Ranger/Unearthed Arcana


 * This article is about the Unearthed Arcana features and subclasses for the ranger class. For the Unearthed Arcana revised version, see Ranger (Revised). For the Unearthed Arcana spell-less version, see Ranger (Spell-less).
 * To view the official mechanics and statistics of this class, see Ranger.

The material in this article is presented for playtesting and to spark your imagination. These game mechanics are in draft form, usable in your campaign but not refined by full game design and editing. They aren't officially part of the game and aren't permitted in D&D Adventurers League events. Ask your Dungeon Master before using any material on this page.

If Wizards of the Coast decides to make this material official, it will be refined based on your feedback, and then it will appear in a D&D book.

= Waterborne Adventures = (Unearthed Arcana: Waterborne Adventures)

Mariner
As long as you are not wearing heavy armor or using a shield, you have a swimming speed and a climbing speed equal to your normal speed, and you gain a +1 bonus to AC.

= Light, Dark, Underdark! = (Unearthed Arcana: Light, Dark, and Underdark!)

Close Quarters Shooter
You are trained in making ranged attacks at close quarters. When making a ranged attack while you are within 5 feet of a hostile creature, you do not have disadvantage on the attack roll. Your ranged attacks ignore half cover and three-quarters cover against targets within 30 feet of you. Finally, you have a +1 bonus to attack rolls on ranged attacks.

Tunnel Fighter
You excel at defending narrow passages, doorways, and other tight spaces. As a bonus action, you can enter a defensive stance that lasts until the start of your next turn. While in your defensive stance, you can make opportunity attacks without using your reaction, and you can use your reaction to make a melee attack against a creature that moves more than 5 feet while within your reach.

= Class Feature Variants = (Unearthed Arcana: Class Feature Variants)

Favored Foe
1st-level ranger feature (replaces Favored Enemy)

You can call on your bond with nature to mark a creature as your favored enemy for a time: you know the Hunter's Mark spell, and Wisdom is your spellcasting ability for it. You can use it a certain number of times without expending a spell slot and without requiring concentration — a number of times equal to your Wisdom modifier (a minimum of once). You regain all expended uses when you finish a long rest.

When you gain the Spellcasting feature at 2nd level, Hunter's Mark doesn't count against the number of ranger spells you know.

Fighting Style Options
2nd-level ranger feature (enhances Fighting Style)

Interception
When a creature you can see hits a target that is within 5 feet of you with an attack, you can use your reaction to reduce the damage the target takes by 1d10 + your proficiency bonus (to a minimum of 0 damage). You must be wielding a shield or a simple or martial weapon to use this reaction.

Unarmed Fighter
Your unarmed strikes can deal bludgeoning damage equal to 1d6 + your Strength modifier. If you strike with two free hands, the d6 becomes a d8. When you successfully start a grapple, you can deal 1d4 bludgeoning damage to the grappled creature. Until the grapple ends, you can also deal this damage to the creature whenever you hit it with a melee attack.

Spell Versatility
2nd-level ranger feature (enhances Spellcasting)

Whenever you finish a long rest, you can replace one spell you learned from this Spellcasting feature with another spell from the ranger spell list. The new spell must be the same level as the spell you replace.

= Ranger & Rogue = (Unearthed Arcana: Ranger & Rogue)

Primeval Guardian
Rangers of the Primeval Guardian Conclave follow an ancient tradition rooted in powerful druidic magic. These rangers learn to become one with nature, allowing them to channel the aspects of various beasts and plants in order to overcome their foes.

These rangers dwell in the elder forests of the world. They venture out only rarely, as they consider it their sacred duty to protect the druidic groves and ancient trees that saw the earliest days of the world.

Guardian Magic
Starting at 3rd level, you learn an additional spell when you reach certain levels in this class, as shown in the Primeval Guardian Spells table. The spell counts as a ranger spell for you, and it doesn't count against the number of ranger spells you know.

Guardian Soul
Starting at 3rd level, you gain the ability to temporarily grow and take on the appearance of a treelike person, covered with leaves and bark. As a bonus action, you assume this guardian form, which lasts until you end it as a bonus action or until you are incapacitated.

You undergo the following changes while in your guardian form:


 * Your size becomes Large, unless you were larger.
 * Any speed you have becomes 5 feet, unless the speed was lower.
 * Your reach increases by 5 feet.
 * You gain a number of temporary hit points at the start of each of your turns. The number equals half your ranger level. When the form ends, you lose any temporary hit points you have from it.

