Ranger + Warblade?

[Kilink]

So I was thinking of a way of making the Two Weapon Fighting option of a ranger a little more viable and I remembered that Tiger Claw maneuvers rely most of the time on you wielding two weapons and give you nice boosts. This added to the Ranger's Favored Enemy and free Two Weapon Fighting feats might make a viable combination.

Any suggestions on a build like this? I know it should start Ranger 2/Warblade 1 but I don't know how to move on from there...suggestions?

[Eldariel]

So I was thinking of a way of making the Two Weapon Fighting option of a ranger a little more viable and I remembered that Tiger Claw maneuvers rely most of the time on you wielding two weapons and give you nice boosts. This added to the Ranger's Favored Enemy and free Two Weapon Fighting feats might make a viable combination.

Any suggestions on a build like this? I know it should start Ranger 2/Warblade 1 but I don't know how to move on from there...suggestions?

If you're open for homebrew, Sublime Way Ranger (http://community.wizards.com/go/thread/view/75882/19519074) does this quite perfectly. If not, well, Ranger 2/Warblade X is a fine way to go (can pick up Ranger 4 too if you feel so inclined; Champion of the Wild for feat or you get some spell slots and animal companion/distracting attack ACF); maybe eventual Eternal Blade if you feel so inclined.

[Keld Denar]

I'd actually suggest a level of Warblade first. 4 more hit points, 3 average over the first 2 levels, same skill points, similar skill lists, and all around better.

That's assuming you can't do the sublime ranger Eldariel linked.

[Eldariel]

I'd actually suggest a level of Warblade first. 4 more hit points, 3 average over the first 2 levels, same skill points, similar skill lists, and all around better.

Ranger's 6+Int, Warblade's 4+Int. Ranger first :smallwink:

[Draz74]

The only problem with this line of reasoning is that you eventually end up realizing that Warblade is stronger than Ranger, and building a Ranger 2 / Warblade 18. Not that that's a bad thing, as long as you don't mind losing some of the rangery flavor that comes with e.g. higher nature-related skill ranks.

If you really want to stick mostly with Ranger but dip Warblade here and there, you should be careful to time your Warblade dips at moments when they will just be able to access particularly beneficial maneuvers. For example, dipping Warblade at levels 5, 8, and 15 can let you cherry-pick a lot of the best goodies. (Although if you restrict yourself to just those three, you'll have a hard time as a TWFer choosing between Dancing Mongoose and Pouncing Charge on that last dip.)

[Worlok]

Ranger's 6+Int, Warblade's 4+Int. Ranger first :smallwink:
Personally, I find picking a 4-skill-pointer first and going into more-pointers thereafter for a spell is a nice way to integrate some skill tricks, if you feel the itch. Let's you focus on what skills you really need and gives a decent little bump to just organically slip the tricks in. Though I'm mainly speaking from Swift-Hunter-build-experience, don't know about skill synergy between the Ranger and the 'blade. :smallconfused:

[Big Fau]

Personally, I find picking a 4-skill-pointer first and going into more-pointers thereafter for a spell is a nice way to integrate some skill tricks, if you feel the itch. Let's you focus on what skills you really need and gives a decent little bump to just organically slip the tricks in. Though I'm mainly speaking from Swift-Hunter-build-experience, don't know about skill synergy between the Ranger and the 'blade. :smallconfused:

Also the Warblade is Int-focused, which makes up for the gap.

[Worlok]

Also the Warblade is Int-focused, which makes up for the gap.
That, too. All the more since the score stays the same when you multiclass, and if one wishes, Int means Combat Expertise and Improved Feint, just in case you feel like bonus dice as well.

[Darrin]

(Although if you restrict yourself to just those three, you'll have a hard time as a TWFer choosing between Dancing Mongoose and Pouncing Charge on that last dip.)

Barbarian dip can make that choice a little easier. Since it's a TWF build, a little Whirling Frenzy would also be quite nifty.

Re: OP. Ok, so you want to add a little Ranger to Warblade. Losing the capstone of Warblade 20 may sting a bit, but then again how often do you actually play at level 20+? If you're going to add multiclass to Warblade, then just be aware that you can take up to 6 non-Warblade levels and still get access to 9th level manuevers. And you want to take an even-number of non-Warblade levels, otherwise your Initiator Level gets a little out-of-whack. Consider your options:

2 Non-Warblade Levels

Ranger 2/Warblade 18: Focus on TWF, which means you want to go light on standard-action strikes and load up on boosts and counters. You'll actually only be cherry-picking Tiger Claw for stuff like Sudden Leap, Dancing/Raging Mongoose, etc., since the strikes may muck up your TWF, but grab a few that offset weaknesses in TWF: Mountain Hammer for bypassing DR (and anything else), Death From Above for extra mobility, etc.

