Alacris the bowman, 4E ranger/rogue hybrid build/optimization help

[Galdor Miriel]

Hi playgrounders

in a session I recently dmed, the heroes came up against an NPC called Alacris the bowman, a well spoken, polite, nimble climbling, rock leaping bowman. They coped with him quite well as a solo and he was fun to play. My turn is up as dm for a while, so I rolled up some numbers for a character

str 15 Con 14 Dex 15 Int 12 Wis 12 Cha 11

and I decided to play the npc, who they befriended after the fight. (One of their enemies, who had paid Alacris to kill the heroes turned on Alacris, so he is joining the NPCs to get revenge, and his stolen possessions back.)

Alacris was a street kid, who when young felled an assassin who he witnessed commit a murder, it was him or Alacris, so he lashed out with his foot and kicked (i.e. bullrushed) him off the rooftop. He picked up the mans bow then used it to make money himself as a killer, and lifted above his very humble beginnings, becoming quite well spoken.

So for flavour, I would like to get diplomacy ( I role played him that way you see), streetwise, athletics and acrobatics, nimble climbing so I can climb at full speed and good bow/knife skills.

My initial plan is to go hybrid ranger, rogue. Use the ranger powers from a distance, and close for sneak attack when the opportunity presents itself. With a couple of short swords, some daggers and shuriken and a bow I should be a formidable assassin.

He will be level 6. and have two +1 items, as simple as possible in their categories and 600 gp. We start new characters with low wealth so people do not over tweak/optimise characters with power magic item combos because WE find it more fun to come up with good uses for the stuff we find.

With nimble strike, twin strike as at wills he should be good!
I like the idea of using the rogue encounter/daily more, as he can disable foes leaving them easy pickings for twin strikes.

Tactically, I will use rogue attacks when I have combat advantage, ranger attacks otherwise. I want to be mobile.

So questions.

He appeared human, is there a race that appears human that gives a bonus to dexterity and strength that I could use instead? Though let it be said that human makes a fine choice. The pcs saw him wearing a dark cloak, though it was daytime.

Is there any feat that would allow me to do sneak attack with a longbow?

What feats would you suggest, I do not get many.

I am thinking, nimble strike, weapon expertise and focus (dagger and or bow) quick draw and multi-class cleric for diplomacy.

I would also like to be able to get poison use but do not know the best route to that, should I purchase poisons or craft them.

He will also not hit as much as some of the other heroes, who all rolled better in their key abilities and have more powerful weapons.

Is there a better class choice, where I can be a bowman with rock climbing skills?

So, any suggestions are welcome, Alacris is not quite good, but he is not evil, he is pragmatic but coming to see there is good in the world. His is actually very scared underneath and always makes a challeng to prove to himself he is brave.

[Arcane Copycat]

Make it a Superior Crossbow. Same damage and range as a longbow, +3 proficiency and you can sneak attack with it. Minor action load, but that can be erased with a feat. Best I can offer for that.

Distant Advantage if you're going ranged rogue is a must.

Race: Half-Orc? Look humanish, +2 str and +2 dex.

That's all I have for now

[Galdor Miriel]

Thanks for the feedback, half orc is interesting, as it would make the melee ranger/brutal scoundrel all the more compelling. I have to think about how human you can look and still be a half orc though as it might stretch believability a wee bit.

The crossbow, I had already thought of, if thieves could use a short bow I would just use that, but Haley is stuck in 4E! The crossbow though, does not fit the flavour...... Maybe throwing a dagger and/or shuiken when I have CA would work great.

Galdor

[Arcane Copycat]

Thanks for the feedback, half orc is interesting, as it would make the melee ranger/brutal scoundrel all the more compelling. I have to think about how human you can look and still be a half orc though as it might stretch believability a wee bit.

The crossbow, I had already thought of, if thieves could use a short bow I would just use that, but Haley is stuck in 4E! The crossbow though, does not fit the flavour...... Maybe throwing a dagger and/or shuiken when I have CA would work great.

Galdor

Fluff? Apart from the Load minor and +3 prof, it's identical to a Longbow. Just say that you've adjusted the bow for more accuracy, but requires you take a bit of care in the loading of each piece of ammunition. Hell just call it a composite Longbow since we're on the topic of fluff.

If that's a no-go, Daggers, since they function as Melee and Ranged weapons, and have +3 proficiency (or +4 if Rogue is your primary class)

Half-orcs can look human-like. Sure, the teeth are a bit of a giveaway, but if one was wearing a hood and you never got a good look at him, passable.

Or just go Changeling, +2 Dex and +2 Cha (for the diplomacy you wanted).