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2008-03-20, 11:46 PM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Jan 2007
- Location
- Icy Evil Canadia
- Gender
Any tweaking you'd do to this build?
Looking at a Goliath Archer, using ranger/swordsage, with the zen archery feat to get the nice wisdom synergy. Starting level 7, but i think i get to buy off my Level Adjustment.
I'm looking for flavor more than cheese. I want a tiger claw/stone dragon build, with bits of setting sun.
I want the largest bow she can carry, hence the sub-optimal greatbow proficiency (2d8 on a bow. The woman is practically firing fenceposts, spears, small trees with the thing.)
DM said wealth by level, but not including the level adjustment (which I think he's letting me buy off to start.) 50 point buy. (!)
Character fluff not yet filled in, only crunch. Thoughts?
http://www.thetangledweb.net/addon.p...char&cid=10326
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2008-03-21, 12:17 AM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Jan 2007
- Location
- Eastern NC
- Gender
Re: Any tweaking you'd do to this build?
Well, for an archer, you certainly have a low Dex. Maybe drop Str a little and pump Dex?
If you're DM allows homebrewed stuff, Fax here created a new martial discipline called "Falling Star" based on ranged combat. It's Swordsage friendly, and you can the maneuvers for it here.Last edited by RTGoodman; 2008-03-21 at 12:25 AM.
The Playgrounder Formerly Known as rtg0922
Homebrew:
• "Themes of Ansalon" - A 4E Dragonlance Supplement
• Homebrew Compendium
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2008-03-21, 12:20 AM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Nov 2007
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2008-03-21, 12:24 AM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Jan 2007
- Location
- Icy Evil Canadia
- Gender
Re: Any tweaking you'd do to this build?
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2008-03-21, 12:25 AM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Jan 2007
- Location
- Eastern NC
- Gender
Re: Any tweaking you'd do to this build?
Oops, nevermind. I was thinking for some reason that Zen Archery let you add your Wis to damage, not attack.
Carry on.The Playgrounder Formerly Known as rtg0922
Homebrew:
• "Themes of Ansalon" - A 4E Dragonlance Supplement
• Homebrew Compendium
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2008-03-21, 12:25 AM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Nov 2007
Re: Any tweaking you'd do to this build?
And I don't see any obvious changes on my end character-wise. Are you done buying gear?
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2008-03-21, 12:31 AM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Jan 2007
- Location
- Icy Evil Canadia
- Gender
Re: Any tweaking you'd do to this build?
Kindof out of money for big stuff. That bow was expensive...I suppose she's still more dangerous in melee than at range, but by the time something closes with her, they're dead. Still, large greatsword in single-standard action strikes is very nice. Need to get her power attack, eventually.
Last edited by Talya; 2008-03-21 at 12:33 AM.
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2008-03-21, 01:28 AM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Feb 2007
Re: Any tweaking you'd do to this build?
If you're looking for cheese, I believe there's something like "Elvencraft" Long & Short Bows that can be used as a Quarterstaff or Club in melee if the opponent gets too close, but magical enchantments have to be purchased separately for melee/ranged use, so that'll add to the cost, but make it focus more on one single weapon. I believe it was only +300 or +400 gold to the cost too.
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2008-03-21, 01:35 AM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Nov 2007
Re: Any tweaking you'd do to this build?
Looks like you pulled the Cold Iron off the greatsword; that ought to help a lot with gear buying.
There's a very cheap weapon crystal in the MIC that lets you quickdraw the weapon. Seems like the thing to have for your greatsword (heck, for the bow too).
I don't think shoring up your hide/MS with the cloak/boots is a good expenditure of funds. If you were maxing out the skills for sneaking, then sure. It seems like that 5k could do a lot better things for you, though. 1k towards +1 for all saves is my usual first stop.
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2008-03-21, 01:37 AM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Jan 2007
- Location
- Icy Evil Canadia
- Gender
Re: Any tweaking you'd do to this build?
Perhaps you're right there...i hate the idea of a ranger that can't sneak, but this one really doesn't need to.
