SotAO Ranger - Swiftblade Synergy?

[Rossebay]

Is there synergy here?

Let's say SotAO Moon-Warded Mystic Ranger 6 with Practiced Spellcaster as a feat. Swiftblade nicely finishes off the Ranger progression and then some, as well as quite a few combat bonuses.

So, I guess I answered my own question there... Moving on.

Are there any prestige classes that you guys would recommend that would work better with SotAO Mystic Ranger?

Should I stop taking levels in Swiftblade after a certain point?

[JadePhoenix]

The problem is that Swiftblade only progresses arcane casting, IIRC

[Flickerdart]

Swiftblade isn't terribly useful for you past 9th, because you never get 6+ level slots, but there is some synergy with a Swift Hunter build. Mystic Ranger 10/Scout 3/Swiftblade 7 is a perfectly cromulent build - you don't lose any Skirmish damage because of the functionally identical 4th level ability, and you gain a bunch of class features and bonus feats.

[Lateral]

Well, normally you don't take the 10th level because you lose 9ths, but that isn't a problem as a Mystic Ranger. I'd still stop at 9, though, since without 6th level slots Innervated Speed is useless. As a ranger, though, you have Swift Haste; that, combined with Perpetual Options, basically gives you a nonpsionic Hustle that can also give you a standard action. I'd say SotAO Mystic Ranger 6/Swiftblade 9/Abjurant Champion 5- the class features of Abjurant Champion are still awesome even if you don't need the CL increases.

[dextercorvia]

Perpetual Options means two Greater Manyshots/round. With all that Skirmish, and Hunter's Eye, you ought to find some use for it.

[Manateee]

Mystic Ranger 6/Abjurant Champion 5/Swiftblade 9 is solid.
Wizardish progression until ECL 10.
Decent CL throughout.
(Though taking Practiced Spellcaster early and retraining for Expeditious dodge at ECL 11 would be wise.)
Full BA.
Uses for swift actions in combat, as well as having extra actions each round.

With Favored Power Attack and Favored Enemy (Arcanist), this could be a really cool gish.

[Coidzor]

Unfortunately, Suel Arcanamach is duplicated effort and Sublime Chord means losing out on 5th level wizard/ranger casting in exchange for getting 4-9th sorcerer casting and losing several points of BAB, depending upon whether fractional BAB is being used and how many levels of Sublime Chord one takes before gish PrCing out.

Beholder Mage is right out.

Urpriest would make being a Mystic Ranger completely pointless.

Divine Champion is pretty lackluster, but has some potential for adding a bit of versatility, especially if the 9th level spell is something like Wish or Miracle or Shapechange(and playing in a game that classes casting as ex).

[Biffoniacus_Furiou]

Tack on the Wildshape variant (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/variant/classes/variantCharacterClasses.htm#ranger) as well and pick up Master of Many Forms 7+, Warshaper 2, 3, or 4, and maybe some Nature's Warrior to finish it out.

If you don't want to ditch the spellcasting, just stick with Ranger. It's similar to Duskblade in that any prestige class you take is going to cost you either BAB or spellcasting or other useful progressions (saves, skills, etc.) so there really aren't any ideal choices.

[Rossebay]

Mystic Ranger 6/Abjurant Champion 5/Swiftblade 9 is solid.
Wizardish progression until ECL 10.
Decent CL throughout.
(Though taking Practiced Spellcaster early and retraining for Expeditious dodge at ECL 11 would be wise.)
Full BA.
Uses for swift actions in combat, as well as having extra actions each round.

With Favored Power Attack and Favored Enemy (Arcanist), this could be a really cool gish.

I forgot about Martial Arcanist, that's right.
That could be pretty cool. CL 20, actual spells per day expanding to level... 16, BAB 20, and lots of cool gishy abilities. Expeditious Dodge could be cool.
I do wish I could throw out 3 levels of something for that Skirmish damage, but even if I did, Skirmish would only go up to, what, Scout level 9?
3d6 and +2 AC is nice, and with the increased Swiftblade damage, it'd be cool, but CL 13 doesn't appeal to me, when I lose out on Arcane Boost for just +4d6 instead of +1d6.

What do you guys suggest?
SotAOMR 6/Scout 3/Swiftblade 9/Abjurant Champion 2?
Or SotAOMR 6/Swiftblade 9/Abjurant Champion 5? Less spells per day, more physical options and damage (+3d6, +2 AC)... But it comes with the price of an interruption in CL (-3ish with Practiced Spellcaster), -3 spells per day levels, no Martial Arcanist or Arcane Boost, and -1 BAB.

Base your answer on combat benefits if I'm going to be the frontline melee character.

[Little Brother]

Swiftblade doesn't work with Ranger, SotAO or otherwise. Your class is never an Arcane casting class, which is what Swiftblade progresses.

[JadePhoenix]

Swiftblade doesn't work with Ranger, SotAO or otherwise. Your class is never an Arcane casting class, which is what Swiftblade progresses.

I said that yesterday but no one seemed to care

[dextercorvia]

Swiftblade doesn't work with Ranger, SotAO or otherwise. Your class is never an Arcane casting class, which is what Swiftblade progresses.

You have a class that you can use to cast Arcane spells -- that's close enough for a lot of people. They didn't exactly spell out what them meant by Arcane spellcasting class, because, in the beginning, it was obvious. Then they went and started monkeying with stuff like the Southern Magician, SotAO, etc.

[Little Brother]

I said that yesterday but no one seemed to careI figured more posts would mean someone would be more likely to notice, especially now with three posts right together, about how it does not work.

EDIT:

You have a class that you can use to cast Arcane spells -- that's close enough for a lot of people. They didn't exactly spell out what them meant by Arcane spellcasting class, because, in the beginning, it was obvious. Then they went and started monkeying with stuff like the Southern Magician, SotAO, etc.The Arcane Casting must be inherent in the class to be an arcane casting class. There's a difference between casting Arcane spells(Southern Magician, Sword of the Arcane Order, etc) and BEING an arcane class.

You do not use the class like you would a Rainbow Warsnake. You are using a FEAT to cast it, which is the key factor here. Just like Arcane Preparation doesn't make it a preparing class, or Alacritous Cognition(Or whatever the hell it's called), doesn't make it a spontaneous class.

[dextercorvia]

I figured more posts would mean someone would be more likely to notice, especially now with three posts right together, about how it does not work.

Where do you find such a grouping?:smallbiggrin:

[Rossebay]

I wouldn't be asking about it if my DM hadn't okayed it.
End of discussion about whether it's an arcane casting class. That isn't what this thread is about.
:]

So... Back to my earlier question?

[Little Brother]

Where do you find such a grouping?:smallbiggrin:Simple. You stole my post and gave it back, behind yours, when you knew I was on to you, you dirty Swordsage! :smalltongue: My attentiveness is INFALLIBLE! INFALLIBLE, you hear?!?:smalltongue: