D&D 5E Would it break the Ranger to give him Natural Explorer in every terrain?

[Merudo]

Like many, I find the base chassis of the Ranger underwhelming.

In my opinion, this is in large part due to the "Natural Explorer" ability only working in a specific favored terrain. If that terrain is not encountered, the Ranger really isn't any better at exploring than the rest in the party. I find this regrettable; the Ranger is the quintessential outdoorsman, and as such should be competent on every terrain.

Would it break the game if the benefits of Natural Explorer applied to every terrain - as if every terrain was "favored"?

As a reminder, this would mean the that Ranger would, in all terrain:

• Allow group travel through difficult terrain without losing speed
• Never get lost
• Always remain alert to danger while traveling
• Move stealthily at normal pace when alone
• Find twice as much food when foraging
• When tracking creatures, learn their exact number, their sizes, and how long ago they passed through the area.

None of these abilities seem overpowered to me. All of this is stuff that a Ranger should be good at, period.

So why not give it all to the Ranger?

Now having all terrain favored right at level 1 might encourage dipping Ranger too much. Instead, the Ranger could gradually become a master of all terrains. I suggest the Ranger learns two favored terrains at level 1, and learns one additional favored terrain every level after that.

This means the Ranger would become master of every terrain at level 7, which seems reasonable to me. By level 7, most of the troublesome environment challenges can be solved by magic anyway.

 

[DND_Reborn]

There is nothing breaking at all about it IMO. However, like you said, until a Ranger is in an environment, how can they be an expert or favored in it?

I like the idea of getting two terrains at level 1 to represent background, etc. one of which should for story purposed maybe be the one the game begins in?

Beyond that, I will simply make it a rule that after so much time (I would think maybe a few days to a week?) of being in a new terrain could make it favored. Maybe a check each 24-hours or something if you wanted it more variable.

Otherwise, I would stay away from the one new one per level simply for the reason I opened with: if you have never been in a terrain, how can you possibly can those benefits for it???

 

[Merudo]

Otherwise, I would stay away from the one new one per level simply for the reason I opened with: if you have never been in a terrain, how can you possibly can those benefits for it???

Agreed it is strange, but then again - the PHB Ranger learns two additional favored terrains, at level 6 and 10, without a prerequisite requirement of having been in said terrain.

 

[DND_Reborn]

Agreed it is strange, but then again - the PHB Ranger learns two additional favored terrains, at level 6 and 10, without a prerequisite requirement of having been in a terrain.

If the game designers wanted to make sense, a lot of things would have been done differently!

Anyway, that is just the way we pretty much handle it: you can't take a favorite terrain after level 1 unless you are actually in a new one. If, (this hasn't happened, but could...) you have never encountered a new terrain by those levels, you can delay the feature until you do.

 

[NotAYakk]

Or 2 at level1, and just all at 6. No "new favored terrain" anymore. And rename feature.

"Survival Specialist" at level 1. "Survival Mastery" at level 6.

 

[Prakriti]

Would it break the Ranger? No.

Would it break every game with an emphasis on outdoor exploration? Yes.

 

[Shiroiken]

My issue with favorite terrain is the same issue I have with favorite enemy: you don't get enough overall. By level 20 you should have all the terrains, and at least half of the favorite enemies.

In both cases the DM should work withthe players so they can make informed choices at lower levels. One of our earlier campaigns was based in a "lost land" jungle, so our ranger took forest and beasts. He was quite effective for exploration, because he knew what to expect. If he made this character and the DM was running a desert campaign against elementals, he'd been worthless.

 

[Don Durito]

Would it break the Ranger? No.

Would it break every game with an emphasis on outdoor exploration? Yes.

Yeah pretty much this. It renders outdoor exploration largely irrelevant.

It a bit like having a Fighter with the ability - "automatically wins fights".

 

[Charlaquin]

Favored terrain has multiple problems. Being useless outside of campaigns set in the ranger’s terrain of choice is one of them. Another is completely overriding the exploration pillar when in the terrain of choice. It’s exactly the same issue as favored enemy used to have: the ranger is either overpowered or useless, with no middle ground between the extremes.

I think toning down the benefits of favored terrain and extending them to all terrain types would be a significant improvement. For example:

• The ranger’s speed is not reduced by difficult terrain (their companions’ speed still is, so this is useful in combat and when scouting ahead overland but doesn’t allow the whole party to ignore difficult terrain overland).
• The ranger adds double their proficiency bonus to any check made to resolve travel activities (this combines the “can’t get lost” feature, the “find double food when foraging” feature and the “know exact enemy numbers when tracking” feature in a way that engages with the overland travel mechanics instead of circumventing them. The ranger still has to choose an activity during travel like everyone else, and still has the possibility of failing at their chosen task, but they will always be the best in the party at their chosen travel task).
• The ranger contributes their passive Wisdom (Perception) to notice danger even when engaged in other travel activities. (This is basically the same feature as the “alert to danger” ability, but phrased in terms of the travel mechanics for clarity of function.)
• The ranger can move stealthily at a normal pace when traveling alone (this one seems perfectly reasonable to me as-written.)

 

[Eltab]

Some of the Favored Terrain benefits should be terrain-independent. You can keep watch while moving, follow tracks (but not count the creatures accurately), know North, all just because you 'grok' the outdoors. Knowing what to eat, how to avoid nasty terrain, never get lost, &c - that takes more detailed practice.