Playable from level 1 - 40 .PvM

I saw many comments at the public forums asking about rangers and most of them criticizing it.

I took a look at the pro/cons of the class... In my opinion if you want to go dex-based (A strength based ranger with full plate, shield and sword should work too, despite the fact that he doesn't look like a ranger) multiclassing is almost a must, you lack damage and uncanny dodge. I tried to make a ranger build that could work like one, he isn't the strongest build, but he can protect himself.

He is mainly a tactic fighter who relies on traps, scrolls, wands, poison, magic weapons and his companions to deal with his enemies.

It is designed to get Bane of Enemies as soon as possible, deal as much damage as possible and still keep the ranger identity trying to keep his companion as strong as possible and getting 11 favored enemies.

He works good both with bow (his extra damage to favored enemies will help a lot here) and shortswords (favored enemies + specialization).

I hope you like him:

Note: I advance skills 5 by 5 in order to improve readability.

Ranger(33), Fighter(4), Assassin(3), Human (Go elf if you dont care about the xp penalty).

STR: 14
DEX: 16 (30)
CON: 12
WIS: 12
INT: 14
CHA: 8

01: Ranger(1): Weapon Focus: Shortsword, Weapon Finesse, Favored Enemy I, Save(28)
02: Ranger(2): Craft Trap(5), Discipline(5), Hide(5), Move Silently(5), Set Trap(5)
03: Ranger(3): Weapon Focus: Longbow, Save(7)
04: Ranger(4): DEX+1, (DEX=17), Save(7)
05: Ranger(5): Favored Enemy II, Save(7)
06: Ranger(6): Point Blank Shot, Save(7)
07: Ranger(7): Craft Trap(5), Discipline(5), Hide(5), Move Silently(5), Set Trap(5)
08: Ranger(8): DEX+1, (DEX=18), Save(7)
09: Ranger(9): Called Shot, R: (Improved Two-Weapon Fighting), Save(7)
10: Ranger(10): Favored Enemy III, Save(7)
11: Ranger(11): Save(7)
12: Ranger(12): DEX+1, Rapid Shot, (DEX=19), Craft Trap(5), Discipline(5), Hide(5), Move Silently(5), Set Trap(5)
13: Ranger(13): Save(7)
14: Ranger(14): Save(7)
15: Ranger(15): Improved Critical: Shortsword, Favored Enemy IV, Save(7)
16: Ranger(16): DEX+1, (DEX=20), Save(7)
17: Ranger(17): Craft Trap(5), Discipline(5), Hide(5), Move Silently(5), Set Trap(5)
18: Ranger(18): Toughness, Save(7)
19: Ranger(19): Save(7)
20: Ranger(20): DEX+1, Favored Enemy V, (DEX=21), Save(7)
21: Ranger(21): Bane of Enemies, Save(7)
22: Assassin(1): Craft Trap(5), Disable Trap(2), Hide(5), Move Silently(5), Open Lock(2), Set Trap(5), Tumble(25), UMD(21)
23: Assassin(2): Disable Trap(4), Open Lock(4)
24: Fighter(1): DEX+1, Epic Prowess, Epic Weapon Focus: Shortsword, (DEX=22), Discipline(5)
25: Fighter(2): Armor Skin, Save(5)
26: Fighter(3): Save(5)
27: Fighter(4): Weapon Specialization: Shortsword, Epic Weapon Specialization: Shortsword, Craft Trap(5), Discipline(5)
28: Ranger(22): DEX+1, (DEX=23), Hide(5), Move Silently(5), Set Trap(5)
29: Ranger(23): Favored Enemy VI, Save(7)
30: Ranger(24): Great Dexterity I, (DEX=24), Save(7)
31: Ranger(25): Favored Enemy VII, Save(7)
32: Ranger(26): DEX+1, Favored Enemy VIII, (DEX=25), Craft Trap(5), Discipline(5), Hide(5), Move Silently(5), Set Trap(5)
33: Ranger(27): Great Dexterity II, (DEX=26), Save(7)
34: Ranger(28): Save(7)
35: Ranger(29): Favored Enemy IX, Save(7)
36: Ranger(30): DEX+1, Great Dexterity III, Favored Enemy X, (DEX=28), Save(7)
37: Ranger(31): Craft Trap(5), Discipline(5), Hide(5), Move Silently(5), Set Trap(5)
38: Ranger(32): Favored Enemy XI, Save(7)
39: Assassin(3): Great Dexterity IV, (DEX=29), Disable Trap(5), Tumble(15)
40: Ranger(33): DEX+1, (DEX=30), Craft Trap(3), Discipline(3), Hide(3), Move Silently(3), Set Trap(3)

