D&D 5E Improving the Ranger

[Jefe Bergenstein]

Giving them Cantrips seems like a great idea. What would be the most logical list to chose from: Druid?

Druid, though I could also see some wizard. In 1E they had both druid and wizard spells. Because these guys traveled solo, they had to know a bit of everything (like a bard). I think druid plus minor illusion and maybe a few others would be good. Minor illusion is really good at helping set up ambushes, sending signals (project a 5 foot long glowing arrow 30 feet in the air). Do druids get message? Definitely add that if not. The lack of cantrips on rangers/paladins seems an unusual design choice, as they really do go a long way to adding flavor to the classes.

Some of their individual spells could probably use a boost in damage to avoid just constant hunter's mark spam.

 

[Zaran]

I would make all the Ranger spells not Concentration (or at least give them the ability to be immune to concentration checks). I would give Beastmaster companions proficiency in all saves (Or make it so the ranger Proficiency bonus adds to every save of the companion). I would let the animal companion's attack orders to be given as a bonus action and not make it take up any attacks from the ranger's normal attack actions.

I think these issues will improve the ranger without making them overpowered when compared to the Fighter.

 

[Coredump]

How good it lasts 1 MINUTE per spell level... and I never pretended it is exactly how you must interpret RAW, but it is my interpretation, that actually makes it useful for the Ranger...

My bad.... I was conflating minutes and rounds...

Yeah, if you let them 'scan' that way, it would help. But you are still left with the issue of being able to narrow it down to pretty narrow strip, but that strip is still crazy long. Using the above, the strip may only be 100' wide, but its 18 miles long. To get to it and walk it will take almost an entire day... not bad if looking for a lair, but otherwise not very helpful. And kind of boring...

It *does* make it more useful for the Ranger; I still think I would prefer skipping the scan, and just getting a general direction instead.

 

[Coredump]

I also admitt, that the ranger as written reads terrible, and some features overshadow other features by a wide margin. Also only 11 spells known at most seems too harsh. Maybe add hunter´s mark as a class feature or something, so it frees up one spell known... I don´t know... but don´t pretend, the ranger is objectively bad as is. It is only slightly off the mark.

The way I see it, the Ranger is mostly a Fighter/Rogue/Druid hybrid class, with some 'ranger' abilities tossed in.

This would be fine, except the Ranger abilities are pretty poor and pretty bland. The F/R/D powers are enough to make the class playable... but it needs to be more of a Ranger, not more of those other classes.

Strengthen Favored enemy (not combat), favored terrain, primeval awareness.... not sure about cantrips.. but maybe some extra known spells.

 

[Coredump]

I would give Beastmaster companions proficiency in all saves (Or make it so the ranger Proficiency bonus adds to every save of the companion). .

Pretty sure it does work that way...

 

[UngeheuerLich]

The way I see it, the Ranger is mostly a Fighter/Rogue/Druid hybrid class, with some 'ranger' abilities tossed in.

This would be fine, except the Ranger abilities are pretty poor and pretty bland. The F/R/D powers are enough to make the class playable... but it needs to be more of a Ranger, not more of those other classes.

Strengthen Favored enemy (not combat), favored terrain, primeval awareness.... not sure about cantrips.. but maybe some extra known spells.

Yes, the most important thing is strengthening his versatility. If he had some way of attuning to a terrain or some enemy, it would help a lot. I think downtime activities to aquire terrain and enemy proficiencies seems reasonable (comparable to wizards learning new spells)
Also rangers have very nice ritual spells... to bad they are no ritual caster and don´t have a lot of spell slots. Their most flavourful spells won´t be picked, because they are overshadowed by needed combat spells.
So my Idea of moving hunter´s mark e.g. to a class feature (and warlock´s hex while we are at it) is making those other spells viable.

 

[Zaran]

Pretty sure it does work that way...

It doesn't. It only adds to any saves the animal companion already is proficient in. And there are no animal companions that are proficient in saves.

 

[Coredump]

It doesn't. It only adds to any saves the animal companion already is proficient in. And there are no animal companions that are proficient in saves.

First, I read it as applying to saves..... and applying to skills they are proficient in.

Partly because no monster is proficient in saves...or if you rather, every monster is proficient in all of their saves.

They all get their proficiency for all of their saves. Some get another separate boost to their save, but every monster's save is their stat bonus + their proficiency.

 

[Zaran]

First, I read it as applying to saves..... and applying to skills they are proficient in.

Partly because no monster is proficient in saves...or if you rather, every monster is proficient in all of their saves.

They all get their proficiency for all of their saves. Some get another separate boost to their save, but every monster's save is their stat bonus + their proficiency.

That's not true. Some monsters get their Proficiency bonus to a few saves. Other monsters only get stat bonus. It's one of those things that need to be clarified and probably one of those changes that didn't get totally vetted out.

 

[Paraxis]

Monsters only get ability score modifiers to saves unless there are some listed in the Saving Throws line right under the ability score section of the stat block.

As far as rangers go.
Add your proficiency bonus to the beast's AC, attack rolls, and damage rolls, as well as to any saving throws and skills it is proficient in.

That to me is clear that you only get to add your proficiency bonus to saves the animal is proficient in, just like skills.

Should that change, sure it should the beastmaster ranger needs a ton of help. The limit on actions is so crippling especialy considering how the "conjure X" type spells break the action economy.