The Community Ranger
Proposal-Version 1.0
Created by r/DnD5CommunityRanger with GM Binder
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 from Animal Handling, Acrobatics, Athletics, History, Insight, Investigation, Medicine, Nature, Perception, Stealth, and Survival
Equipment
You start with the following equipment, in addition to the equipment granted by your background:
- (a) leather armor or (b) scale mail
- (a) a dungeoneer's pack or (b) an explorer's pack
- two melee weapons
- a ranged weapon and a quiver of 20 pieces of ammunition
Hunter's Mark
Beginning at 1st level, you can focus your senses onto a single creature, mystically marking it as your quarry.
As a bonus action, choose one creature you can see within 90 feet of you. The target is marked for 24 hours or until you use this feature to target another creature. The mark vanishes early if the target dies or you die. Until the mark vanishes, you gain the following benefits:
- Your attacks against the target deal additional damage, as shown in the Hunter's Mark Bonus Damage column of the Ranger table.
- You have advantage on any Wisdom (Perception) or Wisdom (Survival) check to find the target.
Whenever 24 hours have passed, you can expend an additional use to extend the duration of your current mark for another 24 hours. You don't need to see the target to extend the duration in this way.
Once you have used this feature the number of times shown for your ranger level in the Hunter's Mark Uses column of the Ranger table, you must finish a long rest before you can use it again.
Hunter's Mark - Spell or Ability?
Using this variant, the hunter's mark spell is removed from the ranger's spell list and doesn't stack with the ability of the same name.
The spell is meant to be a substitute of the ranger ability, usable by other classes.
Natural Explorer
You have a natural talent to roam the world and explore deep forests and forgotten dungeons. You gain the following benefits:
- You have advantage on all Wisdom (Survival) checks.
- You can read the basic mood and intent of wild animals with a successful Wisdom (Animal Handling) check. You learn their emotional state, whether they are affected by magic of any sort, their short-term needs (such as food or safety), and actions you can take (if any) to persuade them to not attack.
- Moving through non-magical difficult terrain costs you no extra movement.
- You can pass through non-magical plants without being slowed by them and without taking damage from them if they have thorns, spines, or a similar hazard.
- You can move stealthily while traveling at a normal pace.
- You don't suffer the -5 penalty to your passive Wisdom (Perception) score while traveling at a fast pace.
- Even when you are engaged in another activity while traveling (such as foraging, navigating, or tracking), you remain alert to danger.
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.
Archery
You gain a +2 bonus to attack rolls you make with ranged weapons.
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.
Great Weapon Fighting
When you roll a 1 or 2 on a damage die for an attack you make with a melee weapon that you are wielding with two hands, you can reroll the die and must use the new roll, even if the new roll is a 1 or a 2. The weapon must have the two-handed or versatile property for you to gain this benefit.
Two-Weapon Fighting
When you engage in two-weapon fighting, you can add your ability modifier to the damage of the second attack.
The Community Ranger | by r/DnD5CommunityRanger
The Community Ranger
| Level | Proficiency Bonus |
Features | Hunter's Mark Bonus Damage |
Hunter's Mark Uses |
1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | 5th |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | +2 | Hunter's Mark, Natural Explorer | 1d4 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2nd | +2 | Fighting Style, Spellcasting | 1d4 | 2 | 2 | — | — | — | — |
| 3rd | +2 | Primeval Awareness, Ranger Archetype | 1d4 | 2 | 3 | — | — | — | — |
| 4th | +2 | Ability Score Improvement | 1d4 | 2 | 3 | — | — | — | — |
| 5th | +3 | Ranger Archetype feature | 1d6 | 3 | 4 | 2 | — | — | — |
| 6th | +3 | Skirmisher | 1d6 | 3 | 4 | 2 | — | — | — |
| 7th | +3 | Ranger Archetype feature | 1d6 | 3 | 4 | 3 | — | — | — |
| 8th | +3 | Ability Score Improvement | 1d6 | 3 | 4 | 3 | — | — | — |
| 9th | +4 | Expertise, Know your Prey | 1d6 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 2 | — | — |
| 10th | +4 | Heightened Senses | 1d6 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 2 | — | — |
| 11th | +4 | Ranger Archetype feature | 1d8 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | — | — |
| 12th | +4 | Ability Score Improvement | 1d8 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | — | — |
| 13th | +5 | Hunter's Hardiness | 1d8 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 1 | — |
| 14th | +5 | Ambush Master | 1d8 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 1 | — |
| 15th | +5 | Ranger Archetype feature | 1d8 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2 | — |
| 16th | +5 | Ability Score Improvement | 1d8 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2 | — |
| 17th | +6 | – | 1d10 | 6 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 1 |
| 18th | +6 | Superior Senses | 1d10 | 6 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 1 |
| 19th | +6 | Ability Score Improvement | 1d10 | 6 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 |
| 20th | +6 | Apex Predator | 1d10 | Unlimited | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 |
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 and chapter 11 for the ranger spell list.
Preparing and Casting Spells
The Ranger table shows how many spell slots you have to cast your spells. To cast one of your ranger spells of 1st level or higher, you must expend a 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 (minimum of one spell). The spells must be of a level for which you have spell slots.
