I’m relatively new to DnD, only having been playing and DMing for about a year or two, but hear me out on this one: why is beast master not the core identity of rangers? I’ve seen it talked about before with how weak rangers are and how other classes do what they do but better, and especially with the preview of the 2024 PHB update to rangers, rangers seem to struggle heavily with an identity crisis. They have no core class features or identities that make them uniquely them, and make you want to pick them over any other class. I work with animals for a living so when I picked up DnD for the first time I was immediately drawn to ranger for the beast master subclass, and have noticed despite how incredibly awkward and weak it is, people really want it to be good, they love the idea of it. And who wouldn’t it’s one of the few core pet classes in DnD from what I’ve seen.
So in my opinion, with ranger so desperately wanting a stronger core identity for itself, why not fuse beast master with the base class? The subclasses could all focus on different forms of pets/companions and what kind of abilities they could have or evolve into.
The drake warden and swarm keeper already play with this idea a ton, and in some ways succeed at making a more satisfying beast master experience than the 2014 PHB beast master.
I personally think shifting ranger to the dedicated pet class would be a huge improvement, and I’m going to attempt to homebrew a version for my own table to toy and play with.
What would the downsides be, if any? If you have any ideas of how to flesh out or balance the mechanics of this it would be greatly appreciated!
I think the problem with this approach is much like the issue with 2024 seemingly forcing Hunter's Mark down the Ranger's throat, which is that not everyone sees the Ranger as a beast master. The Ranger is many different things to many different people, and beast master is a very specific niche within that vast sphere. I think ultimately it would push more people away than it would draw them in, but I could be wrong. I just know that if the Ranger were the pet class I would stay away because that isn't something that appeals to me.
That said, I'm sure you could design a good set of subclasses with pets in mind, and maybe it would help the Ranger's identity for D&D if it were the dedicated pet class.
The standard problem is that there are 4 or 5 ideas of what it means to be Ranger and many of them are not inclusive of the other. I for one don't really want a pet. Other people don't believe in spells. Some people only want archers. Others will die on a hill with two weapons in their heands.
The idea that Ranger doesn't have an identity is silly.
They are a martial woodsmen with spells. Early on they get hunter's mark as a bonus action to increase damage
Paladins are a martial holy man with spells. Early on they get divine smite as a bonus action to increase damage.
The standard problem is that there are 4 or 5 ideas of what it means to be Ranger and many of them are not inclusive of the other. I for one don't really want a pet. Other people don't believe in spells. Some people only want archers. Others will die on a hill with two weapons in their heands.
The idea that Ranger doesn't have an identity is silly.
They are a martial woodsmen with spells. Early on they get hunter's mark as a bonus action to increase damage
Paladins are a martial holy man with spells. Early on they get divine smite as a bonus action to increase damage.
I think the point of contention I have with this is that Paladin have a lot more to their identity represented through mechanics. Ranger as is feels like it leaves too much in the hands of the player to fill in the identity, which I usually don't have issue with, but when it comes at the cost of excitement for the actual design of the class it sits a little sour in my mouth personally. What's stopping a arcane trickster rogue from flavoring themselves as a martial woodsman? Or an eldritch knight fighter? Obviously the spell lists available push more of the idea of one over the other, but you could make a much more convincing martial woodsman with spells by multiclassing or taking feats in my mind than by picking the class that is supposed to represent that. There are absolutely different things they could do to ranger than turn them into the dedicated pet class, but I feel for myself personally that is the most exciting thing they could do that would also give it the most distinct identity from other classes without having a complete and total overhaul of not just the class, but the systems of the game.
I think the problem with this approach is much like the issue with 2024 seemingly forcing Hunter's Mark down the Ranger's throat, which is that not everyone sees the Ranger as a beast master. The Ranger is many different things to many different people, and beast master is a very specific niche within that vast sphere. I think ultimately it would push more people away than it would draw them in, but I could be wrong. I just know that if the Ranger were the pet class I would stay away because that isn't something that appeals to me.
That said, I'm sure you could design a good set of subclasses with pets in mind, and maybe it would help the Ranger's identity for D&D if it were the dedicated pet class.
I think this is a completely fair take, I could understand it not being for everyone for sure. I think I'd just really like it to have a stronger core identity that makes it an exciting and appealing choice over literally any other class, since as I see it right now, and especially the 2024 version, it just feels like a jack of all trades and master of none.
I for one actually believe 2014 beastmaster was good in terms of theme and mechanics compared to everything in that book.(and even beyond if using harvesting,pet concentration etc) Ranger however left alot to implications. for example dodge sneak etc were implied to be free coomands before the added errata. The errata was an attempt to show such mechanics but they noticed a loophole in the ready action and overcorrected. Similarly the pet death (multi pet option) loophole could actually solve alot of death complaints but wotc didn't want to be blamed for players PETA violations.
Not all rangers want the same builds and in particular customizing beastmaster via pet stats was really fun. See the valid Tressym, diseased giant rat or cranium rat as prime examples <most of which were errata'd out>). If stat blocks was important to druid...it was twice so for rangers.
Now as for rangers consistant theme it's the ability to "range" as in travel the range. Most of the favored terrain/favored enemy features were fine but it was the situational parts that caused feature imbalance. If those rules applied all the time but limited uses of expertise/advantage it would be fun and remove "the mother may I" pain points.
I also think making Ranger the pet class would go a long way to giving it a concrete mechanical identity that can't be taken over by a Fighter or Rogue with Survival proficiency/expertise.
That said, not everyone likes the idea of their ranger having a pet, and it's a LOT harder to remove a core mechanic with a subclass than it is to add a new mechanic.
I think the Ranger should have animal companion as a core feature, but like the Paladin's mount it could just be a 1st level spell like it was in 3E. A 1/4 CR creature for a 1st level spell is balanced against Find Steed's 1/2 CR warhorse. Having Animal Friendship and Hunter's Mark as free spells with free castings would allow for the choices.
I love playing a dark gritty Ranger battling enemies in the wilderness. I have no desire to have a pet as part of my class. This class is versitial and allows for the many fantasy types of Rangers to all be played.
So, I was interested in seeing what the landscape would be like if Ranger was the pet class, and I may have gone completely overboard and thrown together a few design ideas.
A few things to consider about my mindset when I did this:
This is not balanced, I know it's not balanced, some things are likely grossly overpowered. But some of it was a reaction to point 2.
Spells are tricky, spells are hard, I mostly got rid of spells. Any spells that appear as features/extras are implied to have Wisdom as the spellcasting modifier. the Pet Class Ranger is not a spell caster, which I guess makes them slightly less MAD?
I tried to go with a mix of fun and interesting, sometimes I hit the mark, sometimes I failed
I intended to add more subclasses, but boy did I fail, Fey Wanderer was next on my list but I couldn't do it. That said Beast Master Ranger looks fun.
I phoned it in on the high level features and the Gloomstalker.
Again, yes, I know it isn't balanced.
Feel free to add ideas, it is a fun experiement and I might add some more subclasses later, and if there are any glaring issues let me know. Plus balance ideas could be fun.
Every Ranger is a Beast
Level
Proficiency Bonus
Features
1st
2
Ranger’s Companion, Natural Survivor
2nd
2
Fighting Style, Natural Awareness
3rd
2
Ranger Calling
4th
2
Ability Score Improvement
5th
3
Extra Attack, Natural Awareness Improvement
6th
3
Natural Explorer
7th
3
Ranger Calling Feature, Companion's Training
8th
3
Ability Score Improvement, Land's Stride
9th
4
Natural Awareness Improvement, Hide in Plain Sight
10th
4
Natural Guide, Ranger Calling Feature
11th
4
Companion's Fury
12th
4
Ability Score Improvement
13th
5
Natural Awareness Improvement
14th
5
Natural Master
15th
5
Ranger Calling Feature
16th
5
Ability Score Improvement
17th
6
Natural Awareness Improvement
18th
6
Ranger Calling Feature
19th
6
Ability Score Improvement
20th
6
Foe Slayer
Class Features
As a ranger, you gain the following class features.
