LibraryOfAlex
2021-09-30, 10:30 AM
So I am not as satisfied with Tasha's optional ranger features, as I feel an extra d4 isn't as exciting as some new ability. This thread isn't really to debate that though. Maybe the numbers work out fine and maybe the ability is the best/worse thing to grace dnd5e. I just don't like how it doesn't change the way I fight at all. So, I had an idea for a signature ability for rangers that I think might embody their niche more. However, this is just my initial idea. I'm really the only person in my groups who is interested in crunch, so I'm bringing it here for your advice.
Primal Terrain Replaces Favored Enemy
At 1st level, you gain the ability to expand your senses and focus on a specific area of a battlefield, using the environment to your advantage.
As an action, or once as a free action on your first turn in combat, you expand your senses to the terrain around you. You designate a 15 foot sphere centered on your location as your Primal Terrain. This location is fixed, and lasts for 10 minutes or until you use this ability again.
When you make an attack roll where you or the target are within your Primal Terrain, you can also add your Wisdom Modifier to the attack roll. Additionally, you have advantage on perception, investigation, or survival checks made to examine areas within your Primal Terrain.
You can designate this terrain a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus.
I've heard a lot that Rangers are supposed to be the reliable damage dealers of a party. However, I feel like adding small damage bonuses doesn't really embody that idea. Reliable means you can count on it, and so adding to attack rolls makes you hit more, and is, in effect, a dps boost. Plus, then you get to be the master ranger who never misses a shot, and really like that theme.
This also gives rangers something unique to think about. Do you set up your terrain at the very beginning and hold your spot? Do you run to the left, designate your area, and volley from high ground? Maybe you dash to the other side to set up for later in combat.
I also wanted it to not take up the bonus action that rangers value so much for two weapon fighting and subclass abilities, nor take concentration thats useful for a lot of spells.
Finally, this could be pretty useful outside of combat. Maybe the party comes up on an abandoned campsite? The Ranger can designate their terrain and become hyper-aware of the area, noticing the tracks the occupants left and hoof-marks from a Minotaur. Maybe the ranger comes upon a crime scene and needs to figure out who did the murder. Perhaps they get the feeling their being watched, so they take a second to attune to the environment to notice any spies.
I feel like this could be a lot of fun to use. However, I do recognize a few potential problems:
Wis modifier negating Sharpshooter/Great Weapon Master - Now, this is fair. Once a ranger gets one of these feats, their Wis modifier can help to completely negate the penalty and make them hit for +10 damage every time. I'm not sure if that's a bad thing, though? It just ends up being a buffed form of the damage boost with no attack bonus boost, in the way it is already. Plus, in these situations, its way better to increase Dex/Strength for +to hit and + bonus, so this only negates the Sharpshooter/GWM penalty at very high levels, where it isnt as impactful.
With Druidic Warrior, a Ranger can become super SAD. The Wis adds to their regular weapon attack and again by their primal terrain, and adds damage. I'm not entirely sure about how to really negate this, or if its also a problem? There's no damage boost, so you only get 1d8+WIS. This also precludes +2 damage from Dueling, +2 to hit from archery, or the GWF bonus. And, to top it all off, you cant use GWM or SS, as far as I can tell, so by the time you get second attack, your martial buddies might already have their GWM/SS huge damage bonuses.
This Breaks Bounded Accuracy - well... Yes. But does it break it anymore than skill expertise? I understand that to-hit is a very different beast from skill checks, but maybe I don't appreciate/understand how different they are. Alternatively, maybe it breaks it in a way such that its too good in early tiers and too bad at later tiers. I would hope not, since a Dex/Str ranger would be increasing their wis later, so they would get better to hit further and further in, ending up ~+16 at the end. When the Party comes across a high AC brute, everyone else has to resort to save abilities, but the ranger can make those shots into the weak spot of armor. That sounds like a cool niche to me.
Anyway, thats version 0.1 of my idea. I'm sure there are some pretty serious problems with it mechanically, but that's why I ask you folks to consider it. I like the theming of it, at least, so I hope you folks have ideas on how to actually achieve such an idea in a moderately balanced way.
Primal Terrain Replaces Favored Enemy
At 1st level, you gain the ability to expand your senses and focus on a specific area of a battlefield, using the environment to your advantage.
As an action, or once as a free action on your first turn in combat, you expand your senses to the terrain around you. You designate a 15 foot sphere centered on your location as your Primal Terrain. This location is fixed, and lasts for 10 minutes or until you use this ability again.
When you make an attack roll where you or the target are within your Primal Terrain, you can also add your Wisdom Modifier to the attack roll. Additionally, you have advantage on perception, investigation, or survival checks made to examine areas within your Primal Terrain.
You can designate this terrain a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus.
I've heard a lot that Rangers are supposed to be the reliable damage dealers of a party. However, I feel like adding small damage bonuses doesn't really embody that idea. Reliable means you can count on it, and so adding to attack rolls makes you hit more, and is, in effect, a dps boost. Plus, then you get to be the master ranger who never misses a shot, and really like that theme.
This also gives rangers something unique to think about. Do you set up your terrain at the very beginning and hold your spot? Do you run to the left, designate your area, and volley from high ground? Maybe you dash to the other side to set up for later in combat.
I also wanted it to not take up the bonus action that rangers value so much for two weapon fighting and subclass abilities, nor take concentration thats useful for a lot of spells.
Finally, this could be pretty useful outside of combat. Maybe the party comes up on an abandoned campsite? The Ranger can designate their terrain and become hyper-aware of the area, noticing the tracks the occupants left and hoof-marks from a Minotaur. Maybe the ranger comes upon a crime scene and needs to figure out who did the murder. Perhaps they get the feeling their being watched, so they take a second to attune to the environment to notice any spies.
I feel like this could be a lot of fun to use. However, I do recognize a few potential problems:
Wis modifier negating Sharpshooter/Great Weapon Master - Now, this is fair. Once a ranger gets one of these feats, their Wis modifier can help to completely negate the penalty and make them hit for +10 damage every time. I'm not sure if that's a bad thing, though? It just ends up being a buffed form of the damage boost with no attack bonus boost, in the way it is already. Plus, in these situations, its way better to increase Dex/Strength for +to hit and + bonus, so this only negates the Sharpshooter/GWM penalty at very high levels, where it isnt as impactful.
With Druidic Warrior, a Ranger can become super SAD. The Wis adds to their regular weapon attack and again by their primal terrain, and adds damage. I'm not entirely sure about how to really negate this, or if its also a problem? There's no damage boost, so you only get 1d8+WIS. This also precludes +2 damage from Dueling, +2 to hit from archery, or the GWF bonus. And, to top it all off, you cant use GWM or SS, as far as I can tell, so by the time you get second attack, your martial buddies might already have their GWM/SS huge damage bonuses.
This Breaks Bounded Accuracy - well... Yes. But does it break it anymore than skill expertise? I understand that to-hit is a very different beast from skill checks, but maybe I don't appreciate/understand how different they are. Alternatively, maybe it breaks it in a way such that its too good in early tiers and too bad at later tiers. I would hope not, since a Dex/Str ranger would be increasing their wis later, so they would get better to hit further and further in, ending up ~+16 at the end. When the Party comes across a high AC brute, everyone else has to resort to save abilities, but the ranger can make those shots into the weak spot of armor. That sounds like a cool niche to me.
Anyway, thats version 0.1 of my idea. I'm sure there are some pretty serious problems with it mechanically, but that's why I ask you folks to consider it. I like the theming of it, at least, so I hope you folks have ideas on how to actually achieve such an idea in a moderately balanced way.