Alternate Ranger Class v4.0.0

Hey all! Today, I’ve got a pretty major update to one of my first Alternate Classes - the Alternate Ranger! Become the Master of the Wilderness you were meant to be with this custom take on the Ranger class for 5e.

As always, I’m open to any constructive criticism or feedback you may have! Let me know what you think in the comments below (or stop by the Discord to chat).

~laserllama

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The Alternate Ranger v4.0.0

Fighting Styles:
At its core, the Ranger is a wilderness warrior, and I think having a Fighting Style from the jump is important to its class identity. Fighting Styles have been moved to 1st level. They have also all been updated to my most recent versions of each Fighting Style.

Knacks:
To compensate for the Fighting Styles at 1st, you now only start with one Knack, but gain more as you level. I’ve also made an effort to buff the Tier 1 Knacks so they feel impactful.

Ranger’s Quarry:
The Ranger’s cornerstone ability that marks them as a hunter! Mark your Quarry and gain extra damage over time and bonuses to tracking/locating it. Your Ranger subclass and many Knacks also revolve around this key ability. Improved with Tireless at 11th level.

Feral Senses:
Moved down to 5th level, but limited to your Quarry. This ability enhances your hunting abilities, and it scales to include all creatures at 18th level.

Beast Master Conclave:
Updated with my latest take on “companion” rules. Your Primal Beast is now much more useful in combat and scales better alongside your Ranger.

Hunter Conclave:
While I liked the previous Hunter and its pseudo-maneuver features, I think reworking the Hunter into a master stalker. New features like Ambuscade, Relentless Hunter, and Ruthless Focus will make you the ultimate hunter of foes!

Monster Slayer Conclave:
Name change reverted (from Shadowbane), the Monster Slayer’s features have been buffed to be more useful in more situations (Knowledge of the Hunt and Slayer’s Cunning). Higher levels features have also been reworked to make this subclass stand apart from the Spellbreaker.

Spellbreaker Conclave:
Features have been moved around and buffed to make you feel like a dedicated hunter of mages, right from 3rd level!

Ranger Spells:
A few “problem” Ranger spells have been reworked! Entangle and Hail of Thorns now have a casting time of “on hit”, Pass Without Trace has been reigned in, Conjure Volley and Conjure Barrage have been merged, and Flame Arrows, Lighting Arrow, Steel Wind Strike, and Swift Quiver have been updated to work like you would assume they work!

Deep Stalker Conclave:
The new version of the Gloom Stalker has had its power considerably reigned in to bring it in line with the other Conclaves. No need for massively powerful subclasses to make up for the relatively weak base Ranger class!

Drake Guard Conclave:
The Draconic Companion rules have been updated to match the Beast Master, and the upper level features have been adjusted so your Companion scales more linearly.

Fey Wanderer, Planar Warden, Swarm Keeper:
No major changes to any of these subclasses, just a few “quality of life” buffs to make them feel good in play and bring them in line with the rest of the Alternate Ranger Conclaves.

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CHANGE LOG v3.5.0 -> 4.0.0

Alternate Ranger v4.0.0

• Major art, formatting, and grammar updates!

• Proficiencies // Skills // Cut History. Added Sleigh of Hand.

• Fighting Style // Moved to 1st level. 

• Fighting Styles // Dual Wielding // Clarified language/intent of Fighting Style.

• Fighting Styles // Featherweight Fighting // Now works when you are unarmed!

• Fighting Styles // Mariner // Renamed (Marine Fighting).

• Fighting Styles // Melee Marksman moved to “Expanded”.

• Fighting Styles // Strongbow // Also grants a +1 bonus to damage with bows.

• Fighting Styles // Versatile Fighting // Reworked around bonus actions.

• Knacks // Renamed (Survivalist Knacks) and buffed across the board. See the Knacks section below for specifics. Levels you gain Knacks adjusted and you start with one.

• Knacks // You can no longer replace Knacks on a level-up (doesn’t make sense IMO).

• Wild Expertise // Renamed (Wilderness Expertise).

