Is a fighter-ranger hybrid dumb? (help me build)

[mneme]

The problem about fighter-ranger hybrid is that half of him wants to be hit, the other one tries to avoid it.

Not necessarily. At least some fighter builds are very strikery -- "go ahead, try to hit me, even though I've got great defenses, because I've made it harder to hit anyone else...and I'm IN YOUR FACE" is a not atypical fighter approach and lends itself very well to a ranger hybrid (even though, yes, having to choose between extra damage with fighter powers and marking with ranger powers is non-optimal).

I'd be tempted to go with Warden/Ranger instead, frankly -- Warden marking -is- compatable with ranger striking, and the same stat array (16/16/16, likely, str/dex/wis; a hide build) will work nicely with the Hybrid Warden.

Either way, you've got a few options. Taking a balanced dex/str array lets you avoid worrying about armor and keep the ranger ranged facility. As a hybrid talent, I'd likely grab fighting style (beast mastery to combine your tanking with a ranger's off-tanking, or two-blade fighting to get a bit more damage and free Toughness), but other options include (warden) warden's armored might (which could let you go str/wis--maybe 20/18 with a longtooth, or str/con/wis with a dwarf), Font of Life (more useful mid/highlevel, though), combat specialty or combat talent (maybe tempest technique).

Best defending options would be beast mastery, font of life, and warden's armored might
Best strikery option would be combat talent (tempest technique) -- very solid, as this build would be getting +1 to AC, +1 to hit ,and +2 to damage all the time with ofhand weapons -- thus possibly outdamaging a non-hybrid ranger even with daggers (or better, drow long knife) (and with reasonably balanced str/dex, you could switch to thrown attacks without loss of damage).

 

[Turtlejay]

Aragon-esque sword and bow masters are not all fighter\ranger hybrids.

You could do this with a straight Ranger, or with a Warlord (and Warlord would fit Aragorn's regal nature). One thing about 4e that is tough to swallow is that fighters are not the only *fighters*, and rangers are no longer just wilderness loving loners. The crunch is divorced from the fluff somewhat, so you can feel free to reflavor if you want. For what it's worth, role wise, this is how I see it:
Aragorn - Leader
Gimli - Defender
Legolas - Striker

Making Aaragorn a prime candidate for Warlord, IMO. The new build even works well with archery. Hybriding for ranged with one class and melee with another might be a little cumbersome. If you can make it work, then go for it.

Jay

 

[mneme]

Actually, Aragorn is the archtypical ranger from which all D&D rangers are derived (as opposed to the -typical- ranger, which is, of course, drizzt). Even when he takes on the mantle of kingship, it's reasonable enough to make that a warlord multiclass. (this aside from the post AD&D association of ranger=two weapon fighter which permiates the D&D ranger; I'd probably build Aragorn as a marauder, and thereby avoid at least a bit of that).

The reason to build such a character as a hybrid is more, methinks, to build a defender with a lot of ranged umph, or to build a ranger-style striker with more stickiness or better defenses, or just to do a concept that's not as easily handlable single-class -- like my "tempest technique+ranger powers" concept or the "fighter with a beast" ultra-sticky build. Just "I use a bow and a sword?" That's a ranger -- or, depending, a ranged warlord.

 

[Tarrl]

Here is HandSome BoB @ 11th Level. This is actually my character. He was very fun to play and highly useful in multiple ways. If you see anyway to improve upon this, I would def love to hear it.
Thanks!

====== Created Using Wizards of the Coast D&D Character Builder ======
HandSome BoB, level 11
Drow, Fighter|Ranger, Shock Trooper
Hybrid Ranger: Hybrid Ranger Fortitude
Hybrid Talent: Fighter Combat Talent
Fighter Combat Talent: Tempest Technique
Darkfire: Darkfire Wisdom
Background: Silent Hunter (Silent Hunter Benefit)
FINAL ABILITY SCORES
Str 20, Con 11, Dex 18, Int 9, Wis 16, Cha 13.
STARTING ABILITY SCORES
Str 17, Con 10, Dex 13, Int 8, Wis 15, Cha 10.

