The Wave Breaker: Aquatic Ranger

[sandmote]

This page on the homebrewery (https://homebrewery.naturalcrit.com/share/0q7-Hb11GYZ1).

There's several aquatic themed caster subclasses, including the Tempest Domain, Fathomless Patron, and Storm Sorcerer. You can also have a Marid Patron, and use the old Sea Sorcerer UA. There's also some spells that work well with the theme (a category I've added to), particularly Water Breathing which is pretty much necessary to take the whole party underwater. But the only real aquatic effects for martials seem to be the UA Mariner fighting style and the Path of the Sea Storm Herald.

So I've tried to write up a ranger subclass themed around the sea. It feels very generic though, and I would very much like suggestions for more specific 'marine' concepts in addition to any balance notes. Maybe something more 'fishlike,' given Lateral Line Awareness is based on a sensory organ fish have?

Fluff
Common to coastal and undersea races like Lizardfolk, Locathah, Vedalken, and Triton, wave breakers are rangers at home in and trained to make use the sea in their attack and defense. They are known for their quick responses to danger, and their weaving combat style applying strong force one moment and evading attack the next. Wave Breakers also make ideal scouts for military forces attempting an invasion by sea or fighting in areas with many small islands, as they can easily pass through places ship's can't before heading inland.


Wave Breaker Magic
Starting at 3rd level, you learn an additional spell when you reach certain levels in this class, as shown in the Wave Breaker Spells table. The spell counts as a ranger spell for you, but it doesn’t count against the number of ranger spells you know.

Wave Breaker Spells
Ranger Level Feature
3rd Fog Cloud
5th Rippling Disguise
9th Water Breathing
13th Control Water
17th Maelstrom

Lateral Line Awareness
When you choose this archetype at 3rd level, you gain the awareness of nearby motion common to most fish, and can pass it on to your allies. When you roll initiative, you can make an additional perception check to perceive your foes and avoid being surprised. As a bonus action on your first turn in combat, you can grant an action to a surprised ally, which takes this action immediately after your turn.

Push of the Tides
At 3rd level you learn to invest the power of the ocean into your strikes. Once per turn, when you hit a creature with a weapon attack or make a successful shove attempt you deal an additional 1d8 cold damage to the target of your shove or attack.

You also gain a swim speed equal to your movement speed and can hold your breath for 10 minutes x your Constitution modifier (minimum 5 minutes).


Ride Force
When you reach 7th level, you learn to ride the forces around you, even as you are struck. Whenever a creature hits you with a melee weapon attack, you can channel the blow to be pushed the the edge of the attack's reach + 5 feet. (no action required by you).

Hopefully this helps your slipperiness in a way that's more interesting than bonus action disengage of the mobile feat.


Crashing Wave
Starting at 11th level, you can channel your blows through your weapons. You can use your Push of the Tides feature each time you make an attack or a shove attempt.

Additionally, when you use your Lateral Line Awareness Feature, you can grant an action to a number of allies equal to your Wisdom modifier (minimum 2 allies).

Still feels lackluster for an 11th level feature, but it does buff everything from 3rd level.


Rouge Wave Sea Swell Protection
At 15th level, you are so tied to the sea that you can create a burst of water to keep your foes at bay. As an action, you can unleash a blast of water in 10 foot radius emanating from you. Each creature of your choice within range must make a Dexterity saving throw against your spell save DC. On a failed save a target takes 4d8 bludgeoning damage and is pushed 10 feet away from you. On a success, the target takes half as much damage and is pushed 5 feet.

You can use this feature once, and regain it at the end of a short or long rest.

This is similar to Push of the Tides, but honestly feels more random. Definitely a prime candidate to replace, especially given it is similar to Tidal Wave.

2nd-level illusion

Casting Time: 1 minute
Range: touch
Components: V, S
Duration: Concentration, up to 10 minutes
You reach out and touch one creature, causing light to dance around it as if were shining through a river or current. When viewed through a layer of water at least one inch thick the creature is lightly obscured. Once before the spell ends, the creature can choose to be heavily obscured by water until the end of its next turn. Any creature viewing it when it takes this bonus action will have to attempt to spot the creature again once the effect returns to normal. The spell ends for a target that attacks or casts a spell.

A creature that uses its action to examine the target can determine that a creature affected by the spell is disguised with a successful Intelligence (Investigation) check against your spell save DC. If a creature discerns the illusion for what it is, the illusion becomes faint and ceases to affect that creature, even when the creature affected by the spell heavily obscures itself with water.

(Druid, Ranger, Warlock) I didn't see anything at 2nd level I liked, so I grabbed this from here (https://forums.giantitp.com/showthread.php?610860-Marine-Spells).

