D&D (2024) Ranger playtest discussion

[Gladius Legis]

lost all of its interesting exploration abilities..

Wait, what interesting exploration abilities did the 5e Ranger have to lose in the first place?

 

[Gladius Legis]

Drizzt was a ranger in earlier editions but since 5e has been predominantly a fighter.

Since 3e, actually. He even had a level in Barbarian in 3e, which was pants-on-head stupid.

 

[Eubani]

As times moves along D&D classes seem to get more and more self-referential, so it will get harder and harder to compare classes like Ranger with other media. Magic wise I would have liked to see a greater attempt to do a more skill/tool based magic instead of spells.

 

[TheSword]

Since 3e, actually. He even had a level in Barbarian in 3e, which was pants-on-head stupid.

I think it was based on his time in Sojourn when he was living in the wilderness surviving and just went into a battle trance every time something entered his domain. Was he called the slayer or something similar. They did a similar thing with Rhyld when they statted him for 3e.

 

[Minigiant]

Interesting..

Lightning arrow also does d8s. Why isn't Lightning Arrow an option to downcast? Or will that be another subclass.


Would the Fey Wanderer get to cast Elemental weapon as psychic?
The Horizon Walker cast Elemental Weapon as force?
The beast spells are in EEPC and XGTE. So what spell does the Beastmaster get to alter?
What about the gloomstalker? There's no "shoot darkness at the enemy" spell. Darkness isn't even on the Primal spell list.

 

[Branduil]

I'm not sure what the Hunter subclass did to deserve a nerf.

While the Hunter's Mark boost is nice, they should really just go all the way and make it an at-will ability. It won't break the game WotC, I promise.

 

[Horwath]

I'm not sure what the Hunter subclass did to deserve a nerf.

While the Hunter's Mark boost is nice, they should really just go all the way and make it an at-will ability. It won't break the game WotC, I promise.

I agree with this.

Make it an Action even to balance in combat usage.

Hunter's mark:
range 150ft
Action to use
You mark your target and deal extra +1d6 damage with every attack.
you gain advantage on Perception, Investigation, Insight and Survival checks vs. your target.
Mark lasts until the end of your next long rest or until you mark a new target.
at 5th level you can have 2 targets marked.
at 11th level mark lasts until you dismiss it or you mark a 3rd target.
at 18th level mark deals +2d6 damage extra

 

[UngeheuerLich]

I'm not sure what the Hunter subclass did to deserve a nerf.

While the Hunter's Mark boost is nice, they should really just go all the way and make it an at-will ability. It won't break the game WotC, I promise.

I am sorry, but can't see the nerf for the hunter class.
They took the best options and killed the useless lvl 11 ability.

 

[Stalker0]

I agree wtih the notion that it would be nice to understand what characters are supposed to use this spell heavy ranger. Aka what archetypes are we really going for here?

Now that said, when it comes to a Katniss or a Aragorn....simply put they are fighters in 5e with some natural trappings. An outlander background with a little bit of survival skill, maybe the healer feat, and really your good to go. You could also argue a fighter/rogue multiclass if you need a bit more skill focus. But you really don't need this ranger to play this characters.

 

[Lojaan]

Considering the expert classes can put their expertise in any skill, I guess the 'no magic' ranger is... a rogue?