The Ranger: Alternate Class Features
Ranger's Versatility
For quite sometime now there has been mention by various members of the WotC team about the possible release of a set of 'alternate class features' for the ranger. Such a release has been much anticipated by those long seeking a compromise of between the only officially recognised version as found in the Player's Handbook (often deemed to be lacking in flexibility and/or power) and the Unearthed Arcana revised version from 2016 (which addressed some concerns people had with the core class and Beast Master subclass, but in so doing raised others).
I do not propose to wade into the long running debates between those who are content with the Player's Handbook ranger, and those who find it in some way underwhelming or lacking in fun. The challenge has always been how to address the issues raised by the latter without stepping on the toes of the former. In November 2018, WotC creative director Mr Mike Mearls worked on a set of alternative class features in two of his Happy Fun Hour online streams, and made a great deal of progress addressing concerns held by many in the 5e Ranger Community. As it stands now, there is simmering hope that these could be formalised in a forthcoming release of Unearthed Arcana, or perhaps on the DM's Guild or D&D Beyond.
In the meantime, this set of alternate features of the Ranger class, which I'm calling Ranger's Versatility, is based on what was drawn up by Mr Mearls, with inspiration from previous Unearthed Arcana, and spiked with a thin layer of homebrew in one or two places. For each optional feature, the source of the material is provided at the start of the entry, as per the following key:
- The Player's Handbook ("PHB")
- Unearthed Arcana, The Ranger, Revised 2016 ("UA-RR")
- Unearthed Arcana, Modifying Classes 2015 "(UA-MC")
- Mike Mearls Happy Fun Hour Nov 2018 ("HFH")
- Homebrew elements, which are my own unless otherwise cited ("HB")
Any class features not mentioned here remain unchanged from the Player's Handbook class version.
For additional perspective on this set of alternate features and how one might use it, please have a look at the FAQ attached as an appendix.
Credits: This is unofficial Fan Content permitted under the Fan Content Policy. Not approved/endorsed by Wizards of the Coast. Portions of the materials used are property of Wizards of the Coast LLC and copyrighted.
Thanks to everyone who contributed, especially veteran ranger Mr George Sutherland Howard, whose comments and inspiration were truly helpful and appreciated. Any homebrew or original material has been created by G W Ashby. Constructive comments are still very welcome, as this version will certainly benefit from the views of the community and the improvements those comments will inevitably bring.
Ranger's Versatility
Favored Enemy
(Source: HFH) You study a creature, making it as your quarry and analyzing with a careful eye. Your study allows you to anticipate the creature’s moves, making it easier to anticipate and counter its tactics.
As a bonus action, you can designate a creature you can see within 100 feet of you as your favored enemy. Alternatively, when you attack a creature, you can choose the target of the attack as your favored enemy. Regardless of how you designate a favored enemy, you can use this ability once during your turn. The target remains your favored enemy until you use this ability again.
You gain advantage on all Wisdom (Perception) checks to detect your favored enemy and Wisdom (Insight) checks to determine its motives. You also gain advantage on all checks made to discover and follow its tracks.
Once during your turn, you can choose to make an additional weapon attack against your favored enemy. You can do so a number of times equal to half your ranger level (minimum 1) and regain all expended uses when you complete a long rest.
Favored Enemy Improvement. Starting at 6th level, you gain advantage on all saving throws made against your favored enemy’s spells, abilities, and effects. Starting at 14th level, once during your turn if you miss a weapon attack against your favored enemy you can make an additional weapon attack against it.
Alternate Feature: Favored Enemy
You may either select this version of the feature, or the original version as detailed on pg 91 of the Player's Handbook.
Natural Explorer
(Source: HFH) Your bond with nature is heightened by time spent exploring and navigating the natural world. Choose a ranger skill in which you are proficient. Your proficiency bonus is doubled for any ability check you make that uses it.
In addition, you choose one type of favored terrain in which you have gained particular experience: arctic, coast, desert, forest, grassland, mountain, swamp, the underdark, or urban.
You have advantage on Wisdom (Survival) and Intelligence (Nature) checks related to your favored terrain. Additionally, you gain the following benefits based on that terrain type:
Arctic
You gain resistance to cold damage.
Coast
You gain a swim speed equal to your speed.
Desert
You gain resistance to fire damage.
Forest
If you are proficient with the Perception skill, your proficiency bonus is doubled for any ability check you make that uses it and when determining your passive Perception. If you are not proficient with Perception, you become proficient.
Grassland
Your speed increases by 10 feet.
Mountain
You gain a climb speed equal to your speed.
Swamp
You gain resistance to poison damage and are immune to disease.
Underdark
You learn Undercommon. If you do not have darkvision, you gain it with a range of 30 feet. If you have darkvision, you instead gain “blindsight” with a range of 5 feet.
Urban
You learn one humanoid language of your choice. If you are proficient with the Investigation skill, your proficiency bonus is doubled for any ability check you make that uses this skill, as well as when determining your passive Investigation. If you are not proficient with Investigation, you become proficient with it.
Natural Explorer Improvements. By the time you reach 6th level, through your time in the wilds, you have learned to react swiftly when facing danger, and have advantage on initiative rolls. You choose additional favored terrain types at 6th and 10th level.
Alternate Feature: Natural Explorer
You may either select this version of the feature, or the original version as detailed on pg 91 of the Player's Handbook.
Fighting Style
Presented here is a new option that Rangers can select for Fighting Style class feature.
Whirling blades
(Source: HFH) When you engage in two-weapon fighting while wearing light or no armor, you do not expend your bonus action and add your ability modifier to the second attack. You can still gain the benefits of two-weapon fighting only once during your turn.
Gift of the Wild
Alternate Feature: Gift of the Wild
(Source: HFH) At 2nd level, as an alternative to the ranger's Spellcasting feature detailed in the Player's Handbook, you may instead receive the Gift of the Wild class feature, choosing one of the options for it below. Additionally, you gain the use of Bush Medicine as part of Gift of the Wild.
Gift of the Wild Option 1: Mighty Slayer
Some rangers develop enhanced tactical acumen and physical prowess to achieve astounding feats of martial skill. If you select this option, see details for the Mighty Slayer in the next section.
Gift of the Wild Option 2: Wild Companion
Some rangers develop an enhanced bond with the wild, gaining a beast companion to accompany them. Over time, they further strengthen that bond by tapping into nature's magic. If you select this option, see details for the Wild Companion in the next section.
Bush Medicine
(Source: UA-MC) As part of the Gift of the Wild class feature, you gain the ability to create and apply healing salves and poultices as a form of bush medicine. You can spend time gathering and preparing wild plants, herbs etc. to create healing salves and poultices. Items that you create cannot be applied by anyone but you, and lose their potency after 24 hours if unused. Application takes 1 minute, thereby expending its use, and the recipient regains a number of hit points equal to 1d4 (or 1d6 if inside one of your favored terrains) for every two levels you have in this class (rounded down) + your Wisdom modifier.
Once you obtain 5th level in this class, your poultices can also be used to replicate the effects of a lesser restoration spell.
You can create a number of healing salves and poultices equivalent to your Wisdom modifier (Minimum 1). You regain all uses of this ability after a long rest.
Primeval Awareness
Primeval Awareness and Spellcasting
If you opted to retain the ranger's Spellcasting class feature, you must also use the original version of Primeval Awareness as detailed on pg 92 of the Player's Handbook.
(Source: UA-RR, PHB) Beginning at 3rd level, your competency in the wild allows you to establish a link to the beasts and land around you.
You have an innate ability to communicate with beasts, and they recognize you as a kindred spirit. As an action, through sounds and gestures, you can communicate simple ideas to a beast 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, and actions 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.
In addition, through your connection to the land, you can use your action to focus your awareness on the region around you. For 1 minute, you can sense whether the following types of creatures are present within 1 mile of you (or within up to 6 miles if you are in your favored terrain): aberrations, celestials, dragons, elementals, fey, fiends, and undead. This feature doesn’t reveal the creatures’ location or number. You cannot use this ability again in this manner until you complete a short or long rest.
Ranger Archetype
(Source: PHB, HFH) At 3rd level, you choose an archetype that you strive to emulate. Your choice grants you features at 3rd level and again at 7th, 11th, and 15th level.
Some archetype features work differently with Gift of the Wild and Wild Companion class features, as detailed in the next section. (Otherwise please consult the archetypes detailed in the Players Handbook and Xanathar's Guide to Everything).
Hide in Plain Sight
(Source: HB Matt Colville) While not moving, you can use your action to become perfectly still, blending into your surroundings. When you so so, Wisdom (Perception) checks made to see you have disadvantage, and you have advantage on Dexterity (Stealth) checks made to hide.
