Critique my Ranger

[Mercurius]

This is a second part of this thread. I started a new one because I have a basic template of the character, but wanted it critiqued with any further suggestions.

Basic Concept
I am creating an 11th level elf ranger that I want to be focused on the bow but with good melee skills; I'm willing to sacrifice some ranged options for a bit of melee capability. I originally envisioned two short swords, but am now intrigued with the idea of paired bastards swords. On first glance the idea of wielding two bastard swords seemed kind of silly, but now it just seems fun in a gonzo sort of way (especially since I discovered the paired magic weapon!) and it fits the concept of my character.

The basic idea of the character is a kind of accursed wanderer, sort of a hybrid of Aragorn and Legolas but with a darker edge. I haven't worked out the details of his background yet, but perhaps he was a prince or lord of his people but is exiled for some reason.

The Dilemma - Hunter or Two-Blade?
I originally imagined this character as taking Hunter Fighting Style - I
like the improved Quick Draw and it fits with the ranged first, melee second concept. However, the difference between using two short swords and two bastard swords is significant and with a paired magic weapon, the character wouldn't have to carry around two big swords. Plus I simply like the "kewl" factor of pulling out a bastard sword and then "splitting" it into two weapons; it tickles by 12-year old self!

Anyhow, the "dilemma" may not really be one, I'm just weighing the pros and cons of both. Quick Draw and Toughness even out because I want both anyways, so I'm just having to buy one or the other (even though the Hunter version has a slight extra perk). Basically I'm weighing the cost of spending a feat on Bastard Sword Proficiency and being able to use two big swords vs. having an extra feat to spend, but having to use two short swords. It seems almost like a no-brainer - I don't really lose out on anything ranged related by taking Two-Blade; I can still take Sharpshooter as a Paragon Path, for instance. Or am I missing something?

Magic Items
We use a slightly different method of buying magic items in our group for higher level characters: rather than three items, one of level, one below, and one above, plus money equal to one level lower, we just convert it all to monetary value and buy what we want. So I have 32,000 GP to work with.

What I am struggling with at this point is relatively minor: Do I want a +3 ranged weapon or +3 armor? It is hard to manage both, unless I skimp on another area - and I want to make sure I have at least +2 melee weapons and defenses. In the character below, I went for the Moonbow +3 as it is just cool - I like the reloading arrows and the high crit (I was originally thinking a Vicious Greatbow +3, but the Moonbow is more evocative). Anyhow, let me know if you think there is any way I can improve the item configuration.

Below is what I have so far. Let me know if there is any fine-tuning that you would recommend:

11th level Elf Ranger
Ranger Feature: Prime Shot
Fighting Style: Two-Blade Fighting Style
Paragon Path: Sharpshooter

ABILITIES: (starting 17, 14, 18, 11, 15, 11 - racial increases to DEX and WIS; increases to STR x2, DEX x2; paragon increase)

STR 20, CON 15, DEX 23, INT 12, WIS 18, CHA 12

AC: 26
Defenses: Fort 25, Ref 26, Will 23
HP: 87

SKILLS (Trained): Athletics, Dungeoneering, Nature, Perception, Stealth.
FEATS: Toughness(from style), Master at Arms, Weapon Focus (Bow), Weapon Focus (Heavy Blades), Weapon Prof (Greatbow), Weapon Prof (Bastard Sword), Improved Defenses, Quick Draw.

POWERS
At-Will: Fading Strike, Twin Strike
Encounter: Evasive Strike, Disruptive Strike (3), Biting Volley (7)
Daily: Split the Tree, Spitting-Cobra Stance (5), Attacks on the Run (9)
Utility: Invigorating Stride (2), Healing Lore (6), Blood of the Fallen (10)

MAGIC ITEMS

• Moonbow +3 (greatbow)
• Paired Vicious Bastard Sword +2 (this is a combined magic item, as discussed in another thread)
• Bracers of Archery (heroic)
• Medallion of Death Deferred +2
• Summoned Hide Armor +2

 

[Mengu]

I don't know how well this works with your concept, but, could you possibly ditch the two weapon focus feats, grab either monk or assassin MC and ki implement focus, and a +3 ki focus that takes care of all your magic weapon needs? You also end up with an extra skill and extra striker feature as bonus. Final Sleep or Rain of Hammers Ki focus could be handy, and you could spend your spare cash elsewhere.

Also noticed, you have superhero stats, I assume this is a campaign thing? High stats help immensely when building a multi-stat dependent character like this.

 

[Herschel]

I might stick with a +2 Bow, it will keep your weapon attacks at the same bonus in melee or at range, and boost either armor or the neck slot item. Ranger HP don't last long under fire. Maybe even Darkleaf +3 (one of the cheaper +3s) then train in Nature and take the skill utility that lets you use a Nature check for initiative 1/day and gives everyone a +4 bonus to all defenses for the first round of combat.

 

[Mercurius]

I don't know how well this works with your concept, but, could you possibly ditch the two weapon focus feats, grab either monk or assassin MC and ki implement focus, and a +3 ki focus that takes care of all your magic weapon needs? You also end up with an extra skill and extra striker feature as bonus. Final Sleep or Rain of Hammers Ki focus could be handy, and you could spend your spare cash elsewhere.

I'll look into it. It doesn't quite fit with my concept, but it is a nifty idea!

Also noticed, you have superhero stats, I assume this is a campaign thing? High stats help immensely when building a multi-stat dependent character like this.

LOL. Not quite "superhero," but still very good. When I think superhero stats I think of starting with four or more 16s or higher - I've only got two, plus the 14 and 15 and the two 11s. But yeah, it is a campaign thing - we roll two sets of 4d6 and pick the best set. This way we all get good stats, but rarely get truly superheroic stats. We figure that everyone should be happy with their stats and for the reason you stated - it allows "multi-stat dependent characters."

