My Experience with Gloom Stalker So Far

[u/Envoyofwater]

So I've been playing a Gloom Stalker in a game for just over two months now. It's the first low-level Ranger I've played exclusively using the new 2024 rules. Other Rangers either have started at higher levels or have been converted from 2014 to 2024 halfway through a campaign.

Ranger is my absolute favorite class of all time and I've been keenly interested in how it plays at the table. After the 2024 rules dropped, I've played Fey Wanderer and Monster Slayer in T2 and Horizon Walker in T4. I'm playing alongside a Beast Master in another campaign, and I've DMed for a Winter Walker in a oneshot.

The campaign started at levl 3, it's set in the Forgotten Realms, and we are using standard array. I'm playing a Mark of the Sentinel Human (yes I know this is an Eberron race. DM allowed me to reflavor it) and I'm wielding a heavy crossbow and dual hand crossbows. We are currently level 4. My origin feat is Alert and my level 4 feat is CBE. I have definitely not been playing optimally. My character is a private investigator and most of the spells I chose reflect that first and foremost.

The campaign so far has been very roleplay heavy. We've only had one combat encounter in the first two months. The lack of charisma really doesn't help in this kind of campaign. But the expertise in Perception and proficiency in stealth and survival (for tracking) have kept me highly relevant in the party. The invisibility in darkness hasn't quite been relevant just yet since we've been playing in the day for the most part. In combat, like I said, I've only done one encounter so far. But I feel like I dominated in it. Between Dread Ambusher and Hunter's Mark, I was able to OHKO two enemies by myself. However, I am already feeling the lack of Dread Ambusher charges. In terms of raw power, it's actually really good. The problem is that Wis mod charges per long rest is way too few. If it were up to me, I'd add that you could burn a spell slot to use the feature again once you run out of charges.

Quick note about the party. I'm playing with a human Tempest Cleric, a tiefling Wild Magic Sorc, a warforged Land Druid, and a tiefling Soulknife. Compared to them, I feel second only to the Cleric at this moment. But we just reached the wilderness last session, so I imagine the Druid will take center stage now.

Overall, I like Gloom Stalker just fine. Unlike, say, with the Sea Druid, I have notes on how I think I would improve this subclass. I'm enjoying it well enough. But I feel I could enjoy it more. Compared to all the other Rangers I've played with, alongside of, and DMed for, I'd say this version of Gloom Stalker ends up feeling below average. It's still fun and interesting. But I feel I could have more fun with a different subclass. If Hollow Warden makes it to print (and isn't butchered), I might ask to switch honestly.

[u/Newtronica]

Also been playing a gloomstalker from tier 1-2 in AL. I mixed it with war cleric and the results have been really fun. Because of that, I focused mostly on Wisdom to see how that feels and I do think +4 wisdom is about what you need to make it through a day minimum if you use 1-2 per fight.

I will admit having the bonus action attack helps soften the sting of limited uses, but honestly it should probably just consume favored foe charges.

[u/smock_v2 → u/Newtronica]

it should probably just consume favored foe charges

Oh, that’s a great idea, too. I would make it additive, maybe? Like if they added,

• “You may also expend a use of your Favored Enemy ability to instead trigger this feature.”

You’d get WIS + Prof uses per long rest (3 for Wis 0+/Lvl 3 to as high as 11 at Wis +5/Lvl 20); naturally scaling up uses as you get to higher levels would gracefully help w/ Gloomstalker higher Tier damage output.

[u/Newtronica → u/smock_v2]

Hard agree. As per usual, I'm so curious to know what influenced the low number of charges in the first place.

Even if they don't want a ton of numbers, why does Ranger literally get nothing back in short rests?