Adaptive Explorer: An alternative to Natural Explorer for 1st-level Rangers

[Gladius Legis]

If the problem is not getting to use it, just let them use it more - not invent brand new stuff to replace it, right ?

That's hardly the only problem with it. It's just the most fatal one. Even if you could use it more often, the main benefit is meh at best other than double proficiency on Perception and maybe Insight.

It's also bland. Like, simply saying "my Ranger's favored terrain is arctic" and having Natural Explorer's generic stuff working only in the arctic is all there is. There's just no meaningful expression of there being an actual arctic Ranger (or whatever other terrain) in the PHB class.

 

[5ekyu]

That's hardly the only problem with it. It's just the most fatal one. Even if you could use it more often, the main benefit is meh at best other than double proficiency on Perception and maybe Insight.

It's also bland. Like, simply saying "my Ranger's favored terrain is arctic" and having Natural Explorer's generic stuff working only in the arctic is all there is. There's just no meaningful expression of there being an actual arctic Ranger (or whatever other terrain) in the PHB class.

Well, honestly, that's never been a problem expressed to me by ranger players in any edition.

Beasts wonky rules - yup.
Favored stuff too unreliable/setting - yup
Oughta be more like elemental style ranger - nope.

The general idea most rangers players I have seen had was being a master of the wild & hunter, not one who has given into the wild - those more barbarian or druid flavors and they were not uncommon multi-classes either.

But if you dont want multi-class then it feels to me that what you are describing is a sub-class, not the core class feature. It seems very similar in idea - this "changed by the land" hunter - to the storm herald sub-class or the "land" druids.

Sub-class with themed spells added to available list plus resistances etc...

If one wants to double-down on a specific single terrain that is.

 

[Yunru]

Well, honestly, that's never been a problem expressed to me by ranger players in any edition.

Beasts wonky rules - yup.
Favored stuff too unreliable/setting - yup
Oughta be more like elemental style ranger - nope.

The general idea most rangers players I have seen had was being a master of the wild & hunter, not one who has given into the wild - those more barbarian or druid flavors and they were not uncommon multi-classes either.

But if you dont want multi-class then it feels to me that what you are describing is a sub-class, not the core class feature. It seems very similar in idea - this "changed by the land" hunter - to the storm herald sub-class or the "land" druids.

Sub-class with themed spells added to available list plus resistances etc...

If one wants to double-down on a specific single terrain that is.

Complete disagree. There's certainly players that would want it, and players that don't feel it's "given into the wilds". I, for one, am both.

Take the Arctic one, it's a cold place, so naturally, you're more knowledgable about how to endure the cold.

So... yeah. Not sure were you're getting this 'changed by land' nonsense from.

EDIT: Sorry if I sound grumpy. The only reason I'm not asleep right now is that I'm too tired to sleep.

 

[5ekyu]

Complete disagree. There's certainly players that would want it, and players that don't feel it's "given into the wilds". I, for one, am both.

Take the Arctic one, it's a cold place, so naturally, you're more knowledgable about how to endure the cold.

So... yeah. Not sure were you're getting this 'changed by land' nonsense from.

EDIT: Sorry if I sound grumpy. The only reason I'm not asleep right now is that I'm too tired to sleep.

Did not claim nobody wanted it, just that this "changed by the wild" version has never been a complaint of something the ranger was lacking.

As for your claim that it represents arctic the " knowledgeable about how to endure the cold" that's not what resistance to cold damage is or implies. Nor is resistance yo acid damage. Those fo not require good choices in clothing, covering with fats and oils etc or whatever one eould normally envision as tactical application of knowledge. Those cut directly damage done in half - even if buck naked freshly scrubbed - those are clearly capabilities reflecting someone who a change has been made to.

Again, looking at the other classes, some form of "child of the wild ranger is not at all unreasonable **as a sub-class** but it's not something that matches up as a core class feature forced on every single ranger.

But hey, your game, your fun, and I am sure every single one of your potential ranger players are just csmmouring for this, so, all the best with it.