Playing a Ranger

[djrdjmsqrd]

A quick note.

Pure Rangers (PHB) are fun to play, if you think them through before you start playing them. Layout where you want to have the character go...it will be a lot easier and more fun.

 

[The Souljourner]

My plan right now is to go human and put a 16 in intelligence so I get 8 skillpoints per level. There are so many skills I want to get, I think it's worth it.

I'm going 1 level of barbarian and the rest ranger, for the movement and the occasional rage. Also taking run, so I can go into shadow scout (from OA). Also taking shield expert because if I'm only using light armor (starting with mithral chain shirt), then I'll need the extra points of AC.

My only problem now is, what do I do with my last feat (we're starting at 3rd level)? My plan is to get lots and lots of favored enemies by taking extra favored enemy and going shadow scout. I don't think I'll be taking many more combat feats, so I want something that will give me a big benefit on its own.

I want to be very skill-pointy, with favored enemy as my big bonus in fights. So I'm planning on this 3rd level feat being my last one before going all favored enemy.

Any suggestions?

-The Souljourner

 

[maddman75]

Well, with all that stealth you could probably sneak up on a foe unnoticed and get a suprise attack pretty easily. He loses his dex and you get pluses to hit him. A Power Attack could take him out.

PA is one of the most useful feats around. I can't recommend it enough for any character who is going to be spending time in melee

 

[Steverooo]

Thanks, Zar!

Zaruthustran's Ranger Manual

KNOWLEDGE
Go to the library and read the US Army survival manual and the SAS survival guide. These two books will make you the most effective, knowledgable ranger on the block. You talk the talk, and your character walks the walk.

Hey, Zar!... Which are you recommending? The SAS Survival HANDBOOK, by Wiseman (which is what you linked to, above), or The SAS Survival GUIDE, by Collins Gem (or doya think it matters)?

I also like Bradford Angier's books (How to Stay Alive in the Woods, etc.), and the Into the Primitive folks (whose names I forget).

 

[Sturmwulf]

I believe the Peerless Archer Prestige class is from the Silver Marches book.

 

[wtdavid]

Actually, Shadow Scout is about the only ranger prestige class I've seen that looks halfway decent.

-The Souljourner

I like Darkwood Stalker for Dragon (don't recall the issue number). The issue has alot of wilderness info.

I'm currently playing a Monte Cook Ranger/ Darkwood Stalker. I also took Barbarian at 1st level. I've found the real advantage to Cook's ranger is the number of skill points. I only got 1 or 2 of the extra feats due to the PrC. I used the early feats to take archer feats. I ended up taking the amb and twf later anyway. I think the character would have come out close to the same with the PHB Ranger.

BTW, I did the Wood Elf thing. It's really nice having Ranger as a favored class, but Int and Cha hit do hurt sometimes. Handle Animal is Cha based. And if you go Wood elf, take Human as a favored enemy.

 

[Apok]

If you are going for lots of Favored Enemies, try and get your DM to drop the ridiculous restriction about same-species Favored Enemies and alignment. Let's face it, Favored Enemy; Human would likely be the most usefull one unless your DM is a monster nut. As for feats, I strongly recommend a mix of archery & melee feats. This will increase your Ranger's combat versatility which is always a good thing. For example, go with Point Blank & Precise Shot for archery and Power Attack and Improved Crit for melee.

One thing I find interesting is that almost every fighting character (fighters, rangers, pally's, etc.) will typically focus in on one "schtick" rather than diversifying their abilities. While this does make for characters that are more powerful at one thing, it also makes them less usefull in certain situations. I've noticed this to be a sad fact of D&D 3e; specialization really is the way to go, since trying to be competant at everything will usually net you a character that can't do anything very well.

 

[Morose]

We use 28 point buy in our campaign for attributes. My current (human) ranger of 6 levels:

Attributes:
Str: 14
Dex: 14
Con: 12
Int: 14
Wis: 15
Chr: 8

Skill ranks:
Hide 9
Move Silently 9
Listen 9
Spot 9
Wilderness Lore 9
Search 9
Knowledge (nature) 5
Knowledge (geography) 2

He uses a cloak and boots of Elvenkind (meshes perfectly with his backstory of being raised amongst the Elves) instead of more powerful items like Boots of Striding and Springing, but I don't miss them much. Adjusted skill totals (after items and such) for hide and move silently are 21 at 6th level! Very nifty.

 

[Mustrum_Ridcully]

A Rogue will always be happy about a RAnger, because this means he is not the only one to scout - especially not alone when dangerous opponents might await him somewhere...

Mustrum Ridcully

 

[Darklone]

Take two levels of barbarian in the beginning and play human. Uncanny dodge will save your life more than once.

Throwing axes rock with high strength. Don't forget Quickdraw.