Ranger
Rough and wild looking, a human stalks alone through the shadows of trees, hunting the orcs he knows are planning a raid on a nearby farm. Clutching a shortsword in each hand, he becomes a whirlwind of steel, cutting down one enemy after another.
After tumbling away from a cone of freezing air, an elf finds her feet and draws back her bow to loose an arrow at the white dragon. Shrugging off the wave of fear that emanates from the dragon like the cold of its breath, she sends one arrow after another to find the gaps between the dragon’s thick scales.
Holding his hand high, a half-elf whistles to the hawk that circles high above him, calling the bird back to his side. Whispering instructions in Elvish, he points to the owlbear he’s been tracking and sends the hawk to distract the creature while he readies his bow. Far from the bustle of cities and towns, past the hedges that shelter the most distant farms from the terrors of the wild, amid the dense-packed trees of trackless forests and across wide and empty plains, rangers keep their unending watch.
Deadly Hunters
Warriors of the wilderness, rangers specialize in hunting the monsters that threaten the edges of civilization—humanoid raiders, rampaging beasts and monstrosities, terrible giants, and deadly dragons. They learn to track their quarry as a predator does, moving stealthily through the wilds and hiding themselves in brush and rubble. Rangers focus their combat training on techniques that are particularly useful against their specific favored foes.
Thanks to their familiarity with the wilds, rangers acquire the ability to cast spells that harness nature’s power, much as a druid does. Their spells, like their combat abilities, emphasize speed, stealth, and the hunt. A ranger’s talents and abilities are honed with deadly focus on the grim task of protecting the borderlands.
Independent Adventurers
Though a ranger might make a living as a hunter, a guide, or a tracker, a ranger’s true calling is to defend the outskirts of civilization from the ravages of monsters and humanoid hordes that press in from the wild. 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—hand 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.
The Ranger
| Level | Proficiency Bonus | Features | Spells Known | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | 5th |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | +2 | Sworn Enemy, Terrain Mastery | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2nd | +2 | Fighting Style, Hunting Style, Spellcasting | 2 | 2 | — | — | — | — |
| 3rd | +2 | Primeval Awareness, Ranger Conclave | 3 | 3 | — | — | — | — |
| 4th | +2 | Ability Score Improvement | 3 | 3 | — | — | — | — |
| 5th | +3 | Extra Attack | 4 | 4 | 2 | — | — | — |
| 6th | +3 | Terrain Mastery, Vanish | 4 | 4 | 2 | — | — | — |
| 7th | +3 | Ranger Conclave feature | 5 | 4 | 3 | — | — | — |
| 8th | +3 | Ability Score Improvement | 5 | 4 | 3 | — | — | — |
| 9th | +4 | — | 6 | 4 | 3 | 2 | — | — |
| 10th | +4 | Hide in Plain Sight | 6 | 4 | 3 | 2 | — | — |
| 11th | +4 | Ranger Conclave feature | 7 | 4 | 3 | 3 | — | — |
| 12th | +4 | Ability Score Improvement | 7 | 4 | 3 | 3 | — | — |
| 13th | +5 | — | 8 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 1 | — |
| 14th | +5 | Hunter's Stride, Terrain Mastery | 8 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 1 | — |
| 15th | +5 | Ranger Conclave feature | 9 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2 | — |
| 16th | +5 | Ability Score Improvement | 9 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2 | — |
| 17th | +6 | ─ | 10 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 1 |
| 18th | +6 | Feral Senses | 10 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 1 |
| 19th | +6 | Ability Score Improvement | 11 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 |
| 20th | +6 | Foe Slayer | 11 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 |
But they quickly learn that other adventurers who can carry their own weight in a fight against civilization’s foes 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.
Creating a Ranger
As you create your ranger character, consider the nature of 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 certain kind of enemy? Did a monster kill someone you loved or destroy your home village? Or did you see too much of the destruction these monsters cause and commit yourself to reining in their depredations? 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 welcome the relief from solitude that they offer?
Ranger Identity
This version of ranger was built in mind that the identity of the ranger class is of a skilled wild hunter with a swiss army knife of skills where two rangers might appear very different in style and skill set.
Quick Build
You can make a ranger quickly by following these suggestions. First, make Dexterity your highest ability score, followed by Wisdom (Some rangers who focus on two-weapon fighting make Strength higher than Dexterity.) Second, choose the outlander background.
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: Herbalism Kit
- Saving Throws: Strength, Dexterity
- Skills: Choose three from Animal Handling, Athletics, 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) scale mail or (b) leather armor
- (a) two shortswords or (b) two simple melee weapons
- (a) a dungeoneer's pack or (b) an explorer's pack
- A longbow, a hunting trap, and a quiver of 20 arrows
Sworn Enemy
Beginning at 1st level, you gain the ability to mark a target within 90 feet of you as your sworn enemy using a bonus action. You magically mark your target, allowing you to focus on their movements and weaknesses to hunt them down with vigor. You can maintain this Mark for up to an hour on a target, with it, you gain an additional 10 feet of movement speed while moving towards your target. You have advantage on perception and survival checks to locate your marked target. Marked targets take an additional 1d6 of damage each time you hit them with a weapon attack.
