Not where to take my ranger

[Rfkannen]

so I am curretnly running a level 4 ranger. And I am not sure where to go from there.

My role is archer, I pick off the other archers. Also I am spending most of my time breaking hords and killing large groups of weak enemies. That's my job.

However I have heard that high level ranger is bad, so I was wondering. How would you recomend multiclassing? Oh also, I am now the sole stealty guy. I am largely failing at that.


my feat is sharpshooter btw.

[Strill]

You heard wrong. High level ranger is great. Volley is extremely powerful.

[Gwendol]

You "shouldn't" be failing at stealth. Could you give some more details on your PC?

You seem to be functioning alright in combat, although I don't understand why you single out other archers as primary targets? You should be largely unrestricted in your choices, especially using sharpshooter. Targetting enemy spellcasters (concentrating on spells) seems to be a valid choice to me (force the saves!).

[Spacehamster]

Could go assassin rogue after you get your 2nd attack at lvl 5. :) would be potent and make you better at stealth and 3 other skills due to expertise.

[jayjay1098]

so I am curretnly running a level 4 ranger. And I am not sure where to go from there.

My role is archer, I pick off the other archers. Also I am spending most of my time breaking hords and killing large groups of weak enemies. That's my job.

However I have heard that high level ranger is bad, so I was wondering. How would you recomend multiclassing? Oh also, I am now the sole stealty guy. I am largely failing at that.


my feat is sharpshooter btw.

I am having a similar problem with my ranger. I have been on forums where they say the ranger is probably not the most ideal character to play. Level 4 Dragonborn Ranger who is proficient in 2 weapon fighting and my favoured terrain is forest and favoured enemy is goblin and orc. Took the Hunters path and chose colossal slayer. Str +3, Dex +3, Con +2, Wis +1, Int and Cha +0. I am thinking of multiclassing into rouge at Level 6, because at 5 as rangers we receive the extra attack bonus.

Also when you go deeper into the ranger levels you receive volley attack which I think is an amazing skill to have when you combine it with the Swift Quiver Spell. Check with your DM to see if he is capping your level at 20. If not then Multiclassing would be Ideal.

Cheers and goodluck my fellow ranger!

[Callin]

How are you failing at Stealth? Are you moving into direct line of sight with no cover or concealment and thus loosing stealth? Is it just bad rolls so you dont overcome their Passive Perception? Are they then rolling Active Perception to see you and rolling High? Many factors that could lead to failing a Stealth Roll.

Stay till at least 5th level Ranger. You want your second attack. After that if you still feel like you want to Multiclass there are options. Rogue is a good one, and subclass is dependent on what you want to do. Thief for some general goodness, like applying poisons as a free action once per round to 3 arrows. Assassin if you are able to reliably get Surprise (I know my group does not hardly ever do that). Arcane Trickster if you want to keep getting Spell Slots.

If you want a sort of Arcane Archer feel you can go Sorcerer (if Cha is decent). Quicken a spell after your Attack Action to AoE or Direct Damage as a Bonus Action. Also a decent spell list. Draconic Resilience is just like wearing Studded Leather.

Cleric could be an option as well if you have the Wisdom. The Spell List is great, Channel Divinity is awesome, and if you pick the right domain at lvl 8 in Cleric you can add 1d8 to a weapon attack on your turn.

Fighter... Fighting Styles you can pick are Defense for +1 AC which is ok or Two Weapon Fighting if you want to start being a Switch Hitter. Bonus Action Second Wind, and at level 2 ACTION SURGE. Turn those 2 attacks into 4. After that Champion is bland but 19-20 crit is ok, Battle Master is fine and can give you some nice ranged options. You could do some crowd control that way, Disarming Attack, Maneuvering Attack, Menacing Attack, Pushing Attack, and Trip Attack. All good options for CC. Eldritch Knight.... if you want more spell slots. I just dont see that one being a good fit for you.

Bard might be ok. Just like a Rogue you get some skills you can specialize in but the kicker is the Inspiration to buff your allies. Become the back line leader. Lore Bard is probably the way to go because going Valor really does not give you much of anything new.

Wizard... Really depends on what you are looking for. Conjuration can be fun depending on how much you wish to abuse it and what is in the setting you are using. Conjure up a Stick of Dynamite and tie it to an arrow for that big badda boom. Conjure up a low wall to Snipe from, ect ect. Divination Portent is pretty well liked on these boards and if ya read it you can see why. Illusion depending on DM and how well he likes Illusions. Necromancy, you and your Archer Skeleton Squad raining death from above. Transmutation is ok, after 10 mins you can change your arrowheads to silver, and your buddies weapons as well. For an hour and it requires Concentration.