Hit Points
Hit Dice: 1d10 per ranger level Hit Points at 1st Level: 10 + your Constitution modifier Hit Points at Higher Levels: 1d10 (or 6) + your Constitution modifier per ranger level after 1st
Proficiencies
Armor: Light armor, medium armor, shields Weapons: Simple weapons, martial weapons Tools: None Saving Throws: Strength, Dexterity Skills: Choose three from Animal Handling, Athletics, Insight, Investigation, Nature, Perception, Stealth, and Survival.
Equipment
You start with the following equipment, in addition to the equipment granted by your background:
scale mail or (b) leather armor
two shortswords or (b) two simple melee weapons
a dungeoneer’s pack or (b) an explorer’s pack
A longbow and a quiver of 20 arrows
Ranger’s Companion
At 1 level, you gain a beast companion that accompanies you on your adventures and is trained to fight alongside you. Choose a beast from [CURATED/BESPOKE LIST]. Add your proficiency bonus to the beast’s AC, attack rolls, and damage rolls, as well as to any saving throws and skills it is proficient in. Its hit point maximum equals the hit point number in its stat block or four times your ranger level, whichever is higher. Like any creature, it can spend Hit Dice during a short rest to regain hit points.
In combat, the beast acts during your turn. It can move and use its reaction on its own, but the only action it takes is the Dodge action, unless you take a bonus action on your turn to command it to take another action. That action can be one in its stat block or some other action. You can also sacrifice one of your attacks when you take the Attack action to command the beast to take the Attack action. If you are incapacitated, the beast can take any action of its choice, not just Dodge.
If the beast dies, you can obtain a new companion by ending the bond and spending 1 hour magically bonding with a beast that isn’t hostile to you and that meets the requirements. If a spell, such as raise dead, has the sole effect of restoring the beast to life (but not undeath), the caster doesn’t need material components to cast the spell on the beast.
Natural Survivor
At 1 level you become proficient in Animal Handling and Survival. If you are already proficient with either skill, your proficiency bonus is doubled for any ability check you make that uses that skill.
Fighting Style
At 2 level, you adopt a particular style of fighting as your specialty. Choose one of the following options.
You can’t take a Fighting Style option more than once, even if you later get to choose again.
Archery
You gain a +2 bonus to attack rolls you make with ranged weapons.
Defense
While you are wearing armor, you gain a +1 bonus to AC.
Dueling
When you are wielding a melee weapon in one hand and no other weapons, you gain a +2 bonus to damage rolls with that weapon.
Two-Weapon Fighting
When you engage in two-weapon fighting, you can add your ability modifier to the damage of the second attack.
Blind Fighting
You have blindsight with a range of 10 feet. Within that range, you can effectively see anything that isn’t behind total cover, even if you’re blinded or in darkness. Moreover, you can see an invisible creature within that range, unless the creature successfully hides from you.
Druidic Warrior
You learn two cantrips of your choice from the druid spell list. Wisdom is your spellcasting ability for them. Whenever you gain a level in this class, you can replace one of these cantrips with another cantrip from the druid spell list.
Thrown Weapon Fighting
You can draw a weapon that has the thrown property as part of the attack you make with the weapon. In addition, when you hit with a ranged attack using a thrown weapon, you gain a +2 bonus to the damage roll.
Natural Awareness
Beginning at 2 level, you gain the ability to cast certain spells as rituals as shown in the Natural Awareness Rituals table.
Natural Awareness Rituals
Ranger Level
Spell
2nd
Speak with Animals
5th
Animal Messenger
9th
Speak with Plants
13th
Locate Creature
17th
Commune with Nature
Ranger Calling
At 3rd level, you choose a calling that you strive to answer. Your choice grants you features at 3rd level and again at 7th, 10th, 15, and 18th level.
Ability Score Improvement
When you reach 4th level, and again at 8th, 12th, 16th, and 19th level, you can increase one ability score of your choice by 2, or you can increase two ability scores of your choice by 1. As normal, you can’t increase an ability score above 20 using this feature.
Using the optional feats rule, you can forgo taking this feature to take a feat of your choice instead.
Extra Attack
Beginning at 5th level, you can attack twice, instead of once, whenever you take the Attack action on your turn.
Natural Explorer
At 5 level you become proficient in Nature and Perception. If you are already proficient with either skill, your proficiency bonus is doubled for any ability check you make that uses that skill.
Your walking speed increases by 5, and you gain a climbing speed and a swimming speed equal to your walking speed.
Companion’s Training
Your companion's attacks now count as magical for the purpose of overcoming resistance and immunity to nonmagical attacks and damage.
Land’s Stride
Starting at 8th level, moving through nonmagical difficult terrain costs you and your companion no extra movement. You and your companion can also pass through nonmagical plants without being slowed by them and without taking damage from them if they have thorns, spines, or a similar hazard.
In addition, you and your companion have advantage on saving throws against plants that are magically created or manipulated to impede movement, such those created by the entangle spell.
Hide in Plain Sight
Starting at 9 level, you can try to hide by pressing yourself up against a solid surface, such as a tree or wall, that is at least as tall and wide as you are. You gain a +10 bonus to Dexterity (Stealth) checks if you remain there without moving or taking actions. You can use this feature a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus and regain all charges when you finish a long rest.
Natural Guide
While traveling for an hour or more, you gain the following benefits:
Difficult terrain doesn’t slow your group’s travel.
Your group can’t become lost except by magical means.
Even when you are engaged in another activity while traveling (such as foraging, navigating, or tracking), you remain alert to danger.
When you are traveling, you can move stealthily at a normal pace. You can extend this to your party.
When you forage, you find twice as much food as you normally would.
While tracking other creatures, you also learn their exact number, their sizes, and how long ago they passed through the area.
Companion’s Fury
Starting at 11th level, when you command a beast companion to take the Attack action, the beast can make two attacks, or it can take the Multiattack action if it has that action.
Vanish
Starting at 13 level, you can use the Hide action as a bonus action on your turn. Also, you can’t be tracked by nonmagical means, unless you choose to leave a trail.
Natural Master
Whenever you finish a short or long rest, you can choose one damage type from Cold, Fire, and Lightning. You and your companion both gain resistance to this damage type. You lose this resistance when you use this feature to choose a different resistance.
Feral Senses
At 17 level, you gain preternatural senses that help you fight creatures you can’t see. When you, or a companion, attack a creature you can’t see, your inability to see it doesn’t impose disadvantage on your attack rolls against it.
You, and your companion, are also aware of the location of any invisible creature within 30 feet of you, provided that the creature isn’t hidden from you, and you aren’t blinded or deafened.
Foe Slayer
At 20th level, you become an unparalleled hunter of your enemies. Once on each of your turns, you can add your Wisdom modifier to the attack roll or the damage roll of an attack you, or a companion, makes. You can choose to use this feature before or after the roll, but before any effects of the roll are applied.
Ranger Callings
As a master of beasts, a self-sufficient woodsperson, and elite mystical warrior, he ideal of the ranger has many expressions. These are detailed below.
Beast Master
Summon Beast
At 3 level you gain the ability to cast Summon Beast (Tasha’s Cauldron of Everything) without expending material components. You can use this feature a number of times equal to your wisdom bonus (minimum 1) and regain all charges when you finish a long rest.
Conjure Animals
At 7 level you gain the ability to cast Conjure Animals. Once you use this feature, you can’t do so again until you finish a long rest, unless you expend 2 charges of Summon Beast to use this feature again.
Beast Mastery
At 10 level you gain the ability to bond with a second Beast Companion by spending 1 hour magically bonding with a beast that isn’t hostile to you and that meets the requirements.
All features that specified your beast companion affect both companions.
Primal Empowerment
Beginning at 15 level you may spend a bonus action to empower your beast companions, magically gaining the following benefits, which last for 1 minute:
Your beasts increase in size by one size category. Their reach extends by 5 feet.
