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Message: <blockquote data-quote="mneme" data-source="post: 5518438" data-attributes="member: 59248">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).</blockquote>

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