Helping a Ranger//Rogue in Gestalt

[Fiery Diamond]

Right. So, I'm running a gestalt game. In the party of four, there are a monk//sorcerer (blaster, primarily); druid//ranger (battlefield control, scrying, tactics - uses bows for physical attacks); cleric//bard (healer, person who keeps trying to see if she can break low level spells with "clever" actions, not backed by mechanics...she has a few issues); and a ranger//rogue (who chose TWF style, yet decided she liked her glaive more and uses it instead - she has yet to use sneak attack by level 9 when we started at 3 because she has no sense of tactics and never flanks nor tries to get the invisibility-sneak attack combo. She is a tank.).

As you can probably guess, I'm having a little bit of trouble figuring out how to bring her up closer to the power level of the other characters. I'm not going to be influencing her build choices, so that's not an option. What I'm left with, apart from forcing the enemies to be really dumb to make up for her not using good tactics, is supplying her with magic items that help her out, either by making it easier to pull off the stuff she should already be doing (such as sneak attack) or by allowing her access to things she cannot currently do (such as casting spells). I would like some suggestions for magic items or any other helpful things that I haven't thought of for bringing up her power level. I would appreciate if you wonderful people listed the books that any magic items you suggest come from so I can look them up.

I humbly await the wisdom of my fellow playgrounders.

[Eloel]

Right. So, I'm running a gestalt game. In the party of four, there are a monk//sorcerer (blaster, primarily); druid//ranger (battlefield control, scrying, tactics - uses bows for physical attacks); cleric//bard (healer, person who keeps trying to see if she can break low level spells with "clever" actions, not backed by mechanics...she has a few issues); and a ranger//rogue (who chose TWF style, yet decided she liked her glaive more and uses it instead - she has yet to use sneak attack by level 9 when we started at 3 because she has no sense of tactics and never flanks nor tries to get the invisibility-sneak attack combo. She is a tank.).

As you can probably guess, I'm having a little bit of trouble figuring out how to bring her up closer to the power level of the other characters. I'm not going to be influencing her build choices, so that's not an option. What I'm left with, apart from forcing the enemies to be really dumb to make up for her not using good tactics, is supplying her with magic items that help her out, either by making it easier to pull off the stuff she should already be doing (such as sneak attack) or by allowing her access to things she cannot currently do (such as casting spells). I would like some suggestions for magic items or any other helpful things that I haven't thought of for bringing up her power level. I would appreciate if you wonderful people listed the books that any magic items you suggest come from so I can look them up.

I humbly await the wisdom of my fellow playgrounders.

If the ranger//rogue is not using sneak attack, you can give them the ACF from Unearthed Arcana (this'll require some -retraining-, but since you're the DM, it works). They lose the sneak attack on the rogue, gain feats as a fighter instead. Feats are always useful.

I don't think she'll be unhappy either, if she's not using sneak attack anyway. It's just an alternate feature, you're not changing her class or build or anything, so that's within your request imo.

[Pluto]

Wands. Lots of Wands.

Spells like Divine Favor and Polymorph that will maker her better at what she does, spells like Blink, Grease and Greater Invisibility that can create sneak attacks, spells like Rays and Orbs to deliver sneak attack (if she chooses to do it.)

Alternatively, a homebrew Legacy Weapon that improves her biggest troubles, whatever they are (abilities like 1-round Blink effects, teleportation abilities or Iron Heart Surge).

[Kylarra]

Feat rogue seems like it'd be a good thing.

Otherwise, I'd suggest a complete rebuild, maybe Warblade over Ranger and feat rogue for skill points or something. Build more to what she wants to be, rather than gimping her with two classes that she's not using the strengths of either for.

[Godskook]

Suggest she become a swift hunter? That'd almost *FORCE* her to start getting bonus damage.

As for non-build help, try dumping TWF sneak attack enemies on the party, and be more emphatic on their tactics than with other encounters.

"Goblin 1 appears out of an invisibility next to the Druid, catching him by surprise, gaining a sneak attack. Goblin 2 moves behind the monk and readies an action. Goblin 3 moves in front of the monk to flank and attacks, gaining a sneak attack. Goblin 2's readied flank attack goes off, gaining a sneak attack for flanking. Good thing Goblin 2 was flanking. His roll wasn't good enough to hit without that flank bonus."

Just keep abusing the subtle not-subtle thing, and hope she gets it, or alternatively, talk the other players into giving her advice, in the form of battle calls of help.

[Grumman]

Suggest she become a swift hunter? That'd almost *FORCE* her to start getting bonus damage.

Even better: Put the Scout levels on the Rogue side instead, and use Swift Ambusher instead of Swift Hunter. That way she doesn't lose B.A.B. or Ranger spells.

Also, I'd suggest the Riposte ACF from the Cityscape web enhancement, that way she doesn't even have to move to get the bonus.

[Fiery Diamond]

Thanks for the suggestions. I like several of them. I'll look into the feat alternate feature thing, that does look like something she might like. Also, the legacy weapon idea is something I've been playing with in my head, and I'm in the process of coming up with it. And I do like the idea of throwing the sneak attack enemies at them... I think that may encourage her to start using sneak attack. All good ideas. Thanks! And of course, if anyone has any more ideas, feel free to tell!