D&D 5E WotC Ranger: Drakewarden released at D&D Celebration

[doctorbadwolf]

From a balance perspective... I mean, the twilight cleric gets concentration-less flight at level 6 so... let small rangers ride their drake!!

Just let all rangers ride their drake!

TBH Find Steed should just be Find Greater Steed, IMO, as well, tho.

 

[UngeheuerLich]

Yeah. I see no problem with the class as is. Maybe they wanted small and medium sized rangers to gain the same powers... But then medium size is often an advantage to begin with.
But really the power level of the ranger is ok. Maybe making the bite magical at level 7 would be a good idea. Or dod I miss something?

 

[Ath-kethin]

You mean like releasing a PC race that can fly from 1st level...three days ago. But flight being too much before 15th level a few weeks from now.

To my mind, what you describe is more of an oversight issue than a vision one. Odds are that two different teams, at two different times, developed the two concepts independently, and under two different time frames and arcs. And no one cross referenced them before they were published.

 

[Nathaniel Lee]

They put various races at a disadvantage all the time. Sometimes based on size.

I'm more referring to that this is a class feature that's meant to apply broadly across any race. The suggestions have been to set up the class such that if you happen to pick a small race, you'll effectively have a whole other feature from this class that a character with a medium sized race will not have. If there is to be flight as a class feature, any PC who has this class needs to have access to it equally, which is what the current configuration of the class does, regardless of whether the level at which it is accessed is useful.

 

[Nathaniel Lee]

Dollars to donuts, this is the reason. Access to flight at 7th level is perfectly reasonable - Wizards can learn the fly spell by then. However, they don’t want you having a Large companion that early, and they’re probably worried that a Medium sized creature flying on a Medium sized mount would strain suspension of disbelief. So, Medium characters get to ride it at 7th but can’t fly on it until 15th. And since they don’t want Small characters to make objectively better Drakewardens than Medium ones, neither can Small characters.

Not saying it’s a good decision, but I’m positive that’s the logic behind it.

Whew! I thought maybe I didn't communicate my point well enough!

 

[Nathaniel Lee]

From a balance perspective... I mean, the twilight cleric gets concentration-less flight at level 6 so... let small rangers ride their drake!!

What about the angle of the party now having a steed that realistically anybody in the party could mount and ride since it's trained and it's friendly? Maybe they felt that was too much of a boon earlier in the game? If your fairy or aarakocra character can fly, that's just them. It's never going to apply to anyone else in the party. If you're a Twilight cleric you can fly early. Again, just you. Magic items allow you to fly as well, but a DM can easily just not ever drop those items if they don't want you flying early. Just spitballing thoughts here...

 

[Jmarso]

"While you are riding your drake, it can’t use the flying speed of this feature."

So...you don't get to do literally the one thing you'd want to do with a pet dragon. Wow. That's...uh...something.

ETA: 15th level you can ride your flying drake. Fairies and aarakocra can fly from 1st level, but you have to wait until 15th for a dragon to carry you while flying. Yikes.

One of the first things that'll get house ruled away, I expect.

 

[bedir than]

Giving class features to some races earlier than others is.

Again, the solution has nothing to do with rider size.

This isn't a standard dragon. Just give it Beast of Burden like the Mule.

 

[Laurefindel]

"While you are riding your drake, it can’t use the flying speed of this feature."

So...you don't get to do literally the one thing you'd want to do with a pet dragon. Wow. That's...uh...something.

ETA: 15th level you can ride your flying drake. Fairies and aarakocra can fly from 1st level, but you have to wait until 15th for a dragon to carry you while flying. Yikes.

it's a bit of a let down, but at least it keeps the drake companion in line with the beasts of the beastmaster

 

[Levistus's_Leviathan]

From a balance perspective... I mean, the twilight cleric gets concentration-less flight at level 6 so... let small rangers ride their drake!!

And Druids can wildshape into a flying creature at level 8. Seriously, they should be able to ride their flying drake at level 7!