Warlock, oh what to say about Warlock. I tried a Ranger/Warlock before. It was meh. I mean there are some good things to have here dont get me wrong. Pact of the Chain can give you a Familiar you can milk for Poison and send out to scout. Blade is meh. Tome is all right for the Rituals and extra Cantrips. Guidance is really really good. Fiend Pact is probably best for someone in a DPS role, get Temp HP everytime you kill something, change a die roll, and hurl em through hell. Though dont discount the usefulness of Fey to keep people off of you with Fey Presence and Misty Escape. Old Ones if you just want to speak into peoples minds while out scouting, and Entropic Ward to turn a hit into a miss against you and a miss into a hit against them. Invocations are decent, Devils Sight and Beguiling Influence, Book of Ancient Secrets (if you went tome), Voice of the Chain Master (if you went chain)

Thats all I can think of right now. Some feedback about your character and what you are looking to do can help narrow it down.

[Person_Man]

My advice:
1) Use the Pass Without Trace spell. +10 Stealth with an area of effect for 1 hour.
2) Take your 5th level for Extra Attack. Its basically mandatory to maintain your damage output.
3) If you want more damage and even better Stealth, multi-class into Rogue after that. If you want better spells multi-class into any of the full caster classes (probably Bard or Cleric), and focus on spells that don't use your primary casting stat (buffs, utility, etc).
4) All of the non-full casters in general have limited roles, but are simpler and easier to play, and generally end up with slightly better at-will damage/skills/AC/hit-points/defenses. (Though this isn't necessarily always the case). If you're bored with the mechanics of your class, then I suggest playing a full caster next time.

[Rfkannen]

You heard wrong. High level ranger is great. Volley is extremely powerful.


You "shouldn't" be failing at stealth. Could you give some more details on your PC?

You seem to be functioning alright in combat, although I don't understand why you single out other archers as primary targets? You should be largely unrestricted in your choices, especially using sharpshooter. Targetting enemy spellcasters (concentrating on spells) seems to be a valid choice to me (force the saves!).


Could go assassin rogue after you get your 2nd attack at lvl 5. :) would be potent and make you better at stealth and 3 other skills due to expertise.


I am having a similar problem with my ranger. I have been on forums where they say the ranger is probably not the most ideal character to play. Level 4 Dragonborn Ranger who is proficient in 2 weapon fighting and my favoured terrain is forest and favoured enemy is goblin and orc. Took the Hunters path and chose colossal slayer. Str +3, Dex +3, Con +2, Wis +1, Int and Cha +0. I am thinking of multiclassing into rouge at Level 6, because at 5 as rangers we receive the extra attack bonus.

Also when you go deeper into the ranger levels you receive volley attack which I think is an amazing skill to have when you combine it with the Swift Quiver Spell. Check with your DM to see if he is capping your level at 20. If not then Multiclassing would be Ideal.

Cheers and goodluck my fellow ranger!

oh volley and swiftquiver are good. I think ill just take a 1 or 2 level dip then.


How are you failing at Stealth? Are you moving into direct line of sight with no cover or concealment and thus loosing stealth? Is it just bad rolls so you dont overcome their Passive Perception? Are they then rolling Active Perception to see you and rolling High? Many factors that could lead to failing a Stealth Roll.

Stay till at least 5th level Ranger. You want your second attack. After that if you still feel like you want to Multiclass there are options. Rogue is a good one, and subclass is dependent on what you want to do. Thief for some general goodness, like applying poisons as a free action once per round to 3 arrows. Assassin if you are able to reliably get Surprise (I know my group does not hardly ever do that). Arcane Trickster if you want to keep getting Spell Slots.

If you want a sort of Arcane Archer feel you can go Sorcerer (if Cha is decent). Quicken a spell after your Attack Action to AoE or Direct Damage as a Bonus Action. Also a decent spell list. Draconic Resilience is just like wearing Studded Leather.

Cleric could be an option as well if you have the Wisdom. The Spell List is great, Channel Divinity is awesome, and if you pick the right domain at lvl 8 in Cleric you can add 1d8 to a weapon attack on your turn.