You can use this feature a number of times equal to
1 + your Wisdom modifier, before needing to finish a long rest to use it again. If your quarry falls to 0 hit points, you may move your Mark to another target as a bonus action on a subsequent turn within one minute without expending another use of this feature.
Hunter's Mark as Class Feature
Hunter's Mark spell is often regarded as a such a staple for the Ranger and as such as been removed as a spell and turned into the class feature Sworn Enemy
Terrain Mastery
Through time and training you have adapted to a natural environment. This has changed you, granting you abilities that allow you to have an edge that others would not normally have. Choose one type of terrain that you have mastered and gain its benefits.
You choose an additional terrain mastery at levels 6th and 14th.
Arctic
You are naturally adapted to cold environments, automatically succeeding any checks caused by temperatures below 0 degrees. Additionally, whenever you take a short rest and roll a hit dice to restore hit points, your result is always the maximum.
Desert
You are naturally adapted to hot environments, automatically succeeding any checks caused by temperatures above 100 degrees. You gain an innate sense of shifting vibrations around you, you gain tremorsense out to a range of 30 feet.
Forest
In thick forests you've learned to spot even the most elusive targets. You gain proficiency in Perception (wisdom). If you already have proficiency you instead gain expertise in the skill. Additionally, moving through non-magical difficult terrain does not cost you extra movement.
Grasslands
In open fields when only your speed matters you have become faster than most. Your natural movement speed increases by 10 ft. Additionally, you can now take the Dash action as a bonus action.
Mountains
You also naturally acclimate to high altitudes. This includes elevations above 20,000 feet. You gain a climbing speed equal to your movement speed. You also have advantage on Athletic (strength) checks involved in climbing difficult surfaces.
Ocean
The sea and it's waves no longer imped you when on the hunt. You gain a swim speed equal to your movement speed and the ability to breath water as naturally as you would air.
Swamp
Among the deadly swamps that hide a wide variety of plants and wildlife you have learn to stay on guard against nature. You gain proficiency in Nature (wisdom) skill, if you are already proficient then you gain expertise in the skill instead. You also have advantage on saving throws against poisons and diseases.
Underdark
THe deep and deadly dark has left you with superior vision and the skill to quickly leap from danger. You gain darkvision at a range of 60 ft. If you already have darkvision its range increases by 30 ft. Additionally, you can no take the disengage action as a bonus action instead.
Urban
Through city streets and building roofs, none may escape you or find you. You gain a climbing speed equal to your movement speed. You can also take the Hide action as a bonus action instead.
Hunting Style
Your training and skills have allowed you to grow as a hunter, you stand above the rest through your own style of hunting. At 2nd level choose your own hunting style and gain its benefits.
Blade Dancer
While you are dual wielding, whenever you make an attack, regardless of whether you hit or miss, you make immediately move 5 ft. after the attack's conclusion. This movement does not provoke attacks of opportunity.
Bounty Hunter
None may hide from you. You learn the thieves cant' language if you don't know it already. Additionally, creatures marked by your Sworn Enemy class feature have their movement speed reduced by half while marked.
Field Medicine
You gain access to Healing Surges, you have a number of healing surges equal to your Wisdom Modifier (min 1.). As a bonus action you can touch a creature within reach to expend a healing surge and restore 1d6 + (your Wisdom Modifier) hit points. You regain all Healing Surge uses after a long rest. This effect increases to 1d8 at level 6 and 1d10 at level 10.
Keeper of the Veil
You learn the spell Protection from Evil and Good, this does not count against your number of known spells. You may cast this spell without using a spell slot a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus. You regain all uses after a Long Rest.
Marauder
You learn to make them suffer, to make them bleed. Whenever you deal weapon damage to a creature you take care to strike a creature's most vital parts, causing them to take an additional 1d4 damage at the start of their next turn. This effect does not occur if the creature does not bleed naturally. This effect does not occur if you did not deal damage to the creature prior to the start of their turn. This effect does not stack.
Ranger Knight
You gain proficiency in heavy armor and heavy armor no longer gives you disadvantage on stealth checks.
Sanctified Stalker
You learn the Searing Smite, Thunderous Smite, and Wrathful Smite spells. These do not count against your number of known spells. Additionally, you have advantage on saving throws against undead and fiends.
Scoundrel
If you are wielding a weapon that has the loading property and must reload it, if you move at least 15 feet on your turn you will load the weapon as part of the movement
(no action required).
