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View Full Version : Total Overhaul (including Archetypes) of the 5e Ranger



Mongobear
2016-04-16, 01:01 AM
This is quite long, and I don't think it will all fit in a single post, so I am linking it via Google Docs. Hopefully you like it.

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1cexdkUxZq-x62ubMHTZxHVJ707VPOhUEXm_xUzFjBV0/edit?usp=sharing

Notable changes:

Beastmaster is now fixed and no longer has issues with the Action economy

Rangers now prepare spells like a Druid, but from their own spell list

Rangers are flavorfully returned to the "We are really good at fighting specific things" style from previous editions

three archetypes to bring different play styles to the class, Beastmaster (same as current), Warden (Tanky/Support/Controller), and Slayer (DPR machine)

Functionally better at Two-Weapon Fighting than all other classes if you are aiming for that build

KoyukiTei13
2016-04-16, 03:47 PM
Sharing this in a Google Doc was a good idea. That's a lot of words. :smallsmile:

Perhaps since it is in a Google Doc, you could allow people to suggest edits on the document itself? It'd be a cleaner way of doing it, then people could talk over everything here. :smallsmile:

Professor Gnoll
2016-04-16, 05:57 PM
I can't say I like the focus on the Favoured Enemy. It seems like it should be more of a ribbon, side ability rather than the main focus of the class- after all, how many campaigns do you actually spend just fighting one, two or even just three types of monsters? This version of the Ranger has multiple levels where you get nothing but bonuses to your Favoured Enemy, which just doesn't seem like the way to go about overhauling the class. Hell, even the capstone ability is just a boost to it. It almost feels like this class forces the DM to constantly throw in the player's favoured enemy in order for it to work.

Mongobear
2016-04-17, 08:41 PM
I can't say I like the focus on the Favoured Enemy. It seems like it should be more of a ribbon, side ability rather than the main focus of the class- after all, how many campaigns do you actually spend just fighting one, two or even just three types of monsters? This version of the Ranger has multiple levels where you get nothing but bonuses to your Favoured Enemy, which just doesn't seem like the way to go about overhauling the class. Hell, even the capstone ability is just a boost to it. It almost feels like this class forces the DM to constantly throw in the player's favoured enemy in order for it to work.

That's the reason you gain new favored enemies over the span of the whole class. There aren't nearly as many creature types in 5e as there were in 3.5, with the 4 you get from this, you can cover approximately half of the monster types in the MM, or pick and choose from up to 8 Humanoid types and tailor yourself into the campaign at large.

In a vacuum, it'd be difficult to always gain FE bonuses against encounters using 100% of the Monster Manual, but in my experiences, most campaigns usually have a generalized theme or majority of encounters being between 2-4 creature types.