That's a slightly different discussion than talking about mechanics. From a min/max perspective, all Rangers need wisdom to improve their class features and then either strength or dexterity depending on their weapon. There are a bunch of races which help there:
Wood Elf
Half-Elf
Ghostwise Halfling
House Jorasco Halfling (Eberron)
Human
Aarakocra
Firbolg
Kenku
Tortle
Longtooth Shifter
Wildhunt Shifter
Centaur
There is very little advice to give on race beyond that without knowing if you want to roleplay something specific, but even if you don't look too much into all of the racial traits to see what you want to be able to do, just pick one that you think looks cool and don't mind being for the duration of the campaign. Then if the race gives a bonus to dex then you should lean towards a ranged weapon, or str then lean towards a melee weapon. Melee rangers will still need some dexterity for AC and many Ranger skills are dex based.
You also need to consider constitution for maintaining concentration on your spells and taking a hit, especially if you are a melee Ranger.
If you still need more advice please be a bit more specific. It would help to get down to your biggest issues rather than explain every possible option for a character build.
Since most of D&D takes place in tiers 1 and 2 (levels 1-10), Swarm ranger is basically just a damage mode with a few extra spells. The spells are decent, Faerie Fire is good, Web is a sleeper spell people forget about, and Gaseous Form is a decent escape option or allows for infiltration in a unique way. As far as actual build for the character, it mechanically functions like any other ranger meaning pick your weapon, get your dex to 20 (or strength if your a weirdo), have a decent wis to use your form across a handful of encounters, you probably don't need more than a +3 in it. Buy the appropriate weapon feats for what your doing, or maybe one of the more supportive ones if damage isn't a priority.
I was kicking around the idea of a Drow Swarmkeeper Ranger, jokingly calling him Batman, as I figured he's have swarm bats.
The swarm would weapon to wield against Mindflayers, as swarm's INT would be below the detection threshold, of the Elder Brain.
Currently, I Gloom Stalker (UA) Ranger, caught between a Beholder warring with a hive of illithids, in Waterdeep, as out growth of the recently completely Dragon Heist campaign.
I might have convinced (deceived) him into, thinking that the Illithids wanted to turn him into a Mindwitness, in an attempt to get out of my own trouble with him. His own paranoia kicked in, and here we are. And who's to say that the Illithids didn't have plans turn Xanatar into a Mindwitness, never can tell with Mindflayers, creepy bastards.
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Hey, i'm looking to play a swarmkeeper, but not sure about the details-any help?
'The Cleverness of mushrooms always surprises me!' - Ivern Bramblefoot.
I'll worldbuild for your DnD games!
Just a D&D enjoyer, check out my fiverr page if you need any worldbuilding done for ya!
Could you be more specific? What details are you having trouble with?
Everything!
'The Cleverness of mushrooms always surprises me!' - Ivern Bramblefoot.
I'll worldbuild for your DnD games!
Just a D&D enjoyer, check out my fiverr page if you need any worldbuilding done for ya!
Lol, ok. Can we assume you are at least familiar with the base Ranger so we can focus solely on the swarmkeeper mechanics?
Could you help with race and equipment more pls?
'The Cleverness of mushrooms always surprises me!' - Ivern Bramblefoot.
I'll worldbuild for your DnD games!
Just a D&D enjoyer, check out my fiverr page if you need any worldbuilding done for ya!
That's a slightly different discussion than talking about mechanics. From a min/max perspective, all Rangers need wisdom to improve their class features and then either strength or dexterity depending on their weapon. There are a bunch of races which help there:
There is very little advice to give on race beyond that without knowing if you want to roleplay something specific, but even if you don't look too much into all of the racial traits to see what you want to be able to do, just pick one that you think looks cool and don't mind being for the duration of the campaign. Then if the race gives a bonus to dex then you should lean towards a ranged weapon, or str then lean towards a melee weapon. Melee rangers will still need some dexterity for AC and many Ranger skills are dex based.
You also need to consider constitution for maintaining concentration on your spells and taking a hit, especially if you are a melee Ranger.
If you still need more advice please be a bit more specific. It would help to get down to your biggest issues rather than explain every possible option for a character build.
Thanks for the help, could you help with the swarmkeeper side more now pls.
'The Cleverness of mushrooms always surprises me!' - Ivern Bramblefoot.
I'll worldbuild for your DnD games!
Just a D&D enjoyer, check out my fiverr page if you need any worldbuilding done for ya!
Start by reading this: https://www.dndbeyond.com/classes/ranger#Swarmkeeper
:-)
---
Don't be Lawful Evil
Since most of D&D takes place in tiers 1 and 2 (levels 1-10), Swarm ranger is basically just a damage mode with a few extra spells. The spells are decent, Faerie Fire is good, Web is a sleeper spell people forget about, and Gaseous Form is a decent escape option or allows for infiltration in a unique way. As far as actual build for the character, it mechanically functions like any other ranger meaning pick your weapon, get your dex to 20 (or strength if your a weirdo), have a decent wis to use your form across a handful of encounters, you probably don't need more than a +3 in it. Buy the appropriate weapon feats for what your doing, or maybe one of the more supportive ones if damage isn't a priority.
I was kicking around the idea of a Drow Swarmkeeper Ranger, jokingly calling him Batman, as I figured he's have swarm bats.
The swarm would weapon to wield against Mindflayers, as swarm's INT would be below the detection threshold, of the Elder Brain.
Currently, I Gloom Stalker (UA) Ranger, caught between a Beholder warring with a hive of illithids, in Waterdeep, as out growth of the recently completely Dragon Heist campaign.
i probably do not want the spoilers but what have xanatar done do become the enemy of mind flayers?
also the gloom stalker is official now, you do not need to still use the UA,
i am soup, with too many ideas (all of them very spicy) who has made sufficient homebrew material and character to last an thousand human lifetimes
I might have convinced (deceived) him into, thinking that the Illithids wanted to turn him into a Mindwitness, in an attempt to get out of my own trouble with him. His own paranoia kicked in, and here we are. And who's to say that the Illithids didn't have plans turn Xanatar into a Mindwitness, never can tell with Mindflayers, creepy bastards.