Weapon, weapon, who's got the weapon?

[Caliber]

At low levels, Hunting isn't too powerful. The nice thing about the ability, however, is that it scales with level.

At lower levels, you are probably better with just generic Enhancement bonuses, or one of the Elemental properties (Shocking, Icy, Flaming, etc ...)

At higher levels though, Hunting really begins to shine. A 20th level Ranger with one of these is getting +10 damage against his Favored Enemy, all for a measly +1 bonus.

If you REALLY want to focus on one kind of creature, select it as your 1st Favored Enemy, and get a Hunting Bane weapon against that kind.

Extra 2d6, +2 Enhancement more, and 2x Favored Enemy Bonus. Very nasty combination.

Hope I helped!

 

[Xarlen]

I would suggest SKR's 'Lesser Bane' and 'Greater Bane' abilities, on his website. Check it out!

Keen. A keen pick will hunt Really Badly. Once you get ahold of Hunter's Mercy (Spell from MotW which makes an autocrit), that's gunna HURT.

 

[comrade raoul]

I thought Hunter's Mercy only applied to ranged attacks. The Power Critical feat from MotW applies to melee attacks, though; with a battle pick, it means you can really lay down the hurt once per day.

 

[kreynolds]

I thought Hunter's Mercy only applied to ranged attacks.

You're correct. It also only counts with a bow.

 

[Dingleberry]

Enchantments aside for a moment...

On your original question re: weapon choice: does "battle pick" mean heavy pick from the PHB, or is it something from a supplement? If you mean a heavy pick, unless you're using an alternate ranger which doesn't get the Ambi/TWF combo, you don't want to use ANY of the three weapons you mentioned. They're all Medium-size, so a gnome could wield any of them only with two hands (in the absence of something like the Monkey Grip feat from S&F).

 

[Ferret]

Acutally my post was a month or so ago, My weapons are as follows, Shortsword, gnomish battle pick(Sword and fist) and a Mighty composite short bow(+2). I will probably have the shortsword, sure striking, and one of the elements, probably sonic. I will have the pick Bane, but not hunting, as I will not be going full ranger(Is a +4 bonus worth it?) and I like Sonic, and holy, but I don't want it "Holy" it isn't one of those kinds of items.

 

[Caliber]

+4 damage against one kind of enemy, +2 against another for a +1 bonus. Its a tough call.

Most of the time, you would be better with an element in this case. An extra 1d6 is going to top the second bonus most of the time, and will only average .5 damage less than the first. Of course, no one is immune to the Hunting bonuses.

Like I said, Hunting defintely gets better as you level. Its really only after Ranger 10 that I think it becomes a no-choice kind of thing.

And if you are wondering why I have this stuff on Hunting so redily available, a character I am considering as an alt will likely be wielding a weapon of Hunting. So I just happen to have some numbers and info on it sitting right here. Is it not nifty?