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Death Korps of Krieg

2018-07-17T05:29:52Z

2A02:587:3A10:BF00:645D:F0B6:EA61:B9C1:

[[Image:Krieg_trooper.gif|frame|left|Yes, they have faces.]]
[[File:Krieg Commissar.jpg|300px||thumb|right|Even their [[Commissar|Commissars]] are more badass than your average Commissar. Though a Commissar isn't even necessary for the Kriegers for morale.]]
{{Topquote|Animals flee this hell; the hardest stones cannot bear it for long; only men endure.|Diary of an unknown German soldier at Stalingrad }}

'''The Death Korps of Krieg, the most Grimdark of Grimdark'''

The '''Death Korps of Krieg''' is an [[Imperial Guard]] unit which hails from the planet of [[Krieg]]. They like trenches and gas masks and are known for their iron discipline and suicidal tolerance for casualties. In fact they will take any objective/vanquish any enemy as long they have enough men to throw in the meat grinder. Hell, Krieg means WAR in German (as you have gathered, the Imperium does not do 'subtle'). That's how badass they are. What's the difference between them and other Guard units, you ask? These motherfuckers don't even give a shit. They're some sort of badass human lemmings, and they are so [[grimdark]] that that they alone are responsible for about 20% of the grimdarkness in [[Warhammer 40,000]]. They have no will to live. This is said to be from the tragedies of the civil war on [[Krieg]]. Long story short, the original hive world of Krieg was a den of traders, corruption and strife. Rebels rose. A lot of blood was shed, and I mean A LOT (More blood than the battles won by the petty [[Ultramarines]] ). Planet got nuked, survivors became the Death Korps. Yep. They FUCKING WANT TO DIE NOW. OK?

As the most popular (Fluffwise) regiment, [[Forge World]] has models for them that cost (approximately) the souls of three firstborn children (''each''), but you knew that already.
Thankfully, [http://anvilindustry.co.uk Anvil Industry] comes to the rescue with their Regiments range, allowing anyone to build very authentic-looking Kriegers, complete with their signature death masks, unique lasguns and wheeled heavy weapons.

Also it needs to be said that in current non-jokey 40k canon there is an in universe romance novel about Kriegers titled "My Wish to Produce Children with you is Exceeded Only by my Love for Him."

==Background==
===The Civil War===
Some time ago Krieg was a pretty sweet planet to live on, until the heretical dickwad of a Planetary Governor (and most of the ruling elite) decided to detach from the [[Imperium]]. Needless to say the loyal citizens wouldn't let the rebel scum get away with that and a bloody civil war broke out. The loyalists were severely outnumbered, and only managed to seize control of a single hive called Ferrograd (ferro is Latin for iron - GW being subtle), due to the fact that a loyal Krieg Imperial Guard regiment under the command of a Colonel Jurten was there, waiting to depart. While getting some turnips out of the basement Jurten tripped over some nukes and decided to even the odds by blowing the world back to the Stone Age. Afterwards, after just 500 years of continual terrible war, the loyalists managed to lay Krieg back into the paralysed lap of the Emperor. Today the citizens of Krieg celebrate the day their hero Colonel Jurten destroyed their planet's ecosystem on "Jurten Day", when everybody digs out entrenchments and practices NBC weapons drills, just like every other day.

===The Death Korps===
[[Image:Vraks.jpg|300px|thumb|right|You don't know hell until you have lived through [[Vraks]]]]The inhabitants of Krieg are mad sorry for their disgraceful past and try to make up for it by being the baddest motherfuckers since the [[God-Emperor of Mankind|Empra]] himself. In fact they've been so successful in producing hardass guardsmen that the Adeptus Mechanicus Biologis gave them some Vitae Wombs (IVF/clone tubes) so that they can produce even more top notch cannon fodder, which is important, because Krieg is a radioactive shithole, and most of them are sterile. So sterile that most Kriegers are born of complex gene-cloning and subsequent growth-vats. Their society is ''absolutely'' militarized. Children are being born only to be filled with the guilt of their ancestors (just like real Germans), trained and sent to die for their Emperor (or some [[Nazi|other people]], just like real Germans). Contrary to other less <s>brainwashed</s> '''LOYAL''' units they're truly happy to do so and would die with a smile on their lips for the glory of the Emperor, if they'd ever smile. Seriously, those guys are stone cold. You'd rather chat with a necron than a Krieg trooper. They don't even have names. They're just called Trooper #1337 or Major Alpha and such (although some of the higher-ranked survivors get names, like Colonel Tyborc, hero of [[Vraks]]) both to underscore what expendable clones they are and because they don't give a flying fuck about anything other than marching, dying gloriously and shooting heretics in the head (fluff dependent; McNeill and Mitchell portray them as stoic to the point of being cold but still personal whereas Steve Lyons depicted them as described as near drone-like automata). As such gung-ho individuals they technically don't even have the need for Commissars to maintain morale, since their deserting rate is practically zero and the officers (and probably even the regular troopers) will happily execute their soldiers themselves if need occurs. Commissars that are sent their way are usually sent in to say "Captain, I know you want to charge in and stab those Orks in the face with bayonets, but if you do that maybe one in ten is getting out of there alive. The Emperor needs you alive and we are going to goddamn wait until a situation comes where we can have enough survivors for the next battle and if you order a charge, it's [[blam]]ming time for you." If a Commissar is the voice of reason in your ear, you know your priorities are interesting.

