Basically been having fun with Rangers recently, this is one idea for those that think a ranger needs to be able to tough out a fight when strategy is not an option. The goal was to get EDR III and BoE as soon as possible. Both come a little late for my liking, but I already had to sacrifice AB just to achieve it.
One thing is that you can wear heavy armour, which I found to be very helpful. Switching to light armour, especially in worlds where you gain a speed bonus, makes trap setting quite decent. Dual wielding is not recommended, but it is still an option for those who play carefully.
I have tried to strengthen the weaker areas, but I am still not too happy with the end result. But the RP-idea is fun. A dwarf who chooses the way of the ranger, yet uses these methods (traps, stealth, alertness, animal companion) down in the deep of the mountain.
This is probably more of a tankish battle ranger, but I am working on an different path for those looking for a more traditional ranger.

Suggestions in keeping with the buld idea are welcome.


Name: Hunter in the Dark
Classes: Ranger 26, Fighter 12, Shadowdancer 2
Playable 1-40, PvM
Race: Dwarf
Alignment: Any

Stats:

Str 14 to 24
Dex 14 to 14
Con 16 to 22
Wis 14 to 14
Int 14 to 14
Cha 6 to 6


Leveling:

1 Ranger1 WF FE1
2 Fighter1 Dodge
3 Fighter2 BF
4 Fighter3 (STR 15)
5 Fighter4 WS
6 Ranger2 Mobility
7 Ranger3
8 Shadowdancer1 (STR 16)
9 Shadowdancer2 IC
10 Ranger4
11 Ranger5 FE2
12 Ranger6 Iron Will (STR 17)
13 Ranger7
14 Ranger8
15 Ranger9 Great Fort
16 Ranger10 FE3(STR 18)
17 Ranger11
18 Ranger12 Lightning Reflexes
19 Ranger13
20 Ranger14 (CON 17)

21 Ranger15 EWF, Great Con I (CON 18)
22 Ranger16
23 Ranger17
24 Ranger18 Great Con II (CON 20)
25 Ranger19
26 Ranger20 FE4
27 Ranger21 Bane of Enemies
28 Fighter5 (CON 21)
29 Fighter6 EDR I
30 Fighter7 Great Str I
31 Fighter8 EDR II
32 Fighter9
33 Fighter10 Great Str II, EDR III
34 Ranger22
35 Fighter11
36 Fighter12 Great Str III, EWS
37 Ranger23 FE5
38 Ranger24
39 Ranger25 Great Con III
40 Ranger26 FE6




Skills: 104 Ranger + 24 Fighter + 12 Shadowdancer + 80 INT = 220
Discipline 43 [50]
Hide 10 [12]
Move Silently 30 [32]
Tumble 10(15 skill points spent)
Set Trap 33[35]
Craft Trap 33[35]
Listen 43[45] +7 vs FEs
Heal 13[15]


Spells: All 4 Ranger level of spells
1: Camoflage, Ultravision, Resist Elements
2: Cat's Grace, One with Land, Protection from Elements
3: Aid, Invisibility Purge, Greater Magic Fang
4: Mass Camoflage


HP: 616


AC: 14 naked, 24 with fullplate and shield, 22-23 buffed in chain shirt with towershield, 19 dual-wielding in hide. Dodge grants +1 against current or last foe. You need it. Mobility doesn't hurt either.


AB: 39/34/29/24


Saves:

Fort 31 (33 vs spells)
Reflex 22 (24 vs spells, Evasion)
Will 19 (21 vs spells)


Pros:
Strong HP coupled with okay DR.
Up and personal melee or hit and hide or trap and lure battle strategies all possible.
Strong offense with +6 Weapon Specialization damage, +7 FE damage, +2d6 FE damage and +7 STR damage.
Sneak Attack Damage from panther companion.
Ranger Spells to support abilities and animal companion, and reduce elemental damage.
Craft and Set all but Epic Traps and Deadly Gas Traps.
Low likelihood of being ambushed due to ability to hide and strong listen ability.