Fighter... Fighting Styles you can pick are Defense for +1 AC which is ok or Two Weapon Fighting if you want to start being a Switch Hitter. Bonus Action Second Wind, and at level 2 ACTION SURGE. Turn those 2 attacks into 4. After that Champion is bland but 19-20 crit is ok, Battle Master is fine and can give you some nice ranged options. You could do some crowd control that way, Disarming Attack, Maneuvering Attack, Menacing Attack, Pushing Attack, and Trip Attack. All good options for CC. Eldritch Knight.... if you want more spell slots. I just dont see that one being a good fit for you.

Bard might be ok. Just like a Rogue you get some skills you can specialize in but the kicker is the Inspiration to buff your allies. Become the back line leader. Lore Bard is probably the way to go because going Valor really does not give you much of anything new.

Wizard... Really depends on what you are looking for. Conjuration can be fun depending on how much you wish to abuse it and what is in the setting you are using. Conjure up a Stick of Dynamite and tie it to an arrow for that big badda boom. Conjure up a low wall to Snipe from, ect ect. Divination Portent is pretty well liked on these boards and if ya read it you can see why. Illusion depending on DM and how well he likes Illusions. Necromancy, you and your Archer Skeleton Squad raining death from above. Transmutation is ok, after 10 mins you can change your arrowheads to silver, and your buddies weapons as well. For an hour and it requires Concentration.

Warlock, oh what to say about Warlock. I tried a Ranger/Warlock before. It was meh. I mean there are some good things to have here dont get me wrong. Pact of the Chain can give you a Familiar you can milk for Poison and send out to scout. Blade is meh. Tome is all right for the Rituals and extra Cantrips. Guidance is really really good. Fiend Pact is probably best for someone in a DPS role, get Temp HP everytime you kill something, change a die roll, and hurl em through hell. Though dont discount the usefulness of Fey to keep people off of you with Fey Presence and Misty Escape. Old Ones if you just want to speak into peoples minds while out scouting, and Entropic Ward to turn a hit into a miss against you and a miss into a hit against them. Invocations are decent, Devils Sight and Beguiling Influence, Book of Ancient Secrets (if you went tome), Voice of the Chain Master (if you went chain)

Thats all I can think of right now. Some feedback about your character and what you are looking to do can help narrow it down.

Okay I am just pissy because I tried walking into a castle last weak. It didn't work even though I was invisable because for some reason I left and entered the room 3 times. I could stand being stealthier
Rogue sounds best. But I am now not sure I want to lose 5th level spells for that 3rd level.


My advice:
1) Use the Pass Without Trace spell. +10 Stealth with an area of effect for 1 hour.
2) Take your 5th level for Extra Attack. Its basically mandatory to maintain your damage output.
3) If you want more damage and even better Stealth, multi-class into Rogue after that. If you want better spells multi-class into any of the full caster classes (probably Bard or Cleric), and focus on spells that don't use your primary casting stat (buffs, utility, etc).
4) All of the non-full casters in general have limited roles, but are simpler and easier to play, and generally end up with slightly better at-will damage/skills/AC/hit-points/defenses. (Though this isn't necessarily always the case). If you're bored with the mechanics of your class, then I suggest playing a full caster next time.

I don't have that spell yet.
I don't need more spells, I need more bow. But how much rogue is enough rogue.

I am not bored, I just fear ill get weak.

[Person_Man]

I don't have that spell yet.
I don't need more spells, I need more bow. But how much rogue is enough rogue.

I am not bored, I just fear ill get weak.

Pass Without Trace is a 2nd level spell, so you'll get it at 5th level with Extra Attack.

I'm generally a proponent of 7 of Rogue for Expertise, Sneak Attack, Cunning Action, Assassinate or Ranged Hand Legerdemain, Uncanny Dodge, and Evasion, and maybe an 8th level so you don't miss out on a Feat. Beyond that its mostly just more Sneak Attack progression and Feats (useful but not amazing), with only a few noteworthy abilities.

If you think that the game is going to go above 13th-ish level, then I would definitely go with one of the caster classes instead, for access to their superior mid-high level spells.

[ChubbyRain]

Depending on spell selection I'm very fond of Rogue (Arcane Trickster) 9. If you are hidden he targets get disadvantage on their saves versus your spells (not just arcane trickster spells).

Hail of Thorns + Rogue 9 (sneak attack) + Ranger X + Skulker looks fun.

Edit: I feel like a Rogue (Arcane Trickster) would make a great controller with the frostbite cantrip... If the rogue can stay hidden... I need to build this.