Below I have posted my version of the Ranger class, as well as 4 subclasses: Beast Master, Hunter, Scout and Naturalist. I realize this isn't the first time someone has done this, but I wanted to give this a shot for our group. While the UA Revised Ranger is an improvement, it still left a bit lacking so I tried to address some of the shortcomings. It is a fairly long post, but I would appreciate any input people have on balance, power level or design.
A couple things to note on decisions I made:
I feel all rangers should get an animal companion, although not a powerful one and I think the approach I took addresses it nicely. The Beast Master gets a more powerful one that can be used in combat.
Hunter's Mark should have always been an ability, not a spell.
I moved the Ranger Conclave to level 2 instead of 3. The major reason for doing so is it allows better formatting for designing any spell-less rangers, such as the Naturalist that I included here. Otherwise they end up with spells at level 2, until hitting level 3 and suddenly losing them.
Spell casting was changed to a format similar to the Paladin's.
Favored Enemy moved to the Hunter Subclass makes more sense to me, and balances some of the improvements.
The Re-Revised Ranger:
Class Features
As a Ranger, you gain the following class features.
Hit Points
Hit Die: 1d10 per ranger level
Hit Points at 1st Level: 10 +your Constitution modifier
Hit Points at higher levels: 1d10 (or 6) + Your constitution modifier per ranger level after 1st.
Proficiencies
Armor: Light armor, medium armor, shields
Weapons: Simple weapons, martial weapons
Tools: None
Saving Throws: Strength, Dexterity
Skills: Choose three from Animal Handling, Acrobatics, Athletics, Insight, Investigation, Medicine, Nature, Perception, Stealth and Survival
Equipment
You start with the following equipment, in addition to the equipment granted by your background:
Favored Terrain
You are a master of the terrain you call home and gain benefits while you are in it. Beginning at level 1, choose one of the terrains listed below:
You also gain the following benefits while you are in your favored terrain:
Animal Companion
Also at level 1, you can cast the Find Familiar spell as a ritual and do not require any material components. Additionally, your familiar can take the form of any beast with a CR of ½ or less that doesn’t have Giant or Swarm in its name.
Additionally, you can choose to have your companion roll for initiative separately or act on your turn. Make this decision before rolling for initiative.
Hunter’s Mark
Beginning at 2nd level, as a bonus action during your turn, you choose one creature you can see to mark as your quarry. Whenever you hit the creature with a weapon attack, you deal an extra 1d4 damage. This damage increases to 1d6 at level 5, 1d8 at level 11 and 1d10 at level 17. If you lose sight of the creature, it is marked for a number of hours equal to your Ranger level.
Additionally, you have advantage on any Wisdom (Perception) or Wisdom (Survival) checks related to the target.
Ranger Conclave
At 2nd level, you choose to emulate the training and ideals of a ranger conclave: The Beastmaster Conclave, the Hunter Conclave, the Scout Conclave, or the Naturalist Conclave, all detailed at the end of the class description. Your choice grants you features at 2nd level and again at 5th, 7th, 11th and 15th level.
Cunning Action
Starting at 3rd level, your quick thinking and agility allow you to move and act quickly. You can take a bonus action on each of your turns in combat. This action can be used only to take the Dash, Disengage, or Hide action.
Fighting Style
At 3rd Level, you adopt a particular style of fighting as your specialty. Choose one of the following options. You can’t take a Fighting Style more than once, even if you later get to choose again.
Archery
You gain a +2 bonus to attack rolls you make with ranged weapons.
Defense
While you are wearing armor, you gain a +1 bonus to AC.
Dueling
When you are wielding a melee weapon in one hand and no other weapons, you gain a +2 bonus to damage rolls with that weapon.
Great Weapon Fighting
When you roll a 1 or 2 on a damage die for an attack you make with a melee weapon that you are wielding with two hands, you can reroll the die and must use the new roll. The weapon must have the two-handed or versatile property for you to gain this benefit.
Two-Weapon Fighting
When you engage in two-weapon fighting, you can add your ability modifier to the damage of the second attack.
Spellcasting
By the time they reach 2nd level, some rangers have learned to use the magical essence of nature to cast spells, much as a druid does. See chapter 10 for the general rules of spellcasting and chapter 11 for the ranger spell list.
