Help a new ranger out

[Mav145]

Ok, I have been reading these threads for a couple of weeks now. I am a new player. This is my first character ever. I don't care if you hate rangers, I love mine and want to play him. I don't even know what gimped means. I am on the Deepwoods Sniper path and have no idea where to even find chaosgards, mithril, or any of the gear that you guys talk about.

So, here's the challenge....help a noob out. I am level 7 and just about to reach level 8. Forget about level 14 gear. I want to know how to outfit this character out now. Something that will take me through the next few levels.

Here is my set-up:
Robe of Resistance (+1 bonus on all saves)
Silver Bow for ranged (9.00 base damage, holy aligned with +2d6 against unholy)
TWF - +4 longsword (9.53 base damage)
+2 shock longsword (7.15 base damage with 1d6 electricity)
Axe bane bracers (Axes and most swords damage is reduced by 3)
Underwater Action Helm (unlimited time in the water)
Necklace of Bluffing (+3 to bluffing)
Zizoo's Spangle (+1 to intelligence)
Disease Immunity Belt of Lesser False Life (immunity to disease and +5 health)
Engraved Ring (+1 deflection bonus to AC)
Ogre Power Gloves of Disabling (+1 to strength and +3 to disable device)
Dextrous Ring (+1 enhancement to dex)
Lesser Lightening Guard Studded Leather Armor of Spearblock (+1d4 fire on successful melee attack, +1 bonus to AC, damage from spears reduced by 4)
Goggles of Minute Seeing (+3 to search skill)

I switch to a ghost-touched mace of shattermantle and a sparkstriker pick to kill skeletons and undead. I have just picked up a pair of +4 AC Black Widow Bracers. I think I need to work them in but I can't figure out the set-up to inrease my AC. With the armor, I am 19+2 - when I take off the armor and add the +4 bracers, i go back to 19+2. I don't get it. I know that I need some spell resistance, I am currently at zero and every enemy casters, throws spells at me and I am toast.

Here are my stats page:
STR - 16+3
DEX - 19+4
CON - 14+2
INT - 9-1
WIS - 14+2
CHA - 8-1

I use the following level one spells - ram's might and energy resist.

Here are my enhancements that I have picked so far:
Ranger Skill Boost 1
Ranger Swamp Lore 1
Ranger Tundra Lore 1
Ranger Desert Lore 1
Human Adapabiity Strength 1
Human Versatility 1
Ranger Item Defense 1
Racial Toughness 1
FE:Attack 1
FE: Damage 2
FE: Defense 1 - my FE are goblinoid and undead
Ranger Heal 1 - sucks
Ranger Jump 1
Ranger Move Silently 1
Ranger Search 2
Ranger Spot 2
Ranger Dex 1

OK, that's it. Please help with suggestions to gear set-up and action points for the next few levels. I have read the Ranger AC post and can't wait to get to +5 Mithril and chaosgardes, etc. But, I need help now.

Thanks for all of your input. I really appreciate it.

[Lymnus]

Can I also get a layout of your feats, bro?

You have FE: Undead and Goblin right now. However, Goblin doesn't do much in this. Change that to Giant. For your next FE, take Evil Outsider.

Enhancements. Drop those Lore enhancements. Try to get as much Dex (Ranger Dex and Racial Dex) and Racial Toughness enhancements as you can.

I'll try to help you with your equipment, once I get a run up of your feats.

[Quanefel]

Welcome to the game and I am glad to see others taking up the Deepwoods Sniper path. As it stands now though, this path is not finished, hopefully tier 2+3 will be made in Mod 10. I am looking forward to it for my ranger.

Your equiptment needs upgraded. Just need to say that. Here is what you can do.

Run Tangleroot series for the +3 Dex bracers, +3 Str gloves, +3 Con belt and the +50 SP Gemstone trinket.

Also run STK for Trapblast goggles(+4 to reflex saves) or get the +1 to hit goggles from Korthos. Another option is blindness ward goggles.

I'd keep a lookout for a resistance cloak, not hard to come by.

In necklace or helm slot I'd get a Wis item for either.

Rings I usually keep free for changable situational things such as poison immunity, disease immunity, UWA, FF, etc. At least one ring but the other can be held in place with a Protection ring or something.

Armor, I'd look for something a bit better. Lots of mith chain on AH fairly cheap nowadays. If not, do what you can until around level 10. That is when you want to steer towards outfits/robes. Your Dex will be going past the restrictions of any armor you find so its about right to look to the outfits/robes with some AC bracers.

I think you, like alot don't know that if you wear any armor that you can not wear AC bracers since AC bracers are treated as though it was actual armor. So its redudant to have both on at same time.

Spell resistance is not much of a problem but if you really need some, find a Spell resistance ring. Usually easy to come by or find. If not, I would not worry much about it.

Your stats look ok but since you are going to want to make use of that Str from Bow Strength for your ranging, I'd use all +1 stat boosts you get from now on towards Strength. If done right, you could possibly have a 30 Str and Dex at level 16 with tomes and +6 stat items.

The Lore, Jump, Heal and Item Defence enchantments I'd drop for other things. You can also save them up as you level until something you want opens up as well. You do not have to spend them all right away, just save them until needed.

And lastly, get some more bows! A proper sniper is going to need a wide selection of bows for the job. Burst and Greater Bane bows are important as well as target softeners like curse, weakening, enfeebling, stattermantle, and wounding. Things that do not do alot of damage but does help out party members who are meleeing the mobs. If and when needed. As you level, be sure to upgrade your bows as well as other equiptment to keep up. And be sure to have some nice melee weapons to dual-wield for when you need to get up close and personal.

A word of advice, get some practice firing and kiting mobs. I usually go to a slayer area like Searing Heights or something and practice dodging, running and firing at once to get my ranged skills better. Try to work up hide and move silently some since that is part of being a Deepwoods Sniper. Use those skills when you can. Enjoy your Sniper!

[Mav145]

I just leveled up to 8 and I will putting some of this advice to work. The +4 Force arrows are really attractive. Are you stuck to deepwoods sniper or can I still get access to some of those arcane archer feats?

Also, another character took some of my arrows on a quest once and did something to them to make them more powerful. What did he do?

Someone asked for my feats (other than the normal) - Improved TWF, Light armor prof., manyshot, point blank shot, weapon foces: ranged. Anything else that you need to know?

Thanks a lot again for all of your help.

Also, people keep talking about Mod 9, Mod 10, etc. What is that and how often do these mods come out?

Thanks.

[cbj192]

Well I joined on Jan/08 and there has been 2 mod's.

I think I heard it used to be more frequent

[BoBoDaClown]

I just leveled up to 8 and I will putting some of this advice to work. The +4 Force arrows are really attractive. Are you stuck to deepwoods sniper or can I still get access to some of those arcane archer feats?

Also, another character took some of my arrows on a quest once and did something to them to make them more powerful. What did he do?

Someone asked for my feats (other than the normal) - Improved TWF, Light armor prof., manyshot, point blank shot, weapon foces: ranged. Anything else that you need to know?

Thanks a lot again for all of your help.

Also, people keep talking about Mod 9, Mod 10, etc. What is that and how often do these mods come out?

Thanks.

Hey man, without the greater size twf feat (can't remember exact name) you can't dual wield 2 long swords without taking a massive to hit penalty, so you might want to pick up a short sword or something as your offhand weapon.

ALso, I'm not sure what happens if you get ITWF as a ranger, when you have already selected it. You might want to watch out for that.

[Garth_of_Sarlona]

Welcome to DDO. I'm glad you are enjoying your ranger. You can get a list of the module release dates here (http://ddo.enterwiki.net/page/Category:Modules_and_updates). Mod9 is coming out 'soon' - I would guess within the next few weeks given the recent upsurge of hype.

You can leave your chosen path when you level, or you can carry on with your path, and then respec your feats and enhancements at a later date, but you cannot respec your skills or stat point allocation so watch out.

Garth

[Arianrhod]

The guy who improved your arrows most likely cast Flame Arrow on them (it's a wizard/sorceror spell - rangers can't cast it).

To add to what others have suggested as far as how to get equipped -

Sell collectibles on the AH if you're short of cash. Silver Flame Hymnals, Vials of Pure Water & Lightning-split Soarwood (to name a few) should fetch decent prices (check the collectibles section on the AH before posting, to see what others are charging for them, so you don't under- or over-price them).

Second the advice to run Shan-to Kor for the Trapblast Goggles and Tangleroot for the +str, dex & con items. Also add running Durk's got a Secret for a Muckbane if you don't have one yet - they're handy to have against slimes, especially if the party gets annoyed with you for splitting them with the bow (only the gray oozes can be shot safely - the violet slimes and such split from piercing attacks as well as slashing).

Other quests to consider - Graymoon/Cult of the Six for Deneith favor (better quivers and returning arrows once you get to the second rank of favor) & the Mummified Bat trinket (don't let the level 10 rating on the last quest or 2 in the series scare you off - lower level groups that know the quest get through it regularly), Gwylan's Stand for a shot at a Giant Stalker Knife (bring a rogue), Xorian Cipher for a shot at a Chaosgarde (bring a full group and be prepared for lots of chaos), and Stormcleave cause it's really fun for a ranger - lots of wide open spaces to shoot stuff (not to mention many chests, so a decent chance at either pretty good gear or enough stuff to sell to buy something good).

[Lymnus]

Hey man, without the greater size twf feat (can't remember exact name) you can't dual wield 2 long swords without taking a massive to hit penalty, so you might want to pick up a short sword or something as your offhand weapon.

ALso, I'm not sure what happens if you get ITWF as a ranger, when you have already selected it. You might want to watch out for that.

Massive?
A -2 isn't really "massive". I mean, I guess if he wasn't proficient with a weapon (-4), and using it on your offhand, and it's not light (-2), that -6 might be painful. But, for what it's worth, that feat is called Oversized Two Weapon Fighting.

But, these feats:

Improved TWF, Light armor prof., manyshot, point blank shot, weapon foces: ranged.

TWF, Improved TWF, and Greater TWF are granted naturally from being a ranger.
Light Armor Prof is granted from being a ranger.
Manyshot is granted from being a ranger.

There's other feats, but what's important are the ones you chose at level ups. This is like Point Blank Shot, Weapon Focus: Ranged, and so forth.

Personally, I think the Arcane Archer line is better than the Deepwood Sniper line, as of now, but a true ranged ranger should be able to explain that better than I.

[Mav145]

I am going to leave the deepwoods path at next level up and move to arcane archer. I have upgraded to some +5 AC drow armor and kept the axe bane bracers for now. I got the resistance cloak and just got a pair of feather-fall boots that I am going to use some. Still looking for the goggles - I am going to run the heck out of tangleroot to try and find those items that you guys mentioned.

Thanks.

[Lymnus]

Once you hit 8-10, start running Xorian Cipher. Planar Gird gives a Greater Heroism clickie, Chaosgardes give +2 Dodge AC, Reaver Ring gives immunity to fear (with -2 will), and Tharaask Fang gives immunity to poison (trinket, -2 to will)