3.5 field artillery (Ranger) build

[jjcrpntr]

Hey guys, I'm relatively new to table top gaming and I'm working on my second character (first is a cleric that, while I enjoyed it, wasn't nearly what I thought it was going to end up being). I'm making a Ranger for our new campaign. My goal is to basically have someone that is field artillery, IE I stand way the heck away and just bomb things. I understand the damage from a ranger/scout build with skirmisher damage will outpace me, but fun and roleplay wise this doesn't fit my playstyle. That and I get the feeling our DM likes to use creatures that are immune to crits which negates the extra skirmish damage.

I got lucky on my initial rolls and so my starting stats at level 9 (after racial modifiers for a wood elf and 2 attribute points) were 20 str. 20dex. 14con 16 int 14 wisdom 15 charisma. I'm not to worried about spells.

My plan is to go 3 fighter(for extra feats) 17 ranger.
As I see it at level 20 my attack rolls will be from 195 feet away. Using rapid shot I'm looking at 5 attacks of 30/30/25/20/15. Doing 2d6 (im using a large size bow)+10 base damage.

If the DM will let me use Hanks bow I'll add splitting and Collision (if i can still not entirely clear how that works with a weapon like that) which would give me 10 shots with +15base dmg. Granted these are all set as though I don't buy any other magical items.
If he wont allow hanks, then I'll save up and build a bow w/ force and splitting.

current magic items:Gloves of dex (+2) strong arm bracers (like the big bow) and I'm planning to buy the Helm of the Hunter to give me the longshot feat.

Feats at level 9: From ranger bonus alone: Track, Endurance, Manyshot, Rapid shot.

Other feats: Point Blank shot, Precise shot, Improved Precise shot, Weapon focus (longbow) Weapon specialization (longbow) Ranged Weapon Mastery (piercing) and Improved Rapid shot.
Sorry for the book. I'm kind of stumped on magical items to buy, and other feats. I know a lot of archers like woodland archer. So any other recommendations would be appreciated.

[D4rkh0rus]

Speed enhancement if you can afford it. If you're going fighter for feats go only fighter 2. 3rd lvl doesn't give a feat or better yet, go feat rogue 3, psychic rogue/sneak attack fighter 1 with these 4 lvls you get 2 feats, evasion, 1d6 sneak attack (meaning you can get craven) (use sniper's shot spell for long range sneak attacks) and you also get penetrating strike to apply craven to everything. Targeteer fighter (dragon 310) gets you arrow swarm for 2 extra attacks.
1 lvl barbarian dip gets you whirling frenzy so +1 attack.

You also want 4+ levels in cragtop archer for the arced shot, to better simulate the artillery... You're gonna be be using monkey grip/custom gloves of expansion shenanigans to dual wield ballistas like hand crossbows right?

Many will tell you to somehow become an arrow daemon for double the bow attacks.




For another interesting tidbit if you ever wanna go sniper.

Monk 2 gets 2feats and desisive strike. Choose unorthodox flurry with a melee weapon you might use, then use an aptitude bow to make it qualify for d strike

7 lvls in deep wood sniper and kaorti resi arrows and you would either get

x6 crit with a x2 on that dmg(effectively x12)
Or
x7 crits
Depending on how your DM sees it. Don't have phb2 on me right now so can't say which one is RaW.

Get 100+ dmg on an arrow, wich is possible, and you can one shot pretty much anything.

[Lightlawbliss]

guided shot is insane.

[Vhaidara]

Few points
1. I know you said you aren't interested in scout/ranger, this is just a correction on your logic: Swift Hunter lets you skirmish your favored enemy, even if they are immune (undead, construct, etc)
2. Why are you taking Fighter 3? Only fighter 1 and 2 are bonus feats.
3. Dat stat roll. So jealous.
4. Ranged Weapon Mastery is pointless.
5. For full artillery mode, I suggest a refluffed Sword of the Arcane Order (http://dndtools.eu/feats/champions-of-valor--28/sword-of-the-arcane-order--2875/) into Arcane Archer and Cragtop Archer. Raining fireballs from 1000+ feet is a good start.
6. If you want long range, remember that the longbow has a 110ft range, but can fire up to 10 range increments. It's a -18 to hit, but you can shoot someone 1100ft away. 1650 with Far Shot, more with Cragtop.
7. Dragon Compendium has the Eagle's Cry Bow, a special elven +5 Composite Longbow (+4 Str Mod) with a range of 220 and the ability to fire 20 range increments. With Cragtop Archer's Horizon Shot (full round action, fire one shot at anything in range at no penalty), you can fire 6,600ft away at no penalty. And if you do a full attack it's only at -19 because of Cragtop's level 1 ability. Yes, you can reliably shoot people over a mile away. I recommend a level dip in wizard for a familiar to use as a spotter.

[kardar233]

A binder dip for Malphas might be a good idea.

[jjcrpntr]

Few points
1. I know you said you aren't interested in scout/ranger, this is just a correction on your logic: Swift Hunter lets you skirmish your favored enemy, even if they are immune (undead, construct, etc)
2. Why are you taking Fighter 3? Only fighter 1 and 2 are bonus feats.
3. Dat stat roll. So jealous.
4. Ranged Weapon Mastery is pointless.
5. For full artillery mode, I suggest a refluffed Sword of the Arcane Order (http://dndtools.eu/feats/champions-of-valor--28/sword-of-the-arcane-order--2875/) into Arcane Archer and Cragtop Archer. Raining fireballs from 1000+ feet is a good start.
6. If you want long range, remember that the longbow has a 110ft range, but can fire up to 10 range increments. It's a -18 to hit, but you can shoot someone 1100ft away. 1650 with Far Shot, more with Cragtop.
7. Dragon Compendium has the Eagle's Cry Bow, a special elven +5 Composite Longbow (+4 Str Mod) with a range of 220 and the ability to fire 20 range increments. With Cragtop Archer's Horizon Shot (full round action, fire one shot at anything in range at no penalty), you can fire 6,600ft away at no penalty. And if you do a full attack it's only at -19 because of Cragtop's level 1 ability. Yes, you can reliably shoot people over a mile away. I recommend a level dip in wizard for a familiar to use as a spotter.

Ya i misstyped sorry. I was originally going 4 fighter/16 ranger for the extra feats.

I didn't know that about swift hunter, i somehow missed the last sentence of the description. Good to know.

Why is ranged weapon mastery pointless? I thought +2hit/dmg and 20 feet extra range was nice. Basically when I get the helm of the hunter for far shot bonus i'd be shooting from 195 feet away.

And holy crap D4rkh0rus. Ya I've only been playing for about 3 months my first character was a cleric that basically buffed himself, casted spiritual weapon and then ran in to melee. So I'm still really learning whats out there. That's nuts. Ya.. about the ballistas as hand crossbows. Somehow I don't see the DM allowing that. But it's worth a shot.

Thanks for the help. Still learning and very new to dnd/pathfinder but so far I'm really enjoying it. Wish I had jumped in years ago.

Any suggestions for magical items? DM is a stickler for the books. Basically if it's in a book we can buy it but it must be a 3.5 book. Which means hanks bow is probably out of the question.

[Vhaidara]

nevermind about RWM. I never noticed that, I thought it was just the same as Melee Weapon Mastery (WF and WS on all weapons of the type).

But how do you feel about the rest? Getting your 1 mile + range? and then Imbue Arrow for a fireball.

[jjcrpntr]

Ya the firing from a mile away would be sweet. I often forget that moving out of my max range just adds a small - to hit. It's a bit overwhelming sometimes to see all the books and stuff that's out there. One of our guys is playing a barbarian and straight barbarian because he just gets lost when he starts looking at all the materials out there.

Edit:
and ya my stat roll is awesome. I made this ranger and a warblade at the same time. Both have awesome stats. Our DM really believes that our characters should be epic because we're supposed to be heroes. His system is to roll 4d6 reroll 1's. Get 3 sets worth of rolls and go with the highest set. So basically my warblade and ranger have hella high stats. Makes my cleric (who i enjoyed) feel sad at his poor stat rolls.