it must be weird for a ranger to figure out magic

[Rfkannen]

I mean most of your rangers are your aaragorn types, or your mountain men and trapper types. They are tied to nature but are not able to catch magic, they are just powered by racism and being able to understand there environment.

And then suddenly one day you cast magic. That must be weird, I mean your not a druid. You probably werent trying to cast magic. Just one day MAGIC. I suppose it would be the same as a sorcerer really. Exept while sorcerers typically have an inate knowledge of how magic works, while rangers just kind of figure it out. I mean imagine if your a forest biologist and then one day your just like "Well I can cast magic know" Wouldn't that be weird?

Especially since they don't get magic till level two. I mean you have probably killed a couple of people by then, you are used to killing things with weapons, and then suddenly, MAGIC

I don't know, what do you think?

[Shadow]

I don't know, what do you think?

I think the extreme vast majority of a ranger's magic can easily be fluffed as woodland and/or hunter's skills.
Cure wounds? You rub some specific herbs on it.
Hunter's mark? You're extremely focused on that one enemy.
Lightning arrow? That was an arrow that you fletched from a lightning struck tree prepared in a specific mannewr.
etc etc etc

[odigity]

That's a systemic suspension-of-disbelief issue across D&D in general, though. Any time you level up and get new powers, and especially when you multiclass, it's like that. You pretty much have to get over it. You can try to fluff it up by saying you've been practicing, or you take some time off, or whatever, but it's a chore.

[Jeraa]

Especially since they don't get magic till level two. I mean you have probably killed a couple of people by then, you are used to killing things with weapons, and then suddenly, MAGIC

I don't know, what do you think?

It depends on how you look at it. Mechanically, you are right. One day you can't cast magic. The next you can.

Others don't see it that way. The ranger has been practicing and studying all along. It just doesn't pay off until that next level is gained. Its the same with the wizard - he doesn't just suddenly wake up one day and know those 2 additional spells he gets for free when leveling. Fluff wise, he has been studying in his off time all along, and only now (when he levels up) does it actually pay off.

The 5e Dungeon Masters Guide, page 131, has mechanics for this - training during downtime to level up. You don't just gain the abilities with that variant.

[mr_odd]

I think the extreme vast majority of a ranger's magic can easily be fluffed as woodland and/or hunter's skills.
Cure wounds? You rub some specific herbs on it.
Hunter's mark? You're extremely focused on that one enemy.
Lightning arrow? That was an arrow that you fletched from a lightning struck tree prepared in a specific mannewr.
etc etc etc

Hmm, I had never thought of that before. If I ever play a ranger, I may have to run this by the DM.


It depends on how you look at it. Mechanically, you are right. One day you can't cast magic. The next you can.

Others don't see it that way. The ranger has been practicing and studying all along. It just doesn't pay off until that next level is gained. Its the same with the wizard - he doesn't just suddenly wake up one day and know those 2 additional spells he gets for free when leveling. Fluff wise, he has been studying in his off time all along, and only now (when he levels up) does it actually pay off.

The 5e Dungeon Masters Guide, page 131, has mechanics for this - training during downtime to level up. You don't just gain the abilities with that variant.

Yeah, the D&D Ranger is not your typical Aaragorn archetype (that would probably belong to the fighter with a fitting background). At first it may seem odd, but distinguishing the two from each other helps you understand it.

[Justin Sane]

As your connection with Nature grows, so does Nature's connection to you. With time, you'll gain the respect of the spirits that wander the wild places. The assistance they provide is limited at first; like simple communication with your surroundings, harrying your enemies or providing healing when necessary. Pursue this bond with them, since they only share the fullness of their potential to their most trusted companions.In my headcanon, Ranger spellcasting takes a bit of animistic perspective, like the more practical shugenja families in Legend of The Five Rings (like the Kuni), or something like the manifest Furies in Codex Alera.

[Feldarove]

Hmm, I had never thought of that before. If I ever play a ranger, I may have to run this by the DM.



Yeah, the D&D Ranger is not your typical Aaragorn archetype (that would probably belong to the fighter with a fitting background). At first it may seem odd, but distinguishing the two from each other helps you understand it.

Aaragorn has magic about him though. He can heal via magic, at the end of LoTR they say he is going about healing people from the battle with his King's blood or some crap. I don't really want to throw this thread of base by debating Strider's class(es), but I feel Ranger is fitting (he is called a ranger after all).

Like the above stated, all leveling in D&D is pretty weird when you think about it.

But, when you imagine the practicing all along concept, that's how it is in life as well. Spinning the way back dial pretty far; I remember spending a whole summer training trying to dunk a basketball....then one day, I just could do it.

[Susano-wo]

That can definitely be odd with certain characters or class combos, but its not too bad with ranger, I think. Rangers gain magic through a connection with nature, so when you get magic, it represents the point at which your connection becomes supernatural to the point of being able to do priest magic. Its not all of a sudden, its just that your connection just grew deeper.

[Slipperychicken]

then suddenly, MAGIC

PCs are assumed to take time off for training and stuff between levels (between adventures, obviously). They don't just instantly level up like video game characters. It makes a lot more sense that way.

[Madfellow]

As your connection with Nature grows, so does Nature's connection to you. With time, you'll gain the respect of the spirits that wander the wild places. The assistance they provide is limited at first; like simple communication with your surroundings, harrying your enemies or providing healing when necessary. Pursue this bond with them, since they only share the fullness of their potential to their most trusted companions.

I totally imagined Obi Wan's voice in my head just there. :smalltongue:

[eastmabl]

"Whoah... I thought those mushrooms were safe to eat. Are they magical?"

[ZombieRoboNinja]

Rangers fit the fairly typical "mystic hunter" archetype. A zen-like focus, unity with the natural world, etc. I'd tend to treat most ranger spells more like monk abilities: certainly supernatural and maybe derived from the Weave or whatever, but minimal chanting and finger-wiggling.

[pwykersotz]

I can't stand the phrase "powered by racism". One would think that every doctor or vet who studies anatomy is similarly despicable. :smallyuk:

[Rfkannen]

I can't stand the phrase "powered by racism". One would think that every doctor or vet who studies anatomy is similarly despicable. :smallyuk:

okay not so much this generation as you learn about your foe, exept in the last generation all the favored enemy gave you was a bonus to killing.

[Louro]

Rangers where able to cast since AD&D.
I don't see it like a "connection with the nature". I see it like... Damn! Surviving alone in the forest is kinda tough and unpleasant. Let's study some magic to get an easier way of life.

[Knaight]

I can't stand the phrase "powered by racism". One would think that every doctor or vet who studies anatomy is similarly despicable. :smallyuk:

It doesn't help that 3e explicitly stated that choosing your own species for favored enemy was evil - take that line out, and the assumptions change noticeably.

[Slipperychicken]

I can't stand the phrase "powered by racism". One would think that every doctor or vet who studies anatomy is similarly despicable. :smallyuk:

That's always wierded me out. People freaked out about Rangers in 3.5 being racist, but nobody batted an eye at racial-trait racism. Like dwarves and gnomes having such extreme racialized hatred of kobolds, goblins, and giants, that they get free bonuses to hit against them.

[Dappershire]

I can't stand the phrase "powered by racism". One would think that every doctor or vet who studies anatomy is similarly despicable. :smallyuk:

Sure. If Doctors got in the habit of removing every blonde haired woman's breast because as a child, his blonde mother died of breast cancer.
Rangers hate an entire people, fluff wise, for something a few of them did. I'd call that racism.
And he gets bonuses, so I'd say he was "powered by racism"

As far as the ranger magic goes, I go with the Link idea. Every stage, some fairy girl gives the ranger new powers or toys.

[odigity]

Sure. If Doctors got in the habit of removing every blonde haired woman's breast because as a child, his blonde mother died of breast cancer.
Rangers hate an entire people, fluff wise, for something a few of them did. I'd call that racism.
And he gets bonuses, so I'd say he was "powered by racism"

Motivated by racism, perhaps, but not powered by it. His abilities come from knowledge and experience.

Anyway, who cares? Offensive things are totally fine in the context of D&D, and the Favored Enemy is the worst ability in 5e anyway.

[ZombieRoboNinja]

Anyway, who cares? Offensive things are totally fine in the context of D&D

Careful, that way lies Terry Goodkind novels where not-Hillary Clinton is intentionally infected with not-AIDS by not-Vernon Jordan, but it's okay because it's a totally made-up fantasy world, right?

(Citation: http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soul_of_the_Fire)

[odigity]

Careful, that way lies Terry Goodkind novels where not-Hillary Clinton is intentionally infected with not-AIDS by not-Vernon Jordan, but it's okay because it's a totally made-up fantasy world, right?

(Citation: http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soul_of_the_Fire)

I'd be fine with that happening in real life, so why would I be bothered by it in fantasy?