The later 4E ranger from essentials (Hunter as a Ranged Controller, and Scout as a Melee Dual Wielding Striker) did improve on the non combat flavour quite a bit. (I know the simplified classes are not for everyone, but the Ranger ones are well done in my oppinion especially because the non combat and flavour).
It had wildnerness knacks like improving stealth or climbing of the team or being able to easier keep watch while resting or better scouting areas.
Also it had animal aspects which (some of them) granted bonus to skills and or movement (or perception).
Yeah the essentials utility powers for the scout and hunter also fed back into the original Ranger and improved it's flavour a bit, though obviously not as much as having wilderness knacks did for the E versions.
I dont get why the 5E 2024 class should not be rangers in terms of ID or rather I am not 100% understanding what your problems are with it. Having ritual casting with nature flavoured spells for me is one of the best things in my oppinion to give a ranger the non combat identity, its exactly the kind of magic I expect. I agree that WotC has problems with the Ranger, in 2024 for me its especially the capstone (and the sometimes really bad subclasses).
The class has almost nothing contributing to it meeting the identity of the ranger anymore
except for the spells, which IMO is a complete failure. Spells cannot carry a class in terms of identity, unless the entire identity of the class is spellcraft itself, a la the wizard.
Then having the Rangers Power come to big parts from the subclass (strong subclasses overall, and level 11 power spike being subclass dependant), also fits really well the Ranger, because the ranger is flexible (which is part of its identity and part of its lack of identity XD), but this also means that the subclasses all need to be (equally) strong (and flavourfull), which I think is a bit lacking.
For sure, and I like those elements, but without a strong core class identity (and frustrating basic gameplay loop in combat, and lackluster later level features) it just falls flat.
And even ranger flexibility falls a little flat since you can't change more than 1 spell per day, and don't get any "expert" general skill feature like jack of all trades or reliable talent, you get to be an expert in one skill and get a climb and swim speed eventually, and that's it. Then having your flexibility be in subclass choice and somewhat in spells (though a broader spell list is needed to really sell that) is countered by spells being mostly locked in once chosen and subclasses being totally locked in at level 3.
Also many of the class features (most of them coming from Tashas) are 100% what I expect from a Ranger in case of flavour:
- Ritual casting as mentioned above
- Weapon Mastery: Having mastered 2 different weapons (like Sword and Bow like Aragor) is perfect for a Ranger.
- Deft Explorer: You traveled a lot so you know more languages and also learned a skill specifically good.
- Having the flexibility of learning 2 nature themed cantrips (druid) or be better at fighting with a specific weapon style is great fit for the "adaptility"
- Roving: Being good at climbing and swimming and also faster (and not using heavy armor) fits the Ranger which goes true wilderness well and does differentiate it more from fighter (and paladin) with heavy armor.
- Expertise: Getting more reliable at skills (tracking, sneaking, perception etc.) is also really much ranger (especially with the skill list from the class)
- Tireless: You can keep going and going longer than others, fits a Ranger well. (Especially if you think "special units" which are also named ranger). Especially handling exhaustion which others cant easily.
- Even the "hunters mark" which is like "attacking the enemies weakness" and "being able to chase it down" is fitting, although it would not need to be a spell, but thats just 5E design.
Deft Explorer would sell the identity more if it were a boost to several skills, similar to jack of all trades, but otherwise sure. And Hunter's Mark is just poorly designed so making it so core to the class makes the class unavoidably frustrating for anyone who actually wants to use all their class features
and actually play the ranger as having spell based versatility, because almost all of the spells worth using have concentration. Even Ensaring Strike, as if they only learned that lesson for the paladin but not for the ranger.
I think the only thing the 2024 version for me could improve on the flavour would be:
- Letting you use hunters mark on tracks of creatures. So if you are tracking/following a creature (and find tracks of them), you can mark it easily before combat making it easier to follow and give a small bonus for combat start
- Adding some additional unique ranger rituals to the spell list of the ranger.
- Rename "favored enemy" to something more fitting like "stalker"
- Make sure all the subclasses get some bonus spells fitting the subclass and some non combat feature. (Beastmaster learns to share spells with the beast later, but does not get any spells they could share as a bonus...)
I agree with all of these as being good ideas, absolutely.
In terms of how Ranger power could improve:
- Make the Hunter subclass better. Like a lot better. It has no bonus spells, no non combat feature and a weak level 11 feature (depending on hunters mark even).
- In general: Have level 11 feature be less about area attack damage. (3 of the subclasses deal more area attack damage)
- Also several subclasses have rather weak / not synergizing level 15 features.
- And of course create a better level 20 feature, because that is really weak. Like Hunters Mark does no longer need an action, and you can concentrate on 2 spells if one of them is hunters mark. (In addition to making it 1D10 damage).
Yeah even just making hunters mark confer automatic advantage even if you have disadvantage would make the capstone feel cool, and that isn't actually much of a boost at that level.
But yeah hunter and beastmaster need spells. BM i would accept being able to cast self spells on your companion as a replacement for bonus spells, maybe.