Cons:
Mediocre Saves - Despite trying to boost them a little, they are still low. Alright for a ranger but could be better. Versus spells Fort is almost okay, and Evasion helps a lot.
Weak AC - varies with situation, but another level of SD (for a tumble dump) or grabbing Armor Skin would help. Could drop a FE for AS, but that means one less enemies to use BoE with (similar effect when grabbing another SD level in place of a Ranger level). Pushing back SD level(s) means waiting for uncanny dodge (limiting armour choice) and possibily waiting for HiPS.
Weak AB - closer to a CHA-based pally than a ranger or fighter. Could swap out a FE for EP but +1 to AB versus +2 AB and +2d6+7 damage for all FEs is a hard choice to swallow (for me). Just cast Aid and you at least have 40, which is serviceable. It is 41 against FE's though, 42 with Aid, for the record.
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“If you bring a Ranger with you, it is well to pay attention to him...” The build's cool, but one has to ask why so few Tumble ranks?
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"We keep our Feast of Feasts, sure of our bourne,
Our aims self-same:
The Guest of Guests, friend Zarathustra, came!
The world now laughs, the grisly veil was torn,
And Light and Dark were one that wedding-morn."
Quote: Posted 06/18/06 23:41:56 (GMT) -- FinneousPJ

The build's cool, but one has to ask why so few Tumble ranks?

Seconded. You can justify not taking another SD level at 37 for max tumble, but why only 10 and not 20?

EDIT OF DOOM: Wait, you're not a Dex build (thus no need for uncanny dodge). Why aren't you taking SD level 2 at 37?
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CATS!

Edited By avarielo on 06/19/06 00:54

Well, I need to reallocate some more points into tumble. But waiting for the second level of SD is probably ok. The only draw back is that uncanny dodge and evasion come extremely late. if you want the option of using lighter armour then you need this. I prefer to keep a set of the light stuff around, just for this purpose. Also keeps you in the best armour you can find, for the right situation. Cast a cat's grace and wear something lighter if you need to sneak or are in a party without a rogue. But in general you guys are right, this one is mostly in heavy armour, so postponing SD2 is (probably) the right choice. I just like giving him the option.
Quote: Posted 06/18/06 21:39:57 (GMT) -- christian.schnabel

Weak AC - varies with situation, but another level of SD (for a tumble dump) or grabbing Armor Skin would help. Could drop a FE for AS, but that means one less enemies to use BoE with (similar effect when grabbing another SD level in place of a Ranger level). Pushing back SD level(s) means waiting for uncanny dodge (limiting armour choice) and possibily waiting for HiPS.
Weak AB - closer to a CHA-based pally than a ranger or fighter. Could swap out a FE for EP but +1 to AB versus +2 AB and +2d6+7 damage for all FEs is a hard choice to swallow (for me). Just cast Aid and you at least have 40, which is serviceable. It is 41 against FE's though, 42 with Aid, for the record.
There's still a not used FE feat (= ranger epic bonus feat) at ranger level 25. So you could take Armor Skin or perhaps take a third SD level at the end instead of ranger(26) without losing anything.
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Edited By Kamiryn on 06/19/06 05:30

Quote: Posted 06/19/06 05:27:57 (GMT) -- Kamiryn

Quote: Posted 06/18/06 21:39:57 (GMT) -- christian.schnabel

Weak AC - varies with situation, but another level of SD (for a tumble dump) or grabbing Armor Skin would help. Could drop a FE for AS, but that means one less enemies to use BoE with (similar effect when grabbing another SD level in place of a Ranger level). Pushing back SD level(s) means waiting for uncanny dodge (limiting armour choice) and possibily waiting for HiPS.
Weak AB - closer to a CHA-based pally than a ranger or fighter. Could swap out a FE for EP but +1 to AB versus +2 AB and +2d6+7 damage for all FEs is a hard choice to swallow (for me). Just cast Aid and you at least have 40, which is serviceable. It is 41 against FE's though, 42 with Aid, for the record.
There's still a not used FE feat (= ranger epic bonus feat) at ranger level 25. So you could take Armor Skin or perhaps take a third SD level at the end instead of ranger(26) without losing anything.

Not losing anything except a favored enemy ...
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CATS!
Quote: Posted 06/19/06 13:25:56 (GMT) -- avarielo

Quote: Posted 06/19/06 05:27:57 (GMT) -- Kamiryn

... without losing anything.

Not losing anything except a favored enemy ...

He would still have 6 favored enemies . But of course he could just take a seventh one.
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Customize Character override hak: Modify/dye armor, cloak, ... change portrait, head, tail, wings, tattoos, hair/skin color, rename, glowing eyes... in game. Epic prowess is a ranger bonus feat.

Or he could postpone BoE to a ranger feat and take AS on that level. He'd still have all the FE's he has now.

Btw, chgristian, i feel lvl 26 is an excellent split for multi-classed rangers, since those 6 epic levels give you many feats.
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Dragonlance ROH is back, better than before! and I spend a little time here WoG I agree with everything said thus far.
And I do find that level 26 is a good cut off point, but the more FEs the better. But 6 or 7 is about right. Enough to be powerful and enough levels left over to do something with them.
Thanks for all the helpful comments and encouragements.

-cs