fearsomepirate
Hero
I have been using the following modification to Ranger for a couple years. It has been quite successful without being dopey, so I am sharing it. Obviously, this is a house rule. Don't want to use it? Don't! Want to change it? Do! Here are my modifications:
Natural Explorer:
You can choose another type of favored terrain whenever you gain the Ability Score Improvement feature as a Ranger.
Spells of 1st Level and Higher:
You prepare the list of ranger spells that are available for you to cast, choosing from the ranger spell list. When you do so, choose a number of spells equal to your Wisdom modifer + half your ranger level. The spells must be of a level for which you have spell slots. You can also change your list of prepared spells when you finish a long rest. Preparing a new list of ranger spells requires time spent in meditation: at least 1 minute per spell level for each spell on your list.
Hide in Plain Sight:
Removed the moving restriction.
Hunter Spells
You gain access to additional spells at 3rd, 5th, 9th, 13th, and 17th level. Once you gain a Hunter Spell, it counts as a ranger spell for you but doesn’t count against the spells you can prepare.
Animal companion:
If the beast drops to 0 hp, it makes death saving throws as a player character. Your animal companion gains proficiency in one of the following skills of your choice: Acrobatics, Athletics, Perception, or Stealth. For each level you gain after 3rd, your animal companion gains an additional hit die and increases its hit points accordingly. Whenever you gain the Ability Score Improvement Ranger class feature, your companion’s abilities also improve. Your companion can increase one ability score of your choice by 2, or it can increase two ability scores of your choice by 1. As normal, your companion can’t increase an ability score above 20 using this feature unless its description specifies otherwise...Once you have the Extra Attack feature, you can make one weapon attack yourself when you command the beast to take the Attack action. If you are wielding two weapons, you can make a secondary attack with your other weapon as a bonus action.
Beast Master Spells
You gain access to additional spells at 3rd, 5th, 9th, 13th, and 17th level. Once you gain a Beast Master Spell, it counts as a ranger spell for you but doesn’t count against the spells you can prepare.
Natural Explorer:
You can choose another type of favored terrain whenever you gain the Ability Score Improvement feature as a Ranger.
Spells of 1st Level and Higher:
You prepare the list of ranger spells that are available for you to cast, choosing from the ranger spell list. When you do so, choose a number of spells equal to your Wisdom modifer + half your ranger level. The spells must be of a level for which you have spell slots. You can also change your list of prepared spells when you finish a long rest. Preparing a new list of ranger spells requires time spent in meditation: at least 1 minute per spell level for each spell on your list.
Hide in Plain Sight:
Removed the moving restriction.
Hunter Spells
You gain access to additional spells at 3rd, 5th, 9th, 13th, and 17th level. Once you gain a Hunter Spell, it counts as a ranger spell for you but doesn’t count against the spells you can prepare.
| Ranger Level | Spell |
| 3rd | Hunter’s Mark |
| 5th | Mirror Image |
| 9th | Elemental Weapon |
| 13th | Hallucinatory Terrain |
| 17th | Tree Stride |
Animal companion:
If the beast drops to 0 hp, it makes death saving throws as a player character. Your animal companion gains proficiency in one of the following skills of your choice: Acrobatics, Athletics, Perception, or Stealth. For each level you gain after 3rd, your animal companion gains an additional hit die and increases its hit points accordingly. Whenever you gain the Ability Score Improvement Ranger class feature, your companion’s abilities also improve. Your companion can increase one ability score of your choice by 2, or it can increase two ability scores of your choice by 1. As normal, your companion can’t increase an ability score above 20 using this feature unless its description specifies otherwise...Once you have the Extra Attack feature, you can make one weapon attack yourself when you command the beast to take the Attack action. If you are wielding two weapons, you can make a secondary attack with your other weapon as a bonus action.
Beast Master Spells
You gain access to additional spells at 3rd, 5th, 9th, 13th, and 17th level. Once you gain a Beast Master Spell, it counts as a ranger spell for you but doesn’t count against the spells you can prepare.
| Ranger Level | Spell |
| 3rd | Ensnaring Strike |
| 5th | Warding Bond |
| 9th | Slow |
| 13th | Compulsion |
| 17th | Raise Dead |
