Results 1 to 14 of 14
-
2008-02-24, 07:50 AM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Mar 2007
Challenge #2 - Best PrC or multiclass for a Ranger
Looking for the most advantageous next class for a ranger to take. Ranger in question is ECL 12 (9 levels of Ranger, 2 of wolf, +1 LA for natural Werewolf, its homebrewed).
Thinking of something that will mesh the RP and the abilities. Any suggestions? Anything 3.5 is open. I know little of these PrCs, and any advice is appreciated.
-
2008-02-24, 08:18 AM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Jul 2007
- Location
- Metro Manila, Philippines
- Gender
Re: Challenge #2 - Best PrC or multiclass for a Ranger
What weapon style did you take? For TWF style, Dervish is generally recommended for non-ToB characters. Not so sure about Archery, it's pretty solid on its own. It might just be better to take scout levels as those mesh perfectly with ranger for RP reasons and work very well with the Archery style.
Eberron Red Hand of Doom Campaign Journal. NOW COMPLETE!
Sakuya Izayoi avatar by Mr. Saturn. Caella sig by Neoseph.
"I dunno, you just gave me the image of a nerd flying slow motion over a coffee table towards another nerd, dual wielding massive books. It was awesome." -- Marriclay
-
2008-02-24, 08:23 AM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Mar 2007
Re: Challenge #2 - Best PrC or multiclass for a Ranger
In this instance, the Ranger went the TWF style, wielding a legacy longsword in his primary hand and a Sunsword in his off hand.
-
2008-02-24, 08:38 AM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Feb 2006
- Location
- Oak Harbor, WA
- Gender
Re: Challenge #2 - Best PrC or multiclass for a Ranger
I'll have to 2nd Dervish. Both weapons are slashing, TWF is already in place. The only problem might be the prerequisites.
Three levels of scout, the swift hunter feat and then dervish isn't a bad idea. It gives you time to work on the prereqs to dervish and also adds skirmish damage to your dervish dance.
IF you have tome of battle: book of nine swords, you'd be foolish not to enter into one of it's options. Swordsage, focusing on the tiger claw discipline, is going to reap extreme benefits to your character. Go two levels, since you probably have a decent wisdom and will be wearing light armor for TWF. Unfortunately, due to your pre-selected weapon choices, you can't take the most advantage of it, but the shadow blade feat will add your (probably fairly high) dexterity to damage on your off-hand sunblade.
As far as RP goes, neither necessitates a change in your character. Swordsages are characterizes as simply very adept masters of the martial arts, specifically the ones involving weapons. Scout is a wilderness oriented skill-monkey. Both mesh so well with ranger that character reasons for taking them almost write themselves.Last edited by Zincorium; 2008-02-24 at 08:46 AM. Reason: drunk, therefore bad spelling/grammar
"It does me no injury for my neighbor to say there are twenty gods or no god. It neither picks my pocket nor breaks my leg."
- Thomas Jefferson
Avatar by Meynolds!
-
2008-02-24, 08:49 AM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Jul 2007
- Location
- Metro Manila, Philippines
- Gender
Re: Challenge #2 - Best PrC or multiclass for a Ranger
Hmmm. Given that the weapons are things one generally wouldn't want to discard, Dervish might not be a good idea. It depends too much on the use of scimitars, though one could get the DM to handwave its weapon-specific bonuses to apply to any weapon.
The main problem with TWF is that it needs a full-round action to use. Bypassing this helps a lot. As such, I'd generally recommend multiclassing with the Tome of Battle's Swordsage. It's Dex and Wis-based, so that meshes well with Ranger. The Swordsage gets martial maneuvers that allow it to attack with two weapons as a standard action, as well as boosts that allow more hits per weapon at your highest BAB. As for the RP, Swordsages are esoteric wanderers in search of martial lore. The wandering suits Rangers, IMO.
Eberron Red Hand of Doom Campaign Journal. NOW COMPLETE!
Sakuya Izayoi avatar by Mr. Saturn. Caella sig by Neoseph.
"I dunno, you just gave me the image of a nerd flying slow motion over a coffee table towards another nerd, dual wielding massive books. It was awesome." -- Marriclay
-
2008-02-24, 09:01 AM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Dec 2007
- Location
- Bærum, Norway
- Gender
Re: Challenge #2 - Best PrC or multiclass for a Ranger
I third or something) about multiclassing with Swordsage, the Tiger Claw discipline has some good manuevers for TWFing.
If not, I remember a variant barbarian from Complete Champ that gave you Pounce instead of Fast Movement at 1st level, might be useful, plus it's a wilderness class, so it isn't too far fetched to say you go a little wild sometimes.Last edited by Zenos; 2008-02-24 at 09:02 AM.
