Help with first 4E game

[expirement10K14]

So me and some friends decided it is time to crack open 4E. Today we went to a Black Friday sale and got 3 players handbooks, a monster manual, a DM's guide and Keep on the Shadowfell (25% off!!!). I am having some trouble.

I was an optimizer in 3.5, so I am trying to cut back a little bit, but I can not for the life of me create a character. My idea is a Kobold Ranger, but I can't figure out how to use the powers.

My question- Can anyone help me build a level 1 Kobold Ranger (archery specialized) for a first time 4E game?

I do not know if we are using array or pointbuy, but it will be one of the two. I don't understand armor and weapons that well (what is this weapon bonus on the character sheet?), but that I can read up on.

[TheEmerged]

Okay, let's start with the stats for Kobolds from the Monster Manual. +2 Dex, +2 Con, vision = normal, size = small, speed = 6, +2 Stealth and Thievery, +2 defense versus traps, and the Shifty racial (can shift 1 square as a minor action).

We run into one issue immediately -- as a small character, your kobold faces a limited choice of ranged weapons. Specifically, you're going to be using a hand crossbow, sling, or shortbow (you could theoretically also use some thrown weapons, but let's ignore those for now). We'll assume use of the shortbow (+2 proficiency bonus, 1d8 damage, 15/30 range, load free).

Now, you've specified that you want the archery fighting style. What does this give you? The Defensive Mobility feat (+2 bonus versus opportunity attacks), and that's it. That's probably a lot less than you expected, but it's also why I didn't immediately try to talk you out of the choice. You're really only losing 1pt of damage per turn, on average, from someone that uses a longbow.

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Since you aren't sure of what method for attribute creation you're using, I'll assume standard point buy under Method 2 (5 attributes start @ 10, 1 attribute start @ 8, 22pts to spend).

We need to start with where you want to put your "dump stat" (the one that starts at 8 instead of 10). The three attributes you most need are gonna be Dexterity, Strength, and Wisdom. So you'll be getting your Fortitutde defense from Strength, your Reflex from your Dexterity, and your Will from your Wisdom -- this means your 'dump stat' is going to be either Con, Int, or Cha. The only one that has a skill dependent on it is Con (Endurance).

This brings us to the argument of how much 'dump' you want in 'dump stat'. Personally I don't like leaving it at 8, I like for everything to be at least a 10. So I'm going to recommend putting the 8 in Cha, but spending 2 of your 22 points to bring it up to 10.

Dex is going to be your most important attribute, and you can score an 18 for 9 pts (thanks to your +2 racial bonus). You want Con to be at least a 12, which as it happens you can score for free (thanks to your +2 racial bonus). Let's leave your Int alone at 10.

That leaves us with 11 points and two attributes to worry about -- Strength and Wisdom. You can take one to 16 and the other to 11, or take both to 14 and have an extra point to throw around (Con being most likely).

Now, at this point we have to stop and talk about skills. Wisdom doesn't really help with your powers, but it's a big deal for your skills -- literally half your class skills are based on it. Depending on your party makeup, the group might be depending on you for perception and nature checks.

We also need to talk about feats for a moment. There's a ranger feat named Precise Hunter that requries 15 Wisdom. So does Sly Hunter at the Paragon tier. Also, as a Ranger you start with Hide armor as your max -- and the Armor Specialization for Hide (Paragon) requires Con 15 -- and you're going to want this.

Because of this, I'm going to recommend putting 14 into both Str & Wis, and using that final point to take Con to 13.

Str 14 (+2)
Con 13 (+1)
Dex 18 (+4)
Int 10 (+0)
Wis 14 (+2)
Cha 10 (+0)
HP = 25, with 6pts per healing surge and 7 surges per day.
Fort = 13 (10+1+2)
Ref = 15 (10+1+4)
Will = 12 (10+2)
Langugages = Common & Draconic.