I might stick with a +2 Bow, it will keep your weapon attacks at the same bonus in melee or at range, and boost either armor or the neck slot item. Ranger HP don't last long under fire. Maybe even Darkleaf +3 (one of the cheaper +3s) then train in Nature and take the skill utility that lets you use a Nature check for initiative 1/day and gives everyone a +4 bonus to all defenses for the first round of combat.

Hmm...good idea, although Darkleaf +3 is 14th level, which will cost 21,000 GP - that leaves me only 11,000 GP for everything else, which is simply not enough. But maybe Darkleaf +2 for 4,200 GP? Or Summoned Armor +3 for 9,000 GP?

But the more I think about it, the more I feel that boosting AC and/or defenses by one would be more meaningful than another + to my attack...I mean it is +18 with the +3 bow; +17 should be just fine!

 

[Gorgoroth]

Stats are very high

I think 4e stats are meant to be one of the standard point buys in the PHB, so I can't really critique that (since it's not really critiquable, it's just plain superior == i.e. illegal). But that's fine. If you wanted to be really fair to the rules, play a re-skinned Half-Orc (pretend he's a wild half elf or a taller Tolkien elf from the deep woods) with +Dex and +Str and use a 16+2, 16+2 ... standard stat array, to be equally good in melee and ranged Twin Strike, as well as balanced Reflex and Fort.

In terms of flavour, I like the PF recommended ranger build "Switch Hitter" which is modelled on Aragon, using a single Two hander in melee. Mechanically, you could also do this with your character with some minor "refluffing" of two bastard swords ("unpaired" mode) to pretend like it's always one, keeping the TWF fighting style (Toughness is a good thing to have, regardless). Just be sure when using your "paired bastard sword", that you don't actually treat it as if you were wielding it two-handed by giving yourself the +1 damage, so that mechanically it equals the same thing.

Also, like the Switch hitter, make sure you have Master of Arms feat so you get expertise with all weapons including free Quick Draw, allowing you easily to switch weapons when you go into melee or back into range. Then be sure to take feats like Hobbling Strike, Prime Punisher, and Called Shot in Paragon. Heavy Blade Opportunity is also golden, though trickier to use since you have to always be using your melee weapons at the end of your turn to be able to take advantage of it. With Quick Draw, the paired property on the weapon becomes activatable as a free action, meaning on any of your burst or multi-attacks compatible with one weapon, you CAN get the extra +1 from holding your bastard sword two-handed. You effectively you have a button on your sword that either lets you hit with it twice per round, or gives you a +1 to any of your single weapon attacks (Attacks on the Run is one example, but there are more)

The thought of two bastard swords to me is a little ridiculous. Trust me, I own a replica of Aragorn's Anduril, and it is difficult to wield, even two handed. Forget about two of them. I'm not a weak guy, but man, imagining swinging two of these is just asking to get whacked. Two longswords is a lot more like it, that I could do and I could see others doing in real combat, realistically. ( I know realism isn't a design goal of 4e, but here we have a mechanically acceptable way around that). Isn't the main thing about two weapon fighting hitting twice per round? If you can hit twice per round in melee AND range, why not? The other benefit of not being overly specialized in one weapon type, is that no matter what loot you find on the ground, you're set to use it. Found an awesome +4 craghammer that no one else in the party wants to use, and you're in the middle of the dungeon with no vendors around? Stick it in your off hand and use it! The DM will like your versatility. I personally find it more fun than sticking to one weapon your whole career. With Master of Arms, there's no need to be shackled to any one thing. Go with the flow.

I had a thought to play a Golden-Axe style Dwarf with a single battle ax (re-skinned double-ax) swinging twice a round who would also chuck his axes ala Gauntlet. He wouldn't need to move very fast, because he'd be riding his dinosaur Dwarves get their fancy dwarven weapon training, so with a Dynamic weapon, you can pop the ax into a halberd if you need reach, an executioner's axe once in a while for effect...since you have proficiency in all of them. But for your elf, I think a paired bastard sword is a good plan.

 

[Mad Hamish]

One issue you will have if you go two weapon is number of actions to change weapons.
you need to be able to sheath your swords to use the bow and put away your bow to use the swords.
It takes up a fair amount of your actions for a round to change weapons unless you just want to drop what you're holding.

I don't know what discussions you've had about the combined paired & vicious magic weapon but you'll definitely need to clear it with the GM

 

[mneme]

One issue you will have if you go two weapon is number of actions to change weapons.
you need to be able to sheath your swords to use the bow and put away your bow to use the swords.
It takes up a fair amount of your actions for a round to change weapons unless you just want to drop what you're holding.

I don't know what discussions you've had about the combined paired & vicious magic weapon but you'll definitely need to clear it with the GM

Feat cost is a big deal here.

That said, there are a few options here:

Hunter: you can switch weapons functionally for free whenever you attack.

Quick Draw: Switching from longbow requires only a minor, but going from two weapons (not paired) to longbow requires two minors--a big chunk of your actions for the turn.

Deep Pocket Cloak: Free action stow or draw1/round. Can save you a minor if you store the "extra" item within the cloak. With Master of Arms or Quick Draw, reduces the cost of switching weapons to just a minor (assume you don't switch multiple times during a turn.

 

[Mengu]

You could also go thri-kreen to help with the weapon switching issue, between that, a deep pocket cloak, and quickdraw, you should be fine. And you can reskin the thri-kreen as elf if you want.

 

[Mad Hamish]

while Thri-Kreen used to skin elves reskinning one as an elf is highly questionable.