D&D 5e Ranger Guide: Best options for Ranger builds
The Ranger is an often underappreciated and underutilized class in Dungeons & Dragons 5e. That said, the right choices can turn it into a potent option. Here’s everything there is to know next time you decide to roll a Ranger.
Rangers have a bit of a spotty history in Dungeons & Dragons. In the earliest versions of the game, they were a force to be reckoned with. In 1st edition AD&D, for example, they were the class that started out with the most hit points of any.
Since then, however, the Ranger’s fortunes have been decidedly more mixed. While their skills have remained useful throughout, their effectiveness in combat has been rightly called into question. 5e has gone some way to redressing this balance, and they can, once again, be a great pick.
Read on for the full lowdown on Rangers in D&D 5e.
Ability priority for Rangers in D&D 5e
As with any class in D&D, Rangers have certain abilities that they should prioritize. In order of importance, abilities are as follows:
- Dexterity
- Wisdom
- Constitution
- Charisma
- Intelligence
- Strength
Unsurprisingly, Dexterity takes precedence with all things Ranger. It boosts Stealth and Acrobatics, as well as improving initiative, Armor Class and ability checks more generally. It’s a bit of a toss-up between Wisdom and Constitution next, but we went for the former thanks to the number of skills affected by the score.
Perception and Survival are both helped by a high Wisdom score, and it’s a very useful stat to have when saving against antagonistic spellcasting. Constitution works in much the same way that it does for other classes, and the additional survivability is great to have.
The other three stats are a nice bonus but can be pretty safely deprioritized by a Ranger in a group.
Best Race options for Rangers in D&D 5e
There are two clear options that players should pick if they are seeking to make an inordinately powerful Ranger:
Elf: The standout racial choice for the class is the Elf. The most obvious benefit is the +2 Dexterity bonus, but they also come with natural proficiency in Perception. Their ability to meditate, which allows them to remain semi-conscious and become fully rested in half the time, is hugely useful in dangerous environments.
The Wood Elf subrace is also a logical next step from there, providing an additional +1 to Wisdom. They move more quickly thanks to the Fleet of Foot trait, and they have the chance to hide, even when only lightly obscured, due to Mask of the Wild. They also have additional weapon proficiencies in longsword, shortsword, shortbow, and longbow, thanks to Elf Weapon Training.
Halfling: For those looking to stray away from the immediately obvious formula, the Halfling is a great pick. As with the Elf, Halflings offer +2 Dexterity but they have some nice left-field bonuses that do make them worth a try. The Lucky trait allows players another attempt after rolling a 1 on a d20.
Lightfoots are a great choice for subrace. Though their +1 to Charisma is less beneficial than the +1 Constitution offered by Stout Halfings, the Naturally Stealthy trait is a great dimension to have as a Ranger.
Ranger skills and proficiencies
The full list of Ranger Proficiencies is as follows:
- Armor: Light armor, medium armor, shields
- Weapons: Simple weapons, martial weapons
- Tools: None
- Saving Throws: Strength, Dexterity
- Skills: Choose three from Animal Handling, Athletics, Insight, Investigation, Nature, Perception, Stealth, and Survival
| Skill | Description |
| Animal Handling | Improves checks related to calming wild animals, mounts or intuiting an animal’s intentions. |
| Athletics | This relates to anything involving climbing, jumping or swimming. Checks will be easier to pass with this skill. |
| Insight | Insight is one of the Ranger’s more interesting skills. Essentially the class is capable of determining the true intentions of a creature from body language and subtle signs. |
| Investigation | Though it might seem underwhelming, Investigation is a hugely useful skill that improves the chance of finding clues & treasure, as well as allowing the Ranger to make useful deductions. |
| Nature | Nature is a simple skill that allows the Ranger to recall specific details about plant life, animals and the natural world more generally. |
| Perception | This skill allows the Ranger to detect the presence of living creatures via noise or other environmental stimuli. Can often provide the initiative that saves a party from death. |
| Stealth | Though it might be more associated with Rogues, Stealth is a great option to have. It allows the class to move quietly, sneak past enemies and escape from dangerous situations. |
| Survival | When acting as a guide in a foreboding land or trying to track a creature in difficult conditions, Survival becomes a hugely useful skill for the Ranger to have. |
Ranger Class Features
Favored Enemy
From 1st level, Rangers are able to become exceptional in tracking, hunting, stalking and talking to a certain type of enemy. The class can select from any one of aberrations, beasts, celestials, constructs, dragons, elementals, fey, fiends, giants, monstrosities, oozes, plants, or undead, to serve as the Favored Enemy.