[Potato_Priest]

Three features in particular strike me as too weak:

1. Ride force: The idea is very cool. Unfortunately, your enemies can just use a small amount of movement speed to put you back in their reach most of the time. Not sure what should be done about this.

2. Rippling Disguise: Another super flavorful ability that mechanically sucks as written. This is the same spell level and duration as Invisibility, with the following limitations:
1. It only works in water
2. It takes a bonus action to activate the heavy obscurement
3. A creature can make an investigation check against it

Why would I ever cast this when I could cast invisibility? (assuming I am of a class that can do so).

Here are my suggestions.
1. Take out the ability of enemies to make an investigation check. It's not necessary on invisibility and it's not necessary here.
2. Allow the heavy obscurement to be activated using a bonus action any number of times before the spell ends. Only the heavy obscurement effect (not the spell) ends when they attack or cast a spell. This makes it reusable in a way invisibility is not, at the cost of only working in water.

Wave breaker magic
The normal breakpoints for bonus ranger spells are 3, 5, 9, 13, and 17, not the 3, 7, 11, 13, 17 you have listed here.

Now, on to my more optional suggestions for things that don't really need a buff but I think could be better.
1. Give them water breathing earlier (level 7?) and let them cast it as a ritual.
2. Make lateral line sense just 30ft radius blindsight, 120ft when in water.

[sandmote]

1. Ride force: The idea is very cool. Unfortunately, your enemies can just use a small amount of movement speed to put you back in their reach most of the time. Not sure what should be done about this. My idea was to let you move back without using an action: this allows the feature to be used repeatedly. Ie. if their multiattack runs you to the end of their speed an ally that started equally far away can't also hit you, and even if it doesn't you avoid the opportunity attack and use your action/bonus action for other things. It wasn't intended to reduce damage from the initial target.


This is the same spell level and duration as Invisibility It has 10 times the duration, which is intended to be the main difference from Invisibility: Rippling Disguise allows you an easier time sneaking, and then lets you escape in an emergency. Otherwise it is closer to the 4th level Greater Invisibility, because you can continue to attack without ending the effect.


2. Allow the heavy obscurement to be activated using a bonus action any number of times before the spell ends. Only the heavy obscurement effect (not the spell) ends when they attack or cast a spell. This makes it reusable in a way invisibility is not, at the cost of only working in water. I don't have a strict issue with the other suggestion, but I consider this particular niche filled by Greater Invisibility. Perhaps if the spell also granted the ability to breathe underwater while affected?


The normal breakpoints for bonus ranger spells are 3, 5, 9, 13, and 17, not the 3, 7, 11, 13, 17 you have listed here. Thanks for catching the typo.


1. Give them water breathing earlier (level 7?) and let them cast it as a ritual.
2. Make lateral line sense just 30ft radius blindsight, 120ft when in water. I'd be fine with the first, but I'm not granting blindsight as a 3rd level class feature (especially at that distance). If it doesn't fit I'd rather replace the feature with something else appropriate to 3rd level.

For the 3rd level archetype spell, would Hunger of Hadar fit okay? It can at least be refluffed as an undersea thing, whereas Tidal Wave and Wall of Water both feel awkward as such. If Wall of Water worked like the 4e walls do I'd be a lot happier. Both with it as a spell for the Wave Breaker and the actual spell, now that I think about it; It'd be more useful if you could swim up the wall and onto some hanging material.

[Potato_Priest]

My idea was to let you move back without using an action: this allows the feature to be used repeatedly. Ie. if their multiattack runs you to the end of their speed an ally that started equally far away can't also hit you, and even if it doesn't you avoid the opportunity attack and use your action/bonus action for other things. It wasn't intended to reduce damage from the initial target.

If the enemy hasn't used up their speed this doesn't even really protect you from opportunity attacks, since they can just move the 5 feet to put you back in reach again. This is not to say that this feature will never be useful, but I expect the instances where it will do something to be vanishingly rare, and offer at best a marginal advantage when it does. At least let it work on a missed attack as well.


It has 10 times the duration, which is intended to be the main difference from Invisibility: Rippling Disguise allows you an easier time sneaking, and then lets you escape in an emergency. Otherwise it is closer to the 4th level Greater Invisibility, because you can continue to attack without ending the effect.

I got the spell duration of invisibilty wrong too in my original post. In actuality:


Invisibility
2nd level illusion
Casting Time: 1 action
Range: Touch
Components: V S M (An eyelash encased in gum arabic)
Duration: Concentration, Up to 1 hour

Thus, in terms of duration invisibility is actually significantly superior.


I don't have a strict issue with the other suggestion, but I consider this particular niche filled by Greater Invisibility. Perhaps if the spell also granted the ability to breathe underwater while affected?


