The Focus-Feature Ranger
Version 3.9
Created by DracoDruid [@GMBinder | @Reddit]
Format: DIN A4
Table Of Contents
| Topic | Page |
|---|---|
| The Focus-Feature Ranger | 1 |
| Class Table | 2 |
| Ranger Archetypes | 4 |
| Beast Master | 4 |
| Companion Types | 5 |
| Horizon Walker | 6 |
| Moon Stalker | 6 |
| Night Shade | 7 |
| Slayer | 7 |
| Ranger Spell List | 8 |
| New and Revised Spells | 10 |
Cover Art by Gabriela Dea Julia
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
- Weapons: Simple weapons, martial weapons
- Tools: Any one type of tools of your choice (PHB p. 154)
- Languages: Two languages of your choice; check with your DM before choosing an exotic language
- Saving Throws: Strength, Dexterity
- Skills: Choose three from Acrobatics, 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) leather armor, (b) chain shirt, or (c) scale mail
- (a) a dungeoneer's pack or (b) an explorer's pack
- two melee weapons
- a ranged weapon and a fitting container with 20 pieces of ammunition
Natural Explorer
You have a natural talent to roam the world and safely guide others through its deep forests and forgotten ruins. You gain the following benefits:
Survivalist. You can add your Focus Die to your Intelligence (Nature) and Wisdom (Survival) checks (see below).
Swift Tracker. You can track while traveling at a fast pace. In addition, finding a trail only takes 1 minute in a confined area such as a dungeon, or 10 minutes outdoors, and while tracking other creatures, you learn their exact number, their sizes, and how long ago they passed through the area.
Forager. When you forage and succeed on the Wisdom (Survival) check, you find twice as much food and water as you normally would. If you fail, you still find enough food and water to sustain one person for one day.
Look-out. You don't suffer the -5 penalty to your passive Wisdom (Perception) score while traveling at a fast pace, and even when you are engaged in another activity while traveling — such as foraging, navigating, or tracking — you remain alert to danger.
Scout. Difficult terrain doesn't slow your travel, and you can move stealthily while traveling at a normal pace.
Guide. You can guide the travel for a group of up to six creatures. While guided by you, your group can move stealthily while traveling at a normal pace and difficult terrain doesn't slow your group's travel.
Ranger Focus
The wilderness is a dangerous place to those not paying attention.
You possess a Focus Die that increases as you gain levels as a ranger, as shown in the Focus Die column of the Ranger table.
At 1st level, you gain one of the following Ranger Focuses of your choice, and you gain a second one at 6th level.
You can't add your Focus Die more than once to the same check or roll.
Additionally, when you gain a level in this class, you can choose one of the Ranger Focuses you know and replace it with another Ranger Focus of your choice.
Animal Empathy
You can add your Focus Die to Wisdom (Animal Handling) checks and you have an innate ability to communicate with beasts, and they recognize you as a kindred spirit.
Beasts won't attack you and will tolerate your presence unless you threaten them or their young.
In addition, you can cast the Speak with Animals spell at will, without expending a spell slot.
Elusiveness
You can add your Focus Die to your Dexterity (Acrobatics) checks and you can use the Disengage action as a bonus action on your turn.
In addition, squeezing through tight spaces costs you no extra movement and you don't suffer the normal penalties while doing so. You can also move through a tight crowd without being slowed, unless they actively try to hinder you.
Herbalist
You can add your Focus Die to your Intelligence (Medicine) checks and to ability checks using the herbalism kit proficiency.
In addition, with one hour of work and expending 50 gp worth of materials, you can make a number of healing poultices equal to your proficiency bonus. A poultice retains its potency for a number of days equal to your proficiency bonus.
A creature can spend 1 minute to apply a poultice to itself or an unresistant creature within 5 feet, after which the target regains a number of hit points equal to 1d4 + your proficiency bonus.
The hit points regained increase by 1d4 as you gain levels in this class: 5th level (2d4), 9th (3d4), 13th level (4d4), and 17th level (5d4).
Alternatively, instead of regaining hit points, a poultice can remove the poisoned condition on the target creature.
A creature can't benefit from another poultice until it finishes a short or long rest.
Hunter's Eye
You can add your Focus Die to either your Intelligence (Investigation) or Wisdom (Perception) checks — as well as half your Focus Die's maximum to the corresponding passive score — and you can take the Search action as a bonus action on your turn.
In addition, you gain darkvision out to a range of 60 feet or increase the range of your your darkvision by 30 feet, and you no longer suffer disadvantage on your Wisdom (Perception) checks imposed by lightly obscured areas (such as dim light, patchy fog, or moderate foliage).
— Spell Slots per Spell Level —
The Focus-Feature Ranger
| Level | Proficiency Bonus | Features | Focus Die | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | 5th |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | +2 | Natural Explorer, Ranger Focus | 1d4 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2nd | +2 | Fighting Style, Focused Prey, Spellcasting | 1d4 | 2 | — | — | — | — |
| 3rd | +2 | Alacrity, Ranger Archetype | 1d4 | 3 | — | — | — | — |
| 4th | +2 | Ability Score Improvement | 1d4 | 3 | — | — | — | — |
| 5th | +3 | Extra Attack | 1d6 | 4 | 2 | — | — | — |
| 6th | +3 | Ranger Focus | 1d6 | 4 | 2 | — | — | — |
| 7th | +3 | Ranger Archetype feature | 1d6 | 4 | 3 | — | — | — |
| 8th | +3 | Ability Score Improvement | 1d6 | 4 | 3 | — | — | — |
| 9th | +4 | — | 1d8 | 4 | 3 | 2 | — | — |
| 10th | +4 | Superior Senses | 1d8 | 4 | 3 | 2 | — | — |
| 11th | +4 | Ranger Archetype feature | 1d8 | 4 | 3 | 3 | — | — |
| 12th | +4 | Ability Score Improvement | 1d8 | 4 | 3 | 3 | — | — |
| 13th | +5 | — | 1d10 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 1 | — |
| 14th | +5 | Ranger's Resilience | 1d10 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 1 | — |
| 15th | +5 | Ranger Archetype feature | 1d10 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2 | — |
| 16th | +5 | Ability Score Improvement | 1d10 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2 | — |
| 17th | +6 | — | 1d12 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 1 |
| 18th | +6 | Heightened Focus | 1d12 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 1 |
| 19th | +6 | Ability Score Improvement | 1d12 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 |
| 20th | +6 | Apex Predator | 1d12 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 |
Hunter's Instinct
You can add your Focus Die to your Wisdom (Insight) checks — as well as half your Focus Die's maximum to the corresponding passive score — and you know how to keep your prey distracted.
You can use the Help action as a bonus action on your turn. In addition, when you use the Help action to aid an ally in attacking a creature, increase the range of the Help action by 20 feet if the creature can see or hear you. Additionally, you can help two allies targeting the same creature within range when you use the Help action this way.
Poisoner
You can add your Focus Die to Intelligence (Medicine) checks and to ability checks using the poisoner's kit proficiency.
In addition, with one hour of work and expending 50 gp worth of materials, you can create a number of doses of potent poison equal to your proficiency bonus. A dose retains its potency for a number of days equal to your proficiency bonus.
You can coat a weapon in poison as a bonus action, instead of an action, and once applied, the poison retains potency for 1 minute or until you hit with the weapon.
When a weapon coated in this poison deals damage to a creature, that creature must succeed on a Constitution saving throw against your spell save DC (see below) or take 1d8 poison damage and become poisoned until the end of your next turn.
The damage increases by 1d8 as you gain levels in this class: 5th level (2d8), 9th (3d8), 13th level (4d8), and 17th level (5d8).
Trailblazer
You can add your Focus Die to your Strength (Athletics) checks, and you can take the Dash action as a bonus action on your turn.
In addition, moving through nonmagical difficult terrain — as well as climbing and swimming — costs you no extra movement, and you can pass through nonmagical plants without taking damage from them if they have thorns, spines, or a similar hazard.
Vanish
You can add your Focus Die to your Dexterity (Stealth) checks and you can use the Hide action as a bonus action on your turn.
You can attempt to hide even when you are only lightly obscured and creatures have disadvantage on Wisdom (Survival) checks made to track you.
In addition, when you are hidden and miss a creature with a weapon attack, making the attack doesn't reveal your position.
Feat: Focused Mind
Prerequisite: Wisdom 13 or higher
You have learned to focus body, mind, and soul while performing specific tasks.
You gain one Ranger Focus of your choice from those available to the Ranger class. If you don't possess a Focus Die, you use a d4 instead.
You can take this feat one additional time for every four Ranger levels you possess (rounded down).
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 you are wearing armor, you gain a +1 bonus to AC.
Dual-Wielding (Revised)
former Two-Weapon Fighting
When you engage in two-weapon fighting, you can add your ability modifier to the damage of the second attack and you can draw or stow an additional weapon on your turn.
In addition, when wielding only light weapons, you do not expend your bonus action to make the second attack. You can still gain the benefits of two-weapon fighting only once during your turn.
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.
Focused Prey
Beginning at 2nd level, you can heighten your senses and focus onto a creature, marking it as your prey.
You can use a bonus action to mark a creature you can see within 90 feet as your focused prey, if you haven't done so during your last turn.
The target is marked until you finish a short or long rest, are rendered unconscious, or use this feature again to target another creature.
While a creature is marked, you gain the following benefits:
Hunter's Reflex. Your mark provokes opportunity attacks from you even if it takes the Disengage action before leaving your reach.
Hunter's Sense. You can add your Focus Die to all your Wisdom checks targeting your mark, such as tracking or detecting it, or discerning its personality, emotions, and intent.
Hunter's Strike. You can add your Focus Die to all your attack rolls against your mark, and any attack roll you make against it is a critical hit on a roll of 19 or 20 on the d20.
