Dual nature of all classes - except Ranger and Rogue.

[Minigiant]

This thread might be going in the wrong direction. Each role has more than 1 aspect. Strikers are more than damage, Leader's are more than heals, Defenders and more than high AC, and controllers are more than AOE.

None of the classes have enough powers outside of their base role to serve as another role. But 2 classes can combine their off role powers to fill another role.

Fighters can simulate a strikers damage but not their mobility. A warlord can grant the free moves and shift he needs.

Paladins can heal but have few offensive buffs or debuffs. A rogue can help with that to made the paladin leaderish.

 

[Cirex]

Poorly built? He really can't go higher at the moment unless he had gone for 18 strength, gimping his armor/wisdom.

Which feat should have he choosen then? Lethal Hunter is one more extra damage, same as two weapon fighting, which opens +1 AC/Reflex defense feat.

 

[Witchfinder General]

One of my players is playing (redundancy) a dwarven fighter with strength 18, wielding a great axe, with the Dwarven weapon training feat. The other player is an elven ranger, with strength 16, using a long sword and as feat, two weapon combat.

[...]

They are level 2 now. The fighter has +7 to attack (4 strenght, 1 for half level, 2 for proency). The ranger has +7 too (3 strength, 1 for half level, 3 for proency).

You missed the Fighter Weapon Talent. A great weapon fighter gets +1 to hit with two-handed weapons. The Dwarf should have +8 to hit (+4 Str, +1 half level, +2 proficiency, +1 great weapon fighter).

 

[Cirex]

Very true. I checked the fighter's character sheet and he missed it too.

I took it into account for the rogue (dagger), but forgot about this one.

 

[eamon]

It's normal that a single basic attack of a great weapon fighter deals more damage than that of a ranger. Perhaps you can focus your descriptions on his speed and many smaller cuts - which also explains why a single extra hit just doesn't make quite as much difference.

In any case, taking bastard sword proficiency early is slightly better than lethal hunter. But really, it's entirely normal that the fighter is better at opportunity attacks and single extra hits - the ranger is more of a hit and run animal.

If you use difficult terrain and faster more careful creatures occasionally, the ranger should get a chance to shine (at least for a crucial round or two, anyhow!)

It sounds to me like it's a bit of a problem of expectation mismatch - the player wanted an uber1337 hitting machine that does maximal damage each hit, when strikers are a little more oriented towards finesse fighting - not low damage, but it's the technique rather the single hit that matters. If somebody else is filling the role you thought you'd be filling, well that's bound to be a little nasty.