Your beasts have advantage on Strength checks and Strength saving throws.
Your beasts deal an extra 1d4 damage to a target on a hit.
You can use this feature a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus, and you regain all expended uses of it when you finish a long rest.
Everlasting Bond
Beginning at 18 level you may cast revivify at will providing it only targets one of your companions.
Hunter
Hunter’s Mark
Beginning at 3 level, once per turn when you hit a target with an attack you may mystically mark it for 1 hour or until you lose your concentration (as if you were concentrating on a spell). The first time you, and the first time your companion, hit the marked enemy and deal damage to it, including when you mark it, you can increase that damage by 1d4. Additionally, you have advantage on any Wisdom (Perception) or Wisdom (Survival) check you make to find it. The mark ends if the creature dies, or you choose to mark another creature.
This feature’s extra damage increases when you reach certain levels in this class: to 1d6 at 7 level, to 1d8 at 10 level, to 1d10 at 15 level, and to 1d12 at 18 level.
This feature’s duration increases when you reach certain levels in this class: to 8 hours at 7 level and to 24 hours at 10 level.
Hunter’s Quarry
Beginning at 7 level as a bonus action you may mark a target you can see with your Hunter’s Mark without needing to hit it with an attack.
Horde Breaker
Beginning at 10 level, once on each of your turns when you deal damage with Hunter’s Mark each enemy creature within 5 feet of it takes the Hunter’s Mark damage.
Superior Hunter’s Defense
At 15th level, you gain one of the following features of your choice.
Evasion
When you, or your companion, are subjected to an effect, such as a red dragon’s fiery breath or a lightning bolt spell, that allows you to make a Dexterity saving throw to take only half damage, you instead take no damage if you succeed on the saving throw, and only half damage if you fail.
Stand Against the Tide
When a hostile creature misses you with a melee attack, you can use your reaction to force that creature to repeat the same attack against another creature (other than itself) of your choice.
When a hostile creature misses your companion with a melee attack, your companion can use their reaction to force that creature to repeat the same attack against another creature (other than itself) of your choice.
Uncanny Dodge
When an attacker that you can see hits you with an attack, you can use your reaction to halve the attack’s damage against you.
When an attacker that your companion can see hits your companion with an attack, your companion can use their reaction to halve the attack’s damage against them.
Supreme Hunter
You, and your companion, gain advantage on any attacks made against a target affected by your Hunter’s Mark.
Gloom Stalker
Dread Ambusher
At 3rd level, you master the art of the ambush. You can give yourself a bonus to your initiative rolls equal to your Wisdom modifier.
At the start of your first turn of each combat, your walking speed increases by 10 feet, which lasts until the end of that turn. If you take the Attack action on that turn, you can make one additional weapon attack as part of that action. If that attack hits, the target takes an extra 1d8 damage of the weapon’s damage type.
Umbral Sight
At 3rd level, you and your companion gain darkvision out to a range of 60 feet. If you, or your companion, already have darkvision from your race/statblock, its range increases by 30 feet.
You are also adept at evading creatures that rely on darkvision. While in darkness, you, and your companion, are invisible to any creature that relies on darkvision to see you or your companion in that darkness.
Iron Mind
By 7th level, you have honed your ability to resist the mind-altering powers of your prey. You gain proficiency in Wisdom saving throws. If you already have this proficiency, you instead gain proficiency in Intelligence or Charisma saving throws (your choice).
Stalker’s Flurry
At 10th level, you learn to attack with such unexpected speed that you can turn a miss into another strike. Once on each of your turns when you miss with a weapon attack, you can make another weapon attack as part of the same action.
Shadowy Dodge
Starting at 15th level, you can dodge in unforeseen ways, with wisps of supernatural shadow around you. Whenever a creature makes an attack roll against you and doesn’t have advantage on the roll, you can use your reaction to impose disadvantage on it. Whenever a creature makes an attack roll against your companion and doesn’t have advantage on the roll, your companion can use their reaction to impose disadvantage on it. You must use this feature before you know the outcome of the attack roll.
Umbral Cloak
At 18 level you can use a bonus action to cause darkness to emanate from you. The darkness is a 5-foot radius sphere with you as its origin. Nonmagical light, as well as light created by spells of 5th level or lower, cannot illuminate it. The sphere lasts for 1 minute or until you are incapacitated. You may use this feature a number of times equal to your wisdom bonus (minimum of 1) and regain all charges on finishing a long rest.
If you want a non-magical Ranger that is built around beasts, then you are probably just a subclass of fighter or barbarian. Either would work fine. And if your critique is that Ranger should just be a fighter/barbarian subclass that is fair.
So, I was interested in seeing what the landscape would be like if Ranger was the pet class, and I may have gone completely overboard and thrown together a few design ideas.
A few things to consider about my mindset when I did this:
This is not balanced, I know it's not balanced, some things are likely grossly overpowered. But some of it was a reaction to point 2.
Spells are tricky, spells are hard, I mostly got rid of spells. Any spells that appear as features/extras are implied to have Wisdom as the spellcasting modifier. the Pet Class Ranger is not a spell caster, which I guess makes them slightly less MAD?
I tried to go with a mix of fun and interesting, sometimes I hit the mark, sometimes I failed
I intended to add more subclasses, but boy did I fail, Fey Wanderer was next on my list but I couldn't do it. That said Beast Master Ranger looks fun.
I phoned it in on the high level features and the Gloomstalker.
Again, yes, I know it isn't balanced.
Feel free to add ideas, it is a fun experiement and I might add some more subclasses later, and if there are any glaring issues let me know. Plus balance ideas could be fun.
Every Ranger is a Beast
Level
Proficiency Bonus
Features
1st
2
Ranger’s Companion, Natural Survivor
2nd
2
Fighting Style, Natural Awareness
3rd
2
Ranger Calling
4th
2
Ability Score Improvement
5th
3
Extra Attack, Natural Awareness Improvement
6th
3
Natural Explorer
7th
3
Ranger Calling Feature, Companion's Training
8th
3
Ability Score Improvement, Land's Stride
9th
4
Natural Awareness Improvement, Hide in Plain Sight
10th
4
Natural Guide, Ranger Calling Feature
11th
4
Companion's Fury
12th
4
Ability Score Improvement
13th
5
Natural Awareness Improvement
14th
5
Natural Master
15th
5
Ranger Calling Feature
16th
5
Ability Score Improvement
17th
6
Natural Awareness Improvement
18th
6
Ranger Calling Feature
19th
6
Ability Score Improvement
20th
6
Foe Slayer
Class Features
As a ranger, you gain the following class features.
Hit Points
Hit Dice: 1d10 per ranger level Hit Points at 1st Level: 10 + your Constitution modifier Hit Points at Higher Levels: 1d10 (or 6) + your Constitution modifier per ranger level after 1st
Proficiencies
Armor: Light armor, medium armor, shields Weapons: Simple weapons, martial weapons Tools: None Saving Throws: Strength, Dexterity Skills: Choose three from Animal Handling, Athletics, Insight, Investigation, Nature, Perception, Stealth, and Survival.
Equipment
You start with the following equipment, in addition to the equipment granted by your background:
scale mail or (b) leather armor
two shortswords or (b) two simple melee weapons
a dungeoneer’s pack or (b) an explorer’s pack
A longbow and a quiver of 20 arrows
Ranger’s Companion
At 1 level, you gain a beast companion that accompanies you on your adventures and is trained to fight alongside you. Choose a beast from [CURATED/BESPOKE LIST]. Add your proficiency bonus to the beast’s AC, attack rolls, and damage rolls, as well as to any saving throws and skills it is proficient in. Its hit point maximum equals the hit point number in its stat block or four times your ranger level, whichever is higher. Like any creature, it can spend Hit Dice during a short rest to regain hit points.