Preparing and Casting Spells
The ranger spell table shows how many spell slots you have to cast your spells of 1st level and higher. To cast one of these spells, you must expend a slot of the spell’s level or higher. You regain all expended spell slots when you finish a long rest.
You prepare the list of ranger spells that are available for you to cast, choosing from the ranger spell list. When you do so, choose a number of ranger spells equal to your Wisdom modifier + half your ranger level, rounded down (minimum of one spell). The spells must be of a level for which you have spell slots.
For example, if you are a 5th-level ranger, you have four 1st-level and two 2nd-level spell slots. With a Wisdom of 14, your list of prepared spells can include four spells of 1st or 2nd level, in any combination. If you prepare the 1st-level spell animal friendship , you can cast it using a 1st-level or a 2nd-level slot. Casting the spell doesn’t remove it from your list of prepared spells.
You can change your list of prepared spells when you finish a long rest. Preparing a new list of ranger spells requires time spent in meditation: at least 1 minute per spell level for each spell on your list.
Spellcasting Ability
Wisdom is your spellcasting ability for your ranger spells, since your magic draws on your attunement to nature. You use your Wisdom whenever a spell refers to your spellcasting ability. In addition, you use your Wisdom modifier when setting the saving throw DC for a ranger spell you cast and when making an attack roll with one.
Spell save DC = 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Wisdom modifier
Spell attack modifier = your proficiency bonus + your Wisdom modifier
Primeval Awareness
Beginning at 6th level, your mastery of ranger lore allows you to establish a powerful link to beasts and to the land around you.
You have an innate ability to communicate with beasts, and they recognize you as a kindred spirit. Choose a beast that you can see within range. It must see and hear you. If the beast's Intelligence is 4 or higher, the ability fails. Otherwise, the beast must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw or be charmed by you. If you or one of your companions harms the target, the charm ends.
You cannot use this ability against a creature that you have attacked within the past 24 hours.
Evasion
Beginning at 9th level, you can nimbly dodge out of the way of certain area effects, such as a red dragon’s fiery breath or a lightning bolt spell. When you are subjected to an effect that allows you to make a Dexterity saving throw to take only half damage, you instead take no damage if you succeed on the saving throw, and only half damage if you fail.
Improved Favored Terrain
At level 10, your knowledge of your favored terrain has increased even further. While in your favored terrain, you gain the following benefits.
Iron Mind
By 14th level, you gain proficiency in Wisdom saving throws.
Unnatural Senses
At 18th level, you gain preternatural senses that help you fight creatures you can’t see. When you attack a creature you can’t see, your inability to see it doesn’t impose disadvantage on your attack rolls against it. You are also aware of the location of any invisible creature within 30 feet of you, provided that the creature isn’t hidden from you and you aren’t blinded or deafened.
Foe Slayer
At 20th level, you become an unparalleled hunter of your enemies. You add your Wisdom modifier to the the damage roll of your weapon attacks.
Beast Master
Spellcasting
At 2nd level, you gain the ability to cast spells. See the ranger spellcasting section for details.
Improved Animal Companion
When you select this concave at level 2, your animal companion can now be any beast of CR 1 or less that doesn’t have Giant or Swarm in its name.
Your animal companion has abilities and game statistics determined in part by your level. Your companion uses your proficiency bonus rather than its own. In addition to the areas where it normally uses its proficiency bonus, an animal companion also adds its proficiency bonus to its AC.
For each ranger level you have, your animal companion has an equal number of hit die, unless it would normally have more. It increases its hit points accordingly each level.
Whenever you gain the Ability Score Improvement class feature as a ranger, your companion’s abilities also improve. Your companion can increase one ability score of your choice by 2, or it can increase two ability scores of your choice by 1. As normal, your companion can’t increase an ability score above 20 using this feature unless its description specifies otherwise.
Trained Ferocity
Beginning at 5th level, your Animal Companion can now take the attack action during its turn. If it has the multiattack action, it loses this ability.
Your animal companion adds your proficiency bonus to damage rolls.
Your Hunter’s Mark abilities extend to any attacks or rolls your Animal Companion makes.
Beast’s Defense
At 7th level, while your companion can see you, it has advantage on all saving throws.
