how to super charge a human ranger?

[ShadowsGrnEyes]

I am about to start playing a Kingmaker game. the GM encourages optimization to a slightly unhealthy for the game mechanics level provided the characters still role-play well and don't actually break the rules. I would say he is very fond of cheese.

I am not typically an Optimizer. . . nor have I ever had an opportunity to play for a gm that will actually let me do cheesy things. . .

Any good ideas for a human ranger with cheese. . . or any other cheesy builds that will fit kingmaker. . .
pathfinder only, no 3.5 conversion, no 3rd party.

[Firechanter]

Well, in PF the preferred build for a Ranger is to be a Switch Hitter. This means: you initiate combat with ranged attacks, then switch to melee as soon as the enemy gets in range.

The recipe is very simple:
* Strength is your primary stat. Start with a 18 (16+2).
* choose Archery Combat Style bonus feats (you get to ignore any requirements, including Dex)
* use your character feats to boost your Melee prowess, particularly Power Attack. Well, and get Deadly Aim of course.

Personally, I like Reach weapons and Combat Reflexes. But you might also go, for instance, the Falchion and Improved Crit route. However, I advise against specializing in a specific weapon.

You will not be quite as great in either combat style as a specialized Fighter in their respective field, but still very good and much more versatile than either. And you get your Ranger skillz on top, which in Kingmaker should prove useful.

edit:
As for the "Supercharging", that's very difficult to do in PF. But keep in mind that at level 10-11 you gain access to Instant Enemy. That's +8 to Hit and Damage against the current enemy regardless of your original FE choice. Just a couple of times per day -- unless you get the spell wanded, which costs 315GP a pop, but for that kind of damage output it may be worth it.

[lunar2]

get a large animal companion however you can, and get them an item to polymorph them into a giant (with some kind of magic saddle, so it reshapes with them.) next, you need armor glamered to look like a skin tight jumpsuit, with a special ability to be summoned onto you by your belt buckle with a command word, for quick donning and removing. try to convince your DM to let you have an unarmed combat style (improved unarmed strike at 2, superior unarmed strike at 6, maybe stunning fist at 11). then you ride your animal companion into battle.

[genericwit]

Boon Companion feat to make your Animal Companion equal to that of a druid's of your level (give you animal companion the power attack and light armor proficiency (for chain shirt) feats). Some of the dinosaurs are probably the best, but if that's too weird and cheesy, get a big cat. Give your animal's first stat increase to Int, rest in Str--now your animal companion can take a lot of better feats and you don't have to bother teaching it tricks.

Think about taking Outflank and giving it to your Animal Companion by the way.

[lunar2]

Boon Companion feat to make your Animal Companion equal to that of a druid's of your level (give you animal companion the power attack and light armor proficiency (for chain shirt) feats). Some of the dinosaurs are probably the best, but if that's too weird and cheesy, get a big cat. Give your animal's first stat increase to Int, rest in Str--now your animal companion can take a lot of better feats and you don't have to bother teaching it tricks.

Think about taking Outflank and giving it to your Animal Companion by the way.

what feats can it take with an INT of 3 that it can't take with an INT of 2? i don't know of any feats that have an INT 3 prerequisite, unless it is something that requires being able to speak a language (in which case the animal companion still needs to spend 2 skill points on speak language).

also, don't waste a feat on light armor proficiency. mithral chain has no armor check penalty.

[avr]

Use the Guide archetype. Its' version of Favored Enemy is superior to the standard until you get the Instant Enemy spell and is still OK then - not least because not needing to spend a 3rd level spell slot is handy for a Ranger.

In Kingmaker you often have 1-encounter days. 1/day abilities are therefore worth more than usual.

If you can buy a handful of +1 bane arrows (corresponding to what you expect to be serious dangers) this may be useful to occasionally supercharge your damage.

The mounted combat style can be very handy if you're going to switch between ranged and melee.

[Spore]

what feats can it take with an INT of 3 that it can't take with an INT of 2?

You can only take a very specific list of feats with animal companions with animal-like intelligence (1-2).

Animal companions can select from the following feats: Acrobatic, Agile Maneuvers, Armor Proficiency (light, medium, and heavy), Athletic, Blind-Fight, Combat Reflexes, Diehard, Dodge, Endurance, Great Fortitude, Improved Bull Rush, Improved Initiative, Improved Natural Armor, Improved Natural Attack, Improved Overrun, Intimidating Prowess, Iron Will, Lightning Reflexes, Mobility, Power Attack, Run, Skill Focus, Spring Attack, Stealthy, Toughness, Weapon Finesse, and Weapon Focus. Animal companions with an Intelligence of 3 or higher can select any feat they are physically capable of using. GMs might expand this list to include feats from other sources.

Source: http://paizo.com/pathfinderRPG/prd/classes/druid.html#_druid

[lunar2]

oh, so it's one of those stupid pathfinder rules.

oh, well. you can still build a power ranger.

[Spore]

oh, well. you can still build a power ranger.

Wouldn't a summoner fit the bill quite well? The eidolon is the zord, you can take 2/3 BAB unarmed combat and dress in silly light armor!