I'd like to build a Ranger Character who is from a nocturnal race of Batfolk (aka Wildhunt Shifter) created by Neiflon, The Archfey Lord of Bats. This character has escaped the Feywild to roam the fields and forests of Toril.
Eventually, I'd like the character to be able to summon bats and turn into a giant bat. I know I need 8 levels of Druid to gain a Wildhshape flying speed.
I'm just not sure which Ranger and Druid subclass to start with. Which fighting style?
I'd use the Ranger Swarmkeeper subclass: "You magically attract a swarm of fey spirits that look like Tiny beasts of your choice."
For fighting style, I'd say either Archery or Defense, depending on if you're going to be primarily a ranged fighter when you use weapons, or if you're mostly going to be using spells. None of the current fighting styles Rangers have access to will help you when you're in your wildshape form, but take a look at the CFV UA ones: Blind Fighting might be thematic, though not always super useful, especially with your shifting feature. Maybe see what it looks like if it's in Tasha's. Unarmed Fighting is also a maybe, but you'd have to check how that would work versus the natural weapons of any beast you wildshape into, and I wouldn't be too surprised if this one gets tweaked a little before it gets printed.
Waterdeep provides stats for werebats, if you can convince your DM, and there's also the Cloak of the Bat, which doesn't let you transform into a large bat, but it might be easier to convince your DM tp let you tweak that.
If you do want to stick with Druid for wildshape, I'd suggest either maybe Shepherd, as it lets you converse with beasts, and the summoning abilities would up your bats' power a bit (mostly useful for swarms or giant bats, though).
Thanks I'll take a look at the Swarmkeeper subclass. I wasn't aware the werebats were in 5e. In past versions, you could play as monsters where your level equaled the HD of the monster. We are starting at level 10...I might be able my DM will let me play as a werebat PC with 2 or 3 levels of Ranger. I could skip the druid altogether then. That would be epic!
Tough call on the class levels though. The 8 levels in druid seem like a must have. What are you wanting to get out of the ranger levels in particular?
Tough call on the class levels though. The 8 levels in druid seem like a must have. What are you wanting to get out of the ranger levels in particular?
I want the character to feel more like a primal night hunter which is why I was leaning toward ranger. Druid just seemed like a means to get shapeshifting and summoning.
Ranger 3 for hunter will get you some great combat stuff that can be used in wild shape. Any ranger 5 will, of course, get extra attack, which also works with wild shape.
I love this idea, by the way!
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I'd like to build a Ranger Character who is from a nocturnal race of Batfolk (aka Wildhunt Shifter) created by Neiflon, The Archfey Lord of Bats. This character has escaped the Feywild to roam the fields and forests of Toril.
Eventually, I'd like the character to be able to summon bats and turn into a giant bat. I know I need 8 levels of Druid to gain a Wildhshape flying speed.
I'm just not sure which Ranger and Druid subclass to start with. Which fighting style?
Any ideas would be helpful!
I'd use the Ranger Swarmkeeper subclass: "You magically attract a swarm of fey spirits that look like Tiny beasts of your choice."
For fighting style, I'd say either Archery or Defense, depending on if you're going to be primarily a ranged fighter when you use weapons, or if you're mostly going to be using spells. None of the current fighting styles Rangers have access to will help you when you're in your wildshape form, but take a look at the CFV UA ones: Blind Fighting might be thematic, though not always super useful, especially with your shifting feature. Maybe see what it looks like if it's in Tasha's. Unarmed Fighting is also a maybe, but you'd have to check how that would work versus the natural weapons of any beast you wildshape into, and I wouldn't be too surprised if this one gets tweaked a little before it gets printed.
Waterdeep provides stats for werebats, if you can convince your DM, and there's also the Cloak of the Bat, which doesn't let you transform into a large bat, but it might be easier to convince your DM tp let you tweak that.
If you do want to stick with Druid for wildshape, I'd suggest either maybe Shepherd, as it lets you converse with beasts, and the summoning abilities would up your bats' power a bit (mostly useful for swarms or giant bats, though).
Birgit | Shifter | Sorcerer | Dragonlords
Shayone | Hobgoblin | Sorcerer | Netherdeep
Thanks I'll take a look at the Swarmkeeper subclass. I wasn't aware the werebats were in 5e. In past versions, you could play as monsters where your level equaled the HD of the monster. We are starting at level 10...I might be able my DM will let me play as a werebat PC with 2 or 3 levels of Ranger. I could skip the druid altogether then. That would be epic!
That's a fun idea to me!
Tough call on the class levels though. The 8 levels in druid seem like a must have. What are you wanting to get out of the ranger levels in particular?
I want the character to feel more like a primal night hunter which is why I was leaning toward ranger. Druid just seemed like a means to get shapeshifting and summoning.
Got it. So druid 8, at least.
Ranger 3 for hunter will get you some great combat stuff that can be used in wild shape. Any ranger 5 will, of course, get extra attack, which also works with wild shape.
I love this idea, by the way!