Unearthed Arcana Unearthed Arcana: Another New Ranger Variant

*Deleted by user*

 

[pemerton]

The skirmishing is just too good... sounds like a single enemy will never know where you are and just dies. An elven ranger will find the right situation to surprise the enemy. Enemy alone + elven ranger + rain = dead...

As far as elven rangers in the rain go, is that a bug or a feature? It looks to me more like the latter.

 

[FormerlyHemlock]

The idea that the peers of Charlemagne, or the knights of the Round Table, are not distinctively sectarian is also puzzling to me. The Song of Roland has Charlemagne and the peers fighting Muslims in Spain. The Arthurian stories are likewise infused with Catholic Christianity.

Thanks for the correction on Roland. I wasn't aware he did that, and that is exactly the kind of thing that I had in mind as being not what Lancelot and Galahad are famous for. They never fight infidels AFAIK, but if Roland does then that is definitely sectarian. So some PHB2 paladins are sectarian.

 

[MoonSong]

Maybe we should move the discussion on paladin to a new thread?

 

[FormerlyHemlock]

Whoops a few wights recently. I have a low opinion of them. Necro's captureable undead are very strong though. That feature is wonky. Straight wonky.

Well by the time you get them though, the ranger is one level off him and his pet sharing a cheap stoneskin or proct from energy.

Maybe so, but Stoneskin takes concentration (that could be better spent on Conjure Animal or Spike Growth) and 100 gp, whereas the Wight comes with Stoneskin built in and 70-odd HP IIRC (counting the Undead Thralls bonus) plus up to a dozen zombies (effectively 480-ish HP of meatshields, since Undead Fortitude is worth just under +20 effective HP if you do the math). It's hard to argue that the beast is better from a combat perspective, though I'm sure it is more socially, legally, and probably morally acceptable. I would like for the beast to be better because it is a major subclass feature.

Good idea about spell buffs.

 

[Aenorgreen]

Yeah, maybe. When I first read the rule I interpreted it as meaning one could only take an action on the special turn, not a bonus action or a move, and that action was limited to Attack or Hide. After reviewing it I realize I read into it what made sense to me, and I would definitely rule it that way, since a full turn is too much as your examples demonstrate. I feel like that might've been the intent, but if it was it needs to be made crystal-clear.

Dev intent is for it to be a full turn, including a move and bonus action. This comes from a tweet clarifying that you get all of a turn, not just an action.

 

[UngeheuerLich]

As far as elven rangers in the rain go, is that a bug or a feature? It looks to me more like the latter.

Maybe... but I really don´t like features that say: "no matter what the other one does, you are invisible +"
Even improved invisibility does not come close to that level 2 feature. Combined with ambush that seems like one of the best 2 level dips.

 

[Hussar]

If the action thing is a full turn of actions, where you can only take Attack or Hide as your actual action, but, you still gain move and bonus/reaction actions, this is ridiculously overpowered.

Why wouldn't every single PC in the group dip for this? Imagine a 5 PC party where it can never be surprised, ever, and virtually always gains a free round of actions before the NPC's can act. Sure, the casters can't drop regular spells, but, sorc's can Quicken spells to become bonus actions. Burn a few points and poof, you drop a spell before the first round of combat, then shoot a crossbow for your action, then get your regular suite of actions in the first round. The fighter/rogue types just walk up and beat on the baddies for free.

This is a rule that does not play well at all with the rest of the game. It's so overpowered that it doesn't make sense that the group wouldn't take advantage of this. Which classes wouldn't benefit from this? Maybe a straight up wizard or bard, I suppose, since they don't get many bonus actions. Cleric can use it to just move up and beat on stuff, as can the druid. All the "beat on stuff" classes would get major benefits from this.

This is a very, very bad idea.

 

[Minigiant]

If the action thing is a full turn of actions, where you can only take Attack or Hide as your actual action, but, you still gain move and bonus/reaction actions, this is ridiculously overpowered.

Why wouldn't every single PC in the group dip for this? Imagine a 5 PC party where it can never be surprised, ever, and virtually always gains a free round of actions before the NPC's can act. Sure, the casters can't drop regular spells, but, sorc's can Quicken spells to become bonus actions. Burn a few points and poof, you drop a spell before the first round of combat, then shoot a crossbow for your action, then get your regular suite of actions in the first round. The fighter/rogue types just walk up and beat on the baddies for free.

This is a rule that does not play well at all with the rest of the game. It's so overpowered that it doesn't make sense that the group wouldn't take advantage of this. Which classes wouldn't benefit from this? Maybe a straight up wizard or bard, I suppose, since they don't get many bonus actions. Cleric can use it to just move up and beat on stuff, as can the druid. All the "beat on stuff" classes would get major benefits from this.

This is a very, very bad idea.

The same reason everyone doesn't dip rogue for expertise, 1d6 damage a round, and Cunning action.

It's not worth the level dip unless you can do something major with "Attack/Hide+move+Bonus action into Normal Turn " every single combat.

And only rangers, rogues, and fighters really do that. Move into position, Bonus action attack, Attack Action. Pretty much TwFer and archer only. Sorcerers lack the points to repeatedly quicken to use bonus actions and the other casters would barely use the extta turn.

But it's mostly for sniper archers.

 

[jadrax]

The thing is

The paladin's steed is a CR 1/2 warhorse, CR 1/8 pony, CR 1/4 elk, CR 1/8 mastiff, or CR 18 camel that never gets stronger.

Or "(THE DM might allow other animals to be summoned as steeds.)".

If they had just let the Beastmaster pet be a wolf, puma, hawk or anything else the DM feels is appropriate, in the same way that Summon Steed works, we would be in a lot better place.

 

[Hussar]

The same reason everyone doesn't dip rogue for expertise, 1d6 damage a round, and Cunning action.

It's not worth the level dip unless you can do something major with "Attack/Hide+move+Bonus action into Normal Turn " every single combat.

And only rangers, rogues, and fighters really do that. Move into position, Bonus action attack, Attack Action. Pretty much TwFer and archer only. Sorcerers lack the points to repeatedly quicken to use bonus actions and the other casters would barely use the extta turn.

But it's mostly for sniper archers.

Not sure why you say that. You're essentially getting an action surge at the beginning of every single combat. Getting 4 attacks in the first round of every fight is huge at 5th level. TWF or pole arm master gets six attacks in the first round of every fight.

Never minding getting twice the movement as well.

Huge power up for melee types who are now pretty much guaranteed to get into melee combat in the first round and still make attacks.