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

[Horwath]

You forgot rangers get multi-attack (+2d6) and a fighting style (+1d6)

3d6+9 from two weapons + 3d6 from hunter's mark.
Vs
Rogue is at 2d6+3. And will need 6d6 sneak attack to match. Level 11.

So, a melee ranger. with no Con save proficiency. How long with that HM last? 1 round? maybe 2?

ant it will be awhile till you get 13th level for that feature. A feature that is about 12 levels too late.

 

[Minigiant]

if you are using your 3rd level slot for magic missile, then yes, you are throwing your fireball away.

that has no connection whatsoever.
that is your DM throwing you a curve ball now and then, as they should. But not often as that is also bad mannerism.

sometimes your main attack path should be met with resistance or immunity.

that is not you willingly ignoring your features, that is that your features simply do not work in this situation.

It is the same.

You are saying you can't use other spells as you would be wasting a feature.

Well even if the 13rd, 17th, and 20th feature did something else, you still can cast other spells. A Ranger has multiple spell slots.

A caster isn't locked into one spell if they get a feature that buffs it.

The only way that happens is if you have so few encounters that you not able to use many of your resources. And if you have that few encounters per long rest then you're not playing the game as designed.

 

[mellored]

and what does rage block from barbarian class exactly?

So as long as you don't take any other concentration spells, your fine with it?



This is well beyond a revision. But here is what I would do.


Level 1:Hunter's Mark, at-will, concentration, +1d4 to d12 scaling by ranger level.
No spells.
Level 2: Hunters Invocations
Level 3: subclass
...

Hunters Invocations
Level 2:
Healing herbs
Speak with Animals
Expertise
Snare
Alarm
...

Level 5:
Elemental resistance
Spiked trap
Grappling Arrow
Beast Sight
...

Level 9:
Spirit Beasts: (Conjure Animals)
Guerilla Leader: (concentration, allies get + stealth
Shining Mark: (Hunters Mark can't hide)
...

 

[ECMO3]

Ranger is strong. They don't need more feats.

The fix for Ranger is flavor.

Ranger "needs" alternative Hunter's Mark spell options.

Beastmaster's Mark.
Stalker's Mark.
Warden's Mark.

Fey Mark!

 

[ECMO3]

Yeah, I mean I would either make it so Favored Enemy lets you cast hunter’s mark without needing to concentrate on it, or I would just remove the concentration requirement from the spell.

IMO this is a power buff but is not really a fix. The Ranger is already powerful enough, the problem is the Hunter's Mark spell and tying it to so many class features. Beefing it up does not change that.

 

[mellored]

So, a melee ranger. with no Con save proficiency. How long with that HM last? 1 round? maybe 2?

If concentration doesn't work, then why are you concerned about other concentration spells?

But sure, use a bow with +2 to hit. That's more damage as well.

 

[mellored]

Side note

Why is there no Trapper subclass?

 

[UngeheuerLich]

If concentration doesn't work, then why are you concerned about other concentration spells?

But sure, use a bow with +2 to hit. That's more damage as well.

I think the ranger should have gotten con saves instead of dex. I mean they are wanting to survive in the wilderness where con saves are much more common.

 

[ECMO3]

The Ranger class only exists because TRADITION. If you were designing from scratch, a wilderness guy background with fighter, rogue, barbarian or paladin (Aragorn) completely fulfills the role in 5e.

So it’s a class frantically trying to justify its existence with its rather silly hunters mark mechanic.

This hits the nail dead on.

I play a lot of Ranger characters, but I pretty much never play the Ranger wilderness guy trope and almost never have survival or nature proficiency .... I play a Rogue when I want to do nature man. For me, I play Rangers as a high-magic Gish and the TCE rules are very accommodating for that kind of theme.

The new rules push much more towards being more of a martial type character and we have enough of those already.

 

[Minigiant]

Fey Mark!

But which one?

A Charm
A teleport
Or
Psychic damage


How about 3 different Fey Marks?