TWF ranger archetype origin?

[DanyBallon]

I've seen many complains about 5e ranger cannot be the two-weapons fighter they are supposed to be, and I was trying to figure out where that archetype come from. My reference to rangers are Aragorn which was equally good at swordplay that with a bow, same goes for Tanis Half-Elven, or an other image that come to mind is a woodman wearing a bow and handling two hand axe. But none of them screamed as being uniquely a two-weapon specialist.

I know that Drizzt is a good example of the kind, but is there more that I'm not aware? English not being my native language I may have miss out on some important litterature figure that were two-weapon rangers.

Thanks

[DracoKnight]

I know that Drizzt is a good example of the kind, but is there more that I'm not aware? English not being my native language I may have miss out on some important litterature figure that were two-weapon rangers.

This. This is the main reason that TWF Ranger is a huge Ranger archetype in D&D. Especially for the Beastmaster, because you can be a Drow from level 1, have the TWF style at level 2, and a panther by level 3.

[DanyBallon]

This. This is the main reason that TWF Ranger is a huge Ranger archetype in D&D. Especially for the Beastmaster, because you can be a Drow from level 1, have the TWF style at level 2, and a panther by level 3.

I haven't read much about him, and it was a long time ago, but ain't Drizz't panther a magical item? It's not an animal companion per say.

[Deliverance]

IIRC it went something like this.

In the beginning two weapon fighting wasn't done.

Then came Unearthed Arcana in 1985 with two weapon fighting drow, and players thought it was cool.

TSR began promoting the Forgotten Realms campaign setting on a big scale from around 1987.

So for 2nd edition, where the Forgotten Realms was to be the default setting and the Ranger class was added to the core rules for the first time, the Ranger was based one one part J.R.R. Tolkien, one part Robert E. Howard, and one part two weapon fighting, such that you didn't have to be drow to be cool. (And so you'd be more distinct from the other warrior types, who used shields).

In a separate but connected happening, R.A. Salvatore, who'd been asked to create a novel for the Forgotten Realms, which was to be the setting for 2nd ed, came up with Drizzt on a whim when he was in need of a sidekick for Wulfgar. Aragorn was one of the inspirations for the character. As a drow, he'd of course use two weapons, because that's one of the things that made drow cool. The first novel with the drow ranger was published in 1988.

2nd edition was published in 1989.

The TWF Ranger was a hit with players and the Drizzt books were successful beyond expectations, and the rest is history.


As far as I know, that's all there is to it, no TWF archetype inspiring the ranger class (unless you count the UA drow), but a case of TWF being something the players liked, so let's give them more of that, in two separate but related developments.

[JoeJ]

IIRC it went something like this.

In the beginning two weapon fighting wasn't done.

Then came Unearthed Arcana in 1985 with two weapon fighting drow, and players thought it was cool.

TSR began promoting the Forgotten Realms campaign setting on a big scale from around 1987.

So for 2nd edition, where the Forgotten Realms was to be the default setting and the Ranger class was added to the core rules for the first time, the Ranger was based one one part J.R.R. Tolkien, one part Robert E. Howard, and one part two weapon fighting, such that you didn't have to be drow to be cool. (And so you'd be more distinct from the other warrior types, who used shields).

In a separate but connected happening, R.A. Salvatore, who'd been asked to create a novel for the Forgotten Realms, which was to be the setting for 2nd ed, came up with Drizzt on a whim when he was in need of a sidekick for Wulfgar. Aragorn was one of the inspirations for the character. As a drow, he'd of course use two weapons, because that's one of the things that made drow cool. The first novel with the drow ranger was published in 1988.

2nd edition was published in 1989.

The TWF Ranger was a hit with players and the Drizzt books were successful beyond expectations, and the rest is history.


As far as I know, that's all there is to it, no TWF archetype inspiring the ranger class (unless you count the UA drow), but a case of TWF being something the players liked, so let's give them more of that, in two separate but related developments.

One correction: the Ranger class was not added to the core in 2e; it was there in the 1e PHB as well, although they didn't get to use two weapons without penalty until 2e.