D&D 5E [+] Trying to settle on a list of "Core Ranger Spells". Gimme a hand!

[Rocker26a]

Only 12 autopicks and 6 must haves.

Yeeaah, that's basically the top and bottom of it. That's what has me thinking the answer may be found outside the Ranger spell list.

4th

• Conjure Woodland Being
• Guardian of Nature

I'm somewhat biased against Guardian of Nature for 4th level because it's flavour is kinda, y'know. Disgusting. It's the same reason I never want to use the vanilla Barkskin. Buuut, it's bonuses are nice, I guess I could try messing with it's wording...

 

[Minigiant]

Yeeaah, that's basically the top and bottom of it. That's what has me thinking the answer may be found outside the Ranger spell list.

That's only speaking to power alone.

Then you have the Ranger spells that are iconic that you'd expect a ranger to have but are too niche or situational to prioritize. Like Speak With Animals. Situational but in those rare situations you 1000% expect the ranger to have it.

these are the 5 spells in Primal Awareness that Rangers get for free. Or in 1e-3e that every ranger kept a scroll or wand of.

3e Wand Monkey rangers.
Quiver of Wands, a Quiver of Arrows, a bow, 2 scimitars, and 5d6 assorted potions.
Good times

 

[Rocker26a]

Then you have the Ranger spells that are iconic that you'd expect a ranger to have but are too niche or situational to prioritize. Like Speak With Animals. Situational but in those rare situations you 1000% expect the ranger to have it.

You are definitely correct there, but my personal answer to that specific example is giving Ranger a feature that grants the innate ability to communicate with beasts. Revised Rangers' Primeval Awareness basically.

But yeah, I'm not necessarily dead-set on the spells granted exclusively being heavy-hitters. That said though, the higher the spell slot, the less niche the spells generally are. So it might shake out that way regardless.

 

[CreamCloud0]

just looking at the full spell list for 1st and 2nd level here's what i might consider
1ST LEVEL
cure wounds
detect evil and good
detect poison and disease
disguise self (self)
expiditious retreat (self)
find familiar
healing elixir
heroism (self)
jump (self)
longstrider (self)
protection from evil and good (self)
snare
speak with animals (self)
wild cunning (debatable on the last two effects of spirits instantly setting up/taking down camp but the other effects fit)
zephyr strike

2ND LEVEL
aid
animal messenger
augury
darkvision (self)
enhance ability (self)
find steed (though i'd remove the clause about it being celestial/fey/fiend instead of it's normal type)
gentle repose
lesser restoration
locate animal or plants
pass without trace
prayer of healing
protection from poison
spider climb (self)
summon beast

 

[Rocker26a]

just looking at the full spell list for 1st and 2nd level here's what i might consider

You forgot Hunter's Mark but included Pass Without Trace!
But yes, while I might personally omit some of those, I'm trying to identify those sorts of spells from across the spell lists for 3rd, 4th, and 5th level.

 

[CreamCloud0]

You forgot Hunter's Mark but included Pass Without Trace!

oh i did, didn't i? probably because i really don't like how HM is implemented, in either one of it's spell form or as the tasha's revised ranger class feature.

But yes, while I might personally omit some of those, I'm trying to identify those sorts of spells from across the spell lists for 3rd, 4th, and 5th level.

i did look at level 3 when i was making my previous post but there were extremely minimal spells i thought apropriate, counjour animals, haste and possibly feign death i think i found out of all of level 3.

 

[Rocker26a]

oh i did, didn't i? probably because i really don't like how HM is implemented, in either one of it's spell form or as the tasha's revised ranger class feature.

Oh yeah I definitely agree on both counts, don't get me wrong. After it's made actually good at long last, then we can talk about Ranger getting it for free. And then also their primary class feature being reminiscent of it without being exactly the same.
(It's just I've already done both of those so I'm operating on that assumption.)

i did look at level 3 when i was making my previous post but there were extremely minimal spells i thought apropriate, counjour animals, haste and possibly feign death i think i found out of all of level 3.

Yep, it's slim pickings! Conjure Animals and Haste is what I had it down to, leaning more towards Haste. Conjure Animals has the benefit of being a really good spell that's already somewhat associated with Rangers, with the slight hitch that it's "high/hard magic". Not much getting around the fact that you're directly pulling creatures into existence. I'm undecided on if that really is a deal breaker though.
Haste obviously isn't classically a Ranger spell, though it's somewhat considered a Gish spell. Has the big caveat that, what you really want is someone safely on the other side of the room concentrating on it for you so you can get stuck in rather than having to concentrate on it yourself, but that's by the by. The idea of it as like, the super version of Zephyr Strike is kind of appealing to me. And plus it works for any sort of Ranger, rather than solely an Archer or anything like that.

 

[Yaarel]

The Ranger is many different concepts.

The spell list depends on which version of Ranger one is going for.

 

[Rocker26a]

The Ranger is many different concepts.

The spell list depends on which version of Ranger one is going for.

This is true! However, my contention is that; some spells exist, or it could be argued that some spells ought to exist, outside that fact. When was the last time you saw a Ranger that didn't have Hunter's Mark, and that fact wasn't notable in any way? It definitely happens, but it's usually a deliberate deviation. Same with Warlock and EB.

 

[Yaarel]

This is true! However, my contention is that; some spells exist, or it could be argued that some spells ought to exist, outside that fact. When was the last time you saw a Ranger that didn't have Hunter's Mark, and that fact wasn't notable in any way? It definitely happens, but it's usually a deliberate deviation. Same with Warlock and EB.

Describe the character concept you are going for, for the class.

A "hunter"?