Piercing Thorns
At 3rd level, your command of primal magic allows you to enhance your attacks with thorns. Once during each of your turns, you can deal an additional 1d6 piercing damage to one creature you hit with a weapon attack.

Ancient Fortitude
At 7th level, you gain the endurance of the ancient forests. Your hit point maximum and current hit points increase by 2 per ranger level when you assume your guardian form. This increase lasts until you leave the form; your hit point maximum then returns to normal, but your current hit points remain the same, unless they must decrease to abide by your hit point maximum.

Once you use this feature, you can't use it again until you finish a short or long rest.

Rooted Defense
At 11th level, you gain the ability to twist and turn the ground beneath you. While you are in your guardian form, the ground within 30 feet of you is difficult terrain for your enemies.

Guardian Aura
Starting at 15th level, your guardian form emanates a magical aura that fortifies your injured allies. When any ally starts their turn within 30 feet of your guardian form, that ally regains a number of hit points equal to half your ranger level. This aura has no effect on a creature that has half or more of its hit points, and it has no effect on undead and constructs.

= Subclasses, Part 5 = (Subclasses, Part 5)

Drakewarden
Drakewardens are rangers who use their magical connection with nature to form an enduring bond with a minor dragon, a drake. This bond allows the ranger to summon the drake to their side and to share in the awe-inspiring power wielded by dragons.

Consider how your ranger gained their bond with the drake. The Drakewarden Origin table offers some examples.

Draconic Gift
3rd-level Drakewarden feature

The bond you share with your drake creates a deeper connection to dragon kind, granting you understanding and empowering your presence. You gain the following benefits:
 * If you can't already, you learn to speak, read, and write Draconic.
 * You learn the Thaumaturgy cantrip, which is a ranger spell for you.

Drake Companion
3rd-level Drakewarden feature

You can magically summon the drake bound to you. As an action, you can summon the drake, which appears in an unoccupied space of your choice that you can see within 30 feet of you.

The drake is friendly to you and your companions and obeys your commands. See its game statistics in the Drake Companion stat block, which uses your proficiency bonus (PB) in several places. When you summon the drake, choose a damage type listed in its Draconic Essence trait. You can determine the cosmetic characteristics of the drake such as its color, scale texture, or any visible effect of its Draconic Essence; your choice has no effect on its game statistics.

In combat, the drake shares your initiative count, but it takes its turn immediately after yours. It can move and use its reaction on its own, but the only action it takes on its turn is the Dodge action, unless you take a bonus action on your turn to command it to take another action. That action can be one in its stat block or some other action. If you are incapacitated, the drake can take any action of its choice, not just Dodge.

Once you summon the drake, you can't do so again until you finish a long rest, unless you expend a spell slot of 1st level or higher to summon it.

The drake remains for a number of hours equal to your proficiency bonus, until it is reduced to 0 hit points, until you use this feature to summon the drake again, or until you die. Anything the drake was wearing or carrying is left behind when the drake vanishes.

Bond of Fang and Scale
7th-level Drakewarden feature

The bond you share with your drake intensifies, protecting you and stoking the drake's fury. While your drake is summoned, you and the drake gain the following benefits:
 * You gain resistance to the damage type chosen for the drake's Draconic Essence.
 * Choose one of the following: the drake gains a swimming speed of 40 feet and can breathe both air and water, or the drake grows wings and gains a flying speed of 40 feet.
 * The drake's bite attack deals an extra 1d6 damage of the type chosen for its Draconic Essence.

Drake's Breath
11th-level Drakewarden feature

As an action, you can exhale a 30-foot cone of damaging breath or cause your drake to exhale it. Choose acid, cold, fire, lightning, or poison damage. Each creature in the cone must make a Dexterity saving throw against your spell save DC, taking 6d6 damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.

This damage increases to 8d6 when you reach 15th level in this class.

Once you use this feature, you can't do so again until you finish a long rest, unless you expend a spell slot of 3rd level or higher to use it again.

Perfected Bond
15th-level Drakewarden feature

Your bond to your drake reaches the pinnacle of its power. While your drake is summoned, you and the drake gain the following benefits:
 * The drake grows to Large size.
 * The drake's bite attack deals an extra 1d6 damage of the type chosen for its Draconic Essence (for a total of 2d6 extra damage).
 * When either you or the drake takes damage while you're within 30 feet of each other, you can use your reaction to give yourself or the drake resistance to that instance of damage.