Ranger
When you have lived in the wilderness for so long, studied all the creatures that reside there with tireless precision, tracked down many unwelcome guests, fought great dangers with just a branch or bone, then you start to become a ranger.
--- Ranger Gewarald.
Welcome
Hi there! This document was created to include the design decisions made for this homebrew ranger class. I strongly suggest you take a look at the document without notes first, it is a lot easier to read.
Interested in the design process? Enjoy the read! The notes will always reflect on the previous part.
Any language errors? make sure to let me know (I am not a native English speaker).
A group of adventurers is trailing through the woods as a pack of goblins has prepared an ambush up ahead. Loosening the straps around his swords a hooded elf leads the party. Already having scouted ahead he informed the party about the ambush. Therefore, they are preparing themselves without making it too obvious for the goblins, that the party knows the goblins will attack from behind the fallen tree up on the hill. At the end of a long day march, this information came as a welcomed distraction. Not aware of being robbed of the element of surprise, the goblins are about to meet their demise.
Tightly worn animal skin keeps the human warm during a blizzard, as she has her arms crossed and slogs trough knee deep snow. There is not much to see except for the looming figures of the mountains as she passes between them. Distant howling is barely audible above the raging wind, but it appears to come closer. It does not take long before the figure of a wolf appears at the edge of her field of vision. She reaches for her belt as the wolf leaps towards her. Joyfully the wolf licks her face as she gives the wolf some dried meat, rewarding the wolf for finding a cave to find shelter.
Far from cities, at the edge of distant farmland, bordering areas of barbarian tribes and nature protected by druids, rangers stride the borders of the wilderness to keep their unending watch.
Ranger's Flavor
The first part is always dedicated to anecdotes of the subclasses in action. The Hunter and Beast Master subclasses from the PHB have been chosen to create the anecdotes above, after writing down the flavor part.
The flavor part is created using mainly D&D 5e, D&D 3.5e and pathfinder 2e class descriptions. Therefore, points of these sources will be listed in short in the notes.
Home in the Wilderness
Rangers are dwellers of the wilderness which is represented by the time they have spent in such environment. Some rangers have been born in the wilderness. Some rangers became lost in the wilderness and were raised by natures vagaries. Other rangers secluded themselves finding comfort in a place where natures laws still determine who is the strongest. However, some people had no choice but to gain the skills of a ranger necessary to survive, being banished from their former living place (and life).
Rangers excel in the hunt and act with precision. During the many years spent in the wilderness they gather knowledge about both plants and creatures. This enables them to develop a certain set of skills. They use specific materials found in their natural habitat to the point where their hunt is always successful. Beasts acknowledge rangers as the top of the food chain and often leave rangers alone. However, in some unique cases, a beast is looking for a friendly relationship.
Origin (Environment and Skills)
Throughout the sources 'Wilderness' is a term associated with rangers, while 'Nature' is used for druids, clerics (Nature Domain) and paladins (Oath of the Ancients; Channel Divinity, Nature's Wrath). For me this shows a distinction. On the one hand, nature seems to be defined as a protected (usually by druids or elven tribes), but not cultivated environment, while on the other hand wilderness is a place not interfered with by any humanoids. Wilderness is a place with the right of the strongest and where mainly wild beasts reside. This would distinguish 4 main land area types on the material plane. First, civilization including castles, towns and surrounding farmland. Second, tribes from for example barbarians, which occupy areas and have their own settlements. Third, nature which is usually protected by druids or other followers of nature deities. Fourth, wilderness, which has not been interfered with by humanoids, mostly inhabited by wild beasts. Thus, living in the wilderness requires a certain set of skills to survive, without the luxury of high level crafting directly available. Luckily humanoids have an edge over wild beast, having a greater average intelligence. This helps them to remember a lot of information about different plants and beasts and develop different ways to deal with them. In conclusion, the necessity to survive and the possibility to be resourceful in the wilderness combined, result in a rangers skill set.
D&D 5e
Track like predators. Deadly focus when hunting.
D&D 3.5e
Rangers are more cunning then monsters. Good at surviving, tracking, hunting, stalking and concealing in the wilderness. Trained by military or solitary master. Grudge against one type of enemy.
Pathfinder 2e
Capable of surviving in the wilderness.
View of the World
An outsider might think that rangers and druids share the common goal of protecting nature, but this is a misconception. Druids protect nature and receive powerful spells from nature in return, but a ranger’s view is to keep natures natural order in balance. This includes hunting creatures to keep them in their natural environment, where the strongest rule. For this reason, rangers can often be found at the edges of the wilderness, hunting down creatures that cross the border to either side.
Ranger's Perception
Ranger's get their skills from living in the wilderness, but why they live there can be for different reasons (examples are given in the previous section). However, independent of this reason it is good to have creatures that live in the wilderness stay there and keep out every creatures which does not. Creatures leaving disrupt the natural balance both in and outside the wilderness, while creatures from outside can threaten the very existence of the wilderness. This concerns a wide variety of creatures of which they have gathered knowledge as previously described. Thus, trough the help of rangers balance is maintained, preserving the wilderness, which is probably for the best.
D&D 5e
Spells trough harnessing natures power.
D&D 3.5e
Natural powers to cast spells.
Pathfinder 2e
protect from greed and destruction. Hunting beasts or fugitives.
Skilled Fighters
In the same line of thought they do not think highly of the survival chance of any city people, considering them easy prey for the creatures that dwell in the wilderness. A logical perspective for a ranger who excels in weapon combat, both long and short ranged, using weapons of large variety added upon with what they can find in the wilderness. Therefore, they consider it their job to protect the border of civilization and the wilderness.
Combat
As mentioned they are able to develop different skills to hunt a vast variety of creatures. This includes developing different combat techniques and weapons, although usually there will always be a preference. Besides, they protect civilization while creatures that might escape the wilderness, could possibly thrive there and disrupt the balance in civilization, but also on their return to the wilderness.
Hunting those who threaten civilization. Taking down specific foes. Independent line of defense
D&D 3.5e
Protecting and guiding through terrain/woods.
Pathfinder 2e
Shy of civilization but protect from wild creatures. Taking down opportunists and hated enemies.
Adventuring
When picking ranger as your class, consider why you have left the wilderness to head out on adventure. These are a few examples; A creature has terrorized the natural order and you have decided to hunt the creature down. You could even be convinced to team up, if this would increase the chances of slaying the creature. Another example is a great threat, civilization or creature, that is trying to claim the wilderness you live in as their own. Or it could be that your home was destroyed, and you had no other option then to find a new purpose.
You can choose one of these or use them as inspiration to come up with your own circumstance for why your character has decided to go on an adventure. It is possible to work together with your DM to define the circumstances concerning the wilderness you call home and how they have affected the setting of the campaign. For example, you could be the guide of the party at the start of the campaign, guiding a party of adventurer’s through the wilderness you have known for years.
Another Task?
Ranger's get some skills which are really valuable when adventuring, thus getting one on your team makes sense. However, why a ranger would join is a completely different story. Depending on their background (they might be a fugitive) and the fact they had a long time of social distancing (much worse the corona quarantine) they probably need some getting used to leaving the wilderness behind.
Creating a Ranger
While creating your character background, consider how living in the wilderness has influenced your personality. How do you view the other adventurers? Protective, because you consider them incapable of surviving on their own. Maybe you just let them do all the talking, so you don’t have to be involved in social interaction. Or are you just using the others to achieve your goal? Furthermore, which ideals drive you to be a ranger. What is your attitude about sharing your knowledge? Are you naive and just share everything even if not asked for? Or the opposite, do you keep your knowledge a secret and only use it yourself, staying mysterious to the other adventurers. Finally, what flaws have you developed because
you were a lone wolf for such a long time? Are you even capable of working in a team? Or do you have a tunnel vision when on the hunt, not paying attention to anyone else? Or maybe you forget to tell your companions about traps you find to be obviously visible when scouting an area, causing hazards for the others.
Background
I like backgrounds, they help a lot with roll play.
The Ranger
| Level | Proficiency Bonus |
Ranger's Instinct |
Features |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | +2 | 1d4 |
Primeval Awareness, Ranger's Instinct |
| 2nd | +2 | 1d4 |
Fighting Style, Homemade brews, Vital Strike |
| 3rd | +2 | 1d4 |
Nature Calls, Ranger Specialization |
| 4th | +2 | 1d4 |
Ability Score Improvement |
| 5th | +3 | 1d6 |
Extra Attack |
| 6th | +3 | 1d6 |
Hunter's Agility, Primeval Awareness improvement |
| 7th | +3 | 1d6 |
Ranger Specialization feature |
| 8th | +3 | 1d6 |
Ability Score Improvement |
| 9th | +4 | 1d6 |
Tireless Hunter |
| 10th | +4 | 1d6 |
Ranger's Teachings |
| 11th | +4 | 1d8 |
Ranger Specialization feature |
| 12th | +4 | 1d8 |
Ability Score Improvement, Primeval Awareness improvement |
| 13th | +5 | 1d8 |
Natural Tenacity |
| 14th | +5 | 1d8 |
Ability Score Improvement |
| 15th | +5 | 1d8 |
Ranger Specialization feature |
| 16th | +5 | 1d8 |
Ability Score Improvement |
| 17th | +6 | 1d10 |
Vital Strike improvement |
| 18th | +6 | 1d10 |
Ghost Hunter |
| 19th | +6 | 1d10 |
Ability Score Improvement |
| 20th | +6 | 1d10 |
Ultimate Hunter |
Class Table
The Ranger's Instinct damage (similar benefit as Hunter's Mark) follows the same progression as the monk's Martial Arts. I did not do the math but comparing it with the Extra Attack increase of fighter it seemed fair. Of course fighter adds 10 more damage (ability modifier), but the ranger subclasses are heavily combat feature focused and those where not revised as part of this homebrew. Also, there are 11 unique features and the progression roughly compares to paladin (the other half caster in the PHB).
Quick Build
You can make a ranger quickly by following these suggestions. First, make Dexterity your highest ability score, followed by Wisdom. Second, choose the outlander background.
Beginners
The outlander background feature gives a lot of exploration benefits without avoiding exploration as the Natural Explorer features does. Also, all weapon styles can be achieved using Dexterity, except for heavy weapons which is not supported. Therefore no recommendation to go Strength if you are quickly building a ranger, which makes using ranged weapons less efficient.
Class Features
As a Ranger, you gain the following class features
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.
Proficiencies
- Armor: Light armor, medium armor, shields.
- Weapons: Simple weapons, martial weapons.
- Tools: Herbalism kit.
- Saving Throws: Strength, Dexterity.
- Skills: Choose three from Acrobatics, Animal Handling, Athletics, Investigation, Medicine, Nature, Perception, Stealth, and Survival.
Equipment
You start with the following equipment, in addition to the equipment granted 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, a quiver of 20 arrows and a herbalism kit.
Class Features
These where fine and make sense. However, the tool proficiency in the herbalism kit was added, which you also receive as equipment. This is a necessity for the second level feature 'Homemade Brews'.
Primeval Awareness
Beginning at 1st level, your dominance over beast has developed beyond the bounds of the wilderness.
Your knowledge allows you to communicate simple ideas with beasts using sign language. As an action, you can read a beast, which reveals it's mood, intent, whether it is affected by magic of any sort and its short-term needs.
Additionally, when you use this ability you can expend one use of this feature to intimidate the beast. If the beasts CR is equal or higher then your ranger level, it can make a Wisdom saving throw against your spell save DC to be unaffected. Beasts immune to the frightened condition are also unaffected. A beast intimidated in this way will not attack you or your companions, and retreat to a safe distance. If you or your companions ever attack it, it will no longer be intimidated.
You cannot use this feature against a beast that was in a fight the past 10 minutes or against a beast that has been intimidated by this feature before. You can use this feature a number of times equal to 1 + your Wisdom modifier (minimum of once), and you regain all expended uses when you finish a long rest.
At 6th level, you can also use your Primeval Awareness feature on fey, humanoids or monstrosities and at 12th level you can use it on aberrations, celestials, dragons, elementals, fiends and giants.
A Lasting Impression
This feature started the same as the revised ranger. However, while there is a difference in flavor and no Favored Enemy feature changes were made to accommodate those. Instead of being a kindred spirit, ranger's are acknowledged as apex predators that are not always on the hunt. Instead they try to keep up the balance between the creatures in the wilderness. Therefore, beast look upon ranger's with both fear and recognition. The broad knowledge of ranger's about beast help them communicate using body language an they figured out how to intimidate beasts with a lasting expression. However, being in a fight puts a lot of creatures in a survival state which makes them forget their fears for a moment. Trough adventuring ranger's expand their knowledge of creatures and alter their techniques to the extend that they can even intimidate the primeval soul of dragons with their sheer force of will and presence.
Ranger's Instinct
You are able to focus all your senses on a creature using your skills to interact with it and if needed hunting it down. As an action you can make a Wisdom (Perception) check to focus on one or multiple creatures that you see or hear. Alternatively, you can focus on one or multiple creatures after you made a Wisdom (Survival) check to successfully investigate tracks. You remain focused on a creature, until it dies, you fall unconscious or you finish a short or long rest.
Your proficiency bonus is doubled for any Wisdom check you make concerning a creature you focus on, if you are using a skill that you’re proficient in. You deal an extra 1d4 damage to a creature you focus on whenever you hit it with a weapon attack, which increases as you gain levels as a ranger, as shown in the Ranger's Instinct column of the Ranger table.
You can focus on a total number of creatures at the same time equal to halve your ranger level (rounded up).
Not Quite Hunter's Mark
Although, it started as Hunter's Mark, it did not quite stay the same. As a result, the name was changed to make the distinction clear. Yes, I agree that ranger's are capable hunters and will often hunt down quarry, but the flavor showed me there is more to it. Therefore, it made sense to grant double proficiency on all Wisdom checks related to 'marked' creatures. This helps rangers not only when hunting (Perception and Survival) creatures, but also when helping them (Animal Handling and Medicine) if they focus their attention on that specific creature. Besides, rangers use this focus to discover the true intent of a creature (Insight).
Mechanically this feature is not done yet, while two options remain. Either, the number of creatures a ranger can focus on at the same time is restricted and this last until the creature dies, a short rest or a long rest. This emulates a ranger which will only rest after it is satisfied with dealing with a creature. Or, the number of creatures the ranger can focus on each day is limited but he can drop focus anytime. This emulates a strain on the ranger when focusing on a creature. However, the latter is less suited to also include focus on multiple creatures, which makes the former the choice thus far. It's a choice between bonus action usage to keep switching to the target you want to attack, or being able to focus on multiple creatures (which works better with Tireless Hunter at level 9), which might be to strong to switch between mid fight without killing the original targets. I hope some of that came across, to me rangers are very persistent when hunting which I think is resembled in this feature.
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.
Weapon of Preference
None of the many designed Fighting Style's have been added. Make sure to check them out or create one of your own if your DM allows. All fighting styles ranger needs are available.
Homemade Brews
Beginning at 2nd level, your knowledge allows you to make Healing Decoctions with the Herbalism Kit.
You can spent 1 hour to gather all the ingredients for and make a Healing Decoction, provided that the direct surroundings contain the natural ingredients you need and you have the possibility to boil some water.
A Healing Decoction takes 1 minute to digest and that creature regains 1d6 hit points for every two ranger levels you have (rounded up). After 24 hours, any Healing Decoction that you have not used loses its potency.
Additionally, gathering the ingredients has made you exceptional in traveling trough the wilderness. You can pass through nonmagical Plants without being slowed by them and without taking damage from them if they have thorns, spines, or a similar hazard.
Pun Intended
This is heavily based on this content and other variations have been around ever since. This time was chosen for scaling and more healing at the cost of 1 minute to take effect. One could argue that in combat healing is required, but I see ranger as a resourceful fighter that can extend the hunt if required, as well as take down its quarry in the blink of an eye. Also, it has no limits on how many you can make. However, to restrict the applicability a herbalism kit is required and part of an hour to gather the ingredients for 1 Healing Decoction. This creates a lot of freedom for the DM and the Player to determine what the ingredients are, when and where they can be found or bought and how the search and creation is divided within the hour. This combined with the 24 hour effective duration creates a window in which only a limited amount can be created and used. As a result, there is no restriction of who takes it after it is made.
Also, the herbalism kit allows for making health potions if using Xanathar's Guide To Everything which is an added benefit if you still want to get a hand on in combat healing.
Get creative! This feature allows for a goal during downtime in preparation for the next adventure, which can be an adventure on its own if you like. Considering combat, you could take a potion in advance, 10 turns in combat you then find yourself healed a significant amount which can turn the fight around. However, the risk is wasting the potion if you did not take any damage.
Vital Strike
Starting at 2nd level, you can gain supernatural precision for a moment, to take down your quarry. When you roll damage for a weapon attack, you can use this feature to deal maximum damage, instead of rolling.
You can use this feature a number of times equal to your Wisdom modifier (a minimum of once). You regain expended uses when you finish a long rest.
Starting at 17th level, you regain all expended uses when you finish a short or long rest.
Combat Decisions
Every martial class gets a feature at second level which allows them to choose a benefit every turn of combat, some restricted by a cost (Reckless Attack, Action Surge, Ki,
Divine Smite, Cunning Action). It has been really difficult to decide on this feature, which in the end resulted in copying the channel divinity of Tempest Domain Clerics. Still, I am satisfied with the result. The feature is based on Wisdom because it takes focus and eagle eye perception to find the vital spot in combat. Besides, it prevents easy paladin or rogue multiclassing to pick up a devastating combination. All in all, it is a fun rule to have the ranger shine in battle when they are about to deliver the final blow, to make sure they actually finish it, or to make critical hits feel extra rewarding. Also, it rewards players for becoming high level rangers to make sure it stays relevant in the final levels.
Nature Calls
By the time you reach 3rd level, you have learned to slowly use the magical essence from nature and gain the ability to cast spells, but only as rituals, as described in chapter 10, "Spellcasting". Wisdom is your spellcasting ability for these spells and your spells save DC = 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Wisdom modifier. You gain spells at the ranger levels listed, which are considered as spells known for you and you can cast them as rituals even if they don't have the ritual tag.
| Ranger Level | Spells |
|---|---|
| 3rd | alarm, detect magic, detect poison and disease, longstrider, snare, speak with animals |
| 5th | animal messenger, beast sense, locate animals or plants |
| 9th | nondetection, plant growth, speak with plants, water breathing, water walk |
| 13th | freedom of movement, locate creature |
| 17th | commune with nature, tree stride |
Spells?!
The spells system in D&D 5e is solid and I love it. Some spells might need a little tweaking, but the system allows for easy creations yourself. However, the PHB ranger is a half caster with little spells known. Combined with being underwhelming in combat there are some spells you would never pick. Combined with my decision that ranger spells are awesome, but taking away the spellcasting feature makes it possible to creatively design new fitting features, a decision was made. Having boosted combat so far and less the exploration side, ritual casting was the perfect option. I ended up removing all combat related spells and settled with infinite casting outside combat of spells which belong to the ranger skill set and affinity with the wilderness. All these spells could have been made into features (this was done in my first version), but this made really extensive features with mechanics that are already captured by spells.
Ranger Specialization
At 3rd level, your tireless precision and experience are combined in a specialized way of hunting. Choose a specialization: Trapper, or one from another source.
Your choice grants you features at 3rd level and again at 7th, 11th, and 15th level.
Ranger ...
The subclasses of the ranger were not rewritten, while I really like and understand their flavor. To reflect rangers specializing themselves in a certain style of living and fighting, 'Specialization' was chosen over 'Archetypes' or 'Conclaves'.
Ability Score Improvement
When you reach 4th level, and again at 8th, 12th, 14th, 16th, and 19th level, you can increase one ability score of your choice by 2, or you can increase two ability scores of your choice by 1. As normal, you can’t increase an ability score above 20 using this feature.
1 more
Removing spellcasting created a lot of room to introduce new features, but you can also take it to far. Cleansing Touch a paladin feature at level 14 was implemented before, but has been replaced with an extra ASI. This opens up the possibility to distinct your ranger from others at the later levels. You could pick up some extra Wisdom to grant extra use of both the Primeval Awareness and the Vital Strike feature and increase your Wisdom skills along the way. Or, it is possible to pick a feature (if your DM allows). All in all, a great way to give some extra freedom to the player.
Extra Attack
Beginning at 5th level, you can attack twice, instead of once, whenever you take the Attack action on your turn.
The Usual
It is a feature all martial classes, except rogue, get at this level.
Hunter's Agility
When you reach 6th level, you can use the Dash action as a bonus action on your turn and you gain advantage on initiative rolls.
Sweet and Simple
Combining part of the seventh level benefit or barbarians with the need of extra maneuverability. The first levels are loaded enough already, therefore this level is perfect to resemble the swiftness of rangers when they are on the hunt.
Tireless Hunter
Starting at 9th level, you can use a bonus action, instead of an action, to focus on a creature with Ranger's Instinct.
Additionally, you gain the following benefits against a creature you focus on:
- Your ranged weapon attacks against the creature ignore half cover and three-quarters cover.
- The creature cannot make opportunity attacks against you.
- You have advantage on Intelligence checks to recall information about the creature.
Improvements
Features that are build upon is a valuable way of structuring your class. This feature resembles more ease when hunting both long and short ranged and the knowledge that a ranger has gathered during its time as an adventurer. Also, you can now make Wisdom (Perception) and (Survival) checks as a bonus action if you intend to focus on new quarry. If your DM allows, these checks could be used as a bonus action for other situation as well.
Ranger's Teachings
Starting at 10th level, you have learned how to move around unseen and how to cope with difficult terrain. When you make a Dexterity (Stealth) check, your proficiency bonus is doubled if you are proficient and you can’t be tracked by nonmagical means, unless you choose to leave a trail. Also, you are not affected by non-magical difficult terrain.
Additionally, you use your knowledge to guide your allies. While within fifteen feet of you, friendly creatures can use your Dexterity (Stealth) bonus when making a Dexterity (Stealth) check to move stealthily and they are not affected by non-magical difficult terrain. You must be conscious to grant these benefits.
Teamsport
D&D is played with a party, therefore it is nice to gain a feature which grants other party members a benefit as well, especially since spellcasting is not included. As a result, 'Pass Without a Trace' is not included either, which has been a signature spell for rangers. Resembling the paladin's auras, a benefit for both sneaking and traversing wilderness like terrain is granted.
Why no hiding as a bonus action?
In my experience, it does not make sense for a hunter to hide during the moment it fights its quarry. It takes it out as quickly as possible after a successful ambush. Therefore, no hiding as a bonus action (mostly use in combat), but double proficiency bonus in stealth (a general boost to prepare an ambush or approach your quarry).
Natural Tenacity
By 13th level, your body has acquired great resilience. You gain proficiency in Constitution saving throws.
Additionally, you have advantage on saving throws against poison and have resistance to poison damage.
Sweet and Simple
Again, this is heavily based on this content and other variations have been around ever since. It could have been a Homemade Brews improvement, but it is not.
Ghost Hunter
By the time you reach 18th level, your hunters senses have become so honed that you gain a +5 bonus to your passive Wisdom (Perception) score.
Additionally, provided that you are not blinded or deafened, creatures do not gain advantage on their attack roles against you as result of your inability to see them and when you attack a creature you can’t see, your inability to see it doesn’t impose disadvantage on your attack rolls against it.
Spooky
This used to be Feral Senses, now it is more general and stronger. For as far as I know, you can RAW already sense a creature that is not visible and not hidden either. Therefore, the aura is replaced to make this feature work both ways. On top of that you can now make sure you find hidden creatures, to start hunting them down. Note that hidden creatures also don't gain advantage, which is something I might want to change to prevent overlap with the alert feature (taking into account only PHB content). Combine this feature with the Alert or Observant feature and your DM will wonder why his attempts to assassinate you keep failing.
Unseen Attackers and Targets
"Combatants often try to escape their foes' notice by hiding, casting the invisibility spell, or lurking in darkness.
When you attack a target that you can't see, you have disadvantage on the attack roll. This is true whether you're guessing the target's location or you're targeting a creature you can hear but not see. If the target isn't in the location you targeted, you automatically miss, but the GM typically just says that the attack missed, not whether you guessed the target's location correctly.
When a creature can't see you, you have advantage on attack rolls against it. If you are hidden–both unseen and unheard–when you make an attack, you give away your location when the attack hits or misses."
(Player's Handbook, 2014, page 194-195)
A Gentle Push
Just making sure to get the gray cells in motion. If you and the target can't see each other, normally advantage and disadvantage cancel each other. However, this feature allows you to shoot with advantage instead, bring the smoke!
Ultimate Hunter
At 20th level, you can open your hunter's instinct as a bonus action to hunt all your enemies at once.
When you target a creature you focus on for an attack, you can instead target all creatures you focus on and perceive within 60 feet of you. Make a normal weapon attack roll which does not benefit from any advantage or disadvantage, and use that to determine which creatures you hit, rolling damage for all of them at once. Any benefits that would apply for your initial attack or damage applies for this special attack as well and are then considered used.
This ultimate hunter state lasts for one minute, or until you are incapacitated. Once you use this feature, you cannot use it again until you complete a long rest.
The Spark
This is where the revising started. Just the fun of making something this cool kept the process going. It builds on the level 1, 2, 9 and 18 features and is finally including some multiple target mechanic to conclude this class.
It used to be a state between rests combined with unlimited and multiple targeting only when in this state. However, as Ranger's Instinct changed this feature altered as well. Comparing this feature with paladin, lasting only 1 minute (length of a boss fight) seems suitable enough. Have fun rolling critical hits against all your foes at once!
Ranger Specializations
Your way of hunting is defined by your chosen methods. Officially released specializations can be found in the Player's Handbook and Xanathar's Guide To Everything. Alternatives for the Player's Handbook archetypes were presented as the Revised Ranger. You can also check this helpful overview of homebrew rangers, of which many include new subclasses.
Practice
Safe
Homebrewing
Ranger was my favorite from the start when we played a few games of 3.5e. Although, I have enjoyed playing other classes as well, the memories of the Ranger's Apprentice and Aragorn had me always return to playing ranger. However, the ranger class has been known for specializing a bit to much, which causes the ranger from the Player's Handbook to feel underwhelming. And so my journey began.
Disclaimer: This class has not yet been play tested and therefore the features are not considered balanced to their respective levels.
Cover Art: Pinterest
When you're hyped to give it a try, discuss the possibility with your Dungeon Master.
Inspiration along my journey
Before this journey started I had used this thread from EvilAnagram, already countless of times. Also, I have had the possibility to try out the Revised Ranger.
As a start, I read the previous editions and the pathfinder hunter. Together with my interest of creating a ranger without spells and the help of some insightful critique most of the groundwork was created.
To get the details straight I compared my approach with the many good ideas already published using GM Binder Search and another great platform which shows acknowledged ranger homebrew can be found here.
On a final note my friends have expressed their honest opinion, which I have taken into consideration to further improve the class.
For alternative features to play a ranger without spell casting, check this out.