Makeing a kobold ranger, would love help!

[Rfkannen]

Alright so yesterday we all rolled up our characters for a new campaign, rolling stats, picking race, class, background, deciding how we all knew each other, and now that I know all that it is time for me to actually stat up the character! and I was wondering if you all had any suggestions!

So I am playing a kobold ranger.
my rolled stats from highest to lowest are 16, 15, 12, 12, 11, 9

The other members of the party are a deep gnome fighter (who specifically said they were picturing this character as a tank, they picked gnome for the spell resistance, uses a rapier and shield) and a teifling druid.

My character has the entertainer background with disguise kit replaced by theives tools. The character was basically a vagrant trying to make it as a very bad wandering musician, but got caught up with gang activity, and would up becoming a elf hunter (elf hearts are worth a lot of gold in this campaign) before getting caught and going to prison. He has spent most of his life trying to get jobs in town, failing, and then sleeping alone in the desert eating cacti.

Any ideas for the making the character? Specifically I am not sure about what fighting style (im thinking archery? not sure) and archetype to take, I know rangers are over all not that powerful so I want to make this character as decent as I can.


ps. We are going to spend most of combat at night it sounds like, and I am not using the revised ranger. Also gloom stalker and horizon walker make the most sense for his backstory, but I could also do other ones if you think that would fit better with the group. We will be fighting mostly monsters so not many enemy spellcasters. Hexcrawl campaign.

[DrowPiratRobrts]

Dexterity +2
Strength -2
Size= Small (2-3 ft)
Speed=30 ft
Darkvision 60 ft
Grovel, Cower, and Beg As an action on your tum, you can cower pathetically to distract nearby foes. Until the end of your next turn, your allies gain advantage on attack rolls against enemies within 10 feet of you that can see you. Once you use this trait, you can't use it again until you finish a short or long rest.
Pack Tactics You have advantage on an attack roll against a creature if at least one of your allies is within 5 feet of the creature and the ally isn't incapacitated.
Sunlight Sensitivity You have disadvantage on attack rolls and on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on sight when you, the target of your attack, or whatever you are trying to perceive is in direct sunlight.
Languages: Draconic, Common



I personally like Hunter a lot here. Otherwise I'd definitely go Monster Slayer for the campaign you've described. Gloom Stalker seems cool at first, but I feel like it doesn't stand out beyond things like invisibility, and you can't stack that advantage with the advantage you should be getting most of the time from Pack Tactics.

That's the key. Use Pack Tactics every chance you get, and ask the party tanks to play around that mechanic so you shine as a team. So I see two really great options for you, one melee and one ranged.

Melee: I'd go Dueling for extra damage (you already get adv. on attacks) then Colossus Slayer for an extra d8 per turn. Multiattack defense, whirlwind attack, and evasion are all great at later levels.

I'd personally go with the ranged build below though:

Str: 7 (9-2) Dex: 18 (16+2) Con: 12 Int: 11 Wis: 15 Cha: 12

Take Archery fighting style and Sharpshooter feat at level 4 (+10 dmg for -5 accuracy; ignore 3/4 cover; no disadvantage for max range).
Colossus Slayer: extra 1d8 vs creature below max HP per turn
Multiattack Defense: +4 AC vs creature that hit you for the rest of its turn
Volley: Attack any number of creatures within 10ft of a point in your range! Potentially multiple with advantage!
Evasion: Have damage on failed saves and no damage on successful saves.

There are a lot of great spells for bows that only take a bonus action that rangers learn, and if you can talk your DM into flavoring a Kobold Longbow for you this whole build gets better! Tons of Damage (that's consistent b/c of so many attacks with advantage plus Sharpshooter) and Pretty great CC for a half-caster.

[Quoxis]

If you’re fighting at night and don’t use str weapons, you pretty much don’t have to deal with any of the kobold‘s downsides.
Gloom stalker is great - you‘re invisible in darkness, you get an initiative bonus, massive bonus damage on the first attack of combat, and that all at only level 3. These ambusher-styled features fit your backstory perfectly.

As the entire subclass doesn’t add any bonus action features, you’ll only use those for hunter’s mark - or dual wielding, a not too bad option in that case.
Another option: get yourself a few levels of rogue for cunning action or monk for bonus action attacks.

[saucerhead]

You should take a look at EvilAnagram's Ranger guide called "Not all who wander are lost." While a Gloom stalker sounds like a good fit, read what is says about Beastmaster. Your kobold could be riding a nasty beasty that will help protect and alert you to danger.

[DrowPiratRobrts]

You should take a look at EvilAnagram's Ranger guide called "Not all who wander are lost." While a Gloom stalker sounds like a good fit, read what is says about Beastmaster. Your kobold could be riding a nasty beasty that will help protect and alert you to danger.

Oh yeah! BM is much better in the revised version, but as a small PC you could ride your companion so you get a bit more out of regular old ranger...so also check out the Breaking Beastmaster Guide for 5e! If you have a generous DM it can work out really well! And you've got someone with you at all times to proc pack tactics.

[MagneticKitty]

I have a revised kobold beast master ranger myself. Rides a wolf into battle. Ranger 8 /rogue x
Mounted combatant, and urd wings from the volo race feats pdf
Rapier and shield.
And she's pretty fun to play. Favored enemy humanoid, and dragons
Defense fighting style
Pass without a trace and expertise in stealth is crazy

[CTurbo]

Yeah a Kobold on a Wolf and you both have Pact Tactics for all the time advantage on all attacks. Are you SUUUUUUURE your DM won't let you play the Revised? Maybe he would allow if only for Beastmaster? The phb Beastmaster is just so weak, although the phb Ranger overall is really not that bad as a Hunter or Gloom Stalker.

If you can't do Revised Beastmaster, I'd probably go Archer Hunter with Horde Breaker, Sharpshooter, and probably Mobile eventually. I'd also jump over to Scout Rogue sooner or later too maybe right after Ranger 5.

[Sigreid]

Beastmaster on a giant spider wielding bow and spear. Exploit your mobility from the spider's climb speed.

[Vogie]

sleeping alone in the desert eating cacti.


Then clearly you want a Primeval Guardian Ranger, so you can rush into battle... then turn into a giant cactus

Mariner Fighting style if available, otherwise, dueling or archery based on your selected weapon preference

Archery, or Dueling (Finesse Weapon)
11, 16, 15, 12, 12, 9
Dexterity +2
Strength -2
Final : 9, 18, 15, 12, 12, 9

Your AC with medium armor is going to be 16 regardless which you choose.

Your Finesse weapon will have reach in guardian form