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 ranger 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
Ritual Casting
You can cast a ranger spell as a ritual if that spell has the ritual tag and you have the spell prepared.
Ranger Archetype
Also at 3rd level, you choose to emulate the ideals and training of a ranger archetype, all detailed at the end of the class description. Many rangers of the same archetype form so called Conclaves, loose organizations aimed to focus, guide, and further the knowledge and training of their shared philosophy.
Your archetype choice grants you features at 3rd level and again at 7th, 11th, and 15th level.
Archetype Focus
Each archetype provides you with a specific Ranger Focus when you choose it at 3rd level. If you already possess that Ranger Focus, you can choose another one from the list instead.
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.
Alacrity
By 3rd level, you have learned to maneuver around the battlefield with swift determination.
You can add your Focus Die to your initiative rolls.
In addition, while you aren't wearing heavy armor, your speed increases by 10 feet.
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.
Superior Senses
At 10th level, you have honed your senses to perfection.
As long as you aren't both blinded and deafened, you always know the location of any hidden or invisible creature within 30 feet of you, that isn't behind total cover. If you are either blinded or deafened, this range is reduced to 15 feet.
In addition, attacking a creature you can't see doesn't impose disadvantage on your attack rolls.
Ranger's Resilience
At 14th level, surviving the harshness of the wilds has steeled your body, mind and soul.
When you make a saving throw, you can add your Focus Die to the roll. You can choose to use this feature before or after the roll, but before any effects of the roll are applied.
You can use this feature a number of times equal to your Wisdom modifier (a minimum of once). You regain all expended uses when you finish a long rest.
Heightened Focus
At 18th level, your ability to focus on any given task has become second nature.
Whenever you roll your Focus Die, you can choose to reroll the die but you must use the second result.
Apex Predator
At 20th level, you learned how to act with incredible speed.
You gain a special action in combat that takes place on initiative count 20 (winning all initiative ties). With this special action, you can take any one bonus action or make a single weapon attack.
If you are surprised at the start of an encounter, you are not surprised but you do not gain this extra action in the first round of combat.
Ranger Archetypes
Across the wilds, rangers follow various different archetypes whose members share a similar outlook on the world and their place and role within it.
These archetypes are replacing all published Ranger archetypes.
Beast Master
The Beast Master archetype embodies a friendship between the civilized races and the beasts of the world. United in focus, beasts and ranger work as one to fight the monstrous foes that threaten civilization and the wilderness alike. Emulating the Beast Master archetype means committing yourself to this ideal, working in partnership with all animals as companions and friends.
Archetype Focus
When you choose this archetype at 3rd level, you gain the Animal Empathy Focus.
Archetype Spells
You gain archetype spells at the ranger levels listed.
Beast Master Spells
| Ranger Master | Spell |
|---|---|
| 3rd | find familiar |
| 5th | healing spirit |
| 9th | conjure animals |
| 13th | guardian of nature |
| 17th | insect plague |
Primal Beast Companion
While wandering the wilds, a ranger encounters many sorts of animals, some of which the ranger might befriend. This friendship can arise from successful use of the Animal Handling skill or the animal friendship spell. If the resulting bond is strong enough, the animal might join the ranger on adventures.
At 3rd level, a ranger who has the Beast Master archetype can form an even stronger bond, feeling almost like a sibling to an animal. A special type of beast awaits a Beast Master in the wilds, a creature whose lineage stretches back to the beginnings of the world: a primal beast known as a Beast of the Air or a Beast of the Earth. Such a creature seeks out the type of companionship that a Beast Master offers, ready for the two of them to battle the imbalances in the natural world.
You decide whether it is a Beast of the Air or the Earth, and you determine its appearance (see the next page for the beast's stat block) — Stories describe primal beasts that mystically change form to align with the spirit of their companion.
In combat, the primal beast shares your initiative count, but it takes its turn immediately after yours. It can move and use its reaction on its own, but the only action it takes on its turn is the Dodge action, unless you take a bonus action on your turn to command it to take the Attack, Dash, Disengage, Help, Hide, or Search action.
When a primal beast is met apart from a Beast Master, the creature takes the form a regular beast of challenge rating 1/4 or lower, as determined by the DM.
Primal Bond
At 7th level, while your companion can see you, it has advantage on all saving throws and now shares the benefits of your Focused Prey feature.
In addition, the beast's attacks now count as magical for the purpose of overcoming resistance and immunity to nonmagical attacks and damage.
Storm of Claws and Blades
At 11th level, you and your partner have become a deadly unit, fighting as a single mind and body.
When your companion takes the Attack action on your turn, you can use your reaction to make one weapon attack against the same target.
Alternatively, you can use your reaction to let your companion make another attack against the same target.
Either way, you must be able to see both your companion and the target to use this feature.
One Spirit, One Body, One Soul
At 15th level, the magical bond between you and your partner has linked your body, mind, and soul.
