Building a non-archery, non-twf ranger

[Raltar]

I'm having difficulty building a two handed weapon ranger. I figure it's probably best to take the archery mastery so he could use a bow to start a fight, then switch to his melee weapon, but I'm still having difficulty coming up with appropriate feats. Anyone have any good builds?

[Ivius]

Quick Draw seems obvious. What sort of two handed weapon are you using?

[Raltar]

Bastard sword as a two handed martial weapon(You can still do that, right?). Greatsword seems too big for an elf, honestly.

[Callix]

Quick Draw is a must if they're switching weapons with any frequency. Favored Power Attack is probably a good one with this, since you already get a good rate of exchange for power attack. If you don't mind playing another human, I'd recommend Power Attack and Quick Draw initially, with Favored Power Attack, Cleave (Shock Trooper if you feel cheesy) etc. The bigger question would have to be... why?

[Raltar]

The bigger question would have to be... why?

Well, it's mostly because I think dual wielding is lame and I'm not really big on the whole archery as my primary mode of attack.

[Ivius]

But why not be a two handed weapon using Fighter?

[Macrovore]

or, you could ask your DM if you could make a new combat style, the Two-handed weapon style:

something like:
2nd lvl: Power Attack
6th lvl: Leap Attack
11th lvl: ...something like that.

[Raltar]

I suppose I could do that...and lose out on all the other cool stuff rangers have. Rangers are my favorite class to RP, but I figure if I can play him as I want, I'll want to be as effective in combat as possible, though I realize he won't be as optimal as he could otherwise be.

[Tor the Fallen]

Barbarian/fighter. Druid/Barbarian. Druid/fighter. Druid variant. Barbarian variant. Check your friendly SRD.

[Person_Man]

There are a variety of decent Ranger builds, depending on what you prefer to do in D&D. Though as a half-caster with limited armor, it only goes so far.

The best is the Wildshape Ranger. Take one of the Wildshape feats to get around the medium animal restriction, such as Aberration Wildshape, Frozen Wildshape, or my favorite, Dragon Wildshape. It works a lot like a Druid build, except you trade full casting (powerful) for slightly better Skills, Evasion, and full BAB (somewhat useful).

Rangers also get a lot out of the Spell Compendium. With it, they're basically on par with run of the mill Psychic Warrior builds.

[Setra]

Maybe you could just be a Fighter and roleplay him as a ranger of sorts?

Just a suggestion.

[Damionte]

How about a Scout or Wilderness Rogue (Unearthed Arcana) instead of the ranger. Nearly the same feel just lacking the rangers devine connection. You can get the devine connection back though by dual classing a few levels of druid into the mix.

Better suggestion though is liek soemone else said. Sit down with your GM and come up with a similarly powered two handed build for the ranger.

For example....


Power Attack
Cleave
Great Cleave

[Jannex]

I can definitely see why you'd want to go with Ranger rather than Fighter: 6+Int skill points, Favored Enemy flavor, the wilderness connection (and the skills to support it), and the nifty Ranger spells in the Spell Compendium. As alternatives go, Scout gets you most of those elements, but with only 3/4 BAB progression, so it's a toss-up, really. If you want to keep the full BAB, I'd suggest (as others have done) that you talk to your DM about homebrewing a THF combat style option. Otherwise, take the archery tree for when you need to fight at a distance, and focus your level-based feats on your THF style (with maybe a two-level dip into fighter, although you lose a lot of skill points that way).

[Piccamo]

You could also use the TWF tree and use a 2-hander + armor spikes. Take the standard TWF feats and go to town.

[Callix]

Actually, Races Of Stone has the Axespike style feat that gives you a few extra options with that combo... if you don't mind using a Dwarven fighting style as an elf ranger... not even sure of exact prereqs, but could be worthwhile.

[Ramza00]

Dragon 326 has the Strong Arm ranger. Its another feat tree similar to twf and archery. Power Attack->Improved Sunder->Great Cleave as your 2nd, 6th, and 11th feat.