Skirmisher
When you take the disengage action you can make one attack as part of the action.
Sniper
You can voluntarily go prone by sacrificing half your movement speed. While prone your ranged weapon attacks have advantage. Standing from prone now only costs you 5 feet of movement instead of half your movement.
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.
Defense
While 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.
Two-Weapon Fighting
When you engage in two-weapon fighting, you can add your ability modifier to the damage of the second attack.
Druidic Warrior
You learn two cantrips of your choice from the druid spell list. They count as ranger spells for you, and Wisdom is your spellcasting ability for them. Whenever you gain a level in this class, you can replace one of these cantrips with another cantrip from the druid spell list.
Thrown Weapon Fighting
You can draw a weapon that has the thrown property as part of the attack you make with the weapon.
In addition, when you hit with a ranged attack using a thrown weapon, you gain a +2 bonus to the damage roll.
Blind Fighting
You have blind sight with a range of 10 feet. Within that range, you can effectively see anything that isn't behind total cover, even if you're blinded or in darkness. Moreover, you can see an invisible creature within that range, unless the creature successfully hides from you
Spellcasting
Starting at 2nd level, you begin to learn to emulate the magical abilities of the creatures of the wild, and to enhance your tools with magic. See Spellcasting for the rules for casting spells and the Ranger Spells list.
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.
Spells Known of 1st-level and Higher
You know two 1st-level spells of your choice from the ranger spell list. The Spells Known column of the Ranger table shows when you learn more ranger spells of your choice. Each of these spells must be of a level for which you have spell slots. For instance, when you reach 5th level in this class, you can learn one new spell of 1st or 2nd level.
Additionally, when you gain a level in this class, you can choose one of the ranger spells you know and replace it with another spell from the ranger spell list, which also must be of a level for which you have spell slots.
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
Primeval Awareness
Beginning at 3rd level, your mastery of the environment allows you to establish a powerful link to beasts and to the land around you.
For 1 minute you can sense whether the following types of creatures are present within 1 mile of you: aberrations, celestials, dragons, elementals, fey, fiends, and undead. This feature reveals the creatures general location to you but not their numbers or exact location.
Additionally you have an innate ability to communicate with beasts, and they recognize you as a kindred spirit. Through sounds and gestures, you can communicate simple ideas to a beast as an action, and can read its 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), and action you can take (if any) to persuade it to not attack.
You cannot use this ability against a creature that you have attacked within the past 10 minutes.
Ranger Conclave
At 3rd level, you choose to emulate the ideals, specialty, and training of a ranger conclave: the Beast Conclave, the Hunter Conclave, the Gloom Stalker Conclave, the Horizon Walker Conclave, or the Monster Slayer Conclave. Your choice grants you features at 3rd level and again at 7th, 11th, and 15th level.
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.
Extra Attack
Beginning at 5th level, you can attack twice, instead of once, whenever you take the Attack action on your turn.
Vanish
Beginning at 6th level, natural hazards such as thorns, spines, or other natural hazards no longer deal damage to you. Also, you can’t be tracked by nonmagical means, unless you choose to leave a trail.
Hide in Plain Sight
Starting at 10th level, you can remain perfectly still for long periods of time to set up ambushes.
When you attempt to hide on your turn, you can opt to not move on that turn. If you avoid moving, you may hide even when in plain view, and you gain a +10 bonus to Dexterity (Stealth) checks.
You lose this benefit if you move or fall prone, either voluntarily or because of some external effect. You are still automatically detected if any effect or action causes you to no longer be hidden.
If you are still hidden on your next turn, you can continue to remain motionless and gain this benefit until you are detected.
Hunter's Stride
At 14th level, you discover the ability to heighten your physical capabilities for a limited time. You will not be impeded and your prey will not escape you.
Once per long rest you can force yourself to your limits entering an enhanced state. While in this enhanced state your movement speed is doubled and the range of your senses (ex. darkvision) doubles as well.
Additionally, while in the enhanced state, non-magical and magical difficult terrain does not cost you extra movement.
This enhanced state lasts for 1 hour, after which you return to normal.
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.
Foe Slayer
At 20th level you become an unparalleled hunter of your enemies. When you hit an enemy with an attack, you can choose to deal an additional 7d8 damage and have them make a Constitution saving throw against your spell save DC. If the target fails, they will become stunned until the end of your next turn.
Once you use this feature, you cannot use it again until after you finish a long rest.
Ranger Conclave
Across the wilds, rangers come together to form conclaves—loose associations whose members share a similar outlook on how best to protect nature from those who would despoil it.
Beast Master Conclave
Many rangers are more at home in the wilds than in civilization, to the point where animals consider them kin. Rangers of the Beast Conclave develop a close bond with a beast, then further strengthen that bond through the use of magic.
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 ranger spells you know.