When your companion takes damage, you can use your reaction to take half of the damage instead. You must be able to see your companion within 60 feet of you and the damage must not reduce your hit points below 0.
Beast of the Air
Small beast, unaligned
- Armor Class 13
- Hit Points equal five times your ranger level (the beast has a number of Hit Dice [d8s] equal to your ranger level)
- Speed 10 ft., flying 60 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 7 (-2) 16 (+3) 13 (+1) 7 (-2) 16 (+3) 11 (+0)
- Saving Throws Dex +5, Con +3, Wis +5
- Skills Acrobatics +5, Perception +5, Stealth +5,
Survival +5- Senses Darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 14
- Languages understands the languages you speak
Flyby. The beast doesn't provoke opportunity attacks when it flies out of an enemy's reach.
Might of the Master. The following numbers increase by 1 when your proficiency bonus increases by 1: the beast’s skill and saving throw bonuses (above), and the bonuses to hit and damage of its shred attack (below).
Primal Rebirth. If the beast has died within the last hour, you can use your action to touch it and expend a spell slot of 1st level or higher. The beast returns to life after 1 minute with all its hit points restored.
Actions
Shred. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, range 5 ft., one target. Hit: 6 (1d6 + 3) slashing damage.
Beast of the Earth
Medium beast, unaligned
- Armor Class 13 (Natural Armor)
- Hit Points equal six times your ranger level (the beast has a number of Hit Dice [d8s] equal to your ranger level)
- Speed 40 ft., climb or swim 40 ft. (your choice when you bond with the beast)
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 14 (+2) 14 (+2) 14 (+2) 7 (-2) 14 (+2) 11 (+0)
- Saving Throws Dex +4, Con +4, Wis +4
- Skills Athletics +4, Perception +4, Stealth +4,
Survival +4- Senses Darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 14
- Languages understands the languages you speak
Charge. If the beast moves at least 20 feet straight toward a target and then hits it with a maul attack on the same turn; if the target is a Large or smaller creature, it must succeed on a Strength saving throw against your spell save DC or be knocked prone.
Might of the Master. The following numbers increase by 1 when your proficiency bonus increases by 1: the beast’s skill and saving throw bonuses (above), and the bonuses to hit and damage of its maul attack (below).
Primal Rebirth. If the beast has died within the last hour, you can use your action to touch it and expend a spell slot of 1st level or higher. The beast returns to life after 1 minute with all its hit points restored.
Actions
Maul. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, range 5 ft., one target. Hit: 6 (1d8 + 2) slashing damage.
Horizon Walker
Horizon Walkers feel the urge to travel the world and learn of its myriad creatures and cultures, but they also guard it against threats that originate from other planes or that seek to ravage the mortal realm. Senior members seek out planar portals and keep watch over them, venturing to the Inner and Outer Planes as needed to pursue their foes.
Archetype Focus
When you choose this archetype at 3rd level, you gain the Trailblazer Focus.
Archetype Spells
You gain archetype spells at the ranger levels listed.
Horizon Walker Spells
| Ranger Level | Spell |
|---|---|
| 3rd | protection from evil and good |
| 5th | misty step |
| 9th | fly |
| 13th | banishment |
| 17th | dispel evil and good |
Horizon Leap
Also at 3rd level, you can use minor magic to propel you into the air.
You can use your bonus action to gain a flying speed equal to your current walking speed until the end of your turn, and the first time you hit a target with a weapon attack on this turn, it takes an extra 1d8 force damage from the attack.
You fall if you end your turn in the air and nothing else is holding you aloft.
Ethereal Flicker
At 7th level, you can partially step into the Border Ethereal, in order to protect you from harm. When you suffer damage from an attack or by failing a saving throw, you can use your reaction to gain resistance to all that damage except force and psychic damage.
You can use this feature a number of times equal to your Wisdom modifier (a minimum of once), and you regain all expended uses when you finish a long rest.
Find the Gate
Also at 7th level, you develop a keen sense for the realms beyond the material plane and the portals that lead to them.
By focusing your senses for 1 minute, you can detect the distance and direction to any planar portal within 1 mile of you as long as it isn't hidden from divination magic.
In addition, you can spend 1 uninterrupted hour analyzing a portal to discern its properties, such as the plane it leads to, the requirements necessary for its activation, or any dangers that might be involved by using it.
Blink Strike
At 11th level, you gain the ability to pass between the planes in the blink of an eye. When you take the Attack action, you can teleport up to 10 feet before each attack to an unoccupied space you can see.
In addition, if a creature misses you with an attack, you can use your reaction to teleport up to 10 feet and make a weapon attack against that creature, provided that the creature isn't hidden from you. You can choose to make the attack before or after you teleport.
Step Beyond
At 15th level, you learn how to step beyond the horizon and into the multiverse.
You can cast either etherealness, plane shift, or teleport once without expending a spell slot. You can’t do so again until you finish a long rest.
In addition, you have advantage on any ability check or saving throw you make to resist or control any specific feature of any plane you are visiting (e.g. the Shadowfell's Despair, the Feywild's Memory Loss, or the Limbo's Power of Mind).