[TheOOB]

Hmm, for my samurai warrior class, which has combat styles like a ranger, I had the tacticle fighting style, which was combat reflexes, spring attack, and whirlwind attack. When using reach weapons those feats acually arn't all that bad.

[Leon]

I'm having difficulty building a two handed weapon ranger. I figure it's probably best to take the archery mastery so he could use a bow to start a fight, then switch to his melee weapon, but I'm still having difficulty coming up with appropriate feats. Anyone have any good builds?

High Dex or High Strength Type?

But why not be a two handed weapon using Fighter?

a Fighter lacks flavour that comes with the Ranger

Take a look if possible at the IK Ranger from the IKCG - thye get bonus feats every few levels instead of set styles as well as Favoured Terrain (also no spellcasting and no companion - IK Rangers are not affiliated with the Druids in anway, they are more of a standard "woodsman" or Scout)

[Lupus Major]

Hmm, for my samurai warrior class, which has combat styles like a ranger, I had the tacticle fighting style, which was combat reflexes, spring attack, and whirlwind attack. When using reach weapons those feats acually arn't all that bad.

*cough*
One moment: That Samurai did *not* get the benefits of a Ranger like the 6+int skill points, right? Because otherwise, that's definitely overpowered. I mean, usually you have to take two of the crappiest feats in the SRD in order to get Spring Attack, and still it's worth it. In other words, Spring Attack is darn powerful when facing the right enemies. Most of all possible enemies.

@ OP

There was a number of alternate combat styles in some Dungeon or Dragon. i don't remember which, but you can find it at Crystal Keep -> Base classes.

[CrazedGoblin]

ive seen a beast wrestling and mounted combat varient, ive not tried beast wrestling but i know i find mounted combat fun

[Bosh]

How about being a spear specialist? You could take quick draw and then have the archery feats apply to the spear and get some specific feats/racial substitution level abilities that apply to all spears. You could chuck little spears while carrying a shield and then fight spear and board or grab a bit two-handed spear for melee. Fits good with fluff since spears are a very traditional hunting weapon.

[Orzel]

1: Power attack
1: Improved Bull Rush (be human or take a flaw)
3: Cleave
6: Shock Trooper
9: Favored Power attack
12: Leap attack

Fill all your lvl 2 slots with Lion's Charge

[Kiero]

They really need to give the Ranger more Fighting Style options than Two-Weapon or Archery. Make the whole class more modular, in fact, such as making Favoured Enemy and the spellcasting options which can be switched for other things.

[Lupus Major]

Actually, I don't think so. If there were to many options, the fighter would become even less attractive in comparison. By default, both Ranger styles focus on hitting often but not very hard. That way they are at maximum efficiency against their favored enemies while not becoming the group's main heavy hitter.

If you look at it this way: If you were allowed to choose your style feats freely (as opposed to choosing between two pre-defined not-too-powerful styles) and compare it to a fighter: At sixth level, you lose 2 freely chooseable feats and 6HP on average. In exchange, you get 2 nice non-combat feats (Endurance and Track), 36 skillpoints, spells, favored enemies and an animal companion. You're nearly as good in combat and leagues better at everything else. So why should anyone consider playing a fighter?

So I think, the ranger is fine the way he is. Still, as I pointed out above, there are variants. Whether their existence is a good thing is another question.

[Droodle]

I don't know if a rage variant is available for the Ranger, but that's what I'd suggest. Drop weapons styles entirely and give the Ranger full Rage Progression.

[SpikeFightwicky]

I'd suggest a Scout. They can skirmish a melee or a ranged weapon and have all the ranger skills plus some rogue skills.

[Raltar]

Thank you all for the suggestions. I think I can work something out and let you all know how it turns out.

[Brother_Franklin]

You can always do a sword and board. Take two weapon fighting, and than you always have the option of beating people with the board- especially if it's magical.