After seeing quite a few posts about either High-Dex Rangers or Strength-based Rangers using Full Plate, I thought I would post my "ideal" Ranger build. This is the basis of most Ranger builds that I normally use. It is strength-based, but still "acts" like a Ranger (light armor, sneaky, can effectively us a bow) There's nothing new or inspired about it, but as I didn't find anything too close, I figured I'd post it.
Favored Enemies are just a suggestion; tailor to individual mods.
One nice thing about this Ranger build is that Empowered Cat's Grace and some Bracers of Dex or Belt of Agility, and you can easily get your Dex up into the mid to high 20's. This enables you to use a bow effectively; especially if you are using a mighty bow, where your strength damage + FE damage can really put the hurt on people.
The ShadowDancer levels are for HiPs and Tumble point dumps, which helps the AC, one of the weak points of this build. ShadowDancer levels also give you Uncanny Dodge, Evasion and a couple of other nice abilities.
I take the Exotic Weapon's feat because this build seems geared toward versatility among weapon types. Be it 2-handed swords, spears, Katanas, Kukri's, Longbow's, Traps, Shortwords, Shuriken; anything he runs across, he can use, and use fairly well. Note: If you know there is a weapon that you intend to use, you could drop the Exotic feat and pick up Weapon Focus and then perhaps drop Armor skin to get Epic WF. This would up your AB by 3.
I generally use 2-handed weapons (swords or axes) against non-FE's and then dual-wield when I'm fighting FE's to help rack up the FE damage (this is especially effective in and after your "teens". And I always keep a Sword and Board quickslotted for when the going gets tough.
This isn't an "uber" build to be sure, but can be fun as it lets you try out different weapons and tactics, while still dealing out a pretty good amount of damage. With the low-ish AB and HPs, you will still need to utilize tactics, spells and HiPS.
A good variant would be to switch Shadowdancer with Rogue. This would up your versatility in the skills department, but I feel that SD works better with the "feel" of this build. A couple of points in favor of the Rogue, though, would be that you could drop Dodge and Mobility for Toughness and another feat of choice.
As always, feedback and suggestions are welcome...
Edited By griphook on 10/11/05 14:00
This build can easily be improved. You have room for WF in pre-epic for one of your feats. In the epic, drop 2 gr.STR for Armor skin and EWF. This will give you +1 AB, +2 AC, for only 1 point less damage. Then drop 1 FE, for epic prowess. You lose 1 more damage vs FE's, but gain another AB. You will have AB 43 with chosen weapon, and 39 with other ones. Well worth it, IMO. You gain a nice amount of FE's, take creatures you know you will face a lot, since it is strength based. I like Rangers, so well done.
Level 36 Ranger yields you nothing, swap it for another SD level to get defensive roll, and uncanny dodge II.
Nifty build. I like it. Grimnir makes some good points, though, which I'd take into consideration. I know you probably don't want to 'marry' yourself to a specific weapon (that's why I assume you didn't go for the Weapon Focus and EWF feats), but I think it would make good sense to pick them up. It would give you +3 AB (as Grim pointed out) when using your chosen weapon, but you'd still be able to use any other weapon the situation warrants and you wouldn't be any worse off than you are with your original build.
At the very least, I'd pick up Epic Prowess, as it adds +1 AB regardless of weapon.
Again, I like this build quite a lot. Versatile and effective. I'm betting he's fun to play. _________________ Wave upon wave of demented avengers marched cheerfully out of obscurity into the dream...
This is the way I play Ranger as well! ...and yes - it is fun to play
The build is perfect for "dual wielding" the double weapons like the two-bladed sword, the double axe and the dire mace.
I prefer focusing on a weapon for the extra AB and take less great str. Power attack and cleave can be dropped (they are best early on, and you'll survive well without them), leaving room for knockdown and weapon focus.
If I play the lvls, I make it a Ranger 35/SD 5 build, like Grimnir suggested.
If I make it a build "born" at lvl 40 I go Ranger 38/SD 2 for the extra FE and still getting evasion/UD. I take the SD lvls in epic for max BAB and skill dumping. _________________ I generally avoid temptation, unless I can't resist it...
Edited By Mick Dagger on 10/12/05 09:42
In a world where disarm is effective in so many ways does this build change drastically if I raise Int to 13 and lower, say, Wis? Is the Wis tied to a feat or not? If it is viable to make the change, where would you pick up disarm and what feat would you lose?
Wisdom is not tied to a feat, no, but Ranger spellcasting. If you're willing to sacrifice the spells altogether the obvious choice would be to drop Empower spell. _________________ Surely, without war there would be no loss - hence, no mourning, no grief, no pain, no misery...