Moon Stalker
Many rangers are more at home in the wilds than in civilization, to the point where they see themselves more akin to animals than humanoids. Becoming a Moon Stalker means turning your back to the civilized world and embracing the purity and simplicity of the animal within you. Moon Stalkers are fierce protectors of the wilds — both against encroaching civilizations and unnatural forces.
Archetype Focus
When you choose this archetype at 3rd level, you gain the Animal Empathy Focus.
Archetype Spells
You gain archetype spells at the ranger levels listed.
Moon Stalker Spells
| Ranger Level | Spell |
|---|---|
| 3rd | find familiar |
| 5th | alter self |
| 9th | conjure animals |
| 13th | polymorph |
| 17th | commune with nature |
Wild Shape
At 3rd level, you can use a bonus action to magically assume the shape of a beast that you have seen before.
- You can use this feature twice. You regain expended uses when you finish a short or long rest.
- You can transform into a beast with a challenge rating as high as your ranger level divided by 4 (minimum CR 1/2).
- You can stay in a beast shape for a number of hours equal to half your ranger level (rounded down). You then revert to your normal form unless you expend another use of this feature. You can revert to your normal form earlier by using a bonus action on your turn, you automatically revert if you fall unconscious, drop to 0 hit points, or die.
- While you are transformed by Wild Shape, you can use a bonus action to expend one spell slot to regain 1d8 hit points per level of the spell slot expended.
This ability otherwise functions like the druid ability of the same name, using your ranger level instead of your druid level. If you gain this ability from multiple sources, you don't gain any additional uses, but you can add all corresponding class levels together to determine its limitations.
Primal Resilience
Starting at 7th level, while in your normal form, your natural Armor Class equals 10 + your Dexterity modifier + your Constitution modifier. You can use your natural armor to determine your AC if the armor you wear would leave you with a lower AC. A shield's benefits apply as normal while you use your natural armor.
Alternatively, while in beast form, you can add your proficiency bonus to your armor class, and when you expend a spell slot to regain hit points in your beast form, you regain an additional number of hit points equal to your Wisdom modifier.
Primal Fury
At 11th level, you can unleash your bestial nature onto your enemies. Regardless of your current form, you can add your proficiency bonus to the damage dealt by your unarmed attacks and they count as magical for the purpose of overcoming resistance and immunity to non-magical attacks and damage.
In addition, when you take damage from a creature that is within 5 feet of you, you can use your reaction to make a melee weapon attack against that creature.
Primal Mastery
Beginning at 15th level, you can use a bonus action and expend two uses of Wild Shape to transform into a beast with a challenge rating as high as half your ranger level.
In addition, you can cast many of your ranger spells in any shape you assume using Wild Shape. You can perform the somatic and verbal components of a ranger spell while in a beast shape, but you aren't able to provide material components.
Night Shade
Night Shades are at home in the darkest places: deep under the earth, in gloomy alleyways, in primeval forests, and wherever else the light dims. Most folk fear such places, but a Night Shade thrives in the darkness, seeking to instill fear into the hearts of their enemies. Such rangers are often found where evil lurks in the shadows.
Archetype Focus
When you choose this archetype at 3rd level, you gain the Vanish Focus.
Archetype Spells
You gain archetype spells at the ranger levels listed.
Night Shade Spells
| Ranger Level | Spell |
|---|---|
| 3rd | cause fear |
| 5th | invisibility |
| 9th | fear |
| 13th | phantasmal killer |
| 17th | seeming |
Terror Strike
Also at 3rd level, you learn how to strike terror into your enemies hearts.
You can use your bonus action to weaken a creature's mental resistance. When you hit that creature on this turn with an attack, it takes an extra 1d8 psychic damage and must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw against your spell save DC or become frightened of you until the end of your next turn.
Fear is the Mind-Killer
At 7th level, you have conquered your own fears and know how to instill true terror in others.
You can no longer be frightened.
In addition, while frightened by your spells or abilities, creatures have disadvantage on all Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma checks and saving throws.
Dread Ambush
At 11th level, you have learned how to exploit your enemies fears.
When a creature you are hidden from — or that is frightened by one of your spells or abilities — takes an action or moves, you can use your reaction to make a single weapon attack against it.
Meld with Shadows
Beginning at 15th level, you can literally meld into the shadows around you.
When you are in an area of dim light or darkness, you can use your action to become invisible. You remain invisible until you make an attack, cast a spell, or are in an area of bright light.
Slayer
Emulating the Slayer archetype means accepting your place as a bulwark between civilization and the terrors of the wilderness. As you walk the Slayer’s path, you learn specialized techniques for fighting the threats you face, from rampaging ogres and hordes of orcs to towering giants and terrifying dragons.
Archetype Focus
When you choose this archetype at 3rd level, you gain the Hunter's Eye Focus.
Archetype Spells
You gain archetype spells at the ranger levels listed.
