Ranger: Fighting Style – Druidic Warrior: What Cantrip Should You Choose?

Nov 13

Rangers get to choose a fighting style when they reach 2nd-level. In the D&D 5e book Tasha’s Cauldron of Everything, a new fighting style was introduced, the Druidic Warrior. This new style allows Rangers to choose two cantrips from the Druid spell list. Cantrips can be very powerful and game-changing, especially at lower levels. You can also swap out any cantrip for another any time you level up as a Ranger.

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Here are those options:

Control Flames
Create Bonfire
Druidcraft
Frostbite
Guidance
Gust
Infestation
Magic Stone
Mending
Mold Earth
Poison Spray
Primal Savagery
Produce Flame
Resistance
Shape Water
Shillelagh
Thorn Whip
Thunderclap

Although it is a fighting style, I think it is best to get one attack cantrip and one utility cantrip, because not all of D&D is played on a battlemap. Some of the choices are better or worse given the general terrain of the adventure/campaign your character is in. For instance, Mold Earth is not that useful in a sea-based campaign. Keep the adventure location in mind when choosing your cantrips.

S Tier

Guidance adds a d4 to any ability check which is useful in any situation.

Shillelagh is a great cantrip for making your club or staff an effective melee weapon for your Dexterity-based Ranger. You replace Strength with your spellcasting ability for attacks, increases the damage die of the weapon, and makes the weapon magical. Kobold Think Tank’s article Spear and Quarterstaff Builds will help to make this cantrip even more effective with your character.

A Tier

Create Bonfire from Xanathar’s Guide to Everything can be both an attack or utility cantrip. It lacks the creative usage that Control Flames gives you, but it does not require an existing flame to work.

Frostbite from Xanathar’s Guide to Everything causes damage and gives the target disadvantage on their next weapon attack. The only thing that keeps this from being S tier is that the target gets a saving throw instead of this being an attack roll (I’m a bigger fan of rolling the dice instead of the DM – see my article on Druid Attack Roll Spells).

Gust from Xanathar’s Guide to Everything gives you the ability to move targets on the battlefield. You can also cause sensory events for distractions, so this is a cantrip that can be used in and out of combat.

Magic Stone from Xanathar’s Guide to Everything is a good ranged attack cantrip, but becomes really awesome if paired with the Crusher Feat. If you created a melee-based Ranger and pick up the Crusher Feat then Magic Stone becomes an S Tier cantrip.

Mending is a great utility spell that will find numerous uses during a campaign. The only drawback is the 1-minute casting time.

Mold Earth from Xanathar’s Guide to Everything is a very useful cantrip both in and out of combat. It is my favorite of the elemental cantrips.

Primal Savagery from Xanathar’s Guide to Everything is a cantrip I have been critical of on other lists, but for a Ranger is kind of a good pickup. This could be your melee option on a range attack-based character.

Produce Flame can work as both a utility and attack cantrip. If your character does not have darkvision then this can be a great option for seeing in the dark.

Resistance gives an additional d4 to add to a saving throw, which could be the difference between success and failure.

B Tier

Control Flames from Xanathar’s Guide to Everything is restricted by needing an existing fire to work from. It has some nice features but is more color than practical.

Druidcraft is the Druid’s version of Prestidigitation or Thaumaturgy. I do not like it as much as the other spells, and as a DM, I hate this cantrip because I have to think about the weather.

Infestation from Xanathar’s Guide to Everything can cause damage and force the target to move 5 feet randomly if they fail a Constitution saving throw. I like the components of this cantrip but not the execution. If it were an attack roll and you got to choose the direction of the target’s movement then I would love it.

Shape Water from Xanathar’s Guide to Everything is the water version of Mold Earth, Gust, and Control Flame. There are definitely useful things you can do with this cantrip but does not have the strong effects of the other elemental-based cantrips.

Thorn Whip has the drawback of pulling a target 10-feet closer to you on a hit if they are large or smaller. This can be a feature and not a bug if you want to engage the target in close-quarters combat.

C Tier

Poison Spray does decent damage with a d12, but poison damage is one of the most resisted damage types plus it only has a range of 10 feet.

D Tier

Thunderclap from Xanathar’s Guide to Everything is extremely short-ranged, low damaging, and creates a lot of noise, but besides all that it is great.

I never really thought of the Druid cantrips as being all that great, but after having taken a closer look there are some really solid choices. Is Druidic Warrior better than taking something like Dueling or Archery, that would be up to you and your style of play. I like having the advantage of adding cantrips to my list of options for use both in and out of combat. Adding Druidic Warrior really adds to the depth of abilities of a Ranger.

So, have you ever chosen Druidic Warrior? What cantrips did you choose? Let me know in the comments down below.

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