The 15 Best Ranger Feats in D&D 5e [Ranked]

Rangers are sometimes referred to as “the combination between a Fighter and a Druid,” and that’s entirely accurate.

That also helps you discern your general role and lets you choose the Feats you need most.

Remember that Rangers are basically a class combination, and their versatility gives them power.

Best Ranger Feats in 5e

15. Gunner

Description

You have a keen eye and a quick hand with firearms, granting you benefits:

Increase Dexterity by 1 (maximum of 20).
Gain Proficiency with firearms.
Ignore firearm’s loading property.
If you’re within 5 feet of a hostile creature, you don’t get disadvantage on ranged attacks.

Explanation

Rangers are known for the skillful use of the bow, but if you’re allowed to use firearms, and you want to use one, then Gunner can be a good Feat to include in your build.

Only do this if you want to use guns instead of bows, as bows are objectively better than firearms for a Ranger, but they can be brought into your build without issue.

14. Skilled

Description

Gain Proficiency in any combination of three tools or skills you choose.

Explanation

Rangers are one of the classes that get a lot more skills than other classes do, but even then, Skilled can be of value to you, especially in adventures where the party size is small.

You might also want to take Thieves’ Tools, but only if you don’t already have it from your background or race.

13. Shadow Touched

Description

Exposure to Shadowfell’s magic changed you, granting benefits:

Increase Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma by 1 (maximum of 20).
Learn Invisibility (spell) and one 1st-level spell you chose from the Illusion or Necromancy schools.

You may cast these spells without using a spell slot, but casting it this way means you can’t cast the spell like this again until you’ve finished a long rest.

The spells can also be cast using your spell slots of the appropriate level. The spellcasting ability for the spells is the ability you increase with the feat.

Explanation

While most of the spells offered by Shadow Touched might not be too good, Invisibility can give a Ranger a lot of value since they often become scouts.

It also increases your Wisdom and adds some value, especially if you want to focus more on spellcasting and want a perception increase.

12. Metamagic Adept

Description

Exert your will on spells, altering how they function:

Learn two Metamagic options you choose from the Sorcerer class. Only one Metamagic option may be used when casting a spell unless it says otherwise.

Reaching a level granting the Ability Score Improvement feature lets you replace one Metamagic option with another from the Sorcerer class.

Gain 2 sorcery points for Metamagic (added to other sorcery points from other sources, but only works for Metamagic).

All expended sorcery points can be regained when you finish a long rest.

Note: You must have the Spellcasting or Pact Magic feature to be able to use Metamagic Adept.

Explanation

Metamagic Adept is suitable for any class with spells, and it’s the same for Rangers who want to use spells.

Unfortunately, since the Ranger doesn’t have a lot of spells, it might not have as much value, especially if you focus less on spells and more on using weapons.

11. Dungeon Delver

Description

You are alert to main traps and secret doors in dungeons, gaining the following benefits:

Gain advantage in Wisdom (Perception) and Intelligence (Investigation) checks to detect if there are secret doors.
Gain advantage on saving throws to avoid or resist traps.
Gain resistance to damage dealt by traps.
Fast pace traveling doesn’t impose the -5 passive Wisdom (Perception) penalty.

Explanation

Dungeon Delver is quite situational, but if you’re playing a dungeon-heavy campaign, you should definitely consider taking it.

You should also consider Dungeon Delver if you want to become better at identifying hidden doors or resisting trap damage, which can be a killer out in the wild if you’re not careful.

10. Dual Wielder

Description

Mastering fighting with two weapons lets you gain benefits:

Gain a +1 bonus to your AC score while wielding one separate melee weapon in each of your hands.
You may use two-weapon fighting even when the one-handed melee weapons you’re wielding aren’t light.
You may either draw or stow two one-handed weapons instead of usually being able to only draw or stow only one.

Explanation

Rangers are known for their ranged attacks, but if you want to adopt two-weapon fighting to deal more damage or just to look cool, you should consider Duel Wielder.

It’s recommended for melee Rangers, but you can take it as a combination if you’re worried about damage output. However, even then, it might not do too much unless you embrace the melee!

9. Sharpshooter

Description

You’ve mastered ranged weapons, hitting shots others find impossible and gaining the following benefits:

Attacking from long range doesn’t impose disadvantage on ranged weapon attack rolls.
Ranged weapon attacks will ignore half and three-quarters cover.
Before making an attack using a ranged weapon you’re proficient in, choose to take a -5 penalty to the attack roll. If the attack hits, add +10 to the damage of the attack.

Explanation

Ranged builds (especially archery) will benefit from Sharpshooter because attacking from a long range no longer imposes disadvantage.

Builds prioritizing higher damage per second will benefit even more than builds that fire one or two high-damage shots.

8. Sentinel

Description

Hitting a Creature using an opportunity attack forces their speed to become 0 for the rest of their turn, and creatures provoke your opportunity attacks even if they take their Disengage action.

Whenever a creature attacks a target other than you (and the target doesn’t already have this feat), you may use a reaction and proceed to perform a melee weapon attack against the creature that’s attacking.

Explanation

Sentinel is a great Feat for an agile melee Ranger who doesn’t want to allow his opponents to escape his grasp.

Many Rangers like to drag their pets into melee where enemies will attack them, and with Sentinel, you’ll basically be getting free attacks.

7. Skill Expert

Description

You may increase one of your ability scores by 1, but only to a maximum of 20, and you’ll gain proficiency with one skill you choose.

Then, you may choose one skill you have proficiency with, gaining expertise with that skill and doubling any ability checks made with it.

The chosen skill must be one that isn’t currently benefiting from a feature (like Expertise), which can double your proficiency bonus.