Slayer Spells
| Ranger Level | Spell |
|---|---|
| 3rd | heroism |
| 5th | primeval awareness+ |
| 9th | protection from energy |
| 13th | death ward |
| 17th | greater restoration |
+ new spell
Slayer Tactics
At 3rd level, you learn specialized tactics to bring down your prey. Choose one benefit from the following list. When you finish a long rest, you can replace your current benefit with another one from the list.
Colossus Slayer. As a bonus action, choose one Large or larger creature you can see within 60 feet of you. The next time you hit that creature on this turn with a weapon attack, the creature takes an extra 1d8 damage.
Horde Breaker. When you take the Attack action on your turn, you can use your bonus action to make another attack with the same weapon against a different creature that is within 10 feet of the original target and within range of your weapon.
Defensive Tactics
At 7th level, you learn tactics that help protect you on your hunt. Choose one benefit from the following list. When you finish a long rest, you can replace your current benefit with another one from the list.
Dodge the Ogre's Club. When a Large or larger creature you can see hits you with an attack, you can force that creature to reroll. You can't use this feature again until the beginning of your next turn.
Resist the Flayer's Mind. When a creature you can see uses an ability that forces you to make an Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma saving throw, you can add your Focus Die to the roll.
Wade in the Water. Opportunity attacks against you are made with disadvantage. In addition, once per turn, when a creature hits or misses you with an attack, you can move 5 feet without provoking opportunity attacks immediately after the attack.
Retaliation Tactics
At 11th level, you have developed tactics to exploit your prey weaknesses and mistakes. Choose one benefit from the following list. When you finish a long rest, you can replace your current benefit with another one from the list.
Poke the Beholder's Eye. When a creature you can see forces you to make a saving throw, you can use your reaction to make one weapon attack against that creature. You make this attack immediately before making the saving throw. If your attack hits, you have advantage on the save, in addition to the attack’s normal effects.
Punish the Lumbering Hulk. When a Large or larger creature you can see, hits or misses you with an attack, you can use your reaction to attack that creature immediately after its attack.
Turn the Tide. When a creature you can see misses you with an attack, you can use your reaction to force that creature to repeat the same attack against another creature (other than itself) of your choice within its reach. You regain your reaction if that attack misses.
Survival Tactics
At 15th level, your vast experience allows you to deploy tactics to survive the most dire situations. Choose one benefit from the following list. When you finish a long rest, you can replace your current benefit with another one from the list.
Between the Hydra's Heads. 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.
In the Eye of the Storm. Whenever a creature hits you with an attack, you gain a +2 bonus to your AC at the end of the creature's turn. This bonus lasts until the beginning of your next turn.
Under the Dragon's Breath. When a creature you can see uses an ability (not a spell) that forces you to make a 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.
Ranger Spells
1st Level
- Absorb Elements
- Alarm
- Animal Friendship*
- Beast Bond*
- Calm Beasts+
- Cliffscaler+
- Cure Wounds
- Detect Evil and Good
- Detect Magic
- Detect Poison and Disease
- Ensnaring Strike
- Entangle
- Faerie Fire
- Feather Fall
- Find Familiar
- Fog Cloud
- Goodberry
- Hail of Thorns
- Hunter's Mark*
- Jump
- Longstrider
- Minor Image
- Predatory Instinct+
- Purify Food and Drink
- Revivify Beast+
- Searing Smite
- Sleep
- Snare*
- Speak with Animals
- Summon Nature's Ally+
- Thunderous Smite
- Urban Awareness+
- Waverider+
- Zephyr Strike
2nd Level
- Alter Self
- Animal Messenger
- Barkskin
- Beast Sense
- Blindness/Deafness
- Blur
- Branding Smite
- Cordon of Arrows
- Darkvision
- Darkness
- Enhance Ability
- Find Steed
- Find Traps
- Gentle Repose
- Healing Spirit
- Invisibility
- Lesser Restoration
- Locate Animals or Plants
- Locate Object
- Mirror Image
- Pass without Trace
- Primeval Awareness+
- Protection from Poison
- See Invisibility
- Silence
- Skywrite
- Spider Climb
- Spike Growth
3rd Level
- Blinding Smite
- Catnap
- Clairvoyance
- Conjure Animals
- Conjure Barrage
- Daylight
- Dispel Magic
- Elemental Weapon
- Feign Death
- Flame Arrows
- Life Transference
- Lightning Arrow
- Major Image
- Nondetection
- Plant Growth
- Protection from Energy
- Revivify
- Speak with Plants
- Spirit Guardians
- Swift Strike+
- Water Breathing
- Water Walk
Wind Wall
4th Level
- Conjure Woodland Beings
- Dominate Beast
- Elemental Bane
- Find Greater Steed
- Fire Shield
- Freedom of Movement
- Giant Insect
- Grasping Vine
- Greater Invisibility
- Guardian of Nature
- Hallucinatory Terrain
- Locate Creature*
- Staggering Smite
- Stoneskin
5th Level
- Banishing Smite
- Commune with Nature
- Conjure Volley
- Contagion
- Insect Plague
- Mislead
- Reincarnate
- Scrying
- Steel Wind Strike
Swift Quiver- Tree Stride
- Wrath of Nature
+ new spell | * revised spell | — removed spell
New and Revised Spells
The following spells either replace existing spells on — or are added to — the druid and ranger spell lists.