Storm of Claws and Fangs
At 11th level, your companion can use its action to make a melee attack against each creature of its choice within 5 feet of it, with a separate attack roll for each target.
Additionally, your animal companions attacks count as magical for the purpose of overcoming resistance and immunity to non-magical attacks and damage.
Superior Beast’s Defense
At 15th level, whenever an attacker that your companion can see hits it with an attack, it can use its reaction to halve the attack’s damage against it.
Hunter
Spellcasting
At 2nd level, you gain the ability to cast spells. See the ranger spellcasting section for details.
Favored Enemy
Beginning at 2nd level, you have significant experience studying, tracking, hunting, and even talking to a certain type of enemy commonly encountered in the wilds.
Choose a type of favored enemy: beasts, fey, humanoids, monstrosities, or undead. You gain a +2 bonus to damage rolls with weapon attacks against creatures of the chosen type. Additionally, you have advantage on Intelligence checks to recall information about them.
When you gain this feature, you also learn one language of your choice, typically one spoken by your favored enemy or creatures associated with it. However, you are free to pick any language you wish to learn.
Extra Attack
Beginning at 5th level, you can attack twice, instead of once, whenever you take the Attack action on your turn.
Improved Hunter’s Mark
Additionally, when you use your bonus action to apply your Hunter’s Mark ability to a creature, you can apply the effect to any number of creatures that you can see.
Greater Favored Enemy
At 7th level, you are ready to hunt even deadlier game. Choose a different type of favored enemy: aberrations, beasts, celestials, constructs, dragons, elementals, fey, fiends, giants, humanoids, monstrosities, or undead. You gain all the benefits against this chosen enemy that you normally gain against your favored enemy, including an additional language. Your bonus to damage rolls against all your favored enemies increases to +4.
Additionally, you have advantage on saving throws against the spells and abilities used by a favored enemy.
Multiattack
At 11th level, you gain one of the following features of your choice:
Volley. You can use your action to make a ranged attack against any number of creatures within 10 feet of a point you can see within your weapon’s range. You must have ammunition for each target, as normal, and you make a separate attack roll for each target.
Whirlwind Attack. You can use your action to make melee attacks against any number of creatures within 5 feet of you, with a separate attack roll for each target.
The Hunt Is On
At 15th level, your mastery of the hunt makes you unparalleled at finding your prey. Choose a new type of favored enemy: aberrations, beasts, celestials, constructs, dragons, elementals, fey, fiends, giants, humanoids, monstrosities, or undead. You gain all the benefits against this chosen enemy that you normally gain against your favored enemy, except for an additional language.
During each long rest, you may spend part of your time learning about a new favored enemy. At the end of the long rest you may replace this favored enemy with the new favored enemy you studied during the rest.
Scout
Spellcasting
At 2nd level, you gain the ability to cast spells. See the ranger spellcasting section for details.
Ambush Master
Starting at 2nd level, if any of your foes are surprised, you and any allies who can see you gain advantage on initiative rolls and on all attack rolls during the 1st round of combat.
Also at 2nd level, you gain proficiency in Perception. If you already proficient, you double your proficiency bonus.
Extra Attack
Beginning at 5th level, you can attack twice, instead of once, whenever you take the Attack action on your turn.
Hide in Plain Sight
Starting at 7th level, you can spend 1 minute creating camouflage for yourself. You must have access to fresh mud, dirt, plants, soot, and other materials with which to create your camouflage. Once you are camouflaged in this way, you can try to hide by pressing yourself up against a solid surface, such as a tree or wall, that is at least as tall and wide as you are. You gain a +10 bonus to Dexterity (Stealth) checks as long as you remain there without moving or taking actions. Once you move or take an action or a reaction, you must camouflage yourself again to gain this benefit.
If you are in your favored terrain, creatures have disadvantage on Wisdom (Perception) rolls to see you.
Scout’s Mark
Starting at 11th level, you are able to relay critical information to your allies about your enemy. Any ally that can hear or see you gains the benefits of your Hunter’s Mark ability against your marked target.
Improved Hide In Plain Sight
Beginning at 15th level, when you use your Hide in Plain Sight ability, you can move at half your speed without losing the bonus, provided you move through terrain appropriate to your camouflage.
