i need some minor help optimizing an urban ranger

[hoborobot]

our dm tells it will mostly in a city so i decided to go with an urban ranger. also he banned spell compomedem but is allowing srd and 2 books of your choice. now we all start at level 2 and were told there would be minimal figiting but still some fighting since the city has a bunch of factions. i choose ranger so i can snipe people at level 8 forgot the prestige class, its something after bloodhound, and my class is Killoren if its any help.

[commander panda]

i haven't got much by way of class dips and spells and such, but i'll give it a go. take everything i say with a grain of salt, though.

-your race is decidedly un-optimal for an urbane ranger (assuming you mean this, (http://dnd-wiki.org/wiki/Killoren_(3.5e_Race))i could be wrong.) the killoren seems to be heavily nature based, and it's abilities reflect this. you wont find much use for commune with nature, and the scent ability isn't useful for you because urbane tracking is based on info gathering, not actual tracking (and if you choose some kind of dog companion, you have a minion to do it for you.) perhaps you could talk to your DM about making an urbane variant?
-if there isn't going to be a combat focus, then you should make max use of your rorschach-esk tracking and info gathering. max out gather info (which urbane tracking is keyed of anyway,) intimidate (because your class has a strong rorschack/batman vibe,) and sense motive. basically, be the detective. also, grab imperious command because it gives your high intimidate excellent combat applications.
-if you're going to be sniping make sure to keep things like climb/jump/ect maintained (though not necessarily maxed) and get high sneak/move silently too. if you go the stealth rout you need the darkstalker feat.
-make ample use of this (http://brilliantgameologists.com/boards/index.php?topic=642.0).
-there's more i could say, but i'm tired as hell, so maybe later. i might even get around to adding in proper punctuation :smallsigh:.

[Alex12]

i haven't got much by way of class dips and spells and such, but i'll give it a go. take everything i say with a grain of salt, though.

-your race is decidedly un-optimal for an urbane ranger (assuming you mean this, (http://dnd-wiki.org/wiki/Killoren_(3.5e_Race))i could be wrong.) the killoren seems to be heavily nature based, and it's abilities reflect this. you wont find much use for commune with nature, and the scent ability isn't useful for you because urbane tracking is based on info gathering, not actual tracking (and if you choose some kind of dog companion, you have a minion to do it for you.) perhaps you could talk to your DM about making an urbane variant?
-if there isn't going to be a combat focus, then you should make max use of your rorschach-esk tracking and info gathering. max out gather info (which urbane tracking is keyed of anyway,) intimidate (because your class has a strong rorschack/batman vibe,) and sense motive. basically, be the detective. also, grab imperious command because it gives your high intimidate excellent combat applications.
-if you're going to be sniping make sure to keep things like climb/jump/ect maintained (though not necessarily maxed) and get high sneak/move silently too. if you go the stealth rout you need the darkstalker feat.
-make ample use of this (http://brilliantgameologists.com/boards/index.php?topic=642.0).
-there's more i could say, but i'm tired as hell, so maybe later. i might even get around to adding in proper punctuation :smallsigh:.

I'm playing the same campaign as a Dread Necromancer (level 1, rather than 2, to pay for Necropolitan), and going Tainted Scholar at level 6.
I'm not much of a ranger guy, so I'm not much help optimizing ranger, but I'll fill in a bit of extra info.
First off, we have (as mentioned) a 2 book limit per person. DM is also letting us freely pick stuff from the SRD, Cityscape, Complete Scoundrel (he likes skill tricks), PHB2 and DMG2. hoborobot is using Races of the Wild and Masters of the Wild as his books.
Now, hoborobot doesn't like casting. He also got low rolls for some of his stats, so he put his 6 into Wis. So no casting.
Third is that we're going to be having a fairly large group, and the DM has requested that we minimize things like animal companions, familiars, and minionmancy.
Fourth is that he's not using that Killoren, he's using the one from Races of the Wild. The Aspects are different (in particular, the Aspect of the Hunter grants +2 to Hide, Move Silently, Listen, Spot, Sense Motive, and initiative, while the Destroyer gives a smite attack)
Fifth is that we've got Intimidate covered real well. We've got a homebrew Cha-focused swashbuckler who I think has it maxed, and I'm playing a full Cha-caster with it maxed and Dread right in the class name. But Gather Information is where we're probably going to need help.

[hoborobot]

correcty me if im wrong, but i found out that urban rangers get familiars instead of animal companians at level 4 and unlike sorc/wizard their hp is not 1/2 of their master but rather 3/4 and their master does not lose exp if they happen to die.

[Alex12]

correcty me if im wrong, but i found out that urban rangers get familiars instead of animal companians at level 4 and unlike sorc/wizard their hp is not 1/2 of their master but rather 3/4 and their master does not lose exp if they happen to die.

Dunno what you're reading pal, but Urban Rangers still get animal companions, they're just size-limited (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/variant/classes/variantCharacterClasses.htm#rangerVariantUrbanRang er).

[hoborobot]

Cityscapes 1

Urban Companion

The fearsome animal companions who accompany some casters in the wild are indeed a boon in combat, but a hulking wolf or creeping tiger is out of place in an urban environment. Some characters believe that small and subtle is of greater value than massive and mighty.

Class: Druid or ranger.

Level: 1st (druid) or 4th (ranger).

Replaces: If you select this class feature, you do not gain an animal companion.

Benefit: The character gains the companionship of a smaller but far more intelligent creature than she otherwise would have. This is identical to the sorcerer's ability to summon a familiar (PH 52), including all benefits granted and gained by the familiar, except as noted below. Her functional level for determining the abilities of the companion is equal to her druid level or one-half her ranger level.

She does not lose experience points if her urban companion is slain, and she requires only 24 hours to replace one who is lost.

Her urban companion has total hit points equal to 3/4 her own hit points, rather than half as per a familiar.

The urban companion gains the ability to speak with other animals of its kind when she has an effective master level of 1st, rather than 7th.

When she reaches an effective master level of 7th, she can speak with animals of her companion's kind, as per speak with animals. This is a supernatural ability that functions constantly, and it requires only a free action to reactivate if somehow dispelled.

[Lokd0wn]

Having a Raven familiar that can get to places you can't and that you can talk with would be really useful in my eyes.