 1/4.
All the benefits of being another archetype.

Cons:
You have to make Handle Animal checks.
They don't get your Proficiency to AC, Attack Rolls, Damage Rolls, or saving throws.
No sharing spells at Level 15.

 

[Charlaquin]

I DMed for an Alternative Ranger once (using the Revised Ranger’s version of Primeval Awareness so it would actually work), and to date it’s my favorite version. Shame it only goes up to 5th level. As for which one I actually use, usually the PHB version.

 

[Azzy]

The capstone ability is particularly lackluster, granting a fairly small bonus in a fairly small sub-set of circumstances. It's certainly nothing like the fighter or barbarian, or even the paladin.

Considering I've yet to DM/play a campaign to 20th level, capstones have yet to figure into the equation of if a class is good or bad for my group.

 

[Horwath]

UA ranger.

 

[Yunru]

I smashed the two together.
The PHB Ranger is lackluster.
The UA Ranger is overpowered, even in areas that weren't formerly lackluster.
Together they work out alright.

 

[Yunru]

Biggest problem with Beastmaster is that... you can just buy trained animals.

Pros:
Don't have to spend as many actions.
Can have more than one.
Not restricted to CR 1/4.
All the benefits of being another archetype.

Cons:
You have to make Handle Animal checks.
They don't get your Proficiency to AC, Attack Rolls, Damage Rolls, or saving throws.
No sharing spells at Level 15.

You missed a pro: Can be larger than medium.

 

[Enevhar Aldarion]

Just the PHB Ranger because the UA Ranger was never finished/polished. And without the final version, it never got balanced it to work with multi-classing, so it is a no-go in groups with a lot of players who like to multi-class.

 

[ccs]

PHB ranger + Xanathars.

If you want to play a Beastmaster you get a choice between PHB or UA. If you choose PHB & decide your unhappy then the animal defaults to under your control, acting on its own, & not using up any of your actions.