D&D General Woodmaster and Rockmaster Rangers?

Quartz

Hero
That feels far too much to give out at 3rd level. Wielder of Wood is especially problematic if it stacks with Fighting Styles. And aren't bows made mainly of wood?
 

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Minigiant

Legend
Supporter
That feels far too much to give out at 3rd level. Wielder of Wood is especially problematic if it stacks with Fighting Styles. And aren't bows made mainly of wood?
Well Shillelgh and Barkskin are mostly useless to a well equipped ranger so I downplayed that power bump. It would mostly come in play if the ranger isn't armed and armored

Perhaps Wielder of Wood could be limited to melee wepons made of wood?

---
...still don't know what fantasy geology looks like.
 

Rune

Once A Fool
The one that immediately leaps to mind is LoTR or how it's often depicted in old westerns, is the ability to listen to the ground and determine the size and type and distance of creatures in the area.
Do you mean Aragorn or Legolas? Aragorn was a peerless tracker, but Legolas could hear the stones in Hollin and the trees in Fangorn.
 

Do you mean Aragorn or Legolas? Aragorn was a peerless tracker, but Legolas could hear the stones in Hollin and the trees in Fangorn.
It's Aragorn who listens to the ground for conducted sound (Survival skill). Legolas magically understands the language of rocks and plants (speak with plants spell).
 

Tonguez

A suffusion of yellow
Often people attach beast companions to being a possible aspect or option for rangers.

However there is more to nature than beasts and insects. Rangers have many plant and rock related spell in their library which feel iconic to the class. However due to the whole them not being full spellcasters, this element are rarely explored.

So are there fantasy archetypes for rangers using plants or stone as their angle in D&D? Or is there one for D&D to explore?

How would a Woodmaster or Rockmaster look like at the various tiers of play in D&D? Should they even exist?
Yes its called a druid :)

However I once DM’d a character who was a Fighter/Druid who in the course of adventuring was cursed to become a tree. He worked with his skills to justify him escaping by becoming a wood woad
 

Minigiant

Legend
Supporter
Yes its called a druid

Druids revere and venerate nature. They don't necessarily understand nature on a scientific or no spiritual level. Druids would not technically need to move past basic herbalism needed for sacred religious services as they have spells and wildshape.

So it would be rangers who delve into earth and natural sciences as they don't have the magical punch to mold nature.
 

Rune

Once A Fool
It's Aragorn who listens to the ground for conducted sound (Survival skill). Legolas magically understands the language of rocks and plants (speak with plants spell).
Well, it could pretty easily be argued otherwise, I think. Magic and skill are often interchangeable in Tolkien’s work, after all (and Aragon spent a significant portion of his youth among the elves).

Legolas wasn’t doing anything but listening. Or, more accurately, sensing. Wisdom (Perception and/or Intuition).

And Aragorn could have been casting locate creature, for all we know.
 

Stormonu

Legend
This thread inspired these write-ups for Ranger subclasses:

Greenwood Conclave
### Greenwood Conclave
Greenwood Rangers live deep in the forest or jungle, far from urban centers. Greenwood Ranger tend to shun others in favor of seeking areas of dense forest, foilage or overgrown gardens. They are gentle-natured, thoughtful souls to whom all
life is precious. A Greenwood Ranger will mourn the loss of a favorite shade tree as much asthe passing of a human companion. To the Greenwood Ranger, the wilderness is a glorious, sacredplace. If necessary, he will risk his life to preserve it.

#### Photosynthesis
Starting at 3rd level, you skin hardens and covers with bark and leaves replace any hair you possess. You no longer need to eat as long as you gain at least one uninterrupted hour of sunlight. You still need to drink and sleep as normal. Furthermore, your base AC becomes 14.

#### Multilimbed
At 5th level, you can grow an additional third arm, which materializes out of your chest. This third arm works like a normal limb for all purposes, and can be used to wield weapons or a shield in combat. You cannot benefit from more than one shield at time however. When used to attack with a weapon, when you take the attack action you can make one additional attack (if using one extra limb) or two additional attacks (if using both extra limbs) as a bonus action. You can only add your Strength or Dexterity modifier (as appropriate) to one of the weapon attacks.

#### Rooted
At 7th level, as a ritual that takes 10 minutes, you can root yourself into fertile soil. After one hour, you gain the benefits of a long rest. Once you use this ability, you cannot use it again the next dawn.

#### Moss Nodes
At 11th level, nodules of green moss begin to cover your body. Your base AC increases to 16. Furthermore, you can use the moss nodes to store and retrieve spells. You can cast a Ranger spell you know into the moss node to activate at a later time. Activating a spell stored in a moss node is a bonus action that does not consume concentration. Cantrips cannot be stored in moss nodes. Once you use this ability, you cannot use it again until you take a long rest.

#### Forest Ward
At 15th level, you can quickly heal your wounds. You can activate this healing as a bonus action. Thereafter, for the next minute, at the start of your turn, you regenerate 5 hit points as long as you have 1 hit point. You cannot regenerate damage caused by fire. Once you have used this ability, you must take a long rest to use it once again.

