MAD classes and ASIs

[ZorroGames]

While the SAD (Single Attribute Dependent) classes like Cleric (WI) or Fighter (ST or DE) or Wizard (IN) pretty clearly benefit from boosting their main fighting/casting primarily along with any desired feats it is more complicated for MAD (Multiple Attribute Dependent) classes such as Monk, Paladin or Ranger.

BLUF: I am running a Variant Human Chultian Ranger in ToA using Longbow, whip (long story,) and daggers. Should I prioritize upping DE or WI for my character at 4th level?

Character descriptive data:

Currently 50 XP short of third level. Feat at first level was MAM to go with my scale armor and DE.

ST 10
DE 16
CO 12
IN 11
WI 16
CH 8

My current spells are Hunter's Mark and Jump.

My Fighting Style is Archery.

I bought a Hlang (shield) for when I am forced to melee.

Archeologist gave me proficiency in History, and Survival. I chose Stealth and Perception for my class skills. A cross between Indiana Jones and Cochise as it were.

BLUF #2Since I will be going Hunter Archtype at third level, what spells should I be looking at for 3rd (another level 1) and 5th (another first and two 2nd level spells)?

[Sans.]

Dex for sure; I'd actually raise Con to 14 and dump Wis a little in your spot. Wis gives saving throws and spell DCs, which are nice but not vital. Everything depends on Dex: initiative, saving throws, AC, to-hit and damage. Even so, I would actually take Sharpshooter, not +2 Dex at 4th, but that might just be the inner minmaxer trying to break out again.

[ZorroGames]

Dex for sure; I'd actually raise Con to 14 and dump Wis a little in your spot. Wis gives saving throws and spell DCs, which are nice but not vital. Everything depends on Dex: initiative, saving throws, AC, to-hit and damage. Even so, I would actually take Sharpshooter, not +2 Dex at 4th, but that might just be the inner minmaxer trying to break out again.

Not changing starting stats, seems gamely to this old school guy even if AL legal. Will consider the feat. Deleted brain dead part of this post.

[Biggstick]

I wouldn't call a Ranger a MAD class by any means. They can get by very easily with a 10 Wisdom and still do the exact same thing as a 20 Wisdom Ranger. Now the differences between a 10 Wisdom Monk and a 20 Wisdom Monk, that's a huge difference. The same goes for Paladin and Charisma.

As far as your actual question, I would absolutely recommend bumping your Dexterity or taking the Sharpshooter feat. The Sharpshooter feat not because of the damage, but because of increased range for your ranged attacks (which is a thing in ToA) and the removal of 1/2 and 3/4 cover (if your DM is one who uses this sort of thing). Both of these things are a pretty big deal to being able to shoot those dino's at long range, and stay at long range.

[Chugger]

You're going to really hate having such a low Con as you level up. But if you must be stuck with it, oh well.

Now look at your Ranger spells. How many of them have STs? How many of them really benefit from Wis? Which is the one you're going to be using every fight? It's Mark. It's not wisdom dependent.

Dex will be a factor in every shot you take - every rapier stab. And every initiative roll. And lots of STs you have to roll. What possible good would upping Wisdom really get you?

I don't see a path (upping Wisdom) that ever even remotely makes ASI'ing wis a good thing - I'd up Dex. Maybe you do.

(I'm not trying to sound cranky here - sorry if it sounds that way - not intended - I'd take it as good news that you seem to have an easy clear path for your asi's - unless we're missing something)

[Spacehamster]

You're going to really hate having such a low Con as you level up. But if you must be stuck with it, oh well.

Now look at your Ranger spells. How many of them have STs? How many of them really benefit from Wis? Which is the one you're going to be using every fight? It's Mark. It's not wisdom dependent.

Dex will be a factor in every shot you take - every rapier stab. And every initiative roll. And lots of STs you have to roll. What possible good would upping Wisdom really get you?

I don't see a path (upping Wisdom) that ever even remotely makes ASI'ing wis a good thing - I'd up Dex. Maybe you do.

(I'm not trying to sound cranky here - sorry if it sounds that way - not intended - I'd take it as good news that you seem to have an easy clear path for your asi's - unless we're missing something)

Low CON as a d10 ranged does not have to be that bad if he is mobile enough to not get in melee too often,
as a ranger I usually keep my WIS at 14 since it is after all a good save to have and it affects the important perception skill
16 is good too I guess but would never put it higher as a Ranger. :)

[Chugger]

Low CON as a d10 ranged does not have to be that bad if he is mobile enough to not get in melee too often,
as a ranger I usually keep my WIS at 14 since it is after all a good save to have and it affects the important perception skill
16 is good too I guess but would never put it higher as a Ranger. :)

That's a good point. And I don't know the campaign - maybe not having negatives is important. I tend to go for higher con than 12 or 13 if I can pull it off. And lately I've been spending a _lot_ of rounds pouring healing pots down the throats of chars at zero who have low cons - and in several cases they would have survived being zero'd had they just had a bit higher con (also one of them missed a con save by 1 and went to zero). There are pros and cons, and I was mostly saying what I would do - not at all insisting what the OP should do. And if he can keep in a good spot in his fights, maybe he can make that low con work.