This brings us back to skills. Since we took the 14/14 split, let's put it to use. Select Nature (Wis) as your first skill, then Perception (Wis) & Dungeoneering (Wis) to round out your Wis choices. Take Acrobatics (Dex) as your 3rd skill.

The fourth skill depends on the rest of the party and what role you want to fill. Is there a rogue in your party? If not, I'm going to recommend that you take Stealth (Dex) as your 4th skill -- and then Sneak of Shadows as your 1st level feat. If there is a rogue in the party, consider trying to talk them into another class :smallredface: You're going to get a +11 to both Stealth and Thievery if skilled in both (+5 for prof, +4 for Dex, +2 as race); that's going to be tough to argue with. There's also the fact that it can add +2d6 to one of your attacks per encounter -- a major increase.

If there's a rogue in the party that won't change his/her mind, or if you just don't view your character as part rogue? Athletics (Str), Heal (Wis), and Endurance (Con) are each good choices.

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**At this point, Starsinger & GreenKnight have posted**

Let's stop and talk feats before we talk powers. I already suggested Sneak of Shadows, but even if there's a rogue in the party this is a choice with a lot to recommend it. Other than this?

You would qualify for Armor Proficiency Chain. If you went this route, you'd gain AC (+3 initially) but lose 1 point of speed. You wouldn't need to worry about boosting your Con as much either, since Armor Specialization Chain is essentially the same as AS:Hide but requires Dex 15 instead of Con 15 -- and AS:Chain eliminates the Stealth penalty for wearing Chain the same way it does for wearing Hide. Sooooo, how much does that point of Speed mean to you?

Lethal Hunter (increases the Quarry die from d6 to d8) is something you're going to take sooner or later, period. Agile Hunter (free shift if you crit) isn't a total no-brainer but is likely in your future too -- at lower levels though, you won't crit enough so 'future' is the operative word.

Alertness has some advantages as well, but again is more likely as something in the future than a 1st level feat. Far Shot is also a future choice, since it will help you make up part of the difference of being stuck with a shortbow.

I'd recommend Quick Draw over Improved Initiative in your case, since it would help you quickly switch to melee weapons if something gets in your face (and Point Blank Shot is on the paragon tier), or to quickly make other inventory actions.

Do *not* take Skill Training until you've taken a multiclass feat. Even if you don't take Sneak of Shadows, all three of the multiclass feats you qualify for (Initiative of the Faith, Student of the Sword, & Student of Battle) give you more than Skill Training alone.

I'd recommend taking Weapon Focus (Bows) over Two-Weapon Fighting. Ideally you're not switching to melee weapons often for it to be worth 2 feats (see Quick Draw recommendation above).

Ritual Caster may interest you, but chances are your party wizard or cleric would be better served learning the Nature skill than you would be spending 2 feats to get the same (one to score the required Arcana or Religion, one on the feat itself).

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**BardicDuelist has posted**

Okay, let's talk powers! Your shortbow loads for free so you can make use of Twin Strike -- and I think you should. We can eliminate "Hit and Run" since it isn't usable with your bow. So, do you prefer a +2 to hit & the ability to use it melee & ranged? Or the ability to shift 1 square before or after the attack?

From experience, I can tell you that +2 to hit is more valuable than you might think. I can also tell you the ability to potentially shift 3 squares when using that power is pretty nifty -- but you already have the potential to shift 2 squares per turn because of that easily-underestimated racial power of yours. Is the third square worth more than the +2 to hit? I don't think so, so I'll recommend Careful Attack as your second At-will. I'll also say that Nimble Strike wouldn't be a mistake.

For your encounter attack power we can eliminate Dire Wolverine Strike. Fox's Cunning has some nifty possibilities, but I think it comes down to Two-Fanged Strike or Evasive Strike. With Evasive Strike you're talking about the possibility of shifting 5 squres in the turn you use it (3 for the power, 1 as your move action, 1 as your minor action as a kobold) -- if you took Sneak of Shadows, Evasive Strike should definitely be your choice because it can help set up Combat Advantage and therefore your once-an-encounter Sneak Attack. Otherwise Two-Fanged Strike should ge the nod.

