D&D 5E The 2024 Ranger is Actually Pretty Good (with numbers)

[Sacrosanct]

I haven’t run the numbers or anything, but I’m playing a 2024 ranger with the swarm keeper subclass, and so far to level 4, I’ve been dealing the most damage. We have a scout rogue, diviner wizard, fighter/barb with no subclass yet, valor bard, and land Druid. Hunters mark and extra swarm damage pretty much every round makes the difference

 

[Zardnaar]

I haven’t run the numbers or anything, but I’m playing a 2024 ranger with the swarm keeper subclass, and so far to level 4, I’ve been dealing the most damage. We have a scout rogue, diviner wizard, fighter/barb with no subclass yet, valor bard, and land Druid. Hunters mark and extra swarm damage pretty much every round makes the difference

Rangers fine early on can even be great.

It's level 11 they fall off along with traditional problem of MCing out after level 5 into Fighter or Rogue.

 

[Minigiant]

Chasing damage is pointless for Rangers.
Dealing damage and Taking damage are ALL Fighters and Barbarians can do.

Rangers can deal less damage with the tradeoff of getting skills, utility, survival heals, buffs, divination, and stealth.
But TM's ranger builds weren't great.

 

[Zardnaar]

Chasing damage is pointless for Rangers.
Dealing damage and Taking damage are ALL Fighters and Barbarians can do.

Rangers can deal less damage with the tradeoff of getting skills, utility, survival heals, buffs, divination, and stealth.
But TM's ranger builds weren't great.

Yeah he pointed out he wasn't using specific builds.

BUT he stumbled into basic good build with his Barbarian+GWM build.

Archers not holding up GWM nerfed less. Sword and board you need extra damage eg smites.

His feat selection was often poor.

 

[Minigiant]

Yeah he pointed out he wasn't using specific builds.

BUT he stumbled into basic good build with his Barbarian+GWM build.

Archers not holding up GWM nerfed less. Sword and board you need extra damage eg smites.

His feat selection was often poor.

His builds will be outdated once new Ranger spells are made, converted , or updated. So meh.
Ashardalon's Stride is 3.5 DPR. Who knows if it keeps Conc?
Zephyr Strike hasn't been 2.0ed.
GoN missing.
Blade Thirst still isn't converted.


And his assumptions benefitted some classes and hurt others.
Ranger doesn't have a spell slot dump which works for the way he ran it.
But monks get precast shadow.

 

[Zardnaar]

His builds will be outdated once new Ranger spells are made, converted , or updated. So meh.
Ashardalon's Stride is 3.5 DPR. Who knows if it keeps Conc?
Zephyr Strike hasn't been 2.0ed.
GoN missing.
Blade Thirst still isn't converted.


And his assumptions benefitted some classes and hurt others.
Ranger doesn't have a spell slot dump which works for the way he ran it.
But monks get precast shadow.

Well you can run the existing 2014 spells as is. Several boost those numbers a lot.

Chromatic Orb might be a soft chain lightning substitute with any blaster build+ magic initiate feat.

 

[UngainlyTitan]

It is an interesting thread, but to be fair to Treantmonk I do not think he was going for maximum damage builds but trying to provide a feel for the space under the new rules and he did a very good job.
Just as @Lord Twig shows us that the TWF Beast master can out damage the subclass build Treantmonk presents.

I do notice that even the build presented shows a drop off at high levels. @Zardnaar is correct that people looking at single target damage on the ranger will be tempted to MC at higher levels.

IT will be interesting to see how the class fares if some of the spells for ranger but not in the new PHB are used.
Must get into this myself but I need to refresh my probability math. Since weapon masteries bring in a lot of conditional probabilities. Feats also have much higher utility in the 2024 game than before.

 

[Seramus]

For Reference:

 

[Zardnaar]

It is an interesting thread, but to be fair to Treantmonk I do not think he was going for maximum damage builds but trying to provide a feel for the space under the new rules and he did a very good job.
Just as @Lord Twig shows us that the TWF Beast master can out damage the subclass build Treantmonk presents.

I do notice that even the build presented shows a drop off at high levels. @Zardnaar is correct that people looking at single target damage on the ranger will be tempted to MC at higher levels.

IT will be interesting to see how the class fares if some of the spells for ranger but not in the new PHB are used.
Must get into this myself but I need to refresh my probability math. Since weapon masteries bring in a lot of conditional probabilities. Feats also have much higher utility in the 2024 game than before.

The problem then an obvious build (berzerker with greatsword+ gwm) is one of the best damage builds in the game. Maybe the best.

My wife built a better ranger with the fae one with input from here.

Sword and board don't think I would bother with shield master now it's a strength save. EK shillagh build might be best sword and board that's not a Paladin. Well stick and board.

 

[Horwath]

The problem then an obvious build (berzerker with greatsword+ gwm) is one of the best damage builds in the game. Maybe the best.

My wife built a better ranger with the fae one with input from here.

Sword and board don't think I would bother with shield master now it's a strength save. EK shillagh build might be best sword and board that's not a Paladin. Well stick and board.

having shillelagh getting more damage per swing that a sword at 5th level is an insane idea.

it just forces everyone going for damage taking Magic initiate feat.

as you said, there is only now, stick and board style.