The importance of being a 20

[TheLoneRanger1979]

Exactly my line of thinking. I am yet to do the math on the 2nd fighting style though. Is Defense worth considering?

 

[Kithas]

The extra ac is definitely helpful. Not always worth the level sip but I am a big fan of Lvls 1-3 in ranger there's a lot of good stuff there.

 

[TheLoneRanger1979]

Me too. Is it better to go level 3 or level 4 and get the ASI as well?

 

[Kithas]

As a fighter you should have plenty of asis. Also that would cut you off from ever getting your second action surge. 17/3 is a pretty ideal split. The main question is when do you go for those ranger levels.

 

[TheLoneRanger1979]

As a fighter you should have plenty of asis. Also that would cut you off from ever getting your second action surge. 17/3 is a pretty ideal split.

That actually made me think...... i'll need to get both sheets side by side again.

The main question is when do you go for those ranger levels.

Right after level 6. So i can get horde breaker by level 9 (faster then the 3rd fighter attack).

EDIT: I just did. So, it boils down to what i want my lvl20 feature to be; an extra ASI or an extra action surge and extra indomitable. To be frank, all this being at level 20, might be too late to make a difference, so maybe i should think more in the line of what do i value more after level 9. A quicker access to the next ASI/feat (ranger), or quicker access to the next fighter features (in this case an extra maneuver and superiority die)?

 

[Kithas]

Makes sense, most campaigns dont geto to 20 so do what makes for the mid levels too. Just keep in mond the cost becaus you might get to 20 some day.

 

[TheLoneRanger1979]

I guess it might be a good idea the consult the DM as too how far the campaign might take these characters.

 

[Reflected_Shadows]

Thanks to "Bound Accuracy", you don't "have to" min/max optimize just to be viable. So go ahead and have a 17 and a few 15's to build to 18 + 16 + 16 which is better long term than 20+ 12 + 12.

 

[TheLoneRanger1979]

Thanks to "Bound Accuracy", you don't "have to" min/max optimize just to be viable. So go ahead and have a 17 and a few 15's to build to 18 + 16 + 16 which is better long term than 20+ 12 + 12.

And i think this is why i like BA so much. Still, while i may be able to pull 18, 16, 14, (from a standard array) i'm not sure i can get 18, 16, 16 without sacrificing some feats i like. In a no feat game though? Yeah, definitely!

 

[Reflected_Shadows]

This is why race matters so much. I was hoping D&D could peel itself away from preset racial ability score modifiers. Many times, I have opted to play X instead of Y because even though I really wanted to play Y, when I did my ability scores, I was pigeonholed into X. To counter this in my games, I give every character the option of assigning +2/-2 as their racial stat if the "only issue" is they don't like the racial abilities. One of my players told me "My orc was raised by humans and while he is durable, his real gifts are intelligence and charisma. Other orcs would bully him and call him a flufster." So, he wanted +2 to intelligence (natural 14), and a natural 16 (no bonus) charisma and he dumped his Wis and Dex to have a balanced Str/Con.

I also have guaranteed Trainers in my world Elder Scrolls style. There is a +1 Strength Trainer, a +2 Strength Trainer (who must be visited in succession).
There are also trainers for skills, attack, defense, initiative and caster level.

I use this -instead- of magic items because it places a predictable, choice-based gain through in-game consequences that can be determined out of game. I was really hoping that 5e would look at things this way, but I digress. Bounded Accuracy itself lets me add meaning to these small +1 bonuses, because of the system making no assumptions about the items or magic available in my game. That right there is one of my favorite things. Instead of having to tinker everything around my magic levels, I can start from baseline and add where I must. These take the place of the Pariapts of Strength and Tomes of Wisdom, etc.