Hybrid choices for 11 ranger/wizard?

[DracoSuave]

One thing to consider with Hybrid vs Multiclassing.


Hybrids often can't 'cross pollenate.'


So... Hunter's Quarry does not work with Wizard powers, and it'll only work with ranger paragon paths, so if you have a racial, skill based, wizard, or any paragon path that isn't 'Prerequisite: Ranger' HQ will not work with it; HQ DOES work with wizard powers when you multiclass however.

Not to mention, you need to blow a feat to get armor you're amenable to.

 

[Dr_Ruminahui]

Stout is from a recent eratta, and simply means that it counts as a two handed weapon - which is important for many of the barbarian at wills.

Defensive is from the first adventurer's vault, and as you noted, gives +1 AC.

 

[Neonchameleon]

Partially recreating a prior edition multiclassed character I'm comfortable roleplaying. A viking warrior who learned magic. I understood going in that multiclassing in 4e is generally suboptimal.

Focused on Str for melee and Int for ranged magic and AC/reflex. Dump stat dex.

Ditched all tw ranger melee powers for the wizard swap feats and used a quarterstaff as a +3 weapon/implement.

I took ritual caster and bought up some low level rituals.

Ended up with decent enough combo of melee and range but doesn't use one of his at wills (a two weapon one) or the benefits of his two weapon style (outside of bonus toughness feat). I'd much rather have a second wizard at will and could live without the fighting style, particularly if I picked up the wizard free ritual features. I think hunter's quarry is important to keep though to do a striker role.

The big question here is how much and what sort of magic you want. Because I'm seeing a Thunderborn Barbarian here with a multiclass feat for Ritual Casting here. Preferably taking the bastard sword and instead going for an even bigger two handed sword (Fullblade). Or possibly a whirling barbarian using the same approach (whatever the TWF barbarians are called).

Barbarians are big people with large weapons empowered by the forces of nature to do a lot of melee damage (and they are pretty tough). Thunderborn Barbarians are more directly empowered by the forces of nature than most - and use a lot of bursts of explosive force (trivially reskinnable as arcane evocations). Also a lot of Barbarian daily powers have supernatural effects wielding the forces of nature to empower yourself and flatten everyone else. The sort of magic you'd want to cast in combat if your focus was primarily on steel. And multiclassing to something for Ritual Caster would get you the slower non-combat magics and only cost a feat (possibly two if you wanted something else).

I'm pretty sure there's also an avenger build lurking somewhere here as well if he likes robes. As well as the obvious Swordmage. Could you post a summarised old character sheet please?

 

[mneme]

Defensive is +1 on AC, yes.
Stout means you can still use it for two handed weapon attacks if you ever take any of those.

 

[Lord Ernie]

Thing is, a hybrid wizard can't get access to the wizard's free rituals class feature. The only one you can take from the wizard is his Arcane Implement Mastery, and the only really useful one there for a melee build is the staff. That doesn't mean this kind of build can't work. I fiddled around a bit in the Character Builder, and I made this (I know you don't have DDI, but the format is clear enough for simply reading it):

====== Created Using Wizards of the Coast D&D Character Builder ======
level 11
Human, Ranger|Wizard, Adroit Explorer
Hybrid Ranger: Hybrid Ranger Reflex
Hybrid Talent: Arcane Implement Mastery
Ambitious Effort: Ambitious Effort New Power
Arcane Implement Mastery: Staff of Defense

FINAL ABILITY SCORES
Str 21, Con 12, Dex 11, Int 19, Wis 14, Cha 9.

STARTING ABILITY SCORES
Str 16, Con 11, Dex 10, Int 16, Wis 13, Cha 8.


AC: 25 Fort: 24 Reflex: 24 Will: 22
HP: 63 Surges: 7 Surge Value: 15

TRAINED SKILLS
Heal +12, Athletics +15, Arcana +14, Religion +14, Nature +12

UNTRAINED SKILLS
Acrobatics +5, Bluff +4, Diplomacy +4, Dungeoneering +7, Endurance +6, History +9, Insight +7, Intimidate +4, Perception +7, Stealth +5, Streetwise +4, Thievery +5

FEATS
Human: Hybrid Talent
Level 1: Staff Fighting
Level 2: Armor Proficiency (Leather)
Level 4: Action Surge
Level 6: Focused Expertise (Quarterstaff)
Level 8: Ritual Caster
Level 10: Weapon Focus (Staff)
Level 11: Paragon Defenses

POWERS
Ambitious Effort New Power: Claws of the Griffon
Bonus At-Will Power: Magic Missile
Hybrid at-will 1: Twin Strike
Hybrid at-will 1: Thunderwave
Hybrid encounter 1: Off-Hand Strike
Hybrid daily 1: Flaming Sphere
Hybrid utility 2: Shield
Hybrid encounter 3: Fire Shroud
Hybrid daily 5: Spitting-Cobra Stance
Hybrid utility 6: Weave Through the Fray
Hybrid encounter 7: Twist of Space
Hybrid daily 9: Wall of Fire
Hybrid utility 10: Repelling Shield

ITEMS
Staff of the Serpent +3, Battle Harness Leather Armor +2, Periapt of Cascading Health +2
====== Copy to Clipboard and Press the Import Button on the Summary Tab ======

If you're dead-set on the ranger/wizard combination, this looks like a solid (but not great) approach to me. Otherwise, some of the other suggestions offered in the thread seem like a better idea, at least optimisation-wise. Barbarian|Sorcerer in particular is a very potent combo, and (in my mind) fits the 'Viking warrior/mage' concept beautifully.