In combat, the beast acts during your turn. It can move and use its reaction on its own, but the only action it takes is the Dodge action, unless you take a bonus action on your turn to command it to take another action. That action can be one in its stat block or some other action. You can also sacrifice one of your attacks when you take the Attack action to command the beast to take the Attack action. If you are incapacitated, the beast can take any action of its choice, not just Dodge.
If the beast dies, you can obtain a new companion by ending the bond and spending 1 hour magically bonding with a beast that isn’t hostile to you and that meets the requirements. If a spell, such as raise dead, has the sole effect of restoring the beast to life (but not undeath), the caster doesn’t need material components to cast the spell on the beast.
Natural Survivor
At 1 level you become proficient in Animal Handling and Survival. If you are already proficient with either skill, your proficiency bonus is doubled for any ability check you make that uses that skill.
Fighting Style
At 2 level, you adopt a particular style of fighting as your specialty. Choose one of the following options.
You can’t take a Fighting Style option more than once, even if you later get to choose again.
Archery
You gain a +2 bonus to attack rolls you make with ranged weapons.
Defense
While you are wearing armor, you gain a +1 bonus to AC.
Dueling
When you are wielding a melee weapon in one hand and no other weapons, you gain a +2 bonus to damage rolls with that weapon.
Two-Weapon Fighting
When you engage in two-weapon fighting, you can add your ability modifier to the damage of the second attack.
Blind Fighting
You have blindsight with a range of 10 feet. Within that range, you can effectively see anything that isn’t behind total cover, even if you’re blinded or in darkness. Moreover, you can see an invisible creature within that range, unless the creature successfully hides from you.
Druidic Warrior
You learn two cantrips of your choice from the druid spell list. Wisdom is your spellcasting ability for them. Whenever you gain a level in this class, you can replace one of these cantrips with another cantrip from the druid spell list.
Thrown Weapon Fighting
You can draw a weapon that has the thrown property as part of the attack you make with the weapon. In addition, when you hit with a ranged attack using a thrown weapon, you gain a +2 bonus to the damage roll.
Natural Awareness
Beginning at 2 level, you gain the ability to cast certain spells as rituals as shown in the Natural Awareness Rituals table.
Natural Awareness Rituals
Ranger Level
Spell
2nd
Speak with Animals
5th
Animal Messenger
9th
Speak with Plants
13th
Locate Creature
17th
Commune with Nature
Ranger Calling
At 3rd level, you choose a calling that you strive to answer. Your choice grants you features at 3rd level and again at 7th, 10th, 15, and 18th level.
Ability Score Improvement
When you reach 4th level, and again at 8th, 12th, 16th, and 19th level, you can increase one ability score of your choice by 2, or you can increase two ability scores of your choice by 1. As normal, you can’t increase an ability score above 20 using this feature.
Using the optional feats rule, you can forgo taking this feature to take a feat of your choice instead.
Extra Attack
Beginning at 5th level, you can attack twice, instead of once, whenever you take the Attack action on your turn.
Natural Explorer
At 5 level you become proficient in Nature and Perception. If you are already proficient with either skill, your proficiency bonus is doubled for any ability check you make that uses that skill.
Your walking speed increases by 5, and you gain a climbing speed and a swimming speed equal to your walking speed.
Companion’s Training
Your companion's attacks now count as magical for the purpose of overcoming resistance and immunity to nonmagical attacks and damage.
Land’s Stride
Starting at 8th level, moving through nonmagical difficult terrain costs you and your companion no extra movement. You and your companion can also pass through nonmagical plants without being slowed by them and without taking damage from them if they have thorns, spines, or a similar hazard.
In addition, you and your companion have advantage on saving throws against plants that are magically created or manipulated to impede movement, such those created by the entangle spell.
Hide in Plain Sight
Starting at 9 level, you can try to hide by pressing yourself up against a solid surface, such as a tree or wall, that is at least as tall and wide as you are. You gain a +10 bonus to Dexterity (Stealth) checks if you remain there without moving or taking actions. You can use this feature a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus and regain all charges when you finish a long rest.
Natural Guide
While traveling for an hour or more, you gain the following benefits:
Difficult terrain doesn’t slow your group’s travel.
Your group can’t become lost except by magical means.
Even when you are engaged in another activity while traveling (such as foraging, navigating, or tracking), you remain alert to danger.
When you are traveling, you can move stealthily at a normal pace. You can extend this to your party.
When you forage, you find twice as much food as you normally would.
While tracking other creatures, you also learn their exact number, their sizes, and how long ago they passed through the area.
Companion’s Fury
Starting at 11th level, when you command a beast companion to take the Attack action, the beast can make two attacks, or it can take the Multiattack action if it has that action.
Vanish
Starting at 13 level, you can use the Hide action as a bonus action on your turn. Also, you can’t be tracked by nonmagical means, unless you choose to leave a trail.
Natural Master
Whenever you finish a short or long rest, you can choose one damage type from Cold, Fire, and Lightning. You and your companion both gain resistance to this damage type. You lose this resistance when you use this feature to choose a different resistance.
Feral Senses
At 17 level, you gain preternatural senses that help you fight creatures you can’t see. When you, or a companion, attack a creature you can’t see, your inability to see it doesn’t impose disadvantage on your attack rolls against it.
You, and your companion, are also aware of the location of any invisible creature within 30 feet of you, provided that the creature isn’t hidden from you, and you aren’t blinded or deafened.
Foe Slayer
At 20th level, you become an unparalleled hunter of your enemies. Once on each of your turns, you can add your Wisdom modifier to the attack roll or the damage roll of an attack you, or a companion, makes. You can choose to use this feature before or after the roll, but before any effects of the roll are applied.
Ranger Callings
As a master of beasts, a self-sufficient woodsperson, and elite mystical warrior, he ideal of the ranger has many expressions. These are detailed below.
Beast Master
Summon Beast
At 3 level you gain the ability to cast Summon Beast (Tasha’s Cauldron of Everything) without expending material components. You can use this feature a number of times equal to your wisdom bonus (minimum 1) and regain all charges when you finish a long rest.
Conjure Animals
At 7 level you gain the ability to cast Conjure Animals. Once you use this feature, you can’t do so again until you finish a long rest, unless you expend 2 charges of Summon Beast to use this feature again.
Beast Mastery
At 10 level you gain the ability to bond with a second Beast Companion by spending 1 hour magically bonding with a beast that isn’t hostile to you and that meets the requirements.
All features that specified your beast companion affect both companions.
Primal Empowerment
Beginning at 15 level you may spend a bonus action to empower your beast companions, magically gaining the following benefits, which last for 1 minute:
Your beasts increase in size by one size category. Their reach extends by 5 feet.
Your beasts have advantage on Strength checks and Strength saving throws.
Your beasts deal an extra 1d4 damage to a target on a hit.
You can use this feature a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus, and you regain all expended uses of it when you finish a long rest.
Everlasting Bond
Beginning at 18 level you may cast revivify at will providing it only targets one of your companions.
Hunter
Hunter’s Mark
Beginning at 3 level, once per turn when you hit a target with an attack you may mystically mark it for 1 hour or until you lose your concentration (as if you were concentrating on a spell). The first time you, and the first time your companion, hit the marked enemy and deal damage to it, including when you mark it, you can increase that damage by 1d4. Additionally, you have advantage on any Wisdom (Perception) or Wisdom (Survival) check you make to find it. The mark ends if the creature dies, or you choose to mark another creature.
This feature’s extra damage increases when you reach certain levels in this class: to 1d6 at 7 level, to 1d8 at 10 level, to 1d10 at 15 level, and to 1d12 at 18 level.
This feature’s duration increases when you reach certain levels in this class: to 8 hours at 7 level and to 24 hours at 10 level.
Hunter’s Quarry
Beginning at 7 level as a bonus action you may mark a target you can see with your Hunter’s Mark without needing to hit it with an attack.
Horde Breaker
Beginning at 10 level, once on each of your turns when you deal damage with Hunter’s Mark each enemy creature within 5 feet of it takes the Hunter’s Mark damage.
