D&D 5E (2024) Multiclass Ranger Fix?

[Jefe Bergenstein]

The ranger was literally modelled after aragorn. The witcher is not so long known and is quite different to a ranger flavour. Being a magically enhanced mutant using potions you brew is much closer to an alchemist.


And in lord of the rings movies the scenes which made aragoen look like a ranger where his knowledge and and experience. Not his magical lineage.

Aragorn isnt a D&D ranger as they have existed for the last 25+ years. Probably longer. Middle Earth is clearly not in line with D&D's mechanics since... well, ever. So using it as an excuse to justify a class not using a core foundational aspect of the world as presented by D&D doesnt sit true. D&D Magic is super reliable, apparently easy to learn, and costs nothing. There is zero reason for an independent survivalist not to use magic in the D&D world.

The book is 70+ years old. Time to let Aragorn go.

 

[Zardnaar]

Aragorn isnt a D&D ranger as they have existed for the last 25+ years. Probably longer. Middle Earth is clearly not in line with D&D's mechanics since... well, ever. So using it as an excuse to justify a class not using a core foundational aspect of the world as presented by D&D doesnt sit true. D&D Magic is super reliable, apparently easy to learn, and costs nothing. There is zero reason for an independent survivalist not to use magic in the D&D world.

The book is 70+ years old. Time to let Aragorn go.

Last time D&D ranger was Aragorn it was 1989.

 

[Mustrum_Ridcully]

Yeah, he definitely uses spells in the novels, and I think he is even the inspiration for the V/S/M system implemented in AD&D 1E.

What is in question is not whether he uses spells. What is in question whether the spells come from being a Ranger or come from having Elven blood. Most Tolkien scholars say it is the latter.

Interesting, I didn't know that. But it reminds me how Gandalf, the quintessential Wizard, technically is less of a Wizard (in the D&D sense) and more of an Angel send down for the Heavens or whatever the Middle Earth lore equivalent is and as such a being with powers by innate gifts, rather than some human that studied the arcane arts.

Didn't the original D&D have some races as classes? I wonder if in an alternative timeline, D&D would have developed more into the direction of classes as races, and you'd be a Wizard because you're really an angelic being send down to Earth using its innate magical talents, and a Dwarf is simply how dwarves are, and the myriad of Elf subraces would be Elf classes, Elven sorceror, Elven Swordmagee, Half-Elf-Bard or whatever...

 

[ECMO3]

Interesting, I didn't know that. But it reminds me how Gandalf, the quintessential Wizard, technically is less of a Wizard (in the D&D sense) and more of an Angel send down for the Heavens or whatever the Middle Earth lore equivalent is and as such a being with powers by innate gifts, rather than some human that studied the arcane arts.

Didn't the original D&D have some races as classes? I wonder if in an alternative timeline, D&D would have developed more into the direction of classes as races, and you'd be a Wizard because you're really an angelic being send down to Earth using its innate magical talents, and a Dwarf is simply how dwarves are, and the myriad of Elf subraces would be Elf classes, Elven sorceror, Elven Swordmagee, Half-Elf-Bard or whatever...

In OD&D Dwarf, Elf and Halfling were classes, along with I thnk Fighting Man, Thief, Cleric and Magic-User.

 

[Zardnaar]

In OD&D Dwarf, Elf and Halfling were classes, along with I thnk Fighting Man, Thief, Cleric and Magic-User.

Basic D&D as well. Moldvay and Mentzer versions at least.

 

[Horwath]

replace Hunter's mark with Divine favor in favored enemy feature

 

[Minigiant]

replace Hunter's mark with Divine favor in favored enemy feature

So its just damage?

 

[Horwath]

So its just damage?

in a way.
it's removing dependency on a OKish spell that consumes 90+% of the Concentration slot, making every other ranger Concentration spells complete waste of print space.

it's not helped with later subclasses doubling down on hunter's mark.

it makes for a boring class to play.

ranger needs a way to ignore Conc on HM, at a reduced duration.
See Fey wanderer, War cleric, Draconic sorcerer. All get usages of Concentration spells but with a way to ignore concentration.

 

[Minigiant]

in a way.
it's removing dependency on a OKish spell that consumes 90+% of the Concentration slot, making every other ranger Concentration spells complete waste of print space.

it's not helped with later subclasses doubling down on hunter's mark.

it makes for a boring class to play.

ranger needs a way to ignore Conc on HM, at a reduced duration.
See Fey wanderer, War cleric, Draconic sorcerer. All get usages of Concentration spells but with a way to ignore concentration.

So again the problem is few unique spells level 3-5.

 

[Zardnaar]

in a way.
it's removing dependency on a OKish spell that consumes 90+% of the Concentration slot, making every other ranger Concentration spells complete waste of print space.

it's not helped with later subclasses doubling down on hunter's mark.

it makes for a boring class to play.

ranger needs a way to ignore Conc on HM, at a reduced duration.
See Fey wanderer, War cleric, Draconic sorcerer. All get usages of Concentration spells but with a way to ignore concentration.

Ignore contractions and move it as part of an attack action. Maybe cast it as well.