What are your choices for skills a Ranger MUST have? I’m fairly sure we can agree on Nature and Survival but what would you say the next 2 (or 3 if you can manage it) are and why?
Proficiency in perception is essential for all characters. Stealth is essential for most characters. Persuasion is super handy for most characters. These are hands down the most commonly used and most useful skills in any of the games I’ve played.
Not sure a fighter clanking around in full armor can be thought of as stealthy but …
All the more reason to be proficient. Don’t be Sir Clanksalot, ghosting the party. It gives you a sporting chance at least. If you don’t mind hanging back when the sneaky parts happen, then no need. There is inherent danger in splitting the party though and the element of surprise can be tremendously advantageous. Plus, why limit yourself to only the front door approach? Stealth means access to more places.
For these reasons I encourage not only proficiency in stealth but also darkvision by some means—racial, magical, class ability, whatever—for all characters unless there is some roleplay reason where it is essential they don’t. I love my halfling divine soul but she was a liability without darkvision. I learned the Darkvision spell as soon I got level 2 spells.
I’m with you on perception and stealth as well as darkvision - torches may only shed usable light (for your party) for 40ft but they can be seen a lot further off and there goes your surprise and stealth and your foes now have time to prepare traps and ambushes.
I took my canny expertise in perception just because of how valuable it was. I also took stealth, nature, and survival and then through background and fey wanderer picked up persuasion and deception. Those cover the skills I am most likely to ever need.
I have yet to play a stealth focused ranger. I really have never found that archetype interesting. Especially the 5E ranger is much less of a stealthy assassin in my mind. They can be, not even as a gloomstalker, more so than a fighter, less so than a rogue. With an obvious spell choice they can be super stealthy (along with the entire party) when needed without having to build towards that. As always, much of the strength of the ranger comes from their spell list.
I much prefer a knowledge based ranger. The PHB rewards wisdom/intelligence skill proficiency choices, but even a Tasha's optional ranger I see more as a world traveler and generalist of the land and creatures that live there.
Perception is great, although I think the player's handbook beast masters can and should skip it and let the beast handle the not being surprised by keeping watch (that is literally why people of days gone by kept dogs around). If you are a beast master, please try skipping proficiency in perception for your ranger. Most other PCs will have it anyway, and your beast is more likely than not to have a passive perception that is heads and tails (pun intended) above anyone in the party. Starting at level 3, a wolf's PP is 20 for hearing and smell (great for darkness and dim light conditions), and a blood hawk's PP is 21 based on sight.
Nature and survival are great if you are playing a nature ranger. But if you are going for a ambassador between the developed world and the natural world you might want to pick up some "listening skills" like insight or investigation. Animals don't lie, per say, but people do. So animal handling and insight would be a great match.
I think athletics is a great choice as well. There's a lot going for a ranger that puts a little resource into strength or builds around it. Whether wielding a weapon with reach (pike, whip, etc.), using a shield, or working grappling into your fighting tactics, strength and athletics are helpful.
For me, the big trifecta is Survival, Stealth, and Perception. I choose those on every Ranger. My Horizon Walker even got expertise in stealth. She goes wherever she pleases. Nature is an obvious choice, yes. But I actually tend not to make Rangers that are super naturey. One is a Planar Warrior, one is an urban vigilante, and one is a princess. Instead, my fourth skill tends to go into Insight, since I think it compliments Perception well.
With all that being said, if I can get Sleight of Hand and Investigation on my Rangers, I usually do. Those are both excellent skills, I've found.
Lastly, there are the knowledge checks. Specifically History and Arcana, which have been the most common ones in my experience.
If I'm playing a Fey Wanderer, however, I'm taking the Courtier background for Persuasion (which I can Expertise through Canny or Skill Expert) and choosing Deception from the Otherwordly Glamour.
Basically, Rangers are excellent users of most skills, in my experience. But yeah. Without all the bells and whistles, I tend to go for Perception, Stealth, Survival, and Insight.
I went with Persuasion from Courtier (makes sense since she's a Princess who has to hold Court,) Deception from Otherworldly Glamour, and Intimidation from V-Human. Works perfectly and I still had all four Ranger skills to throw in for good measure.
I think every character I play has been stealthy, even the Bard. I find that more appealing than tanking, and fortunately I have friends that like to play tanks.
Ok the fighter isn’t stealthy but thanks to magic the party as a whole might be. And you’ve just used all 3 of your L 2 spell slots to get 3/8ths of the days travel completed - which 3 hours are you choosing? I’ll skip the wandering monster rolls for them.
My Rangers always have Acrobatics, Perception, Stealth and Survival. Always. I used to get Athletics as well but since Deft Explorer now gives us both climbing and swimming speed, it’s not needed anymore. My remaining skill usually is Nature (if playing more wild campaigns) or Investigation (if it’s more urban).
that's the great thing about rangers they have ways of using less slots than other classes. ways they do it are by using skills instead of spells, storing up slots(good berry, ring of storing, spells with long concentration times=less casting) in travel they allow the whole party to move faster with out penalty. but in the end you are right pass with out a trace is more for individual combats/missions than travel.
What are your choices for skills a Ranger MUST have? I’m fairly sure we can agree on Nature and Survival but what would you say the next 2 (or 3 if you can manage it) are and why?
