Ranger subclass hopefully it is actually good

[Iampower]

I read the phb sometime ago because why not and got reminded of how weak the phb ranger is. So i figured i could try to make a reasonably strong subclass for the phb ranger and see how it goes. I got inspired by the "nature's hand maiden" subclass in dandwiki which seemed reasonably strong but was focused on healing.

Some feedback would be nice



Guardian of Nature


Nature's Blessing
At 3rd level you can read, speak, and write Sylvan.

You learn druidcraft and one other cantrip of your choice from the Druid Spell List. You learn one additional cantrip from the Druid spell list at 7th and 19th level.

You learn the following spells when you reach the Ranger level determined by the list below. These spells count as Ranger spells for you but don't count against your spells known.

Ranger Level 3
find familiar

Ranger Level 7
moonbeam

Ranger Level 11
conjure animals

When you cast find familiar as a Ranger spell, the familiar's creature type can only be fey.

*it was the extra spells and cantrip that really got me thinking that it might be good. I am also thinking of adding "any 4th level spell or lower from the druid spell list at ranger level 15"

Elusiveness of the Fey
You gain Evasion at 7th level.

*i honestly see no reason why rangers can't just get these at the same level as monks and rogues.

Multiattack-temp name
At 11th level, when you cast a spell that requires an action and affects any number of creatures, you can make a single weapon attack against an affected creature within your range as a bonus action.

*i got this by checking what the hunter and beastmaster gets at 11th level - an additional attack of some sort. I figured the free spell at the same level would be enough to mitigate any feelings of weakness in this but feedback is appreciated.

Two of Minds
At 15th level, your bond with your fey familiar strengthens. Whenever your familiar is a fey and is within 30ft of you, you can maintain concentration on 2 spells. You make concentration saves for the two spells seperately and immediately lose concentration on the older spell if your familiar is destroyed or moves more then 30ft from you.

*the subclass capstone and the only reasonable feature i can think of for a spell-focused subclass. This might be better at 17th level but i dont really know. I also thought of having your fey familiar get additional hp and ac equal to your prof. bonus when you reach 11th level. But it seems unnecessary.

Thoughts?

[Composer99]

Seeing as Xanathar's ranger archetypes get additional spells, this ranger is getting something decent at 3rd level compared to PHB ranger archetypes but is underpowered relative to Xanathar's. If you want to use Xanathar's as the balance point, you might want to add something else. Since you're handing out cantrips it doesn't need to be big: maybe a small upgrade to your familiar or a minor utility feature.

Ranger archetypes usually get defensive features at their capstone, so double concentration is more powerful than other rangers for sure. In fact, unlimited double concentration is probably too much overall, even with the caveat of being tied to having a familiar in play.

Indeed, since none of your other features has anything to do with familiars, it just seems kind of weird that this one does.

I think you can make the feature work with some more stringent restrictions on how long it lasts and how often you can use it. You're getting this at 13 levels of ranger, so that helps limit the shenanigans you could get up to.

If you want to tie it in to having a familiar, you need to make the familiar more important in earlier levels, thus making the subclass revolve more around the theme of a familiar.

[Iampower]

I edited the wording and made the familiar more important at earlier levels

Guardian of Nature

Nature's Blessing
At 3rd level you can read, speak, and write Sylvan.

You learn druidcraft and one other cantrip of your choice from the Druid Spell List. You learn one additional cantrip from the Druid spell list at 7th and 19th level.

You also learn the find familiar spell and can cast it as a ritual. When you reach level 7 and 11 in this class, you learn moonbeam and conjure animals respectively. These spells count as Ranger spells for you but don't count against your spells known. When you cast find familiar as a Ranger spell, the familiar's creature type can only be fey.

Elusiveness of the Fey
You gain Evasion at 7th level. Additionally, you add half your proficiency bonus rounded up to the AC of a familiar (via the find familiar spell) under your service if it is within 30 ft of you in the same plane and its creature type is fey.