For your daily attack power we can eliminate Jaws of the Wolf and Sudden Strike. Hunter's Bear Trap is the better anti-boss power, but that save is too easy for the boss to make in my experience (remember, it's a 55% to make). Split The Tree is more likely to be used in an encounter, and that chance to crit twice (you roll two attack rolls but only use the better of the two) has possibilities. I'm going to recommend HBT because of the tendency to save daily attack powers for the end boss :smallcool:

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"Martial Power" adds some possibilities, but most of them are for the beastmaster style and you specified archery style. The Singular Shot encounter attack power is an *awesome* choice for boss fights and comes up often enough during regular encounters to make it a good choice. The real kicker are two of the new 1st level daily attack powers -- Boar Assault (2[w] damage, and for the rest of the fight you gain temp HP equal to your Wis modifier every time you hit the target) and Hunt's End (3[w] damage and crits on 19-20) both are excellent anti-boss powers. Both do half damage on a miss (a nice thing in a daily attack power).

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Last edit, honest! :smallbiggrin:

For starting equipment, snatch up your Shortbow (25g), your Hide Armor (30g), and your Standard Adventurer Kit (15g). If you took Sneak of Shadows, get your Thieves' tools (20gp) leaving you with 10g for ammo and any other supplies.

[Starsinger]

Stupid question, but are you sure he wants to be an archery ranger?

[greenknight]

My question- Can anyone help me build a level 1 Kobold Ranger (archery specialized) for a first time 4E game?

I do not know if we are using array or pointbuy, but it will be one of the two. I don't understand armor and weapons that well (what is this weapon bonus on the character sheet?), but that I can read up on.

Ok. Rangers are probably the most important class in 4e (IMO) because they can fill a wide variety of roles. Personally, I'd recommend an Elven Ranger rather than Kobold because of the Wisdom bonus (Wisdom being more important than Constitution for 4e Rangers), but Kobold does work. However, you are Small, so you can't use two handed weapons, which includes any kind of bow and longswords. That means it's going to be a Sling and Scimitars for you, and get as many Sling Bullets as you can carry, because you'll go through heaps of them. (EDIT: Shortbows have the Small property, so they are a much better choice for you than Slings). Also, make a choice between wearing Leather or Hide Armor. Leather gives a slightly worse AC, but doesn't inhibit your ability to sneak around. Hide gives a slightly better AC, but you'll take a penalty to your Strength, Dexterity and Constitution based checks. I'd recommend you go with Leather.

For your ability scores, I recommend the following:

Default Array: Str 13; Con 12; Dex 16; Int 10; Wis 14; Cha 11.
Point Buy: Str 14; Con 13; Dex 16; Int 8; Wis 14; Cha 10.

Hopefully you'll be allowed Point Buy, because it's a bit better for your character IMO. Either way, your strategy should be to stand back initially and use your arrows - make sure you buy plenty of them, because you will use lots. When your foes get into melee range (and they almost certainly will), change over to using melee attacks. Rangers are very good in either situation.

For your At Will attacks, take Twin Strike (a must have for Rangers) and Nimble Strike. Nimble Strike allows you to get away, while Twin Strike should be your primary attack. For your Encounter power, take Fox's Cunning - that usually triggers every encounter, and gives you an extra attack. If it doesn't, try making yourself more of a target to attract that attack. For your Daily, choose between Split the Tree and Hunter's Bear Trap. Split the Tree does more damage and is more likely to hit, Hunter's Bear Trap is more tactically useful - if it hits. Personally, I'd go with Split the Tree.

For your first Feat, I'd recommend either Sneak of Shadows or Weapon Focus (Bow). Sneak of Shadows gives you a bit of extra damage once per encounter, and the Thievery skill (which should be very useful to you). Because you will usually make two attacks per round, Weapon Focus gives you a nice bit of extra damage which can really add up. I'd go with Sneak of Shadows personally, but as an archer you'll probably need to use your Sneak Attack right at the start of the encounter to ensure you have Combat Advantage.

