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

[James Gasik]

What I don't understand is why aren't the people who want ranger to be a rogue subclass happy with scout? Scout rogue is literally a pure martial ranger as a rogue subclass.

They want to be able to officially put "Ranger" on their character sheet.

 

[ECMO3]

Tom Bombadil and/or his wife Goldberry?

In D&D parlance, I think he is more of a demigod unless there is something I am not remembering right.

 

[doctorbadwolf]

Cart before horse.

Rangers don't develop Botany or Zoology because Druidic magic exists and they can learn it.

Grognards wouldn't let Rangers actually learn science.

Nope. We just aren’t ever going to agree on this.

Agreed.

Point is many people want Supernatural stuff from one media to work the same in D&D.

"Jedis don't have spell slots. Why in D&D?"
"Rangers talk to talks with waving their hands and saying magic words. Why in D&D?"

Eh, not a thing I care about.

Exactly.
Kingsfoil doesn't exist in 5e.

If you’re playing in middle earth it does.

Aragorn is crafting potions with a herbalism kit or casting Cure Wounds with a spell slot.

He’s using a magical herb to heal someone through magical herb craft, my dude.

 

[Horwath]

What I don't understand is why aren't the people who want ranger to be a rogue subclass happy with scout? Scout rogue is literally a pure martial ranger as a rogue subclass.

Scout while it has somewhat flavor of the ranger is pretty meh as a subclass and rogue is pretty weak as a class, little better in 2024.

Now Rogue/scout with a level of fighter can simulate a decent ranger that is true.
That was my 1st character in 5E(well, rogue was assassin until Scout showed up, then I retrained), because I wanted to play a ranger, and then I saw the 2014 version of Favored enemy&terrain and I thought, not this garbage again.
We got like 37 ACFs in 3,5e and PF1 to get rid of that and they put it back in.

 

[Paul Farquhar]

Scout while it has somewhat flavor of the ranger is pretty meh as a subclass and rogue is pretty weak as a class, little better in 2024.

Scout still plays like a rogue, in that they want to sneak up on targets, rather than engage them directly. Which is fine for some types of ranger, but is not exactly Robin Hood.

But I would be happy with ranger as a fighter subclass. I do think heavy armour should be out of the core fighter class, as it is for clerics though.

With both a rogue-ranger and a fighter-ranger, it covers most of the archetypes.

 

[Horwath]

Scout still plays like a rogue, in that they want to sneak up on targets, rather than engage them directly. Which is fine for some types of ranger, but is not exactly Robin Hood.

I think that EVERY ranger wants to sneak up on the target rather than engage then directly, but ranger is atleast better equipped to fight after surprise ends or fails.

But I would be happy with ranger as a fighter subclass. I do think heavy armour should be out of the core fighter class, as it is for clerics though.

With both a rogue-ranger and a fighter-ranger, it covers most of the archetypes.

one house rule that I like is that you trade your 1st level heavy armor proficiency for 1 skill+ 1 expertise.
That give "rangery" fighter some skill advantage from the start.

 

[meisterchef99]

Rangers are great for wilderness tracking, ranged DPS and having a pet that's actually useful. I play rangers in about 2 every 3 of my campaigns. Also, who else finds all the traps?

 

[Corinnguard]

I think that EVERY ranger wants to sneak up on the target rather than engage then directly, but ranger is atleast better equipped to fight after surprise ends or fails.

Especially a 6th-level Bugbear Ranger (Gloom Stalker)/ 4th-level Rogue (Scout).

 

[Minigiant]

If you’re playing in middle earth it does.

And the point.

There are people who want to play a Middle Earth Ranger with Middle Earth Ranger magic in Forgotten Realms and D&D rules with no alterations.

When it comes to classes, many people aren't reasonable.

 

[doctorbadwolf]

And the point.

There are people who want to play a Middle Earth Ranger with Middle Earth Ranger magic in Forgotten Realms and D&D rules with no alterations.

When it comes to classes, many people aren't reasonable.

Okay? So what? What has that got to do with designing a ranger?