Unearthed Arcana Unearthed Arcana: Another New Ranger Variant

*Deleted by user*

 

[Mistwell]

That's not what it says. Full turn with an Action limited to Attack or Hide. So, yes, you get a move, an Action, and a bonus action.

It may not allow you to generate a surprise action, but if you naturally get a surprise round for being sneaky (because, you know, both classes are sneaky)? Two attacks with surprise is better than one; they're different turns, so sneak attack applies to both. Plus, the Assassin gets bonuses against creatures that just haven't acted yet. The synergy is there, and its huge for a one level dip.

Yeah I know I corrected that later [Edit - on the WOTC! Doh! Hard to keep track some times, sorry bout that]. Asked Mearls on Twitter and he agreed it can carry with it tag-along actions like a bonus action (though no move action). It's not a surprise round though, and it's not a full turn - just an action. You don't get a move action and an attack action - just an attack action. If you have a bonus action triggered by an attack action, you can use that, but only because you got the attack action. This also seems to be "overpower it to begin with in playtesting, then cut back on it once you see what people do with it" thing.

 

[Minigiant]

The ranger's gotta have magic.

The second a pesky fey steals your dinner and teleports away, mundane tracking stops working. When adolescent green dragon head to their favorite climate, you need poison resistance or immunity. When a lake nymph gets all crazy and tries to drown you because you saw her bathing naked, you will water water breathing.

 

[Mephista]

Yeah it did. 1e rangers could cast druidic and magic user spells. Magic and Rangers have been together since day 1. Literally. I posted this earlier, but it's the very first iteration of the ranger

Not until 8th level, and even then, many people didn't reach that level or used a kit to play one without magic. I'm sure we've all heard all the arguments for and against the history of pure martial Rangers before. I'm not really interested in starting that back up.

Its just that, with all the examples people use for the martial Rangers, every example invariably ties back into being a Fighter variant or subclass. I get that a handful of people want a Ranger without any magic. I really do understand. I just don't think its viable. Every class really needs its own unqiue niche, not just thematically, but mechanically as well - that's a huge part of the complaints people have of the Sorcerer right now. And the Ranger, with its early ties into the Fighter class, can't develop its own niche if its restricted to thinking and acting like the Fighter, especially after the rest of the world has moved on.

 

[jadrax]

Yeah I know I corrected that later. Asked Mearls on Twitter and he agreed it can carry with it tag-along actions like a bonus action (though no move action). It's not a surprise round though, and it's not a full turn - just an action. You don't get a move action and an attack action - just an attack action. If you have a bonus action triggered by an attack action, you can use that, but only because you got the attack action. This also seems to be "overpower it to begin with in playtesting, then cut back on it once you see what people do with it" thing.

Mearls has repeatedly said you get to move as part of the Ambuscade on twitter.

 

[Mistwell]

Mearls has repeatedly said you get to move as part of the Ambuscade on twitter.

He has? I have not seen that. He didn't say one way or the other when he replied to me. Huh, that doesn't make sense to me. You don't get a move action. You sure he didn't say the rogue could use their bonus action to move? [Edit - OK yeah I went and looked and it sure looks like that's what he said. Huh...makes no sense to me, but OK]

 

[Fralex]

Ooh, I like how the spirit companions are the same as the barbarian ones! Makes multiclassing have some cool flavor synergy.

 

[jadrax]

He has? I have not seen that. He didn't say one way or the other when he replied to me. Huh, that doesn't make sense to me. You don't get a move action. You sure he didn't say the rogue could use their bonus action to move? [Edit - OK yeah I went and looked and it sure looks like that's what he said. Huh...makes no sense to me, but OK]

Here are the latest two:

Question: "@jtburling love the new UA. Can you move on the turn provided by Ambuscade?"
Answer: yes — Mike Mearls (@mikemearls) September 9, 2015

Question: @nadaval6the special extra turn of the UA ranger, does it have a move, interact with object, and bonus action? doesn't say in UA
Answer: yes to bonus action, yes to move, action can only be spent to attack or hide, as per the ability's description — Mike Mearls (@mikemearls) September 9, 2015

 

[ExploderWizard]

He has? I have not seen that. He didn't say one way or the other when he replied to me. Huh, that doesn't make sense to me. You don't get a move action. You sure he didn't say the rogue could use their bonus action to move? [Edit - OK yeah I went and looked and it sure looks like that's what he said. Huh...makes no sense to me, but OK]

There is no move "action". On your turn you may move your speed. There is the dash action which can be used in place of another action (or possibly a bonus action for some) that allows you to move even further, but that isn't the same thing. The turn is big key for movement. You get to move on each of your turns. Getting additional actions doesn't prohibit or extend your move. A fighter that has a speed of 30 can move that far and take an action. If that fighter uses action surge to take an additional action on his turn, then he doesn't get an additional 30 feet of movement (unless his chosen action was dash).

So, because ambuscade grants you an additional turn, you get to move even if the actions you can choose on that turn are limited.

 

[Mephista]

Yeah I know I corrected that later [Edit - on the WOTC! Doh! Hard to keep track some times, sorry bout that]. Asked Mearls on Twitter and he agreed it can carry with it tag-along actions like a bonus action (though no move action). It's not a surprise round though, and it's not a full turn - just an action. You don't get a move action and an attack action - just an attack action. If you have a bonus action triggered by an attack action, you can use that, but only because you got the attack action. This also seems to be "overpower it to begin with in playtesting, then cut back on it once you see what people do with it" thing.

There's no such thing as a surprise round in 5e. A monster is surprised until he gets to take his turn. In theory, if you can find a way to deny a monster his turn for several rounds, he'll be surprised for each and every one of those rounds. And, really, getting surprise isn' that hard if you play the part of a stealthy scout. Which is pretty much how the Assassin operates as a whole - if your GM is denying that you have surprise at most points in time, then either the GM's style, or your own play style, don't work with the Assassin as written. Nothing wrong with that. However, for many people who play assassin characters, getting surprise isn't too difficult.

And everyone who's mentioned that tweet from Mearls disagrees with you on that only-the-action bit. As is proper - the Ranger is supposed to be a skirmisher. That means mobility is a huge priority for the class.

 

[jadrax]

You don't get a move action.

Probably worth clarifying that in 5e there is strictly no such thing as a 'Move Action', On your turn you get an 'Action' and you get to 'Move'.