Rangers in Dungeons & Dragons have many subclasses to choose from, with more added all the time. Each subclass provides unique boosts and abilities, so how can a player know which is the right one for them? Breaking down each subclass helps the player make this pivotal choice.
Rangers are deadly hunters and independent adventurers, as described in the Player's Handbook, and their abilities often reflect this. From animal companions to nature-based magic, Rangers are formidable foes in combat. Hunters share many links with Druids in Dungeons & Dragons due to their connection with nature and are seen teaming up many times throughout Faerûn.
Sometimes seen as warriors of nature, Rangers specialize in tracking, hunting, and remaining out of sight. The character may have made a living as a guide, a scout, or maybe even lived as a hermit out in the wilderness. Whatever the chosen background for their Ranger, players will want to select the best D&D subclass for them.
The Hunter Is D&D Ranger Archetype
The Hunter is a subclass found in the Player's Handbook and is the definitive Ranger archetype. Want to create Aragorn in Dungeons & Dragons or a take on Drizzt Do'Urden? Then the Hunter is the one to choose. This D&D subclass is simple but effective and one of the most versatile for new and old players alike.
This subclass offers high damage dealing but falls a little short when compared to some of the others available. Similarly, when looking at some of the Hunter's other abilities at later levels, there are other Ranger subclasses with more to offer. The Hunter should not be discounted as an option for Dungeons & Dragons players, though, as this is an excellent choice for those playing a Ranger for the first time.
Beast Master Allows D&D Rangers To Have Animal Companions
Another subclass found in the Player's Handbook is the Beast Master, allowing players to bond with and fight alongside an animal companion. This subclass is focused on the Dungeons & Dragons player making their Ranger companion stronger and more useful until it is like having an extra party member. The companions available must be of ¼ challenge rating (CR) for lower and medium-sized or smaller. These restrictions provide many options, but realistically only a few are of any use in battle.
However, there are a lot of mechanical issues with Beast Master, the largest of which is that commanding animal companions to attack uses an attack action. The companion will also not this command, so Rangers wanting their beast to attack must use their action every turn to command it. Tasha's Cauldron of Everything introduced Primal Companion as a replacement feature for the Ranger's Beast Master companion. It changed how these companions are controlled, switching from an action to a bonus action. This change has made Beast Master a little more useful for D&D players looking to adopt this subclass at level three.
Drakewarden D&D Subclass Gives Rangers Dragon Pets
Fizban's Treasury of Dragons introduced the Drakewarden, a different take on the classic Beast Master. Here the Ranger has formed a connection with a draconic spirit, which then takes on the physical form of a drake. As the player levels up the Ranger, the drake will also increase in power, eventually becoming large enough to serve as a mount.
These are by far the strongest companions available in Dungeons & Dragons, and when fighting, the drake will share the player's initiative but takes its turn immediately after the Ranger. The drake will follow whatever orders it was given and can move and react independently, making it a significant improvement on the Beast Master's animal companion. However, apart from the drake and the dragon-themed abilities, the Drakewarden is a little lackluster and quickly becomes boring.
Swarmkeeper Is A New D&D Subclass For Rangers
The first of two new Ranger subclasses offered in Tasha's Cauldron of Everything, the Swarmkeeper is an interesting new addition to the class. With this subclass, the Ranger forms a deep connection to nature not unlike a Druid and learns to summon nature spirits through it. These spirits assist in battle, and with them in play, combat becomes a little more tactical as players can use the swarm in a few different ways, such as moving the Ranger around the battlefield or even moving enemies against their will.
The Swarmkeep is very simple for new players to pick up and is a lot of fun, providing the players with many ways to add flavor to the game. Players choosing this subclass should speak to their Dungeon Master as swarm does not need to mean bugs or pixies, and as the look of the swarm is purely cosmetic, a lot of fun can be had with this. A D&D player could use birds or even small critters, which they could then describe allowing them to enhance the character's narrative through this subclass ability.
Fey Wanderer Links D&D Ranger with Archfey
The second subclass introduced in Tasha's Cauldron of Everything is the Fey Wanderer. This new subclass is based on the Ranger somehow gaining abilities of fey magic and, as such, gives the player access to a lot of enchantment and illusion spells. This D&D subclass is a little situational, but Dreadful Strikes provides some extra damage for combat.
One of the best perks of this D&D subclass is Otherworldly Glamour, which allows the Ranger to add their Wisdom modifier to any Charisma-based skill checks. At level seven, the Fey Wanderer gets the ability Beguiling Twist that gives them an advantage on saving throws against being charmed or frightened. These abilities mean that the Fey Wanderer has some of the best out of combat options for a Ranger subclass.
The Monster Slayer Subclass Is Good For Witcher Roleplaying In D&D
The Monster Slayer subclass is found in Xanathar's Guide to Everything and is similar to the Hunter but with more spells and abilities. Hunter's Sense allows the Monster Slayer to look at a creature and know how best to hurt it, meaning the player learns any vulnerabilities or resistances. The trade-off for these extra spells is that this subclass is less flexible for customization, and these Rangers can only use most abilities once every short rest.
This D&D subclass does decent damage with Slayer's Prey stacking with Hunter's Mark, and at level 11, the Monster Slayer gets the ability Magic-'s Nemesis. This ability allows the Ranger to use their reaction to stop an enemy they can see from casting a spell or teleporting, and this quickly turns the Ranger into a spellcaster's worse nightmare. The premise for this subclass is that the Ranger has been trained especially to fight supernatural foes like vampires or evil fey, which makes it great for a Witcher-type character.
The Horizon Walker Ranger Subclass For D&D
Another Ranger subclass found in Xanathar's Guide to Everything is the otherworldly Horizon Walker, whose abilities are based on planar magic. Horizon Walkers fight enemies from the Inner and Outer Planes and seek allies throughout the D&D multiverse. What this means is that the players get a lot of cool teleportation tricks and abilities.
The Horizon Walker is a good utility subclass in Dungeons & Dragons as well as a damage dealer. Misty Step at level 5 is handy for zipping around the battlefield, and Planar Warrior means an extra 1d8 force damage to enemies. At later levels, the Horizon Walker gets yet more teleportation abilities such as Haste and Distant Strike, which make the Ranger incredibly difficult to hit while they deal out damage for the party.
The Best D&D Ranger Subclass: The Gloom Stalker
Gloom Stalker is considered by many to be the best subclass for Rangers, and it's not hard to see why. Found in Xanathar's Guide to Everything, the Gloom Stalker benefits from some Rogue-style abilities without having to multi-class. With their abilities linked to stealth and darkness, Gloom Stalkers do excellent damage in low-light areas like caves and dungeons.
Gloom Stalkers are the highest damage dealers of all the Ranger subclasses due to the number of bonuses they get in darkness and low light. At level 5, Gloom Stalkers get the fun spell Rope Trick which can be helpful both in and out of combat, and at level 13, the player receives the spell Greater Unvisibilty which again has many applications. With bonuses to initiative rolls and the ability to turn a hit into another attack, it's easy to see why so many D&D players favor Gloom Stalker Rangers.
In the end, the best Ranger subclass comes down to personal choice and preferences. With so many different subclasses available to the player, it is easy to make a Ranger character to suit any needs. Whether looking for utility, damage-dealing, or role-playing potential, Dungeons & Dragons 5e offers many options for character customization.
