Everything that’s different about the DnD 2024 Ranger

Of all the reworked Dungeons and Dragons classes, the DnD 2024 Ranger has had the most negative press. The Ranger was one of fifth edition’s biggest problem children, and if fan reactions to the 2024 Player’s Handbook are anything to go by, it seems like not much has changed. However, we’ve just finished a very thorough readthrough of the new rulebook – and we can now tell you exactly what’s different for the DnD Ranger 2024.

The short version of the story is that, yes, the DnD Ranger still looks kind of disappointing. Compared to the huge buffs given to other DnD classes, this super scout isn’t feeling all that ‘super’. There are some nice subclass changes and plenty of quality-of-life tweaks for the spell list, but the Hunter’s Mark focus still doesn’t seem all that impressive.

DnD 2024 Ranger rules

At the top level, things are looking fairly similar for the Ranger:

Things get less familiar from here, though. Firstly, there’s the Ranger’s new starting equipment. You can begin with 150 GP or the following:

• Studded leather armor
• Scimitar
• Shortsword
• Longbow
• 20 arrows
• Quiver
• Druidic focus
• Explorer’s pack
• 7 GP

Let’s look at the Ranger class features in a bit more detail:

Spellcasting

Level: One

Rangers can now cast spells from level one instead of level two (with two level-one spell slots), but their spellcasting ability and spell slots work largely as they did in 2014. The only other major difference is that Rangers can now swap a single leveled spell when they take a DnD long rest (rather than on a level up).

However, the entire spell list saw an overhaul as part of the new rules, so many of the Ranger’s mainstays work slightly differently now. Here’s a quick summary of the biggest changes:

DnD 2024 Ranger spells

Level one:

• Cure Wounds – Now an Abjuration spell that gives 2d8 of HP rather than 1d8.
• Ensnaring Strike – A bonus action cast immediately after hitting a creature with a weapon rather than before.
• Entangle – Now on the Ranger spell list, and reworded so you can’t become tangled in your own plants. Also an Athletics check to escape rather than Strength.
• Hail of Thorns – A bonus action cast immediately after hitting a creature with a weapon rather than before. Now an instantaneous effect that doesn’t require concentration.
• Hunter’s Mark – The extra 1d6 damage it deals is force damage.
• Jump – Now a bonus action, and it can be upcast to target additional creatures.

Level two:

• Aid – Unchanged, but now on the Ranger spell list (like in Tasha’s Cauldron of Everything).
• Animal Messenger – Your chosen animal only delivers your message if it fails a Charisma saving throw.
• Barkskin – Now a bonus action, doesn’t require concentration, and gives you an AC of 17 rather than 16.
• Beast sense – You’re no longer blinded or deafened to your own surroundings while using this spell.
• Cordon of Arrows – Deals 2d4 damage rather than 1d6.
• Darkvision – Gives 150 feet of Darkvision rather than 60.
• Enhance Ability – Now on the Ranger spell list (like in Tasha’s Cauldron of Everything). Other than the advantage on ability checks for a given stat, this spell gives no other benefits.
• Gust of Wind – Added to Ranger spell list (like in Tasha’s Cauldron of Everything), and targets in the line of wind must repeat the Strength saving throw it prompts at the end of their turn, too.
• Lesser Restoration – Now a bonus action.
• Magic Weapon – Now on the Ranger spell list (like in Tasha’s Cauldron of Everything) and no longer requires concentration.

Level three:

• Conjure Animals – Now lasts ten minutes and has completely new rules. This spell now conjures a Large pack of spectral animals that give you advantage on Strength saving throws while you’re within five feet. You can move the pack whenever you move on your turn, and when it moves within 10 feet of a creature you can see, they must make a Dexterity save or take 3d10 slashing damage. The damage increases by 1d10 for each spell slot level above three.
• Conjure Barrage – Deals 5d8 force damage rather than 3d8 weapon damage, and can now be upcast to increase the damage.
• Dispel Magic – No change, but now on the Ranger spell list.
  Elemental Weapon – No change, but now on the Ranger spell list (like in Tasha’s Cauldron of Everything).
• Lightning Arrow – A bonus action cast immediately after hitting a creature with a weapon rather than before. Now an instantaneous effect that doesn’t require concentration.
• Meld Into Stone – Now on the Ranger spell list (like in Tasha’s Cauldron of Everything), and it deals force damage rather than bludgeoning.
• Revivify – No change, but now on the Ranger spell list (like in Tasha’s Cauldron of Everything).
• Summon Fey – Your Fey Spirit’s weapon attack now deals 2d6 + 3 + the spell level’s force damage (no more piercing damage).
• Water Walk – Now requires a bonus action to pass from a liquid’s surface into the liquid.
• Wind Wall – Deals 4d8 bludgeoning damage rather than 3d8.

Level four:

• Conjure Woodland beings – Now lasts ten minutes and has new rules. The spell now summons nature spirits that fly around you in a ten-foot emanation. When a creature you can see enters that emanation, it must make a Wisdom save or take 5d8 force damage. The spirits also let you disengage as a bonus action while the spell is active, and you can upcast the spell to deal extra damage.
• Freedom of Movement – Can be upcast to target additional creatures.
• Grasping Vine – Now has a range of 60 feet. The vine makes a melee spell attack, dealing 4d8 bludgeoning and pulling a craeture 30 feet closer to the vine on a hit. Targets that are Huge or smaller are also grappled, and you can upcast the spell to grapple more than one creature at a time.
• Summon Elemental – Your summon is no longer immune to being unconscious.

