A different Swift Hunter

[Hyfigh]

I'm looking to make a Swift Hunter using the Wild Shaping variant Ranger. I like the versatility that it adds... I'll likely be using the Mystic Ranger variant as well to keep the character relavent in a T3/2 game.

So far my plan is to use a form like leopard (unless there is a better medium sized animal with pounce) to use skirmish while being able to pounce. I can't decide if I want to build in some uber charging, or if there is something else creative that can be done with the build (I was contemplating mixing in archery so that I have mutliple tactics to bring to the table).

It's a basic build so far - Scout 4/Ranger 16. I'll be a human or strong-heart halfling if I end up feat starved, but would prefer Whisper Gnome or Poison Dusk Lizardfolk (LA bought off).

I have most published material, but only have limited access to Dragon Mag.

[Greenish]

(unless there is a better medium sized animal with pounce)Fleshraker from MMIII is pretty much the king of medium pouncers. Could slap in some grappling in there, as well.

[Hyfigh]

Huh. I should have read Fleshraker again. I entirely forgot that they pounced...

Any ways to increase my number of natural attacks? I mean, would an Elan be able to use the Rapid Strike like to increase my number of naturals?

[Greenish]

Rapid Strike might work, if your DM allows you to qualify for feats you'd only qualify while wildshaped (or if you had appropriate creature type and claws of your own, such as, say, dragonwrought kobold).

Easiest way to increase natural attacks would be to pick up Imp. Unarmed Strike, so you could use your iteratives. Totemist gets extra from soulmelds, which should work while wildshaped, but that takes a few levels.

[Edit]: Poison Dusk Lizardfolk have claws to begin with, but I forget whether they're humanoids or monstrous humanoids, and seem to recall neither of those would qualify anyhow.

[ffone]

Seconding IUS and Snap Kick if you plan to do a lot of pounce natural attacking. Like a sneak attacker, a skirmisher will appreciate extra attacks.

Actually if you can pounce almost all the time, Snap Kick may not be worth the -2 to all those other attacks...depends on how many you have. If you have X other attacks, the snap kick needs at least an X*10% hit chance to be worth it (and really it needs more b/c of the feat investment, unless you expect a fair number of non-pounce attacks such as AoOs).

[Greenish]

Fleshraker has two claws, bite (or tail, but not both) and a rake. With Multiattack, those would all be on full BAB-2, and before that you'd get your unarmed strikes at normal iteratives. +2 to hit from charging, too, and with swift hunter you'd have almost full BAB.

[Edit]: You'd want something to help you pounce more often, so some form of swift action movement is recommended. Travel Devotion is probably the strongest option.

[ffone]

Fleshraker has two claws, bite (or tail, but not both) and a rake. With Multiattack, those would all be on full BAB-2, and before that you'd get your unarmed strikes at normal iteratives. +2 to hit from charging, too, and with swift hunter you'd have almost full BAB.

[Edit]: You'd want something to help you pounce more often, so some form of swift action movement is recommended. Travel Devotion is probably the strongest option.

(Improved) Rapidstrike feats would give iterative(s) with one of the claw attacks, too.

Question about Travel Devotion: it says swift to activate and swift to move...does that mean that you can't use it in the same round you activate it?

[Greenish]

(Improved) Rapidstrike feats would give iterative(s) with one of the claw attacks, too.True, though that eats feats and requires some specific race, not that there's anything wrong with that. I feel Snap Kick might be more expedient, though, and certainly comes online earlier.


Question about Travel Devotion: it says swift to activate and swift to move...does that mean that you can't use it in the same round you activate it?Not sure, but seems so.

[Hyfigh]

What about other effecient forms?
Is there a way to get large form? I would prefer to try to avoid a dip in MoMF, if possible.

[Treblain]

Primeval PrC from Frostburn could get you a Large form if you're Medium, but it takes some bad feats to qualify.

[Hyfigh]

Yea, also trying to avoid losing Scout/Ranger advancement is possible...