Hobbit ranger/wizard - The arcane rabbit

[Thrudh]

Halfling 12/8 Ranger/Wizard

STR 14 (+ 2 Rams Might + 6 item + 2 tome + 2 rage) = 26
DEX 18 (+ 5 level ups + 5 Enhancements + 6 item + 2 tome) = 36
CON 14 (+ 6 item + 2 tome) = 22
INT 12 (+ 2 tome) = 14
WIS 8 (+ 6 item) = 14
CHA 8

3 favored enemies

Evil Outsider
Elementals
Giants/Undead/Constructs (depending on what quest chains you're doing)


Feats

12 levels of ranger gets you all the good ranger feats

Bow Strength
Rapid Shot
Many Shot
Diehard
TWF
ITWF
GTWF
Precise Shot
Improved Precise Shot
Evasion


8 levels of wizard gets you 2 free meta-magic feats

Extend
Maximize


Level feats

1 Least Dragonmark of Healing
3 Weapon Finesse
6 Lesser Dragonmark of Healing
9 Improved Crit: Pierce
12 Greater Dragonmark of Healing
15 Toughness
18 Empower Healing


Spells

Ranger Spells:

Resist Energy
Prot Energy
Ram's Might
Barkskin
Other junk


Wizard Spells:

Jump
Exp Retreat
Shield
Scorching Ray
Invisibility
Blur
Displacement
Haste
Rage
Firewall
Solid Fog
Fire Shield


Synergies

This is a balanced build...

You get all the good ranger free feats and 3 favored enemies, plus Halfling Guile, so you're decent at combat (not as good as a pure tempest strength build of course)

You can also cast your own firewall which can do some pretty decent damage with Maximize, Superior Potency IV, and 30% Wizard enhancements.

Self-cast haste, rage, and displacement are huge... Yes, in a good group those will get cast on you anyway, but spells get dispelled, or the group can separate, or you can die... Being able to self-buff is very useful.

Solid Fog, Fire Shield, Jump, Exp Retreat all extremely useful...

The healing dragonmarks are quite powerful... With this build, they particularly shine... Rangers get Devotion enhancements. Maximize and Empower Healing feats both affect dragonmarks.

Without Empower Healing this build gets

9 30 point CLW
7 120 point CSW (nice!)
5 240 point Heals

With Empower Healing, those numbers will only go higher...

Dragonmarks do not require concentration checks and always go off even in the middle of combat (excepting lag of course)

Hit points are 370 or so at 16th level with GFL and Shroud HP item.
Spell points are 771 at 16th level with a Shroud SP item

AC is decent if you want to grind for the items (Shield spell plus high Dex plus Icy Raiments gets you in the low 50s), but not really needed with self-cast displacement and self-healing.

Very soloable. Very self-sufficient. You've got the resists and the protects and Fire Shield and evasion with a high Reflex save. You've got displacement and blur and haste and Shield for defense. You've got over 2000 hps of healing power if something actually hurts you.

You can scroll

Greater Heroism
True Seeing
Teleport
Greater Teleport
etc.


The main thing going for this build is that it is FUN...

[geoffhanna]

This will be an interesting solo build. I think you will have less spell points than you expect though, and you won't have use of ranger spells until ... 13th level?... your STR will only be 16 up through that level too.

What skills are you planning to pump? You are going to be a little light on skill points so probably only going to max one or two?

You qualify for Arcane Archer already. This is actually very useful in a solo build, but I suggest that Tempest is a more effective fit overall.

[Thrudh]

This will be an interesting solo build. I think you will have less spell points than you expect though, and you won't have use of ranger spells until ... 13th level?... your STR will only be 16 up through that level too.

What skills are you planning to pump? You are going to be a little light on skill points so probably only going to max one or two?

You qualify for Arcane Archer already. This is actually very useful in a solo build, but I suggest that Tempest is a more effective fit overall.

It's a slow build... You really don't get the full benefit of the two classes until 16 (when you should be 11/5).

I think I went mostly ranger during the low levels... I think I was
7/2 at 9th level
7/3 at 10th level
11/3 at 14th level
11/5 at 16th level

12/8 at 20th level

Both Arcane Archer and Tempest require feats I don't have slots for (2 and 3 respectively).

There are many good variations to this build... Give up the healing dragonmarks, splash a 1-2 levels of monk or fighter...

Actually a 12/7/1 ranger/wizard/monk could be interesting... Monk free feat could be Toughness, give up Empower Healing and you then have two free feats for Arcane Archer... Plus a monk splash gives a little AC (wisdom bonus is low though).

[geoffhanna]

I am in the shroud right now and cant look this up but I think Arcane Archer accepts Magical Training as the only required feat.

Thus: free

Now back to my regularly scheduled portal...

[Thrudh]

I am in the shroud right now and cant look this up but I think Arcane Archer accepts Magical Training as the only required feat.

Thus: free

Now back to my regularly scheduled portal...

Rats, I was hoping you were right, but Arcane Archer requires two mostly worthless feats

Requires One of: Mental Toughness, Elven Arcanum I, Sorcerer Energy of the Dragonblooded I, Wizard Energy of the Scholar I, Bard Energy of Music I
Requires All of: Point Blank Shot, Weapon Focus: Ranged Weapons