It says " This feature doesn’t reveal the creatures’ location or number." but what about type? would l be able to, for example, tell if there were both undead and fey nearby, or would the dm just go "Yep, somethings nearby."
Personally, not being given at least the general direction makes the ability largely useless. But also not being given general type makes it extra useless, unless you have a very niche favored enemy type that is rather rare, like Dragon.
For example, if your favored enemy is Beasts, then guess what, surprise-surprise, the GM tells you that, "Yes, there are Beasts somewhere within a mile of you out here in the wilderness." But, are they the beasts you're looking for? What direction and how far? How many?
But, if you have something rare like Celestial, it makes it more likely that the one you ping on is the one you're looking for, but lacking at least a direction, you're still just wandering around. You can't even track it unless you luck onto it's path, and a 1 mile radius is 3.14 square miles of area to look for a trail (28 square miles if Favored Enemy). Hope the quarry is standing still while you're looking. But even then, there are a lot of different types of Celestial, and just because one pings in that area doesn't mean it's the one or the type you want, and you can waste time looking for it for no benefit.
It's just a badly designed ability from a gaming standpoint. It doesn't provide enough information to be useful.
It's like being told, "Yes, there is a restaurant within a mile of you," without being given directions to any of them when you don't have Google available.
You are told whether or not, within 1 mile of you, if each of the following creature type exist: aberrations, celestials, dragons, elementals, fey, fiends, or undead. So you get a “yes or no” answer to seven questions. It doesn’t have anything to do with your favored enemy. It’s like the line from Star Wars, “I sense a disturbance in the Force.” It’s all of the creature types that normally aren’t found in natural environments on the material plane.
The information does benefit from the ranger’s other features, though. If it is a favored creature type, if you are in your favored terrain, if you do use your spells, etc.
One mile is not that large an area to explore for an adventurer. It’s an even smaller area for someone that can talk to animals, see through an animals eyes, or conjure animals that they can ride. It’s a pretty good ability that no other class even comes close to.
Getting expanded spells known that can each be cast 1/long rest for free is far better than the PHB ranger's ability to burn a spell slot just to have the DM tell them, "Nope, none of those creature types are nearby." The fact that the free spells are situational makes it better, in my opinion, because you can still cast those spells when needed without gimping yourself by taking them manually as part of your spell list.
Sometimes negative information is more valuable than the positive. Knowing there aren't any undead nearby eliminates confusion about ghosts vs invisible enemies. If you like clue style elimination puzzles it can really be useful.
positive reads are better at close quarters or things you can see. I know "there are fey around we should look for fey tracks" or "I know there's undead be careful around bodies."
Sometimes negative information is more valuable than the positive. Knowing there aren't any undead nearby eliminates confusion about ghosts vs invisible enemies. If you like clue style elimination puzzles it can really be useful.
positive reads are better at close quarters or things you can see. I know "there are fey around we should look for fey tracks" or "I know there's undead be careful around bodies."
Playing minesweeper with the limited amount of spell slots a Ranger has is not really a good idea imo. If you want to make sure that in one specific area none of the types of enemies is present then sure but if you have to use it 3+ times to get useful informations out of it you probably should reconsider.
I wasn't implying use it twice. its just one source of information. a pc should use other tools the ranger has first (such as tracking foot prints or investigation checks). how about getting another pc to ask questions using divination spells (or speak with dead) where asking the right question is so important. Even then, I tend to end the day with extra unused ranger spell slots. Just like many of the ranger options its not an end-all solution but in the right scenario it can be tactically used to solve a problem. My point was having a "no" answer can be more information than having a yes. It may give you an idea of what the cleric or druid should (or shouldn't) prepare for the next day.
I just purchased Tasha's Cauldron of everything and leveled up my Ranger to a Gloomstalker from Xanathars, but now I can't select Primal Awareness as a trait, and roaver isn't appearing. I'm stuck with Primeval Awareness. How do I gain access to Primal Awareness? It's the main reason I purchased the content.
The next question - is the PHB version distance 'selectable'. For example, can I ask 'Is there a XXX within 1/2 mile', 1, mile, 2 miles (assuming in Favored terrain), 3 miles? This is much better than if it is a fixed value (1 or 6 miles depending on Favored terrain).
It also states it lasts for 1 minute. Is each request an 'action' - giving you 10 of them during its course?
The next question - is the PHB version distance 'selectable'. For example, can I ask 'Is there a XXX within 1/2 mile', 1, mile, 2 miles (assuming in Favored terrain), 3 miles? This is much better than if it is a fixed value (1 or 6 miles depending on Favored terrain).
It also states it lasts for 1 minute. Is each request an 'action' - giving you 10 of them during its course?
Of course "The DM has the final say.", but as a DM I run Primeval Awareness a one mile range that is selectable from one mile to six miles when in your favored terrain. So in your favored terrain you can choose 1 mile, 1.1 mile, 3.7 miles, 5.9 miles, or 6 miles. This sense takes an action to turn on and lasts for 1 minute per level of spell used.
The features state: Since it is a duration for that whole time you would know what types are present. for example if a dragon is within a mile and flies away you would know it left your range (within that 10 turn period). You only spend the spell slot once so it only requires your action once. so you could use your action for other things during that period.
now the thing unclear is if the range is set for the whole time. I would say you pick the range when you take the action and need a new spellslot to adjust the range. some game mechanics are intentionally left to the dm to decide others are set and the dm can veto when appropriate circumstances apply.
It says " This feature doesn’t reveal the creatures’ location or number." but what about type? would l be able to, for example, tell if there were both undead and fey nearby, or would the dm just go "Yep, somethings nearby."
You get a “yes or no” answer for each creature type on the list!
Remember, the expanded favored terrain range is an option.
Personally, not being given at least the general direction makes the ability largely useless. But also not being given general type makes it extra useless, unless you have a very niche favored enemy type that is rather rare, like Dragon.
For example, if your favored enemy is Beasts, then guess what, surprise-surprise, the GM tells you that, "Yes, there are Beasts somewhere within a mile of you out here in the wilderness." But, are they the beasts you're looking for? What direction and how far? How many?
But, if you have something rare like Celestial, it makes it more likely that the one you ping on is the one you're looking for, but lacking at least a direction, you're still just wandering around. You can't even track it unless you luck onto it's path, and a 1 mile radius is 3.14 square miles of area to look for a trail (28 square miles if Favored Enemy). Hope the quarry is standing still while you're looking. But even then, there are a lot of different types of Celestial, and just because one pings in that area doesn't mean it's the one or the type you want, and you can waste time looking for it for no benefit.
It's just a badly designed ability from a gaming standpoint. It doesn't provide enough information to be useful.
It's like being told, "Yes, there is a restaurant within a mile of you," without being given directions to any of them when you don't have Google available.
That’s not how that ability works.
You are told whether or not, within 1 mile of you, if each of the following creature type exist: aberrations, celestials, dragons, elementals, fey, fiends, or undead. So you get a “yes or no” answer to seven questions. It doesn’t have anything to do with your favored enemy. It’s like the line from Star Wars, “I sense a disturbance in the Force.” It’s all of the creature types that normally aren’t found in natural environments on the material plane.
The information does benefit from the ranger’s other features, though. If it is a favored creature type, if you are in your favored terrain, if you do use your spells, etc.
One mile is not that large an area to explore for an adventurer. It’s an even smaller area for someone that can talk to animals, see through an animals eyes, or conjure animals that they can ride. It’s a pretty good ability that no other class even comes close to.
Ohhh what's the expanded favored terrain range?
"within up to 6 miles"
Getting expanded spells known that can each be cast 1/long rest for free is far better than the PHB ranger's ability to burn a spell slot just to have the DM tell them, "Nope, none of those creature types are nearby." The fact that the free spells are situational makes it better, in my opinion, because you can still cast those spells when needed without gimping yourself by taking them manually as part of your spell list.
Sometimes negative information is more valuable than the positive. Knowing there aren't any undead nearby eliminates confusion about ghosts vs invisible enemies. If you like clue style elimination puzzles it can really be useful.
positive reads are better at close quarters or things you can see. I know "there are fey around we should look for fey tracks" or "I know there's undead be careful around bodies."
The skills states up to a mile (or 6). So why not start at 100 metres and push it slowly out, make the most of those 10 minutes.
I wasn't implying use it twice. its just one source of information. a pc should use other tools the ranger has first (such as tracking foot prints or investigation checks). how about getting another pc to ask questions using divination spells (or speak with dead) where asking the right question is so important. Even then, I tend to end the day with extra unused ranger spell slots. Just like many of the ranger options its not an end-all solution but in the right scenario it can be tactically used to solve a problem. My point was having a "no" answer can be more information than having a yes. It may give you an idea of what the cleric or druid should (or shouldn't) prepare for the next day.
I just purchased Tasha's Cauldron of everything and leveled up my Ranger to a Gloomstalker from Xanathars, but now I can't select Primal Awareness as a trait, and roaver isn't appearing. I'm stuck with Primeval Awareness. How do I gain access to Primal Awareness? It's the main reason I purchased the content.
Check the first tab of character creation for the optional content switch. I think that may be the issue.
The next question - is the PHB version distance 'selectable'. For example, can I ask 'Is there a XXX within 1/2 mile', 1, mile, 2 miles (assuming in Favored terrain), 3 miles? This is much better than if it is a fixed value (1 or 6 miles depending on Favored terrain).
It also states it lasts for 1 minute. Is each request an 'action' - giving you 10 of them during its course?
Of course "The DM has the final say.", but as a DM I run Primeval Awareness a one mile range that is selectable from one mile to six miles when in your favored terrain. So in your favored terrain you can choose 1 mile, 1.1 mile, 3.7 miles, 5.9 miles, or 6 miles. This sense takes an action to turn on and lasts for 1 minute per level of spell used.
The features state: Since it is a duration for that whole time you would know what types are present. for example if a dragon is within a mile and flies away you would know it left your range (within that 10 turn period). You only spend the spell slot once so it only requires your action once. so you could use your action for other things during that period.
now the thing unclear is if the range is set for the whole time. I would say you pick the range when you take the action and need a new spellslot to adjust the range. some game mechanics are intentionally left to the dm to decide others are set and the dm can veto when appropriate circumstances apply.