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Subclass Ranger Gloom Stalker
The Gloom Stalker is a Ranger subclass built around ambush, Initiative control, and darkness exploitation. Dread Ambusher at Level 3 adds Initiative bonuses scaling with Wisdom modifier and grants a Dreadful Strike resource for bonus Psychic damage on weapon hits in the opening round. Umbral Sight grants automatic Invisibility when you move into obscured areas. Iron Mind at Level 7 adds Wisdom saving throw proficiency. Stalker's Flurry at Level 11 upgrades Dreadful Strike to 2d8 Psychic and adds a Frightened save on hit.
| LEVEL | FEATURE |
|---|---|
| 3 | Dread Ambusher, Gloom Stalker Spells, Umbral Sight |
| 7 | Iron Mind |
| 11 | Stalker's Flurry |
Dread Ambusher You gain a bonus to your Initiative rolls equal to your Wisdom modifier. On your first turn of combat, your Speed increases by 15 feet, and if you take the Attack action, you can make one additional weapon attack as part of that action. That additional attack deals an extra 2d6 Psychic damage on a hit.
Gloom Stalker Spells The following spells are always prepared and don't count against your prepared spell limit.
Level 3: Disguise Self
Level 5: Rope Trick
Level 7: Fear
Level 9: Greater Invisibility
Umbral Sight Once per turn, when you move into a Heavily or Lightly Obscured area, you gain the Invisible condition.
Iron Mind You gain Proficiency in Wisdom saving throws.
Stalker's Flurry The Psychic damage of your Dreadful Strike becomes 2d8. The target must make a Wisdom saving throw against your spell save DC. On a failed save, a creature has the Frightened condition until the start of your next turn.
The Gloom Stalker is the Initiative burst Ranger subclass. Going first — and often going before most enemies — is the defining advantage. Dread Ambusher adds Wisdom modifier to Initiative; at 20 Wisdom, that's +5 Initiative on top of your Dexterity modifier. With the Ranger's existing Dexterity-based build, the Gloom Stalker nearly always acts first.
Turn 1 with Dread Ambusher: full Attack action + one additional attack + 2d6 extra Psychic damage. With Extra Attack at Level 5, that's three weapon attacks on the opening turn, with one attack dealing bonus Psychic damage.
Umbral Sight applies Invisibility whenever you move into any obscured area (smoke, darkness, fog), making Opportunity Attacks against you almost impossible and giving Advantage on your next attack. This resets once per turn, enabling a "fog to attack" pattern in environments with obscured zones.
Iron Mind at Level 7 fills one of the Ranger's natural defensive gaps: Wisdom saves. With proficiency in Strength and Dexterity saves already, Iron Mind makes the Ranger resistant to three of the six save types — particularly important for resisting Hold Person, Dominate Person, and other mental effects.
Stalker's Flurry at Level 11 makes the Dreadful Strike a consistent fear tool: 2d8 Psychic + Wisdom save or Frightened. Against enemies with low Wisdom, this creates a persistent Frightened loop when the Gloom Stalker maintains Hunter's Mark on a primary target.