While the quarterstaff used this way can take advantage of the polearm master feat for an attack with the bonus action, and the additional damage is not the best use of a bonus action, and you do not get range with the attack (consider it only for Hunter, Gloomstalker, and Fey Wanderer archetypes h/t ) While Shillelagh can transform a club or a quarterstaff, the result is the same – a one-handed weapon that does 1d8+WIS damage. While the damage does not scale the way attack cantrips do, it does remain competitive. Shillelagh is best for a melee build it can take advantage of Extra Attack (level 5), archetype features that key off of weapon attacks, and spells such as Hunter’s Mark. Strengthis useful for Athletics but it and Intelligence can both be dumped, as can Charisma (though some Charisma is useful for Fey Wanderer).įor a Wisdom-based character, damage can come from cantrips (weapon cantrips and attack cantrips) and leveled spells. To make this work, you are going to want a 14 in Dexterity (to get the most out of medium armor), and, for a melee build, however much Constitution can be managed (because so many spells require concentration). The premise of the build is that Wisdom is going to be your highest stat for your ranger. Some rankings would hold for any ranger, but some are distinctive for this build: The guide uses a basic colour scheme to indicate quality within the framework of the build being discussed. There are other ways to build rangers that can be optimized for damage. As with any guide, the ideas presented here are mine, and fit my style of play.

Why would you do that to yourself? Welcome to my world. This guide is framed from the perspective that one already wants to build a character that does not key attacks off of either Strength or Dexterity. The result is not optimized for dpr, but it is workable, and will give a Ranger with a different feel. The ranger does not have a lot of love in 5e, and while there are guides that focus on strength and dexterity builds, I want to explore if a Wisdom build is viable, and if so what it looks like what is the role of spellcasting in such a build and how it might play. The purpose of this guide is to explore the practicalities of a wisdom-based ranger.

Warlock 5e primal hunter