Superior Hunter’s Defense
At 15th level, you gain one of the following features of your choice.
Evasion
When you, or your companion, are subjected to an effect, such as a red dragon’s fiery breath or a lightning bolt spell, that allows you to make a Dexterity saving throw to take only half damage, you instead take no damage if you succeed on the saving throw, and only half damage if you fail.
Stand Against the Tide
When a hostile creature misses you with a melee attack, you can use your reaction to force that creature to repeat the same attack against another creature (other than itself) of your choice.
When a hostile creature misses your companion with a melee attack, your companion can use their reaction to force that creature to repeat the same attack against another creature (other than itself) of your choice.
Uncanny Dodge
When an attacker that you can see hits you with an attack, you can use your reaction to halve the attack’s damage against you.
When an attacker that your companion can see hits your companion with an attack, your companion can use their reaction to halve the attack’s damage against them.
Supreme Hunter
You, and your companion, gain advantage on any attacks made against a target affected by your Hunter’s Mark.
Gloom Stalker
Dread Ambusher
At 3rd level, you master the art of the ambush. You can give yourself a bonus to your initiative rolls equal to your Wisdom modifier.
At the start of your first turn of each combat, your walking speed increases by 10 feet, which lasts until the end of that turn. If you take the Attack action on that turn, you can make one additional weapon attack as part of that action. If that attack hits, the target takes an extra 1d8 damage of the weapon’s damage type.
Umbral Sight
At 3rd level, you and your companion gain darkvision out to a range of 60 feet. If you, or your companion, already have darkvision from your race/statblock, its range increases by 30 feet.
You are also adept at evading creatures that rely on darkvision. While in darkness, you, and your companion, are invisible to any creature that relies on darkvision to see you or your companion in that darkness.
Iron Mind
By 7th level, you have honed your ability to resist the mind-altering powers of your prey. You gain proficiency in Wisdom saving throws. If you already have this proficiency, you instead gain proficiency in Intelligence or Charisma saving throws (your choice).
Stalker’s Flurry
At 10th level, you learn to attack with such unexpected speed that you can turn a miss into another strike. Once on each of your turns when you miss with a weapon attack, you can make another weapon attack as part of the same action.
Shadowy Dodge
Starting at 15th level, you can dodge in unforeseen ways, with wisps of supernatural shadow around you. Whenever a creature makes an attack roll against you and doesn’t have advantage on the roll, you can use your reaction to impose disadvantage on it. Whenever a creature makes an attack roll against your companion and doesn’t have advantage on the roll, your companion can use their reaction to impose disadvantage on it. You must use this feature before you know the outcome of the attack roll.
Umbral Cloak
At 18 level you can use a bonus action to cause darkness to emanate from you. The darkness is a 5-foot radius sphere with you as its origin. Nonmagical light, as well as light created by spells of 5th level or lower, cannot illuminate it. The sphere lasts for 1 minute or until you are incapacitated. You may use this feature a number of times equal to your wisdom bonus (minimum of 1) and regain all charges on finishing a long rest.
Unbelievably awesome that you put this much thought and effort into this. I think this is, if nothing else, great food for thought in how Ranger could keep a lot of its current identity while also having beast master features backed into the base class without imposing on some peoples fantasy of being a lone ranger. I really appreciate the effort you put into the idea, and hopefully when I have the time, even though I'm inexperienced with homebrew class design, I can post my own ideas in response.
I think removing the casting from the class would restrict it a bit too much to feeling even more like a knock off fighter or rogue, not that it is entirely a bad idea on its own. I envision more of a ranger who makes use of the wild to really reflect their experience with it, and spells do a great part in reflecting that, even if you sometimes have to flavour them non-magically (goodberry is just you foraging for berries, for example).
I also think using a toned down Tasha's primal companion vs. using companions based off of CR would alleviate a lot of paperwork for both DMs and players. Especially as someone who prefers to be able to pick up and play, as cool as the fantasy of taming a swath of beasts is great, I think having to dig through pages of stat blocks rather than having a base one I can flavour however I please is just a big pain in the neck.
A lot of food for thought though, again. I really appreciate it!
As a Ranger, we should be able to choose what we want to be as who is able to go the farther: With animal companion or not, with spells or not, we should be able to trade what we don't want for wanted features.
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Vifarc Cordelibre, the most unique ranger-tank, the wood-elf heavy-ranger.
I wasn't directly saying that ranger should be a subclass of anything, although when I was working through this I thought that some Ranger ideals could be built as subclasses of fighters and rogues.
The reason I mostly dropped magic was because it was harder for me to work with in the design space I felt a pet class ranger would exist in, and it was the easiest thing to drop. I initially planned that subclasses like fey wanderer and swarmkeeper would have the Ranger spell list, but I couldn't think of any good design to go with them, nothing was working hence why I said magic was hard.
I also suspect my wall of text was too big for most people to actually bother reading in full.
I think what I've presented is a reasonable representation of what a primary pet class Ranger could look like though.
Unbelievably awesome that you put this much thought and effort into this. I think this is, if nothing else, great food for thought in how Ranger could keep a lot of its current identity while also having beast master features backed into the base class without imposing on some peoples fantasy of being a lone ranger. I really appreciate the effort you put into the idea, and hopefully when I have the time, even though I'm inexperienced with homebrew class design, I can post my own ideas in response.
I think removing the casting from the class would restrict it a bit too much to feeling even more like a knock off fighter or rogue, not that it is entirely a bad idea on its own. I envision more of a ranger who makes use of the wild to really reflect their experience with it, and spells do a great part in reflecting that, even if you sometimes have to flavour them non-magically (goodberry is just you foraging for berries, for example).
I also think using a toned down Tasha's primal companion vs. using companions based off of CR would alleviate a lot of paperwork for both DMs and players. Especially as someone who prefers to be able to pick up and play, as cool as the fantasy of taming a swath of beasts is great, I think having to dig through pages of stat blocks rather than having a base one I can flavour however I please is just a big pain in the neck.
A lot of food for thought though, again. I really appreciate it!
I got to thinking about it and when I couldn't shut it off at night I had to start writing stuff down haha.
It does feel very Fighter/Roguey without the spellcasting, although I think the pet does soften that somewhat. I figured that a beast focused ranger would be an excellent woodsman, and still be a decent warrior, and it was too hard for me to keep the half spellcasting and add in what I felt it would need to really shine as a pet class.
Yes, I think using either a small list, or statblocks similar to tasha's, is the better way to go from an ease of use standpoint. One thing you mentioned in your original post that I wanted to add as a mechanic but didn't get round to is different companion types for the subclasses, I felt like a Gloomstalker would do really well with some ravens or the like, and a fey wanderer has some sort of fey stag etc, but ultimately didn't make it. I guess there are so many ways to go about this design that you just need to make a whole bunch and compare. I might try again to see if I can design the pet with standard ranger magic, although a lot of the fun features that are above I think would drop off, which would be a shame.
I agree that by giving the Ranger a Animal Companion gives the Ranger a greater identity and at later levels becoming better and forging and uncovering more of there tracking gives the ranger a bunch of flavor. Though there is always more to add onto this depending how others view the ranger as a class so they want to focus more on using there companions abilities or be a marksmen with expectational tracking abilities this has given a bunch of ideas. So thank you for starting this discussion.
I'm not into pets, so I am really glad that they didn't bake BM into base ranger.
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Any time an unfathomably powerful entity sweeps in and offers godlike rewards in return for just a few teensy favors, it’s a scam. Unless it’s me. I’d never lie to you, reader dearest.
