Ranger
Coated with leaves, branches, and soot, a human stalks alone through the shadows of trees, skulking behind a pack of trolls marked by a bounty. Clutching a shortsword in each hand, he becomes a whirlwind of steel, cutting down one enemy after another.
A half-orc, eyes burning with anger, quickly deflects the magical influence of an vampire. As her comrades rush in to flank the hissing monster, she trains her crossbow at its chest. Muttering under her breath, she looses a bolt as it bursts into flames.
Holding her hand high, a half-elf whistles to the hawk that circles high above her, calling the bird back to her side. Whispering instructions in Elvish, she points to the owlbear she's been tracking and sends the hawk to distract the creature while she rushes in, pulling the maul off her back.
Far from the bustle of cities and towns, the biting wind whistles as a cloaked man stalks through tall, dead grass amid the cold tundras of winter. Crouching low, he examines a large set of tracks as a shadow slowly looms over the hill. He looks up, tightening his grip on the bow in his hand.
Worldly Denizens
Rangers specialize in interacting and fighting within the landscape around them. Some explore and wander freely, while others try to simply settle down and live in peace as best they can. Should they find themselves in combat, rangers have learned techniques that can readily adapt to specific foes to deadly effect.
Thanks to their familiarity with the wilds and the need to survive, rangers tend to acquire the ability to cast spells that harness nature's power, much as a druid does. Some will say that it's a pale imitation, but it is just another tool to aid in survival. Regardless of origin, these abilities, like their combat abilities, emphasize speed, stealth, and the hunt.
Independent Adventurers
Though a ranger might make a living as a hunter, a guide, or a tracker, a ranger's true calling is to adapt to and master the physical world around them. In some places, rangers gather in secretive orders or join forces with druidic circles. Many rangers, though, are independent almost to a fault, knowing that, when a dragon or a band of orcs attacks, a ranger might be the first - and possibly the last - line of defense.
This fierce independence makes rangers well suited to adventuring, since they are accustomed to life far from the comforts of a dry bed and a hot bath. Faced with city-bred adventurers who grouse and whine about the hardships of the wild, rangers respond with some mixture of amusement, frustration, and compassion. But they quickly learn that other adventurers who can carry their own weight in a fight against a merciless foe in the wild are worth any extra burden. Coddled city folk might not know how to feed themselves or find fresh water in the wild, but they make up for it in other ways.
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The Ranger
| Level | Proficiency Bonus |
Features | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | 5th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | +2 | Field Medic, Wayfarer | — | — | — | — | — | |
| 2nd | +2 | Fighting Style, Spellcasting, Predatory Focus | 2 | — | — | — | — | |
| 3rd | +2 | Primeval Whispers, Ranger Conclave | 3 | — | — | — | — | |
| 4th | +2 | Ability Score Improvement | 3 | — | — | — | — | |
| 5th | +3 | Extra Attack | 4 | 2 | — | — | — | |
| 6th | +3 | Hide in Plain Sight | 4 | 2 | — | — | — | |
| 7th | +3 | Ranger Conclave Feature | 4 | 3 | — | — | — | |
| 8th | +3 | Ability Score Improvement, Fleet of Foot | 4 | 3 | — | — | — | |
| 9th | +4 | — | 4 | 3 | 2 | — | — | |
| 10th | +4 | Evasion | 4 | 3 | 2 | — | — | |
| 11th | +4 | Ranger Conclave Feature | 4 | 3 | 3 | — | — | |
| 12th | +4 | Ability Score Improvement | 4 | 3 | 3 | — | — | |
| 13th | +5 | — | 4 | 3 | 3 | 1 | — | |
| 14th | +5 | Pathfinder, Wayfarer Improvement | 4 | 3 | 3 | 1 | — | |
| 15th | +5 | Ranger Conclave Feature | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2 | — | |
| 16th | +5 | Ability Score Improvement | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2 | — | |
| 17th | +6 | — | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 1 | |
| 18th | +6 | Feral Senses | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 1 | |
| 19th | +6 | Ability Score Improvement | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | |
| 20th | +6 | Wildblooded | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 |
Creating a Ranger
As you create your ranger character, consider the nature of the training that gave you your particular capabilities. Did you train with a single mentor, wandering the wilds together until you mastered the ranger's ways? Did you leave your apprenticeship, or was your mentor slain - perhaps by the same kind of monster that became your favored enemy? Or perhaps you learned your skills as part of a band of rangers affiliated with a druidic circle, trained in mystic paths as well as wilderness lore. You might be self-taught, a recluse who learned combat skills, tracking, and even a magical connection to nature through the necessity of surviving in the wilds.
What's the source of your particular hatred of a certain kind of enemy? Did a monster kill someone you loved or destroy your home village? Or is your adventuring career a continuation of your work in protecting the borderlands, or a significant change? What made you join up with a band of adventurers? Do you find it challenging to teach new allies the ways of the wild, or do you welcome the relief from solitude that they offer?
Quick Build
To quickly generate a playable ranger, Make Dexterity your highest ability score, and wisdom your second. (It can also be valid to choose strength, if you plan to use some melee weapons). Choose a shortsword for your melee weapon, and leather for your armor. Outlander is a thematic background choice.
Class Features
As a ranger, you gain the following class features.
Hit Points
- Hit Dice: 1d10 per ranger Level.
- Hit Points at 1st Level: 10 + your Constitution modifier.
- Hit Points at Higher Levels: 1d10 (or 6) + your Constitution modifier per ranger level after 1st.
Proficiencies
- Armor: Light armor, medium armor, shields
- Weapons: Simple weapons, martial weapons
- Tools: None
- Saving Throws: Strength, Dexterity
- Skills: Choose three skills from Animal Handling, Athletics, Insight, Investigation, Nature, Perception, and Stealth
Equipment
You start with the following equipment, in addition to the equipment granted by your background:
- (a) scale mail or (b) leather armor
- (a) two shortswords or (b) two simple weapons
- (a) a dungeoneer's pack or (b) an explorer's pack
- A long bow and a quiver of 20 arrows.
Field Medic
Starting at 1st level, you are able to provide quality treatment of injuries with limited time and resources. Once per short rest, each creature that spends at least one hit die may gain temporary hitpoints equal to 1d6 + half your ranger level.
Wayfarer
Starting at 1st level, you are more than adaptable enough traverse, survive, and guide in the wilds. You gain proficiency in the Survival skill if you do not already have it. You add double your proficiency bonus to checks using this skill instead of your normal proficiency bonus.
You also learn an additional language when you gain this feature. You learn another language at 14th level.
Fighting Style
At 2nd level, you adopt a particular style of fighting as your specialty. Choose one of the following options. You can't take a Fighting Style option more than once, even if you later get to choose again.
Close-Quarters Shooter
Being within 5 feet of a hostile creature doesn’t impose disadvantage on your ranged attack rolls.
Defense
While you are wearing armor, you gain a +1 bonus to AC.
Dueling
When you are wielding a melee weapon in one hand and no other weapons, you gain a +2 bonus to damage rolls with that weapon.
Whirling Blades
When you engage in two-weapon fighting, you make the additional attack as part of the Attack action, instead of as a bonus action. You can't make a weapon attack as part of a bonus action on the same turn you engage in two-weapon fighting.
Spellcasting
By the time you reach 2nd level, you have learned to use the magical essence of nature to cast spells, much as a druid does. See chapter 10 for the general rules of spellcasting.
Spell Slots
The Ranger table shows how many spell slots you have to cast your spells of 1st level and higher. To cast one of these spells, you must expend a slot of the spell's level or higher. You regain all expended spell slots when you finish a long rest. For example, if you know the 1st-level spell animal friendship and have a 1st-level and a 2nd-level spell slot available, you can cast animal friendship using either slot.
Preparing and Casting Spells
The ranger table shows how many spell slots you have to cast your ranger spells. To cast one of your ranger spells of 1st level or higher, you must expend a spell slot of the spell's level or higher. You regain all expended spell slots when you finish a long rest.
You prepare the list of ranger spells that are available for you to cast, choosing from the ranger spell list. When you do so, choose a number of ranger spells equal to your Wisdom modifier + half your ranger level, rounded down (minimunm of one spell). The spells must be of a level for which you have spell slots.
