Part 8 in a series of posts summarizing the history of rangers as a DnD class throughout the editions (both TSR and WOTC).

The ranger class characteristics across the various editions are summarized in the table below. 4e has been skipped because it, as an edition, is so wildly different to the mainline TSR and WotC offerings that I feel it would not be an apples-to-apples comparison.

Edition OD&D AD&D 1st AD&D 2nd 3.0e 3.5e 5e (2014) 5e (2024)
Prime Req. STR STR, INT, and WIS STR, DEX, WIS N/A N/A N/A N/A
Ability Score Req. INT 12+, WIS 12+ CON 15+ STR 13+, WIS 14+, CON 14+ STR 13+, DEX 13+, CON 14+, WIS 14+ N/A N/A N/A N/A
HD 2d8 (same size as fighter) 2d8 (fighter d10) 1d10 (as fighter) 1d10 (as fighter) 1d8 (fighter d10) 1d10 (as fighter) 1d10 (as fighter)
XP to 2nd Level 2500 XP (but earn faster) 2250 XP 2250 XP N/A N/A N/A N/A
Proficiencies As fighter As fighter As fighter No heavy armor No medium or heavy armor No heavy armor No heavy armor
Restrictions Property, Followers, Alignment, Group Size Property, Followers, Alignment, Group Size Property, Followers, Alignment None None None None
Spellcasting at… 9th level 8th level 8th level 6th level 6th level 2nd level 1st level
Max Spell Level 3rd level 3rd level 3rd level 4th level 4th level 5th level 5th level
Favored Enemy +1 damage / level to “giant types” +1 damage / level to “giant types” +4 to hit to choice of creature type +1 damage / 5 levels to choice of creature +2 damage / 5 levels to choice of creature Tracking but no damage, player choice of creature Free casts of hunter’s mark, not tied to creature type.
Tracking 90% outdoors, -10% per day 90% outdoors, -10% per day As skill system, at +1 bonus As skill system As skill system As skill system, with Expertise As skill system
Surprise / Stealth Surprised on 1-in-6 Surprised on 1-in-6, surprise others on 3-in-6 MS and HiS as thief percentile As skill system As skill system As skill system, with class features later As skill system, with class features later
Animal Empathy None None Feature As skill system As skill system As skill system As skill system
Special Followers 2d12 at 9th level 2d12 at 10th level 2d6 at 10th level None None None None
Animal Companion None None None None Yes, at 4th level Only in subclass Only in subclass
Scrying Items 10th level 10th level No No No No No
Fighting Style None None Two-weapon fighting Two-weapon fighting Two-weapon fighting or archery Two-weapon fighting or archery or others Two-weapon fighting or archery or others

Analysis

Consistent features of the ranger across all editions:

  • Fighter-ish HD
  • Spellcasting
  • Favored enemy that usually grants a damage bonus
  • Tracking ability
  • Stealth / Surprise ability

Features present in TSR-era D&D (that are not also shared with other classes from that era, like the mere fact that they have a prime requisite):

  • Can wear heavy armor
  • Has class restrictions (property, followers, alignment, group size)
  • Spellcasting starts late in class and only grants low-level spells
  • Favored enemy preset to “giant types” (orcs, goblins, and the like)
  • Special followers at higher levels
  • Use of scrying magic items

Features present in WotC-era D&D:

  • Lose access to heavy armor
  • No restrictions
  • Spellcasting starts earlier and grants higher level spells
  • Favored enemy type is player-chosen
  • Animal Empathy and an Animal Companion
  • Fighting styles, particularly two-weapon fighting and archery

If I were to make my own version of the ranger for an OD&D-like rule set, I would probably indlude the following:

  • HD as fighter
  • Spellcasting as wizard, but at 1/2 or 1/3 ability. Making the class more similar to Witchers such as Geralt of Rivia.
  • Favored enemy with damage bonus. But selectable with some small amount of preparation, to represent researching the habits and weaknesses of a given type of monster. Can only gain an advantage against one type at a time, however.
  • Tracking ability.
  • Stealth / surprise ability.
  • No heavy armor.
  • No class restrictions. This requires player buy-in to be effective so I’d rather not attempt to codify it.
  • No special followers, no animal companions. But a ranger can still recruit hirelings.
  • No animal companions.
  • No fighting styles.
  • No scrying abilities.