Ranger

The original 5th ranger works and is balanced despite what some people say, but it is just too fiddly to play. Many people who take a Ranger (or any non caster class) want a straight forward charater to play and don't want to get bogged down in resource management. They made the Paladin easy in this regard because its is often a good tactic to burn their spell slots with Divine Smite.

I also don't like the spells, they belong on a caster class not on a martial class. They feel too much like 4th ed powers.

So for my game play an original Ranger if you want, but I'm going to create some different variants.

Huntsman

Beast Master

Arcane Archer

The Ranger

## 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

## Starting Proficiencies

You are proficient with the following items, in addition to any proficiencies provided by your race or background.

**Armor**: Light Armor, Medium Armor, shields

**Weapons**: simple Weapons, martial Weapons

**Tools:** none

**Skills:** Choose three from Animal Handling, Athletics, Insight, Investigation, Nature, Perception, Stealth, and Survival

## Starting Equipment

You start with the following items, plus anything provided by your background.

• (a) Scale Mail or (b) Leather Armor

• (a) two shortswords or (b) two simple Melee Weapons

• (a) a Dungeoneer's Pack or (b) an Explorer's Pack

• A Longbow and a Quiver of 20 Arrows

Alternatively, you may start with 5d4 x 10 gp to buy your own Equipment.

## Favored Enemy

Beginning at 1st level, you have significant experience studying, tracking, hunting, and even talking to a certain type of enemy.

Choose a type of favored enemy: Aberrations, Beasts, Celestials, constructs, dragons, elementals, fey, Fiends, Giants, Monstrosities, oozes, Plants, or Undead. Alternatively, you can select two races of humanoid (such as Gnolls and orcs) as favored enemies.

You have advantage on Wisdom (Survival) checks to track your favored enemies, as well as on Intelligence Checks to recall information about them.

When you gain this feature, you also learn one Language of your choice that is spoken by your favored enemies, if they speak one at all.

You choose one additional favored enemy, as well as an associated Language, at 6th and 14th level. As you gain levels, your choices should reflect the types of Monsters you have encountered on your adventures.

## Natural Explorer

You are particularly familiar with one type of natural Environment and are adept at traveling and surviving in such regions. Choose one type of favored terrain: arctic, coast, desert, forest, grassland, mountain, swamp, or The Underdark. When you make an Intelligence or Wisdom check related to your favored terrain, your proficiency bonus is doubled if you are using a skill that you're proficient in.

While traveling for an hour or more in your favored terrain, you gain the following benefits:

* Difficult terrain doesn't slow your group's travel.
* Your group can't become lost except by magical means.
* Even when you are engaged in another activity while traveling (such as foraging, navigating, or tracking), you remain alert to danger.
* If you are traveling alone, you can move stealthily at a normal pace.
* When you forage, you find twice as much food as you normally would.
* While tracking other creatures, you also learn their exact number, their sizes, and how long ago they passed through the area.
* Primeval Awareness, you can make a survival skill check DC 10 to examine the region around you. You can determine 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 choose additional favored terrain types at 6th and 10th level.

## Spellcasting

Nope if you want this then play the original ranger

## Precise Strike

Rangers are deadly foes when they catch you off guard.

Starting at 2nd level in any surprise round and when ever you have advantage you may add 1d6 damage to your weapon attacks, this increases to 2d6 at level 10 and 3d6 at level 18.

## Herbalist

From 2nd level you have a working knowledge of herbs and other natural medicines.

Whenever you tend to the wounds of someone during a short or long rest they regain an additional 1d8 hit points.

By 4th level you know enough about poisons and venoms to help treat them. By applying a poutice to the wound site you can give the patient an additional saving throw to recover from any ongoing poison or the poisoned condition.

## 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.

### Dueling

When you are wielding a melee weapon in one hand and no other Weapons, you gain a +2 bonus to Damage Rolls with that weapon.

### Two-Weapon Fighting

When you engage in two-weapon fighting, you can add your ability modifier to the damage of the second Attack.

