[4e] Help building a melee ranger

[XiaoTie]

Heya

With a new group and campaign around the corner, I was wondering if the experient 4e'rs in the Playground could help me out building a Half-orc TWF Ranger

Sounds simple, right?

Here is the catch, I was looking to make this build as simple as possible, since the player is pretty much a newbie to the game, and I'm not really good with rangers, even with the simplicity in 4E (I'm really REALLY bad at "building" characters, 'cept maybe Paladins)

MORE INFO

LEVEL: 5th
WEALTH: Unknown
RACE: Half-orc (or maybe something else?)
HOUSERULES: So far, the DM uses just 2 houserules

#1 - There are no average "Magic Itens".

1- Potions, Alchemicals, Consumables in general, however, are allowed.

2- PCs will receive a bonus to their Attack, Damage, Defenses as they level:
3º - level: +1
8º - level: +2
13º - level: +3
18º - level: +4
23º - level: +5
28º - level: +6

3- Magic items will still be found during the game, but they will be a bit more powerful, and, [thus] even more magical!

#2 - At first level, the PCs gain the Weapon and Implement Expertise feats. They are usable with all weapons/implements the PC is profficient with.

The effects of the feats gained through #2 stack with those of #1 even if they wouldn't otherwise.

We are not here to argue if those rules work or not; his game, his rules

Also, there are no Background benefits

[Ceaon]

How about this?
It's simple, all Orky does is hacking away wth his twin axes.
He has few powers that do anything else than "you attack twice".
Keep pumping Str and Wis. All feats give only static bonusses.

Created Using Wizards of the Coast D&DI Character Builder

Orky, level 5
Half-Orc, Ranger
Fighting Style: Two-Blade Fighting Style

FINAL ABILITY SCORES
Str 19, Con 13, Dex 16, Int 8, Wis 15, Cha 10.

Starting Ability Scores
Str 16, Con 13, Dex 14, Int 8, Wis 14, Cha 10.

AC: 19 Fort: 17 Reflex: 16 Will: 14
HP: 50 Surges: 7 Surge Value: 12

TRAINED SKILLS
Nature, Perception, Stealth, Acrobatics, Athletics.

FEATS
1: Armor Proficiency (Chainmail)
2: Armor Proficiency (Scale)
4: Weapon Focus (Axe)

POWERS
1, At-Will: Hit and Run
1, At-Will: Twin Strike
1, Encounter: Two-Fanged Strike
1, Daily: Jaws of the Wolf
2, Utility: Unbalancing Parry
3, Encounter: Shadow Wasp Strike
5, Daily: Two-Wolf Pounce

ITEMS
Scale Armor, Battleaxe (2)

Alternatively, stay in hide armor, keep bumping Str and Dex instead of Str and Wis, and take Lethal Hunter and Thirst for Battle instead of the armor proficiency feats.

Hope this helps!

[Kylarra]

Alternatively, something like a tempest fighter or a twf barbarian might be more up his alley, then he wouldn't have to worry about quarrying.

[Sipex]

Ranger Quarry is easy to track though, fighters have marking which, in my opinion, is more complex than quarry.

Barbarian might be nice but it's powers can be a bit confusing for new players.

[Mando Knight]

...Rangers are ridiculously easy to optimize:

1.) Pick up proficiency in your favorite Bastard Swords.
2.) Grab Weapon Focus (Heavy Blade)
3.) Grab Two-Weapon Fighting for a bit extra damage.
4.) Get TWF-based feats for stacking pest bonuses.
5.) Pick powers that look like better versions of Twin Strike.
6.) Only use Twin Strike and similar powers.
7.) ???
8.) Profit!

Example:

Spoiler

Show

level 5
Half-Orc, Ranger
Fighting Style: Two-Blade Fighting Style

FINAL ABILITY SCORES
Str 19, Con 13, Dex 17, Int 10, Wis 14, Cha 8.

STARTING ABILITY SCORES
Str 16, Con 13, Dex 14, Int 10, Wis 14, Cha 8.


