Help fixing up my rangers spell list?

[Rfkannen]

I have been playing my level 10 kobold gloomstalker ranger for a while now (over 2 years) but I am still not certain on his spell list, any tips for fixing it up? Any tips for what spells to take in the future?

My current spell list (including primeval awareness and gloomstalker spells:
1st: disguise self, hail of thorns, zephyr strike, speak with animals
2nd: beast sense, pass without trace, rope trick, silence, spike growth
3rd: fear, lightning arrow, speak with plants


The other members of the party are a battlemaster, a moon druid, and a whisperbard/hexblade. My character is a sneaky archer type.

[Guy Lombard-O]

I have been playing my level 10 kobold gloomstalker ranger for a while now (over 2 years) but I am still not certain on his spell list, any tips for fixing it up? Any tips for what spells to take in the future?

My current spell list (including primeval awareness and gloomstalker spells:
1st: disguise self, hail of thorns, zephyr strike, speak with animals
2nd: beast sense, pass without trace, rope trick, silence, spike growth
3rd: fear, lightning arrow, speak with plants


The other members of the party are a battlemaster, a moon druid, and a whisperbard/hexblade. My character is a sneaky archer type.

I think I might add one of the summoner spells, either Summon Beast or Conjure Animals, in place of Silence or Lightning Arrow. Other than that I think it looks pretty spot on (as long as you don't fancy Absorb Elements).

[Nidgit]

Guy mentioned good options. I'd add Fog Cloud, Protection from Energy, and of course Hunter's Mark as good options too.

[Rfkannen]

I think I might add one of the summoner spells, either Summon Beast or Conjure Animals, in place of Silence or Lightning Arrow. Other than that I think it looks pretty spot on (as long as you don't fancy Absorb Elements).

Yeah I picked silence for a single stealth mission and then never used it lol, I should swich that out for summon beast! Though with our druid and bard summoning it might be a big battlefield lol.

Do you not recomend lightning arrow? I thought that was like the big iconic level 3 ranger spell?

I was going to take absorb elements but it doesn't work well for archers.

[MrStabby]

Yeah I picked silence for a single stealth mission and then never used it lol, I should swich that out for summon beast! Though with our druid and bard summoning it might be a big battlefield lol.

Do you not recomend lightning arrow? I thought that was like the big iconic level 3 ranger spell?

I was going to take absorb elements but it doesn't work well for archers.

Silence... depends on what you are facing but it could be fantastic. Often it sees use for shutting down casters but the caster can just walk away. If you are going to have a battlefield full of summons closing down movement and delivering attacks of opportunity then silence might actually be really, really powerful... unless you don't face casters and just want it for stealth in which case Pass Without Trace will see you covered.

[5eNeedsDarksun]

Yeah I picked silence for a single stealth mission and then never used it lol, I should swich that out for summon beast! Though with our druid and bard summoning it might be a big battlefield lol.

Do you not recomend lightning arrow? I thought that was like the big iconic level 3 ranger spell?

I was going to take absorb elements but it doesn't work well for archers.

I played a gloomstalker and did get use out of lightning arrow. The only thing was to really make it viable I had to know a battle was coming, pre-cast, fire it for the first arrow, use a bonus action for hunter's mark, and fire remaining (usually 2) arrows. Otherwise you are really trading it for hunter's mark for the full round, which is not much of an upgrade for a precious 3rd level slot over a 1st.
That said, you are a gloomstalker, so stealth/ surprise should be up your alley, so that's doable.

[Rfkannen]

I played a gloomstalker and did get use out of lightning arrow. The only thing was to really make it viable I had to know a battle was coming, pre-cast, fire it for the first arrow, use a bonus action for hunter's mark, and fire remaining (usually 2) arrows. Otherwise you are really trading it for hunter's mark for the full round, which is not much of an upgrade for a precious 3rd level slot over a 1st.
That said, you are a gloomstalker, so stealth/ surprise should be up your alley, so that's doable.



I probably should have mentioned this in the main post but I didn't take the favored enemy replacement, I like the languages and Hunter's mark doesn't seem very useful at high levels unless i am reading it wrong.

[Zaile]

As mentioned, keep silence, and decide between the arrow spells and hunter's mark, do the math. I'd change out zephyr strike for Longstrider (non-concentration) and find another spell to trade for Absorb Elements, it is a lifesaver for AOE. Otherwise loos good for a infiltrator.

[5eNeedsDarksun]

I probably should have mentioned this in the main post but I didn't take the favored enemy replacement, I like the languages and Hunter's mark doesn't seem very useful at high levels unless i am reading it wrong.

What exactly don't you like about Hunter's Mark? It lasts an hour. You cast and change targets as a bonus action. It applies to every attack, so we are talking 7 extra points of damage for most rounds and 10 for the first (assuming you hit). That means if you could keep it going for say 3 battles you'd be looking at 50+ points of damage from a first level slot.
I mean for sure for the big deadly encounter of the day you will want to pull out one of your 3rd level spells. But the go-to for Rangers for most of the adventuring day is Hunter's Mark.

That and Pass without Trace (unless you have a Druid casting it) which will make your party into a silent band of killers, were my bread and butter.

[JackalTornMoons]

Conjure Animals is incredibly strong for both damage (8d6 + 8d4 + 32 best case damage every turn with most attacks rolled at advantage and no actions of yours required) and area control.