This amounts to an improved chance at passing Wisdom checks related to the enemy, Intelligence checks to recall information and a new language (if the chosen enemy speaks one the player doesn’t yet know). Further Favored Enemies can be chosen by the player at Level 6 and Level 14.
Natural Explorer
In a similar vein to Favored Enemy, Natural Explorer allows the Ranger to select one type of environment to become intimately familiar with. Players can choose one of the arctic, coast, desert, forest, grassland, mountain, swamp, or the Underdark, and Wisdom rolls will be adjusted accordingly when they relate to favored terrain.
Additionally, proficiency bonus is doubled when the Ranger uses a skill they are proficient in, while in their favored biome. It also comes with some fantastic individual and group bonuses after traveling through the terrain for more than an hour, as follows:
- Difficult terrain doesn’t slow your group’s travel.
- Your group can’t become lost except by magical means.
- Even when you are engaged in another activity while traveling (such as foraging, navigating, or tracking), you remain alert to danger.
- If you are traveling alone, you can move stealthily at a normal pace.
- When you forage, you find twice as much food as you normally would.
- While tracking other creatures, you also learn their exact number, their sizes, and how long ago they passed through the area.
Fighting Style
At 2nd level, Rangers are able to adopt a particular fighting style to specialize in. There are four options, with each providing bonuses to their associated weapon or armor type:
- Archery – +2 bonus to attack rolls with ranged weapons.
- Defense – +1 bonus to AC while wearing any armor type.
- Dueling – With a single, one-handed weapon, Ranger get a +2 bonus to their damage roll with that weapon.
- Two-Weapon Fighting – The Ranger’s ability modifier can be added to the attack of the second weapon when dual-wielding.
Spellcasting
Adding to the significant bonuses on offer to the class at 2nd level, Rangers can start to cast Nature spells in a similar way to Druids. The number of spells in each slot is dependent on the class level. The amount of spells on offer at each level is as follows:
| Level | Spells Known | Spell Slots |
| 1 | N/A | N/A |
| 2 | 2 | 2 x 1st Level spells |
| 3 | 3 | 3 x 1st Level spells |
| 4 | 3 | 3 x 1st Level spells |
| 5 | 4 | 4 x 1st Level spells, 2 x 2nd Level spells |
| 6 | 4 | 4 x 1st Level spells, 2 x 2nd Level spells |
| 7 | 5 | 4 x 1st Level spells, 3 x 2nd Level spells |
| 8 | 5 | 4 x 1st Level spells, 3 x 2nd Level spells |
| 9 | 6 | 4 x 1st Level spells, 3 x 2nd Level spells, 2 x 3rd Level spells |
| 10 | 6 | 4 x 1st Level spells, 3 x 2nd Level spells, 2 x 3rd Level spells |
| 11 | 7 | 4 x 1st Level spells, 3 x 2nd Level spells, 3 x 3rd Level spells |
| 12 | 7 | 4 x 1st Level spells, 3 x 2nd Level spells, 3 x 3rd Level spells |
| 13 | 8 | 4 x 1st Level spells, 3 x 2nd Level spells, 3 x 3rd Level spells, 1 x 4th Level spell |
| 14 | 8 | 4 x 1st Level spells, 3 x 2nd Level spells, 3 x 3rd Level spells, 1 x 4th Level spell |
| 15 | 9 | 4 x 1st Level spells, 3 x 2nd Level spells, 3 x 3rd Level spells, 2 x 4th Level spell |
| 16 | 19 | 4 x 1st Level spells, 3 x 2nd Level spells, 3 x 3rd Level spells, 2 x 4th Level spell |
| 17 | 10 | 4 x 1st Level spells, 3 x 2nd Level spells, 3 x 3rd Level spells, 3 x 4th Level spell, 1 x 5th Level spell |
| 18 | 10 | 4 x 1st Level spells, 3 x 2nd Level spells, 3 x 3rd Level spells, 3 x 4th Level spell, 1 x 5th Level spell |
| 19 | 11 | 4 x 1st Level spells, 3 x 2nd Level spells, 3 x 3rd Level spells, 3 x 4th Level spell, 2 x 5th Level spell |
| 20 | 11 | 4 x 1st Level spells, 3 x 2nd Level spells, 3 x 3rd Level spells, 3 x 4th Level spell, 2 x 5th Level spell |
Best Ranger spells at each level
1st Level spells
Absorb Elements: Arguably the most logical pick of the first-level spells on offer, Absorb Elements does a lot to increase the class’ survivability. It reduces incoming elemental damage and stores it as potential damage for the Ranger’s next melee attack. It then buffs resistance to further elemental damage of the same type.
