Mystic Ranger

[faceroll]

I've been looking for a mystic ranger build, and haven't been able to find any, just suggestions. Is there a fleshed out build somewhere?

[arguskos]

Well, there's two I like.

1. The Arcane Ranger. Take Sword of the Arcane Order. Play a gish out of the box. Profit.

2. The Mystic Archer. You can use Zen Archery, you get all the nice archery spells from Champions of Ruin, and you get the neato stuff that being an archery ranger gives you.

I don't have technical builds, but the core of each is very simple, so you can flavor to your hearts content. It's not tough to just mix in whatever you really want, since it's tough to go wrong here. Play a race that works well for clerics/archivists, and just run with it.

[Coidzor]

I believe the Test of Spite has a couple of Mystic Ranger builds that have been submitted and run. One or two of 'em were Swift Hunters, but, really, Mystic Rangers want Sword of the Arcane Order, as a baseline.

I believe I've seen a couple of recommendations but no concrete buildsthat dip bard and grab sublime chord and then abjurant champion out of that to be quality gishes.

[arguskos]

I believe the Test of Spite has a couple of Mystic Ranger builds that have been submitted and run. One or two of 'em were Swift Hunters, but, really, Mystic Rangers want Sword of the Arcane Order, as a baseline.

Eh, in my experience, it really depends on the op-level of the game. If you're in ToS, well, yeah, you want SotAO all the time. If you're in a more Tier 3-4 game, you can get away with Swift Hunters and Mystic Archers without much issue. Mystic Ranger is a great variant, and thanks to CoR and SpC, the ranger spell list is pretty damn good. Hell, there's likely even a good thought in grabbing three levels of Mystic Ranger in a basic charger build, for access to Rhino's Rush and the Strong-Arm variant combat style from Dragon #326.

[faceroll]

I am going to be going archery. I've never played an archer. Sword of the Arcane Order will definitely be picked up at level 6, and zen archery is an awesome suggestion. That means I can neglect dex, pump strength, and deal with a dual casting stat. I also think I'm going to got straight mystic ranger. 2 good saves, half casting, full BAB, and 6 skills/level. Almost like lightning warrior.

What about race? I was thinking lesser tiefling, but with zen archery, it's not so hot.

Any racial substitution levels out there that would be good? Can I trade out animal companion or favored enemy for any other ACFs?

[Coidzor]

I am going to be going archery. I've never played an archer. Sword of the Arcane Order will definitely be picked up at level 6, and zen archery is an awesome suggestion. That means I can neglect dex, pump strength, and deal with a dual casting stat. I also think I'm going to got straight mystic ranger. 2 good saves, half casting, full BAB, and 6 skills/level. Almost like lightning warrior.

What about race? I was thinking lesser tiefling, but with zen archery, it's not so hot.

Any racial substitution levels out there that would be good? Can I trade out animal companion or favored enemy for any other ACFs?

Don't believe there's anything to trade favored enemy out for...

You can trade the animal companion out for Distracting Attack (I believe from PHB2, or Dragon, one of those two) which lets enemies you hit with ranged attacks count as flanked, meaning your rogue buddy will get free sneak attack on ones you hit first.

I'd say human for the feat, or since you're going ranged, strongheart halfling for the bonus to hit and the feat. Depending upon things, might want to get proficiency with a composite greatbow...

Otherwise, I think lesser aasimar gets the +wisdom other than like, whisper gnomes.

They're not racial substitution levels, but Shooting Star ranger substitution levels can give you spell-like abilities in exchange for some things I can't recall at this moment... believe they're from champions of valor... you can trade out your animal companion that way as well..

[arguskos]

Yeah, I'd roll with Lesser Aasimar, or if you're feeling saucy, Lesser Axani or Lesser Ice Para-Genasi (both from Dragon #297). Lesser Ice Para-Genasi is particularly tempting, with their +4 Con, +2 Wis, -2 Dex, -2 Cha spread. Lesser Axani have +2 Int/Wis though, so it's your call.

[Elfin]

As for animal companion substitutions, my personal favorite is Solitary Hunter, from Dragon Magazine. It lets you add your FA bonus to attacks as well as damage; obviously, though, not much help if you're not getting use from Favored Enemy.

[faceroll]

What feats should I be looking at? PBS & Precise Shot as feat tax, of course. What else?

[arguskos]

What feats should I be looking at? PBS & Precise Shot as feat tax, of course. What else?

Zen Archery and SotAO are feats. Gotta take them. That's 4 down right there, and most of your early feats.

Rapid Shot is useful, as is Manyshot. Probably advised to take them as well.

[faceroll]

Zen Archery and SotAO are feats. Gotta take them. That's 4 down right there, and most of your early feats.

True, but what about with flaws?

Rapid Shot is useful, as is Manyshot. Probably advised to take them as well.

Doesn't the ranger get those as class features? I can practically dump dex if I stay in the back and use Zen Archery.

[Greenish]

Any racial substitution levels out there that would be good? Can I trade out animal companion or favored enemy for any other ACFs?

There's a good AFC that replaces your animal companion and delays combat style feats and favoured enemy progression for stronger spellcasting. I think it was called "Mystic Ranger" or something like that.

[Krazddndfreek]

I thought it delayed animal companion, too? Am I wrong? Crystalkeep has withdrawn its pdf with the base classes so I have no idea...