If you are in your favored terrain, creatures have disadvantage on Wisdom (Perception) rolls to see you.
Naturalist
Herbalist
At 2nd level, you are able to create Healing Poultices. You spend 1 minute bandaging a creature’s wounds. That creature regains a number of hit points equal to your Ranger level + your Wisdom modifier. A creature can only benefit from a poultice once every 24 hours. This has no effect on undead or constructs.
If you are in your favored terrain, you add your proficiency bonus to the amount of hit points restored.
Extra Attack
Beginning at 5th level, you can attack twice, instead of once, whenever you take the Attack action on your turn.
Improved Herbalist
Also at 5th level. your knowledge of herbs and medicines has improved. You can now create natural cures. You spend 1 minute preparing the appropriate reagents and treating a creature. That creature is cured of any poison afflicting it or one the following conditions: blinded, deafened, paralyzed, or poisoned. A creature can only benefit from Improved Herbalism once every 24 hours. This has no effect on undead or constructs.
Poison Knowledge
At 7th level, you knowledge of poisons grants you immunity to poison damage and the poisoned condition.
Trap Master
Also at 7th level, you learn to set traps for your enemies. You can spend at least 10 minutes to set one of the following traps. If a trap calls for a DC check or save, the trap DC equals 8 + your proficiency bonus + your wisdom modifier.
Once a trap has been sprung, it is rendered useless.
Alarm
Choose a door, a window, or an area within range that is no larger than a 25-foot cube. For the next 24 hours, as long as you or an ally is within sight or sound of the trap, it alerts you when a small or larger creature touches or enters the alarmed area. You choose the nature of the alert, either audible or visual.
Snare
Choose a door, a window, or an area within range that is no larger than a 5-foot cube. For the next 24 hours, when a small or medium creature enters the area, they must make a dexterity or strength (your choice based on the nature of the trap) saving throw or be restrained.
A creature restrained by the trap can use its action to repeat the saving throw against your trap DC. On a success, it frees itself.
If you set the trap in your favored terrain, creatures have disadvantage on the saving throw.
Hazard
Choose a door, a window, or an area within range that is no larger than a 5-foot cube. For the next 24 hours, when a small or larger creature touches or enters the trapped area, they must make a dexterity or strength (your choice based on the nature of the trap) saving throw. The creature takes damage of a type appropriate to the trap equal to your Hunter’s Mark damage + your wisdom modifier on a failed save, or half as much on a successful one.
If you set the trap in your favored terrain, creatures have disadvantage on the saving throw.
Improved Poison Knowledge
At 11th level, your knowledge of poisons has further improved. You may spend a bonus action to coat a weapon or piece of ammunition in poison. The poison stays on the weapon for 1 minute before dissipating. A creature hit by an attack with that weapon or ammunition must make a Constitution saving or be poisoned for 1 minute. The DC equals 8 + your proficiency bonus + your wisdom modifier.
Additionally, you gain proficiency in the poisoner’s kit. If you already have proficiency, you double your proficiency bonus.
Master Herbalist
At 15th level, your knowledge as an herbalist and healer knows no bounds. You can cure even the most serious of ailments. By spending 1 hour diagnosing a creature and preparing a cure, you can attempt to remove one level of exhaustion or undo a debilitating effect. Choose one of the following:
Make a Wisdom saving throw against the DC of the effect that caused the condition. On a success, you cure the creature. If the effect had no DC, you succeed automatically.
You may only attempt to cure a creature once every 24 hours. This has no effect on undead or constructs.
A couple things to note on decisions I made:
I feel all rangers should get an animal companion, although not a powerful one and I think the approach I took addresses it nicely. The Beast Master gets a more powerful one that can be used in combat.
Hunter's Mark should have always been an ability, not a spell.
I moved the Ranger Conclave to level 2 instead of 3. The major reason for doing so is it allows better formatting for designing any spell-less rangers, such as the Naturalist that I included here. Otherwise they end up with spells at level 2, until hitting level 3 and suddenly losing them.
Spell casting was changed to a format similar to the Paladin's.
Favored Enemy moved to the Hunter Subclass makes more sense to me, and balances some of the improvements.
The Re-Revised Ranger:
Class Features
As a Ranger, you gain the following class features.
