Rangers got a thorough-going refinement pass for 2024. The changes aren’t as sweeping as with the Monk or Paladin, so let’s dig straight in and see what’s changed.
Core Class
Spellcasting moves from 2nd level to 1st level as it did with the other half-caster, the Paladin. Rangers get more Prepared Spells at every level now than in '14, capping out at a total of 15 spells at 20th level. Those Prepared Spells can also be changed at a rate of one per Long Rest, rather than at gaining a Ranger level. Finally, a Druidic Focus is now available to replace most Material Component requirements.
Favored Enemy, 1st level, is completely re-designed around the spell Hunter’s Mark and no longer requires a permanent choice of an enemy type to have various benefits against. The new version makes Hunter’s Mark an always-prepared spell with 2 slot-less castings per Long Rest, increasing by one at 5th, 9th, 13th, and 16th levels to a maximum of 6.
Weapon Mastery is available for two weapon types at 1st level.
Fighting Style is selected at 2nd level from all available Fighting Styles. Alternately, selecting Druidic Warrior gives the Ranger two Druid cantrips, which can be changed on gaining a Ranger level.
Deft Explorer, 2nd, grants Expertise in one skill already boosted by Proficiency and two languages.
Roving, 6th, provides a 10’ boost to Speed when not wearing Heavy Armor; Climb and Swim speeds are also set equal to Speed.
The 8th level Land’s Stride is no longer available. It allowed a Ranger to ignore the extra cost of Difficult Terrain in most cases.
At 8th level, an additional grant of Expertise increases the bonus to two proficient skills.
Hide in Plain Sight, 10th, has been removed.
Tireless, 10th, enables 1d8 + Wisdom gain of Temporary Hit Points a number of times equal to your Wisdom modifier and uses are restored on a Long Rest. Exhaustion levels are also reduced by a Short Rest.
Relentless Hunter, 13th, prevents taking damage from breaking Concentration on Hunter’s Mark.
The 14th level Vanish, which allowed Hide as a Bonus Action, is replaced with Nature’s Veil, using that Bonus Action to instead apply Invisible until the end of your next turn. The number of times it can be used per Long Rest is equal to the Wisdom modifier.
Precise Hunter, 17th, imparts Advantage on your attacks against the target of Hunter’s Mark.
Feral Senses, 18th, gets a more succinct and mechanical statement of its effects: “Blindsight for 30 feet”.
Like all classes, 19th level unlocks an Epic Boon.
Foe Slayer, 20th, increases Hunter’s Mark’s damage bonus to 1d10, rather than adding the Wisdom modifier to either damage or attack rolls.
Spells
The Ranger spell list picks up some new items from the Druid spellbook. The following spells are added:
- 1st level: Entangle
- 2nd: Aid, Enhance Ability, Gust of Wind, Magic Weapon, Summon Beast
- 3rd: Dispel Magic, Elemental Weapon, Meld into Stone, Revivify, Summon Fey
- 4th: Dominate Beast, Summon Elemental
- 5th: Greater Restoration, Steel Wind Strike
Subclass Options
PHB14 had two Ranger subclasses: Beast Master and Hunter. PHB24 expands to four, as with all classes.
Beast Master
Ranger’s Companion, 3rd, now provides a consistent stat block for the companion beast, with feature variations depending on whether it is a Beast of the Land, Beast of the Sea, or Beast of the Sky. It may still be visually styled as the player chooses. PHB14 had allowed for selecting an beast with a CR of 1/4 or lower. Additionally, it commanding the companion to take an action in combat is now a Bonus Action, it was previously an Action.
Exceptional Training, 7th, still grants the ability for a companion to use its Bonus Action to Dodge, Dash, Disengage, or Help, but this is now triggered by commanding the companion, rather than when it does not attack. Further, the companion’s attacks are now able to be either Force or normal damage, chosen by the player on each hit.
Bestial Fury, 11th: the first attack against a target affected by Hunter’s Mark does bonus Force damage equal to the damage bonus of Hunter’s Mark.
Fey Wanderer
This option originally appeared in Tasha’s Cauldron of Everything and is imported to PHB24 with a single change:
The 9th level grant of an always-prepared spell is changed from Dispel Magic to Summon Fey.
Gloom Stalker
This option originally appeared in Xanathar’s Guide to Everything.
Dread Ambusher, 3rd, now does, once per turn, an extra 2d6 Psychic damage on a weapon attack. It can be used “your Wisdom modifier” times per Long Rest. Also, it lets you add your Wisdom modifier to Initiative rolls. This replaces the additional weapon attack and bonus damage provided in XGtE.
Umbral Sight, 3rd, now grants 60 additional feet of Darkvision, not 30, if the Ranger already has Darkvision.
Stalker’s Flurry, 11th, no longer grants an additional attack on a missed attack roll. Instead, it increases the damage of Dreadful Strike to 2d8. It also adds:
- Sudden Strike - make another weapon attack against a different target within 5’ of the first
- Mass Fear - the target and creatures within 10’ of it make a Wisdom saving throw to avoid being Frightened until the Ranger’s next turn.
Shadowy Dodge, 15th, now requires a Reaction to impose Disadvantage, but the extra cost enables the Ranger to teleport up to 30’ after the attack.
Hunter
Hunter’s Lore, 3rd, now grants knowledge of the Hunter’s Mark target’s Immunities, Resistances, and Vulnerabilities.
Hunter’s Prey, 3rd, is no longer a permanent choice between Colossus Slayer and Horde Breaker, the active feature is now selected at a Short or Long Rest. Giant Killer is removed.
Defensive Tactics, 7th, replaces the permanent choice with a per-Rest (Short or Long) selection. The Steel Will feature is removed. Multiattack Defense now imposes Disadvantage on all incoming attacks for the turn, rather than PHB14’s boost to AC.
The 11th level Multiattack feature is removed.
Superior Hunter’s Prey, 11th, lets the Ranger damage another creature within 30’ of its target when the target takes damage from Hunter’s Mark. The extra damage is equal to the damage from Hunter’s Mark.
Superior Hunter’s Defense, 15th, is entirely re-designed from 2014. The Ranger can now use a Reaction when taking damage to gain Resistance to that damage type until the end of the turn.