Help me build an 11th level ranger (please)

[Mad Hamish]

GreenRanger, if you mean Melee Training then
a) it only works on basic attacks (so you aren't attacking with both weapons)
b) if you're planning on mixing it in melee and ranged Fading Strike is a better option and it's not like you have much need for another at-will with Twin Strike getting most of the usage.

 

[GreenRanger]

Ahhh yeah, that's what I was meaning.
And now I see how much that feat sucks.

 

[jbear]

Okay, let's have a go:

Mercurius Ranger level 11
Elf, Ranger, Sharpshooter: This is the Paragon Path I'd choose. It completely resolves the issue of being able to hang in melee range as you can make OAtks with your bow, plus when you use an APoint you get an Extra Free Ranged Basic Atk turning Twin Strike into Triplet Strike! And as for mixing it up at melee range, check out the encounter power Stab and Shoot: You stab your arrow into a target next to you, dazing them and then nonchalantly ignoring them (as they are dazed) shoot the person you really want to attack! If that's not Legolas but hard I don't know what is!
Fighting Style: Hunter Fighting Style: Really only choosing this so you can use Fading Strike as an Opportunity Attk
Ranger: Prime Shot
Background: Silent Hunter (Silent Hunter Benefit): Choose any background, doesn't matter, but a bonus to Stealth and Perception seems to fit

FINAL ABILITY SCORES
Str 12, Con 16, Dex 20, Int 9, Wis 20, Cha 11.

STARTING ABILITY SCORES
Str 11, Con 15, Dex 15, Int 8, Wis 15, Cha 10.

A note here about ability scores. I started with three 15's before Racial Bonus on the premise that you may never see lvl 14 where you will get you next stat bump, as you are usually DM and just taking a break for a while. In which case 21 is useless. If you do intend to level up beyond lvl 13, you may want to drop CON and boost DEX and WIS.

AC: 26 Fort: 22 Reflex: 23 Will: 25
HP: 78 Surges: 9 Surge Value: 19

TRAINED SKILLS
Dungeoneering +15, Athletics +10, Acrobatics +14, Perception +18, Stealth +15, Nature +17

UNTRAINED SKILLS
Arcana +4, Bluff +5, Diplomacy +5, Endurance +7, Heal +10, History +4, Insight +10, Intimidate +5, Religion +4, Streetwise +5, Thievery +9

FEATS
Level 1: Weapon Proficiency (Greatbow): Unfortunately need to boost your Dmg via feats which means a bigger bow for a start: d12
Level 2: Weapon Focus (Bow): Followed by extra static dmg
Level 4: Bow Expertise: Improved accuracy and more static dmg vs isolated targets
Level 6: Lethal Hunter: A boost to quarry dmg d6s to d8s
Level 8: Primal Sharpshooter: Fortunately, or unfortunately there aren't really all that many interesting feats for a bow ranger to take, so since I'm running out of ideas, why not Multiclass into Seeker, training Nature, gaining a bunched minion clearing encounter power and a Daily, if I miss 'll take a shot at someone else power?
Level 10: Superior Will: This is actually an incredible feat. Apart from the huge boost to your Will Defence, You can throw off Stun or Daze at the start of your turn EVEN if the condition doesn't usually allow a Save. When everyone else is out for the count and drooling with Dragonfear, you'll still be climbing wooly mammoths or sliding down their tusks!
Level 11: Sly Hunter: Shrug. Not much for a Bow Hunter to do ... so why not more damage? You now do +4 dmg vs isolated targets. When you are making multiple attacks, this gets serious!

