Making a ranger similar to a 5e character, and the Ability Points screen has me confused.

[A_pet_tick]

It says that the "Primary Ability" for a ranger is Dexterity. This somewhat makes sense consdiering that the name "Ranger" implies ranged [but not necessarily magical] weapons. However, with my limited experience with pplaying a 5e ranger, the description of a Primary Ability confuses me a bit, in that it states that this Primary Ability (dex) influences my chance to hit & damage output with weapon attacks or spells.

I was going for a build with higher wisdom with the idea that it would increase my spellcasting DC. Is that not how it works in BG3? Does dex really affect spells more than wisdom?

[GreyKarasu]

Ranger's spellcasting ability is still wisdom. Primary Ability marker just shows that by default would be "good". Ranger is half caster and spellcasting ability marked as Primary Ability for full casters.

[Kernest]

Ranger has some individual spells that use your weapon as opposed to a pre-determined amount of spell damage.

I think Ensnaring Strike is one such spell that deals your weapon damage, and thus receives damage bonus from DEX.

I'm not overly familiar with ranger spells, but I'd be surprised if DEX was overall more important than WIS.

EDIT: I suppose Ensnaring Strike could also use your STR if you made a melee ranger. But any saves the spell causes you to make are still based off of WIS.

[Scheneighnay]

Wisdom will help your casting, but the Ranger won't meaningfully benefit from it as most of your spells are utility spells that don't take wisdom into account at all, and you have few spell slots.

You can get away with a strength-based ranger if you build it right, but not really a wisdom-based ranger

[GreyKarasu]

Ensnaring Strike uses weapon damage but DC to actually ensnare enemy is still based on Wisdom. But there is not so much for ranger to cast with actual DC - Lightning Arrow (secondary targets), Conjure Barrage, Hail of Thorns, Ensnaring Strike and Animal Friendship + heal from Cure Wounds based on Spellcasting modifier.

[Scheneighnay]

Oprindeligt skrevet af GreyKarasu:

Ensnaring Strike uses weapon damage but DC to actually ensnare enemy is still based on Wisdom. But there is not so much for ranger to cast with actual DC - Lightning Arrow (secondary targets), Conjure Barrage, Hail of Thorns, Ensnaring Strike and Animal Friendship + heal from Cure Wounds based on Spellcasting modifier.

lightning arrow and conjure barrage are bad for being level 3 spells, especially seeing as the ranger doesn't get them until level 9.
hail of thorns is terrible, ensnaring strike is terrible, animal friendship is terrible.
Cure wounds is about the only ranger spell that takes wisdom that's worth a damn.

All your best spells don't need wisdom. Hunter's mark, enhanced leap, spike growth, lesser restoration, daylight, and protection from energy.

[wtiger27]

Oprindeligt skrevet af Scheneighnay:

Wisdom will help your casting, but the Ranger won't meaningfully benefit from it as most of your spells are utility spells that don't take wisdom into account at all, and you have few spell slots.

You can get away with a strength-based ranger if you build it right, but not really a wisdom-based ranger

Agree.

Focus on Agility and some extra points in Constitution. Wisdom focused is not a good approach to building a strong Ranger. Crossbow or Bows are going to be your primary damage dealing. You won't benefit from Wisdom for them.

Then again, I much prefer a Gloomstalker Ranger. So there is that to consider.

But how much any class in the game aligns up more to what it is in Table Top 5e. I really could not care less. I work with how they perform in BG3. But it's your game, so you need to decide what is the most fun for you.

[Detective Costeau]

The casting stat isn't the class' recommended primary stat for half-casters. Pretty sure that's carried over from the 5e TT rules.
The Ranger's spells do indeed scale off of Wisdom, though I'm pretty sure the ones that involve weapon attacks like Ensnaring Strike use your standard attack roll with the weapon instead of your spell attack.
You'll probably want some Wisdom, but Dexterity is more important for most Ranger setups.
The game could be a bit clearer at explaining this in the character creator, for sure.

[jonnin]

the great nerfing of 5th removed 'zen archery' where you shoot via wisdom, making the bow cleric and wise ranger unusable ideas. The only spells I use as a ranger are goodberry and spike growth, hunters mark, and longstrider out of combat buff. None of those have a saving throw so spell DC is moot, you can run an 8 wis.