Does Brutal throw Ranger makes sense?

[blacksoft]

I am considering a Strength-based ranger with brutal throw and ranged weapon style.

Does brutal throw work with sling?
Can you Manyshot with sling and other thrown weapons?
Does ranger ab buffs work with all ranged weapons?

(Anything else I'm missing?)



Thanks.

[Sun Wukong]

Does brutal throw work with sling?

I do not think so, no.

Can you Manyshot with sling and other thrown weapons?

Yes.

Does ranger ab buffs work with all ranged weapons?

Not sure, but they should.


As for build... I have considered this myself to some extent:

I have been thinking about some possible builds to do, builds that round out into something in the early epics. It is a long road to reach level 30, especially if you spin off to create new characters at every whim, and for a while I have been thinking of rolling a Ranger Stormlord. Something that could work just fine as a "Ranger 12/Stormlord 10" and finish up "Ranger 20/Stormlord 10"

For example:

A Half-Orc

Ability scores:

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STR: 18 + 7 (Ability increases) + 5 (Great Strength) = 30
DEX: 14
CON: 14 +1 (BGTSCC custom change)
INT: 10
WIS: 14
CHA: 6

///// I am thinking of swapping INT and CHA though... But that might be awkward with stormlord's number of skill points. Funny how pure ranger would not really care for -2 int penalty! I guess it explains Drizzt so much...

Skills:
Max=> Spot, Survival, Heal, rest goes into lore skills, and maybe either diplomacy or intimidate. Must have at least 4 ranks in Spellcraft. (Might just go 5 or 10, or 15. Depends.)

Feats:

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Level 1: Able Learner
Level 3: Weapon Focus (Spear)
Level 6: Northlander Hewing
Level 9: Monkey Grip
Level 12: Great Fortitude
Level 15: Practised Spellcaster (Ranger)
Level 18: Brutal Throw
Level 21: Great Strength I
Level 23: Great Strength II
Level 25: Great Strength III
Level 27: Great Strength IV
Level 29: Great Strength V

As for one handed damage, with Northlander Hewing on:

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10 (Spear) 
+ 4 (EB) 
+ 10 (Strength) 
+ 14 (Northlander Hewing) 
+ 1d8 (Blades of Fire) 
+ 1d8 (Shock Weapon) 
+ 1d8 (Sonic Weapon) 
+ 3d6 (Extended Storm Avatar) 
= 62~ 
(Limited to three attacks per round)

Then throwing damage:

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1d4 (Mundane 7 gp stack of darts)
+10 (Strength)
+ 1d8 (Shock Weapon) 
+ 1d8 (Sonic Weapon)
= 21.5~
(43~ with manyshot) 

Spellbook:

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Level 1, 4 slots: Blades of Fire <><><>, Embrace the Wild <> 
Level 2, 4 slots: Cat's Grace <>,  Halo of Sand <>, Bear's Endurance <>, Curse of Impending Blades <> 
Level 3, 3 slots: Skin of the Cactus <>, Aid <>, Mass Curse of Impending Blades<> 
Level 4, 3 slots: Freedom of Movement <>, Lesser Aura of Cold <><>

Any thoughts? Any comments? What creatures would be worthy enough to be considered favored enemies by a Talassan?

(Rangers come with free shield proficiency.)

From this thread: viewtopic.php?f=64&t=57389

[blacksoft]

Nice. Thanks.

I won't go stormlord though. Was kind of thinking of grey orc pure ranger and Max favored enemy for ten FE and 30 strength. Starting wisdom at 18+4 item _ 22 wisdom. Maybe pick up dash and animal companion feats

Is dino companion worth the extra feat here?

[Sun Wukong]

On this server you can only have 7 favored enemies, at levels 1, 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, and 30, as far as I know. If you pick Undead, Giants, Outsiders, you pretty much have covered most of the epic foes you can fight.

Animal Companion feats are good to have. Just don't pick the badger, it is the worst animal companion a Ranger could pick due to the custom ranger spells on the server. (Buff it up and it will be a beast.)

As for Dinosaur companion, it would be. It is the best animal companion after all, but unfortunately or luckily it is not enabled on this server.

[blacksoft]

On this server you can only have 7 favored enemies, at levels 1, 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, and 30, as far as I know. If you pick Undead, Giants, Outsiders, you pretty much have covered most of the epic foes you can fight.

Animal Companion feats are good to have. Just don't pick the badger, it is the worst animal companion a Ranger could pick due to the custom ranger spells on the server. (Buff it up and it will be a beast.)

As for Dinosaur companion, it would be. It is the best animal companion after all, but unfortunately or luckily it is not enabled on this server.

Wait, so for the Ranger epic feats you can't​ choose another favored enemy?
If not, I may consider just taking improved favored enemy for the three you mentioned.

As for the animal companion options, I want one that can tank and deal damage. It seems that the panther is a good option based on its stats. So really, no one has preference for companion other than not badger?

[Sun Wukong]

I've used Panther, and on this server it actually has some stealth skills it can use. Moreover, the 1d6 sneak attack it gets also gives a little bit more damage.

But as for the 'tankiest damage dealing animal companion' - it is usually a choice between the Bear and the Boar. But honestly, you can pick up any animal companion byeond the badger and buff it up to similar levels of power as about any other animal companion.

[chad878262]

What about yuan ti and nags? I think they are monstrous humanoid and abomination, but not sure.

[YourMoveHolyMan]

Yes, Ranger AB ranged spells and the spell reserve 'arrow' feats work with thrown weapons.

(That said, most of the arrow reserve feats don't work as labeled, made posts but haven't heard back from an ETA on when they'll get fixed, in their current state they're just an OP second attacker.)

[Nyeleni]

What about yuan ti and nags? I think they are monstrous humanoid and abomination, but not sure.

yuan-ti are monstrous humanoids, no clue what naga are...

[Sun Wukong]

Nagas should be Aberrations.

[chad878262]

so there ya go... two additional monster types that are good in epics as FE's.

[Sun Wukong]

Another to consider for mid early epics is actually orcs. (Not to mention all the orc based events and grand campaigns over the years)

As a final type, Elementals appear to be somewhat common.

So... for PVE, Undead, Giants, Outsiders, Monstrous Humanoids, Aberrations, Orcs, and Elementals? (You could go Dragons, but those are bit rarer I suppose, more of a RP choice.)

PVE: Humans, Elves, Dwarves... and Halflings?