Yet another favored class in Dungeons and Dragons, Rangers utilize tracking and other wilderness skills to hunt down their enemies (or targets that need to be rescued). They have significant spellcasting abilities with a specific focus on survival skills, hunting, and exploration.
By choosing to be either a Hunter or a Beast Master, the ranger can further these abilities depending on the need. Rangers are always dependable, and almost always for hire. However, skill alone won’t help your ranger survive the endless onslaught of monsters and soldiers that get in your way.
Let’s take a look at some of the best items, armor, and weapons to equip your ranger with, giving you the best chance to succeed in any situation.
20. Everburning Torch
This item looks like an everyday torch you might find lying around a castle or cave. But, speak a magic word, and the torch ignites itself with a self-sustaining green flame. This is handy for those who don’t want to use up valuable carry space with torches, but still want to be prepared to enter a cave or dungeon without any light. Rangers often find themselves traveling in dark areas or at night, and always need to have a clear view of what’s going on around them. A magic torch will do just that.
Why It’s Great for a Ranger:
- The Everburning Torch is small, lightweight and barely takes up any space. It is also very easy to wield.
- It allows the Ranger to have a light source wherever they may travel, at a moment’s notice. This is great for exploration.
- In a pinch, the Torch can be used as a weapon, giving a small amount of fire damage.
Everburning Torch Stats:
- Wondrous Item, Common
- Speaking a command word ignites the torch with green fire. This fire creates bright light within a 20-foot radius of the torch, as well as dim light for another 20 feet.
- When used as a melee weapon, the torch can do 1 fire damage.
19. Belt of Hill Giant Strength
The Belt of Hill Giant Strength is good for rangers that are just starting out. There are six varieties of the Belt, based on six different types of giants. Wearing the Belt of Hill Giant Strength will set your ranger’s Strength stat to 21. Increased strength leads to better attacks with weapons, better handling of certain tasks that involve heavy lifting, and enables you to carry more loot.
Why It’s Great For a Ranger:
- Wearing this belt automatically increases Strength to at least 21.
- Increased Strength means more powerful attacks and damage modifiers
- Allows for better jumping, climbing, running, and swimming
Belt of Hill Giant Strength Stats:
- Wondrous Item, Rarity Varies
- Requires Attunement
- This Belt grants the wearer a Strength stat of 21.
- If the Strength stat of the wearer is already 21 or greater, this belt has no effect
18. Cloak of Elvenkind
Sometimes, a little stealth comes in handy for a ranger. Whether you're sneaking your way through an enemy camp, or stalking your animal prey through a forest, it never hurts to have a little camouflage. The Cloak of Elvenkind won’t make you invisible, but it will make you a little harder to see.
Why It’s Great For a Ranger:
- The Cloak allows you to blend in with your surroundings, and makes it harder for creatures to see you.
- Creatures have a disadvantage to Wisdom (Perception) checks when trying to see you.
- The ranger will have a Dexterity advantage while hidden by the cloak.
Cloak of Elvenkind Stats:
- Wondrous Item, Uncommon
- Requires Attunement
- While the hood is raised, you are harder to detect with the naked eye. You have a Dexterity (stealth) advantage, while anyone trying to detect you has a Wisdom (perception) disadvantage.
- Raising or lowering the hood requires 1 full action.
17. Broom of Flying
Who hasn’t dreamed of taking to the air while straddling a broomstick? Now you can, with the Broom of Flying. The item functions as a regular, mundane, wooden broom until you speak the command word. The ranger can then take to the air and make traveling between towns much easier.
Why It’s Great For a Ranger:
- Makes traveling a breeze, enabling the ranger to fly through the air.
- The Broom can carry up to 400 pounds, making it suitable for transporting loot.
- The Broom can be sent to a destination up to 1 mile away, and summoned again, giving a perfect opportunity for hiding a small trinket or creating a distraction.
Broom of Flying Stats:
- Wondrous Item, Uncommon
- Functions as a normal broom until you speak the command word, upon which it hovers.
- The Broom has a flying speed of 50 feet, and can carry up to 400 pounds. The flying speed is cut in half when the weight exceeds 200 pounds.
- The broom can be sent away and recalled up to a mile away by using the command word and giving the broom instructions. It will work fine as long as you are familiar with the area.
16. Quiver of Ehlonna
There’s nothing worse than reaching for an arrow and discovering that you’re all out. Fortunately, the Quiver of Ehlonna offers a solution to this problem by allowing you to carry far more ammunition for your bow or crossbow. This enchanted quiver holds up to 60 arrows, bolts, or similar throwable objects in its various compartments, all while remaining lightweight and easy for a ranger to carry during long treks into the wilderness.