You can also regrow a single lost limb after a long rest.

Skybound Conclave
### Skybound Conclave
Rangers of the skybound conclave travel far and wide as messengers and scouts. They tend to prefer wide open areas with open vistas of the clear blue sky above. They are friends of birds and other flying creatures, as well as respectfully and friendly towards elemental air spirits and beings.

#### Skyfriend
Starting at 3rd level, you gain proficiency with the Auran language. As an action, you can use the language to speak to local birds or spirits of the air to request aid or gain knowledge. In the former case, you gain use of the Unseen Servant spell, as if you had cast it. In the latter case, it allows you to gain the answer to a number of yes/no questions equal to your Wisdom modifier. When answering questions, the validity and knowledge is based on what is known to the local avian wildlife or elemental air spirits in the area.

Once you use this ability, you cannot use it again until you take a long rest.

#### Zephyr Strike
At 5th level, you can unleash a flurry of strikes against enemies. When you take the attack action, you can make a number of attacks equal to your proficiency modifier. These attacks may be melee or ranged weapon attacks or any combination of the two. This can be combined with extra attack and two-weapon fighting.

Once you use this ability, you cannot use it again until you take a short or long rest.

#### Skybound Companion
At 7th level, you gain an elemental spirit of air as a companion. This spirit can take the form of any beast of CR 1/2 or less. The creature gains wings, allowing it to fly at a rate of 40 feet. The companion obeys your telepathic commands as long as it remains within one mile of you.

If the companion is lost or dismissed, you may regain the companion after a long rest.

#### Wind's Breath
At 11th level, when you take an attack action, you can cast a cantrip or 1st level spell as a bonus action. Likewise, if you are forced to make a Concentration check, you have advantage on the roll.

#### Wind Wall
At 15th level, you can summon a chaotic wind to disrupt your foes. As an action you create a turbulent cone of air 60 feet long and 30 feet wide at the end. Any creature in the affected area must make a Strength saving throw versus your spellcasting DC or be knocked prone and flung 15 feet along the cone away from you. Ranged attacks that pass through the area suffer disadvantage to hit if fired crosswind or upwind, and double range if fired downwind. Cone-based attacks grant advantage to saving throws of those upwind and disadvantage to saving throw if downwind. The blast of wind can be maintained as a bonus action that consumes your concentration.

Once this ability is used, you must take a long rest before using it again.

Stone Conclave
### Stone Conclave
Rangers of the Stone Conclave tend to be stern and stoic beings who are in touch with mountains, caves and other natural edifices of rock or stone. They are in tune with those creatures that burrow beneath their feet and the spirits of the earth. They are the methodical and implacible foes of those who seek to do harm while openly scoffing the laws of righteousness and nature.

#### Stone Sense
Starting at 3rd level, you gain blindsight to a range of 30 feet. Also, you can take an action to sense the presence of other creatures that are within 1,000 feet of you, as long as they are in contact with the earth. You can sense their approximate size, direction, distance and number.

You must be in contact with the ground for this ability to work.

#### Earth's Strike
At 5th level, when you hit with a melee or ranged weapon attack, you can expend a single spell slot to add magical bludgeoning damage to the attack. For each spell level of the spell expended, you add 1d6 magical bludgeoning damage.

#### Nature’s Recovery
At 7th level, you gain an elemental spirit of earth as a companion. This spirit has the stats listed below. If the companion is slain or dismissed, you can summon a replacement after a long rest.

___
## Stone Companion
Medium elemental (earth), unaligned
___
- Armor Class 18
- Hit Points 9 times your Ranger level
- Speed 25 ft., burrow 40 ft.
___
|STR|DEX|CON|INT|WIS|CHA|
|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|
|15 (+2)|10 (+0)|19 (+5)|10 (+0)|11 (+0)|8 (-1)|
___
- Resistances Poison
- Condition Immunities poisoned, prone
- Senses Blindsight 30 ft., passive Perception 10
- Languages Terran, understands the languages you speak
- Challenge - Proficiency Bonus (PB) equals your bonus
___
Regenerate. At the start of its turn, the Stone Companion regains 5 hit points if it has at least 1 hit point. It does not regenerate damage dealt to it by magic

### Actions
Slam. Melee Weapon Attack: your melee attack modifier to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit 1d10 + 2 bludgeoning damage

#### Earth's Movement
At 11th level, as a bonus action you can cause the terrain around you to shift and move. The ground within 30 feet of you becomes difficult terrain. Furthermore, if an enemy starts it turn in the affected area, they must make a Strength ability check against your spellcasting DC or they are restrained. This effect moves with you and lasts for 1 minute or until you choose to dismiss it.

You can perform this ability a number of times equal to your Wisdom modifier. After a long rest you regain all uses of this ability.

#### Earthen Reach
At 15th level, you can cast spells and use your Earth's Movement ability originating from your Stone Companion's location. Furthermore, enemies who start their turn in the area of your Earth's Movement suffer disadvantage to their saving throw to avoid being restrained.
 

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