D&D (2024) One D&D Expert Classes Playtest Document Is Live

The One D&D Expert Class playest document is now available to download. You can access it by signing into your D&D Beyond account at the link below. It contains three classes -- bard, rogue, and ranger, along with three associated subclasses (College of Lore, Thief, and Hunter), plus a number of feats.

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[Bill Zebub]

Then the ranger becomes someone who has to think and plan around their monster, not just someone who can cast a spell and be done.

This is exactly what I’m mulling/sketching.

 

[SkidAce]

Then the ranger becomes someone who has to think and plan around their monster, not just someone who can cast a spell and be done. Your ranger wants to hunt a mummy, then they have to know what mummies in general are weak against and if this particular mummy has any other weaknesses.

I get your intenet, but isn't this part what anyone hunting a mummy would theoretically do?

 

[Haplo781]

A D&D one yes.

What if you run into stuff in the wild that give curses like werewolves and mumies?

You make a potion out of wolfsbane and the fur of the werewolf that bit you. Or you boil a piece of the mummy's bandages with some grave dirt and fungus.

 

[Hussar]

You make a potion out of wolfsbane and the fur of the werewolf that bit you. Or you boil a piece of the mummy's bandages with some grave dirt and fungus.

While the werewolf is eating your kidney?

See, the problem is, we're running into the issues between story and game. Sure, "be prepared" is a really cool idea. But, it doesn't work most of the time in D&D because in D&D it's very, very rare that the players know exactly what they are going to face at any given time.

Sure, werewolf hunting is a cool adventure. But, can you put a werewolf on a random encounter table? As a DM, can I only use certain creatures if I hand a note to the ranger player first telling what creatures they are going to meet in the next adventure so they can be prepared?

Of course not. So, either the ranger is walking around with this massive collection of crap that he never uses, or we give the ranger spells and then it's done as needed. Because that's the choice here.

Create vine traps that can be portable, and placeable in an instant or give the ranger an Entangle spell.
Create various anti-monster concoctions (how long does this take? How many can I carry? How long do they stay "fresh"? Endless inventory tracking) or we give the ranger a handful of spells to deal with monsters as they come up.
Create various tools (reeds for water breathing (are there applicable reeds nearby and how do we handle needing to swim deeper?), and other odds and sods, again requiring endless inventory tracking, or give the ranger exploration spells.

Look, I get the want for a spell less ranger. I really, really do. I'm solidly in the camp wishing that D&D would be a lot less reliant on spells. But, I also realize that in a game as broad as D&D, you can't really do it any other way. Sure, you could give the ranger "knacks" which are just spells by another name, or give them some sort of "MacGyver" option where they can just "make" whatever tool they need as needed, but, again, that's just spells by another name.

People really need to let go of this idea that spells=wizard. Spells are just a game mechanical way to handle this sort of stuff in a streamlined, simple way.

 

[Haplo781]

While the werewolf is eating your kidney?

Of course not. You kill it first.

 

[Bill Zebub]

While the werewolf is eating your kidney?

See, the problem is, we're running into the issues between story and game. Sure, "be prepared" is a really cool idea. But, it doesn't work most of the time in D&D because in D&D it's very, very rare that the players know exactly what they are going to face at any given time.

Sure, werewolf hunting is a cool adventure. But, can you put a werewolf on a random encounter table? As a DM, can I only use certain creatures if I hand a note to the ranger player first telling what creatures they are going to meet in the next adventure so they can be prepared?

Of course not. So, either the ranger is walking around with this massive collection of crap that he never uses, or we give the ranger spells and then it's done as needed. Because that's the choice here.

Create vine traps that can be portable, and placeable in an instant or give the ranger an Entangle spell.
Create various anti-monster concoctions (how long does this take? How many can I carry? How long do they stay "fresh"? Endless inventory tracking) or we give the ranger a handful of spells to deal with monsters as they come up.
Create various tools (reeds for water breathing (are there applicable reeds nearby and how do we handle needing to swim deeper?), and other odds and sods, again requiring endless inventory tracking, or give the ranger exploration spells.

Look, I get the want for a spell less ranger. I really, really do. I'm solidly in the camp wishing that D&D would be a lot less reliant on spells. But, I also realize that in a game as broad as D&D, you can't really do it any other way. Sure, you could give the ranger "knacks" which are just spells by another name, or give them some sort of "MacGyver" option where they can just "make" whatever tool they need as needed, but, again, that's just spells by another name.

People really need to let go of this idea that spells=wizard. Spells are just a game mechanical way to handle this sort of stuff in a streamlined, simple way.

And while we are at it, we need a cantrip that lets you summon a 10’ long beam of energy that you can use to probe for pits, trigger traps, and vault over obstacles.

Preparation is for grognards.

 

[SkidAce]

Preparation is for grognards.

I agree!

 

[MarkB]

And while we are at it, we need a cantrip that lets you summon a 10’ long beam of energy that you can use to probe for pits, trigger traps, and vault over obstacles.

So, mage hand, mage hand and guidance on your Jump check?

 

[Bill Zebub]

So, mage hand, mage hand and guidance on your Jump check?

I’ll just keep a multiclass cleric/wizard in my bag of holding.

 

[Remathilis]

So another character with Nature, Animal Handling, and Survival could be a woodlander, but not a Ranger.

Correct. A ranger has magic.