Beastmaster Ranger / Beast Protector / Sharpshooter Paragon Path

[Mort_Q]

Is there any reason why the Beastmaster Ranger with the Sharpshooter (Opportunity Fire path feature) Paragon path and the Beast Protector feat couldn't take OAs at range if his beast was attacked?

Not that a ranged focused Beastmaster Ranger is particularly viable at heroic levels.

 

[Doctor Proctor]

That wasn't the intent, but I suppose by RAW it could work. Check with your DM to see if he'd allow it. Personally, I'm surprised that this hasn't been errata'd yet, since people have been trying various ways to use Beast Protector to make ranged OA's from across the battlefield practically since Martial Power came out.

 

[ppaladin123]

I don't think so. The feature says:

You can use a bow
or a loaded crossbow to make opportunity attacks.
These attacks don’t provoke opportunity attacks.

Opportunity attacks are defined in the PHB:

OPPORTUNITY ATTACK: OPPORTUNITY ACTION
✦ Melee Basic Attack: An opportunity attack is a
melee basic attack (page 287).

I think this feature allows you to change the range of your bow/crossbow to "melee 1," for the purposes of OA only.

Notice that in spitting cobra stance they create a special ranged opportunity action to replicate the effect of OAs.

 

[Mort_Q]

Sure, I suspect that that may have been the intent, but is it overpowered?

 

[ppaladin123]

Sure, I suspect that that may have been the intent, but is it overpowered?

I'd say no. The archer ranger lags rather far behind the two-handed ranger in terms of damage. The beastmaster archer is in even worse shape because he doesn't get prime shot (or the feats that require prime shot) and can't take the battlefield archer or sylvan archer paths. If you allowed this you'd just be helping make up the difference somewhat. I'd certainly allow it in my games.

By the way, a beastmaster archer with a raptor is very nice for punishing squishy monsters in the back row. Being able to designate pretty much anyone as your quarry is a nice benefit that slightly offsets the disadvantages of this style.