Need opinion on Homebrew ranger

[Rp4man]

Hi

So I'm looking to play a Homebrew ranger in a game that took a greater interest in using it's wisdom and spellcasting as I feel the current version is terrible at it. I wanted opinions on the below. Did I go to far or hit it about right? Class feels very concentration heavy I wanted to lean into that a little.

It would use the current ranger table unless denoted otherwise. This replaces favored enemy and natural explorer and buffs the chassis a little.

Replace level one feature with.

Lvl1 primevil mind
Changed to

You can heighten your focus on wisdom based skill checks. When you make a survival Insight perception medicine or animal handling check. You can expend a use of your this feature to gain advantage on the roll. You can use this equal to the number of times of your wisdom modifier. You gain all expended uses after a long rest.

Replace primeval awareness with.

Lvl 3 greater awarness.

You can even spend one spell slot to magically attuned to the land up to 30 ft. You are able to determine the location of hidden passageways and enemies hidden or not. For each spell slot above first level your range increases by 30 ft

Lvl 6 replacement still mind

Still mind

In combat During you turn you are able to concentrate on more than one spell. At the end of your turn you choose which 1 spell you continue to maintain concentration on.

Replace lvl 10 completely

Lvl 10 camoflauge

You are even more Adept at hiding. You must have access to fresh mud, dirt. plants. soot. and other naturally occurring materials with which to create your camouflage. As an action you can apply these materials and When making a stealth check you can add your wisdom modifier to the check. You can also spend one minute to apply camouflage to a party member. They add your wisdom modifier not their own.

Level 14 change vanish to
You can hide as a bonus action. If you are able to apply camouflage to yourself you can do so in the same bonus action.

Add heightened focus

Heightened focus
you add your wisdom modifier to any Constitution saving throws you make for the purpose of maintaining concentration on a spell.


Lvl 20
Superior focus

While maintaining concentration Your spells and attacks deal additional damage equal to your wisdom modifier to each creature hit.

[thoroughlyS]

Before getting into the changes you're proposing, I just wanted to recommend the Homebrew Design sub-forum for reviews like this.

So I'm looking to play a Homebrew ranger in a game that took a greater interest in using it's wisdom and spellcasting as I feel the current version is terrible at it. I wanted opinions on the below. Did I go to far or hit it about right? Class feels very concentration heavy I wanted to lean into that a little.

It would use the current ranger table unless denoted otherwise. This replaces favored enemy and natural explorer and buffs the chassis a little.

I'm a little surprised that this is a change to the base class and not a new ranger conclave, but none of the changes below would break any of the existing options, so you're in the clear there. I'm assuming this is meant to be modifying the PHB ranger (and will be evaluating these features relative to the PHB ones they replace); have you seen the Revised Ranger before?

Lvl1 primevil mind
Changed to

You can heighten your focus on wisdom based skill checks. When you make a survival Insight perception medicine or animal handling check. You can expend a use of your this feature to gain advantage on the roll. You can use this equal to the number of times of your wisdom modifier. You gain all expended uses after a long rest.

This seems a little limited to be the only feature granted at 1st level. I would keep Natural Explorer, in addition to this, in order to preserve the ranger's identity as a wanderer. I would also recover all expended uses on a short or long rest.

Lvl 3 greater awarness.

You can even spend one spell slot to magically attuned to the land up to 30 ft. You are able to determine the location of hidden passageways and enemies hidden or not. For each spell slot above first level your range increases by 30 ft

This doesn't have a listed action cost, but I'm going to assume it takes an action. This is basically spending a spell slot to automatically succeed on a perception check, which isn't that interesting. It's definitely a better effect for the cost relative to Primeval Awareness, but I would rather have the revised version of that feature from Revised Ranger. Maybe just add this at 2nd level to mirror Divine Smite on the Paladin?

Still mind

In combat During you turn you are able to concentrate on more than one spell. At the end of your turn you choose which 1 spell you continue to maintain concentration on.

This is a very powerful feature, but limiting it to your turn keeps it within reason. The best use I can see is throwing out zephyr strike or lightning arrow while maintaining a buff like hunter's mark or spike growth.

Lvl 10 camoflauge

You are even more Adept at hiding. You must have access to fresh mud, dirt. plants. soot. and other naturally occurring materials with which to create your camouflage. As an action you can apply these materials and When making a stealth check you can add your wisdom modifier to the check. You can also spend one minute to apply camouflage to a party member. They add your wisdom modifier not their own.

This benefit has no listed duration, is it just for one stealth check? At 10th level, this is about the right power, but straight numerical benefits are generally avoided in this edition.

Level 14 change vanish to
You can hide as a bonus action. If you are able to apply camouflage to yourself you can do so in the same bonus action.

Why get rid of the second half of vanish? It was interesting and flavorful. Tacking on the bonus from camouflage is fine, but boring.

Heightened focus
you add your wisdom modifier to any Constitution saving throws you make for the purpose of maintaining concentration on a spell.

14th level is really late for a feature like this, especially when War Caster was available at 4th. Maybe move this to 6th level with Still Mind?

Lvl 20
Superior focus

While maintaining concentration Your spells and attacks deal additional damage equal to your wisdom modifier to each creature hit.

This is a better capstone than Foe Slayer, although that wasn't a very high bar. Once again, just adding numbers is pretty boring.



Overall, this seems like a harmless alteration to the Ranger which emphasizes Wisdom like you wanted. However, I see very minimal focus on the spellcasting side of things. Personally, I give Rangers two cantrips and ritual casting at 2nd level, which seem like something you'd be interested in. I also pump their number of spells known to one per level (plus the conclave spells they get).

[Vessyra]

I think that it's good, not overpowered but making ranger not quite as bad as it used to be. You should keep either natural explorer or favoured enemy, as both are thematically appropriate but it would be best to get rid of one when adding a new feature. Choose whichever one fits best with what you see rangers as then pick that. I especially like the 6th level ability, as it's so new and completely different to any other ability, while not being game breaking. I think that a lot of people will want to play ranger for the level 6 ability, not because it's powerful, but because it's FUN, which clearly shows you're ding something right.

Some of the other abilities do seem to be just numbers. Maybe try to add a few lines in front of some of the abilities, to describe why it fits thematically. For instance, in front of heightened focus, you could write, "You've spent years training your mind so that you are unfazed by the tumults of the physical world. You may add your wisdom modifier to concentration checks".

[thoroughlyS]

Some of the other abilities do seem to be just numbers. Maybe try to add a few lines in front of some of the abilities, to describe why it fits thematically. For instance, in front of heightened focus, you could write, "You've spent years training your mind so that you are unfazed by the tumults of the physical world. You may add your wisdom modifier to concentration checks".

Adding flavor text to a boring feature doesn't make the feature less boring. Instead a focus should be put on features which supplement the core playstyle of the class. This is why people often prefer Battle Master to Champion (granted Champion is designed to be very straitforward, and does it well).