macdaddy
2015-06-10, 10:50 AM
I really like the Mystic Ranger and wanted to use it as a base for a Gish. For those not familiar, it gives sorcerer based spellcasting progression with Ranger spells and adds 5th level spells (the 5th level spells are a bit of a letdown though: Awaken, baleful polymorph, cure crit, control winds, SNA-V, wall of thorns). It drops the animal companion, martial melee weapon proficiency, and slows the weapon style and favored enemy progression in exchange.
While the class appears to be geared towards being an Archer, i think it still could work well as a two weapon fighter. 10 levels of Mystic Ranger would give 5th levels spells. Anything beyond that doesn't seem worth it.
To get effective damage with a TWF build, you need extra damage dice. So Scout works well for this. Add in swift hunter, and the skirmish damage will work against undead, elementals, and constructs. Add in some Dervish and then you can make full move attacks while dealing skirmish damage. At least, that's the theory
Proposed Build:
Rolled Stats: S:14, D: 18, C: 14, I: 14, W: 12, Chr: 10
*because the wisdom is so low, a periapt of wisdom +2/+4 will eventually be needed to cast higher level spells.
1: Scout(1) Expeditious Dodge, B:Combat Expertise [Skirmish 1d6]
2: Scout(2)
3: Scout(3) Weapon Focus (Hand Axe) [Fast Movement +10, Skirmish 1d6 +1 AC]
4: Ranger(1)
5: Ranger(2) [Favored Enemy- undead]
6: Ranger(3) Mobility [Combat Style-TWF]
7: Dervish(1) [Dervish dance 1/day]
8: Scout(4) B: Weapon Finesse
9: Ranger(4) Swift Hunter [2nd Favored Enemy - Elemental, Skirmish +2d6, +2 AC]
10. Ranger(5)
11. Ranger(6)
12. Ranger(7) Improved Skirmish [Combat Style - ITWF, Skirmish +5d6, +5AC]
13. Dervish(2)
14. Dervish (3) [Dervish dance 2/day]
15. Ranger(8) Greater TWF (NOTE: Mystic Ranger doesn't get this until 12th level]
16. Dervish (4)
17. Ranger(9) [Evasion]
18. Dervish (5) ** OPEN Feat ** [Dervish Dance 3/day]
19. Ranger(10) [3rd Favored Enemy - Construct]
20. Dervish (6)
Sadly, hand axes are the best weapon finessable weapon available in this build. It's that or a sickle. (only simple weapons plus the scout weapons are available)
After 9th level, I am not quite so sure how the build should progress. It's probably best to alternate Dervish/Ranger or 2:1 Ranger:Dervish. That would allow the tumble skill and dervish dance to progress at the cost of delayed ITWF and ranger spell progression.
For the open feat Sword of the Arcane order would be good, but it would be tough to get the requisite +3 INT for 5th level wizard spells. Robilars Gambit would be great... but it requires combat reflexes. A large portion of the best Ranger spells can either be cast out of combat or are Swift spells, so Somatic Weaponry is not really required for the build. That leaves *mediocre* choices like Improved Buckler defense.
Any suggestions would be appreciated.
While the class appears to be geared towards being an Archer, i think it still could work well as a two weapon fighter. 10 levels of Mystic Ranger would give 5th levels spells. Anything beyond that doesn't seem worth it.
To get effective damage with a TWF build, you need extra damage dice. So Scout works well for this. Add in swift hunter, and the skirmish damage will work against undead, elementals, and constructs. Add in some Dervish and then you can make full move attacks while dealing skirmish damage. At least, that's the theory
Proposed Build:
Rolled Stats: S:14, D: 18, C: 14, I: 14, W: 12, Chr: 10
*because the wisdom is so low, a periapt of wisdom +2/+4 will eventually be needed to cast higher level spells.
1: Scout(1) Expeditious Dodge, B:Combat Expertise [Skirmish 1d6]
2: Scout(2)
3: Scout(3) Weapon Focus (Hand Axe) [Fast Movement +10, Skirmish 1d6 +1 AC]
4: Ranger(1)
5: Ranger(2) [Favored Enemy- undead]
6: Ranger(3) Mobility [Combat Style-TWF]
7: Dervish(1) [Dervish dance 1/day]
8: Scout(4) B: Weapon Finesse
9: Ranger(4) Swift Hunter [2nd Favored Enemy - Elemental, Skirmish +2d6, +2 AC]
10. Ranger(5)
11. Ranger(6)
12. Ranger(7) Improved Skirmish [Combat Style - ITWF, Skirmish +5d6, +5AC]
13. Dervish(2)
14. Dervish (3) [Dervish dance 2/day]
15. Ranger(8) Greater TWF (NOTE: Mystic Ranger doesn't get this until 12th level]
16. Dervish (4)
17. Ranger(9) [Evasion]
18. Dervish (5) ** OPEN Feat ** [Dervish Dance 3/day]
19. Ranger(10) [3rd Favored Enemy - Construct]
20. Dervish (6)
Sadly, hand axes are the best weapon finessable weapon available in this build. It's that or a sickle. (only simple weapons plus the scout weapons are available)
After 9th level, I am not quite so sure how the build should progress. It's probably best to alternate Dervish/Ranger or 2:1 Ranger:Dervish. That would allow the tumble skill and dervish dance to progress at the cost of delayed ITWF and ranger spell progression.
For the open feat Sword of the Arcane order would be good, but it would be tough to get the requisite +3 INT for 5th level wizard spells. Robilars Gambit would be great... but it requires combat reflexes. A large portion of the best Ranger spells can either be cast out of combat or are Swift spells, so Somatic Weaponry is not really required for the build. That leaves *mediocre* choices like Improved Buckler defense.
Any suggestions would be appreciated.