Alternate Feature: Hide in Plain Sight
You may either select this version of this feature, or the original version as detailed on pg 91 of the Player's Handbook.
Vanish
(Source: PHB, UA-RR) By 14th level, you have become a master of swift, stealthy movement and ducking in and out of cover. You can use the Hide or Dash action as a bonus action on your turn. Also, you can’t be tracked by nonmagical means, unless you choose to leave a trail.
Vanish and Spellcasting
If you opted to retain the ranger's Spellcasting class feature, you must also use the original version of the Vanish feature as detailed on pg 94 of the Player's Handbook.
Gift of the Wild Option 1: Mighty Slayer
(Source: HFH) At 2nd level if you selected this feature as your Gift of the Wild, you gain the ability to use your tactical acumen and physical prowess to achieve astounding feats of martial skill.
You gain the ability to use martial exploits, fueled by special dice called martial dice. You gain uses of martial exploits based on your ranger level, as shown in the Martial Exploits table, and regain all expensed uses when you complete a long rest.
You can apply the benefits of only one exploit to any given attack. If more than one exploit applies to an attack, you select which one to use.
Martial Dice. Your martial dice are d6s. At 9th level, your martial dice turn into d8s and at 13th level, your martial dice turn into d10s. Starting at 17th level, when you roll initiative and have no martial dice remaining, you regain one martial die.
Some exploits require a creature to make a saving throw. The DC for such a save is 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Wisdom modifier.
Martial Exploits
| Ranger Level | Uses |
|---|---|
| 2-3rd | 3 |
| 4-6th | 5 |
| 7-9th | 7 |
| 10-12th | 9 |
| 13th + | 10 |
With this feature, you learn the Heart of the Bear, Lion's Claw, and Wolf's Lunge exploits:
Heart of the Bear. You focus your mind and grit your teeth, pushing aside pain and drawing on wellsprings of energy that blot out the pain of your wounds.
During your turn, you can expend a martial exploit to gain temporary hit points. You gain temporary hit points equal to 5 times your proficiency bonus.
Lion's Claw. You take careful aim at your foe’s head or other sensitive point, unleashing a brutal attack that knocks the target senseless.
When you make a weapon attack, you can expend a martial exploit when you hit with a melee weapon attack. You increase the weapon’s damage by a number of martial exploit dice equal to half your proficiency bonus, rounded up. The target of the attack must make a Constitution saving throw. If it fails, its speed is reduced to 0. At the end of each of its turns, it can make a Constitution saving throw to end this effect.
Wolf's Lunge. You strike with overwhelming strength and accuracy, battering aside your foe’s defense to deliver a deadly strike. When you make an attack, you can expend a martial exploit and roll a number of martial dice equall to 1 + your proficiency bonus.
If the attack misses, you learn the target’s AC and can use the result of one or more martial dice of your choice as a bonus to your attack roll, possibly turning the miss into a hit. Any remaining dice are used as a bonus to your weapon’s damage roll.
Gift of the Wild Option 2: Wild Companion
(Source: HFH, UA-RR) At 2nd level if you selected this feature as your Gift of the Wild, you form a bond with a nature spirit that manifests as a beast companion no larger than Medium and with a challenge rating of 1/4 or lower.
Your companion uses your proficiency bonus rather than its own. In addition to the areas where it normally uses its proficiency bonus, your companion also adds its proficiency bonus to its AC and to its damage rolls, as well as to all saving throws and to any skills in which it is proficient. Its hit point maximum equals the hit point number in its stat block or five times your ranger level, whichever is higher.
Starting at 5th level, the beast’s attacks count as magical for purposes of overcoming resistances or immunities.
Companion's Bond. Your animal companion receives a number of benefits while it is linked to you, but loses its Multiattack action, if it has one.
The beast acts as you wish, using your initiative count. Your companion understands your speech, and you can intuit basic concepts and statements as long as you can see or hear it. If you are incapacitated or absent, the beast acts as you wish.
Like any creature, it can spend Hit Dice during a short rest to regain hit points. If brought to zero hit points then you roll death saving throws for it as with a PC. If your animal companion is ever slain, the magical bond you share with its nature spirit allows you to return it to life. With 8 hours of work and the expenditure of 50 gp 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.
Your companion also receives certain benefits for as long as it is linked to you.
