Ranger / Assassin / Elemental Archer Crossbow Sniper

[Steve]

I'm thinking Ranger 15 / Assassin 10 / EA 5, with max DEX and Imp. crossbow sniper.

Waddya think? Could drop 2 Assassin and 1 Ranger for a 4th Class/PrC...but what?!? Bard 3? Bodyguard 3?

[chad878262]

wouldn't R21/A9 be better? Elemental archer adds attack bonus and a couple damage along with 5 minute cooldown relatively weak elemental storm (which can be somewhat decent by spending a feat)... bow archer needs all the attack bonus they can get, but sniper doesn't really need it. +2 elemental damage is all well and good, but bane of enemies and another favored enemy seems better.

If going the sneak attack route could go Ran11/Rog10/A9, you get epic precision, but lose camouflage...

[Sun Wukong]

I'm thinking Ranger 15 / Assassin 10 / EA 5, with max DEX and Imp. crossbow sniper.

Waddya think? Could drop 2 Assassin and 1 Ranger for a 4th Class/PrC...but what?!? Bard 3? Bodyguard 3?

I take you want to maintain Camouflage... So why not that...
Ranger 6/Assassin 9/Elemental Archer 5/Wilderness Stalker 10? You would get that +2 AC and additional +3d6 sneak attack dice.

But I am also looking at that Hunter Kit. It could let you have Perfect two-weapon fighting alongside with your crossbow sniping. For example, if you go Hunter 11/Assassin 9/Wilderness Stalker 7/Elemental Archer 3, you might have best of all worlds.

[Steve]

Yeah...that Bane of Enemies option. Considering that 5 types of Foes gets +2 AB, +5 dmg + 2d6 BoE extra, that's a whole bunch of damage!

EA would just provide +2 AB, +2 dmg, and Elemental Storm/Shield. Something for kicks.

I have also considered just a Fighter 12 / Rogue 4 / Assassin 8-10 / AK 4-6. Fighter would provide a +6 dmg constantly, +6 AB constantly...but loses all the Ranger perks.

Hunter kit does look very promising for a Crossbow specialist. Maybe Hunter 10 / Fighter 12 / Assassin 8.

[Deathgrowl]

Fighter4/ranger13/ea5/assassin8 is what you want.

Or indeed ranger22/assassin8 (or 21/9).

[Steve]

Fighter4/ranger13/ea5/assassin8 is what you want.

I take it Fighter 4 is for Weapon Specialization and to unlock Weapon Mastery, Ranged?

Yeah...this one seems to hit all the targets...LOL!

just couldn't resist...

[Kalgain]

If the movement speed bug from hunter gets fixed, you could benefit from hunter more than from going pure ranger.

10% speed for kiting (but still bugged)

and 2 favored enemies and +2 damage to all favored enemies.

[chad878262]

Fighter4/ranger13/ea5/assassin8 is what you want.

I take it Fighter 4 is for Weapon Specialization and to unlock Weapon Mastery, Ranged?

Yeah...this one seems to hit all the targets...LOL!

just couldn't resist...

If the movement speed bug from hunter gets fixed, you could benefit from hunter more than from going pure ranger.

10% speed for kiting (but still bugged)

and 2 favored enemies and +2 damage to all favored enemies.

Could go R15/F4/A8/NWN3 (or R13/F6/A8/NWN3, or F4/A10, depending on your preference). Gets you that speed boost and a couple extra sneak dice in place of EA. Unless of course you really wanted EA, in which case DG's is the best bet.

[Deathgrowl]

Yeah...this one seems to hit all the targets...LOL!

www.drumsound.net

[YourMoveHolyMan]

Does wilderness stalker count like ranger levels for the ranger feats or was that suggestion based on taking the feats on level up?

[Sun Wukong]

Wilderness Stalker grants feats that are normally only granted by high investment in the Ranger Class. Thus it is an alternative to ranger levels.

[Steve]

Fighter4/ranger13/ea5/assassin8

So, if I built this right, the build gets 51 AB fully buffed, 3 attacks per round at highest AB, at an average of 38 dmg when including the Sneak Attack dmg. This doesn't include Mighty bonus nor Bolt dmg (if that stacks with EB of a crossbow...do they come with EB even?!?).

A crit range of 17-20 with such high AB means lots of double damage when applicable...but it is not like top tier per round damage, but very reliable!! Hips and shoot, and repeat, until it's dead!

[Sun Wukong]

You can go to Ulgoths Beard and purchase a Knight's Crossbow with +3 EB and other things from the travelling merchant.