Ranger Equipment

[Os1ris09]

Hey guys me again. I know I have been a pain in asking these questions (sorry:smalleek:) but I have decided to go the dervish/scout/ranger build that has been recommended for me and maximize on my critical hit abilities (aka improved critical scimitar) but i was wondering what equipment would be good. Armor, weapons (more specific enchantments), gear, etc recommendations would be greatly appreciated.

some one told me to get 2 +1 Wounding Enervating Scimitars since I am taking the Dervish Class.

Is there anyting else though that would help me optimize the build i am buildling below

Lvl 6 Ranger/ Lvl 5 Scout/ Lvl 10 Dervish

1st: Dodge (1st Ranger)
Human: Able Learner (1st Ranger)
BF: Two weapon Fighting (2nd Ranger)
BF: Endurance (3rd Ranger)
3rd: Mobility (3rd Ranger)
BF: Improved Two Weapon fighting (6th Ranger)
6th: Weapon Focus (Scimitar)
9th: Combat Expertise (3rd Scout)
10th: Swift Hunter (4th Scout)
12th: Improved Critical (Scimitar) (2nd Dervish)
13th: Spring Attack (3rd Dervish)
15th: bounding Assualt (5th Dervish)
18th: Acrobatic Strike? to help offset two weapon fighting and bounding assualt penalties (8th Dervish)
21st: Oversized two weapon fighting (5lvl Scout)

[Draz74]

If you're remotely Good, make sure to pick up a Sacred Scabbard (MIC) or two.

[Dyllan]

First off, you don't need Oversized Two Weapon Fighting. The Dervish gets the ability to treat the Scimitar as a light weapon, so there are already no penalties for wielding a one-handed weapon in your off hand.

That also means you can weapon finesse it, if you have a higher dex than str.

As for equipment, the Belt of Battle is always a good one for, well, most anyone. With this build, you'd be getting 7 attacks normally, 8 if you can get a haste effect... and while dancing you have the benefit of cleave for even more possible attacks. Cleave is nice with dervish dance, as you can usually position yourself to take advantage of it fairly easily.

Then you use 1000 Cuts, and increase that to 14 (or 15 with haste) attacks in a round.

Then you use the Belt of Battle to take another full round action, and another 7 (or 8) attacks.

So, first round of battle against the BBEG, you attack 21 or 23 times, cleaving off any of his underlings you happen to kill. Oh, I'd suggest getting some item that increases your movement speed, unless you expect to have haste up all the time... being able to move while full attacking is better the further you can move.

Gotta love Dervish.

[Os1ris09]

Hey thanks for the advice Draz74 and Dyllan I really appreciate it. I will definately get that belt and most likely my STR will Exceed my Dex so I wont need weapon finese. Can you guys think of any armor builds that would help me? What I think I'll do is this when we reach epic since my Dex will not exceed 22-23 or so

+5 Mithral Chainshirt with Axe/Spear/Hammer block to provide DR5/- or would that not work?

[MammonAzrael]

I didn't see your previous thread. What level are you starting at, and what level do you honestly expect to finish at? This can really help in determining how far ahead you should be planning.

[Eldariel]

Just a heads-up; I responded in your other thread, mostly comments on your build. Get Scabbard of Keen Edges x 2 over Improved Critical - saves you money. Also, get a +1 Armor instead and have Magic Vestment by Cleric cast on it to make it +5. Buy him a Pearl of Power III to pay for his trouble; it's only 9k.

DR 5/- isn't really worth anything. Definitely not worth 3 enhancements. Better get Fortifications to be immune to Sneak Attack & Criticals entirely; those two can drop you really fast in even one hit. Ghost Ward [MiC] is also better to up your Touch AC. You should talk with your DM if Animated Shield would be allowed to work with Dervish; it shouldn't be a problem as since it's floating, it isn't exactly blocking your movement. By RAW you can't have one though.


Cloak of Displacement is decent, some Resistance-bonuses and all that, and Skirmisher Boots (get a few of them so you can switch between fights). Skirmisher's Gloves or something to that effect (handslot item that gives +2d6 to Skirmish-damage) should also be of interest to you. I can't seem to find them right now though.

