New to the game. Need advice on Ranger build.

[SevenGuns2k]

Hi, I'm new to pnp rpg and is about to join a friend's campaign. I was thinking about building a ranger. don't really care much for the common dual wielding rangers out there. i think its boring. I think i'm leading towards combat style: archery and greatsword. Also, we will start at level 6.

My rolled stats are: 18, 18, 17, 16, 16, 14

Please advice me on what i should do to make a bad-ass ranger. Feats, Skills, Equipment, etc...
Or will a fighter be more sutiable for Greatsword??

 

[Papa-DRB]

Treantmonk's Guide to Rangers - Pathfinder_OGC

Try this link...

-- david
Papa.DRB

 

[billd91]

One significant aspect of your bad-assery will be your favored enemies and favored terrains. Definitely consult with the DM over them. Most adventure paths, for example, will highlight particularly useful favored enemies over the course of the planned campaign. In the Council of Thieves AP, for example, rangers who pick urban as a favored environment tend to do well. Same with picking evil outsider and humanoid (human) as favored enemies. The situations in which these come up are ubiquitous, making them particularly effective choices. Knowing which ones may be particularly useful (as well as which ones will almost never come up) will help. It's really sad to be a ranger who has picked a favored enemy that never appears...

You might also want to consult with the other players. It may help if you let them know what sorts of adventure hooks you may be interested in biting at. Then maybe they can coordinate PC interests, builds, and other background elements for greater harmony at the table.

 

[Tinner]

You said you're new to pnp rpg's, so I'd reccomend this guy.

He's a human ranger using the Skirmisher Archetype. You dump the ranger magic in exchange for some fun combat tricks.
Going with the companion bond, rather than the animal companion will be easier starting out, but you could take a wolf companion if you'd rather.

The gear on this build is probably more than what your GM will let you start with, but it's something to build towards.

The key here is using your high speed and acrobatics, combined with your Hunter's Trick: Sudden Shift to wade into combat.
Once there, layeth the smack down with the greatsword, hoping for crits where you can really dish out some damage.
Power Attack, Cleave, and the Cleaving Finish chain will let you mow down opponents. If they are Orcs or Fae you will cut through swaths of them. Feel free to change the favored enemies and terrains depending on your campaign.

SEVENGUNS2K CR 5
Male Human (Kellid) Ranger (Skirmisher) 6
NG Medium Humanoid (Human)
Init +4; Senses Perception +12
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DEFENSE
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AC 14, touch 14, flat-footed 10. . (+4 Dex)
hp 64 (6d10+24)
Fort +9, Ref +9, Will +5
--------------------
OFFENSE
--------------------
Spd 40 ft.
Melee +1 Keen Greatsword +13/+8 (2d6+8/17-20/x2) and
. . Unarmed Strike +11/+6 (1d3+5/20/x2)
--------------------
STATISTICS
--------------------
Str 20, Dex 18, Con 18, Int 14, Wis 16, Cha 16
Base Atk +6; CMB +11; CMD 25
Feats Cleave, Cleaving Finish, Endurance, Great Cleave, Improved Cleaving Finish, Power Attack -2/+4, Weapon Focus: Greatsword
Traits Killer, Superstitious (Kellid)
Skills Acrobatics +10, Climb +14, Handle Animal +12, Heal +12, Intimidate +12, Perception +12, Ride +13, Stealth +13, Survival +12, Swim +14
Languages Common, Hallit, Orc, Sylvan
SQ Enemies: Fey (+2 bonus) (Ex), Enemies: Humanoids (Orc) (+4 bonus) (Ex), Hunter's Trick: Surprise Shift (Ex), Hunter's Tricks (6/day) (Ex), Hunting Companions (3 rounds) (Ex), Terrains: Forest (+2 bonus) (Ex), Track +3, Wild Empathy +9 (Ex)
Combat Gear +1 Keen Greatsword, +1 Mithral Breastplate; Other Gear Boots of Striding and Springing
--------------------
SPECIAL ABILITIES
--------------------
Cleave If you hit your first target, attack an adjacent target at the same attack bonus in exchange for -2 AC.
Cleaving Finish Make additional attack if opponent is knocked out
Endurance +4 to a variety of skill checks. Sleep in L/M armor with no fatigue.
Enemies: Fey (+2 bonus) (Ex) +2 to rolls vs Fey.
Enemies: Humanoids (Orc) (+4 bonus) (Ex) +4 to rolls vs Humanoids (Orc).
Hunter's Trick: Surprise Shift (Ex) The ranger can move 5 feet as a swift action. This movement does not provoke attacks of opportunity and does not count as a 5-foot step.
Hunter's Tricks (6/day) (Ex) Various tricks.
Hunting Companions (3 rounds) (Ex) Grant half favored enemy bonus to allies within 30' as move action.
Improved Cleaving Finish May use Cleaving Finish any number of times/round
Killer Add weapon's critical modifier to its critical bonus damage.
Power Attack -2/+4 You can subtract from your attack roll to add to your damage.
Superstitious (Kellid) +1 on saving throws against arcane spells
Terrains: Forest (+2 bonus) (Ex) +2 to rolls vs Forest.
Track +3 +3 to survival checks to track.
Wild Empathy +9 (Ex) Improve the attitude of an animal, as if using Diplomacy.

 

[StreamOfTheSky]

What books/sources do you have access to or is the DM allowing?

If you're mainly doing archery, I would assign those rolls as follows:

Str 18, Dex 18, Con 17, Int 16, Wis 16, Cha 14 (or switch Con and Wis)

Very good rolls, by the way. Like, crazy good. Race will depend on what books are allowed and your preferences. If you do Human, Half-Elf, or Half-Orc, the +2 bonus goes to Dex. If you can only use races from the core book, I would pick one of those 3. Small races badly hurt your damage, dwarf doesn't hurt but it doesn't help much either, and Elf just sucks for you.