D&D (2024) 2024 Player's Handbook reveal: "New Ranger"

"More than any other class, the ranger is a new class."

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It has been a year (less a day) since we last saw the Ranger in UA Playtest 6. There still could be a lot of change. My sense is that they are more or less happy with three of the subclasses (Fey Wanderer, Beastmaster, and Gloom Stalker), but many questions remain: Will anyone be happy with the favored enemy/relation to the land abilities? Will Hunter's Mark be foregrounded in multiple abilities? Will rangers at least get a free casting of the Barrage/Volley spells? For the Hunter, will the "Superior" abilties at levels 11 and 15 continue to be things you didn't choose at lower levels? For the Gloom Stalker, will they pull out 3rd level invisibility from "Umbral Sight"? Any chance for a surprise substitution of the Horizon Walker? Let's find out.

OVERVIEW

• "widely played, but ... one of the lowest rated"
• Spellcasting and Weapon Mastery at 1 (as with Paladin). Spellcasting can change spells after long rest (not every level)
• NEW: Favored Enemy: Hunters Mark always prepared, and X castings per day. (was level 2 in PT6, where it was WIS times/day)
• NEW: Fighting Style at 2 (no limits on choice). or you may choose two cantrips (again, like Paladin).
• NEW: Deft Explorer at 3: expertise in a proficient skill, +2 languages. NO INTERACTION WITH LAND TYPES. This is a nerf from PT6, where at least you got a bonus to Intelligence (Nature) checks.
• Extra attack at 5, Roving at 6 (+10' move, Climb Speed, Swim speed).
• Two more expertise options, at 9, presumably. Compared to the playtest, this is a nerf: PT6 gave 1 expertise, the spell Conjure Barrage always prepared, and +2 land types for Explorer. These had problems, but it's a lot to lose for one additional expertise.
• At 10, Tireless (as in PT6) -- THP and reduced Exhaustion.
• NEW: At 13, Damage no longer breaks concentration with Hunter's Mark.
• At 14, Nature's Veil -- invisibility. At 18, Blindsight.
• NEW: At 17, advantage vs person marked with Hunter's Mark.
• NEW: Damage of Hunter's mark increases to d10, not d6. (This too is a nerf from the playtest, which gave +WIS to hit, and +WIS to damage.)

The clear expectation is you are using Hunter's Mark, occupying your concentration and taking your first Bonus action every combat, from levels 1-20.

SUBCLASSES
Beastmaster

• command Primal Beast as a bonus action, and higher level abilities as in PT6, apparently.
• stat blocks level up with you (as in Tasha's and PT6). Beast gets Hunter's Mark benefits at 11.

Fey Wanderer

• vague on specifics; apparently just as in Tasha's.

Gloom Stalker

• as in PT6, Psychic damage bonus a limited number of times per day. +WIS to initiative (cf. Assassin and Barbarian)
• Umbral Sight, darkvision bonus, and invisible in the dark.
• NEW: psychic damage goes up at level 11. Mass fear option of Sudden Strike mentioned, nothing about Sudden Strike.

Hunter.

• Hunter's Lore at 3: know if there are immunities/resistances of creature marked by Hunter's Mark.
• NEW: Hunter's Prey at 3: you have a choice and can change your choice every short/long rest.
• NEW: Defensive Tactics at 7: you have a choice, and again can choose after a rest. The choices are Escape the Horde, Multiattack defense (not Evasion, Uncanny Dodge, and Hunter's Leap, as in PT6).
• NEW: At 11, Hunter's mark now "splashes" damage onto another target.
• NEW: you can choose to take resistance to damage, until the end of your turn.

 

[Marandahir]

It's 1 extra feat in the levels that matter.

Unless discussing DnD3, could we please stop this Fighters and their PILES of feats thing?

It's an extra Feat at 6, 10, and 14. And Rogues get an extra Feat at 10.

It really does feel like you have a lot of feats when you're getting one nearly every other level, as opposed to every 4 levels (with 19th and 20th being flip flopped at the end).

I'm not complaining about Fighters having a lot of feats. I'm just noting that a lot of their customization comes from ASI / Feat choices. And if we have some flavourful and useful Ranger-y like Feats, including one to pick as an Origin Feat or a Human bonus feat, a Spell-less Ranger via the Fighter class becomes VERY viable. Scout Rogue is also a spell-less Ranger, but given the fewer feats and the fewer-and-far-between Archetype features, I see room for an "Extreme Explorer" subclass or something for the Fighter.

