PDA

View Full Version : need help with feat choice



xPANCAKEx
2008-05-12, 08:02 PM
bit of a nubby question

i am desigining a Ranger 2/Rogue 1 Elf

stats:
12 str
18 dex
10 con
14 int
14 wis
10 cha

armed with a masterwork rapier and a masterwork shortsword (original i know), and a masterowkr comp shortbow as back-up

im taking weapon finesse, but im a bt stumped as to what i should have for my other feat?
combat reflexes maybe?

im eventually aiming for improved crit + keen weapons

Sstoopidtallkid
2008-05-12, 08:06 PM
There may be an Ambushing Hunter feat out there which you should nab ASAP.

Also, switch over to 2 of the same weapon. Finesse only affects one. Combat Reflexes is good, especially with a way of guarenteeing the enemy will be flatfooted against your AoOs.

tyckspoon
2008-05-12, 08:11 PM
3.5 or 3.0? In 3.5, Weapon Finesse works on all finessable weapons and Improved Crit and Keen don't stack (although Improved Crit does require you to select just one weapon to use it with, so switching to a matched pair would save you a feat.)

Prince_of_Blades
2008-05-12, 08:12 PM
There may be an Ambushing Hunter feat out there which you should nab ASAP.

Also, switch over to 2 of the same weapon. Finesse only affects one. Combat Reflexes is good, especially with a way of guarenteeing the enemy will be flatfooted against your AoOs.

Weapon Finesse was changed in the 3.5 PHB - it now affects all the qualifying weapons.

Also, in relation to the OP, Improved Crit and Keen don't stack with each other, so you might want to rethink that.

MeklorIlavator
2008-05-12, 08:12 PM
Uhh, no, it doesn't:
Weapon finesse:
With a light weapon, rapier, whip, or spiked chain made for a creature of your size category, you may use your Dexterity modifier instead of your Strength modifier on attack rolls. If you carry a shield, its armor check penalty applies to your attack rolls.

Chronos
2008-05-12, 08:17 PM
First of all: Combat reflexes is good if and only if you have some way of provoking a lot of attacks of opportunity. Being able to make 5 AoOs per round is useless, if you never provoke. Most of the things that give you the chance to provoke more AoOs require feats to do well, so Combat Reflexes is better for fighters who can afford the feats than for rangers or rogues.

Second: Improved Critical does not stack with a Keen weapon, so it's a waste to get both. For that matter, neither of them stacks with a Scabbard of Keen Edges, either, and that's a lot cheaper than the weapon enhancement. So don't bother with either the weapon enhancement or the feat.

Third, be advised that a critical hit will not multiply your Sneak Attack damage. The only dice affected by a critical hit are the weapon's base damage dice. It will, however, multiply non-dice damage bonuses, such as the ranger's Favored Enemy bonus.

Fourth, to actually answer your question: If you're playing core-only, then Improved Initiative is a good choice for anyone, and a great choice for a rogue. When you go first, your enemies are still flat-footed, and therefore Sneak Attack applies.

If you're not restricted to the core rulebooks, then it depends on just what you do have access to. You probably want your character to be stealthy, and the best feat choice ever for stealthy characters is the feat Darkstalker, from Lords of Madness. Basically, it lets you use your Hide and Move Silently skills versus special senses like blindsight and scent.

DementedFellow
2008-05-12, 08:22 PM
Since you're going to be a melee dude, and I have no idea what books you're using. I suggest investing in Dodge so you can get Mobility later on.

Xuincherguixe
2008-05-12, 08:31 PM
There's a few good psionic feats, if you can get them. Deep Impact would require three feats, but lets you treat a single melee attack as a touch attack. Fell Shot is much the same, for ranged attacks. The prerequisites for each those aren't bad either, since they let you add 2d6 damage.

(You need to expend your Psionic Focus to use them, which makes them a little cumbersome, but hey, makes sneak attacks a bit easier)

Ghost Attack makes it easier to hit incoporeal targets

Speed of thought lets you get an extra 10 move speed

Wounding Attack lets you deal constitution Damage

They're all here at http://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/psionicFeats.htm

Sstoopidtallkid
2008-05-12, 08:34 PM
Since you're going to be a melee dude, and I have no idea what books you're using. I suggest investing in Dodge so you can get Mobility later on.Ignore this post, it was obviously intended as sarcasm.

DementedFellow
2008-05-12, 08:36 PM
Ignore this post, it was obviously intended as sarcasm.

:smallbiggrin: I can't get any by you.

Sstoopidtallkid
2008-05-12, 08:53 PM
Have you considered EWP: Kusari-Gama? It won't really pay off until 6th, when you can pick up Combat Reflexes and should have a way of forcing the enemy to be flatfooted on their turn, but you could make a TWF lockdown Rogue.

DementedFellow
2008-05-12, 09:01 PM
With that respectable amount of DEX, why aren't you using a bow? You just don't like them?

With the Rogue and Ranger's skills you could be good at scouting ahead and picking off the enemies when they don't expect it. Then when it comes to melee pull out your weapons.

It's really a shame that you don't have 13 STR because Power Attack is always a solid choice for a melee build.

Sstoopidtallkid
2008-05-12, 10:03 PM
Heck, he could go Swift Hunter or Ambusher and really be good with a bow or in melee, depending on build.

xPANCAKEx
2008-05-13, 02:02 AM
:smallbiggrin: I can't get any by you.

hey, im nubby, but not THAT nubby ;) cheeky scoundrel!

Talic
2008-05-13, 02:10 AM
A 10 con rogue/ranger may want to stay out of direct melee.

I second either ranged weapons, or reach weapons. Either will work well. ToB feat for getting a martial maneuver would work well with Wolf Fang Strike (For 2 attacks as a standard action), as would the Dual Strike feat (Faerun).

I second also, using a matched pair of weapons. Probably shortswords, though Light Pick, or rapier (with Oversized Two Weapon Fighting) is an option.

Kusari-gama is probably the most optimal weapon choice, though it may be a bit too cheddar-ish for you.

xPANCAKEx
2008-05-13, 06:54 AM
chedder country is not my intended destination, just something reasonably decent, flavourful and a laugh

and can anyone tell me the cost (and where to find) a Scabbard of Keen Edges? if its arround 1k it might be onto something

Kantur
2008-05-13, 08:05 AM
http://www.d20srd.org/srd/magicItems/wondrousItems.htm#scabbardofKeenEdges - 16000 GP

As for a feat, have you considered Improved Initiative? I don't know about you, but the thought of still having an Iniative value of 9 on a roll of a 1...It's tempt me certainly.

SamTheCleric
2008-05-13, 08:24 AM
+8 initiative? Small Potatoes!

My last Ranger was a little halfling that loved putting arrows into people. +5 Dex, +4 Improved Init, +2 Quick Reconnoiter, +4 Yondalla's Blessing...

+15 initative before rolling the die... :smallwink:

Keld Denar
2008-05-13, 01:10 PM
Only +15? Pshaw....

Alacritous the Elven Wizard/Loremaster with his trusty cohort Ready the Marshal/Dread Commando.

+4 Improved Hummingbird (Dragon Mag + RotW)
+4 Eager Warning Weapon
+4 Improved Init (via Heroics Spell)
+5 Nerve Skitter
+6 Combat Readiness
+4 Signs (via UMD from Loremaster)
+2 Belt of Battle
+5 Dex (14 base +6 gloves)
+34

and cohort
+9 Motivate Dex (assuming an 18, 4 level bumps, and a +6 item) aura
+5 Dread Commando aura

Total of +48 before rolling the dice, probably could go higher than that even

RAWR!!!!


(pause)

ok, your up!