[[File:S c h w e r e by nicklausofkrieg-d764sze.png|250px|thumb|left|If you thought [[Warhammer 40k]] just couldn't get any [[Grimdark|grimdarker]], have a beer with one of these fine gentlemen.]]

If one thing is even more serious business for Kriegers than dying, it's killing heretics with extreme prejudice, even by Imperial standards. As mentioned in the ''Codex: Stronghold Assault'', once there was a [[Hive|Hive City]] that hadn't paid its tithe, and got a visit from the Death Korps for it. After five years of constant bombardment, the city surrendered unconditionally, but the Kriegers wouldn't just stop bombarding over such a small thing. After three more years, there was nobody left alive in the ruins anymore. The Death Korps still wouldn't leave until two years later - when they had eventually shot ''the entire mountain-sized Hive'' to rubble! (That seems unusually wasteful for Krieger's. Aren't hives supposed to be sacred archeotech in and of themselves?)

A surprising degree of bio and cybernetic enhancements also appear to be common among Kriegers, which while taking away from their raw awesomeness, should give you idea of how high the esteem in which the Imperium holds the Death Korps.

The Munitorium has a hard on for these guys because unlike guardsmen from other places they always obey orders to the letter, <s>even</s> especially when it means dying in droves. The Macharius super-heavy mostly exists because the Munitorium wanted to give them more super-heavies but ran out of Baneblade variants to give them. (<s>Most</s> Kriegers '''never''' retreat, they fight to the death every time. Once when a Commissar ordered a retreat, an unknown Krieger shot the Commissar for cowardice. Seriously, these guys don't fuck around. The only thing that does happen once in a while that could be potentially seen as approaching a retreat is a regiment/army being reassigned if the high-ups conclude the objectives have been met or are simply no longer attainable and dying elsewhere serves the Emperor better.)

Now these suicidal, violent siege specialists are ordered to fight in the most dangerous battles. The Death Korps of Krieg may want to die, but death is a bitch to them. When they do die though, they are easily replaced. Join the Death Korps of Krieg now (rebreather, lasgun and no will to live included)!

== Vitae Womb ==
It is stated that the Kriegers make use of "Vitae Womb" technology to keep up the annual crop of 50 million suicidally fanatical gas mask mooks specifically given to them by the Adeptus Mechanicus. What that means is a matter of [[skub|debate]], ranging from substitute uteri to drugs which increase fertility and accelerate pregnancy. What is not disputed is that it keeps population production up well beyond what can usually be achieved by human uteri. At least take comfort in the fact that it, in all likelihood, can't be as bad as [[Honsou|a certain Warsmith]]'s [[Daemonculaba|pet project]].

Or [[Grimdark|couldn't it?]]

==Facts/Notes==
*Death Korps of Krieg kill.
*They seriously do not fuck around
*They have [[Rough riders|cuirassiers that ride horses with fucking rebreathers.]] Yep...
*The lasgun model they use is called the "Lucius" Pattern No.98
*Death Korps of Krieg resemble the old WW1 soldiers. Because of their name and the ''stahlhelm''-style of their neck-protection, most people think they are German. However, the overall design of the DKoK is actually a mix between various armies from WW1 and even 19th century; their helmet is a ''stahlhelm''-Adrian hybrid, their uniform is mostly French, their gas mask looks like British-American models, the grenadiers' armour plates are undoubtely German and the Death Riders and officer are French cuirassiers from the Napoleonic wars with the same WW1 flavour.
*I bet they allow the use of hardcore cocaine
*They have cool looking "Grenadiers" for, well, Grenadiring?
*They don't desert, ever (they are not into sweet things anyway)
*They're German-French, of course they're gonna win (after taking a stupidly high amount of casualties).
*Only the female kriegsmen ever take off their clothes
*They don't use condoms
*"Kill confirmed" is the only thing they ever say in combat
*They don't fly aerial vehicles, they just crash them into enemy AA guns. 50\50 chance of them still surviving.
*They get all the ladies(if they use them is up for debate)