Rangers also have one of the best class skill sets in the game. I'd recommend you take Athletics, Dungeoneering, Nature, Perception and Stealth as your class skills, and later spend a feat on Acrobatics. This will set you up really well as the party Scout, particularly if you have also taken the Sneak of Shadows feat. And don't forget to remind your DM that most creatures allow a Nature skill check to identify them. With a high enough roll, you'll be able to identify their strengths and weaknesses (as well as some specific lore for the race), which can help you determine what tactics you should use against them.

[BardicDuelist]

Small races can use shortbows and hand crossbows.

[TheEmerged]

I don't understand armor and weapons that well (what is this weapon bonus on the character sheet?), but that I can read up on.

Missed this point in the original post.

Weapon bonus (proper name: Proficiency Bonus) is a bonus you get to any power that has the 'Weapon' tag when using a weapon you're proficient in. So if you're proficient with the Shortbow (and rangers are), you get a +2 bonus to your attack roll with powers that have the Weapon tag -- which I can't think of any exceptions on the ranger attack power lists offhand.

Armor bonuses get added to your AC. The 'check' penalty (like the -1 both chain and hide armor give you until you can score the Armor Specialization feat at the paragon tier) applies a penalty to Str, Dex, and Con-based skills when wearing that armor. So yes, technically this penalty means you'd only have a +10 bonus to Stealth and Thievery when skilled :smallyuk: This is the reason planning for Armor Specialization is a big deal for Rangers.

Now, a lot of people get confused with the non-basic armors in the table on PHB pg 214. The important thing to notice is the Minimum Enhancement Bonus column. In the case of Hide Armor for example, any +4 Hide Armor or +5 Hide armor is known as Darkhide instead (and gives a +4 armor bonus instead of +3) and +6 Hide armor is known as Elderhide instead (and gives a +5 armor bonus instead of +3). The same with Chainmail versus Forge/Spirit mail.


Stupid question, but are you sure he wants to be an archery ranger?

As noted since Starsinger asked this, a kobold can use a shortbow. The differences between a short & long bow are 1d10 versus 1d8 (1pt of damage per hit, on average), 5 squares of normal range, 10 squares of long range, 5 gold and 1 lb.

The feat difference between archery style and two-weapon style is minimal -- +2 versus attacks of opportunity, compared to 5 hp per character tier and the ability to wield a one-handed weapon in the off hand as if it had the offhand tag. Unlike rogues & warlocks, you don't get bonuses to certain attack powers based on your style. I've actually seen some characters take 2-weapon style and then take all the ranged attack powers under the feeling that 2-weapon style benefits them more...

[Starsinger]

As noted since Starsinger asked this, a kobold can use a shortbow. The differences between a short & long bow are 1d10 versus 1d8 (1pt of damage per hit, on average), 5 squares of normal range, 10 squares of long range, 5 gold and 1 lb.

The feat difference between archery style and two-weapon style is minimal -- +2 versus attacks of opportunity, compared to 5 hp per character tier and the ability to wield a one-handed weapon in the off hand as if it had the offhand tag. Unlike rogues & warlocks, you don't get bonuses to certain attack powers based on your style. I've actually seen some characters take 2-weapon style and then take all the ranged attack powers under the feeling that 2-weapon style benefits them more...

... what I really meant to ask was, maybe he wanted to stab things...

[TheEmerged]

... what I really meant to ask was, maybe he wanted to stab things...

Ah, my bad. I guess I've just run into the "they can't use longbows, why bother?" argument one too many times on other forums :smallbiggrin:

[Starsinger]

Oh no, I'm not a weapon elitist at all.

[Hal]

So me and some friends decided it is time to crack open 4E. Today we went to a Black Friday sale and got 3 players handbooks, a monster manual, a DM's guide and Keep on the Shadowfell (25% off!!!). I am having some trouble.