- While traveling through your favored terrain with only your companion, you can both move stealthily at a normal pace.
- When you gain the Land's Stride and Feral Senses features at 8th and 18th level respectively, the benefits granted also apply to your companion.
Your companion shares your alignment, and has a personality trait and a flaw that you select. Your companion shares your ideal, and its bond is always, "The ranger with whom I am bonded is a beloved companion who has my full trust and protection.”
Alternate Archetype Features:
Gift of the Wild
If you elect to replace the ranger's Spellcasting class feature with Gift of the Wild, the following ranger archetype features work differently for you.
Gloom Stalker / Horizon Walker / Monster Slayer
(Source: HFH) Starting at 3rd level, you gain the ability to cast a spell of your choice from the relevant Spells table in the archetype description found in XGtE. Your ranger level must be at least equal to the level listed alongside the spell. Once you cast a spell in this way, you cannot cast that spell again until you complete a long rest.
Beast Master
(Source: HB) Starting at 3rd level, if you select the Beast Master archetype, you gain the ability to cast a spell of your choice from the table below. Your ranger level must be at least equal to the level listed alongside the spell. Once you cast a spell in this way, you cannot cast that spell again until you complete a long rest.
| Ranger Level | Spell |
|---|---|
| 3rd | Beast Bond |
| 5th | Beast Sense |
| 9th | Conjure Animals |
| 13th | Dominate Beast |
| 17th | Awaken |
Hunter
(Source: HB) Starting at 3rd level, if you select the Hunter archetype, you gain the ability to cast a spell of your choice from the table below. Your ranger level must be at least equal to the level listed alongside the spell. Once you cast a spell in this way, you cannot cast that spell again until you complete a long rest.
| Ranger Level | Spell |
|---|---|
| 3rd | Ensaring Strike |
| 5th | Pass without Trace |
| 9th | Nondetection |
| 13th | Locate Creature |
| 17th | Swift Quiver |
Alternate Archetype Features:
Wild Companion with Beast Master archetype
(Source: HFH, UA-RR) Additionally, if you select Gift of the Wild Option 2: Wild Companion, and also choose the Beast Master ranger archetype, then the following archetype features work differently for you.
Ranger's Companion
You do not gain the Ranger’s Companion archetype feature.
Improved Wild Companion
- You gain proficiency with the Animal Handling skill, or if already proficient, your proficiency bonus is doubled for ability checks you make that use that skill.
- Your beast companion’s challenge rating can now be 1/2 or lower. If you opt for a companion with a challenge rating of 1/4 or lower, you can increase one of your companion's ability scores by 2, or you can increase two of its ability scores by 1 each.
- Your animal companion gains proficiency in two additional skills of your choice.
- For each level you gain after 3rd, your animal companion gains an additional Hit Die and increases its hit points accordingly, as adjusted by its Constitution modifer, if any. Whenever you gain the Ability Score Improvement class feature, your companion’s abilities also improve, as governed by the normal rules.
Exceptional Training
You do not gain the Exceptional Training archetype feature.
Beast's Defense
From 7th level, your companion gains advantage on all saving throws as long as one of you is within sight of the other.
Beast's Agility
At 15th level, whenever your companion takes damage from a source that it can see (including weapon attacks, traps or spells) it can use its reaction to halve the damage taken.
Variant: Spirit Companion
If you and your DM wish to emphasize the spiritual aspect of the Companion's Bond, you can adopt this variant rule: Through a ritual involving 8 hours of work and the expenditure of 25 gp worth of rare herbs and fine food, the nature spirit of your companion assumes the form of another beast type, subject to the Wild Companion (or Improved Wild Companion) guidelines above. This variant rule allows for greater flexibility in campaigns or adventures involving diverse settings, terrains and challenges.
Ranger's Versatility: FAQ
Q: Why do we need a set of alternate class features for the ranger?
A: The interweb has and abundance of dissections and critiques on the Player's Handbook Ranger (and almost as many aimed at the UA-Revised Ranger). Alongside these, I'd wager that the ranger core class has received more homebrew treatments than just about any other core class. All told, this is evidence that many amongst us are simply not content with the class as it stands. This is especially true of the Beast Master archetype. I won't go into a deep analysis here (you can find many on the web) but the categorical 'issues' identified with the ranger are as follows:
- a frustrating lack of core flexibility due to key class features being usable in very specific situations (i.e. Favored Enemy and Natural Explorer);
- a perception by some (but contested by others) that the ranger is underpowered when compared to other half-casters and martial classes (e.g. many have sought to show how the ranger compares unfavorably in power to the paladin); and
- a significant plurality (if not outright majority) who are deeply dissatisfied with the Beast Master archetype due to its frustrating action economy, and an inability to protect or revive a relatively 'squishy' animal companion who is always at high risk of falling in battle.
