D&D General Should ranger get a companion as its 'signature' feature?
- Thread starter Frozen_Heart
- Start date
Lanefan
Victoria Rules
Ranger's identity should be tracking, herb lore*, nature, and self-sufficiency**; all on top of a basic fighter-like warrior chassis. @Minigiant is on to something with natural sciences, to a point: meteorology, cartography, astronomy, basic medical knowledge for self and animals, and plant science: sure; but not geology (unless a Dwarf) and not social science. The player would select one or two of these sciences from a list during char-gen.
I'm of two minds as to whether Rangers should ever cast spells, but IMO at most spellcasting should be a very minor feature of the class - maybe no spells until 9th level then 1 spell a day (from a very short list and cast as if 8 levels lower) until 15th then two a day after that.
Along with Bards, Monks, and the other "life-style" classes, Rangers IMO should be highly restricted in their multiclassing options as well, even to the point of they just can't do it. You can't just dabble at Rangering; it has to be your life's focus to the exclusion of anything else as time-consuming as learning another class.
* - D&D has always had available, but never really used, great gobs of design space around magic or quasi-magic herbs and plants; and Rangers are the obvious class where this would fit.
** - as in, able to forage for itself and survive in the wild on its own; this doesn't extend to being able to forage for a whole party.
I'm of two minds as to whether Rangers should ever cast spells, but IMO at most spellcasting should be a very minor feature of the class - maybe no spells until 9th level then 1 spell a day (from a very short list and cast as if 8 levels lower) until 15th then two a day after that.
Along with Bards, Monks, and the other "life-style" classes, Rangers IMO should be highly restricted in their multiclassing options as well, even to the point of they just can't do it. You can't just dabble at Rangering; it has to be your life's focus to the exclusion of anything else as time-consuming as learning another class.
* - D&D has always had available, but never really used, great gobs of design space around magic or quasi-magic herbs and plants; and Rangers are the obvious class where this would fit.
** - as in, able to forage for itself and survive in the wild on its own; this doesn't extend to being able to forage for a whole party.
Horwath
Legend
maybe the Ranger should have monks approach to Nature as monks have to mystical self.
some quasi magical abilities that are not coded as spells.
EzekielRaiden
Follower of the Way
Take the 13A Druid approach.
Every ranger gets 3 talents. One talent gets you Apprentice training, two gets you Master training. Apprentice is a partial or basic set of features, Master is the whole kit and caboodle. Offer, say, four paths:
That way, any one Ranger has to focus, but the Ranger generally is all four things. Perhaps even offer a feat (requires Ranger 12) that lets you gain one more talent, either letting you be an Apprentice at everything, a Master of two things, or a Master of one and Apprentice of two.
Every ranger gets 3 talents. One talent gets you Apprentice training, two gets you Master training. Apprentice is a partial or basic set of features, Master is the whole kit and caboodle. Offer, say, four paths:
- Hunter (ranged weapon features, favored enemy, exploration/terrain)
- Tamer (animal companion, socialization, tapping nature for information)
- Survivalist (healing, woodland lore, nature magic)
- Slayer (better armor, two-weapon fighting features, intimidation/fear)
That way, any one Ranger has to focus, but the Ranger generally is all four things. Perhaps even offer a feat (requires Ranger 12) that lets you gain one more talent, either letting you be an Apprentice at everything, a Master of two things, or a Master of one and Apprentice of two.
W'rkncacnter
Hero
yo dog, i heard you liked companions, so we gave your companion a companion, so you can command a companion while you command a companion
Horwath
Legend
like dude, what if like my Cohort that I got from Leadership feat, gets Leadership feat and then like that cohort gets a Leadership feat....
Lanefan
Victoria Rules
I had just that happen in a game: my PC had a hench named Budgy, then at one point some enemy or other surrendered to Budgy in the field and he took that person on as his own hench. Voila: two-layer henching!
Sociology for Favored Enemy: Humaniods. Rangers would be the best at understanding other cultures.
Geology as rangers would know the different properties of rocks, metals, and magic rocks. Like how to grind up certain rocks to make bombs and powders.
The part is everyone forgets is a ranger is, if they choose, also hunting dragons, fey, fiends, celestials, and spellcasters.
How are they doing that without magic?
"But Robin Hood, Aragorn, and Jon Snow didn't use magic"
They fought humans and if they had to fight supernaturals, they'd all resort to spells, infusions, prayers, Invocations, mutations, or some sort of magic.
Robin Hood is shooting a Demon Princeling magic-less.
Perhaps Favored Enemy could be various talents. You start with ~2 and you upgrade or gain new ones as you level.
- Favored Enemy: Colossi- +1dX damage vs a target not at maximum HP
- Favored Enemy: Hordes: +2dX damage to Cleave weapon mastery
- Favored Enemy: Humaniods: +x to spell DC with Dexterity saves
- Favored Enemy: Runners: +1dX damage to Hunter's Mark
- Favored Enemy: Savages: +2dX damage to Hail of Thorns
- Favored Enemy: Spellcasters: +2dX damage to Dispelling Arrow
Horwath
Legend
or make benefits form favored enemy be broad, but most beneficial when you fight those specific foes.
I.E:
Humanoids:
3 skills and 2 expertise from History, Insight, Deception, Persuasion, Intimidation.
3 extra languages
Dragons:
Advantage vs AoE effects and fear
Resistance or even immunity to one type of damage of dragons breath
Aberration:
Immunitiy to mind control
+60ft darkvision
Undead:
resistance/immunity to ability drain and necrotic damage
max HPs cannot be lowered
etc...
Lanefan
Victoria Rules
I'd rather go 1e and leave their favoured enemy as Giants.
(though there's a case for Undead, to be fair)Maybe; I'm concerned that would eat into the Dwarves' niche as being stone-masters.
Jon Snow fought his share of supernaturals, didn't he? As did Aragorn? And if you're referring to their use of magic items, I've no issue with any class having those.
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