I was an optimizer in 3.5, so I am trying to cut back a little bit, but I can not for the life of me create a character. My idea is a Kobold Ranger, but I can't figure out how to use the powers.

My question- Can anyone help me build a level 1 Kobold Ranger (archery specialized) for a first time 4E game?

I do not know if we are using array or pointbuy, but it will be one of the two. I don't understand armor and weapons that well (what is this weapon bonus on the character sheet?), but that I can read up on.

Optimization isn't necessarily as important here as it was in 3.5, since most of your feats don't dramatically change things. There will be exceptions, of course, but it all depends on what you want your character to do.

So, what don't you understand about the powers? Which ones to pick or how the whole at-will/encounter/daily aspect works?

[Mauril Everleaf]

Starshine, in case you hadn't had it answered yet, yes, expirement10K14 mentioned wanting to be an archery ranger in his original post.
My question- Can anyone help me build a level 1 Kobold Ranger (archery specialized) for a first time 4E game?

As for the OP, I have built a half dozen rangers since I got the PHB, and I have much preferred building the Archery style. The two extensive posts here offer some excellent advice, none of which I disagree with. One thing I might recommend would be to go ahead and take both Nature and Dungeoneering, especially if you know your DM isn't only going to send you into "natural" areas.

Sneak of Shadows is awesome, especially in the boss fights, since you can choose to add the Sneak Attack damage after you hit, plus the training in Stealth is worth it.

I'm actually going to recommend against Lethal Hunter, since it is essentially +1 damage for a feat. Don't take this feat if you have something else to take. I usually end up retraining this feat in Paragon anyway.

[Starsinger]

Starshine, in case you hadn't had it answered yet, yes, expirement10K14 mentioned wanting to be an archery ranger in his original post.

If this sorta thing didn't happen to me a lot I'd feel stupid. Also, Starshine? That's a cute nickname, thanks :smallsmile:

[Artanis]

The feat difference between archery style and two-weapon style is minimal -- +2 versus attacks of opportunity, compared to 5 hp per character tier and the ability to wield a one-handed weapon in the off hand as if it had the offhand tag. Unlike rogues & warlocks, you don't get bonuses to certain attack powers based on your style. I've actually seen some characters take 2-weapon style and then take all the ranged attack powers under the feeling that 2-weapon style benefits them more...
He definitely wants to go with the Archery fighting style because of PPs. Since all he has is core and KotS, he won't have any PPs that an Archer would want that a TWF can access.

[Dacia Brabant]

The feat difference between archery style and two-weapon style is minimal -- +2 versus attacks of opportunity, compared to 5 hp per character tier and the ability to wield a one-handed weapon in the off hand as if it had the offhand tag.

One thing to keep in mind is that 5 HP is also +1 HP per healing surge spent which, considering how often those get used, does add up pretty quickly. Not that he should change his character concept just for that, or for any crunchy reasons, but it is an important part of that feat.

To the OP: while there are some good suggestions in this thread, optimization really isn't as much in your character sheet in 4e as it is in the party and its cohesiveness. As a Striker, the most important thing--besides trying not to get attacked, or having good HP/Defenses in case you do--is maximizing your attack roll bonuses as these are few. When you hit it's for big damage, but you have to hit.

Now you do get attack bonuses from your key stat, your weapon proficiency and if you're using a magic weapon that gives one, plus half your level, but you also get them directly and indirectly from your allies, like your Leader's powers or your Defender or Controller helping set up Combat Advantage for you against the enemy you're attacking. Play around with different combinations of tactics and powers with your party members until you find stuff that works, and don't use your encounter powers or especially your dailies if you're not getting at least one situational bonus above your normal attack modifier--you may as well just use an at-will power since those can't be wasted.