Nature's Wrath
At 11th level, when you cast a spell that requires an action and affects any number of creatures, you can make a single weapon attack against an affected creature within your range as a bonus action.

Nature's Companion
At level 11, if you drop to 0 hit points while a familiar with the fey creature type in your service is within 30 ft of you, your familiar can immediately use its reaction to transfer its life force to you. The familiar drops to 0 hit points and you gain half of its maximum hit points rounded up.

Two of Minds
At 15th level, your bond with the fey strengthens allowing you to briefly maintain concentration on 2 spells.
When you cast a spell that requires concentration while already maintaining concentration on another spell, you can choose to maintain both spells a number of rounds (including the round that the newer spell is cast) equal to your wisdom modifier (minimum of 1). The older spell disappears at the end of your final turn. If you cast a third concentration spell while using this feature, you immediately lose concentration on the oldest of the three spells.
Your familiar (via the find familiar spell) with the fey creature type must be within 30ft of you in the same plane for you to use this feature.
You make concentration saves for the two spells seperately and immediately lose concentration on the older spell if your familiar is destroyed or moves more then 30ft from you.
You regain the number of rounds you can use this feature at the end of a short rest

[MagneticKitty]

I think concentrating on two spells might be a bit overpowered. What you could do instead is the feature the raven queen Warlock gets, where if your companion is slain you get bonuses against what killed it

[Iampower]

I wamted a spellcaster based subclass with a fey theme. And specially evasion at 7th level. Here is another shot at thia. Its hard to tell how powerfull double concentration would be for a 15th level ranger but maybe these would be good too? I thought of overpowering this subclass a nudge in order to compecsate for the phb ranger.

Nature's Blessing
At 3rd level you can read, speak, and write Sylvan.

You learn druidcraft and one other cantrip of your choice from the Druid Spell List. You learn one additional cantrip from the Druid spell list at 7th and 19th level.

You also learn the find familiar spell and can cast it as a ritual. When you reach level 7 and 11 in this class, you learn moonbeam and conjure animals respectively. These spells count as Ranger spells for you but don't count against your spells known. When you cast find familiar as a Ranger spell, the familiar's creature type can only be fey.

Elusiveness of the Fey
You gain Evasion at 7th level. Additionally, when you hit a creature with weapon attack, you can expend one ranger spell slot to deal necrotic or poison damage (your choice) equal to your wisdom modifier times the level of the spell slot used.

Nature's Wrath
At 11th level, when you cast a spell that requires an action and affects any number of creatures, you can make a single weapon attack against an affected creature within your range as a bonus action.

Nature's Companion
At level 15, if you drop to 0 hit points while a familiar with the fey creature type in your service is in the same plane as you, your familiar can immediately use its reaction to transfer its life force to you. The familiar drops to 0 hit points and you gain twice its hit points.

Likewise i've thought of putting a 4th level spell on the level 3 feature. Either blight or greater invisivility to be gained at 15th level. This would maybe be in exchange for the damage in 7th level. Maybe return the +ac to familiar there.

I made another edit to the second version. I basically limited the double concentration to a number of turns equal to the wisdom modifier

[Frozenstep]

So first off, why are they getting extra spells at 7 and 11th level? Shouldn't it be 5th and 9th level?

I think your level 11 feature is decent. Basically lets you use frostbite or thorn whip and still make a weapon attack, not too bad. I could see thorn whip -> shillelagh attack as being optimal though, so you don't need to use dexterity.

For your capstone trait, I would avoid double concentration in any scenario. Added complexity in many ways. Your third version could use a little bit more power, though.

[Breccia]

I think concentrating on two spells might be a bit overpowered.

For what it's worth, I disagree. But then, I have never really liked 5E's concentration, so I might be biased. Perhaps a compromise, something along the lines of "you can Concentrate on two spells, as long as they both affect you"?

I think your level 11 feature is decent. Basically lets you use frostbite or thorn whip and still make a weapon attack, not too bad.

I agree with this part.