Barbarian 2/Warblade 18: Take Wolf Totem and Spirit Lion Totem (what, you never seen a totem pole with multiple animals?) for Pounce, Whirling Frenzy, and Improved Trip. You can go the Knockdown route if your DM lets melee have nice things, add IBR/Shock Trooper to go bowling for mooks (free trip attempts whenever you bull rush opponents into each other + free attacks). Or you can grab Thicket of Blades via Martial Study/Stance and go the Lockdown route.

4 Non-Warblade Levels

Ranger 2/Barbarian 2/Warblade 16: Combines both options above if you want to combine TWF *and* Tripping, but unfortunately you run out of feats really fast.

Ranger 2/Barbarian 1/Crusader 1/Warblade 16: If you want TWF + Pounce + Whirling Frenzy on the same chassis. Crusader is there to add a Pounce-friendly stance or some boosts/counters without spending a feat on Martial Study/Stance, add a little self-sufficiency (healing strikes), or grab more White Raven stuff to make sure your allies get more spotlight.

Ranger 3/Barbarian 1/Warblade 16: Frostblood Orc/Half-Orc build. They get Endurance as a bonus feat, but if you get Endurance later (via Ranger 3), you can take any other bonus feat instead. Useful for picking up a feat that you couldn't get at 1st/3rd/6th, such as Superior Unarmed Strike or Leap Attack. Also, if you go Dragonborn of Bahumat *after* Ranger 3, you lose Endurance (meh) but keep the bonus feat. You can also swap one of your existing feats (I'm looking at you, Track) for Dragon Wings (one feat away from a fly speed) or Dragon Tail (hello TWF/MWF!).

Swashbuckler 3/Barbarian 1/Warblade 16: Basic "Intelligent Warrior" build, Pounce + Whirling Frenzy + Insightful Strike to add Int to damage. TWF with kukris for a Crit-Fishing build, or go exotic with dragonsplits or elven courtblade + armor spikes.

6 Non-Warblade Levels

Ranger 2/Barbarian 2/Fighter 2/Warblade 14: Sorta a variation on Saph's Horizon Tripper (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=80415) build. Should have enough feats to do TWF + Tripping, but could also make a decent Ranged Warblade (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showpost.php?p=10296220&postcount=420).

Ranger 2/Barbarian 1/Swashbuckler 3/Warblade 14: Mostly TWF + Int damage. Takes a little longer to get it all working, though.

Ranger 3/Barbarian 2/Crusader 1/Warblade 14: Frostblood Orc going apesh!t on TWF + Tripping + Lockdown. EWP Kusari-Gama or Drow Scorpion Chain (better crit range). Try to move = you die.


Some ACFs to keep in mind:

Trap Expert (Ranger 1, Dungeonscape): Trade Track for Trapfinding. Track is a "make the Ranger feel important" feature that never tells you anything useful (if it does tell you something, it's either not important or blatantly obvious, and if it is *really* important, then most DMs won't risk the plot coming to an immediate halt if Mr. Aragorn-Wannabe blows his Search roll). And to a certain extent, Trapfinding is a "make the Rogue feel important" feature, but at least it lets you 1) avoid damage and 2) break things. Even if you already have a rogue, you can "aid another" to give him a +2 on his search and disable device checks. If you really need to track down a creature, just talk to an animal/plant with the next ACF below.

Spiritual Connection (Ranger 1, Complete Champion): Trade wild empathy (*snore*) for speak with animals/plants 3/day.

Exotic Shield Proficiency (Fighter 1, Races of Stone): Trade your tower shield proficiency (a shield you'll never use) for an exotic shield, such as an extreme shield (which you'll probably never use, but who knows, you could get an animated extreme shield later). Some DMs may also allow a Crusader (the only martial adept that gets proficiency with tower shields) to use the same swap.

Hit-and-Run Tactics (Fighter 1, Drow of the Underdark): Might be worth considering if you can squeeze a fighter level in somewhere and want to add Dex to damage without spending feats on Martial Study/Stance to pick up Shadow Blade.

[Kilink]

Thanks for all the replies guys. I will try them all out if I can but I think I will start with Ranger 2/ Warblade 18 or Ranger/Barbarian/Warblade, sounds interesing :smallsmile: