How D&D's 2024 Player Handbook Fixes The Worst Ranger Subclass

Among the twelve basic classes in , the ranger has always been viewed as one of the weakest options. Part of this reputation comes from its lackluster first-level abilities and the slow progression it gets per level in the original rules. Another part of it comes from the two subclasses the ranger could choose from in the: the hunter and the beastmaster.

While the hunter is a somewhat effective but bland choice, the beastmaster attracted many new players with the idea of working side by side with an animal companion. It's a common fantasy trope, and for a good reason, since it is a fun and versatile character option in theory. Onlythe 2014 beastmaster was plagued with inefficiencies and mechanical downsides that made the subclass a common choice for the weakest option in the TTPRG. It has needed official improvements for years, and with the new it gets them.

The 2024 version of rangers benefits from many changes that have been unofficially available for a while now, through Unearthed Arcana and fan-made content. The biggest changes from the 2014 rules are the revisions to the classes' 3rd-level ability, where the beastmaster gets their animal companion; or, as it is now called, primal companion. Whereas once, beastmasters chose from among a list of low-power beasts for their sidekick, now they choose one of three base stat blocks that can apply to any number of different animals.

Ranking the abilities provided by the ranger subclasses to determine whether the hunter, beastmaster, or gloomstalker is the most powerful.

The stat blocks are called the beast of the land, beast of the sky, and beast of the sea. Each includes the ability scores and actions that the primal companion can take. The idea here is that players can decide what animal they want to adventure with but still maintain a level of power and balance to keep up with other characters. A beast of the land could be a dog, a bear, a dinosaur; the options are up to the player and DM, but the stats work the