Like several others here I'm not really into the "pet class" as a base for the ranger. Yes the beastmaster needs some improving (still), but its in its proper place as a subclass. historically the Ranger was a subclass of the fighter (1e) that got druid and then wizard spells at medium to high levels. in 2e it became its own class and the spells moved down. they have continued to move down through the 2024 release which grants them spells at L1 (finally). As such the core idea of the ranger has always been that of a Gish with significant (perhaps extraordinary) nature and survival skills. taming and working with beasts is just one of those potential nature/survival skills (the 1e ranger automatically got companions including beasts potentially up to and including dragons as it transitioned from tier 2 to tier 3 - that is the origin, really, of both the beast master and the 5e drakewarden). (I have a ranger from those days that is now an NPC in my campaign that still has the descendants of those original companions from over 100 years ago in his timeline - but they are pets and companions still not associated parts of his subclass (Horizon walker))
My first 5e character was a Ranger and I specifically didn't want a pet because I didn't want the complexity of it while learning to play.
It doesn't bother me at all that you can make something Ranger-like with another class. What happens at some other table that I will never sit at in no way impacts my fun. And even if that happens in my party, also so what, I love the game I play where I am one of two Rangers. As it happens we play them quite differently, but in other parties where we have duplicate classes, sometimes one character mentors the other and that's super fun too.
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I’m relatively new to DnD, only having been playing and DMing for about a year or two, but hear me out on this one: why is beast master not the core identity of rangers?
I’ve seen it talked about before with how weak rangers are and how other classes do what they do but better, and especially with the preview of the 2024 PHB update to rangers, rangers seem to struggle heavily with an identity crisis. They have no core class features or identities that make them uniquely them, and make you want to pick them over any other class.
I work with animals for a living so when I picked up DnD for the first time I was immediately drawn to ranger for the beast master subclass, and have noticed despite how incredibly awkward and weak it is, people really want it to be good, they love the idea of it. And who wouldn’t it’s one of the few core pet classes in DnD from what I’ve seen.
So in my opinion, with ranger so desperately wanting a stronger core identity for itself, why not fuse beast master with the base class? The subclasses could all focus on different forms of pets/companions and what kind of abilities they could have or evolve into.
The drake warden and swarm keeper already play with this idea a ton, and in some ways succeed at making a more satisfying beast master experience than the 2014 PHB beast master.
I personally think shifting ranger to the dedicated pet class would be a huge improvement, and I’m going to attempt to homebrew a version for my own table to toy and play with.
What would the downsides be, if any? If you have any ideas of how to flesh out or balance the mechanics of this it would be greatly appreciated!
I think the problem with this approach is much like the issue with 2024 seemingly forcing Hunter's Mark down the Ranger's throat, which is that not everyone sees the Ranger as a beast master. The Ranger is many different things to many different people, and beast master is a very specific niche within that vast sphere. I think ultimately it would push more people away than it would draw them in, but I could be wrong. I just know that if the Ranger were the pet class I would stay away because that isn't something that appeals to me.
That said, I'm sure you could design a good set of subclasses with pets in mind, and maybe it would help the Ranger's identity for D&D if it were the dedicated pet class.
The standard problem is that there are 4 or 5 ideas of what it means to be Ranger and many of them are not inclusive of the other. I for one don't really want a pet. Other people don't believe in spells. Some people only want archers. Others will die on a hill with two weapons in their heands.
The idea that Ranger doesn't have an identity is silly.
They are a martial woodsmen with spells. Early on they get hunter's mark as a bonus action to increase damage
Paladins are a martial holy man with spells. Early on they get divine smite as a bonus action to increase damage.
I think the point of contention I have with this is that Paladin have a lot more to their identity represented through mechanics. Ranger as is feels like it leaves too much in the hands of the player to fill in the identity, which I usually don't have issue with, but when it comes at the cost of excitement for the actual design of the class it sits a little sour in my mouth personally.
What's stopping a arcane trickster rogue from flavoring themselves as a martial woodsman? Or an eldritch knight fighter? Obviously the spell lists available push more of the idea of one over the other, but you could make a much more convincing martial woodsman with spells by multiclassing or taking feats in my mind than by picking the class that is supposed to represent that.
There are absolutely different things they could do to ranger than turn them into the dedicated pet class, but I feel for myself personally that is the most exciting thing they could do that would also give it the most distinct identity from other classes without having a complete and total overhaul of not just the class, but the systems of the game.
I think this is a completely fair take, I could understand it not being for everyone for sure. I think I'd just really like it to have a stronger core identity that makes it an exciting and appealing choice over literally any other class, since as I see it right now, and especially the 2024 version, it just feels like a jack of all trades and master of none.
I for one actually believe 2014 beastmaster was good in terms of theme and mechanics compared to everything in that book.(and even beyond if using harvesting,pet concentration etc) Ranger however left alot to implications. for example dodge sneak etc were implied to be free coomands before the added errata. The errata was an attempt to show such mechanics but they noticed a loophole in the ready action and overcorrected. Similarly the pet death (multi pet option) loophole could actually solve alot of death complaints but wotc didn't want to be blamed for players PETA violations.
Not all rangers want the same builds and in particular customizing beastmaster via pet stats was really fun. See the valid Tressym, diseased giant rat or cranium rat as prime examples <most of which were errata'd out>). If stat blocks was important to druid...it was twice so for rangers.
Now as for rangers consistant theme it's the ability to "range" as in travel the range. Most of the favored terrain/favored enemy features were fine but it was the situational parts that caused feature imbalance. If those rules applied all the time but limited uses of expertise/advantage it would be fun and remove "the mother may I" pain points.
I also think making Ranger the pet class would go a long way to giving it a concrete mechanical identity that can't be taken over by a Fighter or Rogue with Survival proficiency/expertise.
That said, not everyone likes the idea of their ranger having a pet, and it's a LOT harder to remove a core mechanic with a subclass than it is to add a new mechanic.
I think the Ranger should have animal companion as a core feature, but like the Paladin's mount it could just be a 1st level spell like it was in 3E. A 1/4 CR creature for a 1st level spell is balanced against Find Steed's 1/2 CR warhorse. Having Animal Friendship and Hunter's Mark as free spells with free castings would allow for the choices.
I love playing a dark gritty Ranger battling enemies in the wilderness. I have no desire to have a pet as part of my class. This class is versitial and allows for the many fantasy types of Rangers to all be played.
So, I was interested in seeing what the landscape would be like if Ranger was the pet class, and I may have gone completely overboard and thrown together a few design ideas.
A few things to consider about my mindset when I did this:
Feel free to add ideas, it is a fun experiement and I might add some more subclasses later, and if there are any glaring issues let me know. Plus balance ideas could be fun.
Every Ranger is a Beast
Level
Proficiency Bonus
Features
1st
2
Ranger’s Companion, Natural Survivor
2nd
2
Fighting Style, Natural Awareness
3rd
2
Ranger Calling
4th
2
Ability Score Improvement
5th
3
Extra Attack, Natural Awareness Improvement
6th
3
Natural Explorer
7th
3
Ranger Calling Feature, Companion's Training
8th
3
Ability Score Improvement, Land's Stride
9th
4
Natural Awareness Improvement, Hide in Plain Sight
10th
4
Natural Guide, Ranger Calling Feature
11th
4
Companion's Fury
12th
4
Ability Score Improvement
13th
5
Natural Awareness Improvement
14th
5
Natural Master
15th
5
Ranger Calling Feature
16th
5
Ability Score Improvement
17th
6
Natural Awareness Improvement
18th
6
Ranger Calling Feature
19th
6
Ability Score Improvement
20th
6
Foe Slayer
Class Features
As a ranger, you gain the following class features.
Hit Points
Hit Dice: 1d10 per ranger level
Hit Points at 1st Level: 10 + your Constitution modifier
Hit Points at Higher Levels: 1d10 (or 6) + your Constitution modifier per ranger level after 1st
Proficiencies
Armor: Light armor, medium armor, shields
Weapons: Simple weapons, martial weapons
Tools: None
Saving Throws: Strength, Dexterity
Skills: Choose three from Animal Handling, Athletics, Insight, Investigation, Nature, Perception, Stealth, and Survival.
