Alternate

Ranger Expanded

In 5e, the Ranger, while narratively interesting, mechanically falls short of its class fantasy. The Alternate Ranger strives to capture the fantasy of playing a master of wilds. Included below are additional options for the Alternate Ranger class:

Additional Fighting Styles. The Fighting Styles included with the Alternate Ranger emulate the most common forms of combat. Fighting Styles included here can be more exotic, specific, or dangerous for those who make use of them.

Additional Knacks. The extra Knacks included here may be harder to learn or require a specific master to teach.

Survivalist Feats. The Feats included here allow all player characters to share in the abilities of the Alternate Ranger.

Additional Ranger Conclaves. Finally, included here are eleven additional Conclaves for Rangers to choose from.

Fighting Styles

The additional Fighting Styles listed here are available to the Ranger class, along with those included in the base class.

Whenever you gain a level in this class, you can switch your Fighting Style for another Fighting Style of your choice:

Arctic Adept

Prerequisite: proficiency in Survival
You have adapted to the frozen tundra. You gain Resistance to Cold damage, and you add your Ranger level to any Survival checks you make in arctic, snowy, or tundra environments.

Cavern Adept

Prerequisite: proficiency in Perception
You are especially skilled at navigating the winding tunnels under the earth. You gain Darkvision out to a range of 60 feet. If you already have Darkvision, its range increases by 30 feet.

As a bonus action, you can close your eyes and focus your senses to gain Tremorsense out to a 30-foot radius. You must concentrate on this sense as if concentrating on a spell.

Desert Adept

Prerequisite: proficiency in Survival
You have adapted arid deserts. You gain Resistance to Fire damage, and you can add your Ranger level to any Survival checks you make in extreme heat or desert environments.

Fell Handed I

Prerequisite: 6th-level Ranger
You pour the wrath of the wilds into each strike. Each time you hit your Quarry with an attack, your critical hit range is increased by 1. However, after you score a critial hit against
it, your critial hit range against it returns to normal.

For example, after you hit your Quarry with one attack, your attacks score a critial hit against it on a roll of 19-20 on the d20. After two hits, a roll of 18-20 on the d20. But, if you score a critial hit on it, it returns to 20 on the d20.

Fell Handed II

Prerequisite: 9th-level Ranger, Fell Handed I
Once per turn when you make an attack against your Quarry, you can give yourself advantage on your attack roll. However, if this attack hits, you do not add your Quarry bonus damage.

Hedge Knight I

Prerequisite: Strength of 13
Though you live in the wilderness you still have some formal military training. You gain proficiency with heavy armor and you learn to speak, read, and write one additional langauge.

Hedge Knight II

Prerequisite: 3rd-level Ranger, Hedge Knight I
Though you are a wanderer you have a basic understanding of chivalry and politics. You learn to speak, read, and write a language of your choice, and you gain proficiency in History, Persuasion, or Religion.

Whenever you make an abiltiy check with any of the skills above, you use Wisdom in place of the normal ability score.

Jungle Adept

Prerequisite: proficiency in Survival
You have adapted to the deadly jungle. You gain Resistance to Poison damage, and you add your Ranger level to all Survival
    checks you make in tropical forest or jungle environments.

Planar Adept

Prerequisite: 9th-level Ranger, proficiency in Survival
You have learned to survive on one of the great Planes of the multiverse. Choose one of the Planes from the table below (or the corresponding Plane in your game's setting). You gain Resistance to that Plane's corresponding damage type:

    Also, you add your Ranger level to any Survival checks you make to navigate and survive the hostile effects of that Plane.

You can learn this Knack more than once, but you must choose a different Plane of existence each time you do.

Rider I

Prerequisite: proficinecy in Animal Handling
Any time you make an Animal Handling check to tame, train, or control a mount, you treat any roll of 7 or lower on the d20 as an 8. Also, when you mount or dismount a trained mount, it only costs you 5 feet of movement instead of half.

Finally, you can add double your Proficiency Bonus to any Animal Handling checks that you make.

Rider II

Prerequisite: 3rd-level Ranger, Rider I
You learn the Mounted Warrior Fighting Style, and you can ride trained mounts that are equal to you in size or larger.

If you already know the Mounted Warrior Fighting Style you learn another Ranger Fighting Style of your choice.

