5e Ranger spells using WI for my melee MD Ranger

[ZorroGames]

Started this long thread to keep the other one more focused.

BLUF This is designed for a MD melee centric Ranger so ranged is secondary and spells are tertiary except for melee and ranged combat.

Below I have listed what spells I found Rangers can utilize that are effected by their Wisdom score.

Remember that while a WI 10 MD mono class Ranger in AL might scrape on some soul (not mine) it is what I am talking about.

Animal Friendship requires a WI save.

Spike growth requires a WI perception roll versus DC of Ranger to spot the terrain change unless you see the spell cast.

Is that it?

I made this list up on paper (shock, horror, old dude grognard warning!) late at night so let me know what if any dropped off please.

Spells requiring Concentration not mentioned above are

Detect magic (Rangers do not get rituals) - not picking up
Fog Cloud - not picking up
Hail of Thorns - not picking up
Hunter’s Mark - this is a consideration I agree
Barkskin - not picking up
Pass without Trace - this is a consideration outside of melee
Silence - not picking up
Conjure Animals - not picking up unless I find a way to increase spells knows
Lightning Arrow - not picking up
Protection from Energy - not picking up
Windwall - not picking up
Flame Arrows - not picking up
Conjure Woodland beings - this could be a consideration
Guardian of Nature - this is a consideration from 13th level on, never achieved that in AL play locally so who knows
Swift Quiver - since I am using a Melee Ranger predominately this is a minor consideration also only level 19/20

Since I was tired when I read the books I would appreciate being told if I missed any spell that involves any Wisdom saves or checks or other rolling Wisdom versus the Rangers spell DC

In comparison, the following spells while affected by the Ranger’s DC are interestingly more common.

First level spells
Ensnaring Strike involves a ST save
Hail of Thorns involves a Dex save
Snare involves a ST save

Second level spells

Third level spells
Conjure Barrage requires a Dex save
Lightning Arrow requires a Dex save
Windfall involves a ST save

Fourth level spells
Grasping Vine requires a Dex save

Fifth level spells
Conjure Volley requires a Dex Save - late in the game level 19/20 if ever
Wrath of Nature can involve, based on terrain, Dex saves and or ST versus Ranger DC - again as Conjure Volley very late in game if ever

So, for those who actually read this post so far and we’re wondering here are my eleven spells I plan to know

First level spells, maximum four slots
1) Absorb Elements
2) Zephyr Strike
3) Longstrider because... Dwarf
3/11

Second level spells, maximum three slots
1) Pass without Trace because other players expect it more than it is very useful though it certainly is.
2) Lesser Restoration because so many Clerics do not have it in our local games (??!)
Note: I would prefer a Healing Spirit also but only eleven spells known
5/11

Third level spells, maximum 3 slots
1) Water Breathing (had many unintentional on my part “baptisms” by local DMs whenever near water.) Also, I just like the role play potential.
2) Conjure Barrage (thrown Hand Axes because... Dwarf role playing)
Sure Conjure Animals would be nice but 11 known spells.
7/11

Fourth level spells, maximum 3 slots
1) Freedom of Movement
2) Guardian of Nature
9/11

Fifth level spells, maximum 2 slots
1) Steel Wind Strike - if I ever get that high
2) Wrath of Nature - again if I get that high
11/11

Thanks and have a great MLK holiday for those who have it.

[djreynolds]

I cannot agree with mountain dwarf MD, aside from conceptual aspects, hill dwarf is much stronger.

The loss of strength vs basically +1HP and +2con and +1wisdom, now you can grab resilient wisdom

Even with a hill dwarf I would prefer dexterity over strength.

But I get that you want to run a strength based ranger. What fighting style?

Silence is an awesome spell, and now with the new UA you can switch out spells on a long rest, if you're using this.

So when you're traveling in the jungle, you have detect poison prepared.

Hail of thorns is an awesome spell, especially now with the UA free hunter's mark... why not have this in combat? You can throw a dagger or hand axe with this spell. And it comes at 2nd level, this will help clear out mooks when needed.

Happy Holidays

[DarknessEternal]

MD ain't no acronym I ever heard of. They speak goblin on MD?

[opaopajr]

What does the target having to take a WIS save have to do with your Ranger's WIS 10 (and subsequent DC Save value)? :smallfrown: A Ranger's Spell DC is determined by its WIS+PB+8... but that Spell DC can target any of the Spell's Target's Six Ability scores, as per spell description. Are you attempting a shtick of focusing on the weakness of your target's WIS? :smallsmile:

I double checked and you are mostly spot on until I stopped somewhere around 3rd lvl spells. But I am not seeing the value beyond flavorful aesthetics. :smalltongue: Is this just a raspberry tongue at the AL table?

What would be awesome (and I think a remarkable "patch" to the PHB Ranger) would be taking Ritual Caster. Rangers have like a third of the Ritual spells in the game in their spell list (11/33). :smallcool:

[RogueJK]

MD ain't no acronym I ever heard of. They speak goblin on MD?

With a bit of squinting, I believe he intends it to mean Mountain Dwarf.

But yeah, it's usually helpful to avoid acronyms unless it's an extremely widespread one, or you at least state the full term once or twice before reverting to using acronyms.



What would be awesome (and I think a remarkable "patch" to the PHB Ranger) would be taking Ritual Caster. Rangers have like a third of the Ritual spells in the game in their spell list (11/33). :smallcool:

Potentially useful on a Ranger with higher INT/WIS than the OP's, but you need at least 13 in either to qualify for that feat.

I do agree that a Ranger taking Ritual Caster Druid or Wizard would have a nice boost to their limited utility spellcasting abilities. But having the spells on their spell list already wouldn't be all that helpful, because of the limited number of known spells that Rangers get.

I guess you could take Ritual Caster Druid, then choose a shared Druid/Ranger Ritual spell as your spell known for that particular level, then scribe a scroll and use it to scribe the Ritual into your Ritual book, and then wait until the next level to swap out that known spell for something else. But that seems pretty inefficient, and a poor use of your very limited number of known spells at any given time.

[Yakk]

With a bit of squinting, I believe he intends it to mean Mountain Dwarf.
MD, give me WI, give me ST.

[Teaguethebean]

MD, give me WI, give me ST.

Wis and Str he just didn't give the 3rd letter I guess.

[Yakk]

I was praying silly. To the mountain dwarf.

[ZorroGames]

I was praying silly. To the mountain dwarf.

And I appreciated the humor.

[ZorroGames]

MD ain't no acronym I ever heard of. They speak goblin on MD?

Edit: Never ever heard of MD? You do not know about Medical Doctors? 😉 read below for my foibles on this.

Started playing D&D with first publishing (as opposed to homebrew war game campaigns with fantasy elements.)

We developed our own brand of abbreviations early on and I use them because I am used to them.

Hu human
Dw/Dwf dwarf
Elf elf (we derived our own salacious meaning of elf as an acronym). Edit: No I will not repeat here because of... moderators.
Hobbit/halfling 1/2 were the first hirelings because the 30+ players in our club pretty thought class (it was a class then) limited to 4 levels of fighter was gimped. That changed when Thief became an option but the damage was done by then.

ST/Str/S strength
DE/Dex/D dexterity
CO/Con constitution
IN/Int/I intelligence
WI/Wis/W wisdom
CH/Ch charisma

Later additions before I moved
HD hill dwarf
MD mountain dwarf
HE high elf
WE wood elf
1/2E half elf
Hf halfling

There were others but those are the ones I default to by habit most often.

Almost 70 and never a fan of changing what works for me.