D&D General Ranger Tank Armor

[Gorck]

My campaign consists of a Bard, Druid, and Ranger (all currently at level 1). The players are relatively new to D&D and aren't aware of the nuances of a typical party makeup. So far the Druid has been sitting back and casting ranged spells and the Bard has been sitting back and casting buffs. The party currently has an NPC Scout chaperoning them who has been also pulling tanking duty, but he's only temporarily in the party. Once he's gone, the party is going to need a full-time tank to protect the ranged members, which would fall to the Ranger (if the Druid doesn't go Circle of the Moon). But there's no guarantee the Ranger won't choose to go ranged instead of melee. As the DM, I was thinking about having the party find a suit of magical armor that would encourage the Ranger to jump up into melee, without me having to come right out and overtly suggest it (I want to maintain some semblance of player agency without leaving them in a vulnerable position).

Does anybody have any suggestions other than generic +1 Armor? I tried to use my Google-fu, but I got 75 billion answers that had nothing to do with what I was asking (most of the results were for player optimization rather than DM rewards). My initial thought was Mithril Full Plate which would give her a 17 AC (she doesn't use a shield), but I was looking for something with a active effect, or something that was more Ranger-themed.

ETA: Homebrew suggestions are welcome. I'm just not experienced enough to judge whether something is too powerful. I was looking to keep it in the Uncommon, maybe Rare, range, since their still Level 1.

 

[Quickleaf]

Cast-off armor (common, XGtE) lets them doff the armor as an action, and would be great on a ranger. I'd consider homebrewing a version that lets them don the armor as an action. That would give the ranger more versatility and work better with weird environments like underwater.

 

[Gorck]

Cast-off armor (common, XGtE) lets them doff the armor as an action, and would be great on a ranger. I'd consider homebrewing a version that lets them don the armor as an action. That would give the ranger more versatility and work better with weird environments like underwater.

I am currently running them through Unwelcome Spirits with plans to then do Call of the Netherdeep, so underwater will be in their future. I was also considering giving her Mariner's Armor for just that reason, but I though it would be too situational.

ETA: I was thinking of armor that gave Uncanny Dodge, but maybe limit it to PB times per day so as not to step on the toes of the Level 5 Rogue or Level 15 Hunter Ranger. But I wasn't sure if that would be too strong for Level 1. Although it could be armor she keeps for her entire career (Forever Armor).

 

[Larnievc]

You don't really need a tank for a party. Just make sure you er on the side of easy when designing the encounters. Pay close attention to the damage range of the enemies you choose.

 

[Clint_L]

One of my first 5e campaigns had a monk, rogue, wizard, and ranger, so the ranger and monk tried to sort of share tanking duties and it definitely made encounters harder. Obviously, if your druid goes circle of the moon at level 2 then that is problem solved, at least at low levels. If your ranger goes beast master and you use the optional rules for companions from Tasha's, then they could use their companion to share the tanking load, without having to worry about it dying.

Ah, for the days of AD&D, when rangers routinely wore plate.

 

[UngainlyTitan]

I am currently running them through Unwelcome Spirits with plans to then do Call of the Netherdeep, so underwater will be in their future. I was also considering giving her Mariner's Armor for just that reason, but I though it would be too situational.

ETA: I was thinking of armor that gave Uncanny Dodge, but maybe limit it to PB times per day so as not to step on the toes of the Level 5 Rogue or Level 15 Hunter Ranger. But I wasn't sure if that would be too strong for Level 1. Although it could be armor she keeps for her entire career (Forever Armor).

If you want to encourage tanking then something that encourages tanking. The armour giving uncanny dodge is a good one. As would a weapon that give shield of faith or armour that gives some temp hp or a use or two of heroism.

 

[bedir than]

If they all go ranged, a valid choice, they need to also be skirmishers that work to avoid the necessity of tanking.

The party should play the style they enjoy.

 

[GMMichael]

As the DM, I was thinking about having the party find a suit of magical armor that would encourage the Ranger to jump up into melee, without me having to come right out and overtly suggest it (I want to maintain some semblance of player agency without leaving them in a vulnerable position).

Sounds like you also want the PCs to play the way you want them to play. Do they know this? Was there a moment in session zero when you told them, "what makes DMing fun for me is when there are lots of fights, and typical, nuanced, D&D party makeup?"

Does anybody have any suggestions other than generic +1 Armor?

1) Tell the PCs explicitly that you want them to have a party tank, if that's the case.
2) Let natural consequences make the suggestions for you. If PCs start fights that ranged combat won't finish, let them see what happens.
3) Hand out whatever armor sounds cool to you. If it's "too strong for level 1," or it doesn't encourage the ranger to start tanking, the local thieves guild will start looking for it.

 

[Ancalagon]

I once played a party tank as a ranger, using a sword and shield fighting style. It was... not great, but it worked decently.

I think let them play what they want and see how it works out. Perhaps they can pick a warrior sidekick if they feel they need a tank but don't want to switch PCs? The druid can play a big role here by either being a moon druid or a good summoner to do "minion tanking"?

 

[jgsugden]

You do not need to do anything. They'll figure it out. Let them express interest in what they want to do, then figure out how you want to support it, but don't feel a need to play the game for them by deciding what they need to survive your game. As a DM, I feel we're best off facilitating what they want to do, not protecting them from themselves.

And this game is not that fragile. A full ranged party can work.