D&D General What is appropriate Ranger Magic

[Minigiant]

that is kind of true, ranger is half a caster that druid is.

Well as the purpose of this thread.

What are the unique ranger spells? Are there any?

 

[EzekielRaiden]

Well as the purpose of this thread.

What are the unique ranger spells? Are there any?

Per my sources, for 5.0, there are nine spells that are only on the Ranger list and no other main-class list (subclasses break these rules all the time so I'm ignoring that): (1) ensnaring strike, hail of thorns, hunter's mark, zephyr strike, (2) cordon of arrows, (3) conjure barrage, lightning arrow, (5) conjure volley, swift quiver. If only asking for spells Rangers can get that aren't Druid spells, even if other classes can get them, there's an additional eight spells: (1) alarm, searing smite, (2) aid, magic weapon, silence, (3) Ashardalon's stride, nondetection, (5) steel wind strike.

All of the remaining 54 (=71 total - 17 non-Druid) Ranger spells are also on the Druid list. The Druid has access to a further 116 spells that the Ranger cannot use, though of those, only 61 are of a level the Ranger could cast (meaning, 1-5, since they get neither cantrips nor slots of level 6+).

From what I can tell, 5.5e is more or less comparable. Rangers have one fewer non-Druid spell, having lost zephyr strike because it wasn't reprinted from XGE, but Druids have lost several more non-Ranger spells, having only 86, presumably because several book supplement spells haven't been reprinted, at least not yet.

 

[Minigiant]

Per my sources, for 5.0, there are nine spells that are only on the Ranger list and no other main-class list (subclasses break these rules all the time so I'm ignoring that): (1) ensnaring strike, hail of thorns, hunter's mark, zephyr strike, (2) cordon of arrows, (3) conjure barrage, lightning arrow, (5) conjure volley, swift quiver. If only asking for spells Rangers can get that aren't Druid spells, even if other classes can get them, there's an additional eight spells: (1) alarm, searing smite, (2) aid, magic weapon, silence, (3) Ashardalon's stride, nondetection, (5) steel wind strike.

All of the remaining 54 (=71 total - 17 non-Druid) Ranger spells are also on the Druid list. The Druid has access to a further 116 spells that the Ranger cannot use, though of those, only 61 are of a level the Ranger could cast (meaning, 1-5, since they get neither cantrips nor slots of level 6+).

From what I can tell, 5.5e is more or less comparable. Rangers have one fewer non-Druid spell, having lost zephyr strike because it wasn't reprinted from XGE, but Druids have lost several more non-Ranger spells, having only 86, presumably because several book supplement spells haven't been reprinted, at least not yet.

I don't think I was clear in my question.

I'm meant to ask "Do you think there should be unique Ranger spells? If so, what are they?"

 

[EzekielRaiden]

I don't think I was clear in my question.

I'm meant to ask "Do you think there should be unique Ranger spells? If so, what are they?"

Ah, pardon. Not a question I have an interesting answer to, then.

 

[Horwath]

I don't think I was clear in my question.

I'm meant to ask "Do you think there should be unique Ranger spells? If so, what are they?"

there should be some unique ranger abilities, gated by levels.

spells to me are mostly interchangeable by class.
and subclasses steal spells left and right from other classes so in the end who cares?

Cleric with fireball or wizard with cure wounds? whatever...

it's the feat/features that build on spellcasting that set aside one spellcaster from another.

Life cleric or evoker wizard is where distinction lies not if cleric can cast fireball or wizard cure wounds.

 

[Minigiant]

As of right now the highest polling spells are

1. Exploding Arrow
2. Implacable Pursuer
3. Strength of the Beast/Bloodhounds

The lowest polling are

1. Orthus
2. Greenwood Limb, Long Grasp, Steelskin (tied)
3. Blade Thirst

So according to ENWord as of right now...

1. Rangers should be capable of weapon enhancement. But it is limited
   1. Enhancing arrows with fire is okay (Exploding Arrow)
   2. Enhancing swords with fire not okay (Blade Thirst)
   3. Perhaps it's the glowing as said by one poster.
   4. Ironic as Blade Thirst is a historic Ranger spells of 2 editions.
2. Ranger magic can be non-natural and divination/tracking magic is one way it's allowed (Implacable Pursuer)
3. Rangers can transform themselves but it is limited
   1. Taking lycanthrope traits is okay (Strength of Beast)
   2. Becoming a magical beast is very not okay (Othrus)
      1. Too druidic?
   3. Growing a wood arm not okay
      1. Too druidic?
   4. Growing vines not okay
      1. Too druidic?
4. Rangers can get Barkskin and Stoneskin but not Steelskin
5. Despite heavy discussions, Beastmeld and Wildtalk don't crack top 3

The votes are a little too close to make conclusions on the Yes side. But I can see what are No's.

 

[CreamCloud0]

Bards and Wizards can keep Tiny Hunt.

this is an instance where i really wish spell's levels weren't standardised across classes, like hey, this is basic level 1 stuff for a ranger creating magical shelter in the wild, but a wizard or bard? who don't have good connection with the energies of the wild? that's a 4th level spell!

Rangers should get their own housing spells that grants weather immunity, food and water purification, and an alarm radius.

oh that would be cool, being able to intergrate secondary spell effects into your tiny hut, i don't think that's what you're actually saying here but given alarm and purify food and drink exist...

just the idea that what starts as a protective bubble ends up progressing into this fortified bunker, hidden by plantlife and surrounded by fields of thorns, poisonous plants, hidden pitfalls and rocky walls.

Personally, I would prefer Tiny Hut and Rope Trick were removed from the game.

eh, i don't have an issue with them existing per se, more just the availability of them, tiny hut feels like the exact sort of thing meant to deal with the survival pillar, it's the goodberries of resting, and yet it's on these two classes who barely have squat to do with nature or survival, rather than the ranger.

 

[CreamCloud0]

Enhancing swords with fire not okay (Blade Thirst)
Perhaps it's the glowing as said by one poster.

i really do think it's the presentation of how it's written that did it, like has anyone ever had an issue with Elemental Weapon or Searing Smite on ranger? not that i've heard of, which are both thematically very similar, but 'glowing blue flame' rubs people the wrong way, if the spell had been described as

The ranger imbues their weapon with fire, searing blue-hot flames coat it's surface producing intense heat.

then i think it would've been much better recieved.

 

[Corinnguard]

What about converting 4e's Primal Magic source to 5e, and making the Ranger into a Primal Half-Caster?

 

[CreamCloud0]

What about converting 4e's Primal Magic source to 5e, and making the Ranger into a Primal Half-Caster?

isn't druid magic already the primal magic source just named differently? or am i missing nuance here?