Recommended Skills for Ranger

[frugal_gourmet]

I have never played a ranger before, but I'm making one since unlocking 32 point builds. So far, I've basically just picked class skills at level up. Are there any cross-class that are extremely useful? Intimidate? UMD? I may go the route of taking a couple fighter/monk levels (most likely I will).

[jmonty]

if you are rolling a dwarf and plan on taking a level of fighter i'd suggest trying to get your intim up, and balance is a good skill as well, but i don't recall if it is cross-class or what.

this looks like a great build by Borror0:

http://forums.ddo.com/showthread.php?t=153948

[Sue_Dark]

Balance is cross class for a ranger. Recently I've started adding it to any re-rolls/new characters I make, I just like to get up faster:)

Intim, I've never given intim any thought as a ranger. Typically, if I want agro from something, I take it with weapons. Intim would just draw unwanted attention to me :)

[Aspenor]

strangely enough, i like Hide and Move Silently. Then again, I often find uses for those skills that the normal party would never consider unless they just had a near party wipe...

[frugal_gourmet]

Oh yes, I did take a couple of balance ranks. My reasoning is that I actually have a mad dexterity bonus anyway, so I might as well enhnace those skills I am naturally decent at. I also took some tumble, because I figured -- well -- tempests w/ mobility should be able to tumble. To you tell the truth, I was surprised neither of those was a class skill.

I didn't take intimidate, but I have very good strength and will probably take a few fighter levels. But how much investment do I need to make? I don't want to spread myself to thin. If as a cross-class I can't get it up high enough to be really useful then I don't want to bother taking it all.

[Jaysensen]

UMD - especially if you uncapped it with a Rog level.
Jump is fun too.

I wouldnt recommend Intimidate unless you know how to tank. If you want to learn to tank first, roll a fighter, and play around with it first. Tanking on a character not built to tank isnt fun, and will turn you off to the concept - even though you may have liked it in a difference context.

[Talon_Moonshadow]

I have never played a ranger before, but I'm making one since unlocking 32 point builds. So far, I've basically just picked class skills at level up. Are there any cross-class that are extremely useful? Intimidate? UMD? I may go the route of taking a couple fighter/monk levels (most likely I will).

Someday I'll make a ranger with a high enough UMD to use Flame Arrow wands. :(

But it takes such a commitment that I don't think it is worth it.

Max out Jump.
And put some points into Spot.

if you like stealth max out spot and stealth skills.

Actually I think you should put at least 10 ranks in them anyway, even if you never use them, some day it might come in handy.

At low lvls put a few points into search, but it gets too difficult to keep it up later on.

[frugal_gourmet]

Hm... ok. Thanks for the advice. Yeah, I guess I'm just making sure I'll be pretty good without intimidate or UMD or anything else special. It looks to me like the investment for those skills in both items and points would be extreme, and I didn't think the payout would be worth it. Charisma is basically a dump stat for me. I'd have to work for some exceptionally good gear, and I hate that.

To tell you the truth, on my first character (sorcerer) I felt that -- *gasp* -- UMD was a tad overrated. I got myself (expensively) up to a high enough level to UMD all kinds of cool stuff, but it's fairly obvious the actual class designed to use that stuff already is like 10 times better at it and probably already grouping with me. Sure, I can heal people. Hooray. Instead of playing a sorcerer I can act like a really mediocre cleric for half the quest. Umm... yeah... way fun.

[Naso24]

I like hide, move silent, jump, tumble, and balance. I put UMD on any of my characters that can spare the points, just for access to race restricted items.

[frugal_gourmet]

I like hide, move silent, jump, tumble, and balance. I put UMD on any of my characters that can spare the points, just for access to race restricted items.

Yeah, that thought about UMD occurred to me. I just know the item I need at some point's going to be race restricted. Ah well.

[Jaysensen]

Well on a sorc, being able to wand and potion yourself up to full (or heal scroll) in a small amount of time is often the difference between a raid wipe and a raid win.

I dont recommend healing others on a Ranger, except in rare circumstances. Or like topping off. But being able to Heal scroll yourself is huge. Or even reconstruct, while the WF tank is building aggro in like VOD elite. It is expected that you have some sort of healer type and healing is NOT your job. But at the same time, why not help if you can if appropriate? VOD is a good example. I repair serious wand the WF at times. And raise dead.

But really you should build the character the way you want to play. But if you want to be of the most help to your group, you need to consider how you plan to contribute.