• Ranger’s Quarry // Renamed (Favored Foe). You now add your Quarry Die to checks to track/locate your Quarry (instead of advantage). Final scaling level moved to 18th level.

• Ranger Conclave // Renamed (Ranger Archetype). Added XGE/TCE/FTD Conclaves!

• Feral Senses // Moved down to 5th level, restricted to your Quarry until 18th level.

• Adaptable // CUT.

• Tireless // NEW 11th level feature (regain Ranger’s Quarry uses on a short rest!)

• Foe Slayer // Added a CON saving throw before the auto-kill.

Ranger Conclaves

• Beast Master // Spells // 1st // Cut speak with animals, added animal friendship.

• Beast Master // Primal Beast // Renamed (Primal Companion). Updated with my most recent version of “Companion” rules. Best to read over this one - a lot has changed!

• Beast Master // Wild Empathy // NEW 3rd level feature (free thematic Knack).

• Beast Master // Bestial Focus // Renamed and reworked around Ranger’s Quarry.

• Beast Master // Exceptional Training // Renamed (Bestial Fury).

• Beast Master // Primal Beast stat blocks // Moved so they appear with the Beast Master in the doc. Updated to most recent version of my “Companion” stat blocks. The attacks now scale based on your Quarry Die and PB (no more spell attack modifier).

• Hunter // Spells // 5th // Cut conjure volley, added tree stride.

• Hunter // Hunter’s Prey // CUT.

• Hunter // Ambuscade // NEW feature inspired by a VERY old UA Ranger!

• Hunter // Silent Steps // NEW 3rd level feature (free thematic Knack).

• Hunter // Defensive Tactics // CUT.

• Hunter // Cunning Parry // NEW 7th level feature.

• Hunter // Relentless Hunter // NEW 7th level feature. Move your Quarry!

• Hunter // Flexible Hunter // CUT.

• Hunter // Horde Breaker // Renamed (Multiattack). Streamlined how these work.

• Hunter // Superior Defense // CUT.

• Hunter // Ruthless Focus. NEW 15th level feature.

• Monster Slayer // Name change reverted (Shadowbane).

• Monster Slayer // Spells // 1st // Cut compelled duel, added bane.

• Monster Slayer // Spells // 2nd // Cut zone of truth, added moonbeam.

• Monster Slayer // Knowledge of the Hunt // NEW feature to learn about enemies.

• Monster Slayer // Slayer’s Cunning // Renamed (Slayer’s Insight) and reworked.

• Monster Slayer // Iron Focus // Also add your Quarry Die to ability checks!

• Monster Slayer // Bane of Darkness // CUT.

• Monster Slayer // Monster’s Nemesis // NEW feature. Really get your Quarry.

• Monster Slayer // Ruthless Counter // Reworked so there is a saving throw.

• Spellbreaker // Mage Breaker // NEW 3rd level feature (you are good against mages).

• Spellbreaker // Arcane Defense // Also grants you Evasion against magic.

• Spellbreaker // Spellbane // Renamed (Mage Breaker). Arcane smite, and you now gain a bonus to your counterspell and dispel magic checks.

• Spellbreaker // Reflect Spell // Moved to 15th level and buffed!

Knacks

• Alpine Adept // Removed level prerequisite.

• Aquatic Adept // Removed level prerequisite.

• Favored Foe // NEW Knack for those that like the traditional Ranger feature.

• Herbalist I // Grants herbalism kit proficiency. Auto-succeed on checks to stabalize.

• Herbalist III // Reworked (craft WIS mod potions of healing).

• Naturalist I // Renamed (Explorer I). Make WIS (Nature) checks and BA Nature checks.

• Naturalist II // Renamed (Explorer II). Switched to advantage on initiative rolls.

• Natural Regeneration // Changed prerequisite to 3rd level. 

• Slayer I // Cut skill floor of 8 for Perception/Survival.

• Slayer II // Moved Perception/Survival skill floor here. Can mark a Quarry by tracks only.

• Slayer III // Replaced “muted” with “cannot speak”.

• Stalker I // Reworked. Adv on Stealth checks.

• Strider I // You cannot become lost if you can see the night sky.

