(3.5) Mystic Ranger Gish (build critique and spell selection help appreciated)

[Dusk Eclipse]

OK, I've got some ideas running through my mind for a mystic Ranger build, with an assassin concept.

This is a build I haven't really gave much thought about them so it is possibly that there are much better choices that I haven't thought about so here it goes

at ECL 10
Human
1 Mystic Ranger: Weapon Finesse, Track, Darkstalker
2 Focused Specialist Conjurer: Trading Familiar for Abrupt Jaunt, trading Scribe scroll for a fighter bonus feat (Improved initiative or EWP Twin Dao if I can get my DM to approve them)
3 Mystic Ranger Somatic Weaponr
4 Mystic Ranger Two-weapon fighting
5 Mystic Ranger
6 Mystic Ranger Sword of the Arcane Order
7 Mystic Ranger
8 Mystic Ranger Improved Two weapon fighting
9 Mystic Ranger Minor Shapeshift.
10 Mystic Ranger

This works a a TWF self buffing gish IC, using ludicrous use of Minor Shapeshift to keep an steady source of temp HP. Can serve as a healbot out of combat via wands of CXW. Can function as a scout/sneak and if I take the trap-finding ranger ACF from Dungeonscape as a secondary trap-finder.

The wizard level is there to get a spellbook I can scribe things into, a few extra spells per day to either fuel Arcane Strike (which I plan to take at level 12) or emergency stuff, due SoTA my Wizard CL will be 10 so I can get some mileage out of a few low-level spells such as mage armor, shield, grease, enlarge person, or if I can wing it, ask the DM if instead of SotAO stacking levels for Wizard CL if I can stack them for Mystic ranger CL (or even better, both).

As far as arcane spells I am not too sure, just a few wiz spells that would be useful.

Bladeweave, Blur, displacement, haste, heroics, (greater) mirror image, polymorph, alter self, benign transposition, blades of flame, summon monster line, etc.

Any comments, criticism, suggestions is welcomed. Thanks in advance

[Coidzor]

well, if you can't get the EWP: Twin Dao, you're going to likely be TWF with a quarter staff(which would free up somatic weaponry due to it being a double weapon). If that's the case, then the Eilservs School feat (from Drow of the Underdark) is worth your consideration, as it allows you to wield a magical staff and get bonuses to hit and damage based on the charges remaining in the staff as well as activate a spell within the staff on yourself or your enemy when you hit them with both ends of the staff, so it has an incentive to TWF as well as fitting very well with your base proficiencies.

[FMArthur]

You can trade your delayed Weapon Style progression for Medium and Small Wildshape at a Druid's progression and Fast Movement at a Barbarian's. It's a fantastic deal normally and a ridiculous deal for a Mystic Ranger. I'm pretty sure some ordinary Wildshape forms get Scent and such so I don't see any reason not to take the Trapfinding ACF either.

[Coidzor]

The one thing from that is that natural spell then competes with Sword of the Arcane Order for the 6th level feat slot and would delay minor shapeshift to 12th level without dipping for a bonus feat.

Sadly the only thing I can think of to deal with that is taking two levels and going into Human Paragon for the bonus feat. :/

Trapfinding can be pretty nice (unless you already have someone specializing where it drops down to potentially useful or have to use tracking more than once in a blue moon), especially since an adamantine weapon and a disc of silent portal can be a good workaround to a fair bit of open lock's necessity.

[Hazzardevil]

I reccomend after around level 10 to take 3 levels in duskblade and then levels in dragon diciple, duskblade gives you a lot of useful stuff and dragon disciple gives bonus spells and useful stat bonuses.

[gbprime]

Dump Weapon Finesse, dump Somatic weaponry, use Staff for two weapon fighting. use those open feat slots to pick up Education and Knowledge Devotion. You have the skill points to support a KD fighter, use em.

You can also trade Scribe Scroll in for Weapon Focus (Staff) and pick up Eilserv School Style at 12th level. More bonus damage, sets off charges in staff for free against melee opponent.

In addition, you want to add Arcane Strike eventually. Sack a spell of X level to get +X to hit and +Xd4 damage with all attacks that round. If you're not taking Eilserv School, do that at level 12.

[Solonar]

I have seen this posted a few times. Where do I find the Mystic Ranger?

[Dusk Eclipse]

Dragon 336

[Solonar]

Dragon 336

Thank you.

[Andion Isurand]

I would go for Martial Study (desert wind manuver) for the fighter bonus feat so you can pick up tumble as a constant class skill.

Or go for the skilled city dweller ACF and trade Ride for Tumble.