Need Ranger build and/or advice please!

[daddystabz]

I have been out of Pathfinder for quite some time and am gearing up for a campaign here locally that has some room. I have to go back and read up on the rules again and stuff. I am looking at playing an Elven Ranger since the party could use something like that. I am thinking Elf would probably synergize well with Ranger. I need to make a lvl 5 PC.

I am thinking of being either a mobile damage dealer or a dual wielding damage dealer. Whichever is more effective really.

Do any of you have any builds and/or suggestions? I am pretty clueless at the moment.

Thanks in advance!

 

[daddystabz]

I found the following advice and wonder if this is still accurate:

Treantmonk's Guide to Rangers - Pathfinder_OGC

He seems to favor the Switch Hitter build.

 

[Herremann the Wise]

Hello daddystabz,

Have you looked at the Advanced Player's Guide and in particular, different Archetypes for the Ranger? You can find this information on the PRD here.

What resources is your GM allowing?

Best Regards
Herremann the Wise

 

[Volaran]

Treantmonk's guides are useful, but also annoy me for a string of cookie-cutter characters that have shown up in my Pathfinder campaigns. Thankfully, that trend has subsided since the APG came out, but the guide itself is still worth a look.

I do not believe they include information from the APG though, so there are now additional ranger ranger fighting styles and variants you may wish to consider. I believe a few of the alternate elf racial abilities from the APG work well with certain kinds of rangers.

 

[Jadeite]

The Core elf traits have very little to offer for a ranger, especially a ranged one. The APG really helped in this regard. The same goes for spells, except maybe resist energy as a first level spell, the spell list of the ranger was rather uninteresting. The best new spell is probably instant enemy, a third level that allows you to treat an opponent as one of your favored enemies. Combined with Favored Defense, a feat that adds half the Favored Enemy Bonus to AC, it's a very spell.
The inclusion of the feat Point Blank Mastery has probably reduced the need for switch hitter rangers since it allows the ranger to avoid attacks of opportunity for ranged attacks while being threatened. You have to chose between this feat and Improved Precise Shot, though (getting the other feat at level 10).
There's a feat from Seekers of Secrets, Boon Companion, that allows you to get a full animal companion, although still from a limited list.

 

[Thanael]

For Elven Archery check out the feats Focused Shot and Sniper Shot from the list of local feats. Both are Kyonin (elven lands) specific.

Someone already mentioned the Ranger archetypes from APG. There are also the Fighter Archetypes & Alternate Class Options from APG. (Think kits if you know 2E or variant class features if you know 3E)

From your description I'd go for a Fighter(Two Weapon Fighter archetype) with perhaps a bit of a Ranger or Rogue dip. Perhaps you might want to rethink the race? Have you decided which nation your PC would come from ? (If you play in Golarion) Which one interests you?

 

[Scott DeWar]

I mada a level 20 ranger for a game in enworld here. the ranger is hiding here I know hee is a human, but you can make neccessary changes of course. I like him so far, but as we are getting ready to enter the Astral planes, I will soon find out just how good he is.