Wisea$$ DM and Player since 1979.
Proficiency in perception is essential for all characters. Stealth is essential for most characters. Persuasion is super handy for most characters. These are hands down the most commonly used and most useful skills in any of the games I’ve played.
Not sure a fighter clanking around in full armor can be thought of as stealthy but …
Wisea$$ DM and Player since 1979.
All the more reason to be proficient. Don’t be Sir Clanksalot, ghosting the party. It gives you a sporting chance at least. If you don’t mind hanging back when the sneaky parts happen, then no need. There is inherent danger in splitting the party though and the element of surprise can be tremendously advantageous. Plus, why limit yourself to only the front door approach? Stealth means access to more places.
For these reasons I encourage not only proficiency in stealth but also darkvision by some means—racial, magical, class ability, whatever—for all characters unless there is some roleplay reason where it is essential they don’t. I love my halfling divine soul but she was a liability without darkvision. I learned the Darkvision spell as soon I got level 2 spells.
I’m with you on perception and stealth as well as darkvision - torches may only shed usable light (for your party) for 40ft but they can be seen a lot further off and there goes your surprise and stealth and your foes now have time to prepare traps and ambushes.
Wisea$$ DM and Player since 1979.
I took my canny expertise in perception just because of how valuable it was. I also took stealth, nature, and survival and then through background and fey wanderer picked up persuasion and deception. Those cover the skills I am most likely to ever need.
I have yet to play a stealth focused ranger. I really have never found that archetype interesting. Especially the 5E ranger is much less of a stealthy assassin in my mind. They can be, not even as a gloomstalker, more so than a fighter, less so than a rogue. With an obvious spell choice they can be super stealthy (along with the entire party) when needed without having to build towards that. As always, much of the strength of the ranger comes from their spell list.
I much prefer a knowledge based ranger. The PHB rewards wisdom/intelligence skill proficiency choices, but even a Tasha's optional ranger I see more as a world traveler and generalist of the land and creatures that live there.
Perception is great, although I think the player's handbook beast masters can and should skip it and let the beast handle the not being surprised by keeping watch (that is literally why people of days gone by kept dogs around). If you are a beast master, please try skipping proficiency in perception for your ranger. Most other PCs will have it anyway, and your beast is more likely than not to have a passive perception that is heads and tails (pun intended) above anyone in the party. Starting at level 3, a wolf's PP is 20 for hearing and smell (great for darkness and dim light conditions), and a blood hawk's PP is 21 based on sight.
Nature and survival are great if you are playing a nature ranger. But if you are going for a ambassador between the developed world and the natural world you might want to pick up some "listening skills" like insight or investigation. Animals don't lie, per say, but people do. So animal handling and insight would be a great match.
I think athletics is a great choice as well. There's a lot going for a ranger that puts a little resource into strength or builds around it. Whether wielding a weapon with reach (pike, whip, etc.), using a shield, or working grappling into your fighting tactics, strength and athletics are helpful.
For me, the big trifecta is Survival, Stealth, and Perception. I choose those on every Ranger. My Horizon Walker even got expertise in stealth. She goes wherever she pleases. Nature is an obvious choice, yes. But I actually tend not to make Rangers that are super naturey. One is a Planar Warrior, one is an urban vigilante, and one is a princess. Instead, my fourth skill tends to go into Insight, since I think it compliments Perception well.
With all that being said, if I can get Sleight of Hand and Investigation on my Rangers, I usually do. Those are both excellent skills, I've found.
Lastly, there are the knowledge checks. Specifically History and Arcana, which have been the most common ones in my experience.
If I'm playing a Fey Wanderer, however, I'm taking the Courtier background for Persuasion (which I can Expertise through Canny or Skill Expert) and choosing Deception from the Otherwordly Glamour.
Basically, Rangers are excellent users of most skills, in my experience. But yeah. Without all the bells and whistles, I tend to go for Perception, Stealth, Survival, and Insight.
I took deception through criminal/spy (fits his backstory as being on a secret mission from the Fey Wild) and persuasion through otherwordly glamour.
I went with Persuasion from Courtier (makes sense since she's a Princess who has to hold Court,) Deception from Otherworldly Glamour, and Intimidation from V-Human. Works perfectly and I still had all four Ranger skills to throw in for good measure.
I think every character I play has been stealthy, even the Bard. I find that more appealing than tanking, and fortunately I have friends that like to play tanks.
with pass without a trace in the party they can be.
Ok the fighter isn’t stealthy but thanks to magic the party as a whole might be. And you’ve just used all 3 of your L 2 spell slots to get 3/8ths of the days travel completed - which 3 hours are you choosing? I’ll skip the wandering monster rolls for them.
Wisea$$ DM and Player since 1979.
My Rangers always have Acrobatics, Perception, Stealth and Survival. Always. I used to get Athletics as well but since Deft Explorer now gives us both climbing and swimming speed, it’s not needed anymore. My remaining skill usually is Nature (if playing more wild campaigns) or Investigation (if it’s more urban).
that's the great thing about rangers they have ways of using less slots than other classes. ways they do it are by using skills instead of spells, storing up slots(good berry, ring of storing, spells with long concentration times=less casting) in travel they allow the whole party to move faster with out penalty. but in the end you are right pass with out a trace is more for individual combats/missions than travel.