AC: 26 Fort: 25 Reflex: 22 Will: 20
HP: 74 Surges: 7 Surge Value: 18
TRAINED SKILLS
Athletics +14, Dungeoneering +13, Perception +14, Acrobatics +14, Religion +9
UNTRAINED SKILLS
Arcana +4, Bluff +6, Diplomacy +6, Endurance +6, Heal +8, History +4, Insight +8, Intimidate +8, Nature +8, Stealth +11, Streetwise +6, Thievery +8
FEATS
Level 1: Xen'drik Weapon Training
Level 2: Hybrid Talent
Level 4: Weapon Expertise (Heavy Blade)
Level 6: Two-Weapon Fighting
Level 8: Disciple of Divine Wrath
Level 10: Deft Hurler Style
Level 11: Heavy Blade Opportunity
POWERS
Hybrid at-will 1: Twin Strike
Hybrid at-will 1: Cleave
Hybrid encounter 1: Two-Fanged Strike
Hybrid daily 1: Tempest Dance
Hybrid utility 2: Pass Forward
Hybrid encounter 3: Sweeping Blow
Hybrid daily 5: Two-Wolf Pounce
Hybrid utility 6: Eyes of the Deep Delver
Hybrid encounter 7: Claws of the Griffon
Hybrid daily 9: Attacks on the Run
Hybrid utility 10: Undaunted Stride
ITEMS
Adventurer's Kit, Distance Drow Long Knife +1, Iron Armbands of Power (heroic tier), Elven Battle Hide Armor +2, Vengeful Drow Long Knife +2, Cloak of Survival +2, Potion of Vigor (heroic tier), Potion of Healing (heroic tier), Acrobat Boots (heroic tier), Drow Long Knife of Great Opportunity +2, Predator's Hide Earthhide Armor +3
====== Copy to Clipboard and Press the Import Button on the Summary Tab ======

 

[mneme]

Looks good, really; can't argue with any of your choices except maybe making a Drow rather than a Half-orc (which doesn't seem to be included in your stats; how'd you manage to have an Int of 8 and a Cha of 10 as a drow?); Xendrik weapon training is good, though. (and I think the warden/ranger build is a touch stronger than the fighter/ranger, due to the better marking capabilities and sudden roots)

 

[Tarrl]

He is a Drow. The final ablitity scores say 13 for cha so I am not sure how that happened for starting stats. Must not include racial bonus's. I had given the warden some thought, but there is already a fighter and a cha paladin in the group.
Thanks for the advice.
D

 

[mneme]

He is a Drow. The final ablitity scores say 13 for cha so I am not sure how that happened for starting stats. Must not include racial bonus's.
D

Hmm. Maybe. re warden vs fighter; the fighter doesn't get to mark -and- do quarry damage in the same round often, but does outdamage the hybrid warden (except mabye when the warden uses a daily). The warden has a useful mark and can attack as a ranger nearly all the time (one warden encounter power, ignore the at-will except on charges, and you actually -want- most of your dailies to be warden dailies and they're minor action invokes anyway; you can afford to action point in most turns where you're taking a non-immediate attack from a Warden daily), can build so as to only maintain 2 stats (str/wis) and still have full AC and secondary features [including, with the right stat, starting with a 19 or 20 stat], but has problems keeping multiple foes marked. It all depends.

Re abilities, hmm. Ok, got it; they're preracial, and you took all your bumps in str/dex (which makes sense).

 

[doctorhook]

Necrothread: I found this thread via Google, and it's close enough for what I need to ask.

Can anyone confirm that "Hybrid Fighter Combat Talent (Tempest Technique)" and "Hybrid Ranger Fighting Style (Two-Blade Fighting Style)" actually stack? Two-Blade Fighting Style lets me use a one-handed weapon as though it were an off-hand weapon. Tempest Technique gives me bonuses if I'm using weapons with the off-hand property. (The Hybrid versions of these abilities are identical to the full versions, which you can find in Player's Handbook 1 and Martial Power 1.)

Do these features totally stack? If not, how much am I losing out on by using them together?

 

[Aulirophile]

Necrothread: I found this thread via Google, and it's close enough for what I need to ask.

Can anyone confirm that "Hybrid Fighter Combat Talent (Tempest Technique)" and "Hybrid Ranger Fighting Style (Two-Blade Fighting Style)" actually stack? Two-Blade Fighting Style lets me use a one-handed weapon as though it were an off-hand weapon. Tempest Technique gives me bonuses if I'm using weapons with the off-hand property. (The Hybrid versions of these abilities are identical to the full versions, which you can find in Player's Handbook 1 and Martial Power 1.)

Do these features totally stack? If not, how much am I losing out on by using them together?

You'd have to Paragon Hybrid to get both anyway.... and that is a very, very large waste.

 

[doctorhook]

You'd have to Paragon Hybrid to get both anyway.... and that is a very, very large waste.

Yes, I suppose it is. But if I did do Paragon Hybrid anyway, would those two features work together properly?

If not, can you spell it out for me exactly what I'd be missing?