Ranger - Realmwhisperer, Seafarer

Ranger

You are a survivor, making your way through the wilderness as a skilled hunter and tracker. You are as capable of navigating dangerous terrain as you are with a bow. Your keen senses are honed for anticipating dangers and fighting off threats that arise in the untamed lands. As a ranger you combine martial prowess with a deep, sometimes magical, connection with nature. When it comes to choosing your archetype at 3rd level, the Realmwhisperer and the Seafarer are new options available in an Avaleen campaign.  

Realmwhisperer

The Realmwhisperer ranger archetype embodies a profound connection to the mystical forces that bridge the material world and the unseen realms beyond. These rangers are attuned to the hidden layers of reality, including the spirit world, ancient realms, and the ethereal plane. They serve as protectors of nature’s deepest mysteries and explorers of the boundaries between worlds. Masters of communing with spirits and otherworldly entities, Realmwhisperers harness the unseen energies that shape the natural order. Whether summoning creatures from beyond, guiding their path through the whispers of the spirit realm, or safeguarding the delicate flow between planes, they channel their unique bond with the mystical to explore and protect both the known and the unknown.

When you choose this archetype at 3rd level, you gain features that reflect your mastery over the boundary between the material world and the unseen realms, allowing you to both communicate with and traverse between these mysterious planes.

Whisper of the Spirits

At 3rd level, your bond with the spirit world deepens, granting you the ability to commune with otherworldly beings and channel their guidance:

• Commune with Nature: You can cast Commune with Nature once per long rest without expending a spell slot. When you do, you may ask questions about spiritual or extraplanar phenomena, such as the presence of fey, spirits, celestial beings, or threats from other planes. The spirits’ answers are often cryptic but insightful.
• Spirit-Guided Communication: You can cast Speak with Animals at will, without expending a spell slot, as the spirits grant you insight into the minds of natural beasts and the ethereal forces influencing them.

 

Ethereal Step

Also at 3rd level, you gain the ability to momentarily traverse the Ethereal Plane, slipping through obstacles and avoiding danger:

• As a bonus action, you can expend a spell slot (1st level or higher) to step into the Ethereal Plane for up to 1 minute. While in the Ethereal Plane, you can move through creatures and objects as if they were difficult terrain. You cannot interact with the Material Plane, but you perceive it as blurry and translucent. This ability allows you to avoid damage or move through barriers.
• At 11th level, the duration of this ability increases to 10 minutes, and you can use it once per short rest without expending a spell slot.

Spirit's Shield

At 7th level, your bond with the spirits grants you the ability to protect yourself and your allies from harm:

• When you or a creature you can see within 30 feet takes damage, you can use your reaction to call upon the spirits to reduce the damage by an amount equal to your Wisdom modifier (minimum of 1).
• While protected by the spirits, the target gains advantage on saving throws against being frightened or charmed. This protective aura lasts until the end of your next turn.

You can use this feature a number of times equal to your Wisdom modifier (minimum of 1), and you regain all uses after a long rest.

• Enhanced Spirit's Shield: At 15th level, when you use Spirit's Shield, the protected creature also gains temporary hit points equal to your ranger level at the start of each of their turns while the protection lasts. This enhances their resilience in the face of danger, reinforcing your role as their spiritual guardian.

Realmwalker's Vision

At 11th level, your attunement to the unseen realms grants you extraordinary perception:

• True Seeing: You can cast True Seeing once per long rest without expending a spell slot. This ability allows you to perceive invisible creatures, see through magical darkness, discern the true forms of shapechangers or creatures disguised by illusion, and see into the Ethereal Plane within 120 feet.
• Plane-Sense: You can sense the presence of extraplanar creatures within 60 feet of you, such as fey, fiends, celestials, or other beings from other planes of existence. You do not need direct line of sight to detect them, though you cannot identify their exact nature or location without seeing them. This sense gives you an edge in detecting hidden threats from other realms.

These abilities deepen your mastery of the boundaries between the planes, ensuring that nothing—be it hidden, disguised, or otherworldly—can escape your notice.

Call of the Realm

At 15th level, you can channel the power of other planes to summon powerful allies to aid you:

• You can cast Conjure Fey, Conjure Elemental, or Planar Ally once per long rest without expending a spell slot. Summoned creatures are bound to your will more easily, allowing you to issue them a single, clear command—such as “Defend me” or “Attack my enemy”—which they follow with unwavering dedication.

Spirit’s Boon: Creatures summoned through your Call of the Realm feature gain enhancements that reflect your deep connection to the planes:

• Creatures summoned via Conjure Fey or Conjure Elemental gain temporary hit points equal to your ranger level.
• Creatures summoned via Planar Ally are more receptive to your commands, treating them as unambiguous and direct, reducing the risk of misinterpretation or conflict.

Seafarer

A Seafarer Ranger embodies the untamed spirit of the ocean. Masters of navigation, survival, and combat on the high seas, they are the protectors of coastlines and champions of the waters. Their connection to the sea grants them supernatural agility, weather-controlling powers, and the ability to call upon aquatic allies. Ideal for campaigns filled with maritime travel, coastal adventures, or naval combat, the Seafarer Ranger is a versatile and thematic subclass designed for both exploration and battle.    

Ocean’s Grace

When you choose this archetype at 3rd level, you feel your purpose settle into your bones. You move with the rhythm of the tides and thrive in aquatic environments:

• Wave Strider: You can walk on water as if it were solid ground for a number of minutes equal to your proficiency bonus, expended in increments of 1 minute. These minutes reset after a long rest. Additionally, you ignore difficult terrain caused by water, mud, or similar effects.
• Mariner’s Insight: You gain proficiency in Navigator's Tools and advantage on Wisdom (Survival) checks made to navigate or predict the weather while on or near the sea.

 

Stormbound Resilience

Also at 3rd level you find the fury of the sea less frightening than your peers. You gain resistance to cold damage and can breathe underwater. You also have advantage on saving throws against being moved, knocked prone, or otherwise affected by strong winds or waves.  

Aquatic Ally

7th Level, the creatures of the ocean answer your call:

• As an action, you can cast Conjure Animals to summon aquatic creatures such as sharks, dolphins, giant octopi, or other sea-dwelling beasts. When summoning these creatures, they gain temporary hit points equal to your ranger level, and you can communicate with them telepathically.
• You gain the ability to communicate with aquatic creatures as if under the effects of Speak with Animals.

  You can use this feature once per long rest, or expend a spell slot of 3rd level or higher to use it again.  

Windrider’s Fury

At 11th level, your bond with the wind and waves empowers your presence:

• You can cast Control Winds once per long rest without expending a spell slot. When you use this ability to aid in travel, ships or vessels under your command gain a 50% speed increase for the spell’s duration.
• When in combat, you can manipulate the wind as a bonus action to create a protective barrier, imposing disadvantage on ranged weapon attacks against you or a creature of your choice within 30 feet. This effect lasts until the start of your next turn.

 

Tidal Fury

When you reach 15th level, the raw power of the ocean surges through you in battle:

• Tidal Wave Strike: As a bonus action, you summon a wave of water in a 30-foot cone. Creatures within the cone must make a Strength saving throw (DC equal to 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Wisdom modifier). On a failed save, they take 5d8 bludgeoning damage and are knocked prone. On a success, they take half damage and remain standing.
• When you are within 60 feet of a body of water, you gain advantage on saving throws against lightning and thunder damage.

You can use Tidal Wave Strike once per long rest, or expend a spell slot of 4th level or higher to use it again.  

Ocean’s Avatar

At 18th level, you embody the majesty and power of the sea itself:

• Summon the Leviathan: Once per long rest, as an action, you can summon a colossal sea creature to fight alongside you. The creature (a kraken spawn, massive turtle, or other DM-approved entity) follows your commands and remains for 30 minutes or until reduced to 0 hit points. Its hit points, damage, and abilities scale based on your ranger level.
• Maelstrom’s Wrath: As an action, you can create a swirling vortex of water within 60 feet. The maelstrom has a 30-foot radius and lasts for 1 minute. Creatures of your choice within the maelstrom must make a Strength saving throw at the start of their turn or be pulled 15 feet towards the center and restrained. Restrained creatures take 3d10 bludgeoning damage at the start of their turn. You are immune to its effects.