The Corrupted Ranger subclass from Obojima: Tales from the Tall Grass offers a dark, flavorful twist on the traditional ranger fromDungeons & Dragons— one whose bond with nature has been warped by dark forces. As adventurers that have been afflicted or twisted by lingering curses, corrupted rangers walk the line between guardian and threat.

With powers that poison, drain, and mutate, they offer a perfect blend of battlefield control and unsettling flavor. This guide will show you how to build one effectively, from ability score priorities to equipment necessities, while embracing the eerie roots of corruption.

Obojima Tales from the Tall Grass image showing a corrupted ranger.

Corrupted Ranger Highlights

The idea of the corrupted ranger is thata strange illness is giving you powerswhile killing you slowly, although you don’t have to worry aboutthe ‘killing you slowly’ partwhen it comes to mechanics. The only real negative side effectshows up at level 15, a threshold not often crossed by most characters.

The features of the subclassare called Manifestations, and they go fromFirst to Fifth Manifestation. Some of themuse Curse Markers, which you gain by eitherusing a bonus actionortaking damage; the damage can befrom any source, something to keep in mind if you want to use your bonus action for something else.

A dragon sleeping in a pastoral barn in the Obojima campaign setting in Dungeons & Dragons.

Best Fourth Manifestation Ailments

The feature unlocked at level 11 is the only moment the corrupted ranger offerssome form of customizationbeyond what is already available to all other rangers. While there arethree ailments to choose from, you only get to use one, so you have to choose wisely.

Graying Vision

This ailmentgives you blindsight with a range of 15 feet, and you canautomatically detect most illusions. Since it offers no combat benefits, this is often consideredthe worst ailment, and your Dungeon Master might interpret your 15 feet of blindsight asyour only sense of sight, severely limiting your character in long-range scenarios.

You might consider using this ailment in campaignsfilled with spies and intrigue, letting you catch most deceptions and characters sneaking away. However, automatically succeeding on somethingremoves part of the fun, and you might push your Dungeon Master tonot use invisible units altogetherinstead of letting you outsmart them.

Obojima Tales from the Tall Grass image showing a college of masks bard.

Failing Lungs

Depending on your team composition, this ailmentcan be game-breaking. As an action, you canknock a target prone; this happensautomatically without a save, and you need to simplybe able to see the creature withno range limit attached.

You might be asked by your Dungeon Master to roleplay the constant coughing your character should be going through.

Obojima Tales from the Tall Grass image showing an adventurer surrounded by spirits and birds.

You also deal some damage based onhow many Curse Markers you have accumulated, but that is hardly the main use of this ability. By knocking a target prone, you are givingadvantage to your melee allieswhen hitting them, you aregrounding flying enemiesto pull them within reach, and you are makingyour caster’s Fireballs hit more often.

Losing Feeling

It’s hard to compete withgetting enemies prone on-demand, but if your party can’t make use of that ability, then Losing Feeling might bebetter suited for you. Once per long rest, you can mark an enemy and have yourCurse Markers deal a D6 instead of a D4, significantly improving your damage.

This is ideal when fightingsingle big threats, particularly if you want to deal most of the damage. However, thelack of limits around Failing Lungs’ abilitymakes it better all around, so consider that ailment carefully before committing to Losing Feeling.

Obojima Tales from the Tall Grass image showing a sheep dragon sheperd monk.

Best Species Options

Usingthe 2024 updated rules for Dungeons & Dragons, you may choose whatever species you’d like, andyour stats won’t be affected. The species shown in the Obojima: Tales from the Tall Grass book lean into this philosophy by letting youraise any stats you wantduring character creation, in case you want to use them with the 2014 rules.

Since gathering Curse Markers is key for the subclass,choosing tough speciesthat can take a beating likeorcsorgoliathscan be beneficial. Of course, you can alwaysgain Curse Markers with a bonus actionanyway, but you might want to save it for casting spells like Hunter’s Mark.

Obojima Tales from the Tall Grass image showing a Nakudama.

Best Stat Placements

Like most rangers,Dexterity,Wisdom,andConstitutionshould be your main stats, although the subclass itselfhas little use for Wisdom. Since you want to get hit, considerprioritizing Constitution over Wisdomwhenever possible.

Strength continues to be your dump stat, but now more than ever, as early as third level, this subclass lets youreplace Strength ability checks with a flat numberbased on your level, letting you aid others in lifting barricades or shoving enemies without actually focusing on the stat.

A player character admires a giant flying jellyfish in the Obojima campaign setting in Dungeons & Dragons.

Best Spells For Corrupted Rangers

Hunter’s Mark is, as ever,a key spell in the ranger’s arsenal, something thatstacks up significantly with the Curse Markers. To be able to use the spell effectively, you’ll want to have access to healing spells,such as Cure Wounds.

At 11th level, you might want to lean intothe strengths of your ailmentif you chose Failing Lungs, making you adept atcontrolling the battlefield. This opens you up to options likeSilence or Spike Growth, spells that require concentration and often compete with Hunter’s Mark; no longer the caseif you don’t plan to attackon your turn.

Obojima Tales from the Tall Grass image showing a caster making a water familiar.

Best Starting Equipment

At a glance, you might think that the Curse Markersdon’t trigger on ranged weapon attacks, but they actuallytrigger on all weapon attacks. Flavor-wise, they should also trigger on unarmed attacks, but the point is thatthe ranger’s basic equipmentworks perfectly for corrupted rangers.

Best Feats And Backgrounds

If you’re using the background options from the 2024 Player’s Handbook, thenan ideal background is Wayfarer, letting you raise Dexterity and Wisdom. If you want to focus on Dexterity and Constitution, thenthe Soldier backgroundmight be a better choice.

For feats, basic ones that work well for other rangers work here,like Sharpshooter or Dual Wielder. However, a more Obojima-centric feat isMinor Corruption, whichblends perfectly with the theme of the subclass, and it lets you negate damage for one turn while still getting hit.

Obojima Tales from the Tall Grass image showing a ramen shop.

Best Multiclassing Options

A corrupted ranger functions very differentlybefore and after level 11, so your focus on multiclassing should take that into consideration. Before that level, you’d want tobuff up your damage-per-turnas much as possible, anda level on Rogue does just that: you’d be piling up your Hunter’s Mark, Curse Markers, and Sneak Attack in a single blow.

After level 11, you might want to gointo full caster territoryto have more supportive options,mostly on the druid side. Since you may stilluse class features while Wild Shaped, knocking enemies prone while turned intoa hard-to-find ratcan be an incredible boon to your party.

An adventurer on horseback next to a mushroom spirit in the Obojima campaign setting in Dungeons & Dragons.