3.5e Super sneaky ranger

[Nuff Said]

I started playing my first d&d campaign ever and I'm now a decent way into the game to the point I have an idea of how I want to build my character.

I've never played before but my DM and the others in the group help me out whenever I need it but they dont really tell me how to play, I like that but it's also difficult. Since I'm really into theroy crafting with all my other games I'm struggling since there is so much material in d&d.

I enjoy the roleplay of my character. I am a Tiefling (archer) ranger with high skill points in everything stealth related, move silent, hide, survival. My background is that I was abandoned in the woods and my master and his other apprentices have been killed while I was away from our camp, thus I am searching for the killers. To tie my into the game that was 3 sessions in my party is searching for a few bounties on murderers.

In combat I want to be a supportive sniper, shoot from the shadows, change positions and shoot again. I was thinking of multi classing in scout for 2 levels, uncanny dodge and the skirmish feat both seemed to fit the gameplay I'm going for. I was also considering 1 rank in rogue for the sneak attack, as well as 10 levels in beastmaster for the 4 companions. My DM said I could pick almost anything I wanted and that they wouldn't be useful for combat. A bear was recommended by him since it's different and kind of goes with my backstory. Therefore a bear, hawk, rat and dog all seemed like solid options.

Since I do not have much experience and all 3.5e books are allowed theroy crafting is getting more and more difficult. Is there any tips/tricks or advice I can get for the super stealthy tracker/scout?? I really enjoy the out of combat roleplay we have and the avoiding dangerous encounters style of play (I nearly TPKed everyone making a few consecutive nat 1's a good story for another time).. We are also in an area with a few low level encounters for the main story but theres also a lot of instant kill encounters near us for end game, thus I find the super sneaky ranger more and more appealing!!

[ExLibrisMortis]

I think what you're looking for is a Swift Hunter with some animal companions.

Tiefling scout 3-4/ranger 16-17
Feats to look at: Swift Hunter (Complete Adventurer), Wild Cohort (web (http://archive.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/re/20031118a)), Greater Manyshot (Expanded Psionics Handbook--entirely unrelated to psionics, however), Woodland Archer (Races of the Wild).

[Biggus]

Woodland Archer is the must-have feat for this type of character, you might also want to look at Able Sniper (Races of the Wild) and Darkstalker (Lords of Madness).

For Ranger spells, Camouflage, Mass Camouflage and Forestfold (Spell Compendium).

[Troacctid]

It's unorthodox, but I would recommend taking levels in the shadow creature template class from Dragon Magazine #322. It's only two levels to gain the shadow blend ability, which grants you total concealment (blocking line of sight automatically, without even needing a Hide check; essentially permanent greater invisibility) as long as you're not in direct sunlight. You also get cold resistance and some other abilities like fast healing, evasion, and plane shift. Pretty strong.

[ShurikVch]

Concealed Ambush feat (Dragon #339) reduces Hide penalties after sniping to -10
Ehlonna's Way feat (Dragon #315): +3 to Hide in woodland areas and +4 to hit against enemies who have cover from trees or plants (but not Total Cover)

[tiercel]

If your emphasis is really on stealth, you might consider less “meatshield” and more “sneaky companion” for your animal companion, i.e. the Urban Companion ACF from the Cityscape web enhancement (http://archive.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/we/20070228a) (free online).

Since it works like a familiar but tougher, but with no XP penalty if it dies, you’re getting a reasonably buff little scout that can also use all of your skill ranks — which means if you do multiclass, a lot of what you care about (hp and skills) will improve regardless of how many actual ranger levels you have.

Now your animal buddy is sneaky like you and you can spend your levels upping your awesome sniping skills (with sneak attack or skirmish or whatever damage bonuses).

[Nuff Said]

Theres been a lot I've been thinking about and researching, I believe I found an interesting sort if build. Does this work like I think it will??

Currently lvl3
Next level 4- Ranger 4 changing magic for a feat (use of Champion of the Wild) Far Shot
Level 5- Fighter 1 Bonus feat Run
Level 6- Shadow Scout 1 PrC
Level 7- Fighter 2 Bonus feat Weapon Focus
Level 8- Deepwood Sniper 1 PrC ( for keen arrows)

My problem comes in here, I dont know if taking deepwood sniper is worth taking Figher 2 and changing Ranger magic for the prerequisite for DwS.. I do want to take Darkstalker at some point for the higher level encounters..

If I skip out of DwH I think it would be good to take Scout 1 for Skirmish, I feel like that would go really good with the sneaky type of play I want.. I don't quite understand and cant figure out a way I can engage in combat and go back into hiding with little to no penalty

[Biggus]

I don't quite understand and cant figure out a way I can engage in combat and go back into hiding with little to no penalty

If Dragon Magazine content is allowed, the feat Concealed Ambush (Dragon #339) reduces the -20 penalty to -10. If not, the Able Sniper feat is the only other one I know of, which only reduces it by 4 (it does have a secondary benefit against flat-footed targets).

If you don't trade away your Ranger spellcasting, the Camouflage spell gives a +10 circumstance bonus to Hide, which stacks with most other Hide bonuses as they generally give competence bonuses. If you can get your Hide bonus to about +30 you've got a good chance of successfully hiding after sniping against most opponents even with the -20 penalty.

[rrwoods]

That build is getting somewhere, but Shadow Scout is taxing you fairly hard. AFAICT it provides its main benefit at level 3, and is requiring a level of fighter from you (to get Run) in order to enter it. I’d probably drop it and try to get to your other stuff sooner. You could enter Deepwood Sniper at level 6, I think.

You definitely want to find room for Woodland Archer — the third option basically describes your desired combat sequence exactly.