Original Ranger Subclasses, Revised
The original two subclasses for the Ranger, Beast Master and Hunter, are very much outclassed and outstripped by the more recent releases for the class. I decided to undertake the task of remastering and updating these two options for the more modern age of 5e D&D.
Beast Master
Ranger's Companion
At 3rd level, you gain a beast companion that accompanies you on your adventures and is trained to fight alongside you. Choose a beast that is no larger than Large, is not a swarm, and that has a challenge rating of 2 or lower. It gains the same saving throw proficiencies as you, if it doesn't already have them. It also is proficient in two skills of your choice, along with any proficiencies it already has. Add your proficiency bonus to the beast’s AC, attack rolls, and damage rolls, and it uses your proficiency bonus for any saving throws and skills it is proficient in. Its hit point maximum equals five times your ranger level + 5 plus your Wisdom modifier (minimum of 1). If the beast has an attack or ability that has a DC, the DC is equal to your ranger spell DC. Like any creature, the beast can spend Hit Dice during a short rest, and gains an additional Hit Dice whenever you increase your Ranger level. Finally, it loses the Multiattack action, if it has it.
In combat, your companion 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 another action. That action can be one in its stat block or some other action. If you are incapacitated, your companion can take any action of its choice, not just Dodge.
If your companion is ever slain, the magical bond you share allow you to return it to life. With 8 hours of work and the expenditure of a ranger spell slot, 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.
Beast Spells
Also at 3rd level, you learn an additional spell when you reach certain levels in this class, as shown in the Beast Master Spells table. Each spell counts as a ranger spell for you, but it doesn't count against the number of ranger spells you know.
Beast Master Spells
| Ranger Level | Spell |
|---|---|
| 3rd | Beast Bond |
| 5th | Warding Bond |
| 9th | Conjure Animals |
| 13th | Dominate Beast |
| 17th | Awaken |
Battle Buddy
At 7th level, the training and bonding you've done with your companion allows it to outperform any regular beast. When you command your companion to attack, it may make two attacks, instead of one, or take the Multiattack action if it is able. Additionally, your companion has advantage on saving throws while it can see you. Finally, its attacks now count as magical for the purpose of overcoming resistance and immunity to nonmagical attacks and damage.
Instinctual Partnership
At 11th level, you and your companion's souls become bonded, allowing you to harmonize in combat flawlessly. Commanding your companion is now a free action on your turn. Additionally, when you or your companion are hit by an attack while within 30 feet of each other, you can use your reaction or your companion's reaction to magically swap places, causing the other one to take the damage.
Hunter
Hunter's Magic
At 3rd level, you learn hunter's mark if you don't already know it, and may cast it at 1st level, without expending a spell slot, a number of times equal to your Wisdom modifier (minimum of 1) per long rest.
You also learn an additional spell when you reach certain levels in this class, as shown in the Hunter Spells table. The spell counts as a ranger spell for you, but it doesn't count against the number of ranger spells you know.
Hunter Spells
| Ranger Level | Spell |
|---|---|
| 3rd | Snare |
| 5th | Cordon of Arrows |
| 9th | Haste |
| 13th | Arcane Eye |
| 17th | Hold Monster |
Hunter's Prey
At 3rd level, you gain one of the following features of your choice. Whenever you gain a level in this class, you can replace your chosen feature with one of the other options.
- Colossus Slayer. Your tenacity can wear down the most potent foes. When you hit a creature with a weapon attack, the creature takes an extra 1d8 damage if it’s below its hit point maximum. A creature can only take this extra damage once per turn.
- Giant Killer. When a Large or larger creature within 5 feet of you hits or misses you with an attack, you can use your reaction to attack that creature immediately after its attack, provided that you can see the creature.
- Horde Breaker. Once on each of your turns when you make a weapon attack, you can make another attack with the same weapon against a different creature that is within 5 feet of the original target and within range of your weapon.
Defensive Tactics
At 7th level, you gain one of the following features of your choice. Whenever you gain a level in this class, you can replace your chosen feature with one of the other options.
- Escape the Horde. You can take the Disengage action as a bonus action.
- Multiattack Defense. 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.
- Steel Will. You have advantage on Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma saving throws.
Multiattack
At 11th level, you gain one of the following features of your choice. Whenever you gain a level in this class, you can replace your chosen feature with one of the other options.
- Volley. You can use your action to make a ranged attack against any number of creatures within 10 feet of a point you can see within your weapon’s range. You must have ammunition for each target, as normal, and you make a separate attack roll for each target
- Whirlwind Attack. You can use your action to make melee attacks against any number of creatures within your weapon's range, with a separate attack roll for each target.
- Spell Division When you cast a Ranger spell that targets hostile creatures, you may target two additional creatures with that spell that are within the spell's range.
Superior Hunter's Defense
At 15th level, you gain one of the following features of your choice. Whenever you gain a level in this class, you can replace your chosen feature with one of the other options.
- Uncanny Resilience. When you are subjected to an effect, such as a red dragon’s fiery breath or a cone of cold spell, that allows you to make a Dexterity or Constitution saving throw to take only half damage, you instead take no damage if you succeed on a saving throw, and only half damage if you fail.
- Stand Against the Tide. When a hostile creature misses you with a melee attack, you can use your reaction to force that creature to repeat the same attack against another creature (other than itself) of your choice. This ability automatically applies to any subsequent attacks the hostile creature makes against you, without requiring your reaction.
- Evasive Apptitude. When an attacker that you can see hits you with an attack, you can use your reaction to gain resistance to all of that attack's damage types until the end of the current turn.