[djreynolds]

You will need to grab darkvision at 5th level, last 8 hours. And pass without a trace, if you get an item to help out with darkvision or there is a wizard or druid who doesn't mind casting this, unlikely.

I like hail of thorns to concentrate on, though hunter's mark is just as good and lasts 1 hours

It also depends on the party. Clerics and druids can cover a lot of utility

Alarm is an awesome spell, but its a ritual cast and somebody else should have it, same as detect this or that. Speak with animals is awesome but again you only have so many known spells. Find traps is good but the cleric or druid can have this

And though absorb elements rocks, you have a high dex and dex saving throw proficiency

Silence, spike growth, and lesser restoration are good spells

And remember you can change out jump later on, if it is no longer useful

You have a very good build, MAM will actually open up armor selection.

If you have a cleric spamming bless sharp shooter is nice to have, also lots of cover in a jungle, again making sharp shooter nice to have.

4th- sharpshooter
8th-dex
12- think about resilient wisdom here or dex
16-dex or observant if you took resilient wisdom

Also, I'm unsure how long this campaign goes to. You don't have to select ASI, just take feats if you want

Really consider, IMO 1 level of knowledge cleric could be cool

[ZorroGames]

ToA is supposed to run 1-11 levels.

The party is 6 characters, mostly arcane casters, a Dwarf Barbarian, not sure if there is a cleric now (edit: the new character Tortle is a cleric of some kind I am informed) that I pulled my Life Cleric and Created a Ranger because of complaints about a dearth of ranged combatants. Healing comes from multiple characters so I made that character switchout with no qualms.

As to WI 16 I believe many of the few spells I might use (like Hunter’s Mark) are Concentration and it is both my beginning and probable ending WI stat for the 11 levels of the campaign upon consideration. My Melee weapons are whip (from background,) Dagger or Hand Axe (in retrospect another dagger might have been better with a 10 ST and 16 DE, oh well, buy a finesse weapon later and use the hand axe for cutting ropes/wood,) if required. I made a point when switching characters to point out they were giving up a melee Cleric for a Ranger that would avoid melee if possible which the party seemed to think was “good enough” so we shall see.

I expect we shall see some ravine type jumping situation sometime and figured I would be the guy carrying the ropes across just as the Tortle has been swimming ropes across rivers/streams so far. Tree climbing would possibly allow Jump use to get a decent start for climbing possibly.

Thanks for the feedback.

[ZorroGames]

You will need to grab darkvision at 5th level, last 8 hours. And pass without a trace, if you get an item to help out with darkvision or there is a wizard or druid who doesn't mind casting this, unlikely.

I like hail of thorns to concentrate on, though hunter's mark is just as good and lasts 1 hours

It also depends on the party. Clerics and druids can cover a lot of utility

Alarm is an awesome spell, but its a ritual cast and somebody else should have it, same as detect this or that. Speak with animals is awesome but again you only have so many known spells. Find traps is good but the cleric or druid can have this

And though absorb elements rocks, you have a high dex and dex saving throw proficiency

Silence, spike growth, and lesser restoration are good spells

And remember you can change out jump later on, if it is no longer useful

You have a very good build, MAM will actually open up armor selection.

If you have a cleric spamming bless sharp shooter is nice to have, also lots of cover in a jungle, again making sharp shooter nice to have.

4th- sharpshooter
8th-dex
12- think about resilient wisdom here or dex
16-dex or observant if you took resilient wisdom

Also, I'm unsure how long this campaign goes to. You don't have to select ASI, just take feats if you want

Really consider, IMO 1 level of knowledge cleric could be cool

With only 11 levels Likely I think Sharp Shooter and DE are likely my ASIs/Feats for this character.

Jump is kind of a flavor or utility choice. Right now I am using a bullseye lantern since I am human and no one has complained (especially useful for checking the latrine without actually climbing down, which the Dwarf Barbarian volunteered to do after I detected something shining at the bottom.)

[ZorroGames]

Spells, since I should max out level 11 with 10 slots, (7 spells known,) 4 firsts, 3 seconds, and 3 thirds; purposefully limiting my Concentration spells to what I might be using and depeding a lot on missile fire per the party combat preferences so far.