We have (at least) 2 threads complaining about how bad the ranger is so here is your chance - how would you rewrite it to make it better?
some of my ideas:
let it get a new favored foe and favored terrain every fifth level (L1, 5, 10, 15) and get all terrains at L20
Rewrite favored terrain to make it clear that in a favored terrain the ranger has expertise on their survival and nature rolls. Make the present benefits normal abilities of the ranger.
allow the ranger to switch out one of their favored enemies each time they gain a new one if they wish.
give the ranger nature and survival skills automatically and proficiency with either the healer kit or herbalist kit automatically.
At L10 let them take a second fighting proficiency like the champion fighter can.
the ranger is supposed to be the outdoorsman par excellance able to function out in the wilds without any other cataract ears around to help. This would (I think) go a long way towards doing that.
I don’t actually agree that Ranger needs to be improved anymore, specially after the variant class features from Tasha’s. I would only review the base sub-classes to add extra spells like the newest ones.
Tasha’s improvements are nice and yes I use them but I think I would go back to basic ranger with the changes I suggested. I think they would make the basic ranger a clearly superior naturist to things like the scouting rogue which is really what they should be. On a par in nature with the Druid, better as a fighter than a Druid and able to hold their own in a fight against anything not the DND equivalent of an A1 Abrams. The ranger is a loner that helps a party, at home in any wilderness really good in a few, able to fight and win against most beasts and barbarians (humanoids).
I don’t actually agree that Ranger needs to be improved anymore, specially after the variant class features from Tasha’s. I would only review the base sub-classes to add extra spells like the newest ones.
the truth is Tasha's and PHB ranger both exist and they both hold hold up in damage power, problem solving, utility and exploration. almost every fix attempt I've seen makes them overpowered and I see more real world complaints (as opposed to the theoretical ones people come up with)
the real "Improvement" rangers need is wizards to stand by their content and actively close loop holes in that are deliberately taken advantage of by trolls and bad faith dms.two Ways i could see that happening.
actually talking about rangers instead of avoiding them in Sage advice
releasing a book called "{some famous ranger}'s guide to equipping your party for exploration"
Chapter intro to exploration and natural environments.
exploration of the planes and unnatural environments.
cities and cultures, social encounters and trade.
flora and fauna examples and guidelines for adding them to your game (guidelines on intelligence and creatures)
equipment and tools for adventuring (there should be a lot more tool proficiencies more in line with fantasy professions)
Guidelines for travel and mount
shelters and provisions. (with a chart showing the strength and weaknesses of each such as tiny hut or ranger hovels)
Creating magic items and potions.
more....
rangers would get better use out of things like free travel activities and knowledge skills if dms and players were given guidance and examples as to how to use them. the community should have active expectations not vague feelings. a book like that would address several content demands while making the experience better for everyone. Simply adding more creatures of various shorted types would make the people who "think" they can't use their Favored enemy abilities often enough feel better.
To humor this thread, I wouldn't be mad if the PHB Ranger eventually had ways to get access to all of their Favored Enemies/Terrains. Whether they just collect more as they level up or are able to swap them out on long rests.
Pretty much that's it. I think they're honestly fine (and have been fine for years.) But again, I'm humoring the thread.
To humor this thread, I wouldn't be mad if the PHB Ranger eventually had ways to get access to all of their Favored Enemies/Terrains. Whether they just collect more as they level up or are able to swap them out on long rests.
Pretty much that's it. I think they're honestly fine (and have been fine for years.) But again, I'm humoring the thread.
they have taken most of the class unique features and made them into feats or racial abilities. (bad call IMO but its the game we now play) the same could be done with natural explorer or favored enemy. just one not both.
I would be curious if any one would take a single FT or FE and not take any ranger.
they could add theoretically ""missing"" ones too. urban or feywild But I really think that would be bad for the game. (because it undermines already existing uses in those areas.)
