You wouldn’t make these with Sentinel or anything like, that, and they actually reduce the number of AoOs that you can take, since your reaction will have been consumed on any round that you make a Giant Killer attack. Then, as I pointed out above, there is always the possibility that you won’t be fighting against large creatures, depending on the campaign and the creatures around.Īlso, it isn’t exactly fair to call these attacks AoO, as they’re not. In particular, I think giant killer opens up the possibility for the DM to play tactically against you, rather than providing you something that you can really count on or use to play tactically against monsters. Or it hits you once, uses up your reaction, then walks away (without fear of being stuck from your sentinel feat). You get your 1 hit off, but the monster absolutely pummels you. Or, the DM might go the other way and throw all 3 of the creatures’s multi-attacks at you instead of spreading them around the party since you can only use your reaction once. The DM could choose to all but ignore you as long as you aren’t the only one in melee with the monster. But placing some of your damage potential in the tactics of the DM means that the DM can avoid a lot of that damage by playing different tactics. But this is why the monster slayer, and the other two XGtE ranger subclasses) get additional spells.Ĭertainly white-room theorycrafting has difficulty in accounting for unpredictable events by their nature they are unpredictable. In straight combat abilities, numbers, and tactics I would say the hunter, with either option, is a "better choice" than those from the monster slayer, until later levels, for fighting a single target. If you gave the -5/+10 feat then the amount of times you need colossus slayer to hit goes up a bit, maybe 1-2 times more is needed. The giant killer ability will net you more AoO than the same build without it (I'll be it situationally), when fighting big (literally) bad enemies. Meaning you need to hit and trigger colossus slayer 3 times to equal the damage from just one attack of opportunity. That number divided by the 4.5 from colossus slayer is 3.
![solasta crown of the magister ranger favored enemy solasta crown of the magister ranger favored enemy](https://images.mmorpg.com/images/contentImages/492020/Solasta-Crown-Of-Magister-Combat.jpg)
Using a great sword with no feat and hunter's mark with a +3 ability modifier you'll be hitting for about 13.5 damage on a single attack. Hunter are very easily geared to take out groups of enemies (see their level 11 ability choice), while the monster slayer is almost exclusively designed to fight a single terrifying BBEG. Another thing to take into consideration is the type of enemies you'll be facing/focusing on. Their later abilities proc off of that 1d6 "mark". The monster slayer gets a lot more from their level 3 ability than just a d6. Beast master rangers from levels 3-10 add the bulk of their ranger subclass damage bump from additional AoO, in my tactical opinion.Īre you you planning on taking any feats? Great weapon master will occasionally eat your bonus action along with hunter's mark, so the monster slayer subclass added damage ability might be rough. Abilities like sneak attack, some battle master maneuvers, and colossus slayer, and spells like hunter's mark (as you already pointed out) also have great impact on damage from and for AoO. Great Weapon Master and Polearm Master specifically and positively effect the frequency of AoO, and thereby additional damage, while any ranged build (Sharpshooter and Crossbow Expert) completely remove the occurrence of AoO (and your hit point pool to the party resources). I know a lot of folks don't, see WolfOfTheBees above for "guaranteed damage", but I think that is a flaw in all of the white room, perfect scenario, theory crafting DPR that we all do. Personally I am one to take things like attacks of opportunity into consideration when looking at average expected damage. In the end i think i will take the Giant Killer anyway, just because it's fitting the best for my character. What is your opinion about this and may have you a homebrew solution or something.
![solasta crown of the magister ranger favored enemy solasta crown of the magister ranger favored enemy](https://solastacrownofthemagister.wiki.fextralife.com/file/Solasta-Crown-of-the-Magister/travel-map-tutorial-solasta-wiki-guide.png)
This could be huge, because Hunters Mark is triggering, which isn't the case for Horde Breaker, but it is rather situational. And then i can use my reaction to attack it back afterwards. Now, for my giant killer to trigger, i need my reaction, while standing in 5 feet to an enemy that must be large oder larger than that., which has to attacking me. And for Horde Breaker i "only" need one enemy, that is adjustant to the one i'm attacking. As a Colossus Slayer, the enemy has just to be injured, so i do additional 1d8 damage.
![solasta crown of the magister ranger favored enemy solasta crown of the magister ranger favored enemy](https://static.wikia.nocookie.net/solastacrownofthemagister/images/2/26/Crimson_spideerlings.jpg)
For the Monster Slayer Subclass, i get 1d6 bonus damage, but i have to use one Bonus Action, that i want to use for Hunters Mark.
![solasta crown of the magister ranger favored enemy solasta crown of the magister ranger favored enemy](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/n_ga9tqkfx4/maxresdefault.jpg)
So in comparison for a Ranger with a Greatsword, there are some options i could take. I want to play an Giant Killer Ranger, created all my backstory for a Lvl 1 Ranger.