Casting the spell doesn't remove it from your list of prepared spells. You can change your list of prepared spells when you finish a long rest. Preparing a new list of ranger spells requires time focusing inward and recalling your experiences: at least 1 minute per spell level for each spell on your list.
Spellcasting Ability
Wisdom is your spellcasting ability for your ranger spells, since your magic draws on your attunement to nature. You use your Wisdom whenever a spell refers to your spellcasting ability. In addition, you use your Wisdom modifier when setting the saving throw DC for a ranger spell you cast and when making an attack roll with one.
Spell Save DC = 8 + your proficiency bonus +
Spell attack modifier = your proficiency bonus +
Predatory Focus
Beginning at 2nd level, you learn how to split your attention against a variety of enemies without losing efficiency.
As a bonus action, you can expend a spell slot to mark a number of creatures you can see within 90 feet of you as your quarry. You mark one creature using a 1st-level spell slot, plus an additional creature for each spell slot higher than 1st, to a maximum of five creatures. A target is marked until it is reduced to 0 hit points or you finish a short or long rest. A creature can only have one mark on it at a time.
Once per turn you may move up to 15 feet without provoking opportunity attacks and make a weapon attack against a creature marked by you if it makes an attack or uses an action that does not include you as its target. This attack does not use your reaction and does not count as an opportunity attack.
You also gain advantage in Perception and Survival checks made to track a quarry.
Primeval Whispers
Beginning at 3rd level, your mastery of ranger lore allows you to establish a link to beasts and to the land around you. You now have an innate ability read a beast's basic mood and intent. You learn its emotional state, whether it is affected by magic of any sort, its short-term needs (such as food or safety).
Additionally, you can concentrate for 1 minute as if concentrating on a spell. When you finish, you detect the presence of one of the following creature types: beasts fey, undead, monstrosities, aberrations, celestials, constructs, dragons, elementals, fiends, or giants. You can sense whether your choice is present within 1 mile of you. This feature reveals the general direction, types, and rough quantity (small or large). You can use this feature a number of times equal to your Wisdom modifier. You regain all uses at the end of a long rest.
Ranger Conclave
At 3rd level, you choose to emulate the ideology, training, or legacy of a ranger conclave. Your choice grants you features at 3rd level and again at 7th, 11th, and 15th level.
Extra Attack
Beginning at 5th level, you can attack twice, instead of once, whenever you take the Attack action on your turn.
Hide in Plain Sight
Starting at 6th level, you can use the Hide action as a bonus action on your turn.
Additionally, you can spend 1 minute to don or doff camouflage over your armor and clothing. To do so, you must have access to fresh mud, dirt, plants, soot, and other naturally occurring materials with which to create your camouflage. This camouflage lasts until removed or destroyed by rough conditions.
Once you are camouflaged in this way, while you press against a solid surface, such as a tree or wall, that is at least as tall and as wide as you are, you gain a +10 bonus to Dexterity (Stealth) checks.
To remain camouflaged in this way while within a creature's sight, you can't move more than 5 feet during a single turn or take any actions; once you do, you must remain unseen by that creature for at least 1 full round while camouflaged to regain this benefit.
Fleet of Foot
Starting at 8th level, you can move an additional 30 feet as a bonus action on your turn.
Evasion
Starting at 10th level, when you are subjected to an effect, such as a red dragon’s fiery breath or a Lightning Bolt spell, that allows you to make a Dexterity saving throw to take only half damage, you instead take no damage if you succeed on the saving throw, and only half damage if you fail.
Pathfinder
Starting at 14th level, you begin to see more efficient paths through the natural realm and can draw on that knowledge when moving through magical imitations. You ignore the effects of nonmagical difficult terrain and instead move twice your speed through that terrain.
In addition, you have advantage on saving throws against any spell or effect that would impede movement.
Feral Senses
At 18th level, you gain preternatural senses that help you fight creatures you can’t see. When you attack a creature you can’t see, your inability to see it doesn’t impose disadvantage on your attack rolls against it. You are also aware of the location of any invisible creature within 30 feet of you, provided that the creature isn’t hidden from you and you aren’t blinded or deafened.
