simonb530
2016-03-19, 11:20 PM
Edited 3/22/16
In my opinion, the ranger base class should represent a person who can thrive in wild by understanding the terrain and the creatures that inhabit it through experience (i.e. no spells). So, this is my attempt at creating that base class. Below are the major changes from the PHB version
Skills – I gave the option to take athletics or acrobatics. I don’t understand why that wasn’t there to begin with when you are kind of pushed into a dex build.
Favored Enemy(F.A.) now has some combat abilities. I didn’t build the class to be solely dependent on F.A, but just add that little extra to show you are familiar with that creature. The improvements to F.A. are scaled to prevent dipping.
6th level - F.A. have disadvantages on detecting and tracking you
13th level – Foe Hunter (moved from lv 20 and merged with F.A.)
15th level – Archetype improvement
Fighting Style – I moved this to 1st level and moved Natural Terrain to 2nd. It is really boring playing a 1st level Ranger with just F.A. and Nat. Explorer. Those abilities don’t do anything at 1st level even with my improvements. That is why I moved the fighting style to 1st level.
Hunter’s Instincts – 2nd level is just Rogue’s Expertise but only for Ranger Class skills.
Natural Explorer– I call it Favored Terrain. I merged the vanish ability into favored terrain and add an additional pick.
**Ranger Archetypes** – With a spell less ranger, new archetypes are necessary. I have 3 rough archetypes: Hunter, Beastmaster, and Spirit Invoker. You gain features at 3rd, 7th, 11th, 15th, and 18th.
The hunter archetype is supposed to represent the Strider ranger type. The basic mechanic for this class is Focus Points similar to ki, superior dice, or Grit (Matt Mercer’s Gunslinger).
The beastmaster archetype is very similar to the current version but with some major improvements: bonus action to command beast, ability to gain varying CR beast, Training/improving your beast. This may be a bit complicated especially “improving” the beast, but I think this is better than the proficiency bonus to show the effects of different training.
The spirit invoker archetype is the magical archetype which has gained a deeper understanding of nature and formed a link with a spirit. With this archetype, you get a spirit companion. The spirit companion is used to sort a replace the conjuring animals and woodland creatures. I also changed the spellcasting to be prepare instead of knowing and add cantrips. I also modified/add spells so the ranger doesn’t have to use range weapons.
Evasion - add at 9th level
Hide in Plain Sight – modified to work until you took damage, move or attacked. If you took damage, you need to reapply it taking 1 min. If you moved or attacked, you needed to take an action to fix it.
Removed Primeval Awareness
Ability score Improvement, Extra Attack, Land’s Stride, Feral Senses – Stayed the same
Capstone ability – I originally had Free Movement, but I like my adaptability better for Theme anyways. I am still working on the ability, but basically it would allow the Ranger to study a creature or terrain and temporarily add them to its Favored list.
Well that is about the gist of what I have changed. I would appreciate any input on balance, theme, mechanics, wording, etc.
If you are using Chrome you can view it here: http://www.naturalcrit.com/homebrew/share/Vk6VWGvng
Otherwise here is a pdf: https://goo.gl/y01uhU
Change Log
Ranger Revised - V6 - 3/23/16
- Changed how beast is controlled to: As an bonus action, you can verbally command your beast to use the Attack action. It continues to attack that target on its own in subsequent turns without any additional action. Once the target is dead, you may design another target to your beast as a bonus action.
- Beast companions are proficient in one saving throw. CR<=4 +2 P.B. or CR>=5 +3 P.B. (MM pg 8)
- Add saving throw and skill traits to exceptional training
- Added the additional effect to BeastMaster's Mind Sync: you and your beast have advantage on saving throws against being charmed and frightened.
In my opinion, the ranger base class should represent a person who can thrive in wild by understanding the terrain and the creatures that inhabit it through experience (i.e. no spells). So, this is my attempt at creating that base class. Below are the major changes from the PHB version
Skills – I gave the option to take athletics or acrobatics. I don’t understand why that wasn’t there to begin with when you are kind of pushed into a dex build.
Favored Enemy(F.A.) now has some combat abilities. I didn’t build the class to be solely dependent on F.A, but just add that little extra to show you are familiar with that creature. The improvements to F.A. are scaled to prevent dipping.
6th level - F.A. have disadvantages on detecting and tracking you
13th level – Foe Hunter (moved from lv 20 and merged with F.A.)
15th level – Archetype improvement
Fighting Style – I moved this to 1st level and moved Natural Terrain to 2nd. It is really boring playing a 1st level Ranger with just F.A. and Nat. Explorer. Those abilities don’t do anything at 1st level even with my improvements. That is why I moved the fighting style to 1st level.
Hunter’s Instincts – 2nd level is just Rogue’s Expertise but only for Ranger Class skills.
Natural Explorer– I call it Favored Terrain. I merged the vanish ability into favored terrain and add an additional pick.
**Ranger Archetypes** – With a spell less ranger, new archetypes are necessary. I have 3 rough archetypes: Hunter, Beastmaster, and Spirit Invoker. You gain features at 3rd, 7th, 11th, 15th, and 18th.
The hunter archetype is supposed to represent the Strider ranger type. The basic mechanic for this class is Focus Points similar to ki, superior dice, or Grit (Matt Mercer’s Gunslinger).
The beastmaster archetype is very similar to the current version but with some major improvements: bonus action to command beast, ability to gain varying CR beast, Training/improving your beast. This may be a bit complicated especially “improving” the beast, but I think this is better than the proficiency bonus to show the effects of different training.
The spirit invoker archetype is the magical archetype which has gained a deeper understanding of nature and formed a link with a spirit. With this archetype, you get a spirit companion. The spirit companion is used to sort a replace the conjuring animals and woodland creatures. I also changed the spellcasting to be prepare instead of knowing and add cantrips. I also modified/add spells so the ranger doesn’t have to use range weapons.
Evasion - add at 9th level
Hide in Plain Sight – modified to work until you took damage, move or attacked. If you took damage, you need to reapply it taking 1 min. If you moved or attacked, you needed to take an action to fix it.
Removed Primeval Awareness
Ability score Improvement, Extra Attack, Land’s Stride, Feral Senses – Stayed the same
Capstone ability – I originally had Free Movement, but I like my adaptability better for Theme anyways. I am still working on the ability, but basically it would allow the Ranger to study a creature or terrain and temporarily add them to its Favored list.
Well that is about the gist of what I have changed. I would appreciate any input on balance, theme, mechanics, wording, etc.
If you are using Chrome you can view it here: http://www.naturalcrit.com/homebrew/share/Vk6VWGvng
Otherwise here is a pdf: https://goo.gl/y01uhU
Change Log
Ranger Revised - V6 - 3/23/16
- Changed how beast is controlled to: As an bonus action, you can verbally command your beast to use the Attack action. It continues to attack that target on its own in subsequent turns without any additional action. Once the target is dead, you may design another target to your beast as a bonus action.
- Beast companions are proficient in one saving throw. CR<=4 +2 P.B. or CR>=5 +3 P.B. (MM pg 8)
- Add saving throw and skill traits to exceptional training
- Added the additional effect to BeastMaster's Mind Sync: you and your beast have advantage on saving throws against being charmed and frightened.