 

[Tales and Chronicles]

It's an extra Feat at 6, 10, and 14. And Rogues get an extra Feat at 10.

It really does feel like you have a lot of feats when you're getting one nearly every other level, as opposed to every 4 levels (with 19th and 20th being flip flopped at the end).

I'm not complaining about Fighters having a lot of feats. I'm just noting that a lot of their customization comes from ASI / Feat choices. And if we have some flavourful and useful Ranger-y like Feats, including one to pick as an Origin Feat or a Human bonus feat, a Spell-less Ranger via the Fighter class becomes VERY viable. Scout Rogue is also a spell-less Ranger, but given the fewer feats and the fewer-and-far-between Archetype features, I see room for an "Extreme Explorer" subclass or something for the Fighter.

A Battlemaster with Riposte, Precise and Ambush + Know your enemy + free skill in stealth + Feat spent on Expertise: Survival, can be a decent spell less Ranger.

Or a Champion + adv. on Athletics and Initiative + Feat: Mobile + expertise in suvival from another feat.

When you add Skilled a lvl 1 for Perception, Survival and Stealth, you can have a well rounded explorer from the start, I think.

 

[Chaosmancer]

Again, Level Up has a great spell-less ranger. Worth checking out.

Feel free. Just stop trying to argue that the DnD Ranger should also be spell-less in a book where the Designers announced that having spells is a cornerstone of the class identity.

 

[Chaosmancer]

I feel like – given the sheer number of Feats that Fighters get (and too a lesser extent, Rogues) – that all we REALLY need to get to a Spell-less Ranger is enough Ranger-y feats that Fighters and/or Rogues can choose from, and MAYBE another Martial Archetype (though Arcane Archer already can be flavoured Primal to get something a bit akin to the Seeker from 4e).

Sure, I'm fine with feats that give expertise, bonuses to movement and ignoring difficult terrain.... maybe a crafting feat...

Looks like we've got all those. IF you want a feat for "making a snare trap" or something go ahead, I'm perfectly fine with seeing more feats for the game offering more options and interesting designs.

 

[Micah Sweet]

Feel free. Just stop trying to argue that the DnD Ranger should also be spell-less in a book where the Designers announced that having spells is a cornerstone of the class identity.

Plenty of 5e players appear to disagree with the designers on this score (and many others). By your argument, everyone should just accept what Papa WotC gives you and never question it.

 

[Marandahir]

Plenty of 5e players appear to disagree with the designers on this score (and many others). By your argument, everyone should just accept what Papa WotC gives you and never question it.

And there's a version in Level Up for you that matches your desires. What are you looking for here? Rallying to get WotC to change the Ranger after they're already set in stone for 2024?

 

[Kobold Stew]

For a spell-less Ranger: re-skin "Rage" as "Hunter's Focus" and the Wild Heart Barbarian has you covered for a Strength-based nonmagical Ranger out the gate. Take the Alert feat to start, and maybe Athlete, Speedster, and possibly a Fighting Style (Thrown?) down the line.

 

[Stalker0]

A Battlemaster with Riposte, Precise and Ambush + Know your enemy + free skill in stealth + Feat spent on Expertise: Survival, can be a decent spell less Ranger.

Or a Champion + adv. on Athletics and Initiative + Feat: Mobile + expertise in suvival from another feat.

When you add Skilled a lvl 1 for Perception, Survival and Stealth, you can have a well rounded explorer from the start, I think.

agreed, especially with the 2024 fighter even having more skill power than before, I would argue you can make quite a solid spell-less ranger with just the fighter.

 

[Micah Sweet]

And there's a version in Level Up for you that matches your desires. What are you looking for here? Rallying to get WotC to change the Ranger after they're already set in stone for 2024?

No, but I object to the attitude you're espousing here. If WotC insists something is a certain way, that shouldn't mean those who disagree should just shut up and take it. And that's what I'm getting from you. There are people playing WotC D&D who disagree with the company's design philosophy, at least in part. Should those people just roll over and accept it?

 

[Marandahir]

No, but I object to the attitude you're espousing here. If WotC insists something is a certain way, that shouldn't mean those who disagree should just shut up and take it. And that's what I'm getting from you. There are people playing WotC D&D who disagree with the company's design philosophy, at least in part. Should those people just roll over and accept it?

No, you shouldn't, and I'm sorry that I came off dismissive. It wasn't intentional! You can and should voice your opinions, and you don't have to shut up about it. I think I just disagree on how I'd go about making a martial Ranger. I still have my quibbles with this Ranger too, and I'm very worried the Bard won't come out the way I'm hoping for.