help with an outdoors character type

[italianranma]

I recently got back from (real life) AF Combat Survival training. It was a ton of fun and I learned a lot of ranger-like stuff including how to hunt small game, how to skill and make pelts, what kinds of plants are edible, how to make a tent out of ponchos, and how to conceal it, and I even ate bugs! Of course ingame my current character is a froppish city dweller. I want to have a character were I can use this OOC knowledge to add depth to my storytelling. But on the same hand I want to kick ass.

From the basic classes rangers, druids, and barbarians are usually concedered the outdoors type. I was thinking ranger with the archery combat style but I could be persuaded otherwise. If I wanted to do the archer ranger what should my feat progression be like? We'll be using the standard point buy with 28pts. Our DM is notoriously stingy with magic items and wealth, so most of my damage needs to come from feats/spells. I wouldn't mind going into a prestige class so long as I can keep the character outdoorsy.

 

[Tatsukun]

Well, don't forget the cleric, with the travel domain you get survival, with knowledge you can get know(nature) and know(geography).

Maybe one level of ranger then cleric? That will give you martial weapons, a (slightly) better BAB than a cleric, and you will get a pile of skills at first level.

Maybe you can even talk your DM into the war domain and have the longbow be the favored weapon? Then you can just alternate ranger and cleric and take archery.

There are lots of fun things, but in a low magic world, remember that the frontline fighter types are at a HUGE disadvantage. Stay off that front line and you will be fine.

Have fun!

-Tatsu

 

[Felix]

Outdoor character + Low magic world + kickass build = Druid.

Druid comes close to the Sor/Wiz in terms of spell firepower, and outdoes the cleric hands down on ranged spells. Healing isn't bad, and you can easily quickly command an army with spontaneous Summon Nature's Ally spells.

Wildshape will get you good traveling speed, good outdoors scouting, and with Natural Spell, a serruptitous (sp?) platform for casting spells.

4+ skills isn't bad, and you'll have a good skill list. Fort and Ref as favored saves, and 3/4 BAB.

Depending on how the DM does it, you might have a neat background with druidic circles in your home area, and ties to other circles around the world.

That, and Nwm is one of the coolest characters ever.

 

[italianranma]

I'm a powergamer at heart, what are the good combos for Rangers and Druids as far as feats and spells go. FYI it's not a low magic setting; we're playing Faerun, the DM is just stingy with the treasure tables.

 

[Felix]

Buddy, I hate to say this, but my powergamyness is nothing compared to what spells/feats/combos abound in the Realms. You'll have to get someone who knows a whole lot more about what stuff is available to put together an "optimal" build.

At any rate, I played a high STR Ranger 2/Druid 7 who was pretty effective. Take a look at the skills and feats your DM allows, and go from there.

The Wizards boards have a whole messageboard server dedicated to Faerunian stuff... you might want to check that place out...

 

[Kae'Yoss]

If you want to go cleric (or part cleric), you might consider an elven (wood elf works best, FC ranger) cleric of Solonor. Domains Chaos, Elf, Good, Plant, War (Longbow). Ranger/cleric might work well. Or you can go Ranger/Druid and have Divine Disciple later (to pick up a domain, though that will take quite a lot of time)

 

[Magesmiley]

Well, if you're a power gamer, you might consider multi-classing between rogue and ranger (and going with the two-weapon fighting route). If you are a non-human (such as an elf for example), you can also select humans (the most common enemy in my experience) as your favored enemy.

some of the benefits (at 3rd level - 1 rogue/2 ranger) include:

Multiple attacks (say 1d8 and 1d6 for a longsword/shortsword combo), and if you're flanking you get an extra d6 on both, and if you're fighting humans an extra 2 damage as well. Put some points into tumble to make sure you get into flanking situations a lot. This is pretty respectable amount of damage dealing for a 3rd level character.

Lots and lots of skill points (make sure you do the 1 level of rogue first to take advantage of the 4x multiplier), covering the vast majority of the skills.

You still have your 1st and 3rd level feats to work with to make this even nastier too.