D&D 5E (2014) Convince me that the Ranger is a necessary Class.

[Horwath]

That's still bad.

Effects that only target your favored Enemy or only work in your favored terrain is bad.

Too many games go all one way or another.

It should be like Divine Smite.

You get 80% power at base and 100% vs your specialty.

that works also

+1d6 normally, +1d8 vs favored enemies.

The Dragoncloak spell gives fire/cold/lightning/poison/acid resistance normally, immunity vs damage from dragons.

or just when you take favored enemy dragons, gain advantage on Dex saves and resistance to one energy type of dragons, that you can change on long rest

PWT gis +10 normally. AOE triples in Favored terrain.

this is a good idea

 

[CreamCloud0]

heh, maybe

but really, getting extra 1st level spells and maybe even a cantrip at 3rd level is too little too late for most spell.
they are good at 1st and 2nd level and fall of the cliff after.

frontloading is a problem, but on the other hand without it, characters are boring to play, I mean even now, everything under 5th level is snorefest unless you are a new player, characters simply do not have enough things to do.

our last fight, the rogue did same thing 5 rounds in a row, Aim+Elven accuracy with longbow.
why? because rogue, does not have really anything else to do, unless you are AT, but those spell slots will run out fast.

battlemaster? 5th level, well, you have superiority dice for 2 rounds, after that? d20 "auto-attack" like a bad champion.

this is why i think they ought to be putting more heft into species and background options, to mitigate those sparse first few levels with features from other parts of the character without worrying about creating powerful multiclass dips from frontloaded classes.

 

[Horwath]

this is why i think they ought to be putting more heft into species and background options, to mitigate those sparse few levels with features from other parts of the character without worrying about creating powerful multiclass dips.

yeah, ease up on class features on early levels 1-4, divorce feats from class levels(bonus feats from class can still be a thing)
and have one feat for levels 1-4 and then 1 feat every 4 levels, 8,12,16,20.

every character "needs" 3 or maybe 4 feats to define the mechanics, getting all 4 in 4 levels would be great and then class features can really kick in at level 5.

 

[CreamCloud0]

So true,
ranger features, even if they look specialized, need to have broad effect.

i agree with this but not so much the rest of your post, HM can burn in a fire for all i care but that's besides the point.

pick dragons as your favoured enemy and you get advantage on saves against breath weapons and similar AoE monster attacks, you get a special anti-flying knockdown effect on your attacks and a half-dozen free uses of absorb elements(i don't think there's a spell that provides a versatile choice of elemental resistance with an extended duration?), all things that are widely applicable but which come together to be especially specialized against dragons

 

[Horwath]

i agree with this but not so much the rest of your post,

HM can burn in a fire for all i care but that's besides the point.

I agree with that 100% and I have stated several suggestion that can be instead of mandatory HM, which is in it's base pretty meh.
it's a lousy spell to base an entire class on it.

It's OK as an option to take and even better when ignored.

I just added what can be added to HM to make it more team spell.

pick dragons as your favoured enemy and you get advantage on saves against breath weapons and similar AoE monster attacks, you get a special anti-flying knockdown effect on your attacks and a half-dozen free uses of absorb elements(i don't think there's a spell that provides a versatile choice of elemental resistance with an extended duration?), all things that are widely applicable but which come together to be especially specialized against dragons

yes.

undead could give resistance to necrotic damage and immunity to MAX HP reduction and/or ability score drain.

favored terrain underdark could give +60ft darkvision and proficiency or expertise in stealth or perception.
maybe addition that you do not suffer perception penalties while using darkvision.