Ranger Favored Enemies

[Masque]

A strength based ranger in Mithral Plate with an exotic double weapon using throwing axes as a back up ranged option would be very strong. As MIthral plate only gives a - 4 to things like Move Silently you're still able to make decent enough use of the HiPS you'll pick up at 18th level.

The double weapon to allow you to take advantage of those nice two weapon fighting feats with the added bonus of only having to enchant and find one decent weapon.

That being said play what is fun but I suspect the above is one of the stronger ranger builds you can produce (going pure ranger that is) as everything synergies quite well.  

[Yaldabaoth]

Feb 3, 2014 15:59:13 GMT -5 Masque said:

A strength based ranger in Mithral Plate with an exotic double weapon using throwing axes as a back up ranged option would be very strong. As MIthral plate only gives a - 4 to things like Move Silently you're still able to make decent enough use of the HiPS you'll pick up at 18th level.

The double weapon to allow you to take advantage of those nice two weapon fighting feats with the added bonus of only having to enchant and find one decent weapon.

That being said play what is fun but I suspect the above is one of the stronger ranger builds you can produce (going pure ranger that is) as everything synergies quite well.  

Unfortunately, Mithril Plate Mail is still a medium armor, and thus does not allow you to use ranger feats.  Mithril Breastplate, on the other hand, is certainly viable, although it is ludicrously rare, and because of it's nature as being an ultra-niche armor, most people don't bother to hang on to it for other people.  They just sell it right to the store, where it gets eaten by resets.  Adamantine Full Plate, conversely, rarely makes it to the store, because most people hang on to it for their friends, or to sell to acquaintances.

[Masque]

Apologies you are correct! I would still hold out for the breastplate though or take the hit and just select 'two weapon fighting' as one of your feat choices (as it is now essentially a better version of dual wield). You would still pick up Improved Two Weapon Fighting for free which would function with medium armour.

In fairness looking at the Ranger class with the CD additions you get enough bonus feats to really take everything you would want to with the major exception of Weapon Specialisation. The obvious PRC choice is Hospilater (throw in the Div Might/Shield feats} but ranger is one of the few classes that really rewards you for taking a lot of levels in it. It also has access to some of the best skills in the game mixing in both survival and utility orientated skills.


When building for power on CD a good question to ask yourself is - How can I make my build less reliant on dexterity? Otherwise the Ranger really seems quite a solid choice.

[The Red Mage]

Stay away from the double weapons. There are none tier 4 and up. They offer the same penalties for damage and AB as just using a scimitar/ longsword/ bastardsword and shortsword/ handaxe/ mace, all which have good options in loot. I wouldn't go for hospitaler, honestly. They are severely punished in the skill point division, and if you wanted the divine feats, you'd have to invest into strength, dex, con, wisdom, and charisma, which, well, you can't. The extra feats are nice, but you'd be better splashing a few fighter levels or taking divine champion.

It's always a mind game with ranger though, because you want to splash class, but you know you are delaying that big level 21 ranger strength. Ranger now gets enough skill points and skill variety to not need to multiclass, really.

[Masque]

I would always suggest going pure Ranger if you're going for Ranger although if you absolutely wanted to multi-class I just honestly think Hospilater is your best bet with a strength charisma focus but then why not take Paladin or Cleric? Then I suppose that hits the real point of the Ranger class it does some things well but there is almost always a better option if you go outside of the niche.  

I don't think the criticism about the lack of top double weapons is 100% valid only because CD has a very decent policy about deficiencies in loot and that is make some on par with what is in current loot and then send them to Vincent and they'll probably go in the module. It also allows any weapon focus type feats to stack with the one weapon you're using which is a bonus instead of having a deficiency in one hand or the other.

Otherwise Ranger pretty much gives you everything you need in a frontliner class - Full BAB, decent hit points, enough extra feats and access to essential skills - Discipline and Tumble. Along with some unusual goodies such as HiPS and a really decent epic feat which the other front line classes distinctly lack (looking at you in particular Paladin anf Fighter).