Spellcasting is a core class feature, and that feature grows stronger with almost every level. It's an unfortunate, albeit common, misconception that classes have dead levels.
You're better off looking at how Baldur's Gate 3 handles features like Favored Enemy and Natural Explorer. However, I think it still stops progression by 5th level. How the improvements to those features would work is anyone's guess. The only things I know I'd like to see are a 4th instance of those two, and to add urban as a terrain option.
Yes, I know getting a new spell level is a class feature of sorts, sure doesn't feel like a dead level - but rangers only have half progression, which means a new spell level only once every four levels, and for some reason they're limited to only 11 spells known, which is about 2 spells per spell level, plus subclass spells, if you're playing something not out of PHB. I've got no idea why rangers are limited like that since their paladin cousins and druid mentors have access to their entire spell lists for free.
BG3 has interesting and acceptable way of handling those features. Formulaic (like skill+cantrip features), and not that powerful, but acceptable.
Urban ranger is basically a cop, which I'm actualy like. Many people claim that it's rogue's territory, but I see the relationship between rogue and ranger as ying and yang. Rogue hides, ranger seeks. Rogue has inquisitive (a seeker), ranger has gloom stalker (an ambusher that hides). Rogue operates in civilization, but has scout subclass - ranger operates in the wilderness, but should have an urban, social subclass.
The general idea here is how I'd like these features to be made. A ranger's skill in hunting favored enemies and surviving in favored environments should confer skills, abilities, and maybe cantrips/spells that are useful everywhere they go, not just in their specific preferred ecosystem or against their specific prey. A ranger who hails from the Underdark and is skilled at fighting in dark environments is probably also pretty good at fighting in a poorly lit dungeon or in the lower decks of a ship at night, as an example. Meanwhile a ranger who has dedicated themselves to the hunting and slaying of dragons has probably built up a natural resistance to fear effects or has developed a few tricks for dealing with elemental attacks be they come from a dragon or a monstrosity.
I agree that is a great idea, focused abilities that could be possibly applied in other situations.
To do so I think you would have to have cantrips that are more focused and abilities that are not as broad and focused skill mods. The main issue is how 5e is set up; mods -3 to +3, advantage, simple skills, etc makes what you are trying to do harder then in other games where there is more room to play with the rules (and trade this for that).
Again I think 5e does a great job being in being simple, the interaction between tools and skills (just having skills IMHO makes it not as good) and it focus on simple rules (combat, spells, classes, etc) are amazing. But the problems with this type of system is when you try to add things to it and cracks appear in other areas.
Also as I stated above how the changes interact with other classes is very important.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
To post a comment, please login or register a new account.
Yes, I know getting a new spell level is a class feature of sorts, sure doesn't feel like a dead level - but rangers only have half progression, which means a new spell level only once every four levels, and for some reason they're limited to only 11 spells known, which is about 2 spells per spell level, plus subclass spells, if you're playing something not out of PHB. I've got no idea why rangers are limited like that since their paladin cousins and druid mentors have access to their entire spell lists for free.
BG3 has interesting and acceptable way of handling those features. Formulaic (like skill+cantrip features), and not that powerful, but acceptable.
Urban ranger is basically a cop, which I'm actualy like. Many people claim that it's rogue's territory, but I see the relationship between rogue and ranger as ying and yang. Rogue hides, ranger seeks. Rogue has inquisitive (a seeker), ranger has gloom stalker (an ambusher that hides). Rogue operates in civilization, but has scout subclass - ranger operates in the wilderness, but should have an urban, social subclass.
The general idea here is how I'd like these features to be made. A ranger's skill in hunting favored enemies and surviving in favored environments should confer skills, abilities, and maybe cantrips/spells that are useful everywhere they go, not just in their specific preferred ecosystem or against their specific prey. A ranger who hails from the Underdark and is skilled at fighting in dark environments is probably also pretty good at fighting in a poorly lit dungeon or in the lower decks of a ship at night, as an example. Meanwhile a ranger who has dedicated themselves to the hunting and slaying of dragons has probably built up a natural resistance to fear effects or has developed a few tricks for dealing with elemental attacks be they come from a dragon or a monstrosity.
sauriandruid,
I agree that is a great idea, focused abilities that could be possibly applied in other situations.
To do so I think you would have to have cantrips that are more focused and abilities that are not as broad and focused skill mods. The main issue is how 5e is set up; mods -3 to +3, advantage, simple skills, etc makes what you are trying to do harder then in other games where there is more room to play with the rules (and trade this for that).
Again I think 5e does a great job being in being simple, the interaction between tools and skills (just having skills IMHO makes it not as good) and it focus on simple rules (combat, spells, classes, etc) are amazing. But the problems with this type of system is when you try to add things to it and cracks appear in other areas.
Also as I stated above how the changes interact with other classes is very important.