Level five:

• Conjure Volley – Can use melee and ranged weapons as material components, and the spell deals force damage rather than standard weapon damage.
• Greater Restoration – No change, but now on the Ranger spell list (like in Tasha’s Cauldron of Everything).
• Swift Quiver – The bonus action you use to cast the spell also lets you make the two attacks, so no waiting until your next turn to use it.

Favored Enemy

Level: One

Favored Enemy now means that you always have Hunter’s Mark prepared, and you can cast it twice per long rest without using a spell slot. As you level up, the number of times you can cast it between rests increases (see the ‘favored enemy’ column in the table above).

Weapon Mastery

Level: One

You can use the DnD Weapon Mastery properties of two weapons that you’re proficient in (see the linked guide for your possible options). You can switch your choices whenever you finish a long rest.

Deft Explorer

Level: Two

This is exactly the same as the ‘Canny’ part of the Deft Explorer feature in Tasha’s Cauldron of Everything – expertise in a DnD skill, plus two extra languages.

Fighting style

Level: Two

Choose one of the following:

• Take a fighting style feat from the DnD 2024 feats list.
• Learn two Druid cantrips – these count as Ranger spells, use Wisdom as a spellcasting modifier, and can be changed when you gain a Ranger level.

Ranger subclasses

Level: Three

You’ve got four DnD Ranger subclasses to choose from in the 2024 Player’s Handbook:

Beast Master

The Beast Master now has a slightly tweaked version of the level-three Primal Companion feature from Tasha’s Cauldron of Everything. For example, various parts of its stat block are now tied to your Wisdom modifier instead of your proficiency bonus, so things scale a little better.

When you command your Primal Companion to take an action as a bonus action, you can also ask it to Dash, Disengage, Dodge, or Help as a bonus action. Your companion’s hits also deal force damage or their normal damage type.

Bestial Fury lets your companion attack twice when they use a strike action, and they deal extra force damage to a creature affected by your Hunter’s Mark spell. The Share Spells capstone is pretty much as before.

Fey Wanderer

This subclass is identical to its fifth edition version, but the Fey Wanderer spell list swaps Dispel Magic for Summon Fey.

Gloom Stalker

As part of Dread Ambusher, when you attack a creature and hit it with a weapon, you deal 2d6 extra psychic damage rather than the 1d8 weapon damage from before. This can be done a number of times equal to your Wisdom modifier before you need a long rest. The Player’s Handbook doesn’t explicitly say that this can only happen on your first turn, though the usual speed increase and bonus to initiative rolls still only apply on the first turn of combat.

Additionally, the level 11 Stalker’s Flurry ability has been reworked. It now increases your Dreadful Strike (the part of Dread Ambusher that lets you deal extra psychic damage) damage to 2d8. It also adds a new effect to that ability, meaning you can immediately attack again or potentially frighten a target after damaging them with Dreadful Strike.

Finally, you can apply your Shadowy Dodge feature even if an attacking target has advantage against you. It also lets you teleport 30 feet after the attack, regardless of whether they hit you.

Hunter

The new level-three Hunter’s Lore feature lets you know if a creature affected by your Hunter’s Mark has any particular immunities, resistances, or vulnerabilities. Hunter’s Prey no longer offers the Giant Killer option, and its Horde Breaker rules are a tiny bit more limiting. Additionally, Defensive Tactic’s Multiattack Defense option now gives a creature that hits you disadvantage on all other attack rolls against you that turn.

At higher levels, the Hunter looks very different. Superior Hunter’s Prey now lets you deal damage to a second creature after you damage a target affected by your Hunter’s Mark. Finally, Superior Hunter’s Defense lets you take a reaction to give yourself resistance to a damage type you’re about to be hit by until the end of the turn.

Ability score improvement

Level: Four, Eight, 12, 16

You know how this one works.

Extra attack

Level: Five

As before, you can attack twice instead of once when you take the attack action on your turn.

Roving

Level: Six

Similar to Tasha’s Roving, but a little different. Your speed now increases to ten feet while you’re not wearing heavy DnD armor, and you get a climb and swim speed equal to your regular speed.

Expertise

Level: Nine

Expertise in two more skills you were already proficient in, yay!

Tireless

Level: 10

Like the Tasha’s Cauldron of Everything Ranger, this Ranger can spend an action to give themselves temporary HP equal to 1d8 plus their Wisdom modifier. The difference is that this can now be done a number of times equal to your Wisdom modifier (rather than proficiency bonus) before you need a long rest.

Relentless Hunter

Level: 13

Taking damage no longer breaks concentration for your Hunter’s Mark spell.

Nature’s Veil

Level: 14

A bonus action that gives you the invisible condition until the end of your next turn. Can be used a number of times equal to your Wisdom modifier before you need a long rest.

Precise Hunter

Level: 17

You now have advantage on attack rolls against creatures targeted by your Hunter’s Mark spell.

Feral Senses

Level: 18

30 feet of blindsight, yay!

Epic Boon

Level: 19

You choose an epic boon from the list of DnD 2024 feats (see that article for more information).

Foe Slayer

Level: 20

The class capstone turns your Hunter’s Mark damage die into a d10 rather than a d6.

For more on the new rules, check out our 2024 Player’s Handbook review. We can also show you everything that’s changed for DnD 2024 backgrounds and DnD tools.

Source: Wargamer