## Ranger Archetype

At 3rd level, you choose an archetype that you strive to emulate, such as the Hunter. Your choice grants features at 3rd level, and again at 7th, 11th, and 15th level.

## Hide in Plain Sight

Starting at 3rd level, you can spend 1 minute creating camouflage for yourself. You must have access to fresh mud, dirt, Plants, soot, and other naturally occurring materials with which to create your camouflage.

Once you are camouflaged in this way, you can try to hide by pressing yourself up against a solid surface, such as a tree or wall, that is at least as tall and wide as you are. You gain a +10 bonus to Dexterity (Stealth) checks as long as you remain there without moving or taking actions. Once you move or take an action or a reaction, you must camouflage yourself again to gain this benefit.

## Extra Attack

Beginning at 5th level, you can Attack twice, instead of once, whenever you take the Attack action on Your Turn.

## Land's Stride

Starting at 8th level, moving through nonmagical difficult terrain costs you no extra Movement. You can also pass through nonmagical Plants without being slowed by them and without taking damage from them if they have thorns, spines, or a similar hazard.

In addition, you have advantage on saving throws against Plants that are magically created or manipulated to impede Movement, such those created by the Entangle spell.

## Vanish

Starting at 10th level, you can use the Hide action as a Bonus Action on Your Turn. Also, you can't be tracked by nonmagical means, unless you choose to leave a trail.

Your proficiency bonus is doubled for Stealth

## Evasion

At 14th level When you are subjected to an effect, such as a red dragon’s fiery breath or a *Lightning Bolt* spell, that allows you to make a Dexterity saving throw to take only half damage, you instead take no damage if you succeed on the saving throw, and only half damage if you fail.

## Feral Senses

At 18th level, you gain preternatural senses that help you fight creatures you can't see. When you Attack a creature you can't see, your inability to see it doesn't impose disadvantage on your Attack rolls against it. You are also aware of the location of any Invisible creature within 30 feet of you, provided that the creature isn't hidden from you and you aren't Blinded or Deafened.

## Foe Slayer

At 20th level, you become an unparalleled hunter of your enemies. You can add your Wisdom modifier to the Attack roll and the Damage roll of Attacks you make against your favored enemies.

## Ranger Archetypes

A classic expression of the ranger ideal is the Hunter. It still works - go with it if you like. Here are some other options.

### Arcane Archer

#### Touch of Magic

At level 3. You have a touch of magic talent in you. Gain the Light cantrip. You have the ability to infuse your arrows with magical energy. All your arrows are considered to be +1 to hit and damage and magical. They have a base weapon damage of 1d10. You can ignore cover. Your magic can steer your arrows arrow corners, through slits, and even do complete 180 degree turns. You can cast your light cantrip on your arrows.

#### Conjure Arrow

At 7th level. You can conjure arrows out of magical energy - you never run out of arrows. You may change the damage type of your arrows, instead of piercing and magical, choose any 2 of force, fire, radiant, or lightning.

Your magic can open and close tiny portals for your arrows as you fire enabling them to pass through walls and shields. You can use your action to look and hear from the last arrow that you fired - where ever it is.

#### Hail of Arrows

At 10th level. You can use your action to make a ranged Attack against any number of creatures within 15 feet of a point you can see within your weapon’s range. You make a separate Attack roll for each target

Your arrows now are considered +2 to hit and damage. They do 2d8 damage.

#### Spell Arrow

At 15th level. Once per day you can you can embed a magical spell in an arrow. By yourself you can create an arrow of True Strike. With the GMs permission that the spell makes sense and the cooperation of another caster you can cast a different spell (max level 5 slot) into the arrow. The spell triggers when it hits its target. Any victim hit by the arrow fails any dexterity saving throw if the spell in the arrow requires it. If the arrow misses the spell does not trigger. You can keep the Spell Arrow indefinitely but if you create another Spell Arrow the first loses its magic.