These and other points of dissatisfaction have been simmering within the ranger community since 2014, and the various attempts by the game designers to address them have stalled, with only a bit of minor improvements on the Beast Master offered as errata to the PHB in 2018. Lead designers at WotC have spoken of a set of alternate class features to address these persistent concerns but to date nothing has been forthcoming, beyond the work done by Mike Mearls on his unofficial online stream late last year. Ranger Versatility seeks to offer a set of alternate features that could act as a bridge of sorts until an official offering is made.
Q: Does this set of alternate features make the PHB version of the ranger class obsolete?
A: No! And that is part of its virtue. It is important to emphasise that by making these alternate features available, it does nothing to preclude or make obsolete the PHB version. And it definitely does not create a 'new' version of the ranger, in the way that the UA-RR did. Why is that important? It's clear that the game's designers (quite understandably) don't wish to diminish the experience of the core PHB class, and lot of people do enjoy it as is. But for those who do not, this set of additional options would allow them to improve their playing experience while preserving balance and not stepping on the feet of those who are quite happy with the existing official version.
Q: How do I use Ranger's Versatility in my game?
A: If you or wish to play a ranger, or you are DM for someone who does, then start by thinking about Ranger Versatility (RV) as offering you two initial choices on two core class features: Favored Enemy and Natural Explorer.
The PHB versions of these two features are perceived by some to be quite prescriptive in their application, allowing the ranger to access two important and character-defining features only if and when the circumstances are right, i.e. combat encounters against certain creatures that the ranger may or may not encounter, or exploring a particular type of terrain that might or mightn't be part of the adventure. Having such situation-specific features not only can be frustrating for a player, but also can potentially be burdensome for a DM, who may feel that she has to find a way to weave in a certain type of enemy or terrain to serve the needs of the ranger player. Furthermore, the PHB Natural Explorer feature all but guarantees success in exploration, essentially rendering a main pillar of the game obsolete for the party while inside a ranger's favored terrain. The alternate features offered by Ranger Versatility can help to address these concerns while increasing playability and enjoyment.
Q: Tell me more! What else can I do with this set of alternate features?
A: Ranger's Versatility also grants to the player the flexibility to script his own customised ranger 'story' with a third main decision point: whether to keep spellcasting as a core class feature, or replace it with (a) enhanced martial prowess or (b) an enhanced beast companion. The exciting thing about this, at least in my opinion, is that when this choice is combined with the selection of ranger subclasses, it opens up exciting new combinations for non-spellcasting rangers. How about a Gloom Stalker with a sleek black panther sidekick? Or a combat-savvy Hunter possessed of countless ways to dispatch with his foes? By swapping out spellcasting for one of the two Gift of the Wild options, these and other combinations become possibilities, all while preserving balanced play.
Q: I see that you also play around with Primeval Awareness and Vanish. And what's up with 'Bush Medicine' and new spells for the Hunter and Beast Master?
A: I took the view that if you elect to play a non-spellcasting ranger, a few of the additions that had been offered by previous Unearthed Arcana were relevant here to maintain both flavour and effectiveness for the class:
- The rudimentary communication with animals element that Primeval Awareness granted as part of the Revised Ranger seems important here to help maintain the ranger's fundamental link with things wild, for without spellcasting the ranger loses important capabilities like those granted by the speak with animals spell.
- Imbedding the ability to take the Dash action as a bonus action into the Vanish class feature seems sensible too, as swift movement afoot is a key part of the ranger fantasy, and without spellcasting, spells like zephyr strike and longstrider are off the table.
- Likewise, given the usefulness of the cure wounds spell, a substitute feature for non-spellcasters allowing for the creation of healing poultices that scale with level seems appropriate to stave off the harm an adventurer might suffer while exploring in the wilderness.
- Lastly, creating symmetry between the PHB and the XGtE archetypes in terms of dedicated spells, seemed like a good idea if you forego spellcasting as a core class feature. I've gone for a selection that offers key elements important to both archetypes.