• Trapper // Reworked.

• Wild Insight I // Reworked around speak with animals.

Ranger Spells

• Ensnaring Strike // Reworked around “on hit” casting time.

• Hail of Thorns // Reworked around “on hit” casting time.

• Cordon of Arrows // Reworked around a single saving throw.

• Pass Without Trace // Nerfed, but hopefully still useful!

• Conjure Volley // Merged with Conjure Barrage and scales from 3rd to 5th-level.

• Flame Arrows // Reworked. Removed concentration.

• Lighting Arrow // Reworked around “1 attack” casting time. Now removes reactions.

• Steel Wind Strike // Now uses weapon attacks and includes your weapon damage.

• Swift Quiver // Bonus action attacks can now be made on the turn you cast the spell.

Additional Conclaves

• Deep Stalker // Replaces the Gloom Stalker.

• Deep Stalker // Spells // Added a second spell at each spell level.

• Deep Stalker //Umbral Sight // Removed “invisibility to darkvision” (moved to 7th level).

• Deep Stalker // Dread Stalker // (Dread Ambusher). Reworked around Ranger’s Quarry.

• Deep Stalker // Cloak of Shadows // NEW 7th level feature (half of Umbral Sight).

• Deep Stalker //Precise Strikes // (Stalker’s Flurry). Reworked around Quarry Die. Allows you to see through magical and nonmagical darkness.

• Deep Stalker //Shadowy Dodge // Limited uses unless you are in dim light or darkness.

• Drake Guard // Replaces the Drakewarden.

• Drake Guard // Spells // added a second spell at each spell level.

• Drake Guard // Draconic Companion // Uses the same rules as the Beast Master.

• Drake Guard // Draconic Companion stat block // updated with my companion stats.

• Drake Guard // Wyrmsoul // (Draconic Gift). Cut thaumaturgy, added changing damage.

• Drake Guard // Bond of Fang and Scale // CUT

• Drake Guard // Greater Companion // Better scaling for your Companion.

• Drake Guard // Elemental Breath // (Drake’s Breath). WIS mod uses per long rest.

• Drake Guard // Perfected Bond // CUT.

• Drake Guard // Mythic Companion // Better scaling for your Companion.

• Fey Wanderer // Beguiling Strikes // (Dreadful Strikes). Reworked around Ranger’s Quarry. Allows you to impose a “taunt” condition on your Quarry.

• Fey Wanderer // Spells // added a second spell at each spell level.

• Fey Wanderer // Otherworldly Mystique // Renamed (Otherworldly Glamour).

• Fey Wanderer // Whimsical Ward // (Beguiling Twist). You use it whenever you make the saving throw, you don’t have to succeed. Reduced the range.

• Fey Wanderer // Fey Guardian // Renamed (Fey Reinforcements).

• Fey Wanderer // Mirthful Step // Renamed (Misty Wanderer).

• Planar Warden // Extraplanar Senses // (Detect Portal). Can also detect creatures.

• Planar Warden // Planar Warrior // Reworked around Ranger’s Quarry. You can mark extraplanar creatures as your Quarry for free.

• Planar Warden // Spells // added a second spell at each spell level.

• Planar Warden // Ethereal Step // Moved teleporting with attacks to here.

• Planar Warden // Empowered Strikes // (Distant Strike). Kept bonus attack here. Teleporting causes your attacks to deal force damage.

• Planar Warden // Ethereal Defense // Renamed (Spectral Defense).

• Swarm Keeper // Spells // added a second spell at each spell level.

• Swarm Keeper // Symbiotic Swarm // (Gathered Swarm). Now is a bonus action. Bonus damage scales with your Quarry Die.

• Swarm Keeper // Writhing Horde // (Writhing Tide). Cut pitiful fly speed. Added a weird climb speed and bonus to Athletics checks with your swarm.

• Swarm Keeper // Greater Swarm // (Mighty Swarm). Now can poison.

• Swarm Keeper // One with the Swarm // (Swarming Dispersal) Scales with WIS mod.

• Swarm Keeper // Swarm Master // NEW 15th level feature.