
Ranger Class Details
Primary Ability | Dexterity and Wisdom |
---|---|
Hit Point Die | D10 per Ranger level |
Saving Throw Proficiencies | Strength and Dexterity |
Skill Proficiencies | Choose 3: Animal Handling, Athletics, Insight, Investigation, Nature, Perception, Stealth, or Survival |
Weapon Proficiencies | Simple and Martial weapons |
Armor Training | Light and Medium armor and Shields |
Starting Equipment | Choose A or B: (A) Studded Leather Armor, Scimitar, Shortsword, Longbow, 20 Arrows, Quiver, Druidic Focus (sprig of mistletoe), Explorer’s Pack, and 7 GP; or (B) 150 GP |
Far from bustling cities, amid the trees of trackless forests and across wide plains, Rangers keep their unending watch in the wilderness. Rangers learn to track their quarry as a predator does, moving stealthily through the wilds and hiding themselves in brush and rubble.
Thanks to their connection with nature, Rangers can also cast spells that harness primal powers of the wilderness. A Ranger’s talents and magic are honed with deadly focus to protect the world from the ravages of monsters and tyrants.
Becoming a Ranger...
As a Level 1 Character
- Gain all the traits in the Core Ranger Traits table.
- Gain the Ranger’s level 1 features, which are listed in the Ranger Features table.
As a Multiclass Character
- Gain the following traits from the Core Ranger Traits table: Hit Point Die, proficiency with Martial weapons, proficiency in one skill of your choice from the Ranger’s skill list, and training with Light and Medium armor and Shields.
- Gain the Ranger’s level 1 features, which are listed in the Ranger Features table. See the multiclassing rules to determine your available spell slots.
—Spell Slots per Spell Level— | |||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Level | Proficiency Bonus | Class Features | Favored Enemy | Prepared Spells | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
1 | +2 | Spellcasting, Favored Enemy, Weapon Mastery | 2 | 2 | 2 | — | — | — | — |
2 | +2 | Deft Explorer, Fighting Style | 2 | 3 | 2 | — | — | — | — |
3 | +2 | Ranger Subclass | 2 | 4 | 3 | — | — | — | — |
4 | +2 | Ability Score Improvement | 2 | 5 | 3 | — | — | — | — |
5 | +3 | Extra Attack | 3 | 6 | 4 | 2 | — | — | — |
6 | +3 | Roving | 3 | 6 | 4 | 2 | — | — | — |
7 | +3 | Subclass feature | 3 | 7 | 4 | 3 | — | — | — |
8 | +3 | Ability Score Improvement | 3 | 7 | 4 | 3 | — | — | — |
9 | +4 | Expertise | 4 | 9 | 4 | 3 | 2 | — | — |
10 | +4 | Tireless | 4 | 9 | 4 | 3 | 2 | — | — |
11 | +4 | Subclass feature | 4 | 10 | 4 | 3 | 3 | — | — |
12 | +4 | Ability Score Improvement | 4 | 10 | 4 | 3 | 3 | — | — |
13 | +5 | Relentless Hunter | 5 | 11 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 1 | — |
14 | +5 | Nature’s Veil | 5 | 11 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 1 | — |
15 | +5 | Subclass feature | 5 | 12 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2 | — |
16 | +5 | Ability Score Improvement | 5 | 12 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2 | — |
17 | +6 | Precise Hunter | 6 | 14 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 1 |
18 | +6 | Feral Senses | 6 | 14 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 1 |
19 | +6 | Epic Boon | 6 | 15 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 |
20 | +6 | Foe Slayer | 6 | 15 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 |
Ranger Class Features
As a Ranger, you gain the following class features when you reach the specified Ranger levels. These features are listed in the Ranger Features table.
Level 1: Spellcasting
You have learned to channel the magical essence of nature to cast spells.
Spell Slots. The Ranger Features table shows how many spell slots you have to cast your level 1+ spells. You regain all expended slots when you finish a Long Rest.
Prepared Spells of Level 1+. You prepare the list of level 1+ spells that are available for you to cast with this feature. To start, choose two level 1 Ranger spells.
The number of spells on your list increases as you gain Ranger levels, as shown in the Prepared Spells column of the Ranger Features table. Whenever that number increases, choose additional Ranger spells until the number of spells on your list matches the number in the Ranger Features table. The chosen spells must be of a level for which you have spell slots. For example, if you’re a level 5 Ranger, your list of prepared spells can include six Ranger spells of level 1 or 2 in any combination.
If another Ranger feature gives you spells that you always have prepared, those spells don’t count against the number of spells you can prepare with this feature, but those spells otherwise count as Ranger spells for you.
Changing Your Prepared Spells. Whenever you finish a Long Rest, you can replace one spell on your list with another Ranger spell for which you have spell slots.
Spellcasting Ability. Wisdom is your spellcasting ability for your Ranger spells.
Spellcasting Focus. You can use a Druidic Focus as a Spellcasting Focus for your Ranger spells.
Level 1: Favored Enemy
You always have the Hunter’s Mark spell prepared. You can cast it twice without expending a spell slot, and you regain all expended uses of this ability when you finish a Long Rest.
The number of times you can cast the spell without a spell slot increases when you reach certain Ranger levels.
Level 1: Weapon Mastery
Your training with weapons allows you to use the mastery properties of two kinds of weapons of your choice with which you have proficiency, such as Longbows and Shortswords.
Whenever you finish a Long Rest, you can change the kinds of weapons you chose. For example, you could switch to using the mastery properties of Scimitars and Longswords.
Level 2: Deft Explorer
Thanks to your travels, you gain the following benefits.
Expertise. Choose one of your skill proficiencies with which you lack Expertise. You gain Expertise in that skill.
Languages. You know two languages of your choice.
Level 2: Fighting Style
You gain a Fighting Style feat of your choice. Instead of choosing one of those feats, you can choose the option below.
Druidic Warrior
You learn two Druid cantrips of your choice. The chosen cantrips count as Ranger spells for you, and Wisdom is your spellcasting ability for them. Whenever you gain a Ranger level, you can replace one of these cantrips with another Druid cantrip.
Level 3: Ranger Subclass
You gain a Ranger subclass of your choice. A subclass is a specialization that grants you features at certain Ranger levels. For the rest of your career, you gain each of your subclass’s features that are of your Ranger level or lower.
Level 4: Ability Score Improvement
You gain the Ability Score Improvement feat or another feat of your choice for which you qualify. You gain this feature again at Ranger levels 8, 12, and 16.
Level 5: Extra Attack
You can attack twice instead of once whenever you take the Attack action on your turn.
Level 6: Roving
Your Speed increases by 10 feet while you aren’t wearing Heavy armor. You also have a Climb Speed and a Swim Speed equal to your Speed.
Level 9: Expertise
Choose two of your skill proficiencies with which you lack Expertise. You gain Expertise in those skills.
Level 10: Tireless
Primal forces now help fuel you on your journeys, granting you the following benefits.
Temporary Hit Points. As a Magic action, you can give yourself a number of Temporary Hit Points equal to 1d8 plus your Wisdom modifier (minimum of 1). You can use this action a number of times equal to your Wisdom modifier (minimum of once), and you regain all expended uses when you finish a Long Rest.
Decrease Exhaustion. Whenever you finish a Short Rest, your Exhaustion level, if any, decreases by 1.
Level 13: Relentless Hunter
Taking damage can’t break your Concentration on Hunter’s Mark.
Level 14: Nature’s Veil
You invoke spirits of nature to magically hide yourself. As a Bonus Action, you can give yourself the Invisible condition until the end of your next turn.
You can use this feature a number of times equal to your Wisdom modifier (minimum of once), and you regain all expended uses when you finish a Long Rest.
Level 17: Precise Hunter
You have Advantage on attack rolls against the creature currently marked by your Hunter’s Mark.