{| class="wikitable"
|-
!Name
!Class
!Value
!Ranking
!Wargear
!Quantity
!Movement
!Dexterity
!Accuracy
!Strength
!Toughness
!Survival
!Attacks
!Leadership
!Armor Save
!References
|-
|Storm Guardian
|Troops (Eldar)
|7 Points
|3 Power Level
|Shuriken Pistol, Chainsword and Plasma Grenades
|36
|7
|4
|4
|3
|3
|1
|1
|7
|2
|[http://warhammer40k.wikia.com/wiki/Guardian]
|-
|Striking Scorpion
|Elites (Eldar)
|14 Points
|4+3=7 Power Level
|Scorpion's Claw, Scorpion Chainsword and Plasma Grenades
|27
|7
|4
|4
|3
|3
|1
|2
|8
|4
|[http://warhammer40k.wikia.com/wiki/Striking_Scorpions]
|-
|Warp Spider
|Fast Attack (Eldar)
|18 Points
|5+4=9 Power Level
|Death Spinner
|18
|7
|4
|4
|3
|3
|1
|1
|8
|4
|[http://warhammer40k.wikia.com/wiki/Warp_Spiders]
|-
|Plague Marine
|Troops (Chaos)
|19 Points
|7 Power Level
|Plague Knife, Boltgun, Blight Grenades and Krak Grenades
|12
|5
|4
|4
|4
|5
|1
|1
|7
|4
|[http://warhammer40k.wikia.com/wiki/Plague_Marines]
|-
|Fusion Gunner
|Troops (Eldar)
|24 Points
|3 Power Level
|Fusion Gun and Plasma Grenades
|12
|7
|4
|4
|3
|3
|1
|1
|7
|2
|[http://warhammer40k.wikia.com/wiki/Dire_Avengers]
|-
|Scorpion Exarch
|Elites (Eldar)
|26 Points
|4+3=7 Power Level
|Shuriken Pistol, Scorpion Chainsword and Plasma Grenades
|3
|7
|4
|4
|3
|3
|2
|3
|8
|4
|[http://warhammer40k.wikia.com/wiki/Exarch]
|-
|Dark Reaper
|Heavy Support (Eldar)
|27 Points
|4+9=13 Power Level
|Reaper Launcher
|27
|6
|4
|4
|3
|3
|1
|1
|8
|4
|[http://warhammer40k.wikia.com/wiki/Dark_Reapers]
|-
|Spider Exarch
|Fast Attack (Eldar)
|30 Points
|5+4=9 Power Level
|Powerblades and Two Death Spinners
|2
|7
|4
|4
|3
|3
|2
|2
|8
|4
|[http://warhammer40k.wikia.com/wiki/Power_Weapons]
|-
|Reaper Exarch
|Heavy Support (Eldar)
|32 Points
|4+9=13 Power Level
|Tempest Launcher
|3
|6
|4
|4
|3
|3
|2
|2
|8
|4
|[http://warhammer40k.wikia.com/wiki/Fire_Dragons]
|-
|Plague Veteran
|Troops (Chaos)
|32 Points
|7 Power Level
|Plague Knife, Plasma Gun, Blight Grenades and Krak Grenades
|6
|5
|4
|4
|4
|5
|1
|1
|7
|4
|[http://warhammer40k.wikia.com/wiki/Chaos_Space_Marine]
|-
|Plague Havoc
|Troops (Chaos)
|33 Points
|7 Power Level
|Plague Knife, Blight Launcher, Blight Grenades and Krak Grenades
|6
|5
|4
|4
|4
|5
|1
|1
|7
|4
|[http://warhammer40k.wikia.com/wiki/Chaos_Space_Marine_Havocs]
|-
|Plague Champion
|Troops (Chaos)
|44 Points
|7 Power Level
|Power Fist, Plague Knife, Plasma Gun, Blight Grenades and Krak Grenades
|6
|5
|4
|4
|4
|5
|1
|2
|8
|4
|[http://warhammer40k.wikia.com/wiki/Aspiring_Champion]
|-
|Wraithblade
|Elites (Eldar)
|45 Points
|10 Power Level
|Ghostaxe and Forceshield
|50
|5
|4
|4
|5
|6
|3
|1
|9
|4
|[http://warhammer40k.wikia.com/wiki/Wraithguard]
|-
|Deathshroud
|Elites (Chaos)
|48 Points
|14+13=27 Power Level
|Flail of Corruption
|8
|4
|4
|4
|4
|5
|2
|2
|8
|5
|[http://warhammer40k.wikia.com/wiki/Deathshroud]
|-
|Grave Warden
|Elites (Chaos)
|57 Points
|14+13=27 Power Level
|Blight Launcher and Bubotic Axe
|8
|4
|4
|4
|4
|5
|2
|2
|8
|5
|[http://warhammer40k.wikia.com/wiki/Grave_Warden_Terminator_Squad]
|-
|Blightlord
|Elites (Chaos)
|58 Points
|14+13=27 Power Level
|Combi-Plasma and Bubotic Axe
|20
|4
|4
|4
|4
|5
|2
|2
|8
|5
|[http://warhammer40k.wikia.com/wiki/Blightlord_Terminators]
|-
|Blight Champion
|Elites (Chaos)
|58 Points
|14+13=27 Power Level
|Combi-Plasma and Bubotic Axe
|4
|4
|4
|4
|4
|5
|2
|3
|9
|5
|[http://warhammer40k.wikia.com/wiki/Champion_of_Chaos]
|-
|Vyper
|Fast Attack (Eldar)
|75 Points
|4 Power Level
|Starcannon and Shuriken Cannon
|9
|16
|1
|4
|4
|5
|6
|1
|8
|4
|[http://warhammer40k.wikia.com/wiki/Vyper]
|-
|Maugan Ra
|HQ (Eldar)
|140 Points
|7 Power Level
|Maugetar
|1
|6
|5
|5
|4
|4
|6
|4
|9
|5
|[http://warhammer40k.wikia.com/wiki/Maugan_Ra]
|-
|Myphitic Blight-Hauler
|Fast Attack (Chaos)
|142 Points
|7 Power Level
|Missile Launcher, Multi-Melta, Bile Spurt and Gnashing Maw
|12
|10
|3
|3
|6
|7
|8
|3
|8
|4
|[http://warhammer40k.wikia.com/wiki/Myphitic_Blight-hauler]
|-
|Karandras
|HQ (Eldar)
|150 Points
|8 Power Level
|Scorpion Chainsword, Scorpion's Claw and Plasma Grenades
|1
|7
|5
|5
|4
|4
|6
|4
|9
|5
|[http://warhammer40k.wikia.com/wiki/Karandras]
|-
|Nurgle Daemon Prince
|HQ (Chaos)
|156 Points
|8 Power Level
|Hellforged Sword and Malefic Talons
|3
|8
|5
|5
|7
|6
|8
|4
|10
|4
|[http://warhammer40k.wikia.com/wiki/Daemon_Prince]
|-
|Foetid Bloat-Drone
|Fast Attack (Chaos)
|159 Points
|8 Power Level
|Heavy Blight Launcher and Plague Probe
|1
|10/8/6
|3
|3
|6/5/4
|7
|10/5/2
|3/2/1
|8
|4
|[http://warhammer40k.wikia.com/wiki/Foetid_Bloat-drone]
|-
|Fire Prism
|Heavy Support (Eldar)
|165 Points
|9 Power Level
|Prism Cannon and Shuriken Cannon
|2
|16/12/8
|1
|4/3/2
|6
|7
|12/6/3
|3/D3/1
|8
|4
|[http://warhammer40k.wikia.com/wiki/Fire_Prism]
|-
|Typhus
|HQ (Chaos)
|175 Points
|9 Power Level
|Master-Crafted Manreaper, Destroyer Hive and Blight Grenades
|1
|4
|5
|5
|4
|5
|6
|4
|9
|5
|[http://warhammer40k.wikia.com/wiki/Typhus]
|-
|Chaos Predator
|Heavy Support (Chaos)
|190 Points
|9 Power Level
|Twin Lascannon and Two Lascannons
|2
|12/6/3
|1
|4/3/2
|6
|7
|11/6/2
|3/D3/1
|8
|4
|[http://warhammer40k.wikia.com/wiki/Predator_Annihilator]
|-
|Avatar of Khaine
|HQ (Eldar)
|250 Points
|13 Power Level
|Wailing Doom
|1
|7
|5
|5
|6
|6
|8
|5
|9
|4
|[http://warhammer40k.wikia.com/wiki/Kaela_Mensha_Khaine]
|}

