D&D 5E Convince me that the Ranger is a necessary Class.

[ECMO3]

I see you desire war. There will be gnomes going forward.

Seriously though, 5E doesn't give races penalties at all and the two times it did people absolutely tore them to shreds, especially given it was on one of the weakest races at the time in orcs. There is no justifiable reason for a size penalty

5E does give small characters penalties using heavy weapons, which is pretty restrictive overall and prevents some of the best weapons builds.

Small characters also can't grapple or shove large creatures. So there are some penalties.

2024 appears to be doing away with the heavy weapons penalty though.

 

[Vaalingrade]

There is no justifiable reason for a size penalty

They'll say 'verisimilitude', but that's never a justifiable reason.

 

[ezo]

LOL, nowadays people are always about the whole "What, you can't impose a penalty, that is just wrong!"

 

[Mecheon]

LOL, nowadays people are always about the whole "What, you can't impose a penalty, that is just wrong!"

Its not how the game is designed, and the only two races that had penalties were orcs and kobolds, in a blatent display of "Yeah we don't want you playing these". People were justifiably annoyed and, shock and horror, they got removed.

Shock and horror, game is designed a specific way and people expect it to be that way. We're not in 3E here

 

[ezo]

Shock and horror, game is designed a specific way and people expect it to be that way.

I was happily surprised to finally see some ability score PENALTIES! They belong in the game and, of course, every group I play in uses them.

Of course, small-size should have penalties as well, but on the other side they should have benefits that aren't there, either. I guess instead of -1 + 1 = 0, then just went with 0 = 0 this time.

 

[ezo]

Its not how the game is designed, and the only two races that had penalties were orcs and kobolds, in a blatent display of "Yeah we don't want you playing these". People were justifiably annoyed and, shock and horror, they got removed.

Also, it wasn't "we don't want you playing these" it was "this race is incredibly small and weak" (kobold) and "this race is incredibly stupid" (orc). Why do you think those two races had 7 in their ability scores for STR and INT, respectively?

They got removed because people just don't like the idea of a race having a penalty. Nothing more to it.

 

[Mecheon]

I was happily surprised to finally see some ability score PENALTIES! They belong in the game and, of course, every group I play in uses them.

Of course, small-size should have penalties as well, but on the other side they should have benefits that aren't there, either. I guess instead of -1 + 1 = 0, then just went with 0 = 0 this time.

Good for your groups? I'm sure there's groups that do other weird stuff not included in the rules as well, doesn't mean we gotta shove all that in.

5E has races be a simple pile of "Here's your few + stats (since removed) and a few abilities", its not a place for penalties and certainly not a place for this weird generification +1 AC across the board that was proposed

Also, it wasn't "we don't want you playing these" it was "this race is incredibly small and weak" (kobold) and "this race is incredibly stupid" (orc). Why do you think those two races had 7 in their ability scores for STR and INT, respectively?

They got removed because people just don't like the idea of a race having a penalty. Nothing more to it.

Have I gotta post Times Change again and go into my spiel about how D&D has provided nothing to the pop culture image of the orc, leading to Warhammer and Warcraft being mainstays of that. Kobolds meanwhile are just beloved

They got removed because that ain't the image of the orc these days and also due to the Issues with how orcs are presented historically not giving it a good look. Seriously, name me one D&D orc who's anywhere near the popularity of Thrall, Garrosh, Mankrik, Nazgrim, Saurfang or Gul'dan. The fact mr Barrens Chat himself is more well known than any D&D orc is saying something.

 

[mellored]

I'm currently thinking..

Barbarian Rage could be a Ranger spell.

Edit: maybe just drop the n
Rager

 

[cbwjm]

Also, it wasn't "we don't want you playing these" it was "this race is incredibly small and weak" (kobold) and "this race is incredibly stupid" (orc). Why do you think those two races had 7 in their ability scores for STR and INT, respectively?

They got removed because people just don't like the idea of a race having a penalty. Nothing more to it.

That also seems to be the reason why they now have floating ability bonuses, can't have one race be naturally smarter than the others.

 

[Vaalingrade]

LOL, nowadays people are always about the whole "What, you can't impose a penalty, that is just wrong!"

It's good game design. You want players to make choices based on what they want, not avoid choices based on what they don't want.