That's a fine idea. I still don't think it's ridiculous for spells to have overlapping uses though: every damage spell in the game has pretty much the same purpose, to use one example, and Fog Cloud and Darkness are nearly mechanically indistinguishable. Furthermore, Rippling disguise is still only ever going to work in water, a big downside that greater invisibility lacks.

Also: while there's no RAW rule on this as a DM I'd say that a creature viewed through more than a foot or two of anything but the stillest and clearest swimming pool water is at least lightly obscured anyway, which further detracts from the usefulness of the spell as written.


I'd be fine with the first, but I'm not granting blindsight as a 3rd level class feature (especially at that distance). If it doesn't fit I'd rather replace the feature with something else appropriate to 3rd level.

I understand that. That was the suggestion I myself was least sure of. I have another idea though:


Lateral Line Sense: Starting at 3rd level, you can detect movement with your body, rather than just your eyes. At the start of your turn, you automatically know the location of every creature within 30 feet of you that moved since your last turn. You know the location of any creature that moved within 60 feet of you if you and the creature are both submerged in water.

(optional) When you reach [insert level here] you count as being able to see any creature detected by this ability for the purpose of advantage/disadvantage on attack rolls.

Importantly, this feature (in comparison to blindsight) does not give you the ability to see terrain or immobile creatures or negate the advantage/disadvantage provided by heavy concealment.

Lastly,


For the 3rd level archetype spell, would Hunger of Hadar fit okay? It can at least be refluffed as an undersea thing, whereas Tidal Wave and Wall of Water both feel awkward as such. If Wall of Water worked like the 4e walls do I'd be a lot happier. Both with it as a spell for the Wave Breaker and the actual spell, now that I think about it; It'd be more useful if you could swim up the wall and onto some hanging material.

Hunger of Hadar would fit fine.

[Yakk]

TLateral Line Awareness
When you choose this archetype at 3rd level, you gain the awareness of nearby motion common to most fish, and can pass it on to your allies. When you roll initiative, you can make an additional perception check to perceive your foes and avoid being surprised. As a bonus action on your first turn in combat, you can grant an action to a surprised ally, which takes this action immediately after your turn.
This is a bit mechanically soft. What is the DC of the perception check?

Strange name.

You could just remove the check entirely? Ie, "you cannot be surprised". Or, "if you are surprised, you can instead act at your passive perception point of the surprise round".


Push of the Tides
At 3rd level you learn to invest the power of the ocean into your strikes. Once per turn, when you hit a creature with a weapon attack or make a successful shove attempt you deal an additional 1d8 cold damage to the target of your shove or attack.

You also gain a swim speed equal to your movement speed and can hold your breath for 10 minutes x your Constitution modifier (minimum 5 minutes).
I'd add in a free shove once/turn as part of your attack action myself. And if the shove is successful, the 1d8 cold damage.

Or maybe, once on your turn when you hit a creature, you can push it 5'. Sort of a repelling blast. Or 5' and 1d8 cold damage. That sounds good.


Ride Force
When you reach 7th level, you learn to ride the forces around you, even as you are struck. Whenever a creature hits you with a melee weapon attack, you can channel the blow to be pushed the the edge of the attack's reach + 5 feet. (no action required by you).

Interesting. It is a kind of multiattack defence.


Crashing Wave
Starting at 11th level, you can channel your blows through your weapons. You can use your Push of the Tides feature each time you make an attack or a shove attempt.

Additionally, when you use your Lateral Line Awareness Feature, you can grant an action to a number of allies equal to your Wisdom modifier (minimum 2 allies).

It should be almost as good as an extra attack, but not quite. See gloomstalker.

I guess 1d8 damage/attack isn't bad. Paladin improved smite ish. But it doesn't stack with the level 3 feature, which makes it worse.


Rouge Wave
At 15th level, you are so tied to the sea that you can create a burst of water to keep your foes at bay. As an action, you can unleash a blast of water in 10 foot radius emanating from you. Each creature of your choice within range must make a Dexterity saving throw against your spell save DC. On a failed save a target takes 4d8 bludgeoning damage and is pushed 10 feet away from you. On a success, the target takes half as much damage and is pushed 5 feet.

You can use this feature once, and regain it at the end of a short or long rest.
Why is the wave red?

This is a bit silly, visually. It would work better if we have "make water appear" abilities showing up earlier in the progression.

[sandmote]

This is a bit mechanically soft. What is the DC of the perception check? Presumably whatever the check would be otherwise.


You could just remove the check entirely? Ie, "you cannot be surprised". Or, "if you are surprised, you can instead act at your passive perception point of the surprise round". I'd rather leave this sort of thing to the Barbarian. Feral Instinct is relatively unique to that class.

