D&D (2024) Ranger 2024 is a bigger joke than Ranger 2014:

[Minigiant]

I genuinely believe ranger damage output will outperform fighter damage output up until around level 11 with two weapon fighting. I am still crunching numbers but it looks that way. They will be a damage dishing Cuisinart of destruction.

It does.

Outside than Action Surge, Fighter doesn't get a damage bonus over ranger until they get a feat at level 6.

Where Ranger has bonus damage from Hunter's Mark, Hail of Thorns, and previously Searing Smite and Zephyr Strike via spells.

 

[Ashrym]

this is the problem.
Rangers will not have problems with dealing damage, they will have problems with boredom,
it will just be HM, attack, attack, attack, throw some bonus action non-concetration spell, HM, attack, attack...

if there needs to be focus of HM; then put it in ALL into hunter subclass, throw all these features of base class into Hunter subclass and give broad abilities to base class that are not focused on single spell.

Nah. When some of us realize roving granting a swim speed also removes penalties for fighting in the water it will be "push them into the moat, push them into the moat, push them into the moat"

Eldritch Knight with slightly more spells and slightly less armour.

Someone just pointed out the fallacy in comparing a class to a subclass. ;-)

It would be more accurate to say the ranger has more skills, more spells, very different spells, and an animal companion.

 

[Minigiant]

Nah. When some of us realize roving granting a swim speed also removes penalties for fighting in the water it will be "push them into the moat, push them into the moat, push them into the moat"

Spike growth the edge of the moat.

 

[Mistwell]

All light, finesse weapons are either Vex or Nick.
I.e. damage and damage.

And hunters mark encourages you to hit more accurately and more often.
I.e. damage.


Ranged has a few tactical options.

They don't need to be that though once you add other options. When you combine the feats, and thrown weapons, it's going to be fun.

 

[Mistwell]

I've never seen a PHB more subtle than this one. By that I mean there is a huge amount of interconnectedness of abilities in this PHB which isn't immediately apparent on first glance. Stuff which looks low powered combines in subtle ways with other elements of the game to grow into larger power. I really think this is an interesting edition which will see perspectives change over time as people play the classes and figure out the many, varied combinations which influence each other. Every edition has some of that but I think this one has it the most.

 

[OB1]

I've never seen a PHB more subtle than this one. By that I mean there is a huge amount of interconnectedness of abilities in this PHB which isn't immediately apparent on first glance. Stuff which looks low powered combines in subtle ways with other elements of the game to grow into larger power. I really think this is an interesting edition which will see perspectives change over time as people play the classes and figure out the many, varied combinations which influence each other. Every edition has some of that but I think this one has it the most.

I think that's spot on. After only 2 sessions, my '24 Ranger player is already adjusting tactics based on the situation. HM and dual weilding for a single big monster, Longbow and sticking to the shadows for invisibility (Gloomstalker) with no HM for large groups of weak enemies. As she starts getting more spells, and more playtime, I'm sure the tactics will get refined even more.

 

[Horwath]

Take away hunters mark and you are left with inferior fighters without heavy armour proficiency.

Rangers are boring because 5e has no job for them to do (and doesn’t need a job for them to do).

Hunter's mark does need to be removed only reworked.

here is a try.

Hunter's Mark
1st level spell
Casting time: Bonus action
One target you can see or hear
Duration: 24hrs

You mark the target and focus your senses on it.
You have Advantage on Survival, Perception and Insight checks vs the target.
Once on your turn you can deal extra d6 damage to the target with an attack.
As a Bonus action or when you make Attack on your turn you can change the target of your Hunter's Mark.

Upcasting:
+1d6 damage once on your turn per spell level above 1st.

Now ranger can get extra spell preparation and extra one casting of it once per Long rest.
By limiting damage to once per turn, it does not need to have concentration.

 

[Paul Farquhar]

Hunter's mark does need to be removed only reworked.

here is a try.

Hunter's Mark
1st level spell
Casting time: Bonus action
One target you can see or hear
Duration: 24hrs

You mark the target and focus your senses on it.
You have Advantage on Survival, Perception and Insight checks vs the target.
Once on your turn you can deal extra d6 damage to the target with an attack.
As a Bonus action or when you make Attack on your turn you can change the target of your Hunter's Mark.

Upcasting:
+1d6 damage once on your turn per spell level above 1st.

Now ranger can get extra spell preparation and extra one casting of it once per Long rest.
By limiting damage to once per turn, it does not need to have concentration.

That doesn’t do anything make the class any more interesting, or make a party think “we need a ranger for this job!”

 

[Horwath]

That doesn’t do anything make the class any more interesting, or make a party think “we need a ranger for this job!”

3 skill bonuses give rangers a combat boost, to help find someone using stealth in combat(and out of it)
Survival helps with tracking someone in exploration pillar
and added Insight helps in some social encounters, ranger might not be best smooth talker but could be a good lie detector. Add in some telepathy in the party and it's a nice ribbon feature.

But, yes, the core idea of the ranger depends on how much the exploration pillar is used in your games.

 

[FrogReaver]

I genuinely believe ranger damage output will outperform fighter damage output up until around level 11 with two weapon fighting. I am still crunching numbers but it looks that way. They will be a damage dishing Cuisinart of destruction.

I think it depends on alot of factors. Combat rounds/rounds between short rests/#of short rests subclasses and spell/concentration assumptions. Also of note is Fighter will probably be alot tankier due to second wind.

Once I master the vex nick math I plan to post some damage comparisons too.