Any tips for improving my archer ranger? (especially spells)

[Rfkannen]

I was hopeing for y'alls opinions on the build for my ranger character! Trying to make a decent archery ranger. The other members of the group are a rapier and sheild gnome samurai and an acrtic land tiefling druid

Especially want opinions on spell selection and feats! For example, I really like zephyr strike flavor wise, but have heard it is better on melee rangers, is it bad on archers? Anything else that you would recommend having/ not having?


https://78.media.tumblr.com/cdb6dca1902e4977f8ed03d1dc7a6d62/tumblr_pe2xt6FyKo1v6q0nfo2_r1_540.png https://78.media.tumblr.com/4b729a0f83cd6fb8836ac57b6f84a078/tumblr_pf5qp4OD7u1v6q0nfo1_r1_540.png
(these are the two drawings of him I've done so far)

The character is the son of a evil king who got kicked out for being incompetent. He wound up fusing around surviving in the desert eating cacti and stuff, joining a gang of highway men, then getting caught and going to jail. His dad sent someone to go pay the bail and told him to come back home because the king is going to die soon. In combat his role is to pick off anything with a death explosion efect (been a lot of those) and generally slipe important almost dead targets. Out of combat he is the survivalist of the group.

Race: kobold
Stats after racial adjustment: 7, 18, 12, 11, 15, 12

ranger skills: stealth, perception, survival
backround profiencies: acrobatics, performance, guitar, thieves tools

Level 1: favored enemy: monstrocity. Faovred terrain desert
level 2: Fighting style: arhcery. spells learned: zephyr strike, hail of thorns
level 3: monster slayer archetype. ensaring strike
level 4: sharpshooter
level 5: pass withought trace.
level 6: future favored terrain and enemy decided in game depending on what we fight.
level 7: silence
level 8: squat nimbleness
level 9: lightning arrow
level 11: conjure barage
level 12: +1 dex, +1 wis
level 13: gaurdian of nature
level 15: absorb elements
level 16: +2 wisdom
level 17: swift quiver
level 19: steel wind strike, mobile

What do you think?

[Citan]

Hi!

I think that it's sad you posted that one week ago and nobody answerd. :smallbiggrin::smalltongue:

Your build seem very fine (I mean, Ranger is a strong enough class in itself, and we have no info on your playstyle or party composition so it's hard to give proper advice).

About Zephyr's Strike: no, it can be great ALSO on archers, and for the reason you probably guessed yourself and decided to get it: the fact you bar any opportunity attack means even if an enemy comes and threaten you in melee, provided obviously it doesn't break your concentration with a successful attack, you can, on your turn, move away to avoid the close-range penalty on ranged attacks without risk. And the secondary effect is a great way to boost your evasion in an emergency too.

With that said, if you really plan on being an archer, I wonder how often you would actually get threatened in melee? Depending on your own answer on that question, you may decide to keep it or rather take the classic Hunter's Mark.

My only other suggestion would be making space for Healing Spirit however way to prefer: this spell is a beast in and out of combat. Out of combat especially obviously, but it's also a great way to boost either your (especially if you act as stationary turret) or someone else's (tank making a stand-off for example) resilience.