Equipment
You start with the following equipment, in addition to the equipment granted by your background:
Ranger’s Companion
At 1 level, you gain a beast companion that accompanies you on your adventures and is trained to fight alongside you. Choose a beast from [CURATED/BESPOKE LIST]. Add your proficiency bonus to the beast’s AC, attack rolls, and damage rolls, as well as to any saving throws and skills it is proficient in. Its hit point maximum equals the hit point number in its stat block or four times your ranger level, whichever is higher. Like any creature, it can spend Hit Dice during a short rest to regain hit points.
In combat, the beast acts during your turn. It can move and use its reaction on its own, but the only action it takes is the Dodge action, unless you take a bonus action on your turn to command it to take another action. That action can be one in its stat block or some other action. You can also sacrifice one of your attacks when you take the Attack action to command the beast to take the Attack action. If you are incapacitated, the beast can take any action of its choice, not just Dodge.
If the beast dies, you can obtain a new companion by ending the bond and spending 1 hour magically bonding with a beast that isn’t hostile to you and that meets the requirements. If a spell, such as raise dead, has the sole effect of restoring the beast to life (but not undeath), the caster doesn’t need material components to cast the spell on the beast.
Natural Survivor
At 1 level you become proficient in Animal Handling and Survival. If you are already proficient with either skill, your proficiency bonus is doubled for any ability check you make that uses that skill.
Fighting Style
At 2 level, you adopt a particular style of fighting as your specialty. Choose one of the following options.
You can’t take a Fighting Style option more than once, even if you later get to choose again.
Archery
You gain a +2 bonus to attack rolls you make with ranged weapons.
Defense
While you are wearing armor, you gain a +1 bonus to AC.
Dueling
When you are wielding a melee weapon in one hand and no other weapons, you gain a +2 bonus to damage rolls with that weapon.
Two-Weapon Fighting
When you engage in two-weapon fighting, you can add your ability modifier to the damage of the second attack.
Blind Fighting
You have blindsight with a range of 10 feet. Within that range, you can effectively see anything that isn’t behind total cover, even if you’re blinded or in darkness. Moreover, you can see an invisible creature within that range, unless the creature successfully hides from you.
Druidic Warrior
You learn two cantrips of your choice from the druid spell list. Wisdom is your spellcasting ability for them. Whenever you gain a level in this class, you can replace one of these cantrips with another cantrip from the druid spell list.
Thrown Weapon Fighting
You can draw a weapon that has the thrown property as part of the attack you make with the weapon. In addition, when you hit with a ranged attack using a thrown weapon, you gain a +2 bonus to the damage roll.
Natural Awareness
Beginning at 2 level, you gain the ability to cast certain spells as rituals as shown in the Natural Awareness Rituals table.
Natural Awareness Rituals
Ranger Level
Spell
2nd
Speak with Animals
5th
Animal Messenger
9th
Speak with Plants
13th
Locate Creature
17th
Commune with Nature
Ranger Calling
At 3rd level, you choose a calling that you strive to answer. Your choice grants you features at 3rd level and again at 7th, 10th, 15, and 18th level.
Ability Score Improvement
When you reach 4th level, and again at 8th, 12th, 16th, and 19th level, you can increase one ability score of your choice by 2, or you can increase two ability scores of your choice by 1. As normal, you can’t increase an ability score above 20 using this feature.
Using the optional feats rule, you can forgo taking this feature to take a feat of your choice instead.
Extra Attack
Beginning at 5th level, you can attack twice, instead of once, whenever you take the Attack action on your turn.
Natural Explorer
At 5 level you become proficient in Nature and Perception. If you are already proficient with either skill, your proficiency bonus is doubled for any ability check you make that uses that skill.
Your walking speed increases by 5, and you gain a climbing speed and a swimming speed equal to your walking speed.
Companion’s Training
Your companion's attacks now count as magical for the purpose of overcoming resistance and immunity to nonmagical attacks and damage.
Land’s Stride
Starting at 8th level, moving through nonmagical difficult terrain costs you and your companion no extra movement. You and your companion can also pass through nonmagical plants without being slowed by them and without taking damage from them if they have thorns, spines, or a similar hazard.
In addition, you and your companion have advantage on saving throws against plants that are magically created or manipulated to impede movement, such those created by the entangle spell.
Hide in Plain Sight
Starting at 9 level, you can try to hide by pressing yourself up against a solid surface, such as a tree or wall, that is at least as tall and wide as you are. You gain a +10 bonus to Dexterity (Stealth) checks if you remain there without moving or taking actions. You can use this feature a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus and regain all charges when you finish a long rest.
Natural Guide
While traveling for an hour or more, you gain the following benefits:
Companion’s Fury
Starting at 11th level, when you command a beast companion to take the Attack action, the beast can make two attacks, or it can take the Multiattack action if it has that action.
Vanish
Starting at 13 level, you can use the Hide action as a bonus action on your turn. Also, you can’t be tracked by nonmagical means, unless you choose to leave a trail.
Natural Master
Whenever you finish a short or long rest, you can choose one damage type from Cold, Fire, and Lightning. You and your companion both gain resistance to this damage type. You lose this resistance when you use this feature to choose a different resistance.
Feral Senses
At 17 level, you gain preternatural senses that help you fight creatures you can’t see. When you, or a companion, attack a creature you can’t see, your inability to see it doesn’t impose disadvantage on your attack rolls against it.
You, and your companion, are also aware of the location of any invisible creature within 30 feet of you, provided that the creature isn’t hidden from you, and you aren’t blinded or deafened.
Foe Slayer
At 20th level, you become an unparalleled hunter of your enemies. Once on each of your turns, you can add your Wisdom modifier to the attack roll or the damage roll of an attack you, or a companion, makes. You can choose to use this feature before or after the roll, but before any effects of the roll are applied.
Ranger Callings
As a master of beasts, a self-sufficient woodsperson, and elite mystical warrior, he ideal of the ranger has many expressions. These are detailed below.
Beast Master
Summon Beast
At 3 level you gain the ability to cast Summon Beast (Tasha’s Cauldron of Everything) without expending material components. You can use this feature a number of times equal to your wisdom bonus (minimum 1) and regain all charges when you finish a long rest.
Conjure Animals
At 7 level you gain the ability to cast Conjure Animals. Once you use this feature, you can’t do so again until you finish a long rest, unless you expend 2 charges of Summon Beast to use this feature again.
Beast Mastery
At 10 level you gain the ability to bond with a second Beast Companion by spending 1 hour magically bonding with a beast that isn’t hostile to you and that meets the requirements.
All features that specified your beast companion affect both companions.
Primal Empowerment
Beginning at 15 level you may spend a bonus action to empower your beast companions, magically gaining the following benefits, which last for 1 minute:
You can use this feature a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus, and you regain all expended uses of it when you finish a long rest.
Everlasting Bond
Beginning at 18 level you may cast revivify at will providing it only targets one of your companions.
Hunter
Hunter’s Mark
Beginning at 3 level, once per turn when you hit a target with an attack you may mystically mark it for 1 hour or until you lose your concentration (as if you were concentrating on a spell). The first time you, and the first time your companion, hit the marked enemy and deal damage to it, including when you mark it, you can increase that damage by 1d4. Additionally, you have advantage on any Wisdom (Perception) or Wisdom (Survival) check you make to find it. The mark ends if the creature dies, or you choose to mark another creature.
This feature’s extra damage increases when you reach certain levels in this class: to 1d6 at 7 level, to 1d8 at 10 level, to 1d10 at 15 level, and to 1d12 at 18 level.
This feature’s duration increases when you reach certain levels in this class: to 8 hours at 7 level and to 24 hours at 10 level.
Hunter’s Quarry
Beginning at 7 level as a bonus action you may mark a target you can see with your Hunter’s Mark without needing to hit it with an attack.
Horde Breaker
Beginning at 10 level, once on each of your turns when you deal damage with Hunter’s Mark each enemy creature within 5 feet of it takes the Hunter’s Mark damage.
Superior Hunter’s Defense
At 15th level, you gain one of the following features of your choice.