Max HP: 468

Saving Throws (Fortitude/Will/Reflex): 23/17/26

AB: 30(Base) +3(EWF) +1(Epic Prowess) +10(Dex) -2(Dualwield)= 42AB
42 AB with longbow (40 with rapid shot on)


Naked AC: 10(Base) +10(dex) +2(armor skin) +8(tumble)

Spell Casting: Ranger(2)
//I dont find anything useful on 3rd and 4th ranger spells, 2 is good enough for getting cat's grace and a few useful skill buffs (camouflage/one with the land).

Craft Trap 43(45)
Disable Trap 11(15)
Discipline 43(45)
Hide 43(53)
Move Silently 43(53)
Open Lock 6(16)
Set Trap 43(55)
Tumble 40(50)
UMD 21(20)

Damage:
1d6(shortsword) +2(str, half of this for offhand) +6(Epic weapon specialization) +7(favored enemy) +2d6(bane of enemies) +[2d6 sneak-death attack].

1d6 +8 [+2d6 death attack] to any enemy (main hand)
1d6 +7 [+2d6 death attack] to any enemy (off hand)

3d6 +15 [+2d6 death attack] to favored (main hand)
3d6 +14 [+2d6 death attack] to favored (off hand)


Quote: Tweaks

If you want to improve his melee presence you can drop rapid shot and weapon focus longbow for Knockdown and improved knockdown (called shot works in melee).

You can also drop PBS and called shot in order to boost your saves with luck of heroes and iron will (for example).

I tried to make him as versatile as possible, the only thing I didn't invest on was animal empathy, but it uses to be useless. It can be maxed if you pick skill points from UMD, unlock and untrap.

More tweaks? Comments? Suggestions for favored enemies?
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HEAD KNIGHT: Shh shh. We are now the Knights Who Say Ekke ekke ekke ptang zoo boing!
RANDOM: Ni!

Edited By griphook on 07/28/05 15:53

Hmmm... I forgot Playable from level 1-40 PvM build.
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HEAD KNIGHT: Shh shh. We are now the Knights Who Say Ekke ekke ekke ptang zoo boing!
RANDOM: Ni! Nice build. I'm not up on the board-speak you're referring to, but rangers to me are broadly under-represented in terms of epic builds. I think there are a lot of reasons, but I'll hold off on that front.

As I look through this, I'm wondering why Assassin. You get UMD & Tumble, some trap/lock stuff, and a low sneak attack. I'm wondering whether you'd be better off going Monk, leveraging flurry of blows (more hits will probably get better damage output), and possibly even going 30/4/6 for KD/IKD. You also get add'l feats like Cleave for free and WIS bonus for AC, and if you go Rg16/Mk4 pre-epic, your saves will be much better as well. I did a R22/C12/Mk6 build a long time ago, and the damage output was very decent once everything added up and got to 11 attacks/rd. Yours will probably be better average output, because it will be more consistent w/ Fighter feats, etc.

I would also say STR is a better way to go than DEX, particularly as you have Tb. Given damage output is low to begin with, going DEX only makes it more so.

Anyway, just a thought. Nice work.

Edited By jjellison on 07/20/05 14:22

QUOTE

Spell Casting: Ranger(2)
//I dont find anything useful on 3rd and 4th ranger spells, 2 is good enough for getting cat's grace and a few useful skill buffs (camouflage/one with the land).

END QUOTE

While it is true that the Ranger has some pretty useless spells, it just depends on how you apply them. For example, at third level, you get Greater Magic Fang, which is a big help in getting your animal companion to pierce damage reduction. Also, you can use freedom of movement to avoid getting stuck in one place, clearly a bad thing for any dex-based warrior. I recommend reading a post in the build request forum about rangers by mithdrates, if you haven't already. It helps put the ranger in a different light (at least it did for me )

-C
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Quote: Posted 07/20/05 14:20:52 (GMT) -- jjellison
As I look through this, I'm wondering why Assassin. You get UMD & Tumble, some trap/lock stuff, and a low sneak attack.

Why take assassin:
- Assassin gets Uncanny Dodge at level 2 (This was my main reason).
- Assassin gets 2d6 death attack to make up the damage output.
- Avoiding the xp penalty (anyway, it is possible to take monk 3 without penalty if properly mixed with fighter).
- If taking monk I should have to sacrifice an epic feat or 1 AB plus the UMD, unlock and untrap, anyway it can be worth the trade to get 10 hasted attacks per round and extra 10% speed. I have used monk in many builds and I wanted to test something different, most of my builds are goofy kama dualwielders .
- I think that a ranger/fighter/monk already exists in the list.

Thanks for the comment .
_________________
HEAD KNIGHT: Shh shh. We are now the Knights Who Say Ekke ekke ekke ptang zoo boing!
RANDOM: Ni!
Quote: Posted 07/20/05 14:56:35 (GMT) -- christian.schnabel

While it is true that the Ranger has some pretty useless spells, it just depends on how you apply them. For example, at third level, you get Greater Magic Fang, which is a big help in getting your animal companion to pierce damage reduction. Also, you can use freedom of movement to avoid getting stuck in one place, clearly a bad thing for any dex-based warrior. I recommend reading a post in the build request forum about rangers by mithdrates, if you haven't already. It helps put the ranger in a different light (at least it did for me )

Thats true. It also depends on how low magic a world is. Most worlds have belts of agility and these give out freedom for free. About the magic fang, I do prefer the 1AB +1AC +1hide/stealth/unlock/set trap than it. Anyway, it is possible to get those by trading the 2 great dex for 2 great wis or starting with 14 wis and forgeting about... unlock, untrap, umd and a few points on craft trap. Anyway, you can always use a wand or scroll (thanks to UMD ).

This character isn't on the whole line of the epic character builds, he is a bit item dependant, but if played properly (a tactic stealth fighter) he can take down incredibly powerful foes (This isnt my idea but I loved it when someone told me: Place 30 epic traps in the same place, lure the powerful boss there, watch him fall diced, sliced, exploded... kill his minions with your fighting skills and your companion).
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HEAD KNIGHT: Shh shh. We are now the Knights Who Say Ekke ekke ekke ptang zoo boing!
RANDOM: Ni!
Quote: Posted 07/20/05 17:58:01 (GMT) -- fernandooa

Why take assassin:
- Assassin gets Uncanny Dodge at level 2 (This was my main reason).

Good point. Forgot about that benefit. 2d6 sneak attack though doesn't seem like much of a benefit compared to 11 attacks.

Quote: 
- I have used monk in many builds and I wanted to test something different, most of my builds are goofy kama dualwielders .
- I think that a ranger/fighter/monk already exists in the list.

Lot of my dual builds are kama weirdos also. Too much fun ramping up to 11 attacks. And only try, look into combos not done before. Not much fun w/o the quirky to me either.

Rgr/Fighter/x are very common, and adding monk is pretty straightforward, so I'm not surprised. Hey, I didn't say it was an original thought...
Quote: Posted 07/20/05 17:58:01 (GMT) -- fernandooa

... most of my [monk] builds are goofy kama dualwielders ....
Hey! I resemble that remark!
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Quote: 
Good point. Forgot about that benefit. 2d6 sneak attack though doesn't seem like much of a benefit compared to 11 attacks.

6 attacks main hand +1 haste +1 flurry, and then only 2 offhand no matter what (haste or flurry) you do will get you 10.
Sorry to spam the post, but I feel this is a bit relevant.