D&D 5E Let's Tweak the 5E Ranger!

[GX.Sigma]

But also you haven't really described a good role or mechanic for rangers that make them unique compared to the other classes.

Role: A solitary warrior who lives outside the protection of civilization, using a diverse set of skills to survive in the monster-filled wilderness of the D&D world.

Mechanics: Combat features, exploration features, some spellcasting for more combat and exploration features (spells are such as animal friendship, create food and water, cure poison, find the path, pass without trace, etc.).

 

[Minigiant]

You can't do this anyways. The DM picks the beasts.

And I still hate that.

But also you haven't really described a good role or mechanic for rangers that make them unique compared to the other classes. It now sounds like you are arguing for a druid survivalist with a fighter archtype or a fighter survivalist with a druid archtype.

Unfortunately, Rangers do not have a role that is distinctly their own, and that is the issue that WotC designers have.

I said the role many times: A wilderness warrior who uses various skills, magic, and maneuvers to survive in the natural environment. The issue is many groups downplay the D&D wilderness and don't see how much a big deal that is.

The key difference between a ranger and druid is the druid usually commands nature or becomes one with it. Ranger don't do this, they learn nature's tricks. Because rangers don't order nature around, they are incentivized to learn the ins and outs of it. A druid won't bother learning the signs of a mama bear nearby, they can magic them away or into submission. A ranger can't do that so they actually bother learning about the wild and won't accidentally walk into a bear's path, wolves' territory, or fey party.

"Stop. We will rest for a bit then go to the river."
"Why?"
"It's an hour to zenith, the nymphs are bathing. I rather not be blinded."
"That's silly. They don't all bathe at this time everyday."
"Fey are silly. Look at the elf for example."

It it were me, I'd retool the ranger to get a "powers" like system like the warlock's invocations but bigger like feats. Each X level they pick new exploits and subclasses unlock some exploits. Exploits because that's what rangers do: they exploit the aspects of nature to survive it. For example.


STRIDER EXPLOITS (Requires level 2 ranger)

Wild Communication (supernatural): You are now a spellcaster if you aren't already. You know the animal friendship and speak with animals spells.

Healing Poultice (magic item): When in a wilderness environment, you can spend time to collect ingredients to make potion of healing. You can create a number equal to your Wisdom modifier. If takes an hour for you to collect and craft the potions in a lush environment and 4 hours in a barren one. After 24 hours, any unused potions lose their potency.

Seer of Natural Signs (nonmagical): You can predict the local weather for the next 24 hours, avoid natural hazards like quicksand, and know the species of the local beasts and plants within 10 miles with perfect accuracy if the natural environment has not been changed.

RANGER LORD EXPLOITS (Requires level 13 ranger)

Seeing Stones (magic item): Your links with the wild allows you to find stones which have the the eyes of the wildnerness. After 12 hours of searching, you can find these stones. These stones function as a crystal ball (DMG 159). The sensor in the stone can only travel in the wildnerness from which it were found. If these area is one of your favored terrains, the stone function as crystal ball of true seeing instead.
In addition, if you are a spellcaster or ever become one, you know the locate creature spell.

HUNTER EXPLOITS (requires hunter ranger archetype)

Hunter's Prey (nonmagical): As book.
Primeval Coercion (magical): When you use the Primeval Awareness class feature and meet one of the creatures you sensed, you have advatange on Charisma (Intimidation) checks to influence them.

 

[Mephista]

Unfortunately, Rangers do not have a role that is distinctly their own, and that is the issue that WotC designers have.

Monster Hunter. Its right there in the 5e core book. That's the designated role.

 

[Mephista]

I said the role many times: A wilderness warrior who uses various skills, magic, and maneuvers to survive in the natural environment. The issue is many groups downplay the D&D wilderness and don't see how much a big deal that is.

If a vast majority of players don't play the game where the wilderness is a big deal, then its not a big deal. You're angling into accusing others of BADWRONGFUN territory for accusing people on not playing up the wilderness part. See, this entire "wilderness" angle is a huge complaint people have with the Ranger in the first place. "If the GM isn't putting the Ranger in their favorite terrain or with favored enemies, they suck!" A paladin doesn't really lose their benefits if we don't fight undead or fiends; a Ranger does lose a lot. Plus, people interpret favored terrain to not include urban environments, which is another issue - city games make Rangers worthless, but Druids and Barbarians can still thrive?

The key difference between a ranger and druid is the druid usually commands nature or becomes one with it. Ranger don't do this, they learn nature's tricks.

That's really just semantics. Rangers learn to call and command beasts. Ergo, they command nature and order it around.

A druid won't bother learning the signs of a mama bear nearby

Now you're falsely telling us what a DRUID can or can't do. This is just flat out not true. Especially for a Moon Druid shapeshifter.

 

[Azurewraith]

After reading through the many opinions some excellently posted some not so i feel the best move for the range is to make change up spell casting to be spell like ability's instead. So replace healing and anti poison stuff with herbal remedy's and salves. Animal relationship spells just to well being slightly feral. To give them some identity change favored enemy back to a combat feature as well increasing damage against your chosen foe to make you more "monster hunter".

