The Dungeons & Dragons 5e ruleset is notably cruel to rangers, as they are all missing an important item unless players are aware of what they need beforehand and work out a way to acquire one. The D&D 5e ranger has been revised over the course of the current edition, and it will likely be tweaked again in One D&D in the future. This is because the version in the Player's Handbook is considered underpowered compared to other classes, especially for the Beastmaster subclass.
In D&D 5e, all spells have a verbal, somatic, or material component. The material component means that the spell needs an item in order to be cast. This includes the fireball spell, which needs sulfur and a ball of bat guano in order to be cast. A spellcaster can bypass the need for a component by either using a spellcasting focus or a component pouch. Most of the classes have their own specific spellcasting focus, such as how D&D bards make musical instruments useful as a conduit for their magic. The component pouch is an item that costs 25 gold pieces and can act as a substitute for a focus, as it contains individual components. The only components that aren't covered by these items are the ones with a gold piece value, such as the 200 gold pieces worth of diamond dust needed to cast glyph of warding.
The spellcasting component rules are a mixture of streamlining things for the players while stopping some spells from becoming overpowered. A focus means the players don't need to worry about the minutia of owning components, while the monetary ones stop players from spamming powerful spells, like simulacrum. One class isn't so blessed, as the D&D rangers don't start out with the necessary tools for using their spells.
D&D Rangers Require A Component Pouch (But Don't Start With One)
The D&D 5e spellcasting classes all gain a spellcasting focus as part of their starting gear. A bard gets an instrument, clerics and paladins get a holy symbol, druids get a druidic focus, and sorcerers, warlocks, and wizards get an arcane focus. The ranger is unique in this regard, as they gain the ability to cast spells at level 2, yet they cannot use a spellcasting focus. They can use a component pouch, but they have to buy it, as they don't get one as an option in their starting gear. This means a player might accidentally memorize spells that they can't actually use, especially if the party is broke or is in the middle of an adventure, and can't rush back to town to do some shopping.
D&D's Ranger Spells That Need Components To Cast
The ranger's level one spell list includes several spells that require a component to cast. D&D's goodberry spell should be banned in some campaigns, as it creates healing berries that also nourish those who eat them, but the spell requires a sprig of mistletoe to cast. The alarm spell creates a magical silent alarm that rings out in the caster's head whenever a stranger approaches and it requires a tiny bell and some silver wire to cast. The animal friendship spell lets the ranger magically compel an animal into thinking they mean no harm and it requires a morsel of food. The jump spell triples a creature's jumping distance when touched and this requires a grasshopper's hind leg as a component. The longstrider spell increases a creature's movement speed by 10ft and it requires a pinch of dirt as a component, though this should be easy enough to find.
The level two ranger spell list also has plenty of spells with components. The animal messenger spell compels an animal to carry a message for the character and this requires a morsel of food. D&D's amazing darkvision spell lets the character see in the dark and it requires either an agate or a piece of carrot. The barkskin spell makes a character's flesh as hard as wood and this requires a handful of oak bark. The cordon of arrows spell transforms several arrows or bolts into a magical trap that attacks enemies that approach, requiring the character to own arrows or bolts to use as part of the spell. The locate animals or plants spell lets the character sense a specific type of animal or plant and it requires some bloodhound fur as a component. while the locate object spell tracks an object and it requires a forked twig as a component. The fantastic pass without trace spell provides a +10 to Dexterity (Stealth) checks and it requires ashes from a burned leaf of mistletoe and a sprig of spruce to cast. The spike growth spell creates giant spikes that damage enemies and slow their movement, but it requires seven sharp thorns or seven sharpened twigs to cast.
There are some ranger spells higher than level one that require components. The conjure woodland beings spell is the D&D spell that nearly broke the game, as it lets the player summon polymorph-spamming pixies and it requires a holly berry per creature summoned as a component. The conjure barrage (as well as the conjure volley spell) duplicates a piece of ammunition or a thrown weapon and launches at them at an enemy, requiring a piece of ammo or a thrown weapon to cast. The water breathing does exactly what it says on the tin and it needs a piece of straw as a component, while the water walk spell (also self-explanatory) needs a piece of cork. The wind wall spell creates a wind barrier that pushes enemies back and it requires a fan and a feather of exotic origin. The freedom of movement spell stops the character from being magically impeded and it requires a leather strap. The locate creature spell can track an individual and it requires some bloodhound fur. The swift quiver spell lets the player spend their bonus action to attack a second time with a ranger weapon, which requires a quiver.
One D&D will hopefully fix the ranger and give them a spell component. There are some spell components that they should be able to easily acquire, like bits of dirt or the ammunition that is going to be enchanted, while others will be a tall ask in certain adventures. A character who is in the jungles of Chult in Tomb of Annihilation might struggle to find some bloodhound hair or holly berries. The Dungeons & Dragons 5e ranger is notably one of the weakest classes in the game, and the extra messing around with spell components is another example of them lagging behind the other spellcasters.