Savage Sovereign
At 20th level, as an unparalleled master of your craft, your very presence causes others to instinctively follow your movements. Allies within 30 feet that can see you also benefit from the hide in plain sight, evasion, and pathfinder features.
Additionally, you add 2d8 to damage rolls against creatures marked by your predatory focus feature.
Ranger Conclaves
The ranger has two classic expressions: The Hunter and the Beast Master. However, there are countless others: Gloom Stalker, Horizon Walker, Monster Slayer, and many more.
Hunter
Choosing the Hunter conclaves means accepting your place as a force that exists between civilization and the wilderness. As you walk the Hunter's path, you learn techniques for fighting the threats you face, from rampaging ogres and hordes of orcs to towering giants and terrifying dragons.
Hunter's Magic
Starting at 3rd level, you learn an additional spell when you reach certain levels in this class, as shown in the Hunter Spells table. The spell counts as a ranger spell for you, but it doesn't count against the number of rangers spells you know.
Hunter Spells
| Ranger level | Features |
|---|---|
| 3rd | bane |
| 5th | see invisibility |
| 9th | slow |
| 13th | locate creature |
| 17th | hold monster |
Specialty Tactics
At 3rd level, you gain one of the following features of your choice.
Target Wounds: You capitalize on a foe's wounds. When you hit a creature with a weapon attack, the creature takes an extra 1d8 damage if it's below its hit point maximum. You can deal this extra damage only once per turn.
Bring Low: When a creature within 5 feet of you misses you with an attack, you can use your reaction to attack that creature immediately after its attack, provided that you can see the creature. If the creature is Large or larger, you make the attack at advantage.
Horde Breaker: Once on each of your turns when you make a weapon attack, you can make another attack with the same weapon against a different creature that is within 5 feet of the original target and within range of your weapon.
Unyielding Predator
At 7th level, you gain one of the following features of your choice.
Escape the Horde: Opportunity attacks against you are made with disadvantage.
Multiattack Defense: When a creature hits you with an attack, you gain a +4 bonus to AC against all subsequent attacks made by that creature for the rest of the turn.
Steel Will: You have advantage on saving throws against being frightened or charmed.
Multiattack
At 11th level, you gain one of the following features of your choice.
Volley: You can use your action to make a ranged Attack against any number of creatures within 10 feet of a point you can see within your weapon's range. You must have ammunition for each target, as normal, and you make a separate attack roll for each target.
Whirlwind Attack: You can use your action to make a melee weapon attack against any number of creatures within 5 feet of you, with a separate attack roll for each target.
Superior Reflexes
At 15th level, you gain one of the following feature's of your choice.
Stand Against the Tide: When a hostile creature misses you with a melee Attack, you can use your reaction to force that creature to repeat the same Attack against another creature (other than itself) of your choice.
Uncanny Dodge: When an attacker that you can see hits you with an Attack, you can use your reaction to halve the attack’s damage against you.
Beast Master
Beast Masters are rangers that have developed an especially close bond with nature and call upon an animal companion to fight alongside them.
Beast Master Magic
Starting at 3rd level, you learn an additional spell when you reach certain levels in this class, as shown in the Beast Master Spells table. The spell counts as a ranger spell for you, but it doesn't count against the number of rangers spells you know.
Beast Master Spells
| Ranger level | Features |
|---|---|
| 3rd | command |
| 5th | spider climb |
| 9th | life transference |
| 13th | charm monster |
| 17th | rary's telepathic bond |
Animal Companion
At 3rd level, you learn to use your magic to create a powerful bond with a creature of the natural world.
With 8 hours of work, you call forth a creature from the wilderness to serve as your faithful companion. You normally select your companion from among the following animals: an ape, a black bear, a boar, a giant badger, a giant weasel, a mule, a panther, or a wolf. However, you are not limited by these choices. Your DM might also pick another creature for you, based on the surrounding terrain and on what types of creatures would logically be present in the area.
At the end of the 8 hours, you form a bond with an animal companion. It gains all the benefits of your Companion's Bond ability. You can have only one animal companion at a time.
If you use this ability to return a former animal companion to life while you have a current animal companion, your current companion leaves you and is replaced by the restored companion.
Companion's Bond
Your animal companion gains a variety of benefits while it is linked to you.
