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Multiclass Character builds in Dungeons & Dragons 5e (The Ranger)

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Player Tips – Ways to get More Immersed in Your RPG – Part 2

rangerHello fellow Nerdarchests, Art here. I’m back with the next installment of my series Multi-Class Character Builds in Dungeons & Dragons 5e. If you missed my previous article on the Warlock just click HERE.

I’m going to take up some space and talk a bit about the Ranger in general (Yes, I know I made a booboo and missed the class entirely before). However, there was a reason I missed the anger from before as I have had quite an issue finding good builds that work well thematically with the class. As most people know the basic Ranger as listed in the Player’s Guide is quite laughable and weak, when compared to other classes.  The reason for this is the lack of any real meaning behind their main class feature the “Favored Enemy”. By this I mean it does nothing to enhance the Ranger’s combat potential against said enemies like it used to in previous editions of D&D. I have found uses for multi classing with the Ranger but only as a secondary class (listed in my previous articles), but the Ranger as a primary class has been quite difficult to say the least. So, let’s get started…

How do you Class up Your Ranger?

First off is a build I find to be quite fun for a “Sniper” type character and that is to use the Ranger with the Hunter archetype and taking the Colossus Slayer feature, and twelve levels then eight levels of RogueNeverwinter-Hunter-Ranger with the Assassin archetype. This build allows the Ranger to gain a definite advantage with the Sneak Attack damage from range and the Colossus Slayer added damage bonus stacked. This allows the Ranger to move back into a hiding position to gain yet another “Surprise” attack each round and massive damage on each attack. Of course you’ll want to take the Archery Fighting Style to gain the additional +2 bonus on ranged attacks and later on when possible take the Sharp Shooter feat around level twelve to be able to offset the -5 to-hit roll penalty to gain the additional +10 damage. At this level you’ll have a total of 3d6+ 1d8 +10+Dexterity modifier as a damage roll from long range against any target that has already been wounded. Sounds pretty awesome to me!

Next up is a build for all of you people who love playing short characters. The build focuses on twelve levels of the Ranger Hunter archetype along with the Giant Killer feature. This combined with the Barbarian and its’ archetype of the Berserker of eight levels and the use of the feat Dual Wielder along with the use of two Whips as your weapon of choice. I know it seems laughable but it is rather nasty when you watch it in action. First off the Berserker gains the Frenzy ability allowing them to make one additional attack per melee round. Then with the off-hand weapon you may use your bonus action to make one more attack per melee round. The whip’s damage may only be a d4 but when adding the Rage bonus plus the attribute modifier it starters to add up fast, as well as you’ll have reach to boot. Also, with the Colossus Slayer ability you’ll have a use for your reaction each round as well. Later you can take the Sentinel feat to make the build totally nuts gaining a reaction attack against any creature who attacks anyone within your reach other than you. This build also uses small character meaning any Halflings or gnomes gain the Colossus Slayer advantage sense everyone else almost is bigger than you to begin with… Hahaha! It really is a fun character design!

Lastly is a cool character concept I really want to play myself. Using the Ranger with the Beast Master ca2965f4b3ba4f656e00b8f5976e2367archetype taking twelve levels and then using the new Wizard archetype out of the Sword Coast Adventure’s Guide the Blade Singer of eight levels. This would make a really cool elf character with a familiar and a pet companion as well as the ability to fight in close quarters combat with both of them. It would be your classic Elven Hero who roams the world with his combat pets who is an army all on his or hers’ own. The number of attacks and the ability to always have advantage due to flanking from either pet and the ability to Blade Sing and cast the new melee cantrips to deal a huge number of attacks from all three of them combined is quite scary if you think about it. A crafty player could use buff spells on his familiar and animal companion and cast combat cantrips in melee  using the War Caster feat. This is also a great build for using the Defensive Dualist feat as well as the Dueling fighting style, making for a very hard to hit character when combined with the bonuses from the Blade Song. All in all this sounds like a very fun character for anyone who loves to run pets with their characters. There are numerous other abilities characters can do with their pets like scouting with a familiar or having them stand watch while you rest. Hope you enjoy this one!

Well that’s all I have for you this time. Tune in next time “Same Bat Time! Same Bat Channel!” when we will be taking a look at multiclass builds in the magical colleges of…the Wizard!

So until next time… Stay Nerdy!

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Art Wood

I'm a nerd from the days of OLD! Nuff Said!