Why It’s Great For a Ranger:
- The Quiver has multiple compartments that can safely store a large volume of arrows, bolts, javelins, and other ranged weapons.
- The Quiver of Ehlonna stays the same weight, a mere two pounds, allowing for easy transport.
- The Quiver can also be used to store small items approximately the same size or shape as a standard arrow.
Quiver of Ehlonna Stats:
- Wondrous Item, Uncommon
- Each of the Quiver’s three compartments connects to extradimensional space, allowing for extra storage, while remaining the same weight of 2 pounds.
- The smallest compartment can hold up to 60 arrows, bolts, or similar objects.
- The midsize compartment holds up to 18 javelins or similar objects.
- The largest compartment holds up to 6 large objects, such as bows, spears, or quarterstaffs.
15. Bracers of Archery
Ranged weapons are a classic choice for the ranger. The Bracers of Archery will give your character a skill boost in accuracy and damage when using bows.
Why It’s Great For a Ranger:
- The Bracers grant proficiency with shortbows and longbows.
- This item gives an advantage to attacks with ranged weapons.
- Rangers often rely on ranged attacks, and this item can help them dispatch enemies from afar.
Bracers of Archery Stats:
- Wondrous Item, Uncommon
- Requires Attunement
- Grants proficiency with shortbows and longbows
- Gives +2 damage on attack rolls made with ranged weapons
14. Boots of Elvenkind
Being able to move quickly and quietly is a vital skill for any decent ranger. These boots will allow you to move soundlessly through the wilderness, letting you sneak up on that owlbear.
Why It’s Great For a Ranger:
- Allows the ranger to move noiselessly, whatever the terrain may be.
- Gives a stealth bonus on checks for sound.
- Makes your ranger much harder for enemies or prey to notice.
Boots of Elvenkind Stats:
- Wondrous Item, Uncommon
- While wearing these boots, your footsteps make no sound, regardless of the terrain you are moving on.
- The boots also grant an advantage on Dexterity (Stealth) checks that rely on moving silently.
13. Mithral Half Plate Armor
Good armor for a ranger is hard to find. You want to protect yourself, but you don’t want to be weighed down by clunky, loud, metal nonsense. Luckily, Mithral armor gives your character protection without hurting your ability to be stealthy.
Why It’s Great for a Ranger:
- Mithral armor ignores disadvantages to Dexterity, allowing your ranger to maintain its stealth abilities.
- The armor also ignores typical Strength requirements, so most rangers can wear it right away.
- The armor is very durable, protecting a ranger from harm. It’s a bit more effective than leather or hide armor.
Mithral Half Plate Armor Stats:
- Armor (Half-Plate), Uncommon
- Made of light, durable, flexible material
- Mithral ignores any disadvantages to Dexterity (Stealth) a normal armor of this type would incur.
- Mithral armor also ignores Strength requirements to wear.
12. Elven Chainmail
This simple shirt made of elven chain fits comfortably under any other clothes or leather. This allows any sounds or jingling to be muffled by whatever the ranger wears on top of the armor. Elven Chainmail also grants a nice bonus, explained below.
Why It’s Great For a Ranger:
- The armor is light in weight, allowing for easy movement and stealth.
- Grants a bonus to Armor Class
- You can wear this armor even if you are not proficient in medium armor.
Elven Chainmail Stats:
- Armor (Chain shirt, medium)
- Rare
- AC: 14 + Dex modifier (max 2)
- Can be worn even without proficiency in medium armor
11. Winged Boots
After a long, difficult journey through caves, trees, and roughage, the walk back to town can be daunting. Getting around is much easier when you can fly on command! The Winged Boots grant you the ability to fly for an extended period of time.
Why It’s Great For a Ranger:
- Grants the wearer flying speed equal to walking speed
- Flying can last up to four hours; either all at once, or in smaller increments
- This item is handy for traveling quickly through an area or getting to hard to reach places.
Winged Boots Stats:
- Wondrous item, Uncommon
- Requires Attunement
- Grants the wearer flying speed equal to walking speed
- Can be used a total of 4 hours, either all at once or in small increments of at least one minute.
- If the flying ability wears off while in the air, the ranger will descend safely at a rate of 30 feet per round until it lands.
- This item recharges 2 hours of flying for every 12 hours not in use.
10. Flame Tongue Scimitar
When the time comes to get down and dirty, a good weapon is vital. The best weapons have a little extra surprise hidden away to burn your enemies. In this case, you can wield a sword that can burst into flames by simply speaking a word.
Why It’s Great For a Ranger:
- The ranger can speak a word and ignite the sword with flames. The flames do significant fire damage to enemies.
