D&D (2024) The Lackluster Ranger

[Neonchameleon]

A Fey Wanderer optimized for Control is amazing at control from level 7-16,

Can't agree. They aren't full casters and too much doesn't take their one trick pony stuff; better hope you're not up against celestials, constructs, fiends, oozes, or undead all of whom commonly ignored charmed and frightened.

amazing as a face from level 3+

Mmm - they aren't bards. They can stand up to sorcs and warlocks.

and it is ok at damage and exploration at all levels, but you need to go all in with Wisdom and feats to do it.

If you are only at Dex 16 at level 12 I question if you are OK at damage as a ranger.

IMO if done this way it can be one of the strongest "Martial Classes" and probably the strongest martial class if you are looking across all 3 pillars, but it is not one of the strongest characters when it comes to martial combat.

It's still a half caster. I don't think you've the control of a druid there ... and I'm not sure you're better at martial combat than a cleric or druid that's managed to grab True Strike.

 

[Neonchameleon]

As a hypothetical, where would the ranger fall in the power scheme if it was a full caster? Assume a small, themed selection of 6th-9th level spells.

This is not an actual recommendation for a corrective course of action! Just curiosity.

I'm not sure how you are judging this; an issue with half casters is that they get spells too late to be that useful. One of the Fey Wanderer's party pieces is Summon Fey - but on a level 11 battlefield AC 15, 30hp is a speed bump (the CR 11 Roc has +13 to hit and multiple attacks averaging over 20 damage)

 

[TwoSix]

I'm not sure how you are judging this; an issue with half casters is that they get spells too late to be that useful. One of the Fey Wanderer's party pieces is Summon Fey - but on a level 11 battlefield AC 15, 30hp is a speed bump (the CR 11 Roc has +13 to hit and multiple attacks averaging over 20 damage)

For sure. That's what I'm asking; how strong would be they be if they didn't get their spells too late? (Obviously, subclass spells at 1-5-9-13-17 would move to 1-3-5-7-9.)

 

[CreamCloud0]

For sure. That's what I'm asking; how strong would be they be if they didn't get their spells too late? (Obviously, subclass spells at 1-5-9-13-17 would move to 1-3-5-7-9.)

even if they didn't get 6th-9th levels spells, just getting their 1st-5th spells at useable levels and having the extra slots for upcasting would be so appreciated.

(i know nothing about balance)

 

[TwoSix]

even if they didn't get 6th-9th levels spells, just getting their 1st-5th spells at useable levels and having the extra slots for upcasting would be so appreciated.

(i know nothing about balance)

I like that idea.

 

[Neonchameleon]

For sure. That's what I'm asking; how strong would be they be if they didn't get their spells too late? (Obviously, subclass spells at 1-5-9-13-17 would move to 1-3-5-7-9.)

Way OP. At that point the become essentially a druid as a caster with martial level attacks and strong skills.

 

[Corinnguard]

It would also be nice if Rangers were prepared spellcasters who can swap out a select number of spells with every long rest.

Edit: The 5e and 5.5e Ranger. LL's Ranger already is a prepared half-caster.

 

[Neonchameleon]

It would also be nice if Rangers were prepared spellcasters who can swap out a select number of spells with every long rest.

They can ... as of the 2024 update paladins and rangers can both swap one spell per long rest.

 

[CreamCloud0]

It would also be nice if Rangers were prepared spellcasters who can swap out a select number of spells with every long rest.

the fact that they're known casters always really seemed at odds with their class fantasy to me.

 

[TwoSix]

Way OP. At that point the become essentially a druid as a caster with martial level attacks and strong skills.

So, again hypothetically, if a half-caster ranger is too weak, and a full-caster ranger is too strong, there must be some compromise point between half-caster and full-caster that would be roughly balanced; 5e simply has never systemically introduced more granularity into the spellcasting progression.