Prophet_of_Io
2015-12-24, 02:39 AM
Like many I've been slightly let down by the 5e Ranger as written. I don't hate it by any means, but I just feel it's just below it's true potential as a class. In particular I've always thought the Ranger Archetypes were odd. Hunter or Beast Master. Ranger's, since 3rd edition, have been a mostly martial class that can fit the role of a skill monkey if you're missing a Rogue or Bard (or sometimes Monk), but usually is meant to be a Brawler type. Being a Hunter is kind of part and parcel with being a Ranger most of the time. And, while animal companion isn't essential for every ranger, it's odd that a ranger has to sacrifice hunter prowess just to get one. This was especially odd to me since Spellcasting was one of the first things wizards admitted as "optional" for rangers in playtest that was thrown in as a main feature by the end.
I started my concept of a Ranger Redesign by basing it off the Warlock class. Warlocks get a Patron and a Pact Boon and while the Patron can vary for flavor or concept the pact boons remain a constant. For my Ranger I envisioned the "patron" as what environment the Ranger was raised in, while the "Pact Boon" could be how it decided between Spellcasting, Animal Companions and some third option I hadn't developed yet. I wanted Spellcasting and a Pet to be things that any ranger could choose but none of them needed and eventually settled on a variant of "Skirmish" (from the 3rd edition Scout Class) as my third option. My "environment as patron" idea proved too loose to base around without a whole lot of redesign so instead I just took the Hunter Archetype and decided that should be what replaced spellcasting as something all ranger's get, then I added something to it.
Final note, I don't think any of this is tested for balance. This is mostly preliminary work and I'd be very interested in feedback on more flavorful feature names or ways to balance the new features. With all that out of the way here's what I arrived at.
Ranger
Hit Points
Same as PHB
Proficiencies
Same as PHB
Features
1
Natural Explorer, Favored Enemy
2
Ranger School, Fighting Style
3
Hunting Style, Primeval Awareness
4
Ability Score Improvement
5
Extra Attack
6
Favored Enemy and Natural Explorer improvements
7
Hunting Style Feature
8
Ability Score Improvement, Land's Stride
9
---
10
Natural Explorer Improvement, Hide in Plain Sight
11
Hunting Style Feature
12
Ability Score Improvement
13
---
14
Favored Enemy improvement, Vanish
15
Hunting Style Feature
16
Ability Score Improvement
17
---
18
Feral Senses
19
Ability Score Improvement
20
Foe Slayer
Features with the same name as ones in the PHB are identical, I decided not to change too much, just switch a few things around to reflavor the class. Plus make some features a bit more viable (the animal companion as written is far too frail at higher levels)
Ranger Schools:
Spellcasting,
same as the Player's Handbook Ranger
Animal Companion,
at 2nd level, you gain a beast companion that accompanies you on your adventures and is trained to fight alongside you. Choose a beast that is no larger than medium and has a challenge rating of 1/4th or lower. Add your proficiency bonus to the beast's AC, attack rolls and damage rolls, as well as to any saving throws and skills it is proficient in. Add half your Ranger level x 5 to its hit point maximum.
The beast obeys your commands as best as it can. It takes its turn on your initiative, though it doesn't take an action unless you command it to. You can use a bonus action on your turn to verbally command it to take the Attack, Dash, Disengage, Dodge, or Help action.
While traveling though your favored terrain with only the beast, you can move stealthily at a normal pace.
If the beast dies, you can obtain another one by spending 8 hours magically bonding with another beast that isn't hostile to you, either the same type of beast as before or a different one.
Starting at 7th level, you can choose an animal companion of the beast type that is no larger than Large and has a challenge rating of 1/2 or lower. However beasts who's size is Large or has a challenge rating above 1/4 are treated as though you're a ranger of half your ranger level for the purposes of determining it's hit points, as well as the proficiency bonus you add to it's AC, attack rolls, damage rolls, saving throws and skills it's proficient in and any other features it would get from being your companion.
Starting at 11th level, your beast companion can make two attacks when you command it to use the Attack action.
Starting at 15th level Starting at 7th level, you can choose an animal companion of the beast type that is no larger than Large and has a challenge rating of 1 or lower. However beasts who's challenge rating above 1/2 are treated as though you're a ranger of one forth your ranger level for the purposes of determining it's hit points, as well as the proficiency bonus you add to it's AC, attack rolls, damage rolls, saving throws and skills it's proficient in and any other features it would get from being your companion.
Skirmisher,
Beginning at 2nd level, whenever you move 10 or more feet before you attack on your turn you add 1d6 to the next damage you roll on that turn. At 4th level this damage increases to 1d8. At 6th level this damage increases to 2d6. At 8th level this damage increases to 2d8. At 8th level this damage increases to 3d6. At 10th level this damage increases to 3d8. At 12th level this damage increases to 4d6. At 14th level this damage increases to 4d8. At 16th level this damage increases to 5d6. At 18th level this damage increases to 5d8.
Hunting Styles
Hunting Style tactics are largely identical to the class features provided by the Hunter Archetype in the Players Handbook, only I've added an extra option to the 11th level features.