Are there enough fey available to be familiars? That part sounds a touch restrictive.

[Iampower]

By third version you mean post 5? I also edited post 3 after that so...

The spells at 7 and 11 is there mainly to put the spells in line with the subclass feature so that you getveach spell along with whatever else is given. The only ideas i got for 15th level is recovery with familiar or double concentration i was thinking of limiting it to a consumble number of rounds equal to your wisdom modifier that recovers in short rest.

[Frozenstep]

By third version you mean post 5? I also edited post 3 after that so...

The spells at 7 and 11 is there mainly to put the spells in line with the subclass feature so that you getveach spell along with whatever else is given. The only ideas i got for 15th level is recovery with familiar or double concentration i was thinking of limiting it to a consumble number of rounds equal to your wisdom modifier that recovers in short rest.

Yes I meant post 5. Anyway, other ranger subclasses get their spells at 5 and 9. The level you get spells is based on when you get the spell slot, not when you get a ranger feature.

I don't think the familiar recovery is bad, I just see other level 15 ranger features as being more consistent things that greatly improve defense, using reactions to reduce damage taken from a single attack by half every round or imposing disadvantage. I could see something like being able to teleport to your familiar a number of times equal to your wisdom modifier (as long as they're within 60 feet of you) or something as a reaction to being attacked as a feature, or something like that.

And seriously, I really don't like double concentration. It adds another level of complexity at the table, making turns take longer. It adds new balance concerns because most of the game is simply not created with the idea of being able to concentrate on 2 things at once, and so edge cases will pop up where the feature is unexpectedly strong, and yet for the casual player they may find the feature kind of average.

[Iampower]

those spells are balanced to be part of the 3rd level feature, but i put the two spells in the levels here with the intention of having them included in the 7th and 11th level as far as balance is concerned. i guess that does make my 3rd level much more underwhelming giving only a language that you might already have, some cantrips from a list with only one damaging one (if you don't count poison spray) and a 1st level spell. and the subclass giving less free spells overall if you don't count the cantrips. how about having 2+druidcraft at 3rd level and including cleric cantrip list? and a 4th level spell at 15th level?

speaking of 15th level, still don't know what to do exactly, i though initially of giving you advantage on one attack per round if the familiar is near you but familiars can already do that with the help action...and i didn't want to give an ability that can be done with a spell like teleport. something that can be used consistently... i could give a series of familiar related features throughout the levels in order to offset the fewer free leveled spells?

[Iampower]

I saw a thread on an attempt for a generalist wizard and thought of this.

Nature's Blessing
At 3rd level you can read, speak, and write Sylvan. Additionally, you have advantage to Charisma checks when interacting with fey.

You learn druidcraft and one other cantrip of your choice from the Druid Spell List. You learn one additional cantrip from the Druid spell list at 7th and 19th level.

You also learn the find familiar spell and can cast it as a ritual. When you reach level 7, 11, and 15 in this class, you learn moonbeam, conjure animals, and blight respectively. These spells count as Ranger spells for you but don't count against your spells known. When you cast find familiar as a Ranger spell, the familiar's creature type can only be fey.

Elusiveness of the Fey
You gain Evasion at 7th level. Additionally, if your familiar's creature type is fey, its maximum hit points is equal to the highest possible for its game statistics plus your proficiency bonus. And you add half of your proficiency bonus, rounded up, to the its AC as long as you are in the same plane of existance.

Companion of the Fey
At 11th level, when you cast a spell that requires an action and affects any number of creatures, you can make a single weapon attack against an affected creature within your range as a bonus action. Additionally, you add your proficiency bonus to the proficiency bonus of your familiar as long as you are in the same plane of existance and its creature type is fey.