Hit Points
Hit Die: 1d10 per ranger level
Hit Points at 1st Level: 10 +your Constitution modifier
Hit Points at higher levels: 1d10 (or 6) + Your constitution modifier per ranger level after 1st.
Proficiencies
Armor: Light armor, medium armor, shields
Weapons: Simple weapons, martial weapons
Tools: None
Saving Throws: Strength, Dexterity
Skills: Choose three from Animal Handling, Acrobatics, Athletics, Insight, Investigation, Medicine, Nature, Perception, Stealth and Survival
Equipment
You start with the following equipment, in addition to the equipment granted by your background:
- (a) scale mail or (b) leather armor
- (a) two short swords or (b) two simple melee weapons
- (a) a dungeoneer’s pack or (b) an explorer’s pack
- A longbow and a quiver of 20 arrows
Favored Terrain
You are a master of the terrain you call home and gain benefits while you are in it. Beginning at level 1, choose one of the terrains listed below:
- Wilderness - You gain proficiency in the Nature, Perception, Stealth, and Survival skills while in the wilderness. If you already have proficiency, you double your proficiency bonus for that skill.
- Underdark - You gain proficiency in the Nature, Perception, Stealth, and Survival skills while in the Underdark. If you already have proficiency, you double your proficiency bonus for that skill.
- Urban - You gain proficiency in the Investigation, Perception and Stealth skills, as well as Thieve’s Tools while in an Urban setting. If you already have proficiency, you double your proficiency bonus for that skill.
- Seafaring - You gain proficiency in the Nature, Perception and Survival skills, as well as in Vehicle (water) while on a boat or at sea. If you already have proficiency, you double your proficiency bonus for that skill.
You also gain the following benefits while you are in your favored terrain:
- You ignore difficult terrain.
- You have advantage on initiative rolls.
- You can’t be surprised as long as you are not affected by any the following conditions: blinded, unconscious, petrified, stunned, deafened or confused.
- When you forage, you find twice as much food as you normally would.
Animal Companion
Also at level 1, you can cast the Find Familiar spell as a ritual and do not require any material components. Additionally, your familiar can take the form of any beast with a CR of ½ or less that doesn’t have Giant or Swarm in its name.
Additionally, you can choose to have your companion roll for initiative separately or act on your turn. Make this decision before rolling for initiative.
Hunter’s Mark
Beginning at 2nd level, as a bonus action during your turn, you choose one creature you can see to mark as your quarry. Whenever you hit the creature with a weapon attack, you deal an extra 1d4 damage. This damage increases to 1d6 at level 5, 1d8 at level 11 and 1d10 at level 17. If you lose sight of the creature, it is marked for a number of hours equal to your Ranger level.
Additionally, you have advantage on any Wisdom (Perception) or Wisdom (Survival) checks related to the target.
Ranger Conclave
At 2nd level, you choose to emulate the training and ideals of a ranger conclave: The Beastmaster Conclave, the Hunter Conclave, the Scout Conclave, or the Naturalist Conclave, all detailed at the end of the class description. Your choice grants you features at 2nd level and again at 5th, 7th, 11th and 15th level.
Cunning Action
Starting at 3rd level, your quick thinking and agility allow you to move and act quickly. You can take a bonus action on each of your turns in combat. This action can be used only to take the Dash, Disengage, or Hide action.
Fighting Style
At 3rd Level, you adopt a particular style of fighting as your specialty. Choose one of the following options. You can’t take a Fighting Style more than once, even if you later get to choose again.
Archery
You gain a +2 bonus to attack rolls you make with ranged weapons.
Defense
While you are wearing armor, you gain a +1 bonus to AC.
Dueling
When you are wielding a melee weapon in one hand and no other weapons, you gain a +2 bonus to damage rolls with that weapon.
Great Weapon Fighting
When you roll a 1 or 2 on a damage die for an attack you make with a melee weapon that you are wielding with two hands, you can reroll the die and must use the new roll. The weapon must have the two-handed or versatile property for you to gain this benefit.
Two-Weapon Fighting
When you engage in two-weapon fighting, you can add your ability modifier to the damage of the second attack.
