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<blockquote data-quote="Dausuul" data-source="post: 4300860" data-attributes="member: 58197">Still missing the point.The point is this: Let's say you have decided to play a ranger who shoots a bow.&nbsp; You have your choice of the Archery path and the TWF path.&nbsp; What people are saying is that the TWF &quot;path&quot; - that is, the mechanical package including Toughness and improved dual wielding - is superior even if you intend to shoot a bow all the time and hardly ever get into melee.Many classes have their &quot;paths&quot; hard-wired into their powers.&nbsp; For instance, a Fey-pact warlock gets extra bonuses when using Fey-pact powers.&nbsp; Likewise, an inspiring warlord gets Charisma-based bonuses on some powers, while a tactical warlord gets Intelligence-based bonuses on others.&nbsp; For these classes, there are major consequences to choosing your path.But the ranger is not one of these classes.&nbsp; Ranger powers are not affected by your choice of &quot;path.&quot;&nbsp; The only effect of your choice is to determine whether you get Defensive Mobility (archer path), or Toughness plus improved dual wielding (TWF path).Were I playing a bow-wielding ranger, I would have to seriously think about Toughness versus Defensive Mobility.&nbsp; +2 AC against opportunity attacks - or 5 more hit points?&nbsp; Considering that most melee opponents will be stuck to the defender anyway, my chief fear is artillery monsters that can hit me from a distance.&nbsp; Toughness will help against those, Defensive Mobility won't.Then you add in the ability to, in a pinch, drop the bow and whip out two longswords.&nbsp; It isn't going to be useful very often, but if you do get driven into a corner and forced to melee, it's very nice.</blockquote>

[QUOTE="Dausuul, post: 4300860, member: 58197"] Still missing the point. The point is this: Let's say you have decided to play a ranger who shoots a bow. You have your choice of the Archery path and the TWF path. What people are saying is that the TWF "path" - that is, the mechanical package including Toughness and improved dual wielding - is superior [i]even if you intend to shoot a bow all the time and hardly ever get into melee[/i]. Many classes have their "paths" hard-wired into their powers. For instance, a Fey-pact warlock gets extra bonuses when using Fey-pact powers. Likewise, an inspiring warlord gets Charisma-based bonuses on some powers, while a tactical warlord gets Intelligence-based bonuses on others. For these classes, there are major consequences to choosing your path. But the ranger is not one of these classes. Ranger powers are not affected by your choice of "path." The [i]only[/i] effect of your choice is to determine whether you get Defensive Mobility (archer path), or Toughness plus improved dual wielding (TWF path). Were I playing a bow-wielding ranger, I would have to seriously think about Toughness versus Defensive Mobility. +2 AC against opportunity attacks - or 5 more hit points? Considering that most melee opponents will be stuck to the defender anyway, my chief fear is artillery monsters that can hit me from a distance. Toughness will help against those, Defensive Mobility won't. Then you add in the ability to, in a pinch, drop the bow and whip out two longswords. It isn't going to be useful very often, but if you do get driven into a corner and forced to melee, it's [i]very[/i] nice. [/QUOTE]

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