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Message: <blockquote data-quote="jbear" data-source="post: 5192660" data-attributes="member: 75065">Even if your wife is a 'support' character (I guess you mean neither leader nor striker but a bit of both...?), missing isn't fun. 15 is not optimal froma damage point of view, because you are going to continually miss. Especially as your weapon of choice is only +2 prof. bonus. +4 to hit at level 1. Cripes! Against a hobgoblin using phalanx soldier (very common in KotS, WoTC starting module) she'll need a 17 to hit! Ok, so the example is top range defensive soldier, but still... My wife plays a shaman/ bow ranger hybrid and she is a totally effective striker, who almost never gets caught up in combat, messes the battle field up with her spirit companion, heals 1/encounter and has some nifty utility/daily powers that make her far more versatile than a normal ranger. Yes, the Stat Synergy between a Shaman and a Ranger best lies with DEX/WIS.Race wise, human is cool for the extra at will and feat ... but with some hybrids the stat synergy is closer (here you have no CON synergy which is important to you) so you feel the lack of a +2 in your other main stat.  Have you thought about Elf as a race: +2 DEX +2 WIS, 7 movement, Reroll a failed attack 1/encounter, Ignore Difficult terrain when you shift (difficult terrain just becam a real good place for you to spend some time in battle), +1 bonus to your allies perception checks. Not too shabby. If it's the 'elfness' that turns you away, reskin. Call it a shifter, or a human, take the elf stats! I'm going to try and work with you here on the 'hand ax' concept. As a Shaman, you want to be far away where noone can hurt you... hand ax range is pretty close, just right where everyone can hurt you... and a d10 (or more with a feat) over a d6? I'm noone to argue with someones concept, so I'll so no more. A Longtoothshifter might be nice to make the most of the options available with Throw and Stab. Throw your hand axe and close in with your Battle AX!!!! Muahahahaha! Ehem... sorry. But your defenses probably can't handle this option... This is the down fall of many hybrid options. Then again you could scratch the itch and go tempest fighter/ranger hybrid (of course you are going to want to be a half-orc in that case! Hahahaha), which is a FANTASTIC combo and she could still be mobile with Throw and Stab and viscious with some mean marking skills with Dual Strike (plus there is a feat which makes it target REF... but all that keys off light blades... throwing daggers anyone?) Have you considered a Shaman/Seeker? The main Stat gets total synergy, freeing you to have a higher CON and a lower DEX. A Dwarf suddenly doesn't seem too unattractive!!! Dwarven Weapon Training and Throwing Around Hand Axes. Windrise Ports is probably a good background for a human, as you can make the most of the extra feat slot. Other races will find their slots quickly consumed, and many juicy feats waiting in line but with no slot left to fit. As for Multiclass feats, unfortunately they don't let you into the swordmage academy with an INT of 8... Actually with such low INT and CHA, arcane options are pretty much closed until MUCH later in the game. And Swordmage, for ever with a starting 8. If you are looking for neat little options to have via feats, check out Vistani Heritage feat: Evil eye of the Vistani. Keys off WIS (perfect). Keep one big bad guy out of combat for a round 1/encounter. Sweet little piece of control there. Closest your going to get to having an arcane feel to your character I fear. But I get sidetracked... Multiclass Options: Acolyte of the Veil [assassin]: Once per encounter teleport away from an enemy to a nearby ally (if you have to drop nimble step...) Plus Stealth (you are now the groups official scout with nature, perception and stealth) or Acro training. Shadow Initiate [assassin] is just straight bonus damage, which doesn't seem like your style. Which is pretty much the same as Sneak of Shadows [rogue] although that gives you Thievery (fun!)... Looking at the options, personally... I'd take a different background and just Multiclass once. Invoker is an option but you'll have to invest in an Invoker's implement for one encounter power...  As for combining Battle Scarred Veteran and Ghostwalker Style: Ghostwalker Style allows her to MOVE 2 before the attack,instead of shifting, not Shift 2. I don't know about combining them, maybe someone else can tell you. My instinct says one or the other applied. Personally I think with Battle scarred veteran it's enough, unless she is trying to hide; move out from hiding, attack and move back  to hiding to gain CAdv. But you can probably manage this with shift 1, Atk, Shift 1 anyway. Melora's Tide is a Channel Divinity feat. So only classes with the Channel Divinity class feature can get them. So cross that one out.   Yes, your Spirit gives you very nice control and invaluable surgeless healing. The control comes in the form of surgeless healing... your DM will want to avoid it, so is bound to nearly always shift when next to your spirit in order not to provoke the free healing (which is an effect and doesn't even require a hit!).  But why would she ever be fighting alone???? You are a team. I don't know your party make up, but this poor fragile close ranged rangershaman must never be left to fight alone. She needs a big hunking fighter to stand close to her and take all the hits. Imagine: Fighter marks creature going after your wife. If he moves away with a shift: the fighter hits him... if he runs away in fear: the fighter hits him and a free heal! Hope some of this is useful. Good luck and have fun!</blockquote>

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