POWERS
Primal Sharpshooter: Elemental Spirits: Seekers don't have the greatest At Will Powers to choose from, but at least this one lets you choose from a variety of damage types which can be useful depending on the monster you're facing or the amount your DM allows you to improvise with powers. Plus it basically creates a damaging zone (anyone starting their turn next to target) that can clear minions or your allies can use forced movement powers to benefit from it.
Ranger at-will 1: Fading Strike: So you wanted to be able to pull out a sword? Well, this is basically it, but it's not too shabby. No two shortswords, unfortunately ... how about a longsword? Accurate, decent damage. The good thing about this is it use DEX for the melee attack, and you can use it on opportunity attacks. So, when you are surrounded and out of escape powers you can either stash your bow, draw long sword, strike and shift 2 or you can use it to make opportunity attacks with your bow and Shift two. Neat power to have up your sleeve.
Ranger at-will 1: Twin Strike: No comment
Ranger encounter 1: Two-Fanged Strike: Better version of Twin Strike, first power to swap out when and if you level up
Ranger daily 1: Skirmishing Stance: As long as you move 3 before you attack +1d8 dmg to first atk all encounter long! Being in the back with a bow makes this pretty simple to achieve.
Ranger utility 2: Invigorating Stride: So you want to compete with Gimli? Well, this is the elf's (ranger's really ... mere details) version of the Dwarf's minor action Second Wind. Move Action: Shift 5 and Second Wind. *Shouts*: 233!
Ranger encounter 3: Disruptive Strike: Everyone will love you for this power. It also gives you something to think about besides (out of turn as well) counting up all your damage!
Ranger daily 5: Spitting-Cobra Stance: I think this power is sweet, especially if you are prepared to get a bit closer to make sure it gets triggered as much as possible, which is pretty much what you are aiming for character wise right?
Ranger utility 6: Weave Through the Fray: Someone comes up to punch you in the face? Stop!!! Sorry .... gotta go! Just be careful how you manage your interrupts when you have your Spitting Cobra Stance up and haven't use Disruptive Strike yet as these are all immeadiate actions.
Ranger encounter 7: Biting Volley: Another Twin Strike basically, but with added puch, accuracy (vs REF) and the chance to Crit 18-20 ... tempting to use Elven Accuracy here!!!
Ranger daily 9: Attacks on the Run: When both these attacks land ... WOW! each attack 3d12 + DEX (and all your other bonuses that you can pull off for being isolated or Skirmishing Stance, Quarry etc.) for a massive (base) total of 6d12 + DEX +DEX ... and you can even move your speed first and shoot at any point along that movement, maybe even gaining Prime Shot and then being able to move away! Hey Gimli ... look at me!!!
Ranger utility 10: Hunter's Thorn Trap: Minor Action drop a trap down that can immobilise a target! Hey with a Stag Helm you can even drop this when you've been surprised!

ITEMS
Bracers of Archery (heroic tier): Static Dmg building, Rebounding Greatbow +3: 1/ENCOUNTER!! you can shoot at someone else when you miss ... add to Seeker daily power ... , Summoned Earthhide Armor +3: Shrug ... not much choice at lvl 11 for starting items but at least you can get rid of that pesky -1 penalty when you have to climb or swim!, Raven Cloak +2: Avoid dying basically +necrotic and cold dmg resistence, Longsword of Great Opportunity +1: Shrug ... it's cheap and if you use it for an Opp Atk in combination with Fading Strike you get a +1d8 dmg 1/encounter, Boots of Spider Climbing (heroic tier): personal favourite here, I like to be able to climb up to impossible places. As an archer this can also be a very sound tactical option depending on the surrounding terrain, Stag Helm (heroic tier): Basically just so you can drop a trap down in a really annoying place when you get surprised. Should take out at least one unsuspecting enemy charging in with Immobilise

 

[Herschel]

Being an Elf Archer Ranger and still wanting to melee is fundamentally not a good idea. The secondary stat for Archers is Wis, not Str, and you'll have to invest heavily into Str to make this work.

Ideally you'd be a Str/Dex Race and be a dual-wielder by default, who occasionally broke out a bow.

Some people actually build characters to, you know, a concept, which is what he specifically asked for, so try to actually help him with what he asked for or go away.

 

[Herschel]

As for build, a post-racial 16 strength/18 dex with long bow and short swords gives you the exact same attack bonus sans enhancements. Put the rest in to Wisdom. I'd go with the two-weapon build for the free toughness. Sticking with those weapons, you won't need to spend feats on proficiencies, which helps. Master at Arms lets you do a swap as a minor action. Trying to keep up with magical enhancements, however, is a bit tricky, so you'll probably want the expertise feats. That's 1,2 & 4. If you want to play in melee a fair amount and help take some hits, you may decide you want Durable at some point too. As for Paragon Paths you could also take a Warlord Multiclass and have some fun there. I like the Freedom Fighter Paragon Path for a Multiclass Warlord with Strength enough. That can save a fellow PC and get you in to melee 1/encounter if you shoot & draw on your turn. Hide armor would also be nice as your dex would give you scale equiv. AC.

