Avernus: Revised Ranger or Paladin?

[jaappleton]

Just discussing the base class, not the archetypes.

Revised Ranger has a lot to offer. One grants Advantage on saves VS their favored greater enemy (Fiends, obviously), one grants +Cha Mod to all saves.

Ranger grants a flat damage bonus all day, Paladin capable of a bigger nova.

Paladin has better healing between spells & lay on hands, and IMO a superior spell list. Rangers, however, can be superior archers if that's the way you want to go. Only Paladins get heavy armor between the two.

I think.... its fairly even?

[Garfunion]

*meep*

Think I may have misunderstood the topic.

[GreyBlack]

Just discussing the base class, not the archetypes.

Revised Ranger has a lot to offer. One grants Advantage on saves VS their favored greater enemy (Fiends, obviously), one grants +Cha Mod to all saves.

Ranger grants a flat damage bonus all day, Paladin capable of a bigger nova.

Paladin has better healing between spells & lay on hands, and IMO a superior spell list. Rangers, however, can be superior archers if that's the way you want to go. Only Paladins get heavy armor between the two.

I think.... its fairly even?

I mean.... I know you're just looking at the base classes and not the archetypes, but while exploring Avernus, how is a Paladin functionally different from a Ranger?

I always define the difference (thematically and in game) between the two as the Ranger is focused on the natural world while the Paladin is focused on extraplanar conflict. A LG Ranger is going to make sure that society isn't threatened by the natural world, while a LG Paladin is going to make sure extraplanar threats aren't going to threaten society. In that way, I'd recommend a Paladin, because it's mostly about fighting those extraplanar beings and saving society from that evil.

[GlenSmash!]

Having sneaked a peak at some of the magic items in Avernus I'll spoiler this. Look at your own peril.

Paladin. Specifically one that pumps strength and favors the longsword.

[jaappleton]

Having sneaked a peak at some of the magic items in Avernus I'll spoiler this. Look at your own peril.

Paladin. Specifically one that pumps strength and favors the longsword.

I also have the adventure. So I'll put my response in spoilers.

Ideally you want to redeem Zariel, of course. That means giving up that sword, assuming it deems you worthy to begin with. Additionally, somehow, it doesn't require attunement by a Paladin, or even one of Good alignment (oddly enough). Just has to find you 'worthy'.

I'd argue that a more attainable, very powerful items is actually that shield.

[GlenSmash!]

I also have the adventure. So I'll put my response in spoilers.

Ideally you want to redeem Zariel, of course. That means giving up that sword, assuming it deems you worthy to begin with. Additionally, somehow, it doesn't require attunement by a Paladin, or even one of Good alignment (oddly enough). Just has to find you 'worthy'.

Sure, but while you're using it the free Charisma score of 20 is massive to a mid level Paladin. Especially one that Prioritized getting Strength to 20 with early ASIs. Sure it's still useful for a hexblade if for some reason they didn't bump CHA to 20 but it just screams Paladin to me.


I'd argue that a more attainable, very powerful items is actually that shield.

Sword and board baby. Sword and board

Item Spoilers aside this is an Adventure that is IMHO just aching for a paragon of Truth and Justice. I happen to be really odd so my paragon of truth and justice will be a Haunted One Background Tavern Brawling Berserker.

[rbstr]

Gonna be very different styles of character.
Ranger has AOE, ranged combat, needs at least +2 dex for med armor, more persistent combat buffs instead of burst damage (Zephyr strike, hunter's mark, Guardian of Nature). Absorb Elements is probably going to be your friend.
Paladin is melee. Can strength or dex, gets a healing pool, big burst damage opportunities.

It's extremely hard to talk base class on ranger IMO since so much of their non-spell combat comes from archetype features. The inverse of Paladin where the biggest stuff is really base-class.

[jaappleton]

There is a really large part of me that wants to reflavor a Hand Crossbow as a revolver and shoot Devils in the face, full Doc Holiday style.

"What mortal dares to interfere-"
"I'm your huckleberry..."