Spellcasting
By the time they reach 2nd level, some rangers have learned to use the magical essence of nature to cast spells, much as a druid does. See chapter 10 for the general rules of spellcasting and chapter 11 for the ranger spell list.
Preparing and Casting Spells
The ranger spell table shows how many spell slots you have to cast your spells of 1st level and higher. To cast one of these spells, you must expend a slot of the spell’s level or higher. You regain all expended spell slots when you finish a long rest.
You prepare the list of ranger spells that are available for you to cast, choosing from the ranger spell list. When you do so, choose a number of ranger spells equal to your Wisdom modifier + half your ranger level, rounded down (minimum of one spell). The spells must be of a level for which you have spell slots.
For example, if you are a 5th-level ranger, you have four 1st-level and two 2nd-level spell slots. With a Wisdom of 14, your list of prepared spells can include four spells of 1st or 2nd level, in any combination. If you prepare the 1st-level spell animal friendship , you can cast it using a 1st-level or a 2nd-level slot. Casting the spell doesn’t remove it from your list of prepared spells.
You can change your list of prepared spells when you finish a long rest. Preparing a new list of ranger spells requires time spent in meditation: at least 1 minute per spell level for each spell on your list.
Spellcasting Ability
Wisdom is your spellcasting ability for your ranger spells, since your magic draws on your attunement to nature. You use your Wisdom whenever a spell refers to your spellcasting ability. In addition, you use your Wisdom modifier when setting the saving throw DC for a ranger spell you cast and when making an attack roll with one.
Spell save DC = 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Wisdom modifier
Spell attack modifier = your proficiency bonus + your Wisdom modifier
Primeval Awareness
Beginning at 6th level, your mastery of ranger lore allows you to establish a powerful link to beasts and to the land around you.
You have an innate ability to communicate with beasts, and they recognize you as a kindred spirit. Choose a beast that you can see within range. It must see and hear you. If the beast's Intelligence is 4 or higher, the ability fails. Otherwise, the beast must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw or be charmed by you. If you or one of your companions harms the target, the charm ends.
You cannot use this ability against a creature that you have attacked within the past 24 hours.
Evasion
Beginning at 9th level, you can nimbly dodge out of the way of certain area effects, such as a red dragon’s fiery breath or a lightning bolt spell. When you are subjected to an effect that allows you to make a Dexterity saving throw to take only half damage, you instead take no damage if you succeed on the saving throw, and only half damage if you fail.
Improved Favored Terrain
At level 10, your knowledge of your favored terrain has increased even further. While in your favored terrain, you gain the following benefits.
- Your movement speed increases by 10 feet.
- If you are traveling alone, you can’t be tracked except by magical means.
- If you are traveling alone, you can move stealthily at a normal pace.
- You gain a climbing speed equal to your movement speed.
- Difficult terrain doesn’t slow your groups travel.
- While tracking other creatures, you also learn their exact number, their sizes, and how long ago they passed through the area.
- Your group can’t become lost except by magical means.
- You have advantage on rolls using the skills or tools granted to you by your favored terrain.
Iron Mind
By 14th level, you gain proficiency in Wisdom saving throws.
Unnatural Senses
At 18th level, you gain preternatural senses that help you fight creatures you can’t see. When you attack a creature you can’t see, your inability to see it doesn’t impose disadvantage on your attack rolls against it. You are also aware of the location of any invisible creature within 30 feet of you, provided that the creature isn’t hidden from you and you aren’t blinded or deafened.
Foe Slayer
At 20th level, you become an unparalleled hunter of your enemies. You add your Wisdom modifier to the the damage roll of your weapon attacks.
Beast Master
Spellcasting
At 2nd level, you gain the ability to cast spells. See the ranger spellcasting section for details.
Improved Animal Companion
When you select this concave at level 2, your animal companion can now be any beast of CR 1 or less that doesn’t have Giant or Swarm in its name.
Your animal companion has abilities and game statistics determined in part by your level. Your companion uses your proficiency bonus rather than its own. In addition to the areas where it normally uses its proficiency bonus, an animal companion also adds its proficiency bonus to its AC.
For each ranger level you have, your animal companion has an equal number of hit die, unless it would normally have more. It increases its hit points accordingly each level.
