Raptoran Scout 7th level, looking for some tips.

[Cranthis]

So, like the title says I've got a level 7 Raptoran Scout for a new campaign, and I'd like your opinion on the build. Fair warning, the feats may be a little out of order. All books, no Dragon Mag, Dragon Mag compendium is the exception.

Raptoran Scout 4/ Ranger 3


Abilities: 32pb
Str: 10
Dex: 18 (21 after item and level 4 point)
Con: 14
Int: 12
Wis: 10
Cha: 10

Feats:
1: Expeditious Dodge
Flaw 1: Point Blank Shot
Flaw 2: Flyby Attack (dm allowed)
3: Precise Shot
Ranger: Endurance
Scout Bonus Feat: Swift Hunter
Ranger Combat Style: Rapid Shot

Gear (Or at least gear that matters here):
Bag of holding type 1 (great for keeping my load down)
Shadowsilk Leather Armor +2 (Shadowsilk can be found in Tomb of Magic, page 155)
Darkwood Longbow +2
Gloves of Dexterity +2

So what do you guys thing? Fairly solid?

[Darrin]

So what do you guys thing? Fairly solid?

What Ranger ACFs have you lined up? I generally take Trap Expert (Dungeonscape), Distracting Attack (PHBII), Spiritual Connection (Complete Champion), and Skilled City-Dweller (Cityscape Web Enhancement).

Also... I might hold off on Scout 4 until you get Manyshot with Scout 3/Ranger 6. This lets you take Greater Manyshot at ECL 9. Otherwise, you have to wait on Greater Manyshot until ECL 12 (or squeeze in a Fighter dip). After that, you can use Scout 4 to grab Improved Skirmish.

Any particular reason you're not using a footbow?

For armor, there are several options that offer better protection than Shadowsilk:

Chameleon Leather (Serpent Kingdoms p. 148)
Price: 360 GP
Made out of color-changing snakeskin, this armor has the same stats as masterwork leather, but provides a +2 circumstance bonus on Hide checks. Circumstance bonuses can be pretty hard to come by, but unless you're a sneaky druid (tree ninja?) trying to max out your Hide check, you'll probably want something better than a +2 armor bonus. Shadow silk hide offers a +2 untyped bonus on Hide and Move Silently checks, but only when in shadowy or dark conditions.

Dreamhide (Secrets of Xen'drik p. 136)
Price: 700 GP
Made from the skin of dream serpents, dreamhide is a good replacement for a chain shirt (and a little cheaper than a darkleaf chain shirt).

Nightscale (FR Underdark p. 66)
Price: 1000 GP
Same armor bonus as leather but with a Max Dex bonus on steroids. The combination of armor/dex bonus is one of the best in the game: +12 total, three points better than full plate and two points better than mechanus gear. The description describes this armor as exotic, meaning you would have to take Exotic Armor Proficiency to avoid any penalties, but since the ACP is already zero, you can wear this armor without the feat and still take no penalties.

Spidersilk (FR Underdark p. 66)
Price: 750 GP
This is one of the best replacements for studded leather, particularly for high-Dex builds. It's listed as an exotic armor, which would require taking the Exotic Armor Proficiency feat to avoid non-proficiency penalties, but since it's not described as masterwork, you can spend 150 GP to add the masterwork quality and reduce the ACP to zero, at which point you don't take any penalties for non-proficiency.

A Hellforged (DMGII) Mithral Tumbler's Breastplate (Races of Stone) might also work well for you (Max Dex Bonus = +6, ACP = 0).

[sideswipe]

fairly solid. there is nothing wrong with what i see here. what is your plan for getting your multiple attacks without large feat spending?

you can either go down the manyshot, greater manyshot feats. and just take some penalties to your attack rolls (large) to get your multiple attacks.
if using greater manyshot you get skirmish on all attacks.

or stick with two and take improved rapid shot to get both attacks at no penalty. if you then find a way to take a full attack action to shoot base attack amount of times you get them all +1 extra attack, at full base attack and with no penalties on any attack and skirmish on each attack. this is optimal. and harder to pull off.

one of my favourite ways is travel devotion, with a cleric dip for the feat (getting travel domain and trading away the granted power for the feat) and providing you get a +2 cha item for a +1 modifier to your charisma you have 4 turn attempts. meaning that you can use travel devotion 3 times a day.

this means that for 3 encounters in the day (since it lasts for a minute and they rarely last longer) you can move your full speed as a swift action.
giving you the ability to full attack and move. so you can get all your attacks.

giving you at level 8 after the cleric dip and a 4000gp item, move as a swift action, full attack giving you two full base attack attacks and one secondary attack (and all taking -2 from rapid shot) and all getting skirmish damage.

at level 9 take improved skirmish for extra damage.

level 9-11 take ranger and at level 11 you will get manyshot as a bonus feat just in time for your level 12 feat.

then take improved rapid shot at 12.

you then get at level 12
move as swift, full attack for 3 attacks (2 base attack no penalty, one at lower base attack no penalty) and skirmish on all attacks with the improved skirmish giving even more damage and AC on that round.

this is what i would do. you are a scout and need all the help you can get :smallsmile:

[Cranthis]

What Ranger ACFs have you lined up? I generally take Trap Expert (Dungeonscape), Distracting Attack (PHBII), Spiritual Connection (Complete Champion), and Skilled City-Dweller (Cityscape Web Enhancement).

Also... I might hold off on Scout 4 until you get Manyshot with Scout 3/Ranger 6. This lets you take Greater Manyshot at ECL 9. Otherwise, you have to wait on Greater Manyshot until ECL 12 (or squeeze in a Fighter dip). After that, you can use Scout 4 to grab Improved Skirmish.

Any particular reason you're not using a footbow?

For armor, there are several options that offer better protection than Shadowsilk.

I do like Distracting Attack and Spiritual Connection. I don't really need Trap expert, as I already have trapfinding, and we already have a rogue for the city dweller skills. If we didn't have the rogue, I'd be all over the city dweller

I'm Not taking footbow because its just 50 more gold for 10 more feet of distance. I don't have any real plans to be boosting my strength, and I'll probably be taking Deadeye when possible.

I did switch to Nightscale armor.