Help with a pure Ranger archer.

[Hrafnar]

I'd pick Undead definitely, alongside Giants for PvE purposes. It makes sense RP wise for a Ranger to abhore and hunt down Undead and it will make you useful in DM events.

My FE groups would be :

Humans
Elves
Outsiders
Undead
Giants
Dwarves
Orcs

Thanks for the input I'll stick with undead.

[Hrafnar]

So last time I'll bring this up, promise

I'm nearly level 12 so it's crunch time on whether I go:

Fighter dip: http://nwn2db.com/build/?260270

Or pure ranger: http://nwn2db.com/build/?261263

Thematic and RP stuff aside it seems the fighter dip is superior. The BAB for the pure ranger is not displayed correctly as it is giving me +2 from Protective Ward which I do not get in the server version. Assuming the +2 dmg from ranged mastery stacks with the +2 dmg from weapon spec then really the only downside is waiting longer for HiPs and Bane of Enemies goodness and I sacrifice my second one shot.

[chad878262]

Your notes say you are taking Protective Ward as your level 6 feat, which is blank so you will still have the +2 AC. level 30 Ranger is less powerful by itself, but you are getting the bonuses to FE's increased by 1 as well as 1 additional FE and your companion will be more powerful which should not be discounted (you don't appear to be taking Natural Bond in the fighter build, so that companion will be based on level 23 vs. level 30. The fighter build also does not have Practiced Spellcaster so you have a 20% chance of a Greater Dispel from a caster level 20+ stripping each ward placed on you or your companion.

[aaron22]

the pure ranger build looks better to me. maybe the dip could be done differently to help this. like PS and maybe frontline archer. you could also take the melee feat expose weakness and that would come in very handy for you. sometimes pulling up a shield and sword is the way to defeat an opponent. even for an archer. you will find this out in a few levels

[Hrafnar]

It's true, if I'd planned from the start I would've done the dip much differently. I wasn't aware of the weapon mastery feats when I started building this char though, just weapon spec which at the time didn't seem worth it by itself. I could still RCR at level 11 but muling everything would be a pain plus I'm enjoying the char a lot as is.

Protective Ward also functions a little differently on pure class rangers in its original form - it gives +2 to AB as well as AC. Here it just gives the AC bonus, like with a multi.

I was also thinking about expose weakness rather than the second one shot, though I wasn't sure how effective it would be on an archer. Could be useful for when I inevitably get melee'd though.

Thanks, I think I'll stick with pure!

[aaron22]

i do not know how to express this more.... EW is way way way way way way more helpful than a second oneshot is. in fact, i would work it out to get it as early as you can.

[Hrafnar]

Cheers, will do!!

Edit: Taking EW at 23. Also Blinding Speed is not too shabby now! 4 uses a day for 10 rounds!

[aaron22]

yes blinding speed is a good fit. ***wishes had taken it on archer***