Offensive Tactic (3rd Level)
Colossus Slayer
Giant Killer
Horde Breaker
Defensive Tactic (7th Level)
Escape the Horde
Multiattack Defense
Steel Will
Superior Offensive (11th Level)
Multiattack
Volley
Spring Attack*
Superior Defense (15th Level)
Evasion
Stand Against the Tide
Uncanny Dodge
*Spring Attack. You can attack and dash, instead of making two attacks, whenever you take the Attack action on your turn.And that's it, please feel free to give any input you can spare. I'm thinking of trying this out of a new player who really wants to play a "Legolas" type ranger but also wants an animal companion. Thanks in advance.
I started my concept of a Ranger Redesign by basing it off the Warlock class. Warlocks get a Patron and a Pact Boon and while the Patron can vary for flavor or concept the pact boons remain a constant. For my Ranger I envisioned the "patron" as what environment the Ranger was raised in, while the "Pact Boon" could be how it decided between Spellcasting, Animal Companions and some third option I hadn't developed yet. I wanted Spellcasting and a Pet to be things that any ranger could choose but none of them needed and eventually settled on a variant of "Skirmish" (from the 3rd edition Scout Class) as my third option. My "environment as patron" idea proved too loose to base around without a whole lot of redesign so instead I just took the Hunter Archetype and decided that should be what replaced spellcasting as something all ranger's get, then I added something to it.
Final note, I don't think any of this is tested for balance. This is mostly preliminary work and I'd be very interested in feedback on more flavorful feature names or ways to balance the new features. With all that out of the way here's what I arrived at.
Ranger
Hit Points
Same as PHB
Proficiencies
Same as PHB
Features
1
Natural Explorer, Favored Enemy
2
Ranger School, Fighting Style
3
Hunting Style, Primeval Awareness
4
Ability Score Improvement
5
Extra Attack
6
Favored Enemy and Natural Explorer improvements
7
Hunting Style Feature
8
Ability Score Improvement, Land's Stride
9
---
10
Natural Explorer Improvement, Hide in Plain Sight
11
Hunting Style Feature
12
Ability Score Improvement
13
---
14
Favored Enemy improvement, Vanish
15
Hunting Style Feature
16
Ability Score Improvement
17
---
18
Feral Senses
19
Ability Score Improvement
20
Foe Slayer
Features with the same name as ones in the PHB are identical, I decided not to change too much, just switch a few things around to reflavor the class. Plus make some features a bit more viable (the animal companion as written is far too frail at higher levels)
Ranger Schools:
Spellcasting,
same as the Player's Handbook Ranger
Animal Companion,
at 2nd level, you gain a beast companion that accompanies you on your adventures and is trained to fight alongside you. Choose a beast that is no larger than medium and has a challenge rating of 1/4th or lower. Add your proficiency bonus to the beast's AC, attack rolls and damage rolls, as well as to any saving throws and skills it is proficient in. Add half your Ranger level x 5 to its hit point maximum.
The beast obeys your commands as best as it can. It takes its turn on your initiative, though it doesn't take an action unless you command it to. You can use a bonus action on your turn to verbally command it to take the Attack, Dash, Disengage, Dodge, or Help action.
While traveling though your favored terrain with only the beast, you can move stealthily at a normal pace.
If the beast dies, you can obtain another one by spending 8 hours magically bonding with another beast that isn't hostile to you, either the same type of beast as before or a different one.
Starting at 7th level, you can choose an animal companion of the beast type that is no larger than Large and has a challenge rating of 1/2 or lower. However beasts who's size is Large or has a challenge rating above 1/4 are treated as though you're a ranger of half your ranger level for the purposes of determining it's hit points, as well as the proficiency bonus you add to it's AC, attack rolls, damage rolls, saving throws and skills it's proficient in and any other features it would get from being your companion.
Starting at 11th level, your beast companion can make two attacks when you command it to use the Attack action.
Starting at 15th level Starting at 7th level, you can choose an animal companion of the beast type that is no larger than Large and has a challenge rating of 1 or lower. However beasts who's challenge rating above 1/2 are treated as though you're a ranger of one forth your ranger level for the purposes of determining it's hit points, as well as the proficiency bonus you add to it's AC, attack rolls, damage rolls, saving throws and skills it's proficient in and any other features it would get from being your companion.
Skirmisher,
Beginning at 2nd level, whenever you move 10 or more feet before you attack on your turn you add 1d6 to the next damage you roll on that turn. At 4th level this damage increases to 1d8. At 6th level this damage increases to 2d6. At 8th level this damage increases to 2d8. At 8th level this damage increases to 3d6. At 10th level this damage increases to 3d8. At 12th level this damage increases to 4d6. At 14th level this damage increases to 4d8. At 16th level this damage increases to 5d6. At 18th level this damage increases to 5d8.
Hunting Styles
Hunting Style tactics are largely identical to the class features provided by the Hunter Archetype in the Players Handbook, only I've added an extra option to the 11th level features.
Offensive Tactic (3rd Level)
Colossus Slayer
Giant Killer
Horde Breaker
Defensive Tactic (7th Level)
Escape the Horde
Multiattack Defense
Steel Will
Superior Offensive (11th Level)
Multiattack
Volley
Spring Attack*
Superior Defense (15th Level)
Evasion
Stand Against the Tide
Uncanny Dodge
*Spring Attack. You can attack and dash, instead of making two attacks, whenever you take the Attack action on your turn.And that's it, please feel free to give any input you can spare. I'm thinking of trying this out of a new player who really wants to play a "Legolas" type ranger but also wants an animal companion. Thanks in advance.