D&D (2024) What type of ranger would your prefer for 2024?

[Rocker26a]

I swear WOTC is cruise control sometimes. FrostBurn was RIGHT THERE.

RANGER SPELLS
1ST LEVEL
Conjure Ice Beast I: Conjures ice creature to fight for you.
Crunchy Snow: –20 penalty on Move Silently Stealth checks in area.
Ease of Breath: +20 inherent bonus on Fortitude Constitution saves to resist altitude sickness.
Ice Skate: While on ice, your speed increases by 60 feet.
Ivory Flesh: Flesh turns white, granting +5 circumstance bonus on Hide Stealth checks in snow and ice.
Snowsight: Normal vision in winter weather conditions.

2ND LEVEL
Conjure Ice Beast II: Conjures ice creature to fight for you.
Snow Walk: Increase your speed and walk effortlessly on top of snow without leaving tracks or scent.
Zone of Glacial Cold: Deals 1d6 cold damage to all creatures in area.

3RD LEVEL
Binding Snow: Snow freezes, impeding movement.
Conjure Ice Beast III: Conjures ice creature to fight for you.

4TH LEVEL
Aura of Cold, Lesser: Intense cold deals 1d6 damage to creatures within 5 ft.
Conjure Ice Beast IV: Conjures ice creature to fight for you.
Frostfell Slide: Move instantly from one area of frostfell to another.

Like even if those are too crunchy (hah, y'know, like Snow?) for their tastes, it wouldn't take a ridiculous amount of work to condense a few of those down to more applicable spells. Like rolling Ice Skate and Snow Walk into one, lets you navigate difficult or treacherous terrain with greater ease and speed? For the tundra, or shifting desert sands, or etc?

I don't think it's just a lack of new spells either. I think the ones that currently exist are, by and large, an unpleasant cocktail of; you get 'em far too late, when you do get 'em they're lame, and/or they're just not a great thematic fit.

Like, boy, I'd love to wait till 9th level (12th if you have the audacity to take a 3 level dip) to spend a 3rd level spell slot on an additional 1D6 Fire damage on ranged attacks that still consume ammo to boot. And it's a full action! And it's concentration!

I'd absolutely advocate for a revamp of things like Flame Arrows, Swift Quiver, Steel Wind Strike, Barkskin & Stoneskin etc. I know other classes get some of those but you get my point

 

[Horwath]

Like even if those are too crunchy (hah, y'know, like Snow?) for their tastes, it wouldn't take a ridiculous amount of work to condense a few of those down to more applicable spells. Like rolling Ice Skate and Snow Walk into one, lets you navigate difficult or treacherous terrain with greater ease and speed? For the tundra, or shifting desert sands, or etc?

I don't think it's just a lack of new spells either. I think the ones that currently exist are, by and large, an unpleasant cocktail of; you get 'em far too late, when you do get 'em they're lame, and/or they're just not a great thematic fit.

Like, boy, I'd love to wait till 9th level (12th if you have the audacity to take a 3 level dip) to spend a 3rd level spell slot on an additional 1D6 Fire damage on ranged attacks that still consume ammo to boot. And it's a full action! And it's concentration!

I'd absolutely advocate for a revamp of things like Flame Arrows, Swift Quiver, Steel Wind Strike, Barkskin & Stoneskin etc. I know other classes get some of those but you get my point

One of the reasons I hate casting rangers is delay in spell levels.
3rd level spells are great at 5th level and mediocre to bad at 9th level.
And the compete with Extra attack for Action slot in combat.

That is why half-casters need to have same spell level progression as full casters.
Still capped at 5th level spells OFC. And with reduced number of spell slots or spell point variant.

I.E:
Left table current halfcaster, right table full spell progression half-caster:

 

[Rocker26a]

One of the reasons I hate casting rangers is delay in spell levels.
3rd level spells are great at 5th level and mediocre to bad at 9th level.
And the compete with Extra attack for Action slot in combat.

That is why half-casters need to have same spell level progression as full casters.
Still capped at 5th level spells OFC. And with reduced number of spell slots or spell point variant.

