D&D 5E Ideas for Unique Ranger Spells and Magic

[R_J_K75]

Well, my thoughts are primarily druid with minor arcane, and it could even be exclusively "natural", but I know others have their own opinions of course.

Didn't 1E only require the druid to have mistletoe/Holley/nightshade (think they are all one in the same) to cast spells? So I guess that would be natural and don't disagree. The Ranger should fall under the same. But at some point they got lumped in with divine intervention. I never agreed with either the druid or the ranger getting their spells from arcane means.

 

[DND_Reborn]

Didn't 1E only require the druid to have mistletoe/Holley/nightshade (think they are all one in the same) to cast spells? So I guess that would be natural and don't disagree. The Ranger should fall under the same. But at some point they got lumped in with divine intervention. I never agreed with either the druid or the ranger getting their spells from arcane means.

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[R_J_K75]

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[R_J_K75]

This thread had got me thinking. If I had to make a ruling in my game if a player asked me where does my rangers/druids "magical" powers come from? I think I would answer as such,

Its not from a divine being, the elements in a supernatural way, or some hokey philosophy, but nature. Watching a heard of bison cross a plain would teach them how to navigate their environment. Watching birds or deer would show them how camouflage themselves. If they want to start a magical fire, get something flammable from your environment, two sticks and you'll start a bonfire bigger than any lay person. You get your magic by harnessing the environment of your immediate surroundings. So for a wilderness ranger or druid, its mud, water, a dead snake skull. If you're an urban ranger or druid its a building brick, or the sign from a market place stall.

 

[Minigiant]

So it begs the question where does its powers actually come from

I always saw it as a collection of secrets gathered from their travels. Tricks picked up here and there over generations of rangers bringing back tricks of the trade.

Like in a very crunchy D&D, rangers would get secret points and spent them to get spells.

"Required" spells would cost 1 point
Traditional ranger spells would cost 2 points
Druid spells would cost 3 points
Wizard spells would cost 4 points
Any divination spell would cost 4 points
Paladin spells would cost 4 points

You'd get like X secret points per level. Different archetypes would discount spells or unlock ones.

 

[doctorbadwolf]

One thing that I never understood about the Ranger, whats with the Grizzly Adams, BJ and the Bear animal companion thing? Is he a loner walking through life alone with nothing more than a Chimpanzee at his side? Again as you said makes the class hard to pin down. Anyone Ive ever seen play a Ranger with an animal companion buried that thing within two or three games. Im gonna send Scraps into battle and it always ends up on the wrong end of a lightning bolt.

I’ve never had a player bury their animal companion. “Scraps” is almost always an integral part of the team, often a sort of mascot, but always important throughout the campaign.

 

[doctorbadwolf]

I always saw it as a collection of secrets gathered from their travels. Tricks picked up here and there over generations of rangers bringing back tricks of the trade.

Like in a very crunchy D&D, rangers would get secret points and spent them to get spells.

"Required" spells would cost 1 point
Traditional ranger spells would cost 2 points
Druid spells would cost 3 points
Wizard spells would cost 4 points
Any divination spell would cost 4 points
Paladin spells would cost 4 points

In a less crunchy 5e, Ritual Casting is a good start, IMO.

 

[R_J_K75]

I’ve never had a player bury their animal companion. “Scraps” is almost always an integral part of the team, often a sort of mascot, but always important throughout the campaign.

I get the mascot thing, I wish my players were smarter, give them a good name, some armor and jerky treats. But they always treat them as expendable. Ranger: Bonkers...go scout over the next ridge. Ranger: Bonkers....Bonkers? Ranger (turns to Party)...Theres no reply from Bonkers. Then they wonder why the animal companion dies all the time.

 

[WayOfTheFourElements]

I get the mascot thing, I wish my players were smarter, give them a good name, some armor and jerky treats. But they always treat them as expendable. Ranger: Bonkers...go scout over the next ridge. Ranger: Bonkers....Bonkers? Ranger (turns to Party)...Theres no reply from Bonkers. Then they wonder why the animal companion dies all the time.

Sounds like a beast master as opposed to a ranger with an animal companion. Animal as tool vs. animal as friend. Both make sense to me.

 

[R_J_K75]

Sounds like a beast master as opposed to a ranger with an animal companion. Animal as tool vs. animal as friend. Both make sense to me.

Sounds like a Colin Kaepernick vs Michael Vick scenario.