Welcome to 4e. :smallsmile:

[Mauril Everleaf]

If this sorta thing didn't happen to me a lot I'd feel stupid. Also, Starshine? That's a cute nickname, thanks :smallsmile:

...yeah. Cute nickname. That's what it is. It's definitely not me not paying attention either... :smallredface:

[expirement10K14]

Thanks. Based on advice I think I can pull this off. I didn't mean that I was taking archery specialization, I meant archer focused build, but that doesn't matter in the end. To all of you- Thanks.

[TheEmerged]

Yeah, I knew he didn't have "Martial Power", I threw that in as a throwaway for other people that might find the post and have it. Note that I didn't go into the feats from it :)

[greenknight]

If there is a rogue in the party, consider trying to talk them into another class :smallredface:

Hey - Rogues are still good in combination with Rangers. They tend to hit more than any other class in 4e, and in the Heroic tier they are better off in melee, leaving ranged combat for the Ranger. Although I agree, Dex based Rangers are usually better scouts because they tend to be better at things like Perception (along with Nature and Dungeoneering, which they can use to identify the foes they see).


Lethal Hunter (increases the Quarry die from d6 to d8) is something you're going to take sooner or later, period. Agile Hunter (free shift if you crit) isn't a total no-brainer but is likely in your future too -- at lower levels though, you won't crit enough so 'future' is the operative word.

Neither of these is really all that good IMO. Lethal Hunter increases your damage by 1 per round (on average). Weapon Focus does that, and since Rangers will often hit twice per round, it does more average damage. Agile Hunter requires a melee attack and a critical hit, so I consider it to be an almost complete waste of a feat for an Archer build.


From experience, I can tell you that +2 to hit is more valuable than you might think.

It can be useful, but mathematically Twin Strike is going to hit more often in most cases. And because you only do weapon damage (not +Dex mod or something similar), it doesn't do much damage either. I think Nimble Strike is by far the better choice.


Fox's Cunning has some nifty possibilities, but I think it comes down to Two-Fanged Strike or Evasive Strike.

Evasive Strike is mainly good for melee Rangers because it allows them to get Combat Advantage. It's not so good for Archers because firing a bow while in melee range of a foe opens them up for an Opportunity Attack. Thinking about it, Two Fanged Strike is probably better overall than Fox's Cunning, so I'll change my recommendation to that.


For starting equipment, snatch up your Shortbow (25g), your Hide Armor (30g), and your Standard Adventurer Kit (15g). If you took Sneak of Shadows, get your Thieves' tools (20gp) leaving you with 10g for ammo and any other supplies.

I still think Leather's better than Hide, since Rangers make such great scouts. Other than that, this is a decent equipment list. Because encounters tend to last more rounds in 4e and Rangers tend to attack twice per round, I'd recommend spending 5gp and getting 150 arrows.


He definitely wants to go with the Archery fighting style because of PPs. Since all he has is core and KotS, he won't have any PPs that an Archer would want that a TWF can access.

The Ranger's Battlefield Archer PP is really good, although if you can't qualify for it the Rogue's Shadow Assassin PP isn't too bad IMO.

[Artanis]

Agreed on Nimble Strike. A second shot is just too much better mathematically than a mere +2 attack. Nimble Strike gives you an option other than "less damage output than the other at-will".

[its_all_ogre]

be careful with sneak of shadows.
you still need to use a 'rogue weapon' to cause sneak attack damage.
so sling, dagger or hand crossbow.
no short bow for you!

this is the main problem with multi-classing into rogue, the need to rely on a rogue weapon to add that 2d6 boost once per encounter.

the other thing i would say about comparative to 3.5 is party synergy is boosted a lot in 4e.
look at how your powers effect the whole party, not just yourself.
a fighter with covering attack can allow an ally shifts.
warlord being there provides boosts to the party.
wizard using icy terrain can provide combat advantage to the whole party potentially(but not to the archers...)
and so on.

[Artanis]

I can definitely attest to party synergy being a big factor. I don't know how big compared to 3.5, but either way, it's pretty big.