[[File:Spearman.jpg|550px]]
[[File:ShadowHunter.jpg|550px]]
[[File:Reaper.jpg|550px]]
[[File:Tarantula.jpg|550px]]
[[File:Parker.jpg|550px]]
[[File:Ghost.jpg|550px]]
[[File:Harvest.jpg|550px]]
[[File:Jetbike.jpg|550px]]
[[File:Artillery.jpg|550px]]
[[File:NurgleHerald.jpg|550px]]
[[File:DaemonPrince.jpg|550px]]
[[File:Champion.jpg|550px]]
[[File:Plague.jpg|550px]]
[[File:Blightlord.jpg|550px]]
[[File:Corruption.jpg|550px]]
[[File:Blightbot.jpg|550px]]
[[File:Drone.jpg|550px]]
[[File:Predator.jpg|550px]]

==Trivia==
The Death Korps are very clearly based off of German and French WWI soldiers, all the way down to their trenchcoats, gasmasks, helmets, their riders, love of big guns and of course, affinity for trench warfare. Just like the good ol' <s>Somme</s> <s>Ypres</s> <s>Marne</s> <s>Verdun</s> Passchendaele, eh?

==See Also==
* [[Love and Krieg]], [https://1d4chan.org/wiki/Love_and_Krieg_Spinoffs and its various spin-offs].
* [https://1d4chan.org/wiki/Warhammer_40,000/Tactics/Imperial_Guard(8E)#Death_Korps_of_Krieg Tactics/Death Korps of Krieg]
* [http://i.imgur.com/esFMLb8.png Writefaggotry about the mind of a Deathkorps Medicae]
* [http://www.projectafterforums.com/index.php?act=attach&type=post&id=10367 A rare female Krieger]
{{Template:40k-Imperial-Regiments}}
[[Category:Warhammer 40,000]][[Category:Imperial]]

Ranger

2018-07-17T02:48:57Z

2A02:587:3A10:BF00:645D:F0B6:EA61:B9C1:

[[File:Elf ranger.jpg|400px|thumb|right|Eat a dick, Nature.]]

Rangers are usually nature-loving fellas, wielding either a bow or two swords. They are patterned after a certain copyrighted hero from a certain copyrighted fantasy [[The_Lord_of_the_Rings|book]]. They are warriors that are generally useful for tracking down enemies. They also are usually shitty divine magic users.

It is worth noting that one of the defining features of rangers is that they specialize in hunting down and killing members of specific races. From a pragmatic standpoint, this means they boil down to little more than racist serial killers who target by species (unless one of those species is their own, in which case they're probably some sort of bounty hunter). Being that race wars are one of the cornerstones of [[D&D]], this is unsurprising. They are rendered irrelevant by [[CoDzilla|druidzillas]], because rangers just can't compete with a guy who can turn into a giant bear that shoots giant bears out of his eyes while farting lightning and mauling things with its own overpowered pet grizzly bear. Rangers can get a half-assed pet grizzly bear, but because their animal companions are only as good as a druid that has half as many levels as he does, it's half-assed. [[Pathfinder]] gave them more fighting style options, made archery actually worth a damn, an animal companion that is only 3 levels behind the druids (which can be fixed with a feat), gave them better survivability and a couple of nifty spells, but the concept remained the same with all the same flaws.

==How Rangers Operate==
In the 1st and 2nd editions of Dungeons and Dragons, rangers were not able to sneak or fight properly in chainmail or better, or shields either. Armor was so key in melee under these versions that this led to the popular mocking party cry of "Ranger down!", heard during just about every battle. Rangers were thought to be the inspiration for the "At Death's Door" survival rule, since they would never survive a single session otherwise. They had ''some'' unique tricks, but they suffered from being essentially half-assed [[multiclassing|fighter-druid-thieves]] without really outshining any of their components all that well unless you were out in the wilderness or engaged in other very-specific situations.