Explanation

The ability increase makes Skill Expert much less demanding, and the expertise and bonus Proficiency with one skill make the Ranger more useful compared to classes like the Rogue.

There are a lot of skills you can gain expertise with, so you should choose the appropriate skill depending on your situation.

6. Lucky

Description

Gain 3 luck points. When making an attack roll, ability check, or saving throw, you may spend one luck point to roll an additional d20.

You may choose to spend one luck point after rolling the die but before the outcome is determined. You then choose which d20 will be used for the attack roll, ability check, or saving throw.

You may also spend one luck point when an attack roll is made against you, rolling a d20 to choose whether the attack uses your roll or the attacker’s.

More than one creature spending a luck point to influence the outcome of a roll will cancel each other out, and no additional dice will be rolled.

Expended luck points are regained when you’ve finished a long rest.

Explanation

If you don’t know which Feat to take and aren’t in the mood to calculate just how good a Feat will be, take Lucky; you can’t really go wrong with it.

There are so many applications to Lucky that it works for almost any situation, regardless of class (not entirely true, but partly).

5. Gift of the Chromatic Dragon

Description

Manifest powers from chromatic dragons, gaining benefits:

Chromatic Infusion allows you to use a bonus action and touch a martial or simple weapon, infusing it with one of these damage types: Poison, Lightning, Fire, Cold, or Acid.

For a minute, the weapon now deals an extra 1d4 damage on a hit of the infused damage type. After using this bonus action, you can’t do so again until after finishing a long rest.

Reactive Resistance lets you use your reaction to give yourself resistance to whichever damage you took out of the following types: Poison, Lightning, Fire, Cold, or Acid damage.

The reaction can be used a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus, and you’ll regain all uses whenever you finish a long rest.

Explanation

Chromatic Infusion provides a nice buff to your damage, which functions well with Extra Attack.

Rangers are backline players and will be targeted by a lot of enemies for their high damage. Still, with Reactive Resistance, you can gain protection from elemental damage or magical attacks.

Gift of the Chromatic Dragon makes a good buffing spell for you or your allies.

4. Eldritch Adept

Description

By studying occult lore, you’ve unlocked eldritch power within yourself, learning one Eldritch Invocation option you choose from the Warlock class.

If you choose an invocation with a prerequisite, the invocation can only be taken if you’re a Warlock and only if you meet its prerequisite.

Whenever you gain one level, you may replace your chosen invocation with another invocation from the Warlock class.

Note: You must have the Spellcasting or Pact Magic feature to take this Feat.

Explanation

Eldritch Adept gives you access to a ton of Eldritch Invocations to choose from, which builds on your versatility.

Various invocations like Devil’s Sight, Eldritch Mind, Eldritch Sight, or Beguiling Influence are some of the options you can use to empower your Ranger.

3. Gift of the Metallic Dragon

Description

Manifest powers from metallic dragons, gaining benefits:

Draconic Healing – Learn Cure Wounds and be able to cast it without having to expend a spell slot. Casting the spell like this restricts you from casting it again until you’ve finished a long rest.

The spell may also be cast using spell slots you have. The spellcasting ability for it is Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma when cast with this feat (choose upon gaining the feat).

Protective Wings – Manifest protective wings capable of shielding others. If you or another visible creature within 5 feet is hit by an attack roll, use a reaction to manifest spectral wings from your back for a brief moment.

This grants a bonus to the target’s AC (equals your Proficiency bonus) against the attack roll, causing it to potentially miss. The reaction can be used a number of times equal to your Proficiency bonus.

All expended uses are regained when you finish a long rest.

Explanation

Draconic Healing gives you access to some decent healing and leaves you with a spell capable of being cast without having to expend a spell slot, helping your low spell slot number.

Protective Wings acts as your shield and will provide a stalwart defense, especially for a Ranger who doesn’t have high AC.

Gift of the Metallic Dragon gives Rangers some much-needed buffs that Rangers don’t easily gain access to.

2. Piercer

Description

Gain the following benefits:

Increase Strength or Dexterity by 1 (maximum of 20).
Once every turn, hitting a creature with an attack dealing Piercing damage lets you reroll one of the attack’s damage dice, using the new roll.
Scoring a critical hit dealing Piercing damage to a creature lets you roll one additional damage die as you determine the extra Piercing damage the target will take.

Explanation

Rangers have a lot of attacks that deal Piercing damage, so you’ll have the chance to reroll a lot of dice.

You should also take into account that most melee weapons Rangers use and ranged weapons will make use of Piercing damage, making it easy to incorporate into a melee or ranged build.

The increase in either Dexterity or Strength also decreases the cost of Piercer.

1. Crossbow Expert

Description

Extensive practice with the crossbow grants you the following benefits:

Ignore the loading quality of crossbows in which you are proficient.
If you’re within 5 feet of a hostile creature, you don’t get disadvantage on ranged attacks.
Using the Attack action and attacking with a one-handed weapon allows you to use your Bonus action to attack with a hand crossbow you’re holding.

Explanation

The crossbow is a solid ranged option for Rangers, and when combined with Crossbow Expert, it becomes one of your best options.

The fact that your action economy doesn’t get affected and that you can use the crossbow in melee range opens a lot of doors for you.

Note: You can even take it just because it gives you the capability to make ranged attacks within 5 feet without disadvantage if you want to.

Final Thoughts

Rangers are one of my favorite multiclass options, and these Feats can help players who want to go down the same road or just play a normal Ranger.

These Feats are some of your best options, but before choosing, you should consider precisely what you want your Ranger to be, as Feats are expensive and Ability Score Increases are rare.

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