Ranger 201: Best Spells for Rangers

Tags Ranger 101 author-damen-cook

Hopping through the trees and stalking through the night, the ranger embraces their divine connection to the natural forces around them. Do you use your limited magic to hide your tracks, enchant your weapons, or heal your allies? Take a look at our list of the 10 best ranger spells and equip your ranger for their dangerous journeys into the wilderness!

  1. Cordon of Arrows
  2. Ensnaring Strike
  3. Goodberry
  4. Flame Arrows / Lightning Arrow
  5. Guardian of Nature
  6. Healing Spirit
  7. Hunter’s Mark
  8. Pass Without Trace
  9. Steel Wind Strike
  10. Zephyr Strike

Playing a 'Half Caster'

Rangers are commonly referred to as “half casters,” as opposed to “full casters,” such as their cousin the druid. Half casters generally have access to fewer spells and acquire spell slots up to a maximum of 5th level, instead of 9th level like full casters. As such, this list will only feature spells of 1st through 5th level.

1. Cordon of Arrows

2nd-level transmutation

Defend your campsite from invisible or hidden foes with this 2nd-level ranger-exclusive spell. Cordon of arrows allows you to plant four arrows into the ground and, for the next 8 hours, these arrows will automatically strike at any creature who comes within 30 feet of them. (You can exempt your allies from this spell.) Folks should still keep watch because the spell doesn’t sound an alarm—but if an arrow suddenly flings itself at an empty space in the dead of night, you know that something is nearby and have a good indication of where it is. Hopefully, your arrow strikes it, triggering a yelp of pain that indicates whether your foe is a monster, beast, or person.

2. Ensnaring Strike

1st-level conjuration

An arrow flies from your bow, singing through the air and embedding itself into your target. The arrow shudders, twisting and writhing as thorny vines spread from the point of impact and wrap around your target, attempting to restrain and pierce it. 

Ensnaring strike is a staple for many rangers, as it only costs a bonus action and can grant you and your allies advantage on all attacks against a target. The extra damage each turn might not impact a fire giant very much, but hit a spellcaster with it and watch them make a Constitution saving throw at the start of every turn or drop concentration. Because a restrained target’s speed is 0, ensnaring strike could also prevent an enemy from escaping the area, gathering its allies, or approaching a downed ally.

Sometimes, slowing down many enemies is better than locking down a single target. In those situations, perhaps look to spike growth.

3. Goodberry

1st-level transmutation

Goodberry is a top-tier healing and utility spell, unique to the ranger and druid. You create 10 berries, each of which provide enough nourishment to sustain a creature for one day. Unless you find hunting and gathering really fun, eating one single berry does seem easier. Equally important, eating a berry restores 1 hit point. While that won’t be enough to satisfy a need for a potion or rest, it can bring an unconscious ally back up in a pinch.

If an ally is downed and has a goodberry on their person, they can be fed the goodberry as an action, bringing them back to consciousness with 1 hit point and resetting their death saving throws. A party of five can carry two goodberries each, eating them for nourishment at the end of the day if they haven’t needed to use them during combat.

4. Flame Arrows / Lightning Arrow

3rd-level transmutation

Light ‘em up.

At 9th level, the ranger can imbue their arrows with elemental magic. Flame arrows and lightning arrow present you with two options: Do you want to deal a modest amount of extra fire damage with your next 12 arrows (if you maintain concentration), or would you prefer to turn one arrow into a single explosive attack that deals guaranteed damage to all creatures in a 10-foot radius? 

If you can swing it, it may be worthwhile to prepare both spells. Hordes of monsters might warrant an area of effect like lightning arrow, whereas a single long-range target might take more damage from 12 fiery arrows. Plus, plenty of monsters simply resist one damage type but not the other.

5. Guardian of Nature

4th-level transmutation

Do you like advantage on your attacks? What about an increased walking speed, or extra damage, or temporary hit points? Whether you’re up close swinging your scimitar or far away firing your longbow, use guardian of nature to pick the thing you do best and do it better.

Guardian of nature transforms you into one of two powerful forms: the Primal Beast, generally for Strength-based rangers who want to deal extra damage, and the Great Tree, preferred by Dexterity- or Wisdom-based rangers who appreciate defensive bonuses.

Keep in mind that your ranger may have feats or abilities that affect the value of these transformations. For example, a ranger who already has darkvision out to 120 feet won’t benefit from one of the Primal Beast’s four benefits, just as a ranger with the War Caster feat won’t see as much benefit from one of the Great Tree’s. 

6. Healing Spirit

2nd-level conjuration

Healing spirit is widely regarded as one of the best out-of-combat healing spells. For a mere 2nd-level spell slot, a ranger with a +4 Wisdom modifier can distribute 5d6 healing among the party—that’s an average of 17 hit points, distributed among up to five creatures. 

Compare this to a 2nd-level cure wounds with the same spellcasting modifier, which would heal an average of 13 hit points to one creature. This spell can also be used during combat to create a square on the field that PCs can enter to restore hit points; you can also move this square to an unconscious ally’s space, healing them at the start of their turn and sparing them a death saving throw.

If you don’t have time for a short rest, save your healing potions and use healing spirit to give your party a reprieve.

7. Hunter’s Mark

1st-level divination

Hunter’s mark is sleek and simple: Do more damage, and don’t lose track of your foes. With this spell, you magically mark a foe, causing all of your weapon attacks to deal an additional 1d6 damage. If the enemy tries to flee, you have advantage on any Wisdom (Perception) or Wisdom (Survival) check you make to find it. Furthermore, when your initial quarry dies, you can use a bonus action to move the hunter’s mark to a new creature—no need to recast the spell. 

If you want to efficiently use your concentration to bring your damage output a bit closer to the party’s paladin or fighter, hunter’s mark is a great choice.

8. Pass Without Trace

An elven ranger in dark armor sits hidden in a tree

2nd-level abjuration

No longer need you fear the words, “Can I get a group Stealth check?”

Pass without trace gives you and everyone within 30 feet of you a +10 to your Dexterity (Stealth) checks for a full hour. During this time, your party leaves no physical traces of their passage and can only be tracked by magical means. Just stick close together and try not to roll any natural 1s!

9. Steel Wind Strike

5th-level conjuration

Steel wind strike is one of the ranger’s most powerful spells, available at 17th level. When you cast this spell, you flutter around the battlefield, striking up to five targets for 6d10 force damage each before teleporting to within 5 feet of any target. That’s an average of 33 damage per hit—and remember that force damage is one of the most valuable types because so few enemies are resistant to it. Combine this spell with guardian of nature’s Great Tree form to gain advantage on these attacks!

While steel wind strike is a potent display of magical power, rangers who prefer an area of effect should look to conjure volley.

10. Zephyr Strike

1st-level transmutation

Zephyr strike is a fun spell that allows you to ignore opportunity attacks for up to 1 minute, perfect for escaping a group of enemies. And it only costs a bonus action, allowing you to Dash if your situation requires it. 

Zephyr strike also grants an additional offensive and mobility boost, plus the flexibility to choose when to use it. For one turn of your choice during the spell’s duration, you can give yourself advantage on an attack, extra damage on that attack (if it hits), and a 30-foot increase to your walking speed. If you have a poisoned or enchanted arrow, use it with zephyr strike to help ensure it hits.

When you’re simply looking to increase your mobility, you may want to pick up longstrider. If you want to increase your mobility and hurt people when you walk by them, look to Ashardalon’s stride from Fizban’s Treasury of Dragons. 

Building a Ranger

Spells ready, quiver loaded, sword sharpened—you’re ready to go on an adventure. Use the D&D Beyond character builder to assign your ability scores, pick your weapons, and select some spells! 

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Damen Cook (@damen_joseph) is a lifelong fantasy reader, writer, and gamer. If he woke up tomorrow in Faerûn, he would bolt through the nearest fey crossing and drink from every stream and eat fruit from every tree in the Feywild until he found that sweet, sweet wild magic.

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