Third edition made them a bit less useless, but it also ensured that their previously-somewhat-unique tricks, like dual-wielding weapons, tracking down enemies, or having cool animal companions, became things other classes could do too, and often, humiliatingly, do much better than the ranger. Druids in particular got a ''better'' animal companion than the ranger, and ''they'' could turn that pet into an unstoppable killing machine with buffing magic. Even [[Pathfinder]] barely helped the sad-sacks out, with a few buffs that other fighting classes generally got too anyway.

In 4e they get to mark their enemies, making them useful when you're fighting one tough thing and a bit crap against swarms. They can either slaughter one enemy, or irritate several, depending on what the situation calls for. Or they can completely miss with their most powerful once-per-milestone attack, and that's some fun. This edition removed the spellcasting abilities of earlier editions, since they had always been pretty shitty casters anyway and it was mostly a poor attempt to justify some of the more esoteric abilities of the class. The "spellcasting archer" archetype was eventually spun off into its own class, the [[Seeker]].<br />As each class had ways to specialize their abilities, so too did the ranger with the following:
*''Archer'' which just grants Defensive Mobility as a bonus feat so they get some extra AC vs Opportunity Attacks, which is decent.
*''Beast Mastery'', predictably, grants an animal companion. The issue with this is that it forces the Ranger to relying on either tandem attacking with the pet (Not always ideal for some pets) or focus on archery (Which sucks since all the pet-dependent powers rely on Strength and Prime Shot is gone, though the Horse does offer unbeatable mobility).
*''Hunter'' emphasizes switch-hitting by granting the Quick Draw feat as well as giving a better AC vs Opportunity attacks for shooting, so have fun using hand-crossbow and sword.
*''Marauder'' is the speedy two-weapon class with the Two-Weapon Defense feat, thus granting +1 AC/Reflex/Speed for using two weapons.
*''Two Blade'' is the offensive two-weapon class by only granting Toughness for bonus HP.
The ''Essentials'' book ''Heroes of the Forgotten Lands'' also provides two simplified Ranger subclasses to use: The '''Hunter''', which focuses exclusively on archery, and the '''Scout''', which brings the Ranger back to it's not-quite-Druid roots with actual magic and the ability to dual-wield. These two classes, as with most''Essentials'' classes, severely narrow down the choices available to the class, with most attack powers being mandatory.

Unfortunately, in 5e, they are generally considered the weakest class in the game for a wide number of extremely good reasons. A ranger isn't ''useless'', but outside of a few niche roles involving tracking things, there is very little they can do that other classes can't do better. And a lot of their abilities are just ''wretched'', with very limited utility (rangers are good at tracking... and that's about it), probably the ''worst'' first-level benefits in the game, plenty of "dead levels" with no gains to ''anything'' but proficiency bonus and spell levels, and heavy reliance on an extremely-limited selection of spells to even function on par with other martials. They share many of these problems with [[paladins]], but paladins actually have some class abilities that scale naturally as they level and don't need to spend spell slots for ''some'' of their class features. Rangers don't, and, humiliatingly, get a cut-down, useless version of the paladin's divine sense ''at a higher level'' that ''eats a spell slot''.

And while the decision to remove virtually all combat benefits from preferred enemy and terrain might've been ''intended'' to make them less serial killer-ish and prevent the DM from not including any of the ranger's favored enemies in the campaign, in practice it just means there's little benefit to it whatsoever short of picking up a free language if it's a talking kind of enemy. To add insult to injury, the "capstone" level 20 class ability is ''extremely'' weak, and contains a combat benefit to preferred enemy that everyone and their mother agrees should've been a part of the class at level 1. They ''tried'' to fold it all into the ''hunter's mark'' spell... but rangers are absolutely ''starved'' for spell slots just to keep up anyway, and a fighter's comparative abilities recharge every short rest. Nobody likes being compelled to burn precious resources and gish when they can so clearly remember not having to. Again, problems largely shared with paladins (the half-casters really got the shaft this edition), but paladins have a few tricks to make their lives easier that rangers don't. Plus, that ''hunter's mark'' eats a bonus action, so while they do okay with ranged weapons, good luck trying to two-weapon fight like so many "iconic" ''D&D'' rangers have in the past.

And, of course, there's the much-maligned animal companion, available as an archetype benefit, that wanders derpily around unless you burn your own actions to let it use them. ''Everyone'', even the class's defenders, will admit this is at best unnecessarily limiting, given the way spellcasters can throw summons around, and at worst completely nonsensical. In the rules as written, a dying ranger's animal companion will stand around like a statue while its partner bleeds out! (An Ask the Sage article did later specify that a ranger's animal can still use actions when he's incapacitated, restrained, etc., but still!)

Again, they aren't ''useless''... just completely outclassed by many other classes that can do their jobs better than they can.

They regained their spellcasting knack in this edition, although an Unearthed Arcana on the WoTC includes a non-caster Ranger variant/Ranger class option as part of its example on custom-brewing new class stuff for 5e. This version of the Ranger instead gets the ability to cook up herbal healing poultices, resistance to poison (and ability to use a poultice to cure poisoning in a friend), a non-magical ability to persuade local critters to fight for them temporarily, and automatically getting a superiority dice under the right circumstances. Non-spellcasting rangers with animal companions get the ability to halve damage enemies deal to their pets instead of the ability to share spells. It's... well, it's ''nice'', but not having ''hunter's mark'' hurts like a sonofabitch, and those poultices that replace half your spells taking a minute to work is just uncalled for.