I'm currently in a campaign where our party was originally a Paladin, a Warlord, a Wizard, a Rogue, a Warlock, and a shooty Ranger (me). Every fight would basically be a race to see if we could cut down the enemy before something got past the Paladin and shredded the four squishies. A few sessions ago, the DM let the Rogue's player (who wasn't particularly happy with the character) switch to Swordmage. Fights instantly became a lot smoother: we had less damage output, but the two remaining Strikers could do our jobs a lot better without having to blow our Second Wind every fight. And since the Swordmage is designed as a part-Controller, the Wizard wasn't as overwhelmed anymore.

[Alyss]

In my games we just have 3 strikers, playing through a campaign written for a full party. We have to rest a lot, but things are generally very smooth. It's just all about killing the enemy faster than they kill you.

[Crow]

I've found that pretty much any party of any composition works fine enough in 4e. There really isn't that much of a difference between the classes that missing a role (or multiple roles) really cripples you.

[Yakk]

I'm going to drop the chaff, and just focus on the important things.

1> Twin Strike is by far your best at-will attack power. Get it.

2> Feats that synergize with twin strike, like weapon focus, are also very useful. Anything that adds to per-hit damage is better than Hunter's Quarry.

3> Buy your dex up to 16, and make sure you get a +2 bonus to it. Keep your wisdom reasonable as it is your secondary stat -- and if you want to ever fight in melee keep your str reasonable.

4> Taking extra damage is bad -- taking damage that would otherwise go to the fighter isn't bad, so long as you take it in moderation. Your HP and your healing surges are a resource, and if you are never attacked, they are wasted.

5> Careful Attack sucks. Mathematically, it is only better than Twin Strike in terms of average damage per attack at exactly one AC. Even on hard-to-hit targets, barring that one AC, you are better to use Twin Strike.

[Oracle_Hunter]

Since everyone else has already covered Archery Ranger in depth, I decided to post some quick notes about going TWF, in case you change your mind :smallsmile:

(1) Twin Strike
Note that Twin Strike only does [W], not [W] + STR damage. This means that, if you want to optimize your DPR, think about taking feats that give you damage bonuses. Eladrin Longsword Rangers and Dwarven Hammer Rangers work well here.

(2) Scimitar Dance & Hammer Rhythm
In the Paragon Tier, there are a couple of feats that allow you to do damage on a miss for all powers. Since Rangers tend to get many attacks, these are gravy. Check out the ability score requirements for these Feats and plan accordingly.

(3) Consider Heavy Armor
Scale is great, because it has no armor check penalty and gives +7 AC. Going the Heavy Armor route will allow you to skimp on Dex/Int pumping to keep your AC high, but it does cost 2 feats. In Heroic, Hide needs Dex 16 to equal Chainmail, and Dex 18 for Scale. In order to get Heavy Blade Opportunity (which you should get, if you can), you need to have Dex 15 by Paragon (so a minimum of 12 at LV 1). Being able to save those scores and boosts for CON or WIS can help you tremendously, and taking Improved Initiative can fix your Initiative problems. You'll have a low Reflex, but Lightning Reflexes in Paragon can fix that too.

Aside from Dwarven Rangers (for which Heavy Armor is nearly mandatory) this can be an attractive option. Think about it.

(4) Pit Fighter
I've found the TWF Ranger Paragon Paths a bit lackluster, personally. While Storm Warden is great (which it is!) you may not want to be such a... lightning-y guy. Pit Fighter is a great PP for Rangers because it gives you a +1 AC (good for folks without shields) and at LV 16, you can start adding your WIS to all damage rolls. Fighter has some great Utility Powers too (Boundless Endurance) so a MC Fighter is not a bad idea, if you can spare the Feats.

(5) Two-Weapon Fighting and Two-Weapon Defense
These feats may look like must-haves for TWF Rangers, but they aren't. TWF just gives a +1 to damage with your off-hand weapon; Weapon Focus will give you +1 to damage with both weapons, and it scales! The only reason to get TWF is to qualify for TWD - a +1 to AC and Reflex is pretty nice. IMHO, it's just not worth it; consider these Feats traps.