[Andion Isurand]

You could also take the second level of the Moon-Warded Ranger Substitution Levels from Dragon Magazine.... might be nice if you want to add your wisdom as a supernatural bonus to AC while wearing light or no armor.... but you must give up combat style at that level.

I would also go for the ranger ACF from Complete Mage (pg. 32) that lets you choose arcanists as your first favored enemy at level one. But you must have 1 rank knowledge (arcana) to qualify.

[arguskos]

I thought it delayed animal companion, too? Am I wrong? Crystalkeep has withdrawn its pdf with the base classes so I have no idea...

You lose the AC entirely. FE and Combat Style are delayed.

EDIT: faceroll, Rapid comes at level 3, but Manyshot is delayed from Combat Style until 7th level. If you're starting before that, you might want it sooner. Now, if you're starting at like 10th level or something, yeah, ok, take other stuff (Ranged Pin, perhaps? Ranged Disarm is alright too).

EDIT Mk 2: Also, flaws aren't a constant. Just sayin'. Likelyhood of you being human is low if you get an option, so you can't count on that feat either. Archery is notoriously bad with feat tax.

[Krazddndfreek]

Okay, thanks for clearing that up.

[Greenish]

But you must have 1 rank knowledge (arcana) to qualify.

Well, it's a class skill for a class with 6+int skills/level.

And what with delayed FE, you couldn't take it at first level anyway.

[Akal Saris]

Though the wild companion online feat is another solid choice for a mystic ranger.

Personally, I think straight mystic ranger up to 10 is perfectly viable. After that it kind of peters out since you stop at 5th level spells, so there isn't much point in advancing spellcasting as much.

[arguskos]

Though the wild companion online feat is another solid choice for a mystic ranger.

Personally, I think straight mystic ranger up to 10 is perfectly viable. After that it kind of peters out since you stop at 5th level spells, so there isn't much point in advancing spellcasting as much.

Perfect segue into Sublime Chord perhaps?

[faceroll]

You lose the AC entirely. FE and Combat Style are delayed.

EDIT: faceroll, Rapid comes at level 3, but Manyshot is delayed from Combat Style until 7th level. If you're starting before that, you might want it sooner. Now, if you're starting at like 10th level or something, yeah, ok, take other stuff (Ranged Pin, perhaps? Ranged Disarm is alright too).

EDIT Mk 2: Also, flaws aren't a constant. Just sayin'. Likelyhood of you being human is low if you get an option, so you can't count on that feat either. Archery is notoriously bad with feat tax.

I don't want to give up Combat Style, since I am going to more or less dump dex and Combat Style circumvents pre-reqs. Besides, having manyshot delayed a level isn't that big a deal.

Sublime Chord would make this build even more MAD.

[Keld Denar]

Perfect segue into Sublime Chord perhaps?

Is there a feat akin to Initiate of Milil for Rangers to get bardic music? I don't remember one, but if there is, it would be sweet. Cause then you could go straight from MR into Sublime Chord, possibly with a quick stopover in Virtuoso at 10 so you can advance SC with Virt instead of taking more SC levels.

[faceroll]

What about swiftblade? How would that mix up with mystic ranger? Not so hot on the archery side?

[Coidzor]

Is there a feat akin to Initiate of Milil for Rangers to get bardic music? I don't remember one, but if there is, it would be sweet. Cause then you could go straight from MR into Sublime Chord, possibly with a quick stopover in Virtuoso at 10 so you can advance SC with Virt instead of taking more SC levels.

What's Virtuouso get that would weigh in favor of it instead of abjurant championing the sublime chord for better bab and HD?

[Curmudgeon]

I made a spellcasting archery build using Mystic Ranger here.

[Keld Denar]

What's Virtuouso get that would weigh in favor of it instead of abjurant championing the sublime chord for better bab and HD?

Eh, mostly just class abilities. Sublime Chord only has 2 things worth getting. Song of Arcane Power, and its spellcasting. You get both started by level 2, meaning that past 2 you can jump into anything fullcasting. AbjChamp into Spellsword into SacEx would work out just fine, as would the Virtuoso concept I mentioned.

[gorfnab]

There are some builds listed on this thread: Mystic Ranger - The ultimate gish?

Builds:
Wildshape Mystic Ranger 8/ Swordsage 2/ Daggerspell Shaper 10
Wildshape Mystic Ranger 10/Master of Many Forms 10
Mystic Ranger 10/ Suel Arcanamach 10
Mystic Ranger 10/ Suel Arcanamach 5/ Abjurant Champion 5
Mystic Ranger 10/ Knight of the Weave 10
Mystic Ranger 10/ Knight of the Weave 5/ Abjurant Champion 5
Mystic Ranger 12/ Swordsage 2/ Telfammar Shadowlord 6
Mystic Ranger 5/ Knight of the Raven 3/ Crusader 2/ Ruby Knight Vindicator 10

Mystic Ranger 6
Wildshape ACF - UA
Trapfinding ACF - DS
Arcane Hunter ACF - CM
Wild Cohort Feat
Sword of the Arcane Order Feat
Optional Feats: Track, Education, Knowledge Devotion, Travel Devotion
(actually these changes could work for a straight Mystic Ranger 20 build as well)