Animal Friendship (revised)
1st-level enchantment (ritual)
- Casting Time: 1 action
- Range: 30 feet
- Components: V, S
- Duration: 24 hours
This spell lets you convince a beast that you mean it no harm. Choose a beast that you can see within range. It must see and hear you. The beast must have an Intelligence of 6 or lower or the spell fails. Otherwise, the beast must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw or be charmed by you for the spell's duration. If you or one of your companions harms the target, the spell ends.
At Higher Levels. When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 2nd level or higher, you can affect one additional beast for each slot level above 1st.
Beast Bond (revised)
1st-level enchantment (ritual)
- Casting Time: 1 hour
- Range: 5 feet
- Components: V, S, M (fine food worth 50 gp, which the spell consumes)
- Duration: 1 year
You can form a close bond with an animal that is friendly to you or charmed by you.
When you cast the spell, choose a friendly beast within range. The beast must remain friendly and in range during the entire casting.
Once bond, this beast becomes your loyal companion and will obey your commands to the best of its abilities, giving you advantage on your Wisdom (Animal Handling) checks.
You also establish a telepathic link with the beast. While within line of sight, the beast can understand your telepathic messages, and it can telepathically communicate simple emotions and concepts back to you. In addition, this link allows you and the beast to sense each others direction and distance within up to 5 miles, and whether the other is injured or unconscious.
If you are incapacitated or absent, your companion acts on its own, focusing on finding and protecting you and itself.
When the spell ends or is suppressed (e.g. by an antimagic field), the beast remains your companion, but you lose any benefits given by the spell.
Calm Beasts
1st-level enchantment
- Casting Time: 1 action
- Range: 60 feet
- Components: V, S
- Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute
You attempt to suppress strong emotions in a group of beasts. Each beast in a 20-foot-radius sphere centered on a point you choose within range must make a Wisdom saving throw; a beast can choose to fail this saving throw if it wishes.
If a beast fails its saving throw, choose one of the following two effects:
- You can suppress any effect causing a target to be charmed or frightened. When this spell ends, any suppressed effect resumes, provided that its duration has not expired in the meantime.
- Alternatively, you can make a target indifferent about creatures of your choice that it is hostile toward. This indifference ends if the target is attacked or harmed by a spell or if it witnesses any of its friends being harmed. When the spell ends, the beast becomes hostile again, unless the DM rules otherwise.
Cliffscaler
1st-level transmutation
- Casting Time: 1 action
- Range: Touch
- Components: V, S, M (a goat's hoof)
- Duration: 1 hour
Until the spell ends, one willing creature you touch gains a climbing speed equal to its movement speed, and has advantage on ability checks made to climb onto or cling to larger creatures. (See Dungeon Master's Guide p. 271)
At Higher Levels. When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 2nd level or higher, you can target one additional creature for each slot level above 1st.
Hunter's Mark (Revised)
1st-level divination
- Casting Time: 1 bonus action
- Range: 120 feet
- Components: V
- Duration: 1 minute
You choose a creature you can see within range — mystically marking it as your quarry. Alternatively, you can mark a creature if it is already marked by one of your features (e.g. Focused Prey, Hexblade's Curse, or Vow of Enmity) or by studying its tracks for at least 1 minute.
Until the spell ends, you always know the exact distance and direction towards your mark as long as it's on the same plane of existence as you, and your mark cannot be hidden from you.
In addition, once per turn, when you miss with an attack against your mark, you can reroll the attack roll.
At Higher Levels. When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 2nd level or higher, the spell's duration is extended: 10 minutes (2nd level), 1 hour (3rd level), 8 hours (4th level), 24 hours (5th level).
Locate Creature
4th-level divination
- Casting Time: 1 action
- Range: Self
- Components: V, S, M (a small figurine, representing the type of creatures you wish to detect)
- Duration: Concentration, up to 1 hour
Describe or name a creature that is familiar to you. You sense the direction to the creature's location, as long as that creature is within 1 mile of you. If the creature is moving, you know the direction of its movement.
The spell can locate a specific creature known to you, or the nearest creature of a specific kind (such as a human or a unicorn), so long as you have seen such a creature up close — within 30 feet — at least once. If the creature you described or named is in a different form, such as being under the effects of a polymorph spell, this spell doesn't locate the creature.
At Higher Levels. If you cast this spell using a spell slot of 5th level or higher, the range increases by 2 miles for each slot level above 4th.