Level 18: Feral Senses
Your connection to the forces of nature grants you Blindsight with a range of 30 feet.
Level 19: Epic Boon
You gain an Epic Boon feat or another feat of your choice for which you qualify.
Level 20: Foe Slayer
The damage die of your Hunter’s Mark is a d10 rather than a d6.
Ranger Subclasses
A Ranger subclass is a specialization that grants you features at certain Ranger levels, as specified in the subclass.
Hunter
Protect Nature and People from Destruction
You stalk prey in the wilds and elsewhere, using your abilities as a Hunter to protect nature and people everywhere from forces that would destroy them.
Level 3: Hunter’s Lore
You can call on the forces of nature to reveal certain strengths and weaknesses of your prey. While a creature is marked by your Hunter’s Mark, you know whether that creature has any Immunities, Resistances, or Vulnerabilities, and if the creature has any, you know what they are.
Level 3: Hunter’s Prey
You gain one of the following feature options of your choice. Whenever you finish a Short or Long Rest, you can replace the chosen option with the other one.
Colossus Slayer
Your tenacity can wear down even the most resilient foes. When you hit a creature with a weapon, the weapon deals an extra 1d8 damage to the target if it’s missing any of its Hit Points. You can deal this extra damage only once per turn.
Horde Breaker
Once on each of your turns when you make an attack with a weapon, you can make another attack with the same weapon against a different creature that is within 5 feet of the original target, that is within the weapon’s range, and that you haven’t attacked this turn.
Level 7: Defensive Tactics
You gain one of the following feature options of your choice. Whenever you finish a Short or Long Rest, you can replace the chosen option with the other one.
Level 11: Superior Hunter’s Prey
Once per turn when you deal damage to a creature marked by your Hunter’s Mark, you can also deal that spell’s extra damage to a different creature that you can see within 30 feet of the first creature.
Level 15: Superior Hunter’s Defense
When you take damage, you can take a Reaction to give yourself Resistance to that damage and any other damage of the same type until the end of the current turn.
I know this is an EXTREMELY hot take, but when I see this horrible recreation of ranger, I just wish they would give up, make Beastmaster the core of all Rangers instead of a stupid concentration spell (easy enough to simply replace all hunters mark features with Beastmaster features, minding the balance compared to other classes.) just so the class has SOME sort of personality to it. It's the most "unique to ranger" subclass that has enough to it to really create a core that can separate the class from everyone else.
The "Lone Ranger" idea that makes this a hot take could probably be made a subclass of some sort, or very easily a barbarian/fighter/or rogue subclass. Sure, a lot of people would be annoyed and not play ranger because pet, but also a lot of people would, and that's kinda a natural consequence of settling in a single identity for a class (especially cause "ranger" has so many meanings).
Now don't get me wrong, I would love if someone came up with a better core for ranger, but if this is the best WotC have to offer I'd be ok going back to cliche. I wish you could make homebrew full classes on DnD beyond to make this happen.
Edit: Autocorrect fixes
I cannot even begin to express how much I dispise this ranger class. Like-
The point of the game is story. You are a warrior of the wilds. You are able to walk the wilderness and hunt monsters within it.
Now, the actual measurable difference between a ranger and wizard in the wilds is…nothing. What’s the story behind being able to walk slightly faster?
Navagating difficult terrain and being uneffected by it speaks to a ranger’s ability to navigate the wilds, but you walk faster now because I guess why not, they may need to go into the city or something and we can’t have a ranger being specialized.
also. Now everything is hunters mark, because people whine about the Ranger not being able to do damage so now everything is just related to his ability to do damage. Don’t worry, everybody, all of the personality of the class is gone now so you could just do an extra d6 damage. Now the only thing you are is a d6 machine who’s entire character isn’t at all reflected in how the class plays. Fantastic!
Absolute dogwater what the heck is this class ahaha
Rangers are really versatile, but can be disappointing with so little attack magic. And utility magic, for that matter.
