Reserve Feats: Useful for PCs, The Suck for NPCs

[Jefe Bergenstein]

Fact

And a guy with sneak attack dice wouldnt be better in this situation?

 

[Vuron]

And a guy with sneak attack dice wouldnt be better in this situation?

Sneak Attack dice are only valuable at short ranges whereas a ranger should be focused on ambush from longer range. The ranger should then use relative speed (light armor means-30' whereas many parties have multiple 20' characters) plus stealth to withdraw from his ambush location then lather, rinse and repeat

The problem is that archer based ambushes are often very unsatisfying to gamers, ie the make it hard for the PCs to win, so many DMs tend to ignore relatively obvious tactics and play rangers, scouts and wilderness rogues as weak barbarian/fighters.

 

[Sejs]

And a guy with sneak attack dice wouldnt be better in this situation?

No, actually, he wouldn't. Two reasons:

1) If he wants to take advantage of those sneak attack dice he'd have to be within 30' of his target, which means he's close enough to get caught unless he's -really- lucky.

2) If he is far enough away to actually take advantage of his bow's range like he should be, a ranger's full BAB means he's more likely to connect with his shots.

Beyond those, past a certain level a ranger really shines as a guerilla. Woodland Stride + Hunter's Mercy = ouch.

 

[Jefe Bergenstein]

Sneak Attack dice are only valuable at short ranges whereas a ranger should be focused on ambush from longer range. The ranger should then use relative speed (light armor means-30' whereas many parties have multiple 20' characters) plus stealth to withdraw from his ambush location then lather, rinse and repeat

The problem is that archer based ambushes are often very unsatisfying to gamers, ie the make it hard for the PCs to win, so many DMs tend to ignore relatively obvious tactics and play rangers, scouts and wilderness rogues as weak barbarian/fighters.

Any hide/move silently total a ranger can get, a fighter rogue can also get. The added benefit of sneak attack, and extra feats make them far superior snipers. Sorry, the pure ranger loses against anything but his species enemy. Lets also not forget they dont get poison use as a class feature.

Though really, given the choice of a sniper type, spellcasters make much better choices.

 

[Sejs]

Any hide/move silently total a ranger can get, a fighter rogue can also get.

Assuming the ranger has no access to their spells, yes. Otherwise, no. Ranger can pull ahead via self-buffing. The F/R might be able to catch up via UMD, but at that point you're starting to drift into outside resources, whereas the ranger is self-contained.

Particularly at later levels, a ranger with improved precise shot, woodland stride, commune with nature and tree stride is just downright disgusting.

The added benefit of sneak attack, and extra feats make them far superior snipers. Sorry, the pure ranger loses against anything but his species enemy.

There are only a set number of sniping related feat to invest in. On the feat front I'd venture they're about equal. Rangers do get their combat style, after all. Sneak attack, again, 30' or less. Hardly sniping. Rangers can also pull down auto-crits via Hunter's Mercy. Very handy when sniping from 100 yards out.

Lets also not forget they dont get poison use as a class feature.

...er, neither do fighter/rogues.

Though really, given the choice of a sniper type, spellcasters make much better choices.

In a way. Actually, a tweaked bard with a different spell list and a reworked bardic music system could make a damn interesting magic sniper, come to think of it.