(PF) Dervish Dance Ranger

[Duncan_Ruadrik]

there s thread over at the Paizo forums about finesse builds ,and how they generally suck. It got me thinking though about Rangers and avoiding pre-reqs. So, I thought of this build, a really rough, kind of? viable finesse build.

20 point buy, human

STR 10
DEX 16 (18)
CON 14
INT 12
WIS 14
CHA 8

1 Finesse
1 Improved Initiative
3 Dervish Dance
5 Iron Will
7 Boon Companion
9 Improved Critical: Scimitar
11 Critical Focus

Ranger Combat Feats
2 Power Attack
6 Cleave
10 Great Cleave

by level 8, assuming no magical items, you should be doing 1d6+6(DEX)+6(Power Attack).
Add in a wand of Instant Enemy, and you could be doing alright for yourself.

This could also be complimented by
a.) the Nirmathi Irregular (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/classes/core-classes/ranger/archetypes/paizo---ranger-archetypes/nirmathi-irregular) archetype. you lose shields and med. armor and gain only a single favored enemy, but at max value. In exchange you get an additional spell slot a day, which can be filled with a druid spell of equal level. Or, you know, an extra casting of Instant Enemy.

another thought would be to change up the feats
1 Finesse
1 Dodge
3 Dervish Dance
5 Mobility
and go into the Duelist Prestige class for Duelist class levels to damage. +6 at level 12, for example. However, your animal companion, favored enemies and spells would suffer.

The damage still looks fairly low compared to an STR based two handed fighter, but I still don't think there is a much better Finesse build that doesn't rely on the extremely "dicey" (see what i did there?) TWF sneak attack method, which inevitably fails.

I guess you could also do an Elven Curve Blade, agile enhancement, two handed Power Attack as well. 1d10+1(magic)+6(DEX)+9(Power Attack) at level 8, assuming a +1 agile elven curve blade?
Same Basic principle, I guess.

[grarrrg]

there s thread over at the Paizo forums about finesse builds ,and how they generally suck. It got me thinking though about Rangers and avoiding pre-reqs. So, I thought of this build, a really rough, kind of? viable finesse build.
...
1 Finesse
1 Improved Initiative
3 Dervish Dance...

Just throwing this out there as an alternative.
Dawnflower Dervish (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/classes/core-classes/bard/archetypes/paizo---bard-archetypes/dawnflower-dervish) Bard gets Dervish Dance as a bonus feat at level 1.
You would lose a Bab over going straight Ranger, but you'd save a Feat (Finesse), and have Dex-Melee online that much sooner.



I guess you could also do an Elven Curve Blade, agile enhancement, two handed Power Attack as well. 1d10+1(magic)+6(DEX)+9(Power Attack) at level 8, assuming a +1 agile elven curve blade?
Same Basic principle, I guess.

Your DEX damage would only be 4 (assuming a DEX of 18).
Agile (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/magic-items/magic-weapons#TOC-Agile):

This modifier to damage is not increased for two-handed weapons, but is still reduced for off-hand weapons.
You still get full bonus from Power Attack though.

[Duncan_Ruadrik]

I was assuming level 8 for all calculations, hence power attack of 6 or 9.

[grarrrg]

I was assuming level 8 for all calculations, hence power attack of 6 or 9.

I was pointing out that I didn't have a problem with your Power Attack numbers, just the 1.5 bonus you had for DEX.
Agile don't swing that way.

[Duncan_Ruadrik]

ugh. my point was that by level 8 I would have a 20 DEX, and a natural +5 modifier. I wasn't multiplying my dex at all, I merely made a mistake by typing +5 instead of +6.