D&D 5E Great Weapon Ranger

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WhosAChaoticGoodBoy

Explorer

• Sep 1, 2017

• #1

Understanding that great weapon rangers (e.g., a ranger with a greatsword or maul) aren't optimized, I was wondering what anybody's thoughts/experiences were playing them.

Off the top of my head, I'm assuming I'd want to take the defense fighting style as well as go Hunter archetype.

 

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BookBarbarian

Expert Long Rester

• Sep 1, 2017

• #2

PHB Ranger or Revised Ranger?

Revised Ranger can get Advantage on attacks in the first round of combat as long as the targets have not yet acted, which will help with GWM. It works quite a bit better than the PHB Ranger in that regard.

Hunter is fine, but I prefer the Deepstalker Ranger for my Great Weapon Ranger. The extra movement and attack on the first round of combat are great, plus it lets you get Darkvision on a Variant Human, which would be my choice to get GWM at level one. Getting Wisdom Save proficiency later on is great to.

A few levels in Fighter would certainly make the character stronger, but I think a single classed Great weapon Revised Ranger is totally viable.

Defense fighting style works great for Great Weapons, in fact I prefer it to great Weapon Fighting style even on my fighters.

 

G

gyor

Legend

• Sep 1, 2017

• #3

One level dip into fighter nets you GW fighting style, plus second wind, so there you go, just take archery (for when you can't engage in melee) or armour as your next fighting style from the Ranger class. Personally I like Horizon Walker.

 

C

CTurbo

Explorer

• Sep 1, 2017

• #4

I think Rangers make great GWF. I'd take defense too even as a fighter as I do not really care for the GWF fighting style. Deep Stalker is great. Stalker's Flurry is especially strong for a GWM. I do prefer Hunter though. Horde Breaker is at it's best as a GWM, and even though it would be kinda rare to set up perfectly, a favored enemy GWM Whirlwind attack would be epic if surrounded.

I'd like to "multiclass" the Deep Stalker and Hunter together!!!

 

FrogReaver

As long as i get to be the frog

• Sep 1, 2017

• #5

I've always thought it would be fun to try playing a ranger that uses a greatsword and takes the hunter extra attack when an enemy is within 5 feat and start as variant human with GWM for the chance to get an extra attack on a crit or a kill.

In the best case scenario you could make 3 attacks a turn with a greatsword at level 3. It's not focus fire and is hardly optimal but it sounded really fun.

 

Valmarius

First Post

• Sep 1, 2017

• #6

I played a 7th level Firbolg Ranger/Fighter in an @iserith one-shot a month or so ago.
Defense and Great-weapon fighting styles.

I would definitely play this character again. AC wasn't outstanding (16 iirc), but I could really put out some damage. Especially combining action-surge, colossus slayer, and hunter's mark during big battles.
I pretty much one-round killed a hill giant with that combo.

Other spells grant a bit of utility as well. I used Spike Growth to lock down a large group of goblins, who were afraid to move for fear of death by thorns.