Also I think wizards should retcon their stance that favored enemy plants only applies to plant creatures. It would tremendously bring up the value of the least selected Favored enemy. I will usually houserule that.
In the modules (even the ones that are hex crawls) it's a survival check to see if you keep on track.
Fail it and you move to the wrong hex.
The rest of the complications are disease and water based so it's unlikely you even need the ranger at that point.
Overall they need more compelling content for exploration.
Ranger's are incentivized to be proficient in mental skills, like medicine and nature, both of which would be of benefit to disease knowledge, and water is a survival check check, as normal, so a ranger is incentivized to pick that up also. This is true whether the ranger is in one of their terrains or not. If not, still only a 10% to 15% difference.
The ranger could be improved with 1. players having a greater understanding of the rules of the game, 2. DMs putting a little more elbow grease into things other than combat encounters, 3. open and honest world building and character creation conversation between DMs and players to build a character that makes sense in the world they live in BEFORE a player picks up their adventure, and 4. and generally a more open approach to the parts of the game that aren't smiting the BBEG.
The state of the game is very fresh right now, with easy onboarding base rules and a swath of brand new players, 5E is very shiny and new. At some point, soon I hope, players will start looking at the more nitty gritty, optional, variant, and game building rule guidelines that already exist in the game to widen and deepen the game play we currently have.
I did think of one more thing that could improve Rangers. If they were prepared casters instead of known casters, that would be a huge boon for them.
Then again, prepared casters in 5e are just mechanically superior to known casters, so this improvement could also apply to Bards, Sorcerers, and Warlocks.
I did think of one more thing that could improve Rangers. If they were prepared casters instead of known casters, that would be a huge boon for them.
Then again, prepared casters in 5e are just mechanically superior to known casters, so this improvement could also apply to Bards, Sorcerers, and Warlocks.
With so few known spells this makes a lot of sense. Having only a handful of spells is not great but if you could swap them it would be very good.
I think this needs to be said, there is a huge difference between improving rangers and unbalancing rangers. everyone wants to become more powerful that doesn't mean its good for the game.
I think this needs to be said, there is a huge difference between improving rangers and unbalancing rangers. everyone wants to become more powerful that doesn't mean its good for the game.
I think the power balance would be the same they would just be more versatile for using spells for things other than damage.....then again the new primal awareness giving spells helped solve that immensely too.
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We have (at least) 2 threads complaining about how bad the ranger is so here is your chance - how would you rewrite it to make it better?
some of my ideas:
let it get a new favored foe and favored terrain every fifth level (L1, 5, 10, 15) and get all terrains at L20
Rewrite favored terrain to make it clear that in a favored terrain the ranger has expertise on their survival and nature rolls. Make the present benefits normal abilities of the ranger.
allow the ranger to switch out one of their favored enemies each time they gain a new one if they wish.
give the ranger nature and survival skills automatically and proficiency with either the healer kit or herbalist kit automatically.
At L10 let them take a second fighting proficiency like the champion fighter can.
the ranger is supposed to be the outdoorsman par excellance able to function out in the wilds without any other cataract ears around to help. This would (I think) go a long way towards doing that.
Wisea$$ DM and Player since 1979.
I don’t actually agree that Ranger needs to be improved anymore, specially after the variant class features from Tasha’s. I would only review the base sub-classes to add extra spells like the newest ones.
Tasha’s improvements are nice and yes I use them but I think I would go back to basic ranger with the changes I suggested. I think they would make the basic ranger a clearly superior naturist to things like the scouting rogue which is really what they should be. On a par in nature with the Druid, better as a fighter than a Druid and able to hold their own in a fight against anything not the DND equivalent of an A1 Abrams. The ranger is a loner that helps a party, at home in any wilderness really good in a few, able to fight and win against most beasts and barbarians (humanoids).
Wisea$$ DM and Player since 1979.
The community was split on the Ranger. Tasha’s offered optional swaps that should appease both sides moving forward.
