S_Dalsgaard
First Post
Am I the only one, that find it a bit disconcerting, that what should be animal-loving rangers, has no trouble sending their innocent animal companions into certain death, forcing them to fight against monsters?
D&D 5E Rangers and their beasts
- Thread starter S_Dalsgaard
- Start date
iserith
Magic Wordsmith
It doesn't bother me. A beastmaster ranger is one that teams up with a beast to fight the enemies of civilization and the wilderness both. I like to imagine at some level the beast knows what it's getting into, being an exceptional animal. Also, cycle of life and all that.
Sacrosanct
Legend
Rangers are hunters and trackers. Not vegetarian hippies. They don't automatically love all animals. They know animals, and respect them, but it doesn't mean they love them all. Think of a ranger like a real world mountain man. And no, not Grizzly Adams lol.
jgsugden
Legend
There are a lot of rangers out there. Each has a different relationship with his animal allies.
Evil rangers might use animals as fodder, forcing them with intimidation and pain... Think Cesar Millan. (Sorry - cheap shot)
Good rangers might invite animals to be their friends and to fight alongside them in a just cause. The goodly ranger will often go as far out of his way to save an animal as he would a fellow human....
Essentially - the DM's job is to treat animals as NPCs and have them react to how they are treated - and to fold the ranger abilities, and the role playing of the ranger, into that reaction.
Evil rangers might use animals as fodder, forcing them with intimidation and pain... Think Cesar Millan. (Sorry - cheap shot)
Good rangers might invite animals to be their friends and to fight alongside them in a just cause. The goodly ranger will often go as far out of his way to save an animal as he would a fellow human....
Essentially - the DM's job is to treat animals as NPCs and have them react to how they are treated - and to fold the ranger abilities, and the role playing of the ranger, into that reaction.
Wednesday Boy
The Nerd WhoFell to Earth
I see a ranger and their animal companion as comrades who willingly fight their adversaries together--like He-Man and Battle-Cat, the Starks and their direwolves, or Drizzt and Guenhwyvar.
They don't have to do that. They could have an owl serving a ranger as punishment for biting a prissy nobleman's annoying wife and then used strictly for scouting. Fantasy literature can occasionally have some really stupid concepts and as a fantasy game player it is my obligation to to occasionally add to that stupidity.
For the record and ignoring some other details, owls can be used for good scouts.
As for bunny hugging hippies, rangers are trackers and warriors who operate in the wilderness. Warriors use horses and dogs as examples already. Rangers just more options and better versions. If a person wants a ranger who doesn't do much fighting there are some off-the-wall flavour options. Birds of prey might be typical choices, like a bloodhawk, or something more tricksy like a ferret (just use weasel), or humorous like a faithful pack mule or pony.
People argue best this optimal that all the time on the internet but the game will still be fun and playable if you decide to be different. Think optimization of character over optimization of mechanics in a case like that and role with it. Yes, that was a terrible pun.
I grew up in rural Texas, hunted as a child and teen, raised livestock, and had a my fair share of dogs and cats around the house, but I never thought of those animals as members of the family like what a lot of pet owners who purchase clothes and christmas presents for their cats do, animals serve a function they are like tools.
You accept that sometimes your tools get injured in the course of doing their job.
I think rangers respect animals and nature but no they are not members of PETA they have much more in common with Ted Nugent.
You accept that sometimes your tools get injured in the course of doing their job.
I think rangers respect animals and nature but no they are not members of PETA they have much more in common with Ted Nugent.
The beast has a better chance of survival with the ranger than fighting hunters or enemy monsters alone. In a D&D world with all the strange creatures, being the companion of a ranger is probably considered a boon. Someone makes sure your fed. They relationship makes them stronger than they would otherwise be. The ranger fights with the beast, usually with companions. All in it's not a bad deal for the beast.
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