This design opts for a very powerful companion, but one that appears only once per day. However, even a moderately powerful companion can give a character too much of an advantage in the long term. If they are weak, they feel like a lot of work for a small payoff. The spirit companion can manifest as a wild animal and aid the ranger for short periods of time-enough to make a big impact on one fight without serving as the star for every fight. This ranger has a spirit companion that can channel magical effects to the character and his or her companions. The Spirit Path class feature combines the concept of an animal companion with the ranger’s traditional spellcasting. They are typically good aligned, and their link to nature gives them supernatural abilities. Guardians Rangers are champions of the natural world. In addition, having a higher total number of Hit Dice means a ranger can more efficiently heal with short rests, providing finer control over how much healing to shoot for when spending Hit Dice. Upgraded Hit Dice make rangers as durable as barbarians, even as they gain a more reliable number of hit points compared to the barbarian’s d12. The Natural Explorer mechanic from the Player’s Handbook makes the ranger the best character to have along on wilderness adventures. Key Mechanics: Natural Explorer, 2d6 Hit Dice. A group with a ranger has a significantly easier time surviving in the wilds. They can wander a barren wilderness alone for months, living only on what they find. Wanderers Rangers are the ultimate survivors. These mechanics give the ranger a fighter feel, while focusing on specific tactics that involve ambushes, mobility, and sniping. Key Mechanics: Ambuscade, Fighting Style, Skirmisher’s Stealth. They avoid direct confrontation in favor of sudden, deadly attacks that leave an opponent without the chance to make an effective counterattack. These concepts serve to make the class distinct and create a cohesive sense of the ranger’s place in the world. Before we dive into the details, here are some notes on how the design came together.ĭesign Notes The ranger presented here was built around a small number of concepts that define the class. These features are designed to make the ranger feel distinct and interesting while still remaining true to its identity within the game. The following revised design of the ranger builds on the class’s unique traits, creating a new set of class features for 1st level to 5th level. It doesn’t feel logical or satisfying to have a companion that sits still unless a ranger actively commands it. The feedback we’ve received indicates that many players feel too restricted by the Beast Master ranger’s companion. The ranger has also featured an animal companion in previous editions of the game, but giving a player what amounts to a second character to play is difficult to balance in a satisfying way. However, that kind of benefit is too situational to serve as the class’s signature ability. Such a mechanic works well if it augments an already strong foundation for a character class, such as a cleric’s ability to turn undead. That change left the ranger leaning on a narrow selection of unique mechanics, most notably those that gave the character a set of benefits against a specific type of opponent. And as they have, several of the key elements that set rangers apart-including fighting with two weapons, tracking, and stealth-became available to any character. Over time, though, the game’s core rules have grown more comprehensive and flexible. In the early days, the ranger started with the basic chassis of the fighter, added elements of other classes, and introduced its own unique mechanics. In looking at the history of the ranger, the class is very much a victim of the game’s changing core mechanics. ![]() ![]() However, feedback on fifth edition D&D has shown that the ranger lags behind the other classes in terms of power and player satisfaction. Unearthed Arcana: Ranger The ranger has been a part of Dungeons & Dragons since almost the beginning, and it remains one of the most popular classes in the game.
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