 

[Inconnunom]

Monster Hunter. Its right there in the 5e core book. That's the designated role.

I said the role many times: A wilderness warrior who uses various skills, magic, and maneuvers to survive in the natural environment. The issue is many groups downplay the D&D wilderness and don't see how much a big deal that is.

The key difference between a ranger and druid is the druid usually commands nature or becomes one with it. Ranger don't do this, they learn nature's tricks. Because rangers don't order nature around, they are incentivized to learn the ins and outs of it. A druid won't bother learning the signs of a mama bear nearby, they can magic them away or into submission. A ranger can't do that so they actually bother learning about the wild and won't accidentally walk into a bear's path, wolves' territory, or fey party.

Role: A solitary warrior who lives outside the protection of civilization, using a diverse set of skills to survive in the monster-filled wilderness of the D&D world.

Mechanics: Combat features, exploration features, some spellcasting for more combat and exploration features (spells are such as animal friendship, create food and water, cure poison, find the path, pass without trace, etc.).

Sorry, I misspoke. I meant rather, they do not have a meaningful mechanical role that is unique to all rangers. While it is true that they are the only ones with favored terrain and enemy, that is much more ribbon than true meaningful mechanic.

As a comparison: Barbs have rage and resistance; bards have inspiration and can pick spells from other classes; Clerics are best healers or casters in armor; Druids have shapeshift and druid/land spells; Fighters get the most asi and attack the most frequently; Monks get unarmed attacks and ki flavored attacks; Paladins get smite and auras; Rogues get Sneak Attack and evasion/quick action abilities; Sorcerers get sorc points and metamagic; wizards learn "ALL" the spells and have crazy utility; warlocks cast at the highest level and recharge on shortrest.

And rangers get favored terrain/enemy? :/ It isn't meaningful enough and WotC has stated that the ranger's role in the game as it is is not unique and memorable enough.

 

[Minigiant]

If a vast majority of players don't play the game where the wilderness is a big deal, then its not a big deal. You're angling into accusing others of BADWRONGFUN territory for accusing people on not playing up the wilderness part. See, this entire "wilderness" angle is a huge complaint people have with the Ranger in the first place. "If the GM isn't putting the Ranger in their favorite terrain or with favored enemies, they suck!" A paladin doesn't really lose their benefits if we don't fight undead or fiends; a Ranger does lose a lot. Plus, people interpret favored terrain to not include urban environments, which is another issue - city games make Rangers worthless, but Druids and Barbarians can still thrive?

But wilderness survival is the rangers shitck. If you don't want any wilderness stuff, you don't really want to be a ranger. That's like wanting to have a druid who doesn't have nature magic or a music/speech-less bard or a monk who can't punch well.

The rangers original stuff is tracking, surprise, fighting certain enemies, and eventual magic and allies. Why be a ranger and not want any of these?

The problem you speak of is bad mechanical design and not bad concept design. There are still trees in the city. Still animals. A party can split up in a metropolis and have the ranger relay a message via a squirrel. The bonus language a ranger gets still lets them talk to people in cities.

Cities are called urban jungles. I grew up in New York City and people used to call it wild. I know where the pack of wild dogs used to hang out. Animal friendship would have came in handy as a kids. And the rats. The damn rats and other vermin.

The issue again is page space. The ranger is missing some spells. Also variants to allow cities as favored terrains should be in a UA or future book.

That's really just semantics. Rangers learn to call and command beasts. Ergo, they command nature and order it around.

But they don't have to and are less powerful at it. Also with their lower supply of magic, they must complement magic with skill and combat.

Now you're falsely telling us what a DRUID can or can't do. This is just flat out not true. Especially for a Moon Druid shapeshifter.

But that's the thing. Druids are a heavy magic class. They are really incentivized to do everything with magic as their skills and nonmagical combat are basic at best. Especially at high levels where many of the druid:s nonmagical features start to not match the challenges.

The druid can choose to not be masters of wilderness knowledge. Rangers are not afforded that option.

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Its not badwrongfun but if you don't want to play like a D&D ranger, don't make a D&D ranger. If you just want to kill things with a bow and know Nature, Survival, and Stealth, be a fighter or rogue with a background. They designed it that way on purpose.

 

[lowkey13]

*Deleted by user*

 

[Minigiant]

This is beginning to sound like one of those really bad, old, Aquaman adventures from the Golden Age.

"Guys, guys, Batman? I can still help! Look, I can speak to the fish. Um, let's see.... I know there's an aquarium somewhere around here...."

There is nothing wrong with *you* wanting to play the Ranger the way you want to, or even advocating for it! On the other hand, when you start advocating for Urban Ranger talking to Squirrels, I think you might be losing some of your audience.

Its less way I want and more using what I had.
I used a squirrel to call the city guard before walking into the meeting between the heads of two crime families back in the day. No one suspected the squirrel. Other spells worked to and I spied on a whole mob meeting in a boss' garden.

My point is that the ranger's class features can be applied to urban environments. Especially if the city isn't wall to wall brick and concrete for 6 miles.

 

[lowkey13]

*Deleted by user*