D&D 5E Ranger on a Warlock frame?

[TheCosmicKid]

I disagree. It’s not the spells that rangers need. The ranger class needs class abilities that bring wilderness to the fore. The ranger abilities in the PHB are often referred to as ribbons. They are merely a petina of “bushcraft”. They solve problems that are so easy to ignore (in game) that they might as well not exist. Wilderness travel IME is hand-waived away almost as quickly as encumbrance. Also spells that other casters have serve to devalue the abilities that do exist.

I had a system of "wildcraft" that built on the "Activity While Traveling" rules tucked away on pp. 182-3 of the PHB, adding a bunch of options to the list of activities (and also letting the ranger perform two activities at once). "As a travel activity, you can collect materials for a healing poultice." "As a travel activity, you can round up local wild animals to help you." "As a travel activity, you can guide your companions on an easy trail that grants them a short rest." Stuff like that.

 

[The Mirrorball Man]

I had a system of "wildcraft" that built on the "Activity While Traveling" rules tucked away on pp. 182-3 of the PHB, adding a bunch of options to the list of activities (and also letting the ranger perform two activities at once). "As a travel activity, you can collect materials for a healing poultice." "As a travel activity, you can round up local wild animals to help you." "As a travel activity, you can guide your companions on an easy trail that grants them a short rest." Stuff like that.

Can you share it?

 

[TheCosmicKid]

Can you share it?

It's here, but I'm not really happy with that iteration any more. Plus the forum formatting appears to have gone a little wonky in the intervening years.

 

[The Mirrorball Man]

It's here, but I'm not really happy with that iteration any more. Plus the forum formatting appears to have gone a little wonky in the intervening years.

I love it. Some things here and there could be grouped or switched, but this is very close to my platonic ideal of what a ranger or hunter should be: someone who knows how to turn the wild into a weapon against his enemies (or a resource for his friends).

 

[Tales and Chronicles]

Part 2
the Ranger (advanced)

Level	feature	spell known	slot level	spell slots	knacks
11	Archetype	11	5	3	5
12	ASI	11	5	3	6
13	-	12	5	3	6
14	Vanish, Favored foe (4)	12	5	3	6
15	Archetype	13	5	3	7
16	ASI	13	5	3	7
17	-	14	5	4	7
18	Feral Senses, Warden aura improvement	14	5	4	8
19	ASI	15	5	4	8
20	Foe Slayer	15	5	4	8

Vanish: Can hide as a bonus action while lightly obscured and you cant be tracked by non magical means. You can also cast nondetection on yourself at-will.

Now wondering what would a paladin on a warlock frame looks like....

 

[TheCosmicKid]

Now wondering what would a paladin on a warlock frame looks like....

You literally just pop out the spell slot table and use a halved version of the warlock's slots and slot levels. Paladin can smite at max level twice every encounter but can't go supernova the same way. It works.

 

[jmucchiello]

Best way to get this is to give expertise in Survival and Nature to rangers at 1st level.
Expertise in Stealth and Perception at some later levels

Except that by RAW, they don't even have to be proficient in Survival or Nature and yet still be Rangers.