Ranger Changling might be the best for my campaine
ranger woodelf lets gooooo
These guys are OP plus, im a wood elf, awesome
Do you guys just not like Rangers ? the class that needed the most re-working and you tie everything to hunters mark ? what a joke.. compare the Monk's capstone ability (+4 Wis and Dex to a max of 25) or Fighter (4 attacks a round) and what do Rangers get ? a D10 for damage instead of a D6. a complete and utter joke.
Every class seems to share this glitch.
Subclasses features really need their levels listed. I have to use the book to figure out when they get these features, making this page partially useless.
Each class only gets access to one subclass in the DND Free Rules. In order to see more options in the drop down, you have to purchase a digital copy of the 2024 PHB from the Marketplace.
This confused me too when I first joined DND Beyond. If you're posting this, I am assuming you either have a physical copy of the PHB but not the digital one, or you have the 2014 PHB. If you find this annoying, so do I - I would cast Wish to make all the subclasses from my physical copies appear on my drop down if I was a higher level (and wasn't a half-caster).
My only homebrew solutions to the Ranger class as a whole would be to remove concentration to Hunter's Mark and have it as a limited use feature instead of a spell that scales as you gain levels, (d6, d8, d10) and to give Rangers an extra attack at 13th Level instead of the feature that allows you to hold onto Hunter's Mark regardless of taking damage.
I think there is a bug with the Hunter subclass. I can't see the feature options for Hunter's Prey or Defensive Tactics. This seems to be a pretty common issue with feature options for subclasses from every class not being visible.
Do you have to buy the book just to see the feature options? If so, that kinda sucks.
Thought I'd add my homebrew solution here. Added a bit of 2014 back in. I didn't change too much, so I'm only putting modifications down here. My intention was to pull back a bit of the hunter flavor, while keeping focus on hunters mark, improving its pretty useless damage. I haven't tested this extensively, so I'm not sure if it's totally balanced, but it's definitely an improvement.
Level 1: Favored Enemy
You always have the Hunter’s Mark spell prepared. You can cast it a number of times equal to your proficiency modifier without expending a spell slot, and you regain all expended uses of this ability when you finish a Long Rest.
Choose a type of favored enemy: aberrations, beasts, celestials, constructs, dragons, elementals, fey, fiends, giants, monstrosities, oozes, plants, or undead. Alternatively, you can select two races of humanoid (such as gnolls and orcs) as favored enemies.
All enemies of the chosen type are considered favored enemies. Additionally, when you defeat an enemy in combat, or fight it long enough that you are reasonably familiar with its strengths and weaknesses, you may spend your free time during a long rest to add it to your list of favored enemies. If the enemy was humanoid, you only add the individual, not the species. You may also spend a longer period of time researching an enemy, as a downtime action, in order to gain it as a favored enemy.
If you target a favored enemy with Hunter’s Mark, you are not required to hold concentration on the spell.
At higher levels, your hunter’s mark damage die changes when used against a favored enemy. Level 5: d8, Level 9: d10, Level 15: d12
Level 13: Relentless Hunter
Taking damage can’t break your Concentration on Hunter’s Mark. You have advantage on Wisdom (Survival) checks to track your favored enemies.
Level 20: Foe Slayer
After you hit an enemy currently marked by your Hunter's Mark with an attack , add that enemy to your favored enemies list.
If you haven't purchased the Player's Handbook 2024 you will only have the option available in the Free Rules.
why is there only one subclass option, why even bother having a drop down...
Beast master?
Basing an entire class off of a singular spell is... not great. Hunter's Mark is good, yes, but it's not that good. The lvl 20 capstone feature is awful. It's like they took 2014's least popular class and made it less playable for 2024.
personally I would just flavor (pretend) the spell eldrich blast, as your ranger using his magic bullets. with warlock theirs a lot of feats you can take that buff the spell where you can really build a badass magic gunslinger.
I really want to make a warlock Ranger that uses Enchanted bullets any ideas on how I can make that happen. I'm brand new to the game so assume I know absolutely nothing.