Alternate Ranger v3.8.0 - Public Update! (Patreon)

Hello everyone, after a bit of a personal hiatus I am back with an update for my Alternate Ranger Class! My last public update for the Alternate Ranger was exactly a year ago today, so I think this was a bit overdue!

For those who are unfamiliar with my Alternate Ranger, it is a combination of popular homebrew fixes for the Ranger, ideas from the old UA: Class Feature Variants, and a few of my own tweaks and tricks for the class. The main goal was to bring the class in line with the power of its half-caster counterpart - The Paladin. Here are some of the changes:

Survivalist Knacks. There are so many ideas of what a Ranger “should” be, so this Invocation type system will allow you to build your Ranger, your way!

Wilderness Expertise. Is WoTC listening to me? Most of the Ranger’s early exploration abilities can be replaced with thematic skill Expertise.

Fighting Styles. I’ve made some adjustments to official styles and added a few of my own to emphasize the Ranger’s outdoorsy/wildman style of fighting.

Favored Foe. This is now a Class Feature (not a spell) that scales with your Ranger level. Note: hunter’s mark has been purposefully removed from the Ranger Spell List and should not be used with the Alternate Ranger class.

Spellcasting. The Ranger “a prepared master of the wilderness” is now a “Spells Prepared” caster. They’ve also got Ritual Casting which will help significantly with their out-of-combat and exploration usefulness.

Ranger Archetypes. I’ve made a few quality-of-life changes to each of the Ranger Archetypes (Monster Slayer is now the Shadowbane) and included my own original Spellbreaker!

Alternate Archetypes. A new feature for this update - here are rules for using the rest of the official Ranger Archetypes with the Alternate Ranger class.

Alternate Ranger Change Log v3.8.0

• Quick Build // Now suggests DEX/WIS to match the Paladin’s STR/CHA
• Wilderness Expertise // Second Expertise/Language moved up to 9th level.
• Fighting Style // Cut Protection. Added Mountaineer (NEW) and Thrown Weapon Fighting. Adjusted Featherweight Fighting and Versatile Fighting.
• Favored Foe // Reworked to scale based on Ranger level (not spell slot). Free WIS mod uses per rest (then spell slots). Damage scaling now lines up with duration scaling.
• Adaptable // NEW
• Foe Slayer // Reworked (made worthy of a 20th level feature).
• Beast Master // Primal Bond // Now includes all spells you cast on yourself.
• Hunter // Hunter’s Prey // Reworked around Favored Foe.
• Hunter // Defensive Tactics // Grants bonuses against your Favored Foe.
• Hunter // Multiattack // Reworked around Favored Foe.
• Hunter // Superior Defense // Reworked around Favored Foe.
• Spellbreaker // Spellsight // Explicitly tied to Favored Foe.
• Shadowbane // Slayer’s Insight // Combined the 3rd level features.
• Shadowbane // Iron Focus // Renamed (Supernatural…). Uses your Favored Foe die.
• Shadowbane // Ruthless Counter // Combined with the 11th level feature which then scales to all creatures at 15th level.
• Knacks // Explorer I // Survival rolls of 7 or lower are now an 8 for you.
• Knacks // Slayer I // Can apply Favored Foe on hit. Tracking rolls of 7 or lower are an 8.
• Knacks // Slayer III // added Muted as an option. Clarified that it uses your Spell Save DC.
• Knacks // Stalker I // Now works on up to 10 creatures.
• Knacks // Strider I // Now works on up to 10 creatures.
• Alternate Archetypes // Restructured, reworded all “Archetype Spells” description
• Alt Gloom Stalker // Dread Ambusher damage scales with Favored Foe.
• Alt Horizon Walker // Detect Portal is now useful. Planar Warrior scales with Favored Foe.
• Alt Fey Wanderer // Dreadful Strikes scales with Favored Foe.
• Alt Swarmkeeper // Gathered Swarm (and Mighty Swarm) scale with Favored Foe.
• Updated the Patreon-exclusive Primeval Guardian Archetype!