- The flames also give off both bright and dim light in a wide area, making it easier to see in dark areas without having to hold a torch.
- Proficiency with a scimitar adds to your proficiency bonus to any attack rolls you make with this weapon.
Flame Tongue Scimitar Stats:
- Weapon, Rare
- Requires Attunement
- Upon speaking the command word, the blade bursts into flames, creating bright light in a 40-foot radius, and dim light in a further 40-foot radius.
- When ignited, the weapon does an extra 2d6 fire damage to the intended target.
- Proficiency with a scimitar will give you a bonus on your attack rolls, giving you a slight edge in battle
9. Dragon Wing Bow
Any ranger needs to be skilled in archery, especially if you’re hunting a skittish creature, or just being sneaky. The key to good archery is to choose the best bow. One of those options is the Dragon Wing Bow. Not only is this weapon infused with the breath of an actual dragon, the weapon doesn’t even need an arrow.
Why It’s Great For a Ranger:
- An enchanted bow will always give your attack a little kick.
- Any attack with this bow will be infused with dragon breath, resulting in an extra damage depending on the type of dragon used to make the bow.
- This bow doesn’t require ammunition; it will create its own as needed.
Dragon Wing Bow Stats:
- Weapon, Rare
- Requires Attunement
- When you hit with an attack roll using this weapon, the target takes 1d6 of the same type as the dragon breath infused in the bow (acid, cold, fire, lightning, etc). It can be infused with either chromatic, gem, or metallic dragon breath.
- This bow does not require ammunition. It will create its own arrows as needed. Once the arrows injure the target, they immediately disappear.
8. Starcrossed Bow
It always helps when your chosen weapon has some kind of disorienting effect on your enemies. The Starcrossed Bow is a bow that has been modified to not need ammunition, and shoots pure starlight in the form of an arrow. This has a chance to blind your target, and any others that are close by.
Why It’s Great For a Ranger:
- The ranger gains a +2 attack bonus when using this weapon.
- Targets hit with this bow, along with any other targets within 10 feet, must roll a Constitution save or be blinded for the next turn.
- This bow does not require arrows to use, creating its own projectiles of concentrated starlight.
Starcrossed Bow Stats:
- Generic Variant (bow), Rare
- Requires Attunement
- Using this bow grants a +2 attack bonus, and uses radiant damage instead of piercing, and ignores ammunition and loading properties.
- Upon being hit, the target, and any other within 10 feet, must make a DC 15 Constitution saving throw, or else be blinded until the end of your next turn.
- This weapon creates its own ammunition, and can fire three times per day before being recharged at dawn.
7. Oathbow
They say that having a rival is unhealthy. In this case, having a sworn enemy can actually be beneficial to a ranger. By using the Oathbow, your target becomes your Sworn Enemy until you either destroy them, or seven days pass. While the target is your sworn enemy, you gain an advantage while attacking them.
Why It’s Great For a Ranger:
- Using this weapon will give the ranger a significant attack bonus against a target, as long as they continue to use the Oathbow.
- There is a disadvantage for using any other weapon once the target is a Sworn Enemy.
- The Oathbow ignores most forms of cover, with the exception of total cover.
- This bow ignores any disadvantages caused by long distance.
Oathbow Stats:
- Ranged weapon, Very rare
- Requires Attunement
- When using this weapon to make a ranged attack, the target becomes a Sworn Enemy. The wielder gains an advantage when using the Oathbow to attack a Sworn Enemy, and a disadvantage when using any other weapon.
- The target gains no benefit from cover (except total cover), and there is no disadvantage for long range attacks.
- When hit, the target takes an extra 3d6 piercing damage
6. Moon Sickle
Charged with the power of moonlight, this weapon was made for rangers and druids. Not only does it give an advantage with melee attacks, this blade can also help with your spellcasting abilities. It can even give you a hand when you are trying to heal yourself or an ally.
Why It’s Great For a Ranger:
- This sickle can boost both melee and spellcasting abilities, a must for any decent ranger.
- You can use the sickle as a spellcasting focus, so there’s no need to drop it or put it away when you need to use a little magic.
- The Moon Sickle grants a small bonus with healing magic, keeping you and your party alive when it matters most.
Moon Sickle Stats:
- Weapon, rarity varies by strength
- Requires Attunement by Ranger or Druid
- While using this weapon, you gain an advantage on attack and damage rolls.
- You also gain an advantage with spellcasting rolls, as well as saving rolls from magic attacks. The sickle can even be used as a focus for spellcasting.
- The Moon Sickle also grants you an extra 1d4 hit points when using healing magic.
