Irongorn, the Heavy Ranger (ranger/pit fighter)

[daddystabz]

Do you have an updated build of your human ranger, Irongorn? I still like some of your ideas but I would need to get an updated version that is rules legal overall, including with legal starting stats.

 

[daddystabz]

So no Two Weapon Fighting or Two Weapon Defense? So this guy will swing a single axe and no shiled or anything? You still have 2 battleaxes listed for weapons.

 

[Vempyre]

NM--

 

[Zaruthustran]

So no Two Weapon Fighting or Two Weapon Defense? So this guy will swing a single axe and no shiled or anything? You still have 2 battleaxes listed for weapons.

The edited build (post 1 of this thread) is rules-legal.

You don't need those feats to use two weapons. Anyone can use a one-handed weapon and an off-hand weapon in combat (attacking with one, or the other).

The Ranger class allows you to fight with two one-handed weapons. This build is a ranger, and that's why he uses two battleaxes.

 

[daddystabz]

But you basically gave up on this Human Ranger Pit Fighter build though beause it wasn't completely optimal?

 

[Zaruthustran]

But you basically gave up on this Human Ranger Pit Fighter build though beause it wasn't completely optimal?

No, what I'm saying is that I went and edited the original post to make it rules-legal.

Just check the first post in this thread. Here's a direct link: http://www.enworld.org/showpost.php?p=4251945&postcount=1

Human Ranger Pit Fighter is great, any way you slice it. I flavored Irongorn with heavy armor and axes; you could also go light armor and swords. Either way, it's a very solid build.

 

[Zaruthustran]

Now with 50 more damage! (assuming 10 attacks hit)

Just saw a rule in this thread that sets Irongorn on the road towards Brokenland:

p226, PHB: "When you use a magic item as part of a racial power or a class power, the keywords of the item’s power and the other power all apply."

As that thread demonstrates, combining the above rule with the feat benefits of Lasting Frost (gives "vulnerable cold 5" to any target hit with an attack with the Cold keyword) and Wintertouched (gain combat advantage against any foe with "vulnerable cold") makes the big blade cascade combo even more deadly. Assuming Irongorn is using two Cold weapons, by the time the Blade Cascade is initiated every attack is essentially +2 attack, and +5 damage.

I flavored Irongorn for defense, but it's simple to optimize it for offense by swapping con with dex, and ditching the axe and armor feats for bastard sword, twf, lasting frost, and wintertouched.

Here's the math, assuming two +4 frost bastard swords (appropriate for 16th level):

+28 attack (+8 for level, +6 Str, +3 proficiency, +4 enhancement, +2 combat advantage, +3 Action Surge, +2 deadly payback)
...vs a target with at least a -4 penalty to AC
...for 2d10 + 16 (+ 6 Str, +4 Wis, +2 Weapon Focus, +4 enhancement) + 10 (+2 deadly payback, +8 extra damage action) + 5 (vulnerable cold) damage per hit.

That's a range of 33 to 51 damage per hit, he keeps rolling attacks until he misses, and with that attack bonus and the AC penalty on his target he only misses on a "1".

Brrrr!

 

[GoodKingJayIII]

This is such a great build. And I don't just mean mathematically, but thematically and evocatively. The image of a Dwarf Ranger wading through enemies and carving them up with two axes is just perfect. This is exactly what I always wanted from a Ranger (or at least, what I always wanted to be possible).

Edit: I know the original character's not a Dwarf, it's just the way I imagined him!

 

[Tony Vargas]

Especially if he can get a buddy to give a flank, but involving other party members is usually considered bad form in character optimization discussions. I wonder if that will change in 4E? This new edition really encourages cooperation and party synergy.

It certainly does, and a leader could really help set you up for something like this. If you have a Warlord for instance, your action-point action gets another +(warlord's INT)/2, and he has several abilities that can slide you into flanking and/or give you a bonus to hit (and/or damage), the Warlord analog to Armor Splinter even lets you crit on an 18-20... It it's a Cleric, Righteous Brand gives a big attack bonus (the bonus is based on the War Cleric's primary stat), and it's /at will/, and spiritual weapon can give everyone Combat Advantage vs it's target, among other possibilities.

 

[daddystabz]

Why don't you post an offensive version of Irongorn that takes advantage of all this with all the feats, etc. you would build him with, Zaruthustran? I want to check this out! Would human be the optimal choice for it or something more exotic like Longtooth Shifter or whatever. Basically, what is the best phb race for it and which is the best non-phb race?