For example, if you are a 5th-level ranger, you have four 1st-level and two 2nd-level spell slots. With a Wisdom of 14, your list of prepared spells can include four spells of 1st or 2nd level, in any combination. If you prepare the 1st-level spell animal friendship, you can cast it using a 1st-level or a 2nd-level slot. 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 spent in prayer and meditation: 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 +
your Wisdom modifier
Spell attack modifier = your proficiency bonus +
your Wisdom modifier
The Community Ranger | by r/DnD5CommunityRanger
Primeval Awareness
Beginning at 3rd level, you can attune your senses to the region around you and determine if certain types of creatures lurk nearby.
By spending 1 uninterrupted minute in concentration (as if you were concentrating on a spell), you can sense whether any creatures of a chosen type (e.g. giants or monstrosities) are present within one mile around you. You can maintain your concentration and expand the range by one mile per additional minute of concentration, up to a number of additional miles equal to your Wisdom modifier (minimum 0).
This feature reveals if the chosen type is present, their numbers, and the creatures’ general direction and rough distance from you.
If there are multiple groups within range, you learn this information for each group.
Ranger Archetype
At 3rd level, you choose to emulate the ideals and training of a ranger archetype, all detailed at the end of the class description. Your choice grants you features at 3rd level and again at 5th, 7th, 11th, and 15th level.
Archetype Spells
Each archetype has a list of associated spells. You gain access to these spells at the levels specified in the archetype description. Once you gain access to an archetype spell, you always have it prepared. Archetype spells don't count against the number of spells you can prepare each day.
If you gain an archetype spell that doesn't appear on the ranger spell list, the spell is nonetheless a ranger spell for you.
Ability Score Improvement
When you reach 4th level, and again at 8th, 12th, 16th, and 19th level, you can increase one ability score of your choice by 2, or you can increase two ability scores of your choice by 1. As normal, you can't increase an ability score above 20 using this feature.
Skirmisher
By 6th level, you have become fast and agile and can maneuver around the battlefield with ease.
While you aren't wearing heavy armor and aren't encumbered, you gain the following benefits:
- You can give yourself a bonus to your initiative rolls equal to your Wisdom modifier.
- Your speed increases by 10 feet.
- You can use the Disengage and Hide actions as bonus actions on your turn.
Expertise
At 9th level, choose two of your skill proficiencies. Your proficiency bonus is doubled for any ability check you make that uses either of the chosen proficiencies.
Know your Prey
Beginning at 9th level, you can extract intimate knowledge about the combat capabilities of the target of your Hunter's Mark, and can use gaps in their defenses to deal vicious blows. You gain the following benefits:
- Once on each of your turns, you can add your Wisdom modifier to the attack roll of an attack you make against the target of your Hunter's Mark. You can choose to use this feature before or after the roll, but before any effects of the roll are applied.
- Whenever the target of your Hunter's Mark takes damage, you can use your reaction to learn one of the following characteristics about the creature: Creature Type, Armor Class, Senses, one Ability Score and corresponding Saving Throw Modifier, Damage Vulnerabilities, Damage Resistances, Damage Immunities, or Condition Immunities.
Heightened Senses
At 10th level, your senses have become finely attuned and you can quickly assess your surroundings, gaining the following benefits:
- You have advantage on all Wisdom (Perception) checks.
- You gain darkvision out to a range of 60 feet. If you already have darkvision, its range increases by 30 feet.
- You can use the Search action as a bonus action on your turn.
Hunter's Hardiness
At 13th level, you have gained increased durability from surviving in the harshness of the wild. You gain proficiency in Constitution saving throws.
Ambush Master
At 14th level, you learned how to become one with your surroundings and to deal deadly strikes at unaware prey.
You can spend 1 minute to find a good hiding spot and use additional camouflage to give yourself or an ally the following benefits while staying at or attacking from the chosen spot:
- Creatures have disadvantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks against you which rely on sight or hearing while you remain silent and still.
- You have advantage on initiative rolls.
- On your first turn during combat, you have advantage on attack rolls against creatures that have not yet acted.
Superior Senses
At 18th level, you have honed your senses to perfection.
You gain Blindsight out to a range of 30 feet and Tremorsense out to a range of 60 feet.
In addition, when you attack a creature you can't see, your inability to see it doesn't impose disadvantage on your attack rolls against it.
The Community Ranger | by r/DnD5CommunityRanger
Apex Predator
At 20th level you become an unparalleled hunter, gaining the following benefits:
- You can use your Hunter's Mark an unlimited number of times.
- Whenever the target of your Hunter's Mark takes damage, you can use your reaction to learn two characteristics instead of one, as per your Know Your Prey feature.
- When you attack the target of your Hunter's Mark, you can add your Wisdom modifier to each of your attack rolls, instead of only once per turn.
- When you hit the target of your Hunter's Mark with an attack, you can choose to let your Hunter's Mark vanish early. If you do, the attack deals an additional 10d6 damage to the target, and the creature can't become the target of your Hunter's Mark until you finish a short rest.
The Community Ranger | by r/DnD5CommunityRanger