5. Handy Haversack
Rangers tend to have long journeys with few stops into town, especially when on a long hunt for a specific creature or target. That means that supplies can be very limited. In order to survive, the ranger must either live off the land, or plan ahead and shop for supplies. A Handy Haversack can hold a lot of materials while maintaining a low weight. It’s a great way to ensure that your ranger is always prepared without weighing anybody down.
Why It’s Great For a Ranger:
- Each compartment has its own extradimensional space, allowing for greater storage.
- A bag of holding can technically hold more, but the Haversack has different compartments for better organization.
- No matter what is in the Haversack, it will remain the same weight of 5 pounds, allowing the ranger to continue traveling unencumbered.
Handy Haversack Stats:
- Wondrous Item, Rare
- The haversack has two small side compartments and one large main compartment.
- The side compartments can each hold 20 pounds of equipment, not exceeding a volume of 2 cubic feet.
- The main compartment holds up to 80 pounds of equipment, not to exceed 8 cubic feet.
- The Handy Haversack always weighs 5 pounds, regardless of its contents.
- If the Haversack is ruptured or damaged, all items inside disappear, however rare artifacts will turn up elsewhere.
4. Nature’s Mantle
Stealth is a key skill when playing as a ranger. Being able to blend in your surroundings is very doable, thanks to various spells and skills. However, there are a few items that can help you conceal yourself in the wilderness, letting you sneak up on that rabbit to make a nice stew for dinner.
Why It’s Great For a Ranger:
- Allows the ranger to use Hide as a bonus action to conceal itself from enemies or creatures.
- Can be used as a spellcasting focus, leaving your hands free.
- Constantly changes colors and shades to blend in with the surrounding area, giving almost constant camouflage.
Nature’s Mantle Stats:
- Wondrous Item, Uncommon
- Requires Attunement by a Druid or Ranger
- This cloak shifts color and texture to blend in with its surroundings.
- While wearing the cloak, it can be used as a spellcasting focus for druid or ranger magic.
- In a lightly obscured area, you can use the Hide ability to disappear from sight, even when being directly observed by a creature.
3. Robe of Eyes
Have you ever wished you had eyes in the back of your head? With the Robe of Eyes, you can have them wherever you like! This item allows you to see in every direction, and even into other planes, ensuring that no one ever sneaks up on you again.
Why It’s Great For a Ranger:
- The robe allows you to see in all directions at once, giving you an advantage on all Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on sight.
- The robe grants the wearer different types of vision, including darkvision, and the ability to see the invisible.
- Wearing this robe will give a ranger the advantage of awareness, always able to see what’s happening without having to turn to look.
Robe of Eyes Stats:
- Wondrous Item, Rare
- Requires Attunement
- This robe is adorned with eye-shaped patterns, allowing the wearer to see in all directions. This gives an advantage to all Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on sight.
- The robe grants you darkvision for up to 120 feet.
- You can also see invisible creatures and objects, as well as into the Ethereal Plane, for up to 120 feet.
- The robe’s weakness is if a light or daylight spell is used, which requires a Constitution save or your character will be blinded.
2. Gloves of Swimming and Climbing
While out in the wilderness, the most common obstacle a ranger will face is terrain. While rangers have certain abilities to help them overcome thick brush and thorns, there are other challenges that must be fact. Specifically, climbing and swimming, which can reduce your movement during a turn. Fortunately, there’s a pair of gloves in the world that can help with that.
Why It’s Great For a Ranger:
- While wearing the gloves, there are no movement penalties when climbing or swimming, allowing the ranger to travel a bit more easily.
- The gloves grant a +5 advantage to Strength (Athletics) checks when climbing or swimming.
Gloves of Swimming and Climbing Stats:
- Wondrous Item, Uncommon
- Requires Attunement
- While wearing these gloves, swimming and climbing do not require any extra movement, and you gain a +5 bonus to Strength (Athletics) checks made to climb or swim.
1. Ring of Regeneration
Rangers aren’t known for being the strongest healers. When things get tough in a fight, they often rely on healing potions, and a little help from their friends. Failing that, there is another way to make sure your ranger character is constantly healing hit points. The Ring of Regeneration constantly casts (surprise) Regeneration, a 7th level spell.
Why It’s Great For a Ranger:
- Rangers aren’t overly skilled with healing abilities, so this ring will be very beneficial.
- The ring surrounds you with healing energy every 10 minutes as needed.
- The ring also regrows lost limbs, allowing the ranger to be a bit more cavalier.
Ring of Regeneration Stats:
- Ring, Very Rare
- Requires Attunement
- While wearing this ring, you gain 1d6 hit points every 10 minutes, provided you have at least one hit point. If you lose a body part, the ring causes the missing part to regrow and return to full functionality after 1d6+1 days if you have at least one hit point the entire time.
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