8 Comments

  • Charles Cole
    January 29, 2016 at 4:22 pm

    i like the mix of ranger/warlock it gives some nice choices

  • Art Wood
    February 3, 2016 at 7:33 pm

    Yea, I had given it alot of thought as to how to have a character with allot of pet options as well as the ability to support them. Glad you Liked It 🙂

    • Bartfishes4crits
      January 28, 2018 at 1:47 pm

      Completely agree! I am playing a half drow female pirate armed with a glaive named madame Shih. She has 5 lvls of hexblade and is going gloom stalker for the next 12 lvls. Revised ranger of course.
      Her sneaking and ambush abilities are sooo awesome. But outsideof combat is where she truly shines. Charming men or women left and right, flying around with her winged boots.
      Hoping we reach lvl 9 soon so i can grab me that elven accuracy feat. Triple advantage-curse–hex-critfishing for the win! 🙂

  • Charles Cole
    February 3, 2016 at 7:35 pm

    Art Wood it has been my class/player charcter combo of choice when i get to play

  • xboxwinosaur
    April 19, 2018 at 5:52 am

    been running a fun multiclass ranger myself lately, a wood elf named Leeph Ouksuhn intend to go ranger 7 rogue 7 fighter 3 monk 3,went wood elf for obvious stealth/dex reasons but also because with the large amount of multiclassing is justifiable by way of you can learn a lot in a 500+ year lifespan.
    ran hunter with ranger yes for the extra damage and defensive options and went with the archery fighting style but made sense by way of he really hates his favored enemies,decided to go with a preferred terrain of coastal lands,so went mariner with the fighting style offered in fighter which i went arcane archer on with shadow arrow and bursting arrow as weapons of choice.decided on shadow arrow as if you sneak up on a giant and blind it you can argue if it cant see you you still get sneak attack damage,and of course so i dont get pulped immediately by a rock with a plus 11 to hit.and bursting arrow as it allows you a couple of crowd control shots per short rest if they are needed.
    used arcane trickster with rogue for some extra spell slots as i built up sneak attack dice and access to shield initially,but ended up liking some of the extra options that provided such as dm allowing me to have my own “pet” by learning find familiar via scroll rather then having to take an arcane initiate feat to get it.as arcane trickster draws from the wizard spell list.
    this meant i could stack my ranger spell list with curative spells and have my familiar “Fligby” the flying snake deliver touch spells remotely so i could keep some range and be a 2nd string healer as well.also with disquise self been inclined to use that less as a pretend to be a guard or enemy and infiltrate spell and more of a look like leaves or rock or muddy arnold schwarzenegger in predator type of thing and in conjunction with the wood elfs mask of the wild racial trait hide almost in plain sight sort of as a poormans invisibility spell.and if i am able to learn spider climb can do the whole cabelas realtree camo and treestand big game hunter thing later on,perch have a couple fantasy beers and bag some wereboar and undead deer.
    havent figured out exactly what i am doing for the 3rd level spells this build will peak at am leading towards flame arrows,breathe underwater,and conjure animals would be great,especially with the flying snake familiar,could send 4 actually poisonous ones out their as a distraction while Fligby heals a downed team mate.or have fligby deliver shocking grasp to prevent someone or thing from taking reactions against the four incoming poisonous attacks.
    the kensei class i used less for its eastern bushido styling and really to kind of represent more so the century of practice the character has had with fighting with bow and sword as well as having plenty of interactions with monks along the way…..and the bonus action to deal more bow damage without expending a spellslot helps. I intend to take versatile weapon master with a feat and run 2 hand dex longsword for close quarters.reason i mentioned wish had gone battlemaster earlier was while the additional +1 to hit and damage with ranged in arcane archer is more practical and in keeping with the stealthy mystic vibe i was goin for initially.running in doing a jump kick and spending a superiority die to try and knock a guy prone while getting a +2 to ac for making an unarmed attack as part of your turn would have been more fun.
    sorry message ran so long,have a good one

  • xboxwinosaur
    April 20, 2018 at 7:37 pm

    realised i deleted the part where i mentioned battlemaster early on,and rambled on elsewhere.so that callback didnt land…. but still probably not the worst thing have ever wrote at that hour.also remembered one other good use of conjure animals if you really want your opponents to run in terror,summon skunks.
    tough opponents or stalwart guards may regard bears or wolves or giant snakees as a challenge but nobody wants to smell like hot garbage and burnt rubber.

  • Thuja
    November 12, 2018 at 7:37 am

    I’m just playing a wood elf intended to eventually multiclass into Ranger Hunter 12 / Rogue Scout 5 / Fighter Arcane Archer 3 and taking the Feats Crossbow Expert, Sharpshooter, and Elven Accuracy. I think these all fit together well thematically and I’m having lots of fun with it.

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