Help us build an Ogre-Mage Hunter!

OK - so my friend has asked me to help build NPCs for his campaign but I'm currently in Tibet and don't have access to my books. When I get home in a few days I'll get right on it but I thought you folks here might like a shot at it first.

Here's what we need:

(He's running an Oriental Adventures-based homebrew world)

12th-level Dwarven Ranger
25-point stat array, 3.5, splatbooks OK but no FR-specific, DL-specific, or Mongoose stuff please.

Character concept is a lone ranger type, a noted bounty hunter famed for his tracking and killing of Ogre Mages. My friend wants him specifically tailored for this purpose. The PCs are around 12th-level and currently after a CR 16 Ogre Mage/Blackguard controlling a band of stone giants.

I'm thinking that he should have a decent ranged ability, due to the tremendous advantage the invisible, flying Ogre Mages would have in mountainous terrain. Perhaps some kind of invisiblity-purge item and a repeating heavy harpoon-crossbow to pin the monsters down???

-Anyway, any help appreciated! Thanks in advance and have fun!

How about a Dwarven Ranger 7 / Foe Hunter 5? (MotW)

(25-pt buy? man that's low! )

STR 14
DEX 14 + 2 (ability increases 8 & 12)
CON 14 + 2 (race)
INT 12 +1 (ability increase 4)
WIS 11
CHA 8 - 2 (race)

Level: abilities; feats:
1: 1st favored enemy (Giants), Track, Wild Empathy; Point Blank Shot
2: Combat style (archery [rapid shot])
3: Endurance; Far Shot
4: Animal companion (Hawk or Eagle?)
5: 2nd favored enemy (Monstrous humanoids?)
6: Improved combat style (archery [manyshot]); Weapon Focus (Composite Longbow)
7: Woodland stride (perhaps ask the DM to change that to Mountain Stride that makes it so the Ranger can move his normal speed in Mountains or hills?)
8: Hated enemy (Giants), rancor +1d6
9: Hated enemy damage reduction 3/-; Iron Will
10: Rancor +2d6
11: Hated enemy damage reduction 5/-, hated enemy spell resistance (15 + Foe Hunter level)
12: Rancor +3d6; Self-Sufficient (?)

BAB: +10/+5
With composite longbow: +10 +3 (dex) +1 (bow) +1 (focus) +1 (point blank shot; 30' or less)
Damage (vs ogre mage): 1d8 +2 (str) +1 (magic) +1d6 (flaming) + 3d6 (rancor, once per round) + 1 (point blank shot) + 4 (favored enemy)
Fort: +10
Ref: +10
Will: +7
HP: 7d8+5d10+36 (94)

Equipment (27,000gp)
+2 Chain shirt (4,250)
+1 Flaming Composite Longbow (8,600)
Boots of striding and springing (5,500)
Cloak of resistance +1 (1,000)
Efficient quiver (1,800)
Amulet of Natural armor (2,000)
+ Potions and normal equipment...

Not too shabby

AR

he has a twin!

AR

and a triplet!

AR

have a high spot for the invisible or take the blindfighting feat to compensate.

A couple of magic items to counter-act the Ogre Mage's abilities might be nice. See invisibility is a must, and can be had from a Hand of Glory (8,000 GP, but only 1/day). You could also use Dust of Appearance (1,800 GP). Unfortunately you cannot yet afford a Rod of Alertness (85,000 GP).

Edit: I forgot about the Lantern of Revealing (30,000 GP - invisibility purge 25' radius), which might be a nice group item if everyone chips in to pay for it.

The ability to fly would definitely help as well. Celestial Armor (22,400 GP), Winged Shield (17,257 GP, 1/day), potions (750 GP each), Broom of Flying* (17,000 GP), Carpet of Flying 5' by 5' (20,000 GP), and Winged Boots (16,000 GP, 3/day) are all possibilities. Wings of Flying (54,000 GP) are out of reach for now.

* I particularly like the image of a dour dwarven slayer on a dainty broom of flying.

Denying the Ogre Mage's ability to fly or turn gaseous would also help - Dispel Magic or even Antimagic Field (cast by a wizard ally) would both be good. I think there is a spell in the 3e Draconomicon that prevents creatures from flying, but it might only affect those with wings.

Tibet

By the way, what are you doing in Tibet? I was in Lhasa (and Shigatse, and Ganden Monastery, and Dingri, and Everest Base Camp) in 1998, as a tourist.

Someone needs to write a Tibet sourcebook. Wouldn't floor plans of the Potala be great?

