Hey everyone! Today, we're diving deep into the world of the Horizon Walker, a fascinating Ranger subclass in Dungeons & Dragons 5th Edition. If you're looking to build a character that can teleport across the battlefield, deal extra damage to otherworldly threats, and explore the planes, then the Horizon Walker might just be the perfect fit for you. This guide is designed to provide you with everything you need to create a powerful and effective Horizon Walker, from understanding the subclass features to optimizing your build and roleplaying your character.

Understanding the Horizon Walker

The Horizon Walker is a Ranger subclass that focuses on protecting the world from extraplanar threats and maintaining the balance between different dimensions. These rangers are trained to detect and eliminate portals, planar rifts, and other anomalies that could endanger the material plane. They gain abilities that allow them to traverse the battlefield quickly, deal extra damage to creatures from other planes, and resist the effects of planar magic. The Horizon Walker is an excellent choice for players who enjoy tactical combat, exploration, and a bit of mystery.

Key Features of the Horizon Walker

1. Planar Warrior: At 3rd level, you gain the ability to imbue your attacks with planar energy, dealing extra force damage to your enemies. This feature significantly boosts your damage output, especially against creatures from other planes.
2. Ethereal Step: Also at 3rd level, you can use your bonus action to become ethereal, allowing you to move through objects and creatures. This ability provides excellent mobility and can be used to escape dangerous situations or reposition yourself for a better attack.
3. Distant Strike: At 11th level, you gain the ability to teleport between attacks, making you incredibly difficult to pin down. This feature allows you to attack multiple enemies in a single turn and maintain your distance from melee combatants.
4. Spectral Defense: At 15th level, you gain resistance to force damage and advantage on saving throws against effects from other planes. This ability makes you more resilient against planar threats and further enhances your role as a protector of the material plane.

The Horizon Walker in Combat

The Horizon Walker is a versatile combatant who excels at both ranged and melee combat. Their ability to deal extra force damage and teleport around the battlefield makes them a formidable opponent against a wide range of enemies. In combat, Horizon Walkers typically use their Planar Warrior ability to enhance their attacks, teleport to advantageous positions using Ethereal Step and Distant Strike, and focus their attacks on high-priority targets, especially those from other planes. Horizon Walkers are also skilled at using their knowledge of planar magic to protect themselves and their allies from harm.

Building Your Horizon Walker

Creating an effective Horizon Walker requires careful consideration of your character's race, ability scores, skills, and equipment. Here are some tips to help you build a powerful and versatile Horizon Walker.

Choosing the Right Race

Selecting the right race can significantly enhance your Horizon Walker's abilities and playstyle. Here are some of the best races for Horizon Walkers:

• Wood Elf: Wood Elves are an excellent choice for Horizon Walkers due to their increased movement speed, Dexterity bonus, and proficiency in Stealth. These traits make them ideal for scouting ahead, maneuvering around the battlefield, and staying out of harm's way.
• Variant Human: Variant Humans offer a flexible option for Horizon Walkers, allowing you to choose a feat at 1st level. This can be particularly useful for gaining access to powerful feats like Crossbow Expert or Sharpshooter early on.
• Half-Elf: Half-Elves provide a balanced set of traits, including a Charisma bonus, two additional skill proficiencies, and advantage on saving throws against being charmed. These traits make them well-rounded characters who are effective both in and out of combat.
• Githzerai: Githzerai are a strong contender due to their Wisdom and Intelligence bonuses, coupled with advantage on saving throws against being charmed or frightened. Their innate psionic abilities also offer some nice utility.

Ability Scores

Prioritizing the right ability scores is crucial for creating an effective Horizon Walker. Here are the key ability scores for Horizon Walkers:

• Dexterity: Dexterity is your most important ability score, as it affects your attack rolls, Armor Class, and many important skills. Aim for a Dexterity score of 16 or higher at character creation.
• Wisdom: Wisdom is also important for Horizon Walkers, as it affects your spellcasting ability and perception. A Wisdom score of 14 or higher is recommended.
• Constitution: Constitution is essential for all characters, as it affects your hit points and saving throws. Aim for a Constitution score of 14 or higher to ensure you can withstand damage in combat.
• Intelligence: Intelligence can be useful for skill checks and investigation, but it is not as critical as Dexterity, Wisdom, and Constitution.
• Charisma: Charisma is typically the least important ability score for Horizon Walkers, as it has limited impact on their combat effectiveness.

Skills and Backgrounds

Choosing the right skills and backgrounds can help you create a well-rounded and versatile Horizon Walker. Here are some of the best skills and backgrounds for Horizon Walkers:

Skills:

• Stealth: Stealth is essential for scouting ahead and avoiding detection.
• Perception: Perception is crucial for spotting hidden threats and detecting ambushes.
• Survival: Survival is useful for navigating the wilderness and tracking enemies.
• Insight: Insight can help you determine the motivations of others and detect lies.

Backgrounds:

• Outlander: The Outlander background provides proficiency in Athletics and Survival, as well as the ability to forage for food and water in the wilderness.
• Hermit: The Hermit background provides proficiency in Medicine and Religion, as well as a secluded life discovery.
• Urchin: The Urchin background provides proficiency in Sleight of Hand and Stealth, as well as the ability to navigate the streets and find hidden passages.