Rider III

Prerequisite: 6th-level Ranger, Rider I, II
You are a master of mounted combat. When you are riding a
mount and it is hit by an attack, you can use your reaction to become the target of that attack instead. Also, if your mount is forced to make a saving throw while you are riding it, it gains a bonus to its saving throw equal to your Quarry Die.

Urban Adept

Prerequisite: proficiency in Investigation
Your survival skills are adapted to the seedy underbellies of settlements and civilization. You learn to speak, decode, and leave messages in Thieves' Cant, the language of criminals. Moreover, once you complete a long rest in a settlement, you add your Quarry Die to any ability check you make to gather information on that settlement's factions, underworld, or any important infamous figures or creatures.

Finally, you can add double your Proficiency Bonus to any Investigation checks that you make.

Woodsman

You are familiar with forests, trees, and raw timber. You gain proficiency with Woodcarver's Tools, and you have advantage on ability checks to identify and construct things from wood.

Also, during a long rest, you can use a set of Woodcarver's Tools and raw wood to craft a number of arrows, bolts, clubs, javelins, and quarterstaffs equal to your Proficiency Bonus.

Alternate Crossbow Expert

Updated version of the Crossbow Expert Feat
You have trained extensively with crossbows and wield them more efficiently than most. You gain the benefits below when using a hand crossbow, light crossbow, or heavy crossbow:

Focused. Being within 5 feet of a Hostile creature does not impose disadvantage on your ranged weapon attacks.

Quick Load. You ignore the restrictions from the Loading property of all crossbows, and you can load ammunition into a crossbow even when you do not have a free hand.

Quick Shot. When you take the Attack action and make an attack with a one-handed melee weapon, you can use a bonus action on that turn to make one attack with a hand crossbow.

Alternate Dual Wielder

Updated version of the Dual Wielder Feat
You have trained extensively, learning to fight wielding two melee weapons at once. You gain the following benefits:

Defensive Stance. While wielding a one-handed melee weapon in each hand you gain a +1 bonus to Armor Class.

Enhanced Grip. You can engage in two-weapon fighting even if the one-handed melee weapons you are wielding are not Light. You can also draw or stow two weapons at once.

Twin Strikes. If you make an opportunity attack while you are two-weapon fighting, you can make an attack against the target with each of the melee weapons you are wielding.

Alternate Sharpshooter

Updated version of the Sharpshooter Feat
You have trained extensively with ranged weapons to become a master marksman. You gain the benefits listed below:

Expert Marksman. You gain the Archery Fighting Style.
If you already know this Fighting Style, you gain a +1 bonus to ranged weapon attacks, and your ranged weapon attacks can completely ignore Half and Three-Quarter's cover.

Sniper. Attacking a target within a ranged weapon's
long range does not impose disadvantage on your roll.

Steady Aim. As a bonus action, you focus to give
yourself advantage on the next ranged attack that
you make on your current turn.

Survivalist Training

You have been trained to survive, track, and explore in the wild, much like a Ranger. You gain the benefits listed below:

Ability Score Increase. Increase your Strength, Dexterity, Constitution, or Wisdom score by 1, up to a maximum of 20.

Survivalist Knack. You learn a Knack of your choice from those available to the Alternate Ranger. To learn this Knack, you must meet all prerequisites that it has.

If the Knack requires a Quarry Die, roll a d4 unless yours is higher. If the Knack forces a saving throw, the DC is equal to 8 + your Proficiency Bonus + your Wisdom modifier.

Wild Companion

Prerequisite: Wisdom of 13 or higher
You have learned to bond with and train Beasts of the wild to adventure by your side. Choose one Beast with a CR equal to (or lower than) your level divided by 4. This Beast becomes a Wild Companion. It is Friendly to you and uses these rules:

Stat Block. Your Companion uses its normal stat block, but it learns to understand one language that you speak. You and your Companion can communicate simple ideas to each other using a series of clicks, whistles, and gestures. It gains all the normal benefits of both short and long rests.

Combat. In combat, your Companion acts on your turn. It can move and use its reaction on its own, but it will only take the Dodge action unless you use a bonus action to command it to take an action from its stat block or another action.

If you are Incapacitated, your Companion will defend itself to the best of its ability. Should you die, your Companion will do everything in its power to flee and return to its home.

New Companions. Should your Wild Companion die, or you release it from this bond, you can train a new Beast to be your Companion. To do so, you must spend 8 hours tracking, befriending, and bonding with a Beast within the CR limit as described above. A suitable Beast must be able to be found in your location within this 8-hour period.

You can only have one Wild Companion at a time. Should
        you seek out and bond a enw Wild Companion, any
                previous Wild Companions will leave you to
                 return home. If you treat your Companion
                 with hostility or recklessly risk its life, it
                   will desert you and return home.

Additional Conclaves

The following additional Ranger Conclaves are available to Rangers, along with those presented with the base class:

Trained to stalk the alleyways and underbellies of cities, Bounty Hunters use complex techniques to confidently confront and subdue Humanoids who threaten peace.

Buccaneer Spells

3rd-level Buccaneer Conclave feature
You always have certain spells prepared at the Ranger levels in the table below. The spells count as Ranger spells for you, but they don't count against the spells you prepare each day.

Brazen Bravado

3rd-level Buccaneer Conclave feature
You walk with the confidence that can only come from many near-death experiences. So long as you are not Incapacitated or Surprised, you gain a bonus to your iniatitive rolls and
saving throws to resist and end the Frightened condition equal to your Quarry Die.

Sea Legs

3rd-level Buccaneer Conclave feature
Your time on the sea has granted you a specific set of surival skills. You gain either the Mariner Fighting Style or Aquatic Adept Knack. Your choice does not count against your total Fighting Styles or Knacks Known, but cannot be replaced.

If you already know both Aquatic Adept and the Mariner Fighting Style, you gain the Druidic Warrior Fighting Style.

First Mate

7th-level Buccaneer Conclave feature
You are one of the most valuable crew members aboard your vessel. You add your Quarry Die to any ability check related to the navigation or operation of a seafaring vessel.

Moreover, when you are captaining a seafaring vessel, you can mark another vessel or a Huge or larger creature with a swimming speed as your Quarry, and every Friendly creature aboard your vessel gains the benefits of Ranger's Quarry so long as you remain abord the vessel as captain.

Brine in the Blood

7th-level Buccaneer Conclave feature
You have gained an affinity for the tempestuous magic of the seas. When you finish a short or long rest, you align yourself with one aspect of the seas, gaining the benefits below:

Waves. You gain Resistance to cold damage, your bonus damage from Ranger's Quarry becomes cold damage, and you cannot be knocked Prone or moved against your will.

Winds. You gain Resistance to thunder damage, your bonus damage from Ranger's Quarry is thunder damage, and
    you ignore difficult terrain while walking and swimming.

Wrath of the Sea

11th-level Buccaneer Conclave feature
You carry the magic of the high seas whether you are on sea or land. Once per turn when you hit a creature with a weapon attack, you imbue the strike with tempestuous magic, forcing it to make a Strength saving throw. If the target is your Quary, it has disadvantage. On a failed save, it suffers the effect that corresponds your Brine in the Blood alignment.

Waves. The creature takes bonus cold damage equal to your Quarry Die and it is knocked back a number of feet in a line equal to 5 times your Wisdom modifier (minimum 5 feet), but this distance is halved if the creature is larger than you.

Winds. The creature takes bonus thunder damage equal to your Quarry Die, and after this attack you can move up to half your speed without provoking opportunity attacks.

Scion of the Seas

15th-level Buccaneer Conclave feature
You are a child of the great waters. You gain the benefits of both Brine in the Blood alignments, but you only choose one when you use Wrath of the Sea.

Finally, when you are aboard a Friendly seafaring vessel, its speed is doubled and you can use your reaction to reduce any damage it takes by your
Ranger level.

Elder Haunt

Deep in the world's most elder forests dwell forgotten entities of hunger. You have joined a dark Conclave which draws upon the eldritch power of such entities. Have you sworn to protect the world from this dark hunger? Or, do you serve its desires?

Warden's Rite

3rd-level Grim Warden Conclave feature
You have studied and undergone the Warden's Rite, an
unholy alchemical ritual which enhances your blood.
You gain proficiency in Alchemist's Supplies and
Religion, and you add your Quarry Die to any
ability check you make with either.

Also, you count as a Monstrosity along
with your normal creature types, and
your maximum hit points increase
by 3, and increase by 1 again each
time you gain a Ranger level.

Grim Warden Spells

3rd-level Grim Warden Conclave feature
You always have certain spells prepared at Ranger
levels indicated below. They count as Ranger spells
for you, but don't count against the spells you prepare.

Crimson Mark

3rd-level Grim Warden Conclave feature
When you mark a creature as a Quarry, you can make a blood sacrifice in place of spending a use of Ranger's Quarry. When you do, reduce both your current and maximum hit points by your Quarry Die. Any reductions to your maximum hit points from this feature are undone at the end of your next long rest.

For the duration, your Quarry damage is necrotic, and each time you deal this damage, you can gain temporary hit points equal to the necrotic damage dealt. When your Quarry takes this necrotic damage it cannot regain hit points for 1 minute.

Dark Augmentation

7th-level Grim Warden Conclave feature
Sinister magic in your blood enhances your physical abilities. While you have a Crimson Mark on a creature, your walking speed increases by 10 feet, and you can add your Quarry Die to all Strength, Dexterity, and Constitution ability checks.

Sanguine Strikes

11th-level Grim Warden Conclave feature
Powerful blood magic infuses your weapons. Once per turn, when you hit a creature with a melee weapon attack, you can deal an additional 1d10 necrotic damage to it. When you do so, you can choose to gain temporary hit points equal to the
    necrotic damage dealt.

Nomad

Whether by birth, happenstance, or a ritual, the mind of every Nomad has been connected to the mystical web of knowledge known as the Noosphere. This psionic link allows Nomads to access knowledge from far-off places and distant lives. These strange wanderers spend their lives collecting hidden lore to add to this web of information that connects every Nomad.

Drawing on this network, these Rangers can use psionic abilities to slip through cracks in reality, assault the minds
of their foes, and draw on the knowledge of other Nomads.

Limited Wild Shape

3rd-level Shifter Conclave feature
As a bonus action, you can channel elder Druidic magick
to Shift into Beast Shapes using the rules below:

Beast Shapes. At 3rd level, you instictively know three Beast Shapes of CR ¼ or lower, all chosen from among
living Beasts that you have seen before.

When you Shift, your game statistics are replaced by
those of that Beast, but you retain your alignment, hit
points, and your Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma
scores. You also retain your proficiencies, in addition
to gaining those of the Beast. If you and a Beast Shape
share a proficiency, use the higher bonus.

Duration and Uses. You can stay in a Beast Shape for
1 hour, but you revert to your normal form early if you are Incapacitated or if you use a bonus action to do so.

You can use Wild Shape a number of times equal to your Wisdom modifier (a minimum of once). You regain one use
after a short rest, and all uses when you finish a long rest.

Equipment. You can choose for natural equipment, such as objects made of wood, animal parts, or natural materials, to merge with you. Equipment made from highly processed material, like metal weapons or armor, falls to the ground in your space when you Shift into a Beast Shape.

Features. You retain all benefits and features from your class, race, or other sources, including Ranger's Quarry, and can still use them so long as your Beast Shape is physically capable of doing so. You do not retain special senses, but use the senses of the Beast. Finally, you can't cast spells, but you can maintain concentration on spells and abilities.

Learning New Beast Shapes. You can learn a new Beast Shape by using an action to touch a Friendly Beast of a CR ¼ or lower. There is no limit to your number of Beast Shapes.

Shifter Spells

3rd-level Shifter Conclave feature
You always have certain spells prepared at the Ranger levels in the table below. The spells count as Ranger spells for you, but they don't count against the spells you prepare each day.

Wild Empathy

3rd-level Shifter Conclave feature
Elder magic bonds you to Beasts of the wilderness. You gain proficiency in Insight and learn the Wild Insight I Knack. It cannot be replaced, but it doesn't count against your Knacks Known. If you already know Wild Insight I, you learn another
    Knack of your choice.

Constellation Magic

3rd-level Stargazer Conclave feature
You draw your power from the constellations of the night sky. Each time you finish a long rest, you attune yourself to one of the Constellations below. While attuned, you always have the corresponding Constellation spells, one Cantrip and 1st-level spell, prepared. They become Ranger spells for you, but they don't count against the total number of spells you prepare. They also count as your Conclave Spells for 3rd level.

You can cast your 1st-level Constellation spell once without expending a spell slot, at the level of your highest level slot as shown on the Ranger table for your level, and you regain the ability to do so when you finish a short or long rest.

Trapper

While all Rangers have some skill with snares and traps, few are true masters of the craft. These Trappers are meticulous planners with mechanical minds who use their skills to plan ambushes and set snares for their foes. They have a talent for anticipating their foe's next move and laying the perfect trap.