I think we are in pretty good shape right now!
I would agree.
I think we have good options now
The only change to the PHB version I would make is that after spending a day or so in a new biome you can swap to it.
I think that would give better versatility.
This would be a welcome change yes
the truth is Tasha's and PHB ranger both exist and they both hold hold up in damage power, problem solving, utility and exploration. almost every fix attempt I've seen makes them overpowered and I see more real world complaints (as opposed to the theoretical ones people come up with)
the real "Improvement" rangers need is wizards to stand by their content and actively close loop holes in that are deliberately taken advantage of by trolls and bad faith dms.two Ways i could see that happening.
rangers would get better use out of things like free travel activities and knowledge skills if dms and players were given guidance and examples as to how to use them. the community should have active expectations not vague feelings. a book like that would address several content demands while making the experience better for everyone. Simply adding more creatures of various shorted types would make the people who "think" they can't use their Favored enemy abilities often enough feel better.
I would love a book like that 😳😊
Wisea$$ DM and Player since 1979.
Content on environments would help a lot
In the modules (even the ones that are hex crawls) it's a survival check to see if you keep on track.
Fail it and you move to the wrong hex.
The rest of the complications are disease and water based so it's unlikely you even need the ranger at that point.
Overall they need more compelling content for exploration.
To humor this thread, I wouldn't be mad if the PHB Ranger eventually had ways to get access to all of their Favored Enemies/Terrains. Whether they just collect more as they level up or are able to swap them out on long rests.
Pretty much that's it. I think they're honestly fine (and have been fine for years.) But again, I'm humoring the thread.
thank you Envoy
Wisea$$ DM and Player since 1979.
they have taken most of the class unique features and made them into feats or racial abilities. (bad call IMO but its the game we now play) the same could be done with natural explorer or favored enemy. just one not both.
I would be curious if any one would take a single FT or FE and not take any ranger.
they could add theoretically ""missing"" ones too. urban or feywild But I really think that would be bad for the game. (because it undermines already existing uses in those areas.)
Also I think wizards should retcon their stance that favored enemy plants only applies to plant creatures. It would tremendously bring up the value of the least selected Favored enemy. I will usually houserule that.
Ranger's are incentivized to be proficient in mental skills, like medicine and nature, both of which would be of benefit to disease knowledge, and water is a survival check check, as normal, so a ranger is incentivized to pick that up also. This is true whether the ranger is in one of their terrains or not. If not, still only a 10% to 15% difference.
The ranger could be improved with 1. players having a greater understanding of the rules of the game, 2. DMs putting a little more elbow grease into things other than combat encounters, 3. open and honest world building and character creation conversation between DMs and players to build a character that makes sense in the world they live in BEFORE a player picks up their adventure, and 4. and generally a more open approach to the parts of the game that aren't smiting the BBEG.
The state of the game is very fresh right now, with easy onboarding base rules and a swath of brand new players, 5E is very shiny and new. At some point, soon I hope, players will start looking at the more nitty gritty, optional, variant, and game building rule guidelines that already exist in the game to widen and deepen the game play we currently have.
I did think of one more thing that could improve Rangers. If they were prepared casters instead of known casters, that would be a huge boon for them.
Then again, prepared casters in 5e are just mechanically superior to known casters, so this improvement could also apply to Bards, Sorcerers, and Warlocks.
With so few known spells this makes a lot of sense. Having only a handful of spells is not great but if you could swap them it would be very good.
Yeah that would help a lot, at the very least expand the use of spell tattoos to give more range and ability.
Wisea$$ DM and Player since 1979.
I think this needs to be said, there is a huge difference between improving rangers and unbalancing rangers. everyone wants to become more powerful that doesn't mean its good for the game.
I think the power balance would be the same they would just be more versatile for using spells for things other than damage.....then again the new primal awareness giving spells helped solve that immensely too.