What about extra flexibility? Something vaguely like the following:


Reader of Currents
When you choose this archetype at 3rd level, you learn to react to danger you have not seen or heard. When you are surprised at the start of combat, you can still take a turn. When you take this turn, your movement speeds are halved. When you use an action on this turn, the action can be used only to take the Attack (one shove only), Dash, Disengage, Hide, or Use an Object action.

The only bonus action you can take on this turn is to allow a surprised ally to act on their turn. The ally's movement speeds are halved and they can only take the same actions you have on their turn.


I'd add in a free shove once/turn as part of your attack action myself. And if the shove is successful, the 1d8 cold damage.

Or maybe, once on your turn when you hit a creature, you can push it 5'. Sort of a repelling blast. Or 5' and 1d8 cold damage. That sounds good. Does it count towards having "make water appear" abilities before 15th level? When you take the attack action, you can make a shove attempt against another creature as part of the action. On a success, the shoved creature also takes 1d6 cold damage?

Then also grant the damage to your two attacks at 11th level?


It should be almost as good as an extra attack, but not quite. See gloomstalker.

I guess 1d8 damage/attack isn't bad. Paladin improved smite ish. But it doesn't stack with the level 3 feature, which makes it worse. I mean, paladins get improved smite when fighters get extra attack, so "almost as good as improved smite, but not quite," seems fine.


Why is the wave red? It isn't a rogue subclass, so I assume my brain went "not rogue," when I was writing it. I'll change the name entirely to avoid confusion.


I got the spell duration of invisibilty wrong too in my original post. In actuality:

Thus, in terms of duration invisibility is actually significantly superior. Oh, goodness. Call is "cloaked in the light," or something, and make it apply out of water + allow them to return to being hidden once per minute?


I still don't think it's ridiculous for spells to have overlapping uses though: every damage spell in the game has pretty much the same purpose, to use one example, and Fog Cloud and Darkness are nearly mechanically indistinguishable. Furthermore, Rippling disguise is still only ever going to work in water, a big downside that greater invisibility lacks. Spells can overlap, but I think each spell should have a specific reason to use it instead of other spells. Like the fact darkness shows up more often than fog cloud because it is easier to make a party that ignores darkness's penalty. Or how many damage spells have secondary benefits like creating rough terrain or being more effective against shapeshifters, or

[Yakk]

Presumably whatever the check would be otherwise.
Surprise isn't always based off a perception check.


I'd rather leave this sort of thing to the Barbarian. Feral Instinct is relatively unique to that class.

What about extra flexibility? Something vaguely like the following:


Reader of Currents
When you choose this archetype at 3rd level, you learn to react to danger you have not seen or heard. When you are surprised at the start of combat, you can still take a turn. When you take this turn, your movement speeds are halved. When you use an action on this turn, the action can be used only to take the Attack (one shove only), Dash, Disengage, Hide, or Use an Object action.

The only bonus action you can take on this turn is to allow a surprised ally to act on their turn. The ally's movement speeds are halved and they can only take the same actions you have on their turn.
And now it is getting really mechanically complicated. Hmm.


Does it count towards having "make water appear" abilities before 15th level? When you take the attack action, you can make a shove attempt against another creature as part of the action. On a success, the shoved creature also takes 1d6 cold damage?

Then also grant the damage to your two attacks at 11th level?
It doesn't feel like making water appear. It feels like you are good at pushing people.


I mean, paladins get improved smite when fighters get extra attack, so "almost as good as improved smite, but not quite," seems fine.
Improved Smite is already "almost as good as extra attack, but not quite".

On 2 attacks (typical for a paladin) it is 2d8 damage (hit dependent) restricted to targets already hit. A duelist fighter gets 1d8+7 and can more easily add riders (a style-less fighter gets 1d8+5, which is a smidge bigger and can add riders more easily).

Gloomstalker's "add an attack if you miss" is roughly on-par with improved smite in my opinion.

Because Rangers lack a "open the gates of T3" damage feature, they rely heavily on subclasses to do something useful at that point. Subclasses that don't make T3+ rangers pretty lackluster.

[sandmote]

Surprise isn't always based off a perception check...
And now it is getting really mechanically complicated. Hmm. The only time I don't involve a check to see if your sense enemies is when everyone is obviously aware of everyone else. On consideration though, an insight checks vs a deception check would work instead in a large crowd, and other checks could replace stealth vs perception for other scenarios.


Because Rangers lack a "open the gates of T3" damage feature, they rely heavily on subclasses to do something useful at that point. Subclasses that don't make T3+ rangers pretty lackluster. I very much agree with this, I guess I weighed the listed version as better than it is. Ranger's other features aren't as useful as paladin feature around T3 either.