Feats

Feats can provide powerful bonuses and abilities that can significantly enhance your Horizon Walker's effectiveness. Here are some of the best feats for Horizon Walkers:

• Sharpshooter: Sharpshooter is an excellent feat for ranged Horizon Walkers, as it allows you to ignore cover and increase your damage output.
• Crossbow Expert: Crossbow Expert allows you to make additional attacks with a hand crossbow and ignore the loading property, significantly increasing your damage output.
• Mobile: Mobile increases your movement speed and allows you to avoid opportunity attacks, making you more difficult to pin down in combat.
• Lucky: Lucky allows you to reroll attack rolls, saving throws, and ability checks, increasing your chances of success.
• Alert: Alert gives you a +5 bonus to initiative and prevents you from being surprised, making you more likely to act first in combat.

Equipment

Equipping your Horizon Walker with the right gear is essential for maximizing their effectiveness in combat. Here are some of the best equipment options for Horizon Walkers:

• Weapons: Longbow, Shortbow, Rapier, Shortsword
• Armor: Leather Armor, Scale Mail
• Magic Items: Boots of Elvenkind, Cloak of Protection, Ring of Evasion, Amulet of Health

Optimizing Your Horizon Walker

Optimizing your Horizon Walker involves making strategic choices about your character's abilities, spells, and tactics. Here are some tips to help you get the most out of your Horizon Walker:

Spell Selection

Choosing the right spells is crucial for maximizing your Horizon Walker's effectiveness. Here are some of the best spells for Horizon Walkers:

• Hunter's Mark: Hunter's Mark allows you to deal extra damage to a chosen target, making it an excellent choice for focusing your attacks.
• Zephyr Strike: Zephyr Strike increases your movement speed and allows you to make an attack with advantage, making it useful for repositioning and dealing extra damage.
• Misty Step: Misty Step allows you to teleport a short distance, providing excellent mobility and escape options.
• Haste: Haste doubles your movement speed, grants you an additional action, and provides a bonus to your Armor Class and saving throws.
• Conjure Animals: Conjure Animals allows you to summon a pack of creatures to aid you in battle, providing additional damage and battlefield control.

Tactical Considerations

Understanding the best tactics for using your Horizon Walker's abilities is essential for maximizing their effectiveness. Here are some tactical tips for Horizon Walkers:

• Use Planar Warrior to enhance your attacks: Planar Warrior significantly increases your damage output, especially against creatures from other planes. Always try to activate it before making an attack.
• Use Ethereal Step to reposition yourself: Ethereal Step allows you to move through objects and creatures, making it an excellent tool for escaping dangerous situations and repositioning yourself for a better attack.
• Use Distant Strike to attack multiple enemies: Distant Strike allows you to teleport between attacks, making it an excellent way to deal damage to multiple enemies in a single turn.
• Focus your attacks on high-priority targets: Horizon Walkers excel at taking down high-priority targets, especially those from other planes. Coordinate with your party to identify and eliminate these threats.
• Use your knowledge of planar magic to protect yourself and your allies: Horizon Walkers are skilled at using their knowledge of planar magic to protect themselves and their allies from harm. Be prepared to use your spells and abilities to defend against planar threats.

Multiclassing

Multiclassing can be a powerful way to enhance your Horizon Walker's abilities, but it's important to choose your multiclass carefully. Here are some of the best multiclass options for Horizon Walkers:

• Fighter: Dipping into Fighter for one or two levels can provide access to powerful fighting styles, such as Archery or Dueling, as well as Action Surge, which allows you to take an additional action in combat.
• Rogue: Dipping into Rogue for one or two levels can provide access to useful skills, such as Expertise, as well as Sneak Attack, which can add extra damage to your attacks.
• Cleric: Dipping into Cleric for one or two levels can provide access to healing spells and other useful abilities, such as Bless or Healing Word.

Roleplaying Your Horizon Walker

Roleplaying your Horizon Walker involves creating a compelling backstory, defining your character's motivations, and developing their personality. Here are some tips to help you roleplay your Horizon Walker:

Backstory Ideas

• A former member of a secret society dedicated to protecting the world from extraplanar threats: Your character may have been trained from a young age to detect and eliminate portals, planar rifts, and other anomalies.
• A traveler who has seen the horrors of other planes and is determined to prevent them from invading the material plane: Your character may have witnessed the destruction and suffering caused by extraplanar threats and is now driven to protect others from the same fate.
• A scholar who studies the planes and seeks to understand their mysteries: Your character may be fascinated by the planes and their inhabitants and seeks to unravel their secrets.

Motivations

• Protecting the material plane from extraplanar threats: Your character may be driven by a sense of duty to protect the world from harm.
• Maintaining the balance between different dimensions: Your character may believe that it is important to maintain the balance between different dimensions to prevent chaos and destruction.
• Seeking knowledge and understanding of the planes: Your character may be driven by a thirst for knowledge and a desire to understand the mysteries of the planes.

Personality Traits

• Stoic and determined: Your character may be serious and focused on their mission.
• Curious and inquisitive: Your character may be fascinated by the planes and eager to learn more about them.
• Protective and compassionate: Your character may be deeply concerned about the well-being of others and willing to risk their life to protect them.

Conclusion

The Horizon Walker is a powerful and versatile Ranger subclass that offers a unique blend of combat abilities, exploration skills, and planar lore. By carefully considering your character's race, ability scores, skills, spells, and tactics, you can create a Horizon Walker who is capable of taking on any challenge. Whether you're protecting the world from extraplanar threats, exploring the planes, or unraveling the mysteries of the multiverse, the Horizon Walker is sure to provide you with an exciting and rewarding gameplay experience. So go forth, brave adventurer, and walk the horizon!