D&D General Ranger Identity Patch (+)

[Minigiant]

i'd rather go for broad applicability, the idea of a ranger, or most any skill based character really, swapping out their 'specialty' on a dime doesn't sit right with me, it's like, oh you spent the best part of your life until now surviving in the mountains studying how to kill giants, but after an afternoon of reading you're just as prepared to traverse the jungle and take down undead but have forgotten everything you knew about mountaineering and giant slaying.

The rub is

1) What fits the ranger modus operendi in most sources of media

is not

2) What is good in D&D

Its sorta like the Full Martial Grounded Fighter problem.

A realistic grounded fully martial fighter sucks in D&D without magical item requirements.

A realistic orcslayer sucks in D&D without magical item requirements if they face a dragon.
A realistic dragonslayer sucks in D&D without magical item requirements if they face orcs.
A realistic arctic ranger sucks in D&D without magical item requirements if they range the forest
A realistic forest ranger sucks in D&D without magical item requirements if they range the arctic.

So either the ranger is:

1) a minor dragonslayer and a minor orcslayer
Or
2) a slayer who can switch from a major dragonslayer or a major orcslayer
Or
3) a major general slayer who has a tiny bit of dragonslayer and orcslayer

History dictates the community hates anything else

 

[Horwath]

So either the ranger is:

1) a minor dragonslayer and a minor orcslayer
Or
2) a slayer who can switch from a major dragonslayer or a major orcslayer
Or
3) a major general slayer who has a tiny bit of dragonslayer and orcslayer

History dictates the community hates anything else

or axe the whole concept of "slayer of X".
that is a good background story and really bad mechanic in game.
have ranger be Slayer of everything, best tracker, best identifier of creatures,

 

[Minigiant]

or axe the whole concept of "slayer of X".
that is a good background story and really bad mechanic in game.
have ranger be Slayer of everything, best tracker, best identifier of creatures,

Slayer of Everything?

Sounds like Hunter's Mark

 

[Horwath]

Slayer of Everything?

Sounds like Hunter's Mark

if it's not a spell and without concentration? why not.

 

[CreamCloud0]

personally i'm fine with the ranger leaving the 'slayer of X' archetype behind, it has some use but it's not essential.

 

[Minigiant]

personally i'm fine with the ranger leaving the 'slayer of X' archetype behind, it has some use but it's not essential.

if it's not a spell and without concentration? why not.

Well if you get rid of Slayer of X or Master of Y terrain, there isnt much left in the ranger identity worth its own class if you dont force exploration mechanics OR hard on the overtime magic