Need help with a Hunter build!

[Babuguuscooties]

Just brainstorming at work...

Any suggestions for a Wood Elf Hunter (Ranger kit)?

Bonus points if you can also include Wilderness Stalker

Regardless, it'd be a bow specialist.

Maybe specialize in hunting either Drow, Orcs or both?

Go!

[Sun Wukong]

Just go for 30 levels of Ranger... Wilderness Stalker is an inferior choice. It gives things that you would get by simply going for more levels of RANGER, not to mention that to get the PRC you are required to multiclass even more for the sneak attack requirement...

But if you must have Wilderness Stalker...

Ranger 12 (Two Weapon fighting, Ranged feats from Hunter Kit)/Blackguard 10/Wilderness Stalker 8

You get Brutal Throw and you chuck out those EDM powered Throwing Axes... Or darts.

But that doens't really sound like a typical wood elf, now does it? *Cough-cough-cough...*

Honestly, Ranger 30 is the way to go.

[Babuguuscooties]

Alright, cool. So just take Ranger (Hunter) straight to 30.

The Hunter wiki page doesn't really explain beyond level 10, so I'm assuming its the same as ranger past that point, or how does that work?

[Sun Wukong]

No idea, never used the kit myself... Not sure if it is even implemented yet.

[AlfarinIcebreaker]

Frankly, Ranger 26/Fighter 4 would be a better choice for a Hunter themed character. Ranger spells are too good to pass up, IMO. 2 One shots, 6 Favored Enemies, Bane of Enemies, Blinding Speed, Weapon Mastery and Specialization bow, High AB, CL of 30 and fantastic sneaking skills on top of solid AC.

I played exactly the same build with PvP FE choices and I had a blast.

IF you really want Hunter kit, go with 22 Hunter/8 Assassin.

[chad878262]

For a Hunter kit strength based Hunter 21/ assassin 9 is likely the best build. However DEX based is nearly as good if you take combat expertise and deadly defense. Better AC and damage won't be too much lower since deadly defense applies to both hands equally while you only get half strength bonus on off hand attacks. Personally I would go DEX based aiming for 26 DEX (30 with bracers). Tiefling with 17 INT (20 w/+3 item) and CE, Deadly defense, and combat insight. You could go for strength, but the higher INT gives more skill points plus higher death attack dc.

[Babuguuscooties]

For a Hunter kit strength based Hunter 21/ assassin 9 is likely the best build. However DEX based is nearly as good if you take combat expertise and deadly defense. Better AC and damage won't be too much lower since deadly defense applies to both hands equally while you only get half strength bonus on off hand attacks. Personally I would go DEX based aiming for 26 DEX (30 with bracers). Tiefling with 17 INT (20 w/+3 item) and CE, Deadly defense, and combat insight. You could go for strength, but the higher INT gives more skill points plus higher death attack dc.

that sounds pretty sweet, but I was thinking more of a longbow focus than a dual-wielding focus. You think dual-wielding would be preferable?

[Babuguuscooties]

Frankly, Ranger 26/Fighter 4 would be a better choice for a Hunter themed character. Ranger spells are too good to pass up, IMO. 2 One shots, 6 Favored Enemies, Bane of Enemies, Blinding Speed, Weapon Mastery and Specialization bow, High AB, CL of 30 and fantastic sneaking skills on top of solid AC.

I played exactly the same build with PvP FE choices and I had a blast.

IF you really want Hunter kit, go with 22 Hunter/8 Assassin.

Sounds pretty awesome. So Hunter isn't worth it, you think?

[Sun Wukong]

Sounds pretty awesome. So Hunter isn't worth it, you think?

The problem with Hunter kit is that I have no idea what it actually gets. Will it gain additional favored enemies compared to a pure ranger?

