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Some of Dungeons & Dragons' most memorable characters have been Rangers, including R.A. Salvatore's famous Drow hero, Drizzt Do'Urden and Critical Role's Vex'ahlia. Over the years, the class has sometimes felt underwhelming, serving their role as trackers but tilting out of the picture when it came to important combat situations.

However, Fifth Edition has taken strides to bring the Ranger up to snuff. Now, with the right build, a player who chooses this class can play a major role within their adventuring party. The skills they draw upon can easily rival those of the Fighter or the Rogue, and, in some cases, they can blend the two roles to become something extraordinary.

Most Powerful Ranger Build Summary

Ability Scores (in order of importance)

Dexterity, Wisdom, Constitution, Charisma, Intelligence, Strength

Race

Elf, Halfling, Kenku

Subclass

Gloom Stalker, Horizon Walker

Feats

Sharpshooter, Skulker

Spells

Hunter's Mark, Pass Without a Trace, Conjure Animals

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Dexterity Is the Ranger's Core Stat

A Monster Slayer ranger with bow and pet

To start, any player building a Ranger will need to focus on their Dexterity. Not only does DEX boost agility-based skills like Acrobatics, Sleight of Hand and Stealth, but it contributes to their Initiative bonus and Armor Class. These keep the Ranger closer to the top of the round in battle and protected from enemy attacks.

After DEX, Wisdom and Constitution are important for Rangers. WIS contributes to the power of the Ranger's spell attacks and enhances essential Ranger skills like Insight, Animal Handling, Perception and Survival. CON provides the Ranger with a steady pool of hit points that keeps them on their feet and bolsters saving throws on important concentration spells like Hunter's Mark and Pass Without a Trace.

Best Races for Rangers

D&D Wood Elf Ranger

There are a number of races that start the game out with +2 DEX, which makes them prime candidates for Rangers. Elves, especially Wood and Sea Elves, are fantastic because they start with both +2 DEX and +1 to one of the secondary stats essential to their build. Wood Elves also have two enticing features that make them a prime choice: Fleet of Foot, which increases their movement speed to 35, and Mask of the Wild, which allows them to hide even when only lightly obscured.

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Halflings are another excellent choice because, in addition to a +2 DEX bonus, they also have the Lucky trait and Halfling Nimbleness. Kenkus gain +2 DEX and +1 WIS and can mimic any sound they hear, making them excellent diversions when plotting through stealth maneuvers. Aarakocra gain the same stat boosts as Kenku, plus the ability to fly, which means they are able to scout ahead of the party from above. Goblins, Kobolds, Tabaxi and Feral Tieflings also gain +2 DEX, which means there are plenty of options to start the game out on the right foot.

Best Ranger Archetypes

Druid Class - Dungeons and Dragons

Each Ranger Archetype comes with its own special skillsets that enhances base class, but two of them stand heads above the others. First, Gloom Stalker is perfect for Rangers who aren't afraid to delve deep into the darkest places as they seek out ways to avert danger and ambush any who would dare to attack their party. Gloom Stalkers gain special features like Iron Mind, which allows them to resist mind-altering effects that require a WIS save. They also have an ability called Dread Ambusher, which allows them to add their WIS modifier to their Initiative rolls, putting them even closer to the top of the round so they can get the drop on unsuspecting enemies.

The Horizon Walker is also a powerful choice, as this Ranger seeks to protect the Planes of Existence from threats that travel between them seeking to wreak havoc. Their familiarity with the planes gives them unique abilities that allow them to teleport through time and space itself, gaining extra ranged weapon shots while also carrying them out of harm's way as they take out up to three enemies. They can banish enemies and, in time, they can even learn to cast Teleportation Circles that carry their party either away from harm or exactly where they need to be to take care of a threat.

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Best Feats for Rangers

A swarmkeeper ranger dangling from a tree in DnD

Sometimes, it's hard to justify taking a feat, there are a handful of options that will really improve a Ranger's skillset. Sharpshooter was absolutely made for ranged combatants, allowing the Ranger to take a -5 penalty to their attack roll to gain +10 to damage. When coupled with the Ranger's Hunter's Mark, this can really stack up. Sharpshooter also allows a character to ignore both half and three-quarters cover, meaning they can take out enemies that no one else can see.

The Skulker feat is perfect for those ill-timed ranged shots that don't hit their target because it allows the Ranger to remain hidden even when they miss their shot. This feat also doesn't impose disadvantage on WIS checks in dim light when sight is required.

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Essential Spells for Rangers

A Horizon Walker ranger in DnD traverses an alternate plane

One of the single most important spells for the Ranger is Hunter's Mark. This concentration-based spell allows the Ranger to lock onto a single target and keep track of their whereabouts throughout the battle. They can deal an additional 1d6 damage on a successful hit of their marked target. If the initial target drops to zero hit points, the Ranger can use a bonus action to move their Hunter's Mark to another target.

Pass Without a Trace is useful for the entire party, as it adds a +10 bonus to stealth checks. This comes in handy when there is a clumsy or bulky party member who might give the group's position away to an enemy. Finally, Conjure Animals is a great way to give the party another ally, especially in a major battle. They can even conjure animals that fly, which is useful for transporting the party over long distances faster than they would go on foot.

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