D&D (2024) UA Ranger (Playtest 6)

[Emberashh]

Which are great options in those games. 5e, on the other hand, lacks such an option.

Generally Rangers in 5e aren't actually magic dependent. Ive played them 1-20 a few times without ever actually casting a spell and they do just fine.

 

[Corinnguard]

Which are great options in those games. 5e, on the other hand, lacks such an option.

Actually 5e's Unearthed Arcana had a version of the Ranger class that wasn't a caster. Ranger with No Spells (UA) - DND 5th Edition

 

[Charlaquin]

Actually 5e's Unearthed Arcana had a version of the Ranger class that wasn't a caster. Ranger with No Spells (UA) - DND 5th Edition

Yeah, only went to 5th level, but I liked the direction. Shame it never went anywhere.

 

[mellored]

How to make Conjure barrage and Conjure volley class features that can be used at-will and be augmented by spending spell slots.

Conjure barrage:
9th level feature.

As an action you can Attack creatures of your choice in 30ft cone.
Make attack roll for every creature separately.

Augment: you can spend a spell slot to augment this attack.
add 10ft range to your cone and +1d8 damage per spell level slot.
If you spend 3rd level slot or higher, missed attacks deal half damage.

Conjure volley:
17th level feature:

As an action make a ranged attack with your ranged weapon against all targets in 40ft radius.

Augment: you can spend a spell slot to augment this attack.
add +2d6 damage per level of spell slot.
If you spend a spell slot of 5th level or higher, missed attacks deal half damage.

A seperate attack is too much rolling. Best to keep it a typical AoE damage.

But I like the idea in general.

Also, I don't see a need for both spells. They are too similar. And you don't really benefit from 2 shapes with a friendly spell.

So...

Conjure Barrage: increase the damage of Conjure Volley by 1d8, and increase it's size by 10'.

 

[Emberashh]

A seperate attack is too much rolling. Best to keep it a typical AoE damage.

But I like the idea in general.

Also, I don't see a need for both spells. They are too similar. And you don't really benefit from 2 shapes with a friendly spell.

So...

Conjure Barrage: increase the damage of Conjure Volley by 1d8, and increase it's size by 10'.

Now this is all a solution I can get behind if were going to insist on a spellcasting Ranger.

 

[Kobold Stew]

Or it just IS a metaphysical attunement to nature and their environment. They seem to be leaning into ranger as the primal version of the paladin with their current approach, and I can't really say I'm against that. It at least gives a notoriously undefined class a stronger definition, even if that means some previous ranger concepts are excluded.

If that's the case, wouldn't it ber simpler simply to say that at the start of the long rest you get this benefit in your current environment? It would save the inconsistent and incomplete list.

 

[TwoSix]

If that's the case, wouldn't it ber simpler simply to say that at the start of the long rest you get this benefit in your current environment? It would save the inconsistent and incomplete list.

Sure, I don't write the packets.

 

[Chaosmancer]

Dear Players, we realize we made the ranger actually fun to play and you all loved it. We apologize for this misstep and have applied the nerf hammer liberally to correct it. It won't happen again.

-WoTC​

Seriously, what the heck?! I haven't read the subclasses yet, but holy crap.

If I have a choice between cantrips and weapon mastery, give me cantrips! They are so much better.

I guess the Deft Explorer is fine, only getting half the expertise you used to, but why not just give advantage on survival checks within the terrain instead of only when tracking creatures. There is more to survival than tracking.

Hunter's Mark... I hate all of this. 1/turn, costs higher level spell slots to get better damage, and a return to concentration?! Yes, you get free casts, but those casts are 1st level, which maxes you at +1d6.

And THEN your capstone relies on you attacking someone with Hunter's Mark, so let's just take a gander at all the spells they DON'T want you casting as a ranger. Because they WANT you using a 5th level slot to maintain 24 hours of concentration on Hunter's Mark.

Beast Bond
Detect Magic
Detect Poison and Disease
Entangle
Faerie Fire
Fog Cloud
Protection from Evil and Good
Ensnaring Strike
Hail of Thorns
Zephyr Strike
Barkskin
Beast Sense
Dust Devil
Earthbind
Enhance ability
Enlarge Reduce
Flame Blade
Flaming Sphere
Gust of Wind
Healing Spirit
Heat Metal
Hold Person
Locate Object
Moonbeam
Pass Without Trace
Skywrite
Spike Growth
Summon Beast
Warding Wind
Aura of Vitality
Lightning Arrow
Call Lightning
Conjure Animals
Elemental Weapon
Flame Arrows
Protection from Energy
Sleet Storm
Summon Fey
Wall of Water
Wind Wall
Confusion
Conjure Minor Elementals
Conjure Woodland Beings
Control Water
Dominate Beast
Elemental Bane
Giant Insect
Grasping Vine
Guardian of Nature
Locate Creature
Polymorph
Stoneskin
Summon Elemental
Wall of fire
Watery Sphere
Antilife shell
Conjure Elemental
Control Winds
Insect plague
Maelstrom
Scrying
Tree Stride
Wall of Stone
Wrath of Nature
Oh yeah, and SWIFT QUIVER

Non-Concentration was too powerful? Fine, I can believe that because it was actually good. But if you are going to make the capstone rely on it, then you need to make casting it with a 3rd or 5th level slot make it non-concentration.

Also, since I am ranting, Conjure barrage needs to be 6d8 to meet expectations for a 3rd level spell, and Conjure Volley needs to be 10d8.


And so I'm not all negative, I did like the change to Nature's Veil. But other than that? WHY!

 

[Chaosmancer]

You still get expertise at 9, in addition to 3rd level spells.

Not taking anything away.

Well, for 9th level I find it a bit of a flag, but fair enough.

If conjure Barrage wasn't good enough to take any of the power budget at 9th level, what else did we gain at 17th level instead of Conjure Volley?

And if this is just a "spells prepared" list... why not just go full paladin with it and gives us a low-level ability at Favored Enemy that gives us Hunter's Mark, Pass Without Trace, Conjure Barrage, Locate Creature, Conjure Volley instead of making it appear like these are class features?

 

[Chaosmancer]

A lot of people not reading what what they’re discussing. A team of professional game designers tested hunter’s mark without concentration, and it was overpowered.

It is right there in the document.

Has anyone here play tested HM without concentration?

I know people are just going to ignore this, and believe they know more about what is good for the game.

Yes and I thought it was fine. We have been running it that way for years.