Predatory Instinct
1st-level enchantment
- Casting Time: 1 action
- Range: 30 feet
- Components: V, S
- Duration: 1 hour
You bestow one creature of your choice within range with keen hunting instincts. The target has advantage on initiative rolls, and has advantage on attack rolls against any creature that hasn't taken a turn in the combat yet.
The spell ends for a target after its first turn of combat.
At Higher Levels. When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 2nd level or higher, you can target one additional creature for each slot level above 1st.
Primeval Awareness
2nd-level divination
- Casting Time: 1 minute
- Range: Self
- Components: V, S, M (a small figurine, representing the type of creatures you wish to detect)
- Duration: Concentration, up to 10 minutes
You can attune your senses to the region around you and determine if creatures of a certain type lurk nearby.
When you begin casting this spell, choose a creature type (e.g. giants or monstrosities). For the duration, you know if any creatures of the chosen type are present within 1 mile around you, 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.
At Higher Levels. If you cast this spell using a spell slot of 3rd level or higher, the range increases by 1 mile for each slot level above 2nd.
Revivify Beast
1st-level necromancy
- Casting Time: 1 action
- Range: Touch
- Components: V, S, M (rare herbs and incense worth 50 gp, which the spell consumes)
- Duration: Instantaneous
You touch a beast that has died within the last 10 minutes. That beast returns to life with 1 hit point. This spell can’t return to life a beast that has died of old age, nor can it restore any missing body parts.
At Higher Levels. If you cast this spell using a spell slot of 2nd level or higher, the beast returns to live with 10 additional hit points for each slot level above 1st. It can't gain more hit points than its hit point maximum.
Snare
1st-level abjuration
- Casting Time: Special
- Range: Touch
- Components: V, S
- Duration: Special
As you cast this spell, you draw a circle with a 5-foot radius on the ground or the floor. When you finish casting, the circle disappears and becomes a magic trap.
This trap is nearly invisible, requiring a successful Intelligence (Investigation) check against your spell save DC to be discerned.
The trap triggers when a Small, Medium, or Large creature moves onto the ground or the floor in the spell’s radius. That creature must succeed on a Dexterity saving throw or be magically hoisted into the air, leaving it hanging upside down 3 feet above the ground or the floor. The creature is restrained there until the spell ends.
A restrained creature can make a Strength saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success. Alternatively, the creature or someone else who can reach it can use an action to make an Intelligence (Arcana) check against your spell save DC. On a success, the restrained effect ends.
If you cast this spell using 1 action, its duration is limited to 10 minutes. If you cast this spell over 1 minute, its duration is 24 hours. After the trap is triggered, the spell ends when no creature is restrained by it.
Summon Nature's Ally
1st-level conjuration
- Casting Time: 1 action
- Range: 60 feet
- Components: V, S, M (a small figurine, representing the type of beast you wish to summon)
- Duration: Concentration, up to 1 hour
You call forth the spirit of a beast. The spirit manifests physically in an unoccupied space that you can see within range.
You can choose any beast with a Challenge Rating of 1/4 or lower.
The creature is friendly to you and your companions for the spell’s duration. In combat, the creature shares your initiative count, but it takes its turn immediately after yours. It obeys verbal commands that you issue to it (no action required by you). If you don't issue any, it defends itself but otherwise takes no action.
The creature disappears when it drops to 0 hit points or when the spell ends.
At Higher Levels. If you cast this spell using a spell slot of 2nd level or higher, the beast's CR can be as high as the spell slot level – 1.
Swift Strike
3rd-level transmutation
- Casting Time: 1 action
- Range: Touch
- Components: V, S
- Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute
You touch a willing creature and infuse it with martial prowess and heightened speed.
Until the spell ends, the target can use a bonus action on each of its turns to make a single weapon attack. If engaged in two-weapon fighting, the target can make this attack as part of the same bonus action it uses to make the attack with its other hand.
At Higher Levels. If you cast this spell using a spell slot of 5th level or higher, the target can make two attacks as a bonus action.
Urban Awareness
1st-level divination (ritual)
- Casting Time: 1 minute
- Range: Self
- Components: V, S
- Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute
You must cast this spell within the confines of a settlement otherwise the spell fails.
You can sense the most prominent emotions running through the settlement, such as fear, unrest, or anger.
You also gain a rough vision of the general layout of the settlement, and you can identify specific districts such as temples, markets, or slums.
During the spell's duration, you can find the fastest routes to any destination within the settlement — finding small alleyways, bypassing blocked streets, and avoiding large crowds.
At Higher Levels. When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 2nd level or higher, you can maintain your concentration on the spell for an extended time: 10 minutes (2nd level), 1 hour (3rd level), 8 hours (4th level), 24 hours (5th level).
Waverider
1st-level transmutation
- Casting Time: 1 action
- Range: Touch
- Components: V, S, M (a piece of sharkskin or sealskin)
- Duration: 1 hour
Until the spell ends, one willing creature you touch gains a swimming speed equal to its movement speed, and the ability to breathe underwater.
At Higher Levels. When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 2nd level or higher, you can target one additional creature for each slot level above 1st.