Your animal companion uses your proficiency bonus rather than its own. In addition to the areas where it normally uses its proficiency bonus, an animal companion also adds that bonus to its AC and damage rolls.
Your animal companion gains proficiency in three saving throws of your choice, and another three saving throw proficiencies at 15th level.
For each level you gain after 3rd, your animal companion gains an additional hit die and increases its hit points accordingly. Whenever you gain the Ability Score Improvement class feature, your companion's ability scores also improve under the same restrictions as you.
The beast obeys your commands as best as it can. It takes its turn on your initiative but acts after you. It doesn’t take an action unless you command it to. On your turn, you can verbally command the beast what to do and where to move as a bonus action. The beast will carry out the command until it is unable to or commanded to do something else. However, your companion cannot use its Multiattack action if it has it.
Like any creature, the beast can spend Hit Dice during a short rest. If you are incapacitated or absent, the beast acts on its own, focusing on protecting you and itself. It never requires your command to use its reaction, such as when making an opportunity attack.
You can have your animal companion use its reaction to make one attack in place of you if it also is commanded to take the Attack action.
Bolstered Bond
At 7th level, while your companion can see you, it has advantage on all saving throws.
Storm of Claws and Fangs
At 11th level, as a bonus action, you command your companion to use its action to make a melee attack against each creature of its choice within 5 feet of it, with a separate attack roll for each target.
Defensive Teamwork
At 15th level, whenever a creature that you or your companion can see hits it with an attack, the other can use its reaction to halve the damage taken from the attack if it is adjacent to the target.
Appendix
Unused/Scrapped Ideas
Worldly Guide
You are more than adaptable enough to navigate and lead others around but excel in certain locales.
You have advantage on initiative rolls and gain the following benefits when traveling for an hour or more:
- Difficult terrain doesn’t slow your group’s travel.
- Even when you are engaged in another activity while traveling (such as foraging, navigating, or tracking), you remain alert to danger.
- Your group can move stealthily at a normal pace.
- While tracking other creatures, you also learn their sizes and how long ago they passed through the area.
You also select a favored terrain from the following list: Arctic, Coast/Sea, Desert, Forest, Grassland, Open Sky, Swamp, Subterranea/Ruins (Underground), Urban/Ruins (Above ground). You gain the following benefits while in your favored terrain:
- When you make an Intelligence or Wisdom check related to your selected terrains, you add your proficiency modifier to the roll. If you already add proficiency for that check, your proficiency is doubled for that roll.
- On the first turn during combat, you have advantage on attack rolls against creatures that have not yet acted.
You gain an additional favored terrain at 6th level, and again at 10th level.
Ranger's Quarry
Beginning at 1st level, you can handle any creature that comes your way, but excel at dispatching certain types.
Choose one of the following options for a favored enemy. You may select from the following: beasts, humanoids, fey, undead, monstrosities, aberrations, celestials, constructs, dragons, elementals, fiends, or giants. If you pick “humanoids,” you instead pick two from the subcategories listed at the end of this feature.
When you gain this feature, you also gain one additional language that your favored enemy could possibly speak, if any. Additionally, you have advantage on Wisdom (Survival) checks to track your selected enemy types, as well as Intelligence checks to recall information about them.
Starting at 2nd level, you gain the following bonuses:
- You learn the hunter’s mark spell. This does not count against the number of ranger spells known.
- You may cast hunter’s mark at 1st-level without using a bonus action or spell slots as part of an attack once per short or long rest.
- When you attack your favored enemy type while under the effects of your hunter’s mark spell, you score a critical hit on a 19-20.