AC: 19 Fort: 18 Reflex: 17 Will: 15
HP: 50 Surges: 7 Surge Value: 12

TRAINED SKILLS
Nature +9, Acrobatics +9, Perception +9, Endurance +9, Athletics +10

UNTRAINED SKILLS
Arcana +2, Bluff +1, Diplomacy +1, Dungeoneering +4, Heal +4, History +2, Insight +4, Intimidate +3, Religion +2, Stealth +4, Streetwise +1, Thievery +4

FEATS
Level 1: Weapon Proficiency (Bastard sword)
Level 2: Weapon Focus (Heavy Blade)
Level 4: Two-Weapon Fighting
Feat User Choice: Weapon Expertise (All)

POWERS
Ranger at-will 1: Twin Strike
Ranger at-will 1: Hit and Run
Ranger encounter 1: Dire Wolverine Strike
Ranger daily 1: Jaws of the Wolf
Ranger utility 2: Hunter's Privilege
Ranger encounter 3: Ruffling Sting
Ranger daily 5: Two-Wolf Pounce

ITEMS
Hide Armor, Bastard sword (2), Longbow, Arrows (Sufficient)

[Artanis]

...Rangers are ridiculously easy to optimize:

1.) Pick up proficiency in your favorite Bastard Swords.
2.) Grab Weapon Focus (Heavy Blade)
3.) Grab Two-Weapon Fighting for a bit extra damage.
4.) Get TWF-based feats for stacking pest bonuses.
5.) Pick powers that look like better versions of Twin Strike.
6.) Only use Twin Strike and similar powers.
7.) ???
8.) Profit!

Hell, this can be boiled down to even fewer steps.

1) Get proficiency in the superior weapon of choice (such as Bastard Swords), then buy two of them.
2) Get as many static bonus damage boosts (such as Weapon Focus) as you can.
3) Take and use as many multiple-attack powers (e.g. Twin Strike, Blade Cascade, etc.) as you can.
4) Watch the bad things fall down.

[Yakk]

... don't forget minor-action and interrupt-based attack powers.

They are often better than twin strike clones, because you can already twin-strike as an at-will.

Doing another [W]+Str+Static as a non-standard action can often be better than boosting your twin strike damage by str per hit.

[Mando Knight]

... don't forget minor-action and interrupt-based attack powers.

They are often better than twin strike clones, because you can already twin-strike as an at-will.

Doing another [W]+Str+Static as a non-standard action can often be better than boosting your twin strike damage by str per hit.

One reason why I included Ruffling Sting in the attack lineup: 1/Encounter off-hand minor-action slap to the face that's as good as a melee basic but faster. Combined with Twin Strike, it lets you use your otherwise wasted minor actions (you used one last round to Quarry the poor fool, remember?) to hit the guy three times.

Also, grabbing Scale armor is a bad choice for a Ranger: it costs 2 feats, and you end up with only +1 AC if you started with 16 Dex. Half-Orcs get 16 Dex easy, and skimping on Wis isn't that bad for a TWF build, especially when you can grab Heavy Blade feats with decent Dex.

[Excession]

I wouldn't be too quick to get the Two-Weapon Fighting feat. Because it only applies to main-hand damage you now have to track which of your attacks is your main-hand when twin striking.

Maybe get Quick Draw so you can switch to a ranged weapon easily?

What about a multiclass feat? Cleric or warlord for a once-per-day heal is a good and simple emergency button, for example if your leader goes down. Barbarian for a once-per-day +2 to damage until the end of the encounter is tempting with all those twin strikes. Avenger for extra accuracy during nova is probably even better, and being encounter rather than daily it's easier to know when to use it.

Along the same lines, I would recommend choosing utility powers that are at-will or encounter rather than daily. The trouble with powerful daily options is you can end up sitting on them simply because they're powerful and you want to use them at the best moment.

[Artanis]

... don't forget minor-action and interrupt-based attack powers.

I can't believe I forgot about those

[Excession]

My own version of the build, very similar to the others above:

Spoiler

Show

level 5
Half-Orc, Ranger
Build: Two-Blade Ranger
Fighting Style: Two-Blade Fighting Style

FINAL ABILITY SCORES
Str 19, Con 13, Dex 17, Int 10, Wis 14, Cha 8.

STARTING ABILITY SCORES
Str 16, Con 13, Dex 14, Int 10, Wis 14, Cha 8.


