"New" Returning player :) Ranger/Bard/?

[ericscave]

Back from many years ago. :)

Quick disclaimers :p
- Older gamer
- Can't manage 100 clickies per fight
- Play minimal time per week (4-8hrs total...R/L is a bugger)
- Will be mostly solo for time being with exception here or there for a group
- May take me a while to level to 20, so early focus is survivability/self-sufficiency

I've read a ton of builds and advice thread, particularly the Ranger Theorybuild thread. I've always fancied rangers and the bard side seems it could add some nice things. I went ahead and VIP'd and got some extra boons. 32pt builds, start at lvl 4, etc. For someone like me that isn't so focused on elite raid kind of stuff, is this a class mix that will make me survivable for casual play? I never started at a higher level before either. Should i toss in a level of bard right away if that is an option? or another class?

Any thoughts are sincerely appreciated. :)

[unbongwah]

Pure bards (Swashbucklers) are really strong. Pure rgrs are really strong. What do you want from combining the two?

[RistoffDervish]

Should i toss in a level of bard right away if that is an option? or another class?

Any thoughts are sincerely appreciated. :)

I like to throw in 2 levels of rogue for traps and evasion. If you do this make sure to take one level of rogue first for the overwhelming amount of skill points you get a first level. I have also been making a lot of INT based toons utilizing the Harper Tree which you should have access to as VIP. It allows INT-To-Hit and Damage - add Insightful Reflexes to make INT modifier your Reflex stat and you have a fun build that you can max one stat on.

My current Build is 8 Barbarian, 6 Rogue, 6 Artificer - I get a lot of questions about my build, mostly from people who think I'm out of my mind, but it actually performs quite nicely for me and it is fun.

[RistoffDervish]

I use no enhancements from any Barbarian Tree - basically it is a mechanic / great x-bow build.

[ericscave]

Thanks for the info an advice all. :) Still looking round but may take a radical approach for a Ranger/Rogue/?? approach. hehe. :) Thanks again.

[Fedora1]

Thanks for the info an advice all. :) Still looking round but may take a radical approach for a Ranger/Rogue/?? approach. hehe. :) Thanks again.

Ranger 16/Rogue 2/Fighter 2 was always a great build for feats, skills, locks/traps, evasion, and all the cool ranger stuff. However, with recent changes (going back maybe a year now?) pure builds perform great. They made the capstone (last core enhancement) so good that it beats most of what you get from multi classing - usually.

You won't go wrong with a pure bard or pure ranger. However, heroic content has not kept up with the power creep of the classes and loot (and ship buffs) so most anything will work well for a casual player. Just make sure you have some fun. :)

[Lorianus]

Back from many years ago. :)

Quick disclaimers :p
- Older gamer
- Can't manage 100 clickies per fight
- Play minimal time per week (4-8hrs total...R/L is a bugger)
- Will be mostly solo for time being with exception here or there for a group
- May take me a while to level to 20, so early focus is survivability/self-sufficiency

I've read a ton of builds and advice thread, particularly the Ranger Theorybuild thread. I've always fancied rangers and the bard side seems it could add some nice things. I went ahead and VIP'd and got some extra boons. 32pt builds, start at lvl 4, etc. For someone like me that isn't so focused on elite raid kind of stuff, is this a class mix that will make me survivable for casual play? I never started at a higher level before either. Should i toss in a level of bard right away if that is an option? or another class?

Any thoughts are sincerely appreciated. :)

Swashbuckling works with thrown weapons and this is the easiest way to build a ranged bard. But as everyone runs off before I can buff anyway I TRed my bard into a Mechanic. Web-traps are better than Fascinate anyway and DC is similar (perform score vs. disable score). Ranged damage with repeaters and great crossbows is solid. If you want to melee Warchanter is great because of the frezzing ice attacks, but I won't go near legendary mobs with a bard or rogue so your idea to range is better.

[ericscave]

I think i've gone off the beaten path a bit. LOL :p I took my vet ability to start lvl 4 and went Ranger 2/Rogue 2 right off the bat. I went up the harper tree to get the two INT crossovers for bow damage and to-hit, getting a couple good boons along the way for INT boost and the hide/search/spot bonus as well. High INT is rocketing my skill pts allowing me to dabble up the UMD and other tree without worry about leaving other skills unmanaged. Not sure if ill do too much Harper tree anymore. Have to research more.

I'm still considering taking a level of something else later, but will focus on Ranger as i go up early levels. Right now looking at str14/dex15/con15/int19/wis9/cha8 out of the gate with a starter bonus or two. Wanted to keep dex up a bit. Not sure if wasted pts for now. :) We shall see.

[Kentpb]

I think i've gone off the beaten path a bit. LOL :p I took my vet ability to start lvl 4 and went Ranger 2/Rogue 2 right off the bat. I went up the harper tree to get the two INT crossovers for bow damage and to-hit, getting a couple good boons along the way for INT boost and the hide/search/spot bonus as well. High INT is rocketing my skill pts allowing me to dabble up the UMD and other tree without worry about leaving other skills unmanaged. Not sure if ill do too much Harper tree anymore. Have to research more.

I'm still considering taking a level of something else later, but will focus on Ranger as i go up early levels. Right now looking at str14/dex15/con15/int19/wis9/cha8 out of the gate with a starter bonus or two. Wanted to keep dex up a bit. Not sure if wasted pts for now. :) We shall see.

To really get the most of ranged builds you need to get IPS which requires a base Dex of 19 so you can hit multiple targets unless you take at least 11 levels of ranger so you can get it with out meeting the requirements you might need a tome

[ericscave]

Ah, makes good sense. :) Thanks for the info!