Ranger fighting styles

[WhatsInTheBox]

Has this server considered adding the two handed weapon fighting style? (not dual wielding)

[Calodan]

It has been suggested and discussed what it would look like here. Not sure what the end thought process was because well there are so many bug fixes that were taking place at the time and still that it has kind of been put on hiatus I would think for now. It was also discussed to put in the PRC Forest Master as well since that PRC focused on Divine woodsy types with a warmace. The Ranger 2H style would be great for it as well.

[WhatsInTheBox]

I would enjoy the forest master class as well for sure.

[electric mayhem]

*Casts topic resurrection*

Brief research into the question:
"Why do we not have Two Handed Combat Style" or other styles as well for the Ranger?"

Lead me to a couple of historic topics with no official answer or understanding.
The closest thing to an answer I found was a couple posts indicating a past "grudge" or "dislike" between Kaedrin and BGTSCC staff a few years back.

I really hope that this is not the case. I really hope that we are not restricting flavour to the server from personal grudges.

But if it's a 'rights' issue and we haven't been granted the rights to use individual IP, then so be it.

Surely could not a similar combat style progression be developed, adjusted name perhaps (much like Phantom renamed from ninja). After all, isn't the concept of the progression 'owned' by WotC/DnD ? We should be free to implement such things if we can.


But if there is a completely different reason behind not having Two Handed Combat style available , it'd be interesting to hear please.

[Valefort]

Regardless of the past rights or grudges have nothing to do with the present situation. Kaedrin's version is simply too powerful for the server, giving Enhanced power attack for free is out of the question, Forest Master is also a very obvious no for power reasons.

Overall the focus is on other things than PRCs for the near future, see : https://www.dropbox.com/s/49ta16x3n2ufq ... t.pdf?dl=0

[Sun Wukong]

I think I posted this in some related thread few months back, but I would prefer there to be a 'Favored Enemy' themed combat style. You would just do +5 damage against your favored enemies. It would be great for the two-handed, or sword and board type of ranger. And even though you could spend feats on two-weapon fighting or ranged feats, you have to meet the ability score requirements, etc.

[blacksoft]

Regardless of the past rights or grudges have nothing to do with the present situation. Kaedrin's version is simply too powerful for the server, giving Enhanced power attack for free is out of the question, Forest Master is also a very obvious no for power reasons.

What about having option for shield fighting as one style (as there are shield feats): Shield bash -> shield charge -> shield slam -> dire charge (lvl 21)

As far as THF weapon style, what about just ignoring the enhanced PA part of it and leave it as PA -> IPA -> cleave/GC (lvl 11)-> whirlwind attack (lvl 21). I just put the AOE feats in there as a suggestion since it is very difficult for classes to be able to get both Cleave line and whirlwind attack on same build...but is it just a suggestion.

[chad878262]

Note this kind of already exists. If you pick TWF style and take Ranger to 11 you get GTWF which will give you 3 attacks with your shield bash. Note that for those who want 3 APR with shield bash they either need 5 feats (Shield Bash, Shield [type] Specialization, Agile Shield Fighter, Shield Weapon Focus, and Shield Weapon Specialization) or they need 19 DEX and 3 feats (TWF, ITWF, GTWF). Meanwhile a Ranger can go max STR with 14 DEX (+4 and Mithril Chainmail) while still getting the full 3 APR. You only need to take the Shield Bash feat to get 3 APR. This is a huge boon in order to also grab Knockdown, Shield Charge and Shield Slam for a disable.

When I was looking in to the Shield Bash line of feats I lamented (and tried to get changed) the sheer number of feats required as I feel it's too much. One idea I did come up with is various builds using Ranger and/or Tempest. One such idea was B20/R6/T4 which would get GTWF and be able to go max STR with Epic Rage. This would get you some sick DCs with Shield Slam as well as Improved Knockdown for some great disables. On top of this AC would be decent with just 14 DEX, +4 bracers, Mithril Chainmail and +4 Medium Shield. Obviously Tower Shield would be great, if you want to spend a feat for it.

In any case, to the original question the point is that taking Ranger 11+ with TWF feats does enable you to make a Sword and Board style Ranger. Unfortunately there is no benefit to going to 21 from the shield side since PTWF does nothing for you, but it would allow you to got PTWF when you don't need the extra AC, then turtle up while still getting some extra attacks/damgae from your shield when you need more AC.

[blacksoft]

Note this kind of already exists. If you pick TWF style and take Ranger to 11 you get GTWF which will give you 3 attacks with your shield bash. Note that for those who want 3 APR with shield bash they either need 5 feats (Shield Bash, Shield [type] Specialization, Agile Shield Fighter, Shield Weapon Focus, and Shield Weapon Specialization) or they need 19 DEX and 3 feats (TWF, ITWF, GTWF). Meanwhile a Ranger can go max STR with 14 DEX (+4 and Mithril Chainmail) while still getting the full 3 APR. You only need to take the Shield Bash feat to get 3 APR. This is a huge boon in order to also grab Knockdown, Shield Charge and Shield Slam for a disable.

When I was looking in to the Shield Bash line of feats I lamented (and tried to get changed) the sheer number of feats required as I feel it's too much. One idea I did come up with is various builds using Ranger and/or Tempest. One such idea was B20/R6/T4 which would get GTWF and be able to go max STR with Epic Rage. This would get you some sick DCs with Shield Slam as well as Improved Knockdown for some great disables. On top of this AC would be decent with just 14 DEX, +4 bracers, Mithril Chainmail and +4 Medium Shield. Obviously Tower Shield would be great, if you want to spend a feat for it.

In any case, to the original question the point is that taking Ranger 11+ with TWF feats does enable you to make a Sword and Board style Ranger. Unfortunately there is no benefit to going to 21 from the shield side since PTWF does nothing for you, but it would allow you to got PTWF when you don't need the extra AC, then turtle up while still getting some extra attacks/damgae from your shield when you need more AC.

I hear the barbarian idea - i am assuming that you do not get the tempest AB and AC bonuses though since you are using a shield. Plus the wasted feats (dodge mobility and spring) to unlock Tempest could have been used for other things...

I have been spending more time than I should have playing with the Ranger 11 as a base line for a shield build. I really wanted to fit in dire charge as well as powerful charge. Of course, since it is a shield build saves and armor class were important to me. I was messing with Barbarian 11 / Ranger 11 / FotF 3 / Dwarven Beserker 5. But I could not get the armor class high enough since I wanted good strength and there were just too many feats I wanted for the build. I then thought about having Breach gnome but realized that charging didn't really allow to use the gnomes skillset at the same time. I found the more I focused on shield and charging the less I had for AB and/or damage.

I then considered a mix-breed of Hunter Ranger 13 / bodyguard 3 / Assassin 9 / warsling sniper 5(or elemental archer 5), but could not seem to make it work as I wanted shield bash and dire charge in addition to some of the other standard feats.

Then I considered EDM brutal throw Hunter Ranger 13 / Assassin 10 / Blackguard 4 / bodyguard 3 with shield bash and the AB was just too low.

IDK, maybe you can figure out whether any of these ideas could actually work.

[ARHicks00]

Regardless of the past rights or grudges have nothing to do with the present situation. Kaedrin's version is simply too powerful for the server, giving Enhanced power attack for free is out of the question, Forest Master is also a very obvious no for power reasons.

What about having option for shield fighting as one style (as there are shield feats): Shield bash -> shield charge -> shield slam -> dire charge (lvl 21)

Would love to see that