AC: 18 Fort: 17 Reflex: 16 Will: 14
HP: 50 Surges: 7 Surge Value: 12

TRAINED SKILLS
Nature +9, Dungeoneering +9, Stealth +9, Perception +9, Athletics +10, Religion +7

UNTRAINED SKILLS
Acrobatics +4, Arcana +2, Bluff +1, Diplomacy +1, Endurance +4, Heal +4, History +2, Insight +4, Intimidate +3, Streetwise +1, Thievery +4

FEATS
Level 1: Weapon Proficiency (Bastard sword)
Level 2: Weapon Focus (Heavy Blade)
Level 4: Disciple of Divine Wrath
Feat User Choice: Weapon Expertise (Bow)
Feat User Choice: Weapon Expertise (Heavy Blade)

POWERS
Ranger at-will 1: Twin Strike
Ranger at-will 1: Hit and Run
Ranger encounter 1: Off-Hand Strike
Ranger daily 1: Jaws of the Wolf
Ranger utility 2: Far Sight
Ranger encounter 3: Disruptive Strike
Ranger daily 5: Two-Wolf Pounce

ITEMS
Hide Armor, Adventurer's Kit, Bastard sword (2), Climber's Kit, Camouflaged Clothing, Crowbar

Instructions for once-per-encounter nova:
Stage 1: the setup
1a. On the turn before, quarry your target.
1b. Get CA against the target, and beg buffs from your leader.
1c. Gleefully await your turn, but try to maintain a poker face.
Stage 2: the takedown
2a. Minor action: apply Oath of Enmity to your target.
2b. Move action: convert to minor, attack with Off-Hand Strike. Apply Furious Assault and Hunter's Quarry damage only if the attack crits.
2c. Standard action: attack with Twin Strike (optional: use a daily instead). Apply Furious Assault and Hunter's Quarry damage to an attack that crits, or to a hit if neither attack crits.
2d. Optional: spend an action point and repeat 2c.
2e. Target's turn: if your target attacks interrupt with Disruptive Strike, if it moves use an OA, if it shifts try and position better next time.
2f. When your turn arrives again, and assuming the target is still alive, repeat 2c.

During that nova, all your attack rolls are rolled twice thanks to Oath of Enmity. In the one round between 2a and 2e, excluding using a daily, using an action point, or critting, damage is:

Off-Hand Strike = 1d10+6
Twin Strike = 1d10+2, 1d10+2
Disruptive Strike (or OA) = 1d10+6
Furious Assault (Half-Orc) = 1d10
Hunter's Quarry = 1d6
Total = 5d10+1d6+10

Not to shabby for something you can do once every encounter.

[Kiero]

Maybe get Quick Draw so you can switch to a ranged weapon easily?

I found this really useful in play, I played a twin-battle axe melee Ranger, but being able to quickly fire off some Twin Strike arrows was mighty useful, especially for ranged minion-clearance if necessary.

Two Weapon Fighting isn't bad, not least because it actually works with Twin Strike, but what's better is that it leads to Two Weapon Defense. Like having a shield every time you have two weapons, and AC can be problematic for a melee Ranger.

My character was human, I'd rather the extra Skill (and now there's even some vaguely useful at-wills) which I put in Endurance.

[Colmarr]

I found this really useful in play, I played a twin-battle axe melee Ranger, but being able to quickly fire off some Twin Strike arrows was mighty useful, especially for ranged minion-clearance if necessary.

The problem with TWF style is not so much getting your bow out, it's putting your axes away. At 1 minor action each, it's 2 minor actions to put them away, even if drawing your bow is a free action.

[Excession]

Ah, we've always played as being able to put both swords away in one minor, arguing that it was both more cinematic and more fun. You can always just drop them though, and if you're using inherent bonuses you can carry a second pair in case some Kobold runs off with one.

[sombrastewart]

If you want to avoid that altogether, drop a feat to pick up something like EWP: Drow Long Knife. It's a Heavy Blade with the Heavy Thrown and Off-Hand Properties. Then, you can use your strength to just throw it instead of having to worry about switching.

That being said, that is burning a feat to get it. But it's an option I enjoy.

[XiaoTie]

Whouw!

Thanks a lot for the help guys. I really liked the Bastard Sword build and all the help in picking the powers :D

I'll get to work on it once I'm home, and I'll give the results once I'm done.