And yes, it seems a number of stone dragon strikes ignore DR, so the cold iron felt like a waste.
Any maneuvers which benefit ranged that you've noticed? I notice dancing mongoose doesn't specify melee only in the description, so that's a free attack at later levels.Last edited by Talya; 2008-03-21 at 01:39 AM.
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2008-03-21, 01:46 AM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Nov 2007
Re: Any tweaking you'd do to this build?
What I mean is, either go all out for the sneaking, or ignore it. When you try to be decent at everything, you end up being... a monk.
Good call with the Stone Dragon use.
I haven't checked out ranged applications for ToB, ever. White Raven Tactics before the FAQ ruling, of course, and Iron Heart Surge, but that's not applicable to you.
Why Ranger 3/Swordsage 3? Seems that Ranger 2/Swordsage 2/Ranger 2/Swordsage x would be better, with initiator level and all.
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2008-03-21, 01:57 AM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Jan 2007
- Location
- Icy Evil Canadia
- Gender
Re: Any tweaking you'd do to this build?
Heh.
Why Ranger 3/Swordsage 3? Seems that Ranger 2/Swordsage 2/Ranger 2/Swordsage x would be better, with initiator level and all.
Anyway, the actual order they were taken in: Ranger 2/Swordsage 2/Ranger 1/Swordsage 1.
I'd be ranger 4/swordsage 2, but that would suddenly invoke the xp penalty.
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2008-03-21, 01:58 AM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Jan 2007
- Location
- Icy Evil Canadia
- Gender
Re: Any tweaking you'd do to this build?
Can't find the augmentation crystal that adds quickdraw, btw...
edit: nevermind. found it.Last edited by Talya; 2008-03-21 at 02:01 AM.
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2008-03-21, 02:00 AM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Nov 2007
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2008-03-21, 02:06 AM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Nov 2007
Re: Any tweaking you'd do to this build?
Darn, I'd just found it myself. Somehow, I didn't spot it until going to the index of weapons crystals. It must be its placement on the page.
So, yeah, 300 gp is probably worth it to have on both. Or for 600 gp, put 1 point of energy damage (acid/cold/electricity/fire) on the bow's attacks.
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2008-03-21, 02:06 AM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Jan 2007
- Location
- Icy Evil Canadia
- Gender
Re: Any tweaking you'd do to this build?
Okay, after dropping the elvenkind items and picking up a ring of resistance and a couple least Augment crystals of returning, i'm left with 3000 gold.
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2008-03-21, 02:07 AM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Nov 2007
Re: Any tweaking you'd do to this build?
Handy Haversack? Maybe not, with your Str, but that's the first thing that popped into my mind.
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2008-03-21, 02:10 AM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Jan 2007
- Location
- Icy Evil Canadia
- Gender
Re: Any tweaking you'd do to this build?
I'd considered the same thing (because it's standard fare for my usual dex-based characters or bard/sorceror), but didn't get it for the same reason...ridiculously high strength.
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2008-03-21, 02:10 AM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Apr 2006
Re: Any tweaking you'd do to this build?
Later on, Raging Mongoose and Time Stands Still (not that you'd be able to get that without dropping Ranger and grabbing quite a bit of Diamond Mind) will both work with ranged weapons. Given the multiclassing, it's likely to be much later on, unfortunately, but ah well. Most offensive boosts don't work with ranged attacks, sadly, but counters will do fine, and strikes give you some backup melee capability.
Looks pretty nice, and I'll second trying to free up a thousand for a cloak of resistance. Saves, I find, are something that always, always come up in games, and you can never go wrong buying one.
Oh, I see you have. Ring of Sustenance, perhaps, if you have leftover gold? Your Spot and Listen modifiers are good enough to make it worth it to help keep watch, and you don't need to worry about 8 hours' rest to regain spells.Last edited by The_Snark; 2008-03-21 at 02:12 AM.
Avatar by GryffonDurime. Thanks!
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2008-03-21, 02:21 AM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Nov 2007
Re: Any tweaking you'd do to this build?