[http://media.wizards.com/2015/downloads/dnd/DX_0907_UA_RangerOptions.pdf A recent Unearthed Arcana] based around the ranger addressed player feedback that the ranger felt a bit weak, with many unsatisfying elements. In particular, it mentions that companions in general are a bitch and a half to manage: too strong, and the player effectively gets two characters to play at the same time and, at worst, an unmanageable long-term advantage, but too weak and who gives a shit about that critter you have to burn actions to get moving and attacking? (Potential parallels to long-term, well-known, and well-documented issues regarding casters and summoning spell abuse were, naturally [[CoDzilla| ignored with an almost religious fervor]].)

The result was probably considerably more powerful, but a lot less popular, with lame-brained attempts to reflavor the ranger into a kind of nature paladin, while actively poo-poohing the fixes ''everyone'' asks for (more low-level combat benefits, either more spells or less-heavy reliance on them, combat attachments to preferred enemy, etc.). It was a decent class, perhaps, but a terrible ranger. Overwhelmingly negative response caused them to halfheartedly mutter some guff about maybe putting the animal companion in further down-level, before skipping past it.

Common wisdom (heh!) is that, whatever their success with the rest of the edition, the 5e designers are hopelessly lost when it comes to the ranger, unhealthily fixated on correcting things that aren't broken while ignoring very basic issues that should require very little effort to resolve. Gentlemen, start your homebrews.

Then, an Unearthed Arcana released the [[Scout (D&D)|Scout]] archetype for the [[Fighter]], who basically has the ranger's best-flavor class feature with superior mechanics backing it up. [[Derp]].

Amusingly, even post-rework, they don't make great two-weapon fighters, since they rarely have the bonus action free to hit a bad guy with when they need to activate their class features or spells, a problem they share with the [[rogue]]. And this is even though one of their restricted list of Fighting Styles is two-weapon fighting.

Perhaps as an apology for the weak initial class, the first set of new archetypes post-rework (helpfully explaining that both get Extra Attack if using the reworked ranger) are both quite potent. The Horizon Walker is a ranger that battles extraplanar threats to protect the material world, and to that end gains a pile of new spells, free damage-reduction bypass and bonus damage as a bonus action, and the ability to sense portals at level 3. From there, they can become etherial for a turn as a bonus action at level 7, teleport around while attacking at level 11, and get what amounts to Uncanny Dodge with cooler flavor text at level 15, for an archetype that's about on-par with the others.

The other one, the Primeval Guardian, is clearly intended to be the "tanky" ranger, and the adaptation of the [[Warden]] class. It can assume a tree-like form as a bonus action, causing it to increase in size and gain reach and a regenerating supply of temporary hitpoints as a bonus action, staying in it until K.O.'d or he ends it as another bonus action, then gains the ability to also increase its HP total by twice its ranger level once per short rest while doing it at 7th level, turn the area within 30 ft of it into difficult terrain for its enemies, and finally giving the whole party regeneration up to half their HP total equal to half its ranger level while in tree form, effectively telling both the Champion, who gets less regeneration at a ''higher'' level that only affects himself, and the Banneret, that can only give out that kind of healing to a set number of people during a short rest, to eat shit. The one downside is that being in treeform sets his speed to 5 ft., and even this can be worked around with spells or timing. It also gets a pile of spells and an extra d6 piercing damage from magical thorns on one attack per turn at 3rd level, also no action required.

===Fix It, 5e!===
[[Image:Rangerwithowl.jpg|400px|thumb|right|Hoot Hoot, motherfucker.]]
Never let it be said that WotC doesn't know how to listen for the call of potential money. In September 2016, [http://media.wizards.com/2016/dnd/downloads/UA_RevisedRanger.pdf a whole new "Ranger, Revised" Unearthed Arcana] was released. It's a complete revamp from the ground up, basing itself extensively off of a poll about the Ranger's "essential traits" concocted by WotC and with a large prelude explaining that, yes, this will eventually lead to a "Ranger Mk 2" getting a formal release, and no, that won't invalidate the original Ranger if you still want to keep playing it. (what's wrong with you?)

So, what's the different about the Revised Ranger? Well...

Natural Explorer is even more awesome than before, no longer limited to a specific terrain type and incorporating many higher-level benefits, like ignoring difficult terrain, right out of the box, along with all the sweet, sweet flavor it always had.

Favored Enemy now grants a +2 damage bonus at level 1 (scaling to +4 damage bonus and advantage on saving throws vs. their attacks at level 6) plus a free language of your choice, with instructions to try to keep it thematic. But you only get to pick twice, once from the "common" enemy types at 1st level, once from a list of "big game" (Aberrations, Celestials, Constructs, Dragons, Elementals, Fiends or Giants).

Extra Attack is gone, but it's a component of every archetype but the Beast Conclave.

Primeval Awareness has gone from a useless joke of a class feature to an extremely powerful one, allowing the Ranger to sense any of his favored enemies and a great deal of information about them within a five-mile radius by spending a minute meditating - no spell-slot required!

Instead of Land's Stride, which is now baked right into Natural Explorer, you gain Fleet of Foot at eighth level, which lets you Dash as a bonus action.

Hide in Plain Sight works about the same, but no longer requires a full minute to set up.

Foe Slayer is still the capstone, and now works on anyone, rather than just Favored Enemies. Still not great, but better.

The Hunter Conclave is literally identical to the Hunter path, with the only difference being that it gets Extra Attack to make up for the base class ''not'' getting it.

The Stalker Conclave is about the same as the Deep Stalker, though with a few tweaks. Its 3rd level ability allows it to evade darkvision while hiding rather than giving it the bonus hide action early when it got off an ambush, the mechanics of its own bonus darkvision got heavily tweaked, it gains an extra attack like the Hunter, the language on its Flurry got shifted around a bit, and it can Dodge ''after'' seeing whether or not a hit would connect. Otherwise, it is largely exactly the same.

