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

[ECMO3]

Jeremy Crawford loves Tavern Brawler
This is his personal stamp after we down voted out Brawler fighter.

The Tavern Brawler feat is fine. The sailor background makes no sense at all for a stereotypical Monk.

I am not saying you should not be able to use that background, but it should not be the "default" Monk background. I think that should be Accolyte or Sage, or maybe Hermits like Cream said, all of which are generally bad backgrounds mechanically for a Monk.

The problem really is in the 2024 background system. Pretty much we play entirely with a custom background option in virtually all my 2024 games because of the silly way it is organized and stovepiped.

You want to play a character with a background that sailed on ships prior to adventuring in what would typically be called a Sailor? Call it a "Seaman", then pick 2 skills, 2 abilities, a tool and a feat to go with it.

 

[Minigiant]

The Tavern Brawler feat is fine. The sailor background makes no sense at all for a stereotypical Monk.

I meant that Crawford was attempting to force his favorite archetype to get it a core background.

Like druidic magic works with a Guide as they are wilderness escorts. It matches Rangers naturally.

Drunkard would be best for Tavern Brawler but you know...

 

[CreamCloud0]

Drunkard would be best for Tavern Brawler but you know...

you could at least call it 'roughneck' to not put such an unappealing angle on it, while i'm certain there would be some (there always are) most players probably don't want to imagine their character starting out quite so down on their luck and in the gutters (and then you don't need to explain where a drunkard obtained their starting gear).

 

[Minigiant]

you could at least call it 'roughneck' to not put such an unappealing angle on it, while i'm certain there would be some (there always are) most players probably don't want to imagine their character starting out quite so down on their luck and in the gutters (and then you don't need to explain where a drunkard obtained their starting gear).

Roughneck works.

Or City Slicker or Urbanite

Basically the type of people who would be good at unarmed and improvised strikes would be someone who commonly has fights but in places where you can't openly wield weapons.

But overall, the point is the the root of a Ranger is a natural occurrence in the common D&D world.