What to do with this character?

[SpamCreateWater]

I created a character for a random, late night game. Didn't put too much thought into it initially, and the character mostly created itself through interactions with people.

I ended up with a vHuman Ranger, level 1. Stats are 12, 14, 14, 08, 10, 16; and my feat was Healer.
Favoured enemy is Elf, and favoured terrain is Arctic.
Charlatan background with the feature fluffed as a split personality.
Proficiency in: Deception, Insight, Perception, Persuasion, Sleight of Hand, Survival; and Disguise Kit, Forgery Kit.

I'm after ideas on where I could go from here. I don't want to lock in anything, as I'd rather see how this character turns out; but I also don't want to end up with an absolute mess of a character that will be a hindrance to the party. So I'd like options.

For example the character became convinced that Elves were coming through portals from other realms - taking the Horizon Walker (UA) archetype - and they spend their time looking for these so called portals and shutting them down, or killing everything that comes out. The slow descent to madness ensues.
Or the (again, UA) archetype, Primeval Guardian. The character believes that the Elves are stopping the "natural order" of things, where the weak is overcome by the strong. Elves are typical tree huggers - his beef is, therefore, that the Elves are weak as they don't overtly exert their influence over nature like everyone else does (e.g. building cities on top of what used to be a forest). He will use nature's power against them!

I've heard that the Ranger class itself is horrible and that there was a rewrite or two done (including one where the original capstone was put as a 1st level ability). Where could I find these rewrites? At the very least it'll give me more ideas, even if I'm unable to use it.

[NecroDancer]

If your favored enemy is a specific humanoid you get to choose another specific humanoid as well.

Also here is the revised ranger
https://media.wizards.com/2016/dnd/downloads/UA_RevisedRanger.pdf

[SpamCreateWater]

If your favored enemy is a specific humanoid you get to choose another specific humanoid as well.

Also here is the revised ranger
https://media.wizards.com/2016/dnd/downloads/UA_RevisedRanger.pdf

Many thanks for the link!

I could not see where it said you get a second specific humanoid, though. I mean, it is in the initial Ranger write up (which I did not see prior); but the revised ranger does not seem to have that option.

[NecroDancer]

It's a rule for the original ranger, sorry for any confusion.

[Grimmnist]

That's an interesting concept with the high charisma, most rangers I've met have communicated through growls (or arrows to the face).

If you are looking for more backstory options, the Deep Stalker subclass (included on the last page of the PDF NecroDancer linked) could have you focus on killing drow elves, who are generally evil. This clashes with your arctic favored terrain rather than Underdark. One potential solution: during the winter in the arctic it is dark for several days, in this time the drow could roam the surface.

In terms of your stats, it looks like you're trying to make a fun flavorful character rather than min/maxing, so I won't suggest major changes. However, I have two small tweaks to improve efficiency.

1) I would swap your Wis and Str scores. Wis is your casting stat so having a +0 limits what you can do with spells, and I am assuming you will use Dex based weapons (long bow, rapier, ect.). Either way many spells won't be very effective for your character, but ranger has a number of spells that don't rely on casting modifier such as Hunter's Mark and Goodberry.

2) I would swap Char and Dex. Dex affects your hit rate, damage, armor, init, and skills while charisma just increases skills for ranger. I understand if you leave it as is, but I would have a tough time not picking dex or str as my highest stat.

Overall, I don't think your character will be a hindrance... unless your DM is particularly vindictive.

[SpamCreateWater]

It's a rule for the original ranger, sorry for any confusion.

No problems :smallsmile:



That's an interesting concept with the high charisma, most rangers I've met have communicated through growls (or arrows to the face).

If you are looking for more backstory options, the Deep Stalker subclass (included on the last page of the PDF NecroDancer linked) could have you focus on killing drow elves, who are generally evil. This clashes with your arctic favored terrain rather than Underdark. One potential solution: during the winter in the arctic it is dark for several days, in this time the drow could roam the surface.

In terms of your stats, it looks like you're trying to make a fun flavorful character rather than min/maxing, so I won't suggest major changes. However, I have two small tweaks to improve efficiency.

1) I would swap your Wis and Str scores. Wis is your casting stat so having a +0 limits what you can do with spells, and I am assuming you will use Dex based weapons (long bow, rapier, ect.). Either way many spells won't be very effective for your character, but ranger has a number of spells that don't rely on casting modifier such as Hunter's Mark and Goodberry.

2) I would swap Char and Dex. Dex affects your hit rate, damage, armor, init, and skills while charisma just increases skills for ranger. I understand if you leave it as is, but I would have a tough time not picking dex or str as my highest stat.

Overall, I don't think your character will be a hindrance... unless your DM is particularly vindictive.

There's only one change I can see myself making, and that's to whether I stay PHB Ranger or go Revised Ranger. If I stay with the PHB Ranger I will stick with Elves and one other - now that you've brought it up, Drow seems an excellent choice. If I go to Revised Ranger the changes will be slightly more extensive, but the character will essentially remain the same. The change will be their Favoured Enemy and, by extension, back story - which means that the Elf currently helping us will live another day.

Stats are set as is, but I (mostly) knew what I was getting in to in that regard :smallbiggrin: I was planning on purely taking spells that did not require a casting modifier to be effective - I hope there's enough as I haven't looked over the ranger spell list.

Aaannnddd not to nitpick/start a fight, but "a fun flavorful character" is not antithetical to a min/maxed one.

[Grimmnist]

There's only one change I can see myself making, and that's to whether I stay PHB Ranger or go Revised Ranger. If I stay with the PHB Ranger I will stick with Elves and one other - now that you've brought it up, Drow seems an excellent choice. If I go to Revised Ranger the changes will be slightly more extensive, but the character will essentially remain the same. The change will be their Favoured Enemy and, by extension, back story - which means that the Elf currently helping us will live another day.

Stats are set as is, but I (mostly) knew what I was getting in to in that regard :smallbiggrin: I was planning on purely taking spells that did not require a casting modifier to be effective - I hope there's enough as I haven't looked over the ranger spell list.

Aaannnddd not to nitpick/start a fight, but "a fun flavorful character" is not antithetical to a min/maxed one.

Drow are included under elves so no need to pick them as your second target. I like the revised ranger especially since you're looking at UA material for your subclass already. About the spells, I skimmed through the spells when I saw your post, and at a glance there seemed to be at least one a level so you should be good there.

[SpamCreateWater]

Drow are included under elves so no need to pick them as your second target. I like the revised ranger especially since you're looking at UA material for your subclass already. About the spells, I skimmed through the spells when I saw your post, and at a glance there seemed to be at least one a level so you should be good there.

Thanks! :smallbiggrin: