Ranger, A Bugbear's Take

1

Ranger

Wild looking as the wolf skulking
beside her in the brush, the elven
huntress stalks several humans
admiring animals howling in cages.
She signals for her animal companion to
strike as they ambush the poachers.

A wounded orc finishes skinning
the feathery hide of the owlbear he had been
tracking for the better part of two days, his leather
armor covered in the beast blood.

A cloaked figure strolls through the crowded
marketplace, stalking an elven male from a distance. The
elf's face identical to the one printed on the wanted poster rolled in the figure's hand.

Carrying with them a diverse set of skills, these hardcore survivalists are hard to pin down. Rangers can never rest for long though, the unforgiving environment they call home always nipping at their heels, ready to consume them if they begin to wane.

Adept Survivalist

Harsh climates, difficult terrain, and natural disasters remain an ever-present threat to any adventurer, despite their level of experience. Rangers adopt these demanding, possibly hostile, regions as their homes and as an obstacle course in which they flourish.

Training in these unforgiving regions teaches a variety of survival skills that a ranger carries with them throughout their lives. These skills could involve tracking a swift creature through dense foliage, locating provisions to keep them and others satiated, or safely relocating people and goods through untamed lands.

Independent Adventurers

Rangers fill a diverse and robust role within not only an adventuring party but also within the paradigm of society. Many serve as hunters, guides, trackers, or escorts for those willing to pay for their services. On some occasions, you can even find them working alongside guilds and other organizations. It is due to their versatility that many rangers prefer to work independently- almost to a fault.

Optional Rule: Multiclassing

If your group uses the optional rule on multiclassing in the Player's Handbook, here's what you need to know if you choose the ranger as one of your classes.

---

Ability Score Minimum. As a multiclass character, you must have at least a 13 in both Dexterity (or Strength) and Wisdom to take a level in this class, or to take a level in another class if you are already a ranger.

---

Proficiencies Gained. If ranger isn't your starting class, you gain proficiency in light & medium armor, shields, and simple & martial weapons.

Creating a Ranger

As you create your ranger character, consider the terrain
where you trained and how it might have influenced your training. Was your training in a savanna filled with fast and cunning predators, forcing you to run until your legs could
no longer support you with their incessant quivering? Maybe you trained with a druid in the frigid north until your body became numb from the strong winds? Or perhaps you thrived within the confines of a civilized society, dredging yourself from its gutters.

What are some memorable events that transpired during your training? Did you encounter a herd of migrating yetis in the mountains in which you trained, learning how they hunt as you watch from a safe distance? Was your training interrupted by the disturbance of a marching war band of orcs passing through the woods? Or perhaps you encountered an unlikely friend in the form of a native creature who had enjoyed watching you train, maybe even going as far as to train alongside you.

Quick Build

You can make a ranger quickly by following these suggestions. First, make Dexterity your highest ability score, followed by Wisdom and Constitution. Second, choose the outlander background. And lastly, choose forest as your favored terrain..

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: Choose one from cartographer's tools, herbalism kit, and navigator's tools

• Saving Throws: Strength, Dexterity
• Skills: Choose two from Acrobatics, Animal Handling, Athletics, Insight, Investigation, Medicine, Nature, Perception, and Stealth

Equipment

You start with the following equipment, in addition to the equipment granted by your background:

• (a) scalemail 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 and a quiver of 20 arrows

Wilderness Expertise

1st-level Ranger feature

Your time in the wilderness has honed your survival skills. You always know what direction is north and you gain proficiency in the Survival skill.

When you gain this feature and again at 10th level, choose one of your skill or tool proficiencies. Your proficiency bonus is doubled for any ability check you make that uses the chosen proficiency.

Arctic

Isolated amongst the perpetual cold and harsh environment, you need a strong will to survive. Whenever you spend one or more Hit Die at the end of a short rest, you regain a number of additional hit points equal to your Wisdom modifier.

Cavern

You've learned to fight hidden threats using sound. Unseen creatures provoke opportunity attacks from you, and you don't suffer disadvantage when attacking targets you can't see, provided you can still hear them.

Coast

You are exceptionally sure-footed from your experiences with sea storms and turbulent waves. You have advantage on ability checks and saving throws against effects that would knock you prone or move you against your will.

Desert

Traveling through endless sand under a blazing sun, you've gained exceptional stamina. Whenever you finish a short rest, your exhaustion level, if any, is decreased by 1. In addition, you have advantage on ability checks and saving throws to see through visual illusions.

Forest

Leaping through treetops in search of prey, you're both nimble and perceptive. While you aren't wearing heavy armor, your jump distance is doubled. Additionally, you can use a bonus action to make a Wisdom (Perception) check to spot a hidden creature or object.

When you reach 2nd level, you can mark a hidden creature you find as your quarry as part of the same bonus action.

Grassland

With nowhere to hide amongst a plain of fast predators, it's best to flee for cover. On your first turn in combat, your speed increases by 15 feet until the start of your next turn. You don't provoke opportunity attacks while you have this increased speed.

Mountain

You can shrug off most injuries after your experience with pummeling rockslides and soaring predators. When you take damage, you can use your reaction to reduce the damage by 1d8. You can use this feature a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus. You regain all expended uses of it when you finish a long rest.

In addition, you can climb without expending extra movement.

Swamp

Infections, poisons, and vicious creatures endanger you in these fetid wetlands. You know when a creature, plant, or another object you can see or smell within 30 feet of you is poisonous or diseased. Additionally, you have advantage on any ability checks to escape a grapple.

Urban

You're streetwise, using your cunning and observations of others to survive. Whenever you make a Wisdom (Insight) check to determine if a creature is lying to you, roll a d6 and add it to the ability check. Additionally, you can take the Hide action while standing or moving between multiple creatures of a similar size or larger.

Archery

You gain a +2 bonus to attack rolls you make with ranged weapons.

Druidic Warrior

You learn two cantrips of your choice from the druid spell list. They count as ranger spells for you, and Wisdom is your spellcasting ability for them. Whenever you gain a level in this class, you can replace one of these cantrips with another cantrip from the druid spell list.

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.

Thrown Weapon Fighting

You can draw a weapon that has the thrown property as part of the attack you make with the weapon.

In addition, when you hit with a ranged attack using a thrown weapon, you gain a +2 bonus to the damage roll.

Two-Weapon Fighting

You can draw or stow two one-handed weapons when you would normally be able to draw or stow only one.

In addition, when you engage in two-weapon fighting, you no longer use your bonus action for your second attack; instead, you make this attack as part of the Attack action.

Unarmed Fighting

Your unarmed strikes can deal bludgeoning damage equal to 1d6 + your Strength modifier on a hit. If you aren’t wielding any weapons or a shield when you make the attack roll, the d6 becomes a d8.

At the start of each of your turns, you can deal 1d4 bludgeoning damage to one creature grappled by you.

Preparing and Casting Spells

The Ranger table shows how many spell slots you have to cast your ranger spells. To cast one of your ranger spells of 1st level or higher, you must expend a slot of the spell’s level or higher. You regain all expended spell slots when you finish a long rest.

You prepare the list of ranger spells that are available for you to cast, choosing from the ranger spell list. When you do so, choose a number of ranger spells equal to your Wisdom modifier + half your ranger level, rounded down (minimum of one spell). The spells must be of a level for which you have spell slots.

For example, if you are a 5th-level ranger, you have four 1st-level and two 2nd-level spell slots. With a Wisdom of 14, your list of prepared spells can include four spells of 1st or 2nd level, in any combination. If you prepare the 1st-level spell cure wounds, you can cast it using a 1st-level or a 2nd-level slot. Casting the spell doesn’t remove it from your list of prepared spells.

You can change your list of prepared spells when you finish a long rest. Preparing a new list of ranger spells requires time: at least 1 minute per spell level for each spell on your list.

Spellcasting Ability

Wisdom is your spellcasting ability for your ranger spells, since your magic draws on your attunement to nature. You use your Wisdom whenever a spell refers to your spellcasting ability. In addition, you use your Wisdom modifier when setting the saving throw DC for a ranger spell you cast and when making an attack roll with one.

Wild Empathy

3rd-level Beastmaster feature

Beast recognize you as a kindred spirit. You gain proficiency in the Animal Handling skill if you don't already.

In addition, you can telepathically communicate with any beast while it's within 60 feet of you. The creature can understand you and can respond telepathically.

Animal Companion

3rd-level Beastmaster feature

You also gain an animal companion which you magically are bound to. Select one of the following beasts to become your companion: ape, black bear, crocodile, elk, giant goat, panther, warhorse, or wolf. Alternatively you can select any beast of challenge rating 1/4 or lower that you have seen.

Combat. The companion shares your initiative. It can move and use its reaction on its own, but the only action it takes on its turn is the Dodge action, unless you take a bonus action on your turn to command it to take another action. That action can be one in its stat block or some other action. If you are incapacitated, the companion can take any action of its choice, not just Dodge.

Statistics. Your companion's statistics undergo the following changes as a result of your bond with it:

• If the companion has a Multiattack action, it loses it.
• Your companions hit points equal 10 + five times your ranger level.
• Your companion gains proficiency in two skills and one saving throw of your choosing.
• When your proficiency bonus increases by 1, your companion gains a +1 bonus to its ability checks, attack rolls, and saving throws.

Death and Rest. If your companion is reduced to 0 hit points, it begins dying and making death saving throws as if it were a player character. When your companion completes a short rest, it regains hit points equal to half its maximum hit points. When you complete a long rest, it regains all of its hit points.

If your companion is dead or otherwise lost, you can spend 8 hours in the wilderness bonding with a beast to gain a new companion. You can have only one companion at a time.

Primal Strikes

7th-level Beastmaster feature

Your companions attacks now count as magical for the purpose of overcoming resistance and immunity to nonmagical attacks and damage.

Feral Proxy

7th-level Beastmaster feature

You can use beasts as your proxies. You gain the ability to cast the beast sense and animal messenger spells, without expending a spell slot, with the following changes.

• When you cast animal messenger, you can target a Small beast by offering a larger portion of food.
• The duration of animal messenger increases to 10 days.
• When you cast beast sense, you can target a beast you can see within 60 feet of you, instead of touching it.

Additionally, your animal companion and other friendly beasts under the effect of a divination or enchantment spell you cast can aid you further. These beasts can mark your quarry for you using their action. The beast cannot mark a creature that it cannot hear, see, or is not currently tracking.

Storm of Claws and Steel

11th-level Beastmaster feature

You and your companion fight as one unit in combat, capitalizing on the others' success. Whenever you or your companion successfully hits a creature with a weapon attack, the other can roll a d6 and add it to their first attack roll against the same creature before the end of this turn.

Pack Leader

15th-level Beastmaster feature

Beasts no longer consider you a kindred spirit; instead, they recognize your authority as the superior beast. When a beast attacks you, that creature must make a Wisdom saving throw against your ranger spell save DC. On a failed save, the creature must choose a different target, or the attack automatically misses. On a successful save, the creature is immune to this effect for 24 hours.

Additionally, beasts you telepathically are bonded with can add your proficiency bonus to their ability checks and attack rolls, if they aren't already, and share all the benefits of your Ranger's Quarry feature.

Bounty Hunter Spells

Change of Plans

3rd-level Bounty Hunter feature

You've learned to quickly shift your attention to new threats. Once on each of your turns, when you make an attack against a creature, you can choose to designate that creature as your quarry without using your bonus action.

In addition, you can choose to deal non-lethal damage with ranged weapon attacks.

Investigator

3rd-level Bounty Hunter feature

You have a talent for gathering information on your quarry. You can spend at least 10 minutes conversing with, interrogating, listening to, or questioning a creature. You have advantage on Charisma checks made against that person pertaining to information regarding a specific creature it knows.

Steel Will

7th-level Bounty Hunter feature

You have advantage on saving throws against being charmed or frightened.

Menacing Warrior

11th-level Bounty Hunter feature

You have learned to intimidate those who would stand in your way. When you score a critical hit or reduce a creature to 0 hit points, you can use your bonus action to force one creature of your choice that you can see within 30 feet of you to make a Wisdom saving throw against your Spell save DC. On a failed save, a creature becomes frightened of you for up to 1 minute. A creature can repeat this saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on a success.

Payback

15th-level Bounty Hunter feature

Whenever a creature you can see within range makes an attack against you, regardless if it hits or misses, you can make a single attack against that creature as a reaction. You make your attack with advantage if the attacker hits you. If this creature is not your quarry, you can choose to make it your quarry before you make this attack.

Ranger, A Bugbear's Take

7

Colossus Slayer Spells

Climber

3rd-level Colossus Slayer feature

You've become adept at climbing creatures larger than yourself. You gain proficiency in the Athletics skill, and you gain a climbing speed equal to your walking speed.

Coordinated Effort

3rd-level Colossus Slayer feature

When fighting creature's of superior strength, you find comfort in your numbers. When you make a weapon attack or ability check against a creature, you can gain a bonus to the roll equal to the number of your allies within 10 feet of that creature (maximum of +5)

Alternatively, when you you cast a ranger spell or use an effect that forces a single creature to make a save, you can add this bonus to the DC instead.

You can use this feature a number of times equal to 1 + your Wisdom modifier (minimum of twice). You regain all expended uses of it when you finish a long rest.

Hide Underfoot

7th-level Colossus Slayer feature

You can skirt past larger creatures virtually unnoticed. A creature that is larger than your size has disadvantage on Perception checks to spot you.

In addition, while standing within 5 feet of a creature you can see, with a size larger than your own, you can use your bonus action to take a special Hide action. While hidden in this way, you can choose to move with the creature. Not moving with the creature reveals your location.

Bring Low

11th-level Colossus Slayer feature

With the aid of your allies, you will bring the titans to their knees. When you hit a creature using your coordinated effort feature, you can force them to make a Strength saving throw against your ranger spell save DC. Add the bonus granted by your coordinated effort to this DC. On a failed save, they fall prone.

Low Counter

15th-level Colossus Slayer feature

Larger creatures have a hard time keeping track of you in combat, leaving them wide open for a counter-attack. When a creature larger than your size attacks you, provided you aren't incapacitated, the creature makes its attack with disadvantage. On a miss, you can use your reaction to make a weapon attack against the attacking creature and move up to half your speed without provoking an attack of opportunity.

Drakebound Spells

Draconic Gift

3rd-level Drakebound feature

Your bond with your drake allows you to understand their language and empowers your presence. You learn to speak, read, and write draconic. You also learn the thaumaturgy cantrip, which is a ranger spell for you.

Drake Companion

3rd-level Drakebound feature

You can use an action to magically summon the drake bound to you. It appears in an unoccupied space of your choice that you can see within 30 feet. The drake is friendly to you and obeys your commands. Once you summon the drake, you can’t do so again until you finish a long rest, unless you expend a spell slot of 1st-level or higher to summon it again.

Once summoned, the drake remains for a number of hours equal to half your ranger level (rounded up), or until it is reduced to 0 hit points, you use this feature to summon the drake again, or you die. Anything the drake was wearing or carrying is left behind when the drake vanishes.

Combat. The drake shares your initiative. It can move and use its reaction on its own, but the only action it takes on its turn is the Dodge action, unless you take a bonus action on your turn to command it to take another action. That action can be one in its stat block or some other action. If you are incapacitated, the drake can take any action of its choice, not just Dodge.

Statistics. When summoned, you choose its Draconic Essence type: acid, cold, fire, lighting, or poison. This determines its damage immunity and the damage of its Infused Strikes feature. Your drake uses the Drake Companion stat block, which uses your proficiency bonus (PB) in several places.

Grave Warden Spells

Horizon Walker Spells

Detect Portal

3rd-level Horizon Walker feature

You gain the ability to magically sense the presence of a planar portal. As an action, you detect the distance and direction to the closest planar portal within 1 mile of you.

Once you use this feature, you can't use it again until you finish a short or long rest or until you expend a spell slot to use this feature.

Planar Warrior

3rd-level Horizon Walker feature

You learn to draw on the energy of the multiverse to augment your attacks.

When you use your Ranger's Quarry feature, you can choose to target any weapons you are currently wielding instead of a creature. These weapons warble with planar energy, converting all damage dealt by them to force. Creatures you attack with one of these weapons is considered your quarry until the end of the current turn.

A weapon loses these benefits if you end your turn without it in your hand, you use your Ranger's Quarry feature again, or you fall unconscious.

Ethereal Step

7th-level Horizon Walker feature

You learn to step through the Ethereal Plane. As a bonus action, you can cast the etherealness spell with this feature, without expending a spell slot, but the spell ends at the end of the current turn.

Once you use this feature, you can’t use it again until you finish a short or long rest.

Distant Strike

11th-level Horizon Walker feature

You gain the ability to pass between the planes in the blink of an eye. When you take the Attack action, you can teleport up to 10 feet before each attack to an unoccupied space you can see.

If you attack at least two different creatures with the action, you can make one additional attack with it against a third creature.

Spectral Defense

15th-level Horizon Walker feature

Your ability to move between planes enables you to slip through the planar boundaries to lessen the harm done to you during battle. When you take damage from an attack, you can use your reaction to halve the attack’s damage against you.

Ranger, A Bugbear's Take

11

Hunter Spells

Hunter's Training

3rd-level Hunter feature

You've been trained in the way of the hunt. You gain the following features:

Field Tanner. You gain proficiency with leatherworker’s tools.

Preparations. As part of a long rest, you can spend time refining your knowledge on one of the following types of creatures: aberrations, beasts, celestials, constructs, dragons, elementals, fey, fiends, giants, monstrosities, oozes, plants, or undead. Until the start of your next long rest, creatures with this creature type are considered your prey.

You have advantage on Survival checks to harvest materials from your prey, as well as on Intelligence checks to recall information about them.

Target Acquisition. When you roll initiative and you can see one of your prey within range, you can immediately mark this target as your quarry (no action required).

Ranger, A Bugbear's Take

12

Dire Pursuit

7th-level Hunter feature

---

You can more effectively give chase to fleeing prey. When your quarry moves more than 5 feet away from you this turn, you can use your reaction to move up to your movement speed towards it.

Big Game Hunter

11th-level Hunter feature

---

You've hunted your prey enough to learn the ins and outs of their tactics. Whenever your prey forces you to make a saving throw, you can treat a d20 roll of 9 or lower as a 10.

Favored Quarry

15th-level Hunter feature

---

Though you hunt a variety of creatures, there are some you call your specialty. Choose two creature types from your Preparations feature as your favored quarry. These two creature types are always consider your prey. you score a critical hit on a 19-20 when making an attack roll against your favored quarry.

Monster Slayer Spells

Rites of the Slayer

3rd-level Monster Slayer feature

You've been trained in the esoteric art of slaying monsters. You gain the following features:

Alchemy. You gain proficiency in alchemist supplies, which you can use to craft useful concoctions.

Hunter’s Sense. You can peer at a creature and magically discern its strengths and weaknesses. As a bonus action, choose one creature within 60 feet of you. You immediately learn whether the creature has any damage immunities, resistances, or vulnerabilities and what they are. If the creature's hidden from divination magic, you sense that it has none. When you mark your quarry, you can use this feature as part of the same bonus action.

You can use this feature a number of times equal to your Wisdom modifier (minimum of once). You regain all expended uses of it when you finish a long rest.

Slayer's Prey. Your Ranger's Quarry die increases from a d6 to a d8.

Supernatural Defense

7th-level Monster Slayer feature

You gain extra resilience against your quarry’s assaults on your mind and body. Whenever your quarry forces you to make a saving throw and whenever you make an ability check to escape your quarry’s grapple, add your Ranger's Quarry die to the roll.

Magic-User’s Nemesis

11th-level Monster Slayer feature

You gain the ability to thwart someone else’s magic. When you see a creature casting a spell or teleporting within 60 feet of you, you can use your reaction to try to magically foil it. The creature must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw against your ranger spell save DC, or its spell or teleport fails and is wasted.

Once you use this feature, you can’t use it again until you finish a short or long rest, unless you expend a spell slot of 3rd level or higher to use this feature.

Slayer’s Counter

15th-level Monster Slayer feature

You gain the ability to counterattack when your quarry tries to sabotage you. If your quarry forces you to make a saving throw, you can use your reaction to make one weapon attack against your quarry. You make this attack immediately before making the saving throw. If your attack hits, your save automatically succeeds, in addition to the attack’s normal effects.

Stalker Spells

Guerilla Tactics

3rd-level Stalker feature

You've trained in the art of ambush and espionage. You gain the following features:

Lie in Wait. When you deal damage to a surprised creature or with an attack as part of a reaction, the weapon deals an additional 1d6 damage. Once you reach 11th level, this damage increases to 2d6.

Trained Skulker. You gain proficiency in the Stealth skill, and you can take the Hide action as a bonus action.

Subdue Witness

7th-level Stalker feature

You can subdue creatures who threaten your anonymity. When a creature that you can see and are hiding from discovers your position, you can use your reaction to make a single weapon attack against the creature or attempt to grapple them if they are within reach. This reaction doesn't reveal your position to other creatures.

In addition, when you successfully grapple a creature, you can prevent it from making verbal sounds that would alert other creatures of your presence.

Stalker’s Flurry

11th-level Stalker feature

You've learned to attack with such unexpected speed that you can turn a miss into another strike. Once per turn when you miss with a weapon attack, you can make another weapon attack as part of the same action.

Fugue Sentinel

As a Fugue Sentinel, you stand at the border between the Fugue and the Material Plane. You are a guide and a hunter. Partnering with a spirit from the Fugue, you help restless spirits find peace in order to reach the afterlife and hunt down those that would interfere in a creatures life after death.

Pelt Collector

There is an ancient art rarely taught; macabre tales told by hunters and trackers. It is an art of leatherworking, skinning and tanning a creature soon after death so that its power passes onto the leather. These secrets are well-kept, yet a ranger can learn them by proving their worth to a teacher. A crafty, stubborn soul could even discover the secrets themselves by finding one of these mystic pelts and studying its construction.

Credit

Pelt Collector was created by /u/TabaxiTaxidermist

Ranger, A Bugbear's Take