Evasion
When you, or your companion, are subjected to an effect, such as a red dragon’s fiery breath or a lightning bolt spell, that allows you to make a Dexterity saving throw to take only half damage, you instead take no damage if you succeed on the saving throw, and only half damage if you fail.
Stand Against the Tide
When a hostile creature misses you with a melee attack, you can use your reaction to force that creature to repeat the same attack against another creature (other than itself) of your choice.
When a hostile creature misses your companion with a melee attack, your companion can use their reaction to force that creature to repeat the same attack against another creature (other than itself) of your choice.
Uncanny Dodge
When an attacker that you can see hits you with an attack, you can use your reaction to halve the attack’s damage against you.
When an attacker that your companion can see hits your companion with an attack, your companion can use their reaction to halve the attack’s damage against them.
Supreme Hunter
You, and your companion, gain advantage on any attacks made against a target affected by your Hunter’s Mark.
Gloom Stalker
Dread Ambusher
At 3rd level, you master the art of the ambush. You can give yourself a bonus to your initiative rolls equal to your Wisdom modifier.
At the start of your first turn of each combat, your walking speed increases by 10 feet, which lasts until the end of that turn. If you take the Attack action on that turn, you can make one additional weapon attack as part of that action. If that attack hits, the target takes an extra 1d8 damage of the weapon’s damage type.
Umbral Sight
At 3rd level, you and your companion gain darkvision out to a range of 60 feet. If you, or your companion, already have darkvision from your race/statblock, its range increases by 30 feet.
You are also adept at evading creatures that rely on darkvision. While in darkness, you, and your companion, are invisible to any creature that relies on darkvision to see you or your companion in that darkness.
Iron Mind
By 7th level, you have honed your ability to resist the mind-altering powers of your prey. You gain proficiency in Wisdom saving throws. If you already have this proficiency, you instead gain proficiency in Intelligence or Charisma saving throws (your choice).
Stalker’s Flurry
At 10th level, you learn to attack with such unexpected speed that you can turn a miss into another strike. Once on each of your turns when you miss with a weapon attack, you can make another weapon attack as part of the same action.
Shadowy Dodge
Starting at 15th level, you can dodge in unforeseen ways, with wisps of supernatural shadow around you. Whenever a creature makes an attack roll against you and doesn’t have advantage on the roll, you can use your reaction to impose disadvantage on it. Whenever a creature makes an attack roll against your companion and doesn’t have advantage on the roll, your companion can use their reaction to impose disadvantage on it. You must use this feature before you know the outcome of the attack roll.
Umbral Cloak
At 18 level you can use a bonus action to cause darkness to emanate from you. The darkness is a 5-foot radius sphere with you as its origin. Nonmagical light, as well as light created by spells of 5th level or lower, cannot illuminate it. The sphere lasts for 1 minute or until you are incapacitated. You may use this feature a number of times equal to your wisdom bonus (minimum of 1) and regain all charges on finishing a long rest.
If you want a non-magical Ranger that is built around beasts, then you are probably just a subclass of fighter or barbarian. Either would work fine. And if your critique is that Ranger should just be a fighter/barbarian subclass that is fair.
Unbelievably awesome that you put this much thought and effort into this. I think this is, if nothing else, great food for thought in how Ranger could keep a lot of its current identity while also having beast master features backed into the base class without imposing on some peoples fantasy of being a lone ranger. I really appreciate the effort you put into the idea, and hopefully when I have the time, even though I'm inexperienced with homebrew class design, I can post my own ideas in response.
I think removing the casting from the class would restrict it a bit too much to feeling even more like a knock off fighter or rogue, not that it is entirely a bad idea on its own. I envision more of a ranger who makes use of the wild to really reflect their experience with it, and spells do a great part in reflecting that, even if you sometimes have to flavour them non-magically (goodberry is just you foraging for berries, for example).
I also think using a toned down Tasha's primal companion vs. using companions based off of CR would alleviate a lot of paperwork for both DMs and players. Especially as someone who prefers to be able to pick up and play, as cool as the fantasy of taming a swath of beasts is great, I think having to dig through pages of stat blocks rather than having a base one I can flavour however I please is just a big pain in the neck.
A lot of food for thought though, again. I really appreciate it!
As a Ranger, we should be able to choose what we want to be as who is able to go the farther:
With animal companion or not, with spells or not, we should be able to trade what we don't want for wanted features.
Vifarc Cordelibre, the most unique ranger-tank, the wood-elf heavy-ranger.
I wasn't directly saying that ranger should be a subclass of anything, although when I was working through this I thought that some Ranger ideals could be built as subclasses of fighters and rogues.
The reason I mostly dropped magic was because it was harder for me to work with in the design space I felt a pet class ranger would exist in, and it was the easiest thing to drop. I initially planned that subclasses like fey wanderer and swarmkeeper would have the Ranger spell list, but I couldn't think of any good design to go with them, nothing was working hence why I said magic was hard.
I also suspect my wall of text was too big for most people to actually bother reading in full.
I think what I've presented is a reasonable representation of what a primary pet class Ranger could look like though.
I got to thinking about it and when I couldn't shut it off at night I had to start writing stuff down haha.
It does feel very Fighter/Roguey without the spellcasting, although I think the pet does soften that somewhat. I figured that a beast focused ranger would be an excellent woodsman, and still be a decent warrior, and it was too hard for me to keep the half spellcasting and add in what I felt it would need to really shine as a pet class.
Yes, I think using either a small list, or statblocks similar to tasha's, is the better way to go from an ease of use standpoint. One thing you mentioned in your original post that I wanted to add as a mechanic but didn't get round to is different companion types for the subclasses, I felt like a Gloomstalker would do really well with some ravens or the like, and a fey wanderer has some sort of fey stag etc, but ultimately didn't make it. I guess there are so many ways to go about this design that you just need to make a whole bunch and compare.
I might try again to see if I can design the pet with standard ranger magic, although a lot of the fun features that are above I think would drop off, which would be a shame.
Glad you liked it.
I agree that by giving the Ranger a Animal Companion gives the Ranger a greater identity and at later levels becoming better and forging and uncovering more of there tracking gives the ranger a bunch of flavor. Though there is always more to add onto this depending how others view the ranger as a class so they want to focus more on using there companions abilities or be a marksmen with expectational tracking abilities this has given a bunch of ideas. So thank you for starting this discussion.
I'm not into pets, so I am really glad that they didn't bake BM into base ranger.
Any time an unfathomably powerful entity sweeps in and offers godlike rewards in return for just a few teensy favors, it’s a scam. Unless it’s me. I’d never lie to you, reader dearest.
Tasha
Like several others here I'm not really into the "pet class" as a base for the ranger. Yes the beastmaster needs some improving (still), but its in its proper place as a subclass. historically the Ranger was a subclass of the fighter (1e) that got druid and then wizard spells at medium to high levels. in 2e it became its own class and the spells moved down. they have continued to move down through the 2024 release which grants them spells at L1 (finally). As such the core idea of the ranger has always been that of a Gish with significant (perhaps extraordinary) nature and survival skills. taming and working with beasts is just one of those potential nature/survival skills (the 1e ranger automatically got companions including beasts potentially up to and including dragons as it transitioned from tier 2 to tier 3 - that is the origin, really, of both the beast master and the 5e drakewarden). (I have a ranger from those days that is now an NPC in my campaign that still has the descendants of those original companions from over 100 years ago in his timeline - but they are pets and companions still not associated parts of his subclass (Horizon walker))
Wisea$$ DM and Player since 1979.
My first 5e character was a Ranger and I specifically didn't want a pet because I didn't want the complexity of it while learning to play.
It doesn't bother me at all that you can make something Ranger-like with another class. What happens at some other table that I will never sit at in no way impacts my fun. And even if that happens in my party, also so what, I love the game I play where I am one of two Rangers. As it happens we play them quite differently, but in other parties where we have duplicate classes, sometimes one character mentors the other and that's super fun too.