Is a fighter-ranger hybrid dumb? (help me build)

[Klaus]

I'm going to introduce an Aragorn-esque sword-and-bow master type NPC in my session tonight (9-10th level), probably later on in the evening and not involving combat so the stats don't need to be totally formed yet. But I wanted to get some feedback and make sure I'm not missing the mark by creating a fighter-ranger hybrid. Are they too similar? If I want the character to be a wilderness type with a focus on swords and blows, should I just stick with a ranger? What's the benefit of hybridizing with fighter? Any feats or powers I should pay especial attention to? Etc.

Think of Aragorn a couple decades before the LotR, and replacing the gloomy vibe and heavy heritage with a more mercenary/adventurous bent, and a strong skill in swords and bows. In other words, imagine Aragorn if Fritz Lieber or Robert Howard were writing him.

Specific suggestions like magic items and feats are greatly appreciated. I'm also open to different hybrids, although think ranger should be in the mix (or maybe warden?).

Thanks!

You don't need a ranger/fighter hybrid for Aragorn.

Just play a Bard. Bards have melee and ranged weapon powers, can take up chainmail from the get-go, and a Valorous Bard favors Constitution, which bumps hit points to defender-like ammounts.

Favor the less "magical" powers (which are mostly the weapon ones), take Nature as a trained skill and you're good to go.

 

[Karmic_vegeance]

Necrothread: I found this thread via Google, and it's close enough for what I need to ask.

Can anyone confirm that "Hybrid Fighter Combat Talent (Tempest Technique)" and "Hybrid Ranger Fighting Style (Two-Blade Fighting Style)" actually stack? Two-Blade Fighting Style lets me use a one-handed weapon as though it were an off-hand weapon. Tempest Technique gives me bonuses if I'm using weapons with the off-hand property. (The Hybrid versions of these abilities are identical to the full versions, which you can find in Player's Handbook 1 and Martial Power 1.)

Do these features totally stack? If not, how much am I losing out on by using them together?

The wording on Two-blade Fighting Style says that you wield the secondary weapon "as if it were an off-hand weapon." This suggests to me that it does not gain the "Off-hand" property, and thus doesn't benefit from the attack and damage bonus to "weapons with the off-hand property" from Tempest Technique (YMMV, however). You would still get the base +1 damage to melee and close attacks when wearing light armor/chainmail, however. That, and the free feats.

 

[Mika]

Looks good, really; can't argue with any of your choices except maybe making a Drow rather than a Half-orc (which doesn't seem to be included in your stats; how'd you manage to have an Int of 8 and a Cha of 10 as a drow?); Xendrik weapon training is good, though. (and I think the warden/ranger build is a touch stronger than the fighter/ranger, due to the better marking capabilities and sudden roots)

Starting ability scores do not include racial adjustments. I made the same mistake on another message board.

 

[Garthanos]

Aragon-esque sword and bow masters are not all fighterranger hybrids.

You could do this with a straight Ranger, or with a Warlord (and Warlord would fit Aragorn's regal nature). One thing about 4e that is tough to swallow is that fighters are not the only *fighters*, and rangers are no longer just wilderness loving loners. The crunch is divorced from the fluff somewhat, so you can feel free to reflavor if you want. For what it's worth, role wise, this is how I see it:
Aragorn - Leader
Gimli - Defender
Legolas - Striker

Making Aaragorn a prime candidate for Warlord, IMO. The new build even works well with archery. Hybriding for ranged with one class and melee with another might be a little cumbersome. If you can make it work, then go for it.

Jay

This is exactly my take on it.. Paragon multiclassing Aragorn as Ranger also works for the story of the character ... starts warlord (before we see him).. multiclasses ranger (strider)... epics with the return of the King. Legalos is a full ranger and Gimli full on fighter... also why legalos is the winner in body count (although cleaves and similar can take down loads of minions) it may not have been that fair of contest.

 

[Budalic]

If you want sword & bow character, hunter fighting style from Martial Power 2 looks really well. Granted, it's a bit better for dex/wis rangers than str/dex.

 

[Otterscrubber]

Well I like melee dps, so I found a ranger fight hybrid didn't work as well as a ranger multiclassed into fighter. With a few exceptions, the ranger dailies and encounter powers are very forgettable. However fighters have some great ones, as well as very good paragon paths that help with both defense and damage output. A two blade ranger with multi into fighter for some of those sweet, sweet stances and a paragon path that helps with AC works quite nicely.

 

[Ebylon]

If he's an NPC, there is absolutely no point to use the Character Builder/PC creation rules to create your Aragorn-type. The beauty of creating monsters/NPCs is that you can do whatever the hell you want with them.

Is he a crack shot with a bow and extremely skilled with the sword? Then give him an attack bonus to show that, if you think it'll be balanced.

Sure, use inspiration from actual PC character powers for your NPC's powers, but don't restrain yourself creatively by forcing yourself to follow the PC building rules. Look at fighter, ranger, even warlord powers. Pick ones you like that round out your intended theme for the NPC, and then jigger with them to make sure that they fit from a monster/NPC standpoint.

 

[igniz13]

There's no point making a twinked out NPC who uses PC rules. If you're going to use him in combat then it's probably best to make someone who supports and doesn't overshadow.

The two build options TWF from Ranger and Tempest Technique don't stack. Not entirely sure Aragon DW'd either.

 

[doctorhook]

The two build options TWF from Ranger and Tempest Technique don't stack. Not entirely sure Aragon DW'd either.

You'll need to be more specific about which parts don't stack and why. As for Aragorn dual-wielding, I'm not sure if anyone here was suggesting that he did...

Btw, welcome to the boards!

 

[DracoSuave]

You'd have to Paragon Hybrid to get both anyway.... and that is a very, very large waste.

Not if the two class features stack!

I was going to go into character builder to see how it handles it, but then I remembered that character builder does not actually handle the off-hand trait correctly to start, never has, and probably never will. So whatever it does is more likely wrong than right, don't do that.

Stupid Character Builder.

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You cannot do it with the Ranger version. The reason is that it only allows the use in your off-hand as if it had the off-hand property. That means that, for the purposes of using it in the off-hand, it does have the property, but for other purposes (such as Tempest Technique) it does not.

However, the Barbarian's Whirling Slayer DOES work, because it 'treats it as an off-hand weapon' and is non-specific.

So in the case of the Barbarian, a Fighter could get their +1 to hit and +2 damage with the bastard sword they're holding in their off hand.