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waffletaco
2009-06-19, 10:52 AM
So I'm finally going to play D&D for the first time. I'm gonna be playing online with a bunch of people that I know online, and I was just asking for some random roleplaying tips, in addition to roll/roleplaying tips for my class.

The party all starts off at level 5 and I chose the Ranger class with TWF spec. I chose the blind fight,lightning reflexes, and power attack feats.

my backstory:
Raised by half-orcs that found him in the lake in the middle of a storm during an earthquake, Jim Kendan's only home was razed by orcs when he was 15. A year later, he was rescued by elven ranger Aarindarius who taught him the ways of the ranger. Jim honed his skills to search for the orcs that destroyed his home; however, every attempt at finding the raiders were met with failure and usually capture. Kendan has always escaped with barely his life every time.
Additional info: Born ambidextrous and knows orcish because
of social background.

The story was pretty much something I whipped up jokingly and the dm allowed me the free language and ambidextrous feat which pretty much gives me more feats than levels.

For my favored enemies, I chose goblinoid + 2 and orc +4 bonus, which makes a decent amount of sense.

I have no information about the DMs world as of now since he's still making up the campaign.

Pharaoh's Fist
2009-06-19, 11:38 AM
So I'm finally going to play D&D for the first time. I'm gonna be playing online with a bunch of people that I know online, and I was just asking for some random roleplaying tips, in addition to roll/roleplaying tips for my class.

The party all starts off at level 5 and I chose the Ranger class with TWF spec. I chose the blind fight,lightning reflexes, and power attack feats.
Lightening Reflexes and blind fight are not great feats. I would recommend more feats, but I would have to know your stats.



The story was pretty much something I whipped up jokingly and the dm allowed me the free language and ambidextrous feat which pretty much gives me more feats than levels.


There is no feat called Ambidexterious to my knowledge.


For my favored enemies, I chose goblinoid + 2 and orc +4 bonus, which makes a decent amount of sense.

I have no information about the DMs world as of now since he's still making up the campaign.

I see a problem.

waffletaco
2009-06-19, 11:56 AM
Lightening Reflexes and blind fight are not great feats. I would recommend more feats, but I would have to know your stats.



There is no feat called Ambidexterious to my knowledge.



I see a problem.

Well, the dm recommended ambidextrous and he said something about it reversing attack penalties for me. I know lightning reflexes and blind fight are pretty bad feats (i'd never pick them in a crpg like NWN) but as with the favored enemies, it's sort of part of the the role.

Ponce
2009-06-19, 11:58 AM
Well, the dm recommended ambidextrous and he said something about it reversing attack penalties for me. I know lightning reflexes and blind fight are pretty bad feats (i'd never pick them in a crpg like NWN) but as with the favored enemies, it's sort of part of the the role.

Ambidextrous is only a 3.0 feat, you don't need it in 3.5e as far as I know, I think it was merged with twf in the upgrade

You should find out what you would expect to fight in his world and change your favoured enemies if necessary. Otherwise, your class abilities become useless. Its a bit unfair

Emy
2009-06-19, 11:59 AM
There is no feat called Ambidexterious to my knowledge.

Ambidexterity is a 3.0 feat. If I recall correctly, its benefits were simply added to the Two-Weapon Fighting feat in 3.5.

waffletaco: here are the benefits for the Two-Weapon Fighting feat (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/feats.htm#twoWeaponFighting) in 3.5. Note that Ambidexterity no longer exists.

Here's a table with the Two-Weapon Fighting penalties (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/combat/specialAttacks.htm#twoWeaponFighting) with/without the TWF feat, and with/without a light weapon in your off hand.

JonestheSpy
2009-06-19, 02:44 PM
Aside from the Ambidextrous question, ignore what people have to say about what feats to choose - do what you think is right for your character and forget the numbers crunching.

I would say, however, that your story about the cycle of captures and escaping makes me think you should have some ranks in Escape Artist. Since that's not a ranger class skill, you might want to consider having a single level of rogue (which mixes with ranger quite well). And definitelty have at least 5 ranks in Use Rope, which is a ranger skill and gives you a bonus on Escape Artist checks that involve being tied up.

Mostly just have fun in your first game, and think of a few ways that your character actually behaves differently than you do, aside from taking insane risks that no sane person in the real world would, as that's pretty much common to all PC's...

Eldariel
2009-06-19, 06:28 PM
Aside from the Ambidextrous question, ignore what people have to say about what feats to choose - do what you think is right for your character and forget the numbers crunching.

...you do realize he's taking a feat that doesn't exist?

JonestheSpy
2009-06-19, 06:34 PM
...you do realize he's taking a feat that doesn't exist?

Um, yeah. That's why I said "Aside from" the Ambidextrous issue. As in: "Ignore the people telling you your feats are not optimal, except for the part about the fact that Ambidextrous isn't a feat".

Pharaoh's Fist
2009-06-19, 06:39 PM
Aside from the Ambidextrous question, ignore what people have to say about what feats to choose - do what you think is right for your character and forget the numbers crunching.


I was just asking for some random roleplaying tips, in addition to roll/roleplaying tips for my class.

And there you go.

JonestheSpy
2009-06-19, 06:57 PM
And there you go.

Conflicting advice is to be expected.

Coidzor
2009-06-19, 07:16 PM
Let's see your stats or are you going to roll later/point buy? What's your race anyway?

Also, are you planning on multiclassing or are open to the idea? What about prestige classes? Just a straight ranger?

How long do you anticipate the campaign running for? 5-10? 5-20?

Hmm... I can't quite remember but there's probably a prestige class you can either enter with your 5th level or upon taking your next level that's pretty good for rangers...

What supplements are allowed? Are you core-only? Taking anything from pathfinder?

Do you basically only have access to the SRD on your own?

And is the DM's world homebrewed or is he taking an existing setting and tweaking it to his campaign goals/just setting his campaign there?

Keld Denar
2009-06-19, 07:19 PM
Technically, he's not "taking" ambidextarity, his DM is gifting it to him. Since it doesn't really exist anymore, his DM is giving him nothing, which our advice can't modify anyway.

OP, you need a source of bonus damage. TWF alone well result in REALLY low damage output. Something like the feat Knowledge Devotion (Complete Champion) or multiclassing as a rogue will give you bonus damage.

Pharaoh's Fist
2009-06-19, 07:23 PM
OP, you need a source of bonus damage. TWF alone well result in REALLY low damage output. Something like the feat Knowledge Devotion (Complete Champion) or multiclassing as a rogue will give you bonus damage.
My suggestion? TWF while TWFing. Great sword and armor spikes all the way.

Faleldir
2009-06-19, 07:38 PM
Ranger/Scout with Swift Hunter (Complete Scoundrel) is also popular, though you need to find a way to move as a swift action. The WOTC boards have a thread (http://forums.gleemax.com/showthread.php?t=854152) devoted to this combination.