Because the way it sounds, it seems a Hunter would get following favored enemies:

Code: Select all

Ranger 1:  Favored Enemy
Ranger 2: 
Ranger 3: 
Ranger 4:  (Hunter) Extra Favored Enemy
Ranger 5:  Favored Enemy
Ranger 6: 
Ranger 7: 
Ranger 8: 
Ranger 9:  (Hunter) Extra Favored Enemy
Ranger 10: Favored Enemy
Ranger 11: 
Ranger 12: 
Ranger 13: 
Ranger 14: (Hunter) Extra Favored Enemy
Ranger 15: Favored Enemy 
Ranger 16: 
Ranger 17: 
Ranger 18: 
Ranger 19: (Hunter) Extra Favored Enemy
Ranger 20: Favored Enemy
Ranger 21: 
Ranger 22: 
Ranger 23: 
Ranger 24: (Hunter) Extra Favored Enemy
Ranger 25: Favored Enemy 
Ranger 26: 
Ranger 27: 
Ranger 28: 
Ranger 29: (Hunter) Extra Favored Enemy
Ranger 30: Favored Enemy  

Thus you might be able to have 13 favored enemies, which is pretty much the entire list, which is over half of the possible list.
That would be +13 and +2d6 from Bane of Enemies against everything...

Can anyone confirm? (Ain't got a spare character to RCR just to find this out.)

[chad878262]

Longbow is better without Hunter kit. Ranger spells give lots of attack bonus to ranged weapons making multi shot hit more often (for more death attack damage).

Not to say Hunter doesn't work with ranged, I just think standard ranger would be better.

[Babuguuscooties]

Longbow is better without Hunter kit. Ranger spells give lots of attack bonus to ranged weapons making multi shot hit more often (for more death attack damage).

Not to say Hunter doesn't work with ranged, I just think standard ranger would be better.

Oh, I just assumed hunter was meant for bow because of what it gives with manyshot and all that.

[chad878262]

So just to clear up a couple potential misconceptions...

1. The Hunter kit gains 2 FE's, so total or a level 30 Ranger w/ Hunter kit is 9 (instead of 7). If you go R21(Hunter)/A9 then you will have a total of 7 (instead of 5).

2. While you do get Rapid Shot and Manyshot (as any Archer Ranger would), this does not mean you MUST be an Archer... In fact it means you can be a dual wielder and STILL get a couple free Archery feats! This is not to say an Archer Hunter is bad, it's not! It's just to say that IMO the Ranger Spells is what makes "pure" archer Rangers so good. Think of it this way though... As a Ranger with Archery Combat Style you get Rapid Shot, Many Shot, Improved Rapid Shot and One Shot. As a Hunter you get 2 of the 4 even if you are a TWF style Ranger! Versatility!

3. The main power for the Hunter comes from Traps, which scale all the way to Ranger 30. Thus Pure Hunter 30 is certainly viable to get 30d6 piercing damage traps. However, the DC for those traps caps out at 22 (10 + 1/5 Ranger levels + 1/5 ranks in Craft Trap). Thus you will basically only be able to count on ~52.5 damage per trap (instead of 105 damage on a failed save.) For this reason I would say losing ~15 damage on your traps is worth gaining Assassin spells and death attack damage and chance at paralysis. It also fits thematically.

[Sun Wukong]

Question, do the Hunter ranged feats work in medium or heavy armor?

[chad878262]

I don't see any evidence that they wouldn't, but have not tested it and there is no posts confirming or otherwise. They would obviously lose Evasion though so not sure why you would want Medium Armor. Even with a Zen Archery Ranger you're better off with 14 DEX and Mithral Chainmail IMO.

[Sun Wukong]

I don't see any evidence that they wouldn't, but have not tested it and there is no posts confirming or otherwise. They would obviously lose Evasion though so not sure why you would want Medium Armor. Even with a Zen Archery Ranger you're better off with 14 DEX and Mithral Chainmail IMO.

Actually I was thinking more in lines with a Brutal Throw based Hunter. You know, dip for Blackguard, go EDM sword and board, with ability to toss those throwing axes and darts with your Strength modifier for AB and extra Divine damage on top. Hence, you could just wear Fullplate.

As for Mithral Chainmail, you need to get your hands on one first. For a long time the only Mithral Armors that were worth something were Chain Shirt, Breastplate, and Fullplate, things have changed now... And in my experience Mithral Chainmail is hardest to find... Because it just became the ideal armor for a lot of 'low-dex' builds.

Um, what of Hunter and Animal Companion progression?