Whenever you gain the Ability Score Improvement class feature as a ranger, your companion’s abilities also improve. Your companion can increase one ability score of your choice by 2, or it can increase two ability scores of your choice by 1. As normal, your companion can’t increase an ability score above 20 using this feature unless its description specifies otherwise.
Trained Ferocity
Beginning at 5th level, your Animal Companion can now take the attack action during its turn. If it has the multiattack action, it loses this ability.
Your animal companion adds your proficiency bonus to damage rolls.
Your Hunter’s Mark abilities extend to any attacks or rolls your Animal Companion makes.
Beast’s Defense
At 7th level, while your companion can see you, it has advantage on all saving throws.
Storm of Claws and Fangs
At 11th level, your companion can use its action to make a melee attack against each creature of its choice within 5 feet of it, with a separate attack roll for each target.
Additionally, your animal companions attacks count as magical for the purpose of overcoming resistance and immunity to non-magical attacks and damage.
Superior Beast’s Defense
At 15th level, whenever an attacker that your companion can see hits it with an attack, it can use its reaction to halve the attack’s damage against it.
Hunter
Spellcasting
At 2nd level, you gain the ability to cast spells. See the ranger spellcasting section for details.
Favored Enemy
Beginning at 2nd level, you have significant experience studying, tracking, hunting, and even talking to a certain type of enemy commonly encountered in the wilds.
Choose a type of favored enemy: beasts, fey, humanoids, monstrosities, or undead. You gain a +2 bonus to damage rolls with weapon attacks against creatures of the chosen type. Additionally, you have advantage on Intelligence checks to recall information about them.
When you gain this feature, you also learn one language of your choice, typically one spoken by your favored enemy or creatures associated with it. However, you are free to pick any language you wish to learn.
Extra Attack
Beginning at 5th level, you can attack twice, instead of once, whenever you take the Attack action on your turn.
Improved Hunter’s Mark
Additionally, when you use your bonus action to apply your Hunter’s Mark ability to a creature, you can apply the effect to any number of creatures that you can see.
Greater Favored Enemy
At 7th level, you are ready to hunt even deadlier game. Choose a different type of favored enemy: aberrations, beasts, celestials, constructs, dragons, elementals, fey, fiends, giants, humanoids, monstrosities, or undead. You gain all the benefits against this chosen enemy that you normally gain against your favored enemy, including an additional language. Your bonus to damage rolls against all your favored enemies increases to +4.
Additionally, you have advantage on saving throws against the spells and abilities used by a favored enemy.
Multiattack
At 11th level, you gain one of the following features of your choice:
Volley. You can use your action to make a ranged attack against any number of creatures within 10 feet of a point you can see within your weapon’s range. You must have ammunition for each target, as normal, and you make a separate attack roll for each target.
Whirlwind Attack. You can use your action to make melee attacks against any number of creatures within 5 feet of you, with a separate attack roll for each target.
The Hunt Is On
At 15th level, your mastery of the hunt makes you unparalleled at finding your prey. Choose a new type of favored enemy: aberrations, beasts, celestials, constructs, dragons, elementals, fey, fiends, giants, humanoids, monstrosities, or undead. You gain all the benefits against this chosen enemy that you normally gain against your favored enemy, except for an additional language.
During each long rest, you may spend part of your time learning about a new favored enemy. At the end of the long rest you may replace this favored enemy with the new favored enemy you studied during the rest.
Scout
Spellcasting
At 2nd level, you gain the ability to cast spells. See the ranger spellcasting section for details.
Ambush Master
Starting at 2nd level, if any of your foes are surprised, you and any allies who can see you gain advantage on initiative rolls and on all attack rolls during the 1st round of combat.
Also at 2nd level, you gain proficiency in Perception. If you already proficient, you double your proficiency bonus.
Extra Attack
Beginning at 5th level, you can attack twice, instead of once, whenever you take the Attack action on your turn.
Hide in Plain Sight
Starting at 7th level, you can spend 1 minute creating camouflage for yourself. You must have access to fresh mud, dirt, plants, soot, and other materials with which to create your camouflage. Once you are camouflaged in this way, you can try to hide by pressing yourself up against a solid surface, such as a tree or wall, that is at least as tall and wide as you are. You gain a +10 bonus to Dexterity (Stealth) checks as long as you remain there without moving or taking actions. Once you move or take an action or a reaction, you must camouflage yourself again to gain this benefit.