Healing Belt = YES. Also, a wand of CLW probably wouldn't hurt. I always love Quall's Feather Token: Tree; there's so much you can do with a couple of those. Stock up on mundane items, too.
I'd agree with the Ring of Sustenance, but you don't have darkvision.
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2008-03-21, 02:25 AM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- May 2007
Re: Any tweaking you'd do to this build?
I'm going to go against the grain here and say +1 to saves is not really necessary. With a 50 pt buy and Ranger/Swordsage you've got at least 1 class with a strong save in both Fort and Will, and reflex you've got 2. You've also got strong ability modifiers to saves in both Will and Fort, and even a +1 to reflex, so the additional +1 is shouldn't be that important.
I'd try to strip a point here and there out of a few other skills and have some points in Hide and Move Silently, and then augment them with the stealth items you had to begin with. I'm not buying into the "you have to ahve it maxed or its not useful" camp; I don't think DCs are consistently so high in that campaign that unmaxed skills would be useless, and if we were in a campaign like that I'd say the DCs are too high.
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2008-03-21, 07:30 AM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Aug 2006
- Gender
Re: Any tweaking you'd do to this build?
If you do get a ring of Sustenance, you can supplement lack of darkvision with a helm/ring of infravision. Even if you have something else for the ring slot, you only need infravision at night.
I am trying out LPing. Check out my channel here: Triaxx2
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2008-03-21, 07:42 AM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Feb 2008
- Location
- Under your bed. :P
Re: Any tweaking you'd do to this build?
where can I find a source on Zen Archery?
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2008-03-21, 08:10 AM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Sep 2007
- Gender
Re: Any tweaking you'd do to this build?
For maneuvers, if Falling Star is no good, someone on the CharOp board compiled a decent list for archers. Spoilered for length
Spoiler
Originally Posted by Nadaka on CharOpLast edited by playswithfire; 2008-03-21 at 08:11 AM.
Homebrew
Current Project (A sequel to Tome of Battle)
Past Projects, some of which I may come back toSpoiler
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2008-03-21, 08:14 AM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Apr 2006
- Gender
Re: Any tweaking you'd do to this build?
Complete Warrior. Alternately, look here.
There is one little item I found recently that is relatively low in cost, but fairly handy at lower levels.
Cloak of Elemental Protection, Magic Item Compendium, page 87.
Once per day you can immediately negate 10 of an energy attack, pretty much.
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2008-03-21, 08:33 AM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Jan 2007
- Location
- Icy Evil Canadia
- Gender
Last edited by Talya; 2008-03-21 at 08:33 AM.
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2008-03-21, 08:50 AM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Feb 2006
- Location
- Seattle, WA
- Gender
Re: Any tweaking you'd do to this build?
Talya, you should be all set up to take levels in Horizon Walker. 1st level gets you Darkvision 60, 2nd level makes you immunity to fatigue, 3rd-5th give you some static bonuses to spot/listen/hide/movesilent blah but 6th level gets you Dim Door every 1d4 rounds. By that level, you should have enough HD to take Quicken Spell Like Ability (MMI) so that you can full attack, then Dim Door out of reach pretty often. Thats nice. Doesn't add anything to your IL really, but a nice feature none-the-less. If you keep taking levels, you can pick up Tremorsense and immunity to all aligned attacks (blasphemy!), which is pretty worth it. Just an option for ya.
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2008-03-21, 09:09 AM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Jan 2007
- Location
- Icy Evil Canadia
- Gender
Re: Any tweaking you'd do to this build?
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2008-03-21, 09:12 AM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Feb 2006
- Location
- Seattle, WA
- Gender
Re: Any tweaking you'd do to this build?
Eh, but the ability to *bamf* around the battlefield (and off the battlefield...watch the movie Jumper for ideas) is just fun. Never consent to walk ever again, instead choosing to Dim Door as your primary mode of movement while scorning lesser mortals who are required to use their legs for locomotion.
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2008-03-21, 09:14 AM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Jan 2007
- Location
- Icy Evil Canadia
- Gender
Re: Any tweaking you'd do to this build?
Last edited by Talya; 2008-03-21 at 09:17 AM.