-Ken

Definately, definately take levels in occult slayer from the complete warrior. Ogre magi have lots of spell-like abilities, and being able to save better against them, or just reflect them outright would be a massive benefit.

Some things to consider:

1. Ogre magi all can use cone of cold. 9th level 3.5 rangers get evasion.

2. 3.5 Favored Enemy is a lot better

3. 11th level rangers get Combat Style mastery.

I'd go for a straight up ranger 12--or maybe Ranger 11/Occult Slayer 1.

Focus on the archery fighting style with ranger (rapid shot, many shot, Imp Precise Shot) and take your normal feats for Quickdraw (so you can switch to melee if one appears next to you), Iron Will, Two Weapon Fighting, and Imp TWF (to maximize your favored enemy bonus in melee or ranged). Alternately, you might switch out Iron Will for Extra Favored Enemy and up your favored enemy bonus against giants to +8 (and pick up another favored enemy to boot).

Take a composite longbow for long-ranged combat and use throwing axes in close (as a bonus, using Quickdraw, you can rapid-shot the throwing axes if the ogre mage tries to withdraw).

Since Ogre mages can fly, a lantern of revealing with its short range won't help you much. Get a Gem of True Seeing (if you can afford it) or some custom goggles of See Invisibility instead.

Here's a wacky idea:

Get some levels in rogue (4, maybe?) and some ranks in Perform and Tumble. Then take 3 levels in Shadowdancer, for Hide In Plain Sight. Maximize your Hide, Move Silently, Listen and Spot for optimum effectiveness.

For items, get a Ring of Chameleon Power, for the insane Hide bonus (+10, IIRC) and a Cloak of the Bat, for the ability to fly (this can be swapped out for Winged Boots. You don't need to fly for an extended period of time). Eyes of the Eagle would be nice, or a Gem of True Seeing, so you can Spot that pesky invisible Giant.

You end up looking something like this:

Ranger 5/Rogue 4/Shadowdancer 3

Wild Empathy
Track
Favored Enemy (Giant) +4
Favored Enemy (Monstrous Humanoid) +2
Two Weapon Fighting
Endurance
Animal Companion
Sneak Attack +2d6
Evasion
Uncanny Dodge
Improved Uncanny Dodge
Hide In Plain Sight
Darkvision
Shadow Illusion
Summon Shadow

Skills:
Hide +28 (assuming Dex of +3 and Ring)
Move Silently +23 (Boots of Elvenkind)
Spot +21 (assuming Wis of +1 and Eyes of the Eagle)
Listen +16
etc, etc.

Feats:
Extra Favored Enemy (Optional)
Favored Power Attack (from Complete Warrior. Power Attack becomes 2 for 1 against favored enemies)
Power Attack
Combat Reflexes
Mobility
Dodge
Giantbane (from Complete Warrior. The name says it all. Optional feat.)
Swarmfighting (also from Complete Warrior. In case you have more than one small creature in your party)

Tactics:
Sneak up on them without them noticing - HiPS allows this, plus a ridiculous Hide modifier. Sneak Attack the Ogre Mage, Power Attacking with impunity. At this point, it's completely up to you to either use two weapons for more Sneak Attack and Favored Enemy damage, or to use your dwarven waraxe (you'd better be using a dwarven waraxe) in two hands (this makes your Favored Power Attack + 3 for every 1 point sacrificed. Disgusting).

When Inits is finally rolled, use your Shadow Companion to drain Strength from the giants, and your animal companion to flank them. Spend some of your cash on your animal companion to make sure it doesn't die too easily. Use your Giantbane feat (if you took it) to Climb Aboard them giants and Sneak Attack nonstop (your animal companion is flanking, remember?). Climbing aboard also prevents them from getting at you that easily.

An alternative is to keep Hiding and reappearing, Sneak Attacking and fading away. This isn't recommended, as you can only pull off one attack per round and the Ogre Mage can use his invisibility/gaseous form (therefore, removing all chances for Sneak Attack), and it increases the chance of you rolling a 1 on your Hide check.

If all goes well, and you aren't too heavily outnumbered, it should be a interesting, challenging fight. If things get rough, pick up your animal companion and fly away (You did buy them Winged Boots, dint'ya?). Your shadow, being
incorporeal, can take care of itself.

Oh, and the Ogre Mage should be dead long before you find the need to fly away. Have fun wreaking havoc.

Edit: forgot to factor in Shadowdancer prereqs.