If you are in your favored terrain, creatures have disadvantage on Wisdom (Perception) rolls to see you.
Scout’s Mark
Starting at 11th level, you are able to relay critical information to your allies about your enemy. Any ally that can hear or see you gains the benefits of your Hunter’s Mark ability against your marked target.
Improved Hide In Plain Sight
Beginning at 15th level, when you use your Hide in Plain Sight ability, you can move at half your speed without losing the bonus, provided you move through terrain appropriate to your camouflage.
If you are in your favored terrain, creatures have disadvantage on Wisdom (Perception) rolls to see you.
Naturalist
Herbalist
At 2nd level, you are able to create Healing Poultices. You spend 1 minute bandaging a creature’s wounds. That creature regains a number of hit points equal to your Ranger level + your Wisdom modifier. A creature can only benefit from a poultice once every 24 hours. This has no effect on undead or constructs.
If you are in your favored terrain, you add your proficiency bonus to the amount of hit points restored.
Extra Attack
Beginning at 5th level, you can attack twice, instead of once, whenever you take the Attack action on your turn.
Improved Herbalist
Also at 5th level. your knowledge of herbs and medicines has improved. You can now create natural cures. You spend 1 minute preparing the appropriate reagents and treating a creature. That creature is cured of any poison afflicting it or one the following conditions: blinded, deafened, paralyzed, or poisoned. A creature can only benefit from Improved Herbalism once every 24 hours. This has no effect on undead or constructs.
Poison Knowledge
At 7th level, you knowledge of poisons grants you immunity to poison damage and the poisoned condition.
Trap Master
Also at 7th level, you learn to set traps for your enemies. You can spend at least 10 minutes to set one of the following traps. If a trap calls for a DC check or save, the trap DC equals 8 + your proficiency bonus + your wisdom modifier.
Once a trap has been sprung, it is rendered useless.
Alarm
Choose a door, a window, or an area within range that is no larger than a 25-foot cube. For the next 24 hours, as long as you or an ally is within sight or sound of the trap, it alerts you when a small or larger creature touches or enters the alarmed area. You choose the nature of the alert, either audible or visual.
Snare
Choose a door, a window, or an area within range that is no larger than a 5-foot cube. For the next 24 hours, when a small or medium creature enters the area, they must make a dexterity or strength (your choice based on the nature of the trap) saving throw or be restrained.
A creature restrained by the trap can use its action to repeat the saving throw against your trap DC. On a success, it frees itself.
If you set the trap in your favored terrain, creatures have disadvantage on the saving throw.
Hazard
Choose a door, a window, or an area within range that is no larger than a 5-foot cube. For the next 24 hours, when a small or larger creature touches or enters the trapped area, they must make a dexterity or strength (your choice based on the nature of the trap) saving throw. The creature takes damage of a type appropriate to the trap equal to your Hunter’s Mark damage + your wisdom modifier on a failed save, or half as much on a successful one.
If you set the trap in your favored terrain, creatures have disadvantage on the saving throw.
Improved Poison Knowledge
At 11th level, your knowledge of poisons has further improved. You may spend a bonus action to coat a weapon or piece of ammunition in poison. The poison stays on the weapon for 1 minute before dissipating. A creature hit by an attack with that weapon or ammunition must make a Constitution saving or be poisoned for 1 minute. The DC equals 8 + your proficiency bonus + your wisdom modifier.
Additionally, you gain proficiency in the poisoner’s kit. If you already have proficiency, you double your proficiency bonus.
Master Herbalist
At 15th level, your knowledge as an herbalist and healer knows no bounds. You can cure even the most serious of ailments. By spending 1 hour diagnosing a creature and preparing a cure, you can attempt to remove one level of exhaustion or undo a debilitating effect. Choose one of the following:
- One effect that charmed or petrified the target
- Any reduction to one of the target’s ability scores
- One effect reducing the target’s hit point maximum
Make a Wisdom saving throw against the DC of the effect that caused the condition. On a success, you cure the creature. If the effect had no DC, you succeed automatically.
You may only attempt to cure a creature once every 24 hours. This has no effect on undead or constructs.