When used in a 2nd Level spell slot or higher, it deals an additional 1d6 damage for each slot above 1st Level.
Hunters Mark: Though it isn’t one of the most exciting spells in the Ranger’s potential playbook, Hunter’s Mark is a very strong early-game choice. The player can mark a creature, granting them 1d6 worth of additional damage and improving their chances on Perception and Survival checks taken involving the quarry.
When used in a 3rd or 4th Level spell splot, the Hunter’s Mark can last for up to 8 hours, increasing to 24 hours in a 5th Level slot.
2nd Level spells
Silence: Bard and Cleric players will be familiar with the multitude of uses for a Silence spell. In a 20ft radius of a spot that the player chooses, no sound can be made. This includes verbal spellcasting, making SIlence a potent option against enemy spellcasters.
It also renders those within its zone immune to Thunder damage entirely. It’s also great for scenarios where players are camping in dangerous areas, rendering their movements inaudible to prying ears.
Spike Growth: Really useful in a bind, Spike Growth renders terrain in a 20ft radius far more difficult to overcome. The area writhes and twists with thorns and brambles that should slow down approaching enemies.
This is great for two reasons. Firstly, it allows players to pepper foes with ranged damage from afar, thinning down massed ranks and staying out of danger. In worst-case scenarios, it can facilitate escapes from seemingly hopeless battles.
3rd Level spells
Conjure Animals: This spell has the potential to add as much fun to a battle as it does chaos. Though players don’t have total control over how it plays out, it is a game-changer if used properly. Animals can hold choke points and prevent flanks, as well as being effective assailants in their own right.
Water Walk: As the name may suggest, this spell allows players to walk across liquid surfaces as though they were solid. This can be applied to up to ten willing creatures within range, and it’s great for getting the group through otherwise impassable areas. This includes damaging liquids like lava and acid, though these can still cause heat and burn damage.
4th Level spells
Freedom of Movement: There are so many situations in Dungeons & Dragons that limit movement or cease it entirely. Freedom of Movement goes some way to counter this, allowing a creature to ignore any negative effects caused by difficult terrain or magic, including paralysis. It also allows escape from handcuffs and other non-magical restraints.
5th Level spells
Tree Stride: There might be no more Ranger-appropriate spell in the entire game than Tree Stride. It allows the player to enter a tree and then move from there to another tree of the same species, within 500 feet. In forested areas, this is a hugely underrated tool to have. It allows the Ranger to escape from pursuing enemies, or move behind for a better angle of attack.
Ranger Archetypes
Ranger Archetypes essentially function as subclasses that further specialize the player character. There are a couple of standout options here, as well as some that underwhelmingly add little to the existing class.
Gloom Stalker: In any given Dungeons & Dragons campaign, it’s a fairly safe assumption that the players will have to head underground at some point. More forebodibly still, there are many planes of existence and other grim locations including the Underdark. To make those feel more homely, it’s a great idea to pick the Gloom Stalker archetype.
Not only do they benefit from improved Darkvision, they can also render themselves essentially invisible to creatures that rely on Darkvision to navigate. They can leverage a second attack when the first misses and they can press disadvantage to hit on their enemies. They are more resistant to psionic abilities and attacks, as well as providing a general further boost to wisdom checks.
The strongest archetype available to the Ranger, they are difficult to hit and pack a solid punch in return.
Fey Wanderer: Fey Wanderer is a nice alternative choice for those looking to build the class a little differently. The general background of the Fey feels like an appropriate accompaniment to the Ranger generally, and this archetype can be a nice way to access Elf-like abilities if you choose to go with Halfling or another race.
It adds another playstyle, allowing the Ranger to charm and confuse their way out of certain situations. The Ranger also gains access to spells like Dimension Door and Misty Step, the latter of which is an effective teleport for a class that otherwise lacks one.
That’s our complete guide on the Ranger class in Dungeons & Dragons. It will be updated to reflect the best build as the game continues to evolve.
For more on D&D 5e, check out our other guides below:
All D&D 5e books | Everything upcoming in D&D 2024 | D&D vs. Pathfinder | D&D 5e Multiclass Guide | Fighter | Wizard
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