Avatar by Arokh.
-
2008-02-24, 09:07 AM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Feb 2006
- Location
- Oak Harbor, WA
- Gender
Re: Challenge #2 - Best PrC or multiclass for a Ranger
I'm confused as to the 'discard' part. Both weapons are slashing, and that means all but one Dervish class features apply. And this class feature is the only one that applies specifically to scimitars and is not all that good anyways. Longsword and sunblade works reasonably well.
The main problem with TWF is that it needs a full-round action to use. Bypassing this helps a lot.
Does anyone have a different method? I've listed the obvious/ones I know.Last edited by Zincorium; 2008-02-24 at 09:09 AM.
"It does me no injury for my neighbor to say there are twenty gods or no god. It neither picks my pocket nor breaks my leg."
- Thomas Jefferson
Avatar by Meynolds!
-
2008-02-24, 09:39 AM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Jul 2007
- Location
- Metro Manila, Philippines
- Gender
Re: Challenge #2 - Best PrC or multiclass for a Ranger
Eberron Red Hand of Doom Campaign Journal. NOW COMPLETE!
Sakuya Izayoi avatar by Mr. Saturn. Caella sig by Neoseph.
"I dunno, you just gave me the image of a nerd flying slow motion over a coffee table towards another nerd, dual wielding massive books. It was awesome." -- Marriclay
-
2008-02-24, 09:46 AM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Feb 2006
- Location
- Oak Harbor, WA
- Gender
Re: Challenge #2 - Best PrC or multiclass for a Ranger
Reasonable, as most class features work with the scimitar, especially the slashing blades class feature. However, any slashing weapon works, including such weapons as the greatsword. However, as the PC in question benefits overmuch from the use of other weapons, changing to the use of scimitars just isn't justifiable for that one class feature.
"It does me no injury for my neighbor to say there are twenty gods or no god. It neither picks my pocket nor breaks my leg."
- Thomas Jefferson
Avatar by Meynolds!
-
2008-02-24, 09:50 AM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Dec 2006
- Location
- Gold Coast, Australia
- Gender
Re: Challenge #2 - Best PrC or multiclass for a Ranger
I don't like that you're calling your threads challenges. It's like you're trying to trick people into optimising for you.
-
2008-02-24, 10:13 AM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- May 2006
- Location
- MX
- Gender
Re: Challenge #2 - Best PrC or multiclass for a Ranger
If you go the Swift Hunter route and pick up a level or two of swordsage, you should really take a look at the Sudden Leap tigerclaw maneuver. Don't oberlook it just because it's first level, it'll turn your swift action into a jump check to move a certain distance. Suddednly, full attacking with skirmish damage just got much easier.
Will be edited by Ryuuk : Sometime in the future.
-
2008-02-24, 10:53 AM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Feb 2006
- Location
- Washington, DC
- Gender
Re: Challenge #2 - Best PrC or multiclass for a Ranger
Warshaper: Gain all sorts of immunities, reach, and bonuses. Requires the ability to Wildshape or an alternate form, which a lycanthrope has.
Stalker of Kharash or Harper Paragon: Gives you Favored Enemy (Evil). Pick up Favored Power Attack.
Master Thrower: Great for TWF builds. Doesn't fit with the weapons you currently use, but you could always take Throw Anything and put Returning on them.
Also, what feats do you have?
-
2008-02-24, 11:22 AM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Nov 2007
- Gender
Re: Challenge #2 - Best PrC or multiclass for a Ranger
If you get levels in Swordsage, consider taking at least 2 levels in Bloodclaw Master PrC. They're Tiger Claw specialists who draw into feral power to kick ass, so it goes really well with ranger. Taking them will net you a buff for temporary +2 str and the big plus is negating the -2 penalty for TWFing and applying full str bonus to your off-hand.
In two seconds I will hit the ground
A moment stretched out over years
And my eyes will flicker and then something has changed
An empty cage, a crimson bud, a street of blood
A city rose sprung out to greet the rain
PoS: Enter Rain
-
2008-02-24, 11:36 AM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Jun 2007
- Location
- Under the Iron Gauntlet
- Gender
Re: Challenge #2 - Best PrC or multiclass for a Ranger
Since you're looking for a challenge, I suggest multiclassing into Barbarian so you can qualify for frenzied berserker. It'd be a challenge to play, since there's clearly a challenge here somewhere, and it'd be very easy for a lycanthrope to roleplay a dual-wielding berserker.
Half-Orc Scout by Magioth
Founder of the Therkla Fanclub
My Exalted Characters
Spoiler