D&D (2024) Modest Ranger Fix

[Lord Twig]

Hi everyone. I wanted to get some feedback on my house rules for the 2024 Ranger. I think it is much improved from the 2014 version, but it could still use a little more. I didn't want to completely re-write the class, so here are my modest improvements. Thoughts?

Level 13: Relentless Hunter
Taking damage can’t break your Concentration on Hunter’s Mark. In addition, once per turn, when you take the Attack action, you may change the target of your Hunter’s Mark (no action required).

Level 20: Foe Slayer
The damage die of your Hunter’s Mark is a d10 rather than a d6. In addition, your Hunter’s Mark spell no longer requires Concentration.

Beast Master​

Beast Master Spells
You learn an additional spell when you reach certain levels in this class, as shown in the Beast Master Spells Table. The spell counts as a ranger spell for you, but it doesn’t count against the number of ranger spells you know.

Beast Master Spells
Ranger Level Spells
3rd animal friendship
5th lesser restoration
9th conjure animals
13th dominate beast
17th greater restoration

Hunter​

Hunter Spells
You learn an additional spell when you reach certain levels in this class, as shown in the Hunter Spells Table. The spell counts as a ranger spell for you, but it doesn’t count against the number of ranger spells you know.

Hunter Spells
Ranger Level Spells
3rd longstrider
5th pass without trace
9th wind wall
13th greater invisibility
17th swift quiver

 

[Horwath]

Level 20: Foe Slayer
The damage die of your Hunter’s Mark is a d10 rather than a d6. In addition, your Hunter’s Mark spell no longer requires Concentration.

this needs to be 5th level, or 7th at the latest.

 

[Corinnguard]

A couple months ago the DnD Shorts Guy came out with a video on YouTube where he made some of his fixes to the 2024 Ranger.


He even mentioned Laser Llama's 2022 take on the Ranger class at the end of the clip.

 

[mellored]

I'd much prefer level 20 being something like
"All creatures are considering under your Hunter's Mark".

Also.
Level 11: you can add +Wis to damage once per turn.

 

[Lord Twig]

this needs to be 5th level, or 7th at the latest.

I think that would make the Ranger overpowered. Honestly the Ranger keeps up very well up until 11th level. So I wouldn't want to give them a boost before that.

I primarily hear that the two thinks that cause a problem with Ranger having Hunter's Mark as a feature is that the concentration and bonus actions compete with so many other things. Ranger getting so many free castings of Hunter's Mark and then having unbreakable concentration at 13th level means the Ranger can drop Hunter's Mark for a more encounter appropriate concentration spell without it being a great loss. They can just cast it again when they stop concentrating on the new thing.

Foe Slayer gets a lot of flack for being underwhelming, but making it concentration free means that now it can combine with other concentration spells, or possibly two other concentration spells if you are a Fey Wanderer. Which is pretty good and unique.

 

[ECMO3]

I don't think those class changes are very meaningful. It has the same fundamental problems of the regular Ranger class: over-reliance on a weak 1st level spell.

Generally you are going to want to cast annd concentrate on something better than Hunter's Mark at 13th level and at 20th level. I get it that you are eliminating concentration, but it is still a bonus action to cast it. Even if you made it free to cast as well though, it is still not much to brag about at 20th level.

I am playing a 14th level 2024 Ranger right now, and I am not saying I never use Hunter's Mark, but I never use it in a fight that matters, while it matters.

 

[Horwath]

I think that would make the Ranger overpowered.

no, it really wouldn't. it would made them equal to paladins.

but few more suggestion so ranger is not put into straitjacket of Hunter's mark.

1: flexible Favored enemy

at 5th level you can spend 2 usages of Favored enemy to cast a 2nd level ranger spell that you have prepared.
at 9th level you can spend 3 usages of Favored enemy to cast a 3ed level ranger spell that you have prepared.
at 13th level you can spend 4 usages of Favored enemy to cast a 4th level ranger spell that you have prepared.
at 17th level you can spend 5 usages of Favored enemy to cast a 5th level ranger spell that you have prepared.
at 13th level, any ranger spell that is casted with this feature cannot have concetration broken by damage
at 17th level, while you are concentrating on a spell that is casted by this feature or for 1 minute(for non-conc spells) you have advantages on your attacks.
at 20th level you get extra 3 usage of Favored enemy

2: Divine hunter

at 1st level you know Divine favor spell and you can cast it a number of time as per Favored enemy table
at 13th level damage is increased to +1d6
at 17th level, you have advantage on attacks while you have Divine favor casted
at 20th level, damage is increased to +2d6


3; hands of a healer

at 1st level you know Cure wounds spell, you can cast it a number of times as per Favored enemy table
you can cast Cure wounds with this feature as a Bonus action,
at 5th level Cure wounds casted by this feature is upcasted to 2nd level
at 9th level Cure wounds casted by this feature is upcasted to 3rd level
at 13th level Cure wounds casted by this feature is upcasted to 4th level
at 17th level Cure wounds casted by this feature is upcasted to 5th level
at 20th level Cure wounds casted by this feature is upcasted to 6th level

 

[UngeheuerLich]

this needs to be 5th level, or 7th at the latest.

No.

 

[Paul Farquhar]

Modest ranger fix: steel their fig leaf.

 

[doctorbadwolf]

Not bad.

I just allow HM to be cast without concentration, and when you do it only lasts 1 minute. We also remove concentration from Ensaring Strike.

Frankly the Ranger’s biggest issue is gameplay, not power, IMO.