Wastelander

While all Rangers have the skills to survive in the wilds, those known as Wastelanders are true masters of survival. Rugged wanderers, they have adapted to survive in the harshest lands imaginable; arid deserts, frozen tundra, great alpine heights, and magical wastelands. These survivalists combine a talent for illusion magic and protective gear to survive anywhere.

Arctic Wanderer

3rd-level Winter Wight Conclave feature
You have adapted to live in the unforgiving
arctic climates. You learn the Arctic Adept
Knack. It cannot be replaced, but it does not
count against your Knacks Known. In addition,
whenever you deal cold damage to a creature,
you ignore Resistance to cold.

If you already know the Arctic Adept Knack, you
can learn another Knack of your choice.

Frigid Strikes

3rd-level Winter Wight Conclave feature
You can infuse your strikes with frigid magic. You can
choose for your Quarry bonus damage to be cold damage.
When you deal this cold damage to a creature, its speed
is halved and it can't take the Disengage action until the
start of your next turn.

Also, when your Quarry is slain, you gain temporary hit
points equal to your Quarry Die + its Challenge Rating.

Winter Wight Spells

3rd-level Winter Wight Conclave feature
You always have certain spells prepared at the Ranger levels in the table below. The spells count as Ranger spells for you, but they don't count against the spells you prepare each day:

Blessing of Frost

7th-level Winter Wight Conclave feature
You can bestow an elder blessing upon others, warding them from the harshest effects of the arctic. As an action, choose a number of creatures, up to your Wisdom modifier (minimum of 1) within 30 feet. They gain temporary hit points equal to your Quarry Die + your Ranger level. While these temporary hit points last, they have Resistance to cold damage and gain Immunity to the Frightened condition.

You can use this feature between each short or long rest at no cost, after that, you must expend a spell slot of 2nd-level or higher to use this feature again.

Deep Freeze

7th-level Winter Wight Conclave feature
The frozen magick you channel has become stronger. When you deal cold damage to a creature with one of your Ranger
    spells, you can apply the effects of Frigid Strikes to it.

Wrangler Spells

3rd-level Wrangler Conclave feature
You always have certain spells prepared at the Ranger levels in the table below. The spells count as Ranger spells for you, but they don't count against the spells you prepare each day.

Beast Tamer

3rd-level Wrangler Conclave feature
Your intimate understanding of animal behaviors and habits grants you certain benefits. You gain proficiency in Athletics or Animal Handling. You also gain the following features:

• You can mark Beasts and Monstrosities as a Quarry without expending a use of Ranger's Quarry.
• Whenever you make an Animal Handling or Athletics check to Grapple, climb, wrestle, tame, or subdue your Quarry, you add your Quarry Die to your roll.
• Any Enchantment spell you have prepared that
  could normally only target Humanoids can also
  be used to target Beasts and Monstrosities.

Bring to Heel

7th-level Wrangler Conclave feature
You can bend creatures of the wild to your will. Whenever a Beast or Monstrosity that is Charmed by you makes a saving throw to end the Charmed condition, you can use a reaction to shout at that creature and subtract your Quarry Die from the result of its saving throw.

You can also command the monsters you tame. Any Beast or Monstrosity Charmed by you acts during your turn for the duration of that Charm effect. If you are within 30 feet of the Charmed creature and it can hear you, you can use an action to command it to take one of the actions from its stat block.

Monster Tamer

11th-level Wrangler Conclave feature
Your ability to tame and train creatures is near-supernatural in scope. Any Wrangler feature that normally affects Beasts and Monstrosities also affects any Celestials, Dragons, Fey, Fiends, Giants, Plants, and Oozes that have an Intelligence score less than or equal to your Ranger level.

Also, you can command any creature that is Charmed by you to take an action from its stat block with a bonus action, so long as that creature is within 30 feet and can hear you.

Wrangler of Legends

15th-level Wrangler Conclave feature
Once you charm a creature, there is little it can do to escape. When you cast an Enchantment spell on any creature that is not Humanoid, Construct, or an Undead, your concentration cannot be broken unless you wish it to be.

Moreover, creatures that are Charmed by you gain all of the
    benefits of Ranger's Quarry (including any of your Knacks
     that enhance it), and whenever one of these creatures is
       forced to make a saving throw, you can use your reaction
        to shout and add your Quarry Die to the result of its roll,
        so long as it is within 30 feet and can hear you.