So, I know that when a Ranger chooses a Favored Enemy, they want to encompass as broad a category of creatures as possible. For example, Monstrosities, which is the second-largest category of monsters in the MM (first is Beasts).
However, I wanted fellow Ranger opinions on this matter. What are your preferred Enemies, and if they cover over certain Humanoids, please let me know which ones are the best choices!
I'm a fan of humanoids (humans and elves) for a 1st-level pick. Provided you don't already know what creature types will be common in the adventure. For example, my current Ranger for Witchlight obviously took Fey as her Favored Enemies. Levels 6 and 14 are a bit more malleable and depend on the story being told. Typically though, it's a safe bet that the villains are going to be either one of the aforementioned humanoids, fiends, aberrations, or undead. Personally, my tables love to use aberrations, but I can imagine most tables will get more use out of undead at 6 and fiends at 14.
Beasts, monstrosities, fiends, and undead are my favs.
What do Beasts bring to the table, out of sheer curiosity?
Favored enemy gives you advantage on survival checks for tracking, all intelligence checks about them, and a language (there are several Brady specific languages, like giant owl and giant eagle). Beasts are everywhere. I guess it would depend on your DM, but so does much with the ranger and other things in the game, but knowing information about all beasts, being able to track them, and being able to speak to some of the most intelligent and noble varieties has come up for me as a player often and something I love to incorporate as a DM.
Beasts, monstrosities, fiends, and undead are my favs.
What do Beasts bring to the table, out of sheer curiosity?
Oops!
I forgot what are the best benefit. In order to harvest poison from a creature you have to make a nature check. A ranger can make this check with expertise when they’re favored terrain is in play. If the creature you are harvesting poison from is one of your favores enemies, I have found all dungeon Masters thus far allow for the advantage to be applied that check as well. It makes for some very consistent poison acquisition.
I am a huge fan of taking beasts and think they can last whole campains.
most parties have mounts or pets. track the pets not the humans, orcs, ect.
animals are every where and are usefull for food, sellable goods poisons and more.
knowing about animals is huge for reasons of ranger spells. you may need to find an animal messanger or know dietary habits when using speakwith animals(bribes)
most dms i know give the "boon" when I am allowed to harvest from animals. free consumables never hurts.
pet based languages are usually good or fun for rangers. sylvan for example but there are others. (most dms I know dont really care about "chosen" languages but some do )
sometimes knowing where beast avoid leads you to the real problem. Rangers need to value negitive information along with the positive.
I would like to point out that there is an older thread about this where many disagree with frank and myself. I will link to it when i have a chance.
another trick I do Is pick specific races of the party. you may need to track your own party sometimes. (kidnapings, going ahead. ect) also most dms will try and give at least one quest tied to each character. So you will probably do several history or archana checks related to those party members durring the campain. At the very least it should last until you get an informed choice at later levels(6 and 14).
if your campaign has a specific bbeg with minions of the same type you want to spot it and check (if possible) with the DM then take it in preference to anything else. Out in tier3&4 most bbeg will be undead (vampires and lichs), fiends, abberations (beholders, mindflayers, aboleths), ancient dragons, or high level evil humans or elves.
We have a number of semi-active threads here in the ranger forum discussing both favored enemies and favored terrain with thoughts and suggestions on modifying official material or generating homebrew in the meantime you might want to browse through some of them for ideas.
Other than one-shots and DDAL, a ranger should always have frequent access and interaction with favored enemies.
Beasts and humanoids are also particularly good for complete campaign or large portions of campaigns that take place in more of an urban environment. Residents of these types of places will likely feature large groups of the same kind of humanoids along with animals. Lots of animals, in the sewers, on the streets and alleyways, in buildings, around the parameter. Crows, raven, mice, rats, snakes, spiders, dogs, cats, insects, alligators and turtles (Sewer fun. Cowabunga!), horses, mules, donkeys, chicken, etc. Being in a town or city is actually MORE of a reason to take beasts.
Seeing as how favored enemy (poorly named in my opinion) has zero combat usage, NOT thinking of the choices as enemies is often better. Think of the choices more as “interests”. Favored creature(s) fits the ability a lot better.
ALWAYS - Talk to your DM about the campaign before choosing. They should be willing to help with this choice by giving you at least clues about what to expect and what to chose. Some campaigns have some fairly obvious choices (dragon campaigns, giant campaigns, the Abyss, Phandalin based (goblins and abberations for the new one, etc) others are trickier to pick and the DM is your best help - ask about the world in general and the specific region in particular. For example, in Dorsay’s world dragons are extremely rare so taking them is essentially pointless and she would probably suggest other things as better choices.
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Wisea$$ DM and Player since 1979.
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Hello again!
So, I know that when a Ranger chooses a Favored Enemy, they want to encompass as broad a category of creatures as possible. For example, Monstrosities, which is the second-largest category of monsters in the MM (first is Beasts).
However, I wanted fellow Ranger opinions on this matter. What are your preferred Enemies, and if they cover over certain Humanoids, please let me know which ones are the best choices!
Thank y'all a lot! You guys are awesome!
Ren
Beasts, monstrosities, fiends, and undead are my favs.
What do Beasts bring to the table, out of sheer curiosity?
Ren
I'm a fan of humanoids (humans and elves) for a 1st-level pick. Provided you don't already know what creature types will be common in the adventure. For example, my current Ranger for Witchlight obviously took Fey as her Favored Enemies. Levels 6 and 14 are a bit more malleable and depend on the story being told. Typically though, it's a safe bet that the villains are going to be either one of the aforementioned humanoids, fiends, aberrations, or undead. Personally, my tables love to use aberrations, but I can imagine most tables will get more use out of undead at 6 and fiends at 14.
Favored enemy gives you advantage on survival checks for tracking, all intelligence checks about them, and a language (there are several Brady specific languages, like giant owl and giant eagle). Beasts are everywhere. I guess it would depend on your DM, but so does much with the ranger and other things in the game, but knowing information about all beasts, being able to track them, and being able to speak to some of the most intelligent and noble varieties has come up for me as a player often and something I love to incorporate as a DM.
Oops!
I forgot what are the best benefit. In order to harvest poison from a creature you have to make a nature check. A ranger can make this check with expertise when they’re favored terrain is in play. If the creature you are harvesting poison from is one of your favores enemies, I have found all dungeon Masters thus far allow for the advantage to be applied that check as well. It makes for some very consistent poison acquisition.
I am a huge fan of taking beasts and think they can last whole campains.
I would like to point out that there is an older thread about this where many disagree with frank and myself. I will link to it when i have a chance.
https://www.dndbeyond.com/forums/class-forums/ranger/121075-phb-favored-enemies-what-are-your-standards
another trick I do Is pick specific races of the party. you may need to track your own party sometimes. (kidnapings, going ahead. ect) also most dms will try and give at least one quest tied to each character. So you will probably do several history or archana checks related to those party members durring the campain. At the very least it should last until you get an informed choice at later levels(6 and 14).
To summarize the other thread:
L1 - Beasts/Humanoids (2 from: goblinoids/humans/elves) / campaign specific foe if known in advance (session 0)
L6 - campaign specific/undead/monstrosities/aberrations/fiends/giants/dragons
L14 - campaign specific/undead/aberrations/fiends/dragons
if your campaign has a specific bbeg with minions of the same type you want to spot it and check (if possible) with the DM then take it in preference to anything else. Out in tier3&4 most bbeg will be undead (vampires and lichs), fiends, abberations (beholders, mindflayers, aboleths), ancient dragons, or high level evil humans or elves.
Wisea$$ DM and Player since 1979.
We have a number of semi-active threads here in the ranger forum discussing both favored enemies and favored terrain with thoughts and suggestions on modifying official material or generating homebrew in the meantime you might want to browse through some of them for ideas.
Wisea$$ DM and Player since 1979.
100%
Other than one-shots and DDAL, a ranger should always have frequent access and interaction with favored enemies.
Beasts and humanoids are also particularly good for complete campaign or large portions of campaigns that take place in more of an urban environment. Residents of these types of places will likely feature large groups of the same kind of humanoids along with animals. Lots of animals, in the sewers, on the streets and alleyways, in buildings, around the parameter. Crows, raven, mice, rats, snakes, spiders, dogs, cats, insects, alligators and turtles (Sewer fun. Cowabunga!), horses, mules, donkeys, chicken, etc. Being in a town or city is actually MORE of a reason to take beasts.
Seeing as how favored enemy (poorly named in my opinion) has zero combat usage, NOT thinking of the choices as enemies is often better. Think of the choices more as “interests”. Favored creature(s) fits the ability a lot better.
Like me too
last i did abberation cuz evil
idk
ALWAYS - Talk to your DM about the campaign before choosing. They should be willing to help with this choice by giving you at least clues about what to expect and what to chose. Some campaigns have some fairly obvious choices (dragon campaigns, giant campaigns, the Abyss, Phandalin based (goblins and abberations for the new one, etc) others are trickier to pick and the DM is your best help - ask about the world in general and the specific region in particular. For example, in Dorsay’s world dragons are extremely rare so taking them is essentially pointless and she would probably suggest other things as better choices.
Wisea$$ DM and Player since 1979.