D&D (2024) How to simply fix Ranger in 2024.

[CreamCloud0]

This ^^^^^^^^^^^^. Ranger should be a subclass of Fighter.

Reduce it far enough and all the classes are a derivative of either the fighter or the wizard, doesn’t mean it’d make for a good game if we did decide to cram all the classes down into just those two simply because we could.

 

[Minigiant]

This ^^^^^^^^^^^^. Ranger should be a subclass of Fighter.

Not the 5e fighter.
Nor any fighter in the last 24 years.

 

[Horwath]

This ^^^^^^^^^^^^. Ranger should be a subclass of Fighter.

not really agree with this, but it can be a variant solution.

So let's have a crack at it:

1st level. Extra subclass level feature:
Drop heavy armor for two extra skills from the list of:
Athletics, Acrobatics, Stealth, Investigation, Nature, Animal Handling, Insight, Medicine, Perception, Survival.

3rd level:
2 skill proficiency and 2 expertise for skills in 1st level list
ignoring natural difficult terrain
+60ft darkvision

7th level:
+10 move speed
climb speed
swim speed

10th level:
+2 expertise for 1st level skill list
hide as Bonus action

15th level:
As Bonus action, turn invisible for 1 round, prof bonus per Long rest

18th level:
Blindsight 60ft

 

[ECMO3]

Nah

Personally I don't think another should have access to summons or zones while significantly buffed unless it is favored in the base class.

Here is the thing. It is not much of a buff.

I want to be clear - fixing Hunter's Mark so it is non-concentration is not a fix for the Ranger class. It is a little better, but it is still a class feature that should not be a class feature and should instead be a choice.

That said, concentration free Hunter's Mark is not some awesome buff, due to the action economy associated with casting spells. HM is 1d6 per hit, so to get the most out of it you need to actually hit, which means you need to attack. In most fights HM is around 20 damage total (6 hits) if you cast it on round 1 and attack every single action and bonus action except when you move it. If you cast another spell on round 1 as an action (say Fear or Summon Fey) and lose those 2 attacks, then it is around 15 damage on most fights.

 

[Paul Farquhar]

Not the 5e fighter.
Nor any fighter in the last 24 years.

No, no reason why wilderness guy should be limited to a particular class, backgrounds offer more flexibility.

The reason for Hunters Mark is that without it there is nothing distinctive whatsoever for rangers to do in 5e. “You all starve in the wilderness” does not fit with the heroic theme of 5e. And “your party must include a ranger to survive this journey” is the sort of bad design D&D has been trying to escape since thief was added. Travelling through the wilderness cannot be anything more than fluff that the party automatically succeeds at, ergo a wilderness themed character cannot be anything more than fluff.

The “simple fix” is to ditch the redundant class from the game. But of course that can’t happen because it’s traditional, and D&D depends on tradition. Need to travel back in time and explain to that person who wanted to play a character based on Aragorn that he is clearly a paladin with some skills.

 

[ECMO3]

not really agree with this, but it can be a variant solution.

So let's have a crack at it:

1st level. Extra subclass level feature:
Drop heavy armor for two extra skills from the list of:
Athletics, Acrobatics, Stealth, Investigation, Nature, Animal Handling, Insight, Medicine, Perception, Survival.

3rd level:
2 skill proficiency and 2 expertise for skills in 1st level list
ignoring natural difficult terrain
+60ft darkvision

7th level:
+10 move speed
climb speed
swim speed

10th level:
+2 expertise for 1st level skill list
hide as Bonus action

15th level:
As Bonus action, turn invisible for 1 round, prof bonus per Long rest

18th level:
Blindsight 60ft

Where are the spells?

 

[Horwath]

Where are the spells?

this is a fast scrapped sub-class for fighter due to suggestion that ranger should be nothing more than a fighter subclass.
I do not agree, but I did try a whack at it.
And as fighter subclass(and Aragorn did not cast spells), this subclass does not get spells.

 

[g00se99994]

Reduce it far enough and all the classes are a derivative of either the fighter or the wizard, doesn’t mean it’d make for a good game if we did decide to cram all the classes down into just those two simply because we could.

To each their own.

not really agree with this, but it can be a variant solution.

So let's have a crack at it:

1st level. Extra subclass level feature:
Drop heavy armor for two extra skills from the list of:
Athletics, Acrobatics, Stealth, Investigation, Nature, Animal Handling, Insight, Medicine, Perception, Survival.

3rd level:
2 skill proficiency and 2 expertise for skills in 1st level list
ignoring natural difficult terrain
+60ft darkvision

7th level:
+10 move speed
climb speed
swim speed

10th level:
+2 expertise for 1st level skill list
hide as Bonus action

15th level:
As Bonus action, turn invisible for 1 round, prof bonus per Long rest

18th level:
Blindsight 60ft

You could even give some flexibility in the subclass options (which you have here too). Maybe natural medicine, expanding on tracking abilities, have a pet companion. I just think having it part of the Fighter toolkit would solve so many problems for Rangers. Based on feedback I've seen, I'm in the minority which is fine. On the bright side, I bet in one of the expansions they will have revised optional rules for Ranger, again, just like they did for 5.14 haha.

 

[Minigiant]

Here is the thing. It is not much of a buff.

I want to be clear - fixing Hunter's Mark so it is non-concentration is not a fix for the Ranger class. It is a little better, but it is still a class feature that should not be a class feature and should instead be a choice.

That said, concentration free Hunter's Mark is not some awesome buff, due to the action economy associated with casting spells. HM is 1d6 per hit, so to get the most out of it you need to actually hit, which means you need to attack. In most fights HM is around 20 damage total (6 hits) if you cast it on round 1 and attack every single action and bonus action except when you move it. If you cast another spell on round 1 as an action (say Fear or Summon Fey) and lose those 2 attacks, then it is around 15 damage on most fights.

I agree that is not much of a buff.

My point is it's a lot of crying about concentration where the the only concentration spells that most people want to use involve cheese tactics.

Not spells that enable iconic ranger elements.

But cheesy Spike Growth cheese grater stuff or summoning 8 wolves to deal all your damage.

Not barkskin or lightning arrow which lost concentration.

 

[Horwath]

To each their own.

You could even give some flexibility in the subclass options (which you have here too). Maybe natural medicine, expanding on tracking abilities, have a pet companion. I just think having it part of the Fighter toolkit would solve so many problems for Rangers. Based on feedback I've seen, I'm in the minority which is fine. On the bright side, I bet in one of the expansions they will have revised optional rules for Ranger, again, just like they did for 5.14 haha.

this is more of a more martial oriented field scout.
Sure 15th level is a bit magical.

and honestly pet companion could just be a general feat for anyone to take.

Feat:
animal companion:
+1 ASI
you gain a medium size companion:

STR14, DEX14, CON 14, INT 4, WIS 12, CHA 8
skills: Athletics, Stealth, Perception

darkvision 60ft

attacks: bite, 2×prof bonus, damage 1d6(d4 flying)+prof bonus

AC: 10+prof bonus

HP: 5+5×level

speed: pick one
1. 40ft, climb 40ft
2. 30ft, swim 30ft, water breathing
3. 20ft, fly 60ft
4. 20ft, burrow 10ft

saves; proficient in all

you can command your companion as a Bonus action or one attack from Attack action.
without orders, companion can only Move and take Dodge, Dash and Disengage action.