I.E:
Left table current halfcaster, right table full spell progression half-caster:
View attachment 291921

That's an interesting proposal! Though, I dislike the rate at which the spell slots are staggered. Seems silly to not get Four 1st level slots till 17th level when it barely matters. Even not getting Three 2nd and 3rd level slots till levels 13 and 14 is a little rough.

 

[Horwath]

That's an interesting proposal! Though, I dislike the rate at which the spell slots are staggered. Seems silly to not get Four 1st level slots till 17th level when it barely matters. Even not getting Three 2nd and 3rd level slots till levels 13 and 14 is a little rough.

it's to keep the spell-point budget in check.
You get less spell slots, but you get higher level spells as soon as full casters.

why play full casters as most campaigns will end around 10th level when halfcasters would get same amount of spell slots and other martial features and you as a full caster only have spells and some minor features.

 

[Rocker26a]

it's to keep the spell-point budget in check.
You get less spell slots, but you get higher level spells as soon as full casters.

why play full casters as most campaigns will end around 10th level when halfcasters would get same amount of spell slots and other martial features and you as a full caster only have spells and some minor features.

Don't get me wrong, I understand the logic. I just dislike it. Feels like you end up with a similar problem, where the early spells ought to be your bread and butter, but you've got to be unreasonably precious with your spell slots.

 

[Horwath]

Don't get me wrong, I understand the logic. I just dislike it. Feels like you end up with a similar problem, where the early spells ought to be your bread and butter, but you've got to be unreasonably precious with your spell slots.

that is true, but you get to have your 3rd level spells at 5th level,
you just need to compensate smaller number of spell slots with your Extra attack, Styles and other features.

I think that this variant would be better for new version of warlock as half-caster

 

[Rocker26a]

that is true, but you get to have your 3rd level spells at 5th level,
you just need to compensate smaller number of spell slots with your Extra attack, Styles and other features.

I think that this variant would be better for new version of warlock as half-caster

Trying to think if some kind of middle ground is theoretically possible. That lets 1st and 2nd be more general use, while gaining access to 3rd and up at the appropriate levels but just on a shorter leash early on. Rangers getting Ritual casting as standard may help some? I mean I think they should have it anyway, them being about meditation and preparation has been a growing part of their identity following the Witcher.

As for Warlock, I dunno. Never could get into Warlocks personally. Couldn't say what's a better fit for them. I know some are attached to how they currently work.
Whereas Ranger is basically my favourite class, despite the Sisyphean task getting them to a good place is.

 

[Horwath]

Trying to think if some kind of middle ground is theoretically possible. That lets 1st and 2nd be more general use, while gaining access to 3rd and up at the appropriate levels but just on a shorter leash early on. Rangers getting Ritual casting as standard may help some? I mean I think they should have it anyway, them being about meditation and preparation has been a growing part of their identity following the Witcher.

As for Warlock, I dunno. Never could get into Warlocks personally. Couldn't say what's a better fit for them. I know some are attached to how they currently work.
Whereas Ranger is basically my favourite class, despite the Sisyphean task getting them to a good place is.

I tried to just add 1 slot of every spell level until they catch up with current half-caster table, but that seems too much at early levels:

this would require some class features to be reduced/removed, maybe HD dropped to d8 or something.

 

[Rocker26a]

I tried to just add 1 slot of every spell level until they catch up with current half-caster table, but that seems too much at early levels:

View attachment 291922

this would require some class features to be reduced/removed, maybe HD dropped to d8 or something.

Hmm. Something like that could work I guess? Maybe a bit less generous? Is that feasible?
I definitely don't think reducing the other class features in the name of spellcasting is a good idea. As much as I think Rangers should have it, I don't want to see their class features subservient to it.

 

[James Gasik]

Ironically, Ranger having Pact Casting might be a better fit; fewer spells per day, but always cast at full power. And I despise Warlocks, having seen them be nothing but Eldritch Blast dispensers, who get to cast a couple of spells per adventure because stopping to rest for an hour multiple times per day wasn't viable.