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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Blue" data-source="post: 7868498" data-attributes="member: 20564">The Class Features UA brought a lot of interesting and fun options for all of the classes, but for the ranger it brought a much needed refit that bumps it, especially the Beastmaster subclass, to be more in line with the other classes.But it also looks like it has some great opportunities to pick up some nifty abilities with just a bit of multiclassing.  The Basics: Multiclassing ranger requires a 13 DEX which a large majority of characters would have, and a 13 WIS which may have an opportunity cost.One level of RangerGrants all weapons, light & medium armor, and shields, plus one skill from the Ranger list, and a good HD and HP.  Standard Ranger multiclassing benefits.It grants choice of:Favored Enemy (PHB) - advantage on certain skill check against type of foevs.Favored Foe (UA) - Know Hunter's Mark, cast it WIS mod times per long rest without needed concentration.Just think about that second one.  Hunter's Mark lasts for an hour, and without concentration to  potentially break it that's likely several encounters per day with an extra +1d6 damage per attack.  Lots of fun with builds that get lots of attacks.  Though Hunter's Mark is a weapon attack, so not as much for the casters.Plus choice of:Natural Explorer (PHB) - advantages in a picked terrain typevs.Deft Explorer (UA) - Choice of one of the following:<ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Canny - proficiency and expertise in one of a list of ranger skills, plus two languages</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Roving - +5' speed, and both a climbing speed and a swim speed.  Those last two are of limited times they come up, but are great boosts when they do.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Tireless - action for d10+WIS tHP, WIS times per long rest.  Plus short rests now remove a level of exhaustion.</li> </ul>Looking at these, a pick of Canny means, with the base multiclassing options, that you are picking up two skills, one of them with expertise. That's of value in sill monkey builds.Roving makes a skirmisher even more. A wild elf or tabaxi with even more movement would be fun.Tireless tHP is nice.  But it single-handedly enables the Berserker Barbarian to use their special rage once per short rest instead of once per day and still keep on top of levels of Exhaustion.Two levels of RangerSpellcasting, which is not a small thing.  And don't forget that you can now swap out one spell per long rest with the UA article.  And hey, this means if you are dipping from a caster class you're not losing as much slot advancement.A fighting style.  We're used to all the PHB ones, the article brings up several more including the Ranger-only Druidic Warrior where they learn two cantrips.  Could go club and Shillelagh to have all WIS based combat.  Three levels of RangerSubclass is the most interesting bit and I'll get the, but they also get a base class choice.Choice of:Primeval Awareness (PHB) - Use and action and a spell slot to sense aberrations, celestials, dragons, elementals, fey, and fiends within a 1 (6 in favored terrain) mile radius.vs.Primal Awareness (UA) - Learn Detect Magic and Speak with Animals for free (at this level), and can cast them each once per day without using a slot.It's not a party on your character sheet by itself, but as an extra on top of subclass it's nothing to sneer at.Subclasses:These have all the normal goodness they give out. Gloom Stalker for an extra attack 1st round of combat is popular. Hunter doesn't suck for some consistant extra damage output.But the new Beastmaster options are interesting. You get a beast that grows with proficiency (by basic PHB rules), not with ranger levels, and is just a bonus action to command. The only thing tied to ranger level is HPs, and the easy Primal Rebirth option reduces the effects of death greatly. The new Beast of the Earth|Air companions are a bit like how Eldritch Blast keeps growing regardless of class so just a little bit of warlock to get it and the right invocation and it keeps pace from there. It's a gift that keeps giving. Even if it's just a meatshield - remember that the PHB Errata makes it that it will always Dodge without a command, and needs no command to use a reaction.It works just fine with any non-bonus-action-heavy class. Cast a spell, have your Beast Attack. Be an archer, have your beast attack. Whatever. And your beast attacks.ConclusionDipping the Ranger enhanced by the Class Features UA gives a lot of intriguing options for a 1 or 3 level dip.  Certain builds like skill-monkeys looking for more nature coverage as well as berserker barbarians get get a lot out of a single level, while there are more general options for many as well.  Those willing to go further can spellcasting, a fighting style from a long list, and a subclass with several that work well with martial classes, or with the changes to beastmaster can give you a bonus-action attack pet.</blockquote>

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