Since the 5th Edition of Dungeons and Dragons has been released, it has received overall positive feedback from most users. However a common criticism is that the Ranger class feels inferior to the other classes in both mechanics for combat, and mechanical support for role play. So we will just go through and look at the changes and I'll give my thoughts.
Overall I will say I think it is a solid rework, and is much more playable especially when it comes to the Beast Conclave. It probably only needs a few more small tweaks before made official but even then I think those would come down to personal opinion.
Base Ranger Class Changes
Favored Enemy - Finally they gave this ability some teeth, yes it is super circumstantial on when the benefit occurs. That has been a general complaint about favored enemy, yet I see the benefit here almost more in flavor. Also its creating a case where the mechanics are helping to support the role play of the character. The Ranger should be able to do more damage against enemies they have been hunting and fighting for a long time. Does it fix the overall strength of the class no, and I think that is why maybe there is some disappointment at this ability, but I think its a total success in mechanics supporting the fiction. Also I think the overall strength of the class gets addressed in other areas.
Natural Explorer - Another example of ability that used to not support the fiction of the class and does now. Before you had to pick a specific terrain to be good in, but it made no sense for a range to be good at traveling through the woods and then being inept as the other classes once they are in the grasslands? Also the Outlander background which any class can take felt almost as useful as this class ability. Also the adding of advantage on inattentive rolls and having advantage on creatures who haven't acted yet makes range a decent 2 level multi-class. Where as before multi-classing into ranger just didn't make much sense for mechanical reasons.
Primeval Awareness - My biggest gripe with this ability was that Paladins have a similar ability called Divine Sense. However for Rangers they initially decided to make it require one of their limited spell slots. Now I realize they did not want you to be able to spam the ability, however it was never something that was that game breaking. So I'm glad to see its now more readily available for players to be able to lean into this ability more. Mechanically it is still fairly the same but, the added interaction with beasts is a nice touch again more opportunity for mechanics to support the fiction of the class.
Greater Favored Enemy - A common sense ability here lets the ability stay relevant, and allows the character to have played the campaign and to pick an enemy that fits the setting the DM has laid out for the players.
Fleet of Foot -Not much to say here other than its good for melee rangers, to not always be following behind monks, rogues, and barbarians, trying to play catch up.
Hide in Plain Sight - Another ability that feels like it fits the ranger well, and its not often that players get to set up ambushes for enemies anyway. So I don't think it would be something that gets abused often. I would almost think it would be okay to give this ability to the Ranger a little earlier but its better than not at all.
Vanish - On the first read I hated this ability because it feels like this should have been included with fleet of foot. Since Rogues get cunning action at level 2 letting them use a bonus action to dash, hide, or disengage. However not being able to be track except by magical means I think is the meat here so that a Range could do the thing where they just disappear around a corner. Still think its a little weak as a level 14 ability.
Feral Senses - This is a fine ability, but not many characters will make it to level 18 and so the usefulness of it seems a bit too little too late.
Foe Slayer - Again not many players will ever make it to this ability, but its fine for level 20 to tack on more damage to go after that Tarrasque!
Ranger Conclaves
Beast Conclave - This was definitely the one that needed the biggest rework. At most time your animal companion was a minor help at best, and a constant inconvenience at its worst. The beast did not scale and Wizards seem so worried about the beast being over powered at lower levels that they limited it greatly, and it did not scale well.
Animal Companion - The most standout thing here to me is the ability to bring you animal companion back. Instead of having a factory of animal companions that you take with you to die, you can finally role play a ranger with a strong tie to their animal companion and it nor be a burden on the player and is supported by the mechanics of the game.
Companions Bond - At first glance this looks like a nerf, the animal doesn't get multi-attack and the ranger doesn't get extra attack. However the beast finally gets upgrades to be more survivable and to scale as you level up, and it get its own turn and actions. Wizards identified that to make your animal do anything it felt like your actual character was getting half a turn. It fits thematically and if you really want extra attack you can multi-class into fighter or barbarian for 5 levels. Also I really like that your roll for a personality trait and a flaw for the animal companion it really drives home how they are thinking of the companion in this rework.
Coordinated Attack - Here is where you kind of get extra attack except you are giving it to your animal companion. This is pretty strong at level 5 if you are a two weapon fighting Ranger between you and your beast your getting 4 attacks in a round.
Beast's Defense - Good ability increases the companion's survivability, its doubtful your companion will get many magical items that effect it so it needs abilities like this to keep up.
Storm of Claws and Fangs - Circumstantial when you can use this to good effect, but cool that you can use it. Also I like the fictional flavor of an animal being surround or backed in a corner just lashing out everything surrounding it.
Superior Beast's Defense - Again more survivability here to dela with the escalating amounts of damage monsters can dole out.
This incarnation of the conclave seems much funner to play, and I like that they took the time to not just improve the combat mechanics of it but make the mechanics support the fiction of the class. This was definitely the archetype that needed it the most.
Hunter Conclave - The hunter conclaves remains mainly unchanged, except for adding extra attack for the class here. This was already the more playable archetype for the Ranger. So it's good they didn't tinker with it too much and just improved it with the changes in the base part of the class.
Deep Stalker Conclave - This was originally put out in an earlier Unearthed Arcana release, and they have refined it and put a new version of it here to go with the rework of the class. I'm assuming the inspiration from this comes form the Drizzt books, and I think they pull it off. All the abilities really play into moving in the shadows, and surprise attacking enemies and getting away. Iron Mind in particular is a stay out of my head mind flayor buff and fits this conclave well. I like that hey also added extra known spells as that also felt like a limiter on the class. I hope they add that to the other conclaves for the final release. For example Hunter conclave would get hunters mark for as a free known spell, and Beast conclave could get cure wounds or maybe speak with animals.
I know the players I DM for are excited to actually try this new Ranger or to try to multi-class into it. I hope they do I think this iteration of the class will work out much better, and am interested to see what the changes bring to the table.
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