 

[drothgery]

Ahhh yeah, that's what I was meaning.
And now I see how much that feat sucks.

Yeah, melee training is only useful if

• You're going to be making a lot of melee basic attacks (from being an Essentials martial build, opportunity attacks, marks, granted by a leader, charging, or whatever)
• You're not going to have a high Str (with the Essentials changes, even if you're starting with a 14 pre-racial mod Str and 18 pre-racial mod primary stat, as long as you plan on boosting Str, melee training isn't really worth it anymore)
• Your class/build doesn't have a class feature that lets you use its primary stat for melee basic attacks (for examlple, the Essentials Thief can use Dex for melee basic attacks)
• Your class/build doesn't have an at-will power that can be used as a melee basic attack (there is a Cha paladin power that can be used as a melee basic attack)
• Your class/build doesn't give you access to a superior feat (Intelligent Blademaster is strictly better than Melee Training (Intelligence), but you need to be a swordmage to take it)

 

[mneme]

I think there's actually an interesting question as to whether it's better to build a melee/ranged ranger as a scout (who can just be built using dex for both dual wielding and ranged combat) or by building a Str/Dex ranger. A dex/wis scout can dual wield and shoot out of the box (but sacrifices out of turn attacks and daily powers for more damage on your turn and being less MAD).

An entertaining and powerful approach is (however you build your ranger, assuming you're not a scout) to go with Beast Mastery. Toughness and the ability to dual wield longwords instead of shortswords is fine, and while Combat Mobility is only ok, the Battlefield Archer PP is really strong (+1 to hit every combat, +5 to OAs every combat, quarry everything, AP for a reroll, AP every combat). But you don't need either, really -- you can go with a crazy multiclass PP for moar cheese (like Morninglord), or you can go with the Sharpshooter PP--which is great for archers, has no prerequisites, and will let you make OAs with a bow -and- (with a beast and the Beast Protector feat) punish attacks on your pet from a distance, with a bow. And the utility of having a beast around to harry ranged attackers, flank with allies, and let you quarry anyone you want (and act at a reduced value when you're unconcious, and have a something to tank for you and get in the way of enemies closing in...) is far larger than either toughness+melee or combat mob.

3. Really, in the rare situations where it's worth it for a bow primary character to pull out two swords and swing with Twin Strike, you don't really need that much strength. Assume you're more or less only going to do it when you're penned in -and- have a decent bonus to hit on melee attacks, a 14 strength that you never boost is probably enough to make it substantially better than doing nothing (eg, you get the double chance to crit, and that's all that really matters). Plus you might as well take a dex melee power as your backup power--as except when you're penned in, you're going to be shooting with twin strike on most of your standard actions (although that argues for a greatsword or other two handed weapon as your backup melee weapon).

 

[UngeheuerLich]

Yeah, melee training is only useful if

• You're not going to have a high Str (with the Essentials changes, even if you're starting with a 14 pre-racial mod Str and 18 pre-racial mod primary stat, as long as you plan on boosting Str, melee training isn't really worth it anymore)

Could you elaborate your reasoning on this point?

In my opinion melee training is especially useful, if you have 14 Strength and 18 in your main IF you plan on raising strength. It will be a straight +2 boost to hit, compared to not taking melee training, and only a -2 to damage compared to strength primary.

 

[drothgery]

Could you elaborate your reasoning on this point?

In my opinion melee training is especially useful, if you have 14 Strength and 18 in your main IF you plan on raising strength. It will be a straight +2 boost to hit, compared to not taking melee training, and only a -2 to damage compared to strength primary.

+2 to hit for -2 to damage on a secondary attack mode (for anything other than wonky builds like a dex-based Slayer, MBAs with something other than your primary stat are at best a secondary attack mode) isn't worth a feat to me. I don't know what the CharOp guys say, but I suspect they'd agree with me.

 

[aurance]

Some people actually build characters to, you know, a concept, which is what he specifically asked for, so try to actually help him with what he asked for or go away.

On the other hand, it helps to know the mechanical drawbacks of a build that fits a concept, so...

Don't go away.