Two of Minds
At 15th level, you can choose to maintain concentration on 2 spells. You can maintain this a number of your turns equal to your wisdom modifier, including the turn you cast the second spell even if it is the turn of another creature. If you cast a third concentration spell while using this feature, you immediately lose concentration on both spells you were previously concentrating on.
Your familiar (via the find familiar spell) with the fey creature type must be within 30ft of you in the same plane for you to use this feature.
You make a single concentration saves at disadvantage for the both spells and immediately lose concentration on the older spell if your familiar is destroyed or moves more then 30ft from you.
You gain one point of exhaustion under any of the following conditions:
a) At the end of your turn where you spent any amount of time concentrating on more than one spell.
b) When you loose concentration by casting a third spell that requires concentration.
c) When you loose concentration by failing your concentration save on the two spells.
d) When your familiar is destroyed or moves more than 30ft from you.
e) At the end of the turn where you cast a spell that requires concentration while already concentrating on another spell and chose to maintain both spells, even if the turn is another creature's turn.
You regain half the number of turns, rounded down, that you used this feature for at the end of a long rest.

[Yakk]

There is already some cheese where you give your familiar a ring of spell storing, and get it to cast a spell and maintain concentration on it.

This might be too strong:

Nature's Blessing
At 3rd level you can read, speak, and write Sylvan. Additionally, you have advantage to Charisma checks when interacting with fey.

You learn druidcraft and one other cantrip of your choice from the Druid Spell List. You learn one additional cantrip from the Druid spell list at 7th and at 19th level.

You also learn the find familiar spell and can cast it as a ritual. When you cast find familiar as a Ranger spell, the familiar's creature type can only be fey. Your familiar's max HP is increased by 2 HP for every Ranger class level you have.

When you reach level 7, 11, and 15 in this class, you learn moonbeam, conjure animals, and blight respectively. These spells count as Ranger spells for you but don't count against your spells known.

Elusiveness of the Fey
You gain Evasion at 7th level.

Your familiar gains a bonus to AC, attack bonuses, attack damage and saves equal to your proficiency bonus. When you make an attack, your familiar can also spend its reaction to make a single attack.

Fey Hunter
At 11th level, when you do the attack action, you can cast a Ranger spell as a bonus action that usually requires an action to cast.

Two Minds
Starting at 15th level, when you cast a spell requiring concentration while your familiar is within 30' of you, your familiar can maintain the concentration for you instead. If the familiar ends is turn more than 30' away from you it automatically loses concentration on that spell.

[Iampower]

There is already some cheese where you give your familiar a ring of spell storing, and get it to cast a spell and maintain concentration on it.

This might be too strong:

Nature's Blessing
At 3rd level you can read, speak, and write Sylvan. Additionally, you have advantage to Charisma checks when interacting with fey.

You learn druidcraft and one other cantrip of your choice from the Druid Spell List. You learn one additional cantrip from the Druid spell list at 7th and at 19th level.

You also learn the find familiar spell and can cast it as a ritual. When you cast find familiar as a Ranger spell, the familiar's creature type can only be fey. Your familiar's max HP is increased by 2 HP for every Ranger class level you have.

When you reach level 7, 11, and 15 in this class, you learn moonbeam, conjure animals, and blight respectively. These spells count as Ranger spells for you but don't count against your spells known.

Elusiveness of the Fey
You gain Evasion at 7th level.

Your familiar gains a bonus to AC, attack bonuses, attack damage and saves equal to your proficiency bonus. When you make an attack, your familiar can also spend its reaction to make a single attack.

Fey Hunter
At 11th level, when you do the attack action, you can cast a Ranger spell as a bonus action that usually requires an action to cast.

Two Minds
Starting at 15th level, when you cast a spell requiring concentration while your familiar is within 30' of you, your familiar can maintain the concentration for you instead. If the familiar ends is turn more than 30' away from you it automatically loses concentration on that spell.

I don't really want to give the familiar an attack. I was thinking, though of increasing the reliability of its utility. Like when it makes a stealth or perception that it is proficient with.

And everyone has kept saying that double concentration is not good for bakance.....maybe i should return when i can think of something else....

Edit: maybe i can allow the character to cast spells with range from the familiar like with touch spells?