Ranger/Rogue Build - Suggestions Please?

[Blayster]

I have been working a little on my Half-Elf Rogue/Ranger AA build, but I have some questions pending.

The goal of the build is hybrid to the root. My original plan was to have very good disable-trap ability (perhaps not maxed, but at least sufficient for most quests), a decent scouting capacity (move silently + hide, that is. and luckily my group allow me to do so in quests!) and a decent ranged DPS (not the main goal, just want to be *useful* when the fight comes).

My final plan was to have Ranger 17/Rogue 3, such that I would profit the 2d6 sneak attack and Hide In Plain Sight at the same time.

However, at my current level (I'm only Rogue 1/Ranger 9), although my hide skill is not even maxed (move silently is) most of mobs cannot detect me if only I am wearing the proper equipment. Was then when I started wondering if that would change on higher levels or not, and if investing in Hide In Plain Sight is worth it.

If not, then Ranger 15/Rogue 5 would give me an extra Sneak Attack dice, but also allow me to have Rogue Haste Boost II (why ranger doesn't have such a thing anyway?), Sneak Attack Training II and Improved Disable Device II (just to make sure, we never know!), and a world of extra skill points. So I am wondering... which one would you guys suggest (or neither)?

[yawumpus]

[note I've been away from the game for awhile. Might be out of date.]

Your big issue is if you need 18 levels of ranger for slayer arrows. Elves don't need it (but need 20 levels of non-ranger to do it). If you can get AA through .5elf or with epic levels (not too likely) I would go for 15/5 ranger/rogue. 15 Ranger gets your last level of ranger goodness (last 4th level spell, last FE for splashes) and was a great stopping point for pre-U14 melee rangers (I'd take 6 rogue now on a melee ranger for the rogue destiny).

I'd say you are pretty much stuck with a single level of rogue. A second level of rogue grants a redundant evasion, so don't expect much else. A level of fighter might work well (good enhancements plus a feat). I'd strongly expect 18 ranger to be mandatory.

[unbongwah]

You can see my Triple A thread for my (outdated) take on rogue AAs. Monkchers have stolen the AA spotlight, but I like to think there's still room for my build. Although the addition of epic levels and feats means I need to rejigger my builds some.

In your case, though, since you already have rgr 9, something like rogue 7 / rgr 11 / ftr 2 might work best.

[Blayster]

Your big issue is if you need 18 levels of ranger for slayer arrows. Elves don't need it (but need 20 levels of non-ranger to do it). If you can get AA through .5elf or with epic levels (not too likely) I would go for 15/5 ranger/rogue.
Half-Elves also get it - 2 levels later is sad, but that's the the kind of price we always pay for going hybrid!


I'd say you are pretty much stuck with a single level of rogue. A second level of rogue grants a redundant evasion, so don't expect much else. A level of fighter might work well (good enhancements plus a feat). I'd strongly expect 18 ranger to be mandatory.
The only reason why I would go ranger 17 was Hide In Plain Sight, but I am not sure if its worthy (no one mentioned it so far in this thread!). I thought about a level of fighter, but the lack of skill points give me the chills: I need Disable Device, Spot, Search and Move Silently maxed, and a fighter would need *only* 8 skill points to do so. The main goal of the build still is the specialist side, not the DPS. If anything, 4 monk levels would be more interesting: higher saves, only 1 BAB less than Fighter, more skills points & class skills, 2 extra martial feats, and with Zen Archery I could be a happy centred AA. Monk enhancements do not look tempting though (or maybe I am just being a newbie here).



You can see my Triple A thread for my (outdated) take on rogue AAs. Monkchers have stolen the AA spotlight, but I like to think there's still room for my build. Although the addition of epic levels and feats means I need to rejigger my builds some.

In your case, though, since you already have rgr 9, something like rogue 7 / rgr 11 / ftr 2 might work best.
Yeah, I took a look, but it seems to focus on rogue rather than ranger - and I always have that kind of feeling that I am forgetting something when I don't see Freedom of Movement in my spell list! I could go Rogue 6/Ranger 14, but what is the profit from the 6th Rogue level?

[Goregnash]

Do yourself a big favor and let go of the AA ideal. Google "Tempest Trapmonkey" and go to the first ddo forum link you see. This is unbongwah's tempest build and there are numerous variations to pick from. I was diehard pure ranged and finally got fed up with the **** dps and tried it out. You still get to use your many-shot all the time, you still range but you get to bump up to light armor and you do significantly more damage in melee.

It also seems to me you are spreading yourself too thin on skills. Traps AND Stealth? No. The need to stealth is almost nil in high end raids/quests so leave it to the rogues who need to supplement dps with utility. I would make a decision between 2 paths. If you want to be a trapper the skill choices are obvious, but no one 'expects' a ranger to also be a trapper. The main concern with most people with rangers is survivability and dps, so if you want to go that route I recommend balance (trips and knockdowns annoy me to no end) and concentration for melee, it is invaluable for high UMD self-sufficient healers.

Go Tempest III with the 18 ranger / 1 Fighter or Barb / 1 Rogue. UMD yourself to max as you level and keep a nice devotion item equipped at all times. Also max your Ranger Devotion. If you're human you can easily get 500+ HP at level 20 and they get a free feat. Max UMD will let you teleport, summon monsters, self-buff like a cleric, selfheal/debuff, its amazingly versatile.

If you go with the fighter splash you get yet another free feat (Very Nice) and like 15 extra HP. If you go barb, you get 10% base run speed, pick up Power Attack 1 and you get to rage once per rest which is nice on boss fights if you max out your Fury of the Wild. FOTW also gets you more HP, more melee damage while raged and many other nice benefits.

This build can literally 'feel' like 50/50 ranged/melee if you take advantage of your multi-shot at every opportunity. The Bow of Sinew is a good all-around bow to use until you get your GS Lightning II.

I am almost level 8 as I just TR'ed and I'll be stoning to 16. In my first life I got many many compliments on my toon and I found myself the last alive in what would have been a party wipe (numerous times) had I not had the survivability I did. Plus I could raise dead with scrolls.

You don’t want to be 'accepted' as a ranger in parties and raids. You want to be revered as the 1% who KNOW how to play a ranger. Unbongwah's tempest build is how you get there.