Finally, the reason for like 75% of this whole rework, the Beast Conclave, which ''is'' extensively modified from its base version in a number of different ways. For starters, your animal companion is now set (your choice of ape, black bear, boar, giant badger, giant weasel, mule, panther or wolf) rather than being chosen from "any creature with CR 1/4" like in the corebook. It can be restored to life if slain by a ritual that costs 25GP of materials and which takes 8 hours. Although a companion beast loses its Multiattack ablity (something justified in a sidebar as being to avoid making it outshine the party's fighter or [[barbarian]]), it finally can strike under its own initiative; you can command what it does, but if you can't directly command it, then it'll work things out for itself. It uses your proficiency bonus, is proficient in two skills of your choice gains in hit dice when you gain levels, and increases its own ability scores when you gain a level-based Ability Score Increase. It also adds its proficiency to a number of non-standard things, like AC and damage.

At 5th level, your Coordinated Attack feature means that your companion can use its reaction to make an attack if it sees you use the Attack action during that turn. Likewise, the 7th level feature, Beast's Defense (companion has advantage on all saving throws) doesn't work unless it can see you. No such weakness applies to its 11th and 15th level features; Storm of Claws and Fangs lets it use its Attack action to dish out a melee strike against every creature within 5 feet of it, whilst Superior Beast's Defense lets it spend its reaction to halve damage from an attack it takes.