[Dyllan]

I'm not familiar with how the axe/hammer/spear block enchants work, exactly, and don't have my books handy to look them up.

However, you may want to consider a +5 Mithril Breastplate of Nimbleness instead of the chain shirt. That would give you a +10 armor (instead of +9), a max dex of 7 (base 3, 2 for mithril, 2 for nimbleness, which is a +1 enchant), and be considered light armor.

[Draz74]

Get Scabbard of Keen Edges x 2 over Improved Critical - saves you money.
Doesn't stack with the Sacred Scabbard I recommended, though. Only Improved Critical will get you both nifty critical hit tricks.


DR 5/- isn't really worth anything. Definitely not worth 3 enhancements. Better get Fortifications to be immune to Sneak Attack & Criticals entirely; those two can drop you really fast in even one hit.
Seconded heartily!


and Skirmisher Boots (get a few of them so you can switch between fights).

Hmmm ... they're nice, but I'm not sure the ability is worth getting multiple copies of them. For one thing, Bracers of Blinding Strike seem better than an extra pair of boots (although OTOH, the boots may stack with Haste and the bracers explicitly don't, so I guess it depends how often you're Hasted).

[Eldariel]

You should expect to be Hasted all the time hence my suggestion of the Boots. If nothing else, get some item that grants Haste-benefits. Ironically, the best such item are Boots of Speed, but I'm sure you could get the same benefits in Bracers-slot or such.

[Os1ris09]

I didn't see your previous thread. What level are you starting at, and what level do you honestly expect to finish at? This can really help in determining how far ahead you should be planning.

Just to clarify I am already LVL 5 Ranger with these feats selected

1st: Dodge
Human: Able Learner
2nd: Two Weapon Fighting
3rd: Mobility
3rd: Endurance

and we plan on going to LVL 30 (honestly its a three book campaign one takes you from Lvl 1 to 10, Second takes you from 10 to 20, and the third from 20 to 30)

Also I was looking for the Skirmish gloves and boots and cant seem to find them anywhere so if some one could help me find them I would appreciate it.

Also on the breastplate idea unless the MiC got an errata to fix this here is verbatem what is in the book

NIMBLENESS
Price: +1 bonus
Property: Armor
Caster Level: 8th
Aura: Moderate; (DC 19) transmutation
Activation: —
This suit of armor looks much less restrictive
than others of its type.
A suit of armor that has this property has
a maximum Dexterity bonus 1 higher
than normal, and its armor check penalty
is reduced by 2.
Prerequisites: Craft Magic Arms and
Armor, cat's grace.
Cost to Create: Varies.

So I agree with the breastplate idea and the DR5/- you guys are argueing and I will definately put the money to better use other than the chainshirt and DR stuff. A house rule i forgot to mention is that you can combine any item together by doing this (1.5 x Orignal Cost for the first item + 1.5 x original cost of the second item) so for the scabbard idea I could combine the two with house rules so I think I will do that instead of just one scabbard. Thank you Eldariel, Dyllan, Draz74 for the advice I will definately incorporate these suggestions.

[Eldariel]

Skirmisher Boots are in Magic Item Compendium. The Skirmish Gloves are too, but that's not their name. I'm trying to remember the correct name but drawing a blank. I'll get back to you once I've checked it from the character sheet.

Fake edit: The name is Gloves of Agile Striking.

[Os1ris09]

Skirmisher Boots are in Magic Item Compendium. The Skirmish Gloves are too, but that's not their name. I'm trying to remember the correct name but drawing a blank. I'll get back to you once I've checked it from the character sheet.

Fake edit: The name is Gloves of Agile Striking.

Hey thanks for finding the items for me Eldariel. And thanks for the advice I am really considering your build right now on paper it is really good for the crappy ranger class (last time I'll be a ranger). Thanks again everyone for helping me out I really do appreciate it:smallsmile:

[Os1ris09]

Hey I looked at the boots and gloves and it seems boots of haste would be much better. However would it be more cost effective to get a wand of Swift Haste, wandholder (dungeonscape) and the boots above instead of combining the boots of haste and Skirmish boots together. Also can i cast swift haste from the wand as a swift action?