D&D 5E Ranger Bonus Spells

[Xeviat]

Hi everyone. I haven't seen anyone particularly mention that the new Slayer Ranger got bonus spells known again. They keep going back and forth on if that will be a core part of the Ranger. I personally think the ranger could really use some bonus spells (I also think Hunter's Mark should be a class ability, but that's neither here nor there). So, what should those bonus spells be?

Here's my stab at it:

Beast Master


1^st –Animal Friendship: "New" Beast Masters can talk to animals, but sometimes you still have to calm momma bear in a split second.
2^nd –Beast Sense: Super useful to put on your companion and send them off.
3^rd –Conjure Animals: Call animals to your aid.
4^th –Polymorph*, Dominate Beast*: Unsure which. Polymorph if it could be limited to beasts maybe (Dar never did that, though), or a big Dominate when needed.
5^th –Commune with Nature?: There wasn't much that stood out here.


Hunter


1^st –Longstrider: Hunters need to be quick to track down their prey.
2^nd –Locate Object: Hunting someone with a stolen object?
3^rd –Nondetection: Better to stalk up on someone.
4^th –Locate Creature: Super tracking.
5^th –Scrying: Even more super tracking.

What are your thoughts? Does the ranger need more spells? Do you have other suggestions for these spell levels?

 

[Horwath]

Well, if not class ability then I think that "hunter's mark" should be hunters 1st level bonus spell

 

[MechaTarrasque]

Some alternate ideas:

BM
Enhance ability for the bonus 2nd level spell (juice up your pet)
Haste for the bonus 3rd level spell (also juice up your pet)
Awaken for the bonus 5th level spell (the poor critter has been hanging on for a long time, doesn't it deserve something?)


Hunter

See invisibility for the bonus 2nd level spell
Slow for the bonus 3rd level spell

 

[jaelis]

I think a bonus spell list is a good idea. And Xeviat's suggestions look good to me. Hunter though could probably use more for stealth instead (invisbility or PwoT for instance).

 

[Kalshane]

I've definitely given some thought to giving the ranger bonus spells. Their spells known is far too limited. I just haven't settled on an appropriate list yet.

 

[UngeheuerLich]

I would tie hunter's mark to favoured enemy.

 

[phantomK9]

Great topic.

I've recently been looking at the Ranger (it has taken awhile since none of my players wanted to play one) and the spell casting for Rangers as written in the PHB is frankly abysmal. They have just so many things working against them. At the very least they should be on par with the Paladin, who gets lots of bonus spells.

First thing is that the Ranger simply needs to be able to cast spells like the Paladin, which is to say like the Cleric or Druid. Additionally, as far a bonus spells go, the idea I'm currently going with is that the Ranger would get the same list of bonus spells that a Druid would get based on the choice of Favored Terrain from the Natural Explorer feature. When you gain an additional favored terrain at 6th and 10th levels, you may choose to replace one or both of your automatically prepared spells with one of the spells available from the new favored terrain. You still gain the other benefits from your previous favored terrain even if you replace all the terrain spells.

So if a Ranger chooses forests as their favored terrain, they would then look at the Druid Circle of the Land bonus spell lists and then get the ones from the Forest list.

5th barkskin, spider climb
9th call lightning, plant growth
13th divination, freedom of movement
17th commune with nature, tree stride



I also happen to agree that, yes, Hunter's Mark needs to be a class feature....

 

[Xeviat]

Great topic.

I've recently been looking at the Ranger (it has taken awhile since none of my players wanted to play one) and the spell casting for Rangers as written in the PHB is frankly abysmal. They have just so many things working against them. At the very least they should be on par with the Paladin, who gets lots of bonus spells.

First thing is that the Ranger simply needs to be able to cast spells like the Paladin, which is to say like the Cleric or Druid. Additionally, as far a bonus spells go, the idea I'm currently going with is that the Ranger would get the same list of bonus spells that a Druid would get based on the choice of Favored Terrain from the Natural Explorer feature. When you gain an additional favored terrain at 6th and 10th levels, you may choose to replace one or both of your automatically prepared spells with one of the spells available from the new favored terrain. You still gain the other benefits from your previous favored terrain even if you replace all the terrain spells.

So if a Ranger chooses forests as their favored terrain, they would then look at the Druid Circle of the Land bonus spell lists and then get the ones from the Forest list.

5th barkskin, spider climb
9th call lightning, plant growth
13th divination, freedom of movement
17th commune with nature, tree stride

I also happen to agree that, yes, Hunter's Mark needs to be a class feature....

Making them preparation based would go a long way to letting them be prepared for anything. But, I think the Druid of the Land lists have too many direct offensive spells (like call lightning). Plus, the paladin oaths only grant 1 Spell per level.

Hunter's Mark as a spell slot eating class ability keeps looking better and better to me. Same for Hex.


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[UngeheuerLich]

Rituaö magic would fit the ranger quite well. Alarm, speak with animals and so on.

 

[phantomK9]

Making them preparation based would go a long way to letting them be prepared for anything. But, I think the Druid of the Land lists have too many direct offensive spells (like call lightning). Plus, the paladin oaths only grant 1 Spell per level.

The paladin gets only one spell per spell level from Oaths? I thought they got two.
Well, easy fix for my above suggestion would be to take the Druid of the Land spell lists and then give the Ranger only one from the list, most likely taking out the high damage spells and leaving in the utility spells...although personally, I'm fine with the whole thing as it is.