Beast Master Spells
| Ranger Level | Spell |
|---|---|
| 3rd | expeditious retreat |
| 5th | warding bond |
| 9th | catnap |
| 13th | dominate beast |
| 17th | geas |
Animal Companion
At 3rd level, you gain a beast companion that accompanies you on your adventures and is trained to fight alongside you. Choose a beast of large size or smaller and has a challenge rating of 1 or lower. This beast becomes your companion, it obeys your commands the best it can and will fight alongside you.
If your companion is ever slain, the magical bond you share allows you to return it life. With 8 hours of work and the expenditure of 25gp worth of rare herbs and fine food, you call forth your companion's spirit and use your magic to create a new body for it. You can return an animal companion to life in this manner even if you do not possess any part of its body.
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 companion trains and fights alongside you growing in strength as you do. Your Animal Companion gains the following benefits:
- Your companion loses multiattack action, if it has one.
- You add your proficiency bonus to your companion's AC, skills it is proficient in, attack, and damage rolls. Your companion also gains becomes proficient in two skills that you are also proficient in and become proficient in all saving throws.
- For each level you gain after 3rd, your companion gains an additional hit die and increases its hit points accordingly.
- It acts on your initiative, and you determine its actions, decisions, attitudes, and so on (no action required by you). If you are incapacitated or absent, your companion acts on its own
- Whenever you gain the Ability Score Improvement class feature, your companion’s abilities also improve. Your companion can increase one ability score of your choice by 2, or it can increase two ability scores of your choice by 1. As normal, your companion can’t increase an ability score above 20 using this feature unless its description specifies otherwise.
Supernatural Bond
Starting at 7th level, your companion's attacks count as magical for the purpose of overcoming resistance and immunity to nonmagical attacks and damage.
And when you cast a spell targeting yourself, you can also affect your beast companion with the spell if the beast is within 30 feet of you.
Beastial Fury
Beginning at 11th level, when your companion takes the Attack action, it can attack twice or take the multiattack option if it has it.
Superior Beast's Defense
At 15th level, whenever an attacker that your companion can see hits it with an attack, it can use its reaction to halve the attack’s damage against it.
Variant Rule: Beast Multiattack
For those DM's that may not desire a beast to lose multiattack, please use the following replacement for Beastial Fury class feature.
Storm of Claws and Fangs
At 11th level, your companion can 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
Hunter Conclave
Emulating the Hunter archetype means accepting your place as a bulwark between civilization and the terrors of the wilderness. As you walk the Hunter’s path you learn specialized techniques to fight the threats you face, from rampaging ogres and hordes of orcs, to towering giants and terrifying dragons.
Hunter 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 ranger spells you know.
Hunter Spells
| Ranger Level | Spell |
|---|---|
| 3rd | guiding bolt |
| 5th | enhance ability |
| 9th | haste |
| 13th | mordenkainen’s private sanctum |
| 17th | hold monster |
Hunter's Prey
At the 3rd level, you gain one of the following features of your choice:
Colossus Slayer. Your tenacity can wear down the most potent foes. 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.
Giant Killer. When a Large or larger creature within 5 feet of you hits or 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.
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.
Defensive Tactics
At the 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 or misses 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 are immune to being frightened.
Multiattack
At the 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 attack against any number of creatures within 5 feet of you, with a separate attack roll for each target.
Superior Hunter's Defense
At the 15th level, you gain one of the following features of your choice:
Evasion. You can nimbly dodge out of the way of certain area effects, such as a red dragon’s fiery breath or a lightning bolt spell. When you are subjected to an effect 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.
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 again 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
Appendix A: Ranger Spells
1st Level
Absorb Elements
Alarm
Animal Friendship
Beast Bond
Cure Wounds
Detect Magic
Detect Poison and Disease
Ensnaring Strike
Fog Cloud
Goodberry
Hail of Thorns
Jump
Longstrider
Snare
Speak with Animals
Zephyr Strike
2nd Level
Animal Messenger
Barkskin
Beast Sense
Cordon of Arrows
Darkvision
Enhance Ability
Find Traps
Healing Spirit
Lesser Restoration
Locate Animals or Plants
Locate Object
Pass without Trace
Protection from Poison
Silence
Spike Growth
3rd Level
Conjure Animals
Conjure Barrage
Daylight
Flame Arrows
Lightning Arrow
Nondetection
Plant Growth
Protection from Energy
Speak with Plants
Water Breathing
Water Walk
Wind Wall
4th Level
Conjure Woodland Beings
Control Water
Dominate Beast
Freedom of Movement
Grasping Vine
Guardian of Nature
Locate Creature
Stoneskin
5th Level
Commune with Nature
Conjure Volley
Passwall
Steel Wind Strike
Swift Quiver
Tree Stride
Wrath of Nature