Your arrows now are considered +3 to hit and damage. They do 2d10 damage.

Arcance archers can use any magical bows and arrows. All the pluses to hit are cummulative but none of the damage modifiers are. They can use their arcane archer damage or that of the arrow or that of the bow. If the bow/arrow has any other features they can use those in combination with their arcane archer abilities.

An arcance archer can use a different missile weapon like crossbow or sling, but that has to be chosen instead of the bow at level 3. You can also use the Arcane Archer as a Fighter Archetype.

### Beastmaster

Animal Compainion

You have a natural affinity for animals. You can use your magic and compassion to form a strong bond with an animal.

With 8 hours of work and the expenditure of 50 gp worth of rare herbs and fine food, you call forth an animal from the wilderness to serve as your faithful companion. You normally select you companion from among the following animals: an ape, a black bear, a boar, a giant badger, a giant weasel, a mule, a panther, or a wolf. However, your DM might pick one of these animals for you, based on the surrounding terrain and on what types of creatures would logically be present in the area. At the end of the 8 hours, your animal companion appears and gains all the benefits of your Companion’s Bond ability. You can have only one animal companion at a time.

Your animal companion uses your proficiency bonus and applies them to AC, skills, saving throws, attack and damage.

It also gains proficiency in 2 skills and all saving throws. Every level after 3rd it gains a hit die when you do. When you gain an ability score increase from leveling, it does as well but it can only take +1 to different abilities, (not +2 to one ability)

Your companion can have traits and flaws just like you

d6 Trait

1 I’m dauntless in the face of adversity.

2 Threaten my friends, threaten me.

3 I stay on alert so others can rest.

4 People see an animal and underestimate me. I

use that to my advantage.

5 I have a knack for showing up in the nick of time.

6 I put my friends’ needs before my own in all

things.

d6 Flaw

1 If there’s food left unattended, I’ll eat it.

2 I growl at strangers, and all people except my

ranger are strangers to me.

3 Any time is a good time for a belly rub.

4 I’m deathly afraid of water.

5 My idea of hello is a flurry of licks to the face.

6 I jump on creatures to tell them how much I love

them.

 At 3rd level, you can speak with all animals. You gain an animal companion. This companion will follow you around in combat and fight with you and near you but only as you direct. It acts on your initiative.

As a bonus action you may direct it to assist you (or another person) in combat. Your companion will use the Help action and grant advantage on your next attack.

Your companion will use its reaction if the oppourtunity presents itself.

If you spend your normal action you can direct your companion's full round. It will move and attack as you direct. (including multiple attacks if it has any)

At 7th level, you gain an ability your animal has. Pick one of +10 move, a climb speed, low light vision, improved scent, or any other one ability that your animal has and the GM approves.

Gain double proficiency bonus on all animal handling checks.

Twice per day you may speed an action and link with your companion to see through his eyes, or with a DC15 animal handling skill check through the eyes of any animal within 500ft. You may continue to do this as long as you concentrate. You may use all the senses of the animal you are using, but every sense you use of the animal you temporarily lose that sense yourself. With a DC 15 animal handling skill check you may control the animal and move it around. It does not have to stay in range for you to maintain the link.

Your companion now will automatically use the Help action to assit you in combat without requiring your bonus action.

At 10th level. Your companion now will make a single attack each round, or if you prefer it will instead help you.

Your animal companion gains a skill. Your animal campanion has great repect from all members of his species.

At 15th level. All animals know you, and respect you as if you were their pack leader, even ones you have just met. This effect is so strong you can literally stop a charging troop of enemy cavalry just by your presense. Your ability with handling animals is such that you can manage them to do things outside the animals nature.

Twice per day you may summon animals from the surrounding area to serve you or even fight for you. Treat this ability as a Conjure Animal spell but at x4 effect and no concentration required duration 1 hour. All these animals gain half your proficiency bonus to AC, skills, saving throws, attack and damage while they are under your command.