You choose one additional favored enemy, as well as one associated language, at 6th and 14th level.
| Humanoid Subcategory | Humanoids Included |
|---|---|
| Aquatic | Sahuagin, Sea Spawn, Aquatic Elves, Triton |
| Bestials | Aarakocra, Flind/Gnoll, Jackalwere, Kenku, Lycanthrope, Tabaxi, Thri-kreen, Minotaurs |
| Deep-Dwellers | Deep Scion, Drow, Duergar, Grimlock, Quaggoth, Svirfneblin, Troglodyte, Xvart |
| Demi-Humans | Dwarf, Elf (Wood, High, Eladrin), Halfling, Half-Elf, Human, Gnome (Forest, Tinker), Goliath |
| Goblinoid | Bugbear, Goblin, Hobgoblin, Half-Orc, Nilbog, Orc, Orog |
| Outsiders | Aasimar, Firbolg, Genasi, Githyanki, Githzerai, Tiefling |
| Reptilians | Dragonborn, Half-Dragon, Kobold, Lizardfolk, Yuan-ti |
General Credits
This document was made by No Laifu (u/the15thpaladin). Special Thanks for people on the r/DnD5CommunityRanger and Matt Colville's Discord in helping me form ideas and polish this off. Special Thanks to these individuals in particular:
- McDom
- Okra the Bugbear (u/o-kra)
- Skrzynek the Mimic
- Entrench (u/devikyn)
- Rangerpool
- EL-GBT
- Ursaskye
Art Credits
I, No Laifu (u/the15thpaladin), don't own ANY of the pieces of art used in this document, nor do I profit from any of them, nor do I intend to profit from any of them in any capacity. If this document is circulated at cost, it is being sold illegally.
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Image on Page 1 is made and owned by Will O'Brien (source: http://www.epilogue.net/art/45522-ranger).
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Image on Page 7 is made and owned by Cristi-B (source: https://www.deviantart.com/cristi-b/art/Falconer-349601676)
Major Changelog
September, 2019
- 1st level feature Wayfarer broken into two features: Field Medic and Wayfarer.
- Moved Naturalist feature [renamed to Pathfinder].
- Lumped Hide in Plain Sight and part of Vanish into one feature.
- Moved Fighting Style feature to 2nd level to be more in line with paladin's schematic.
- Removed Archery and Two-Weapon Fighting fighting styles.
- Introduced Whirling Blades fighting style.
- Reworked Capstone's effects.
- Miscellaneous description/image edits/corrections.
- Removed XGtE subclasses as no important changes were necessary.
- Extra Attack feature added back to main class.
- Beast Master rangers gain an extra clause at the end of Companion's Bond feature.
June, 2019
- New 2nd level feature finalized (Predatory focus); removal of Ranger's Quarry. Previous version can been seen in "Scrapped Ideas."
- Rebalance of Primeval Whispers feature (tentative).
- Beast Master subclass function change; BMs now command their animal companion using a bonus action; detailed further in feature.
- Wayfarer feature healing receives slight nerf; rather than 1d6 + ranger level, it is now 1d6 + half ranger level.
March, 2019
- Development of the Predatory Focus feature.
- Minor subclass ability changes/renaming.
- Rebalancing CQS fighting style.
January, 2019
- Design philosophy change. "Keep what isn't broken." Reversion of multiple features to PHB with minor buffs/rescaling.
- Removal of Favored Terrain feature, replacing with Wayfarer feature.
October, 2018
- Changed/added new subclass features.
- Changes to later ranger features to empower them.
September, 2018
- Nerf to Expert Wayfarer. Removed ignoring difficult terrain.
- Renamed Expert Wayfarer to Naturalist/Worldly Guide/ETC.
- Introduced Ranger's Quarry feature, replacing Favored Enemy while heavily borrowing from it
- Changes to Primeval Awareness to open utility based on presence of favored enemies.
- Hide in Plain Sight moved to 6th level rather than 10th level. Minor improvements to the feature for clarity/QoL
- Evasion feature added to 10th level; Expert Wayfarer feature added to 14th level.
- Added CQS fighting style.
- Trailblazer feature reinstated.
- Capstone changed to Wild Warden.
August, 2018
- Level 8 feature (Trailblazer/Land's Stride/etc) feature reverted to RR's Fleet of Foot feature. Added advantage clause against magical plants.
- Primeval Whispers feature reverted to RR's Primeval Awareness with a limitation to Wisdom modifer/day
- Nerf to new capstone: reduced damage dice of hunter's mark spell improvement.
- Introduced minor changes to subclasses to accomodate Favored Enemy/Terrain features/spell lists.
July 27, 2018
- Initial Project Started; rough draft released as the ARRNAF (Another Ranger Rebalancing Nobody Asked For) Ranger.