{| class="wikitable"
|-
!Name
!Class
!Value
!Ranking
!Wargear
!Quantity
!Movement
!Dexterity
!Accuracy
!Strength
!Toughness
!Survival
!Attacks
!Leadership
!Armor Save
!References
|-
|Storm Guardian
|Troops (Eldar)
|7 Points
|3 Power Level
|Shuriken Pistol, Chainsword and Plasma Grenades
|36
|7
|4
|4
|3
|3
|1
|1
|7
|2
|[http://warhammer40k.wikia.com/wiki/Guardian]
|-
|Striking Scorpion
|Elites (Eldar)
|14 Points
|4+3=7 Power Level
|Scorpion's Claw, Scorpion Chainsword and Plasma Grenades
|27
|7
|4
|4
|3
|3
|1
|2
|8
|4
|[http://warhammer40k.wikia.com/wiki/Striking_Scorpions]
|-
|Warp Spider
|Fast Attack (Eldar)
|18 Points
|5+4=9 Power Level
|Death Spinner
|18
|7
|4
|4
|3
|3
|1
|1
|8
|4
|[http://warhammer40k.wikia.com/wiki/Warp_Spiders]
|-
|Plague Marine
|Troops (Chaos)
|19 Points
|7 Power Level
|Plague Knife, Boltgun, Blight Grenades and Krak Grenades
|12
|5
|4
|4
|4
|5
|1
|1
|7
|4
|[http://warhammer40k.wikia.com/wiki/Plague_Marines]
|-
|Fusion Gunner
|Troops (Eldar)
|24 Points
|3 Power Level
|Fusion Gun and Plasma Grenades
|12
|7
|4
|4
|3
|3
|1
|1
|7
|2
|[http://warhammer40k.wikia.com/wiki/Dire_Avengers]
|-
|Scorpion Exarch
|Elites (Eldar)
|26 Points
|4+3=7 Power Level
|Shuriken Pistol, Scorpion Chainsword and Plasma Grenades
|3
|7
|4
|4
|3
|3
|2
|3
|8
|4
|[http://warhammer40k.wikia.com/wiki/Exarch]
|-
|Dark Reaper
|Heavy Support (Eldar)
|27 Points
|4+9=13 Power Level
|Reaper Launcher
|27
|6
|4
|4
|3
|3
|1
|1
|8
|4
|[http://warhammer40k.wikia.com/wiki/Dark_Reapers]
|-
|Spider Exarch
|Fast Attack (Eldar)
|30 Points
|5+4=9 Power Level
|Powerblades and Two Death Spinners
|2
|7
|4
|4
|3
|3
|2
|2
|8
|4
|[http://warhammer40k.wikia.com/wiki/Power_Weapons]
|-
|Reaper Exarch
|Heavy Support (Eldar)
|32 Points
|4+9=13 Power Level
|Tempest Launcher
|3
|6
|4
|4
|3
|3
|2
|2
|8
|4
|[http://warhammer40k.wikia.com/wiki/Fire_Dragons]
|-
|Plague Veteran
|Troops (Chaos)
|32 Points
|7 Power Level
|Plague Knife, Plasma Gun, Blight Grenades and Krak Grenades
|6
|5
|4
|4
|4
|5
|1
|1
|7
|4
|[http://warhammer40k.wikia.com/wiki/Chaos_Space_Marine]
|-
|Plague Havoc
|Troops (Chaos)
|33 Points
|7 Power Level
|Plague Knife, Blight Launcher, Blight Grenades and Krak Grenades
|6
|5
|4
|4
|4
|5
|1
|1
|7
|4
|[http://warhammer40k.wikia.com/wiki/Chaos_Space_Marine_Havocs]
|-
|Plague Champion
|Troops (Chaos)
|44 Points
|7 Power Level
|Power Fist, Plague Knife, Plasma Gun, Blight Grenades and Krak Grenades
|6
|5
|4
|4
|4
|5
|1
|2
|8
|4
|[http://warhammer40k.wikia.com/wiki/Aspiring_Champion]
|-
|Wraithblade
|Elites (Eldar)
|45 Points
|10 Power Level
|Ghostaxe and Forceshield
|50
|5
|4
|4
|5
|6
|3
|1
|9
|4
|[http://warhammer40k.wikia.com/wiki/Wraithguard]
|-
|Deathshroud
|Elites (Chaos)
|48 Points
|14+13=27 Power Level
|Flail of Corruption
|8
|4
|4
|4
|4
|5
|2
|2
|8
|5
|[http://warhammer40k.wikia.com/wiki/Deathshroud]
|-
|Grave Warden
|Elites (Chaos)
|57 Points
|14+13=27 Power Level
|Blight Launcher and Bubotic Axe
|8
|4
|4
|4
|4
|5
|2
|2
|8
|5
|[http://warhammer40k.wikia.com/wiki/Grave_Warden_Terminator_Squad]
|-
|Blightlord
|Elites (Chaos)
|58 Points
|14+13=27 Power Level
|Combi-Plasma and Bubotic Axe
|20
|4
|4
|4
|4
|5
|2
|2
|8
|5
|[http://warhammer40k.wikia.com/wiki/Blightlord_Terminators]
|-
|Blight Champion
|Elites (Chaos)
|58 Points
|14+13=27 Power Level
|Combi-Plasma and Bubotic Axe
|4
|4
|4
|4
|4
|5
|2
|3
|9
|5
|[http://warhammer40k.wikia.com/wiki/Champion_of_Chaos]
|-
|Vyper
|Fast Attack (Eldar)
|75 Points
|4 Power Level
|Starcannon and Shuriken Cannon
|9
|16
|1
|4
|4
|5
|6
|1
|8
|4
|[http://warhammer40k.wikia.com/wiki/Vyper]
|-
|Maugan Ra
|HQ (Eldar)
|140 Points
|7 Power Level
|Maugetar
|1
|6
|5
|5
|4
|4
|6
|4
|9
|5
|[http://warhammer40k.wikia.com/wiki/Maugan_Ra]
|-
|Myphitic Blight-Hauler
|Fast Attack (Chaos)
|142 Points
|7 Power Level
|Missile Launcher, Multi-Melta, Bile Spurt and Gnashing Maw
|12
|10
|3
|3
|6
|7
|8
|3
|8
|4
|[http://warhammer40k.wikia.com/wiki/Myphitic_Blight-hauler]
|-
|Karandras
|HQ (Eldar)
|150 Points
|8 Power Level
|Scorpion Chainsword, Scorpion's Claw and Plasma Grenades
|1
|7
|5
|5
|4
|4
|6
|4
|9
|5
|[http://warhammer40k.wikia.com/wiki/Karandras]
|-
|Nurgle Daemon Prince
|HQ (Chaos)
|156 Points
|8 Power Level
|Hellforged Sword and Malefic Talons
|3
|8
|5
|5
|7
|6
|8
|4
|10
|4
|[http://warhammer40k.wikia.com/wiki/Daemon_Prince]
|-
|Foetid Bloat-Drone
|Fast Attack (Chaos)
|159 Points
|8 Power Level
|Heavy Blight Launcher and Plague Probe
|1
|10/8/6
|3
|3
|6/5/4
|7
|10/5/2
|3/2/1
|8
|4
|[http://warhammer40k.wikia.com/wiki/Foetid_Bloat-drone]
|-
|Fire Prism
|Heavy Support (Eldar)
|165 Points
|9 Power Level
|Prism Cannon and Shuriken Cannon
|2
|16/12/8
|1
|4/3/2
|6
|7
|12/6/3
|3/D3/1
|8
|4
|[http://warhammer40k.wikia.com/wiki/Fire_Prism]
|-
|Typhus
|HQ (Chaos)
|175 Points
|9 Power Level
|Master-Crafted Manreaper, Destroyer Hive and Blight Grenades
|1
|4
|5
|5
|4
|5
|6
|4
|9
|5
|[http://warhammer40k.wikia.com/wiki/Typhus]
|-
|Chaos Predator
|Heavy Support (Chaos)
|190 Points
|9 Power Level
|Twin Lascannon and Two Lascannons
|2
|12/6/3
|1
|4/3/2
|6
|7
|11/6/2
|3/D3/1
|8
|4
|[http://warhammer40k.wikia.com/wiki/Predator_Annihilator]
|-
|Avatar of Khaine
|HQ (Eldar)
|250 Points
|13 Power Level
|Wailing Doom
|1
|7
|5
|5
|6
|6
|8
|5
|9
|4
|[http://warhammer40k.wikia.com/wiki/Kaela_Mensha_Khaine]
|}

[[File:Spearman.jpg|550px]]
[[File:ShadowHunter.jpg|550px]]
[[File:Reaper.jpg|550px]]
[[File:Tarantula.jpg|550px]]
[[File:Parker.jpg|550px]]
[[File:Ghost.jpg|550px]]
[[File:Harvest.jpg|550px]]
[[File:Jetbike.jpg|550px]]
[[File:Artillery.jpg|550px]]
[[File:NurgleHerald.jpg|550px]]
[[File:DaemonPrince.jpg|550px]]
[[File:Champion.jpg|550px]]
[[File:Plague.jpg|550px]]
[[File:Blightlord.jpg|550px]]
[[File:Corruption.jpg|550px]]
[[File:Blightbot.jpg|550px]]
[[File:Drone.jpg|550px]]
[[File:Predator.jpg|550px]]

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{{D&D4-Classes}}
{{D&D5-Classes}}
{{Pathfinder-Classes}}