I want to like the ranger subclass, and a lot of the positives pointed out here about it are really great, but I'm hung up on the limited duration of the drake. It's the entire focus of the subclass, and you can only summon it once, and it only sticks around for a couple hours? With a lot of its utility being combat-based, I can see the duration getting chucked out the window or adjusted by DMs of RP-heavy campaigns. I'd like to tweak it overall for more non-combat abilities. Maybe find familiar-esque sense sharing, or limited telepathy.

Quote from pocketmouse >>

I want to like the ranger subclass, and a lot of the positives pointed out here about it are really great, but I'm hung up on the limited duration of the drake. It's the entire focus of the subclass, and you can only summon it once, and it only sticks around for a couple hours? With a lot of its utility being combat-based, I can see the duration getting chucked out the window or adjusted by DMs of RP-heavy campaigns. I'd like to tweak it overall for more non-combat abilities. Maybe find familiar-esque sense sharing, or limited telepathy.

 It can be summoned more then once, its just that the first time is free and each subsequent time you must use a spell slot of 1st level or higher to summon it again. It works like the Artillerist's Cannon.

If the drake dies you can resummon it, unlike with the Beast Master where if your animal companion dies, you must find a new beast and then bond with it for 8 hours before you can use the beast again. Even with the Revised Ranger, you had to wait 8 hours and spend 25 gold to revive your beast. 

The fact that both the summoning and the Drake’s Breath costs spell slots to use more then once, and the lack of Subclass specific prepared spells, I feel like this subclass is designed around less spell usage. 

I just realized that this ranger subclass is the only ranger subclass since the PHB to not receive an additional known spells list. Strange. I would love it if they did get one (absorb elements, dragon's breath, protection from energy, and others like this). 

Quote from pocketmouse >>

I want to like the ranger subclass, and a lot of the positives pointed out here about it are really great, but I'm hung up on the limited duration of the drake. It's the entire focus of the subclass, and you can only summon it once, and it only sticks around for a couple hours? With a lot of its utility being combat-based, I can see the duration getting chucked out the window or adjusted by DMs of RP-heavy campaigns. I'd like to tweak it overall for more non-combat abilities. Maybe find familiar-esque sense sharing, or limited telepathy.

I agree. The companion should definitely be automatic and permanent, and bringing it back if it dies should take a 1st-level spell slot (like the Steel Defender). 

I will admit that I would have liked a spell known list too.

I'm not too bothered by the way the companion is handled but wouldn't mind it being permanent too. Though if they allowed the Drake to be revived with a spell slot and didn't errata the beast master with the same feature that would suck.

Permanence could be a problem, at least at high levels. Your Drake will eventually become Large and grows wings/gills, making it literally the most conspicuous thing a Ranger could have. Stealth missions and tight dungeons become really hard when your Drake has to follow you around. If you get to summon it, on the other hand, you can help the situation if it goes awry. Also, you can just resummon your drake when its time wears off.

The beast master already sucks. Why hold back one subclass just to make it not better than the suck-y subclass? 
(I do agree, TCoE or eratta should give an easier way to get back your animal companion.)

Why not allow the drake to come and go, like a familiar, while still being permanent? Then you can transport it without raising suspicion, but not be limited by your spell slots to summon it. 

(Wow, it seems like the more I comment on fixing some quirks with the Drakewarden, the more it becomes my Dragon Rider.)

Quote from Third_Sundering >>

The beast master already sucks. Why hold back one subclass just to make it not better than the suck-y subclass? 
(I do agree, TCoE or eratta should give an easier way to get back your animal companion.)

 I think errata to make the beast companion of the beast master handle like the Drake companion would definitely be a step in the right direction. 

Not that I was implying that the Drakewarden's features should be downgraded. More just lamenting that I want the beast master to be better. 

Quote from Third_Sundering >>

Why not allow the drake to come and go, like a familiar, while still being permanent? Then you can transport it without raising suspicion, but not be limited by your spell slots to summon it. 

(Wow, it seems like the more I comment on fixing some quirks with the Drakewarden, the more it becomes my Dragon Rider.)

 I mean, it is a good homebrew you made there.

The Drake being a familiar sounds awesome. I can see just summoning and resummoning like it's a Pokemon. 

Thanks! 

So, yeah. I like this UA, but basically only for its theme. The Ascendant Dragon Monk needs to change how it fuels some of its abilities, but this is already a step in the right direction when compared to other monk subclasses. The Drakewarden Ranger either needs to be more Drake or more Dragon, and either get rid of the "warden" part of their name, or have it actually make sense. 

Ascendant Dragon monk sounds more like "better 4 elements with mild dragon flavor" monk, honestly. Drakewarden is awesome, I have nearly no complaints. I just want more Dragon subclasses.

Same here. I might try and fill out the survey for these subclasses. I've never done a survey before (having only discovered that surveys were a thing a month or two ago)

Quote from EddyJ >>

All of this design space is amazing. As much as I love the draconic sorcerer, I want to share the love with the other classes.

That said... what the heck Wizards, where's my Dragon patron for the warlock? :(

 I mean, you could do an Undead Warlock with a Dracolich patron. It's not the same, but it's something...

(Or an Undying one... But who cares about the Undying, right?)

These subclasses are basically just differently themed better versions of bad subclasses in already lacking classes. The Ascendant Dragon Monk is basically a Four-Elements Monk that doesn't have to (but can) give their only resource pool to use their subclass's whole shtick. Monks already are one of the worst classes, and this draconic "fix" of the worst subclasses of one of the worst classes is definitely going to be appreciated. The Drakewarden is just a better Beast Master Ranger with a dragon/drake/(drakon?) suit, combined with a familiar. Again, a "fix" for the worst subclass of the worst class in the game. 

The survey hasn't been released yet. To test the sub-classes, I'm planning to run a one-shot with my friends. Any story ideas? I came up with a tried but true: a gang lead by a dragon is threatening the town. Beat up some kobolds and lizardfolk, final boss is a Wyrmling.

Reading the new UA, I was disappointed that the so-called Drake Companion feels more like a summon than a companion. Happy to see I wasn't the only one to feel that way.

I missed the part about it being resummonable with a 1st level spell slot, thanks for pointing that out. Though that doesn't help a half-caster much at lower levels. Still, I'd rather it be retooled to have more utility out of combat, which would be balanced by lowering some of the higher-level powers. As it currently stands, I can't ever see myself picking this subclass as in the majority of sessions I'd have no way to use any of the subclass features.

I just noticed that the Drake Companion has no alignment. It's strange that it has no alignment, but isn't listed as "unaligned," like other creatures without an alignment. It's also strange that it doesn't have an alignment, as even Steel Defenders have an alignment.