Elf Ranged fighter question

[Zenmuse]

I'm sure this build, or something similar has been posted a hundred times... but i've got a feat question, so take a look please. (oh, and i know my char planner version is 2.65, but i've been too lazy to download a newer one)

Character Plan by DDO Character Planner Version 2.65
DDO Character Planner Home Page

Level 14 Lawful Good Elf Male
(12 Fighter \ 2 Ranger) 
Hit Points: 206
Spell Points: 0 
BAB: 14\14\19\24
Fortitude: 12
Reflex: 14
Will: 6

                  Starting          Feat/Enhancement
                 Base Stats          Modified Stats
Abilities        (Level 1)             (Level 14)
Strength             16                    18
Dexterity            18                    24
Constitution         12                    12
Intelligence          8                     8
Wisdom               10                    10
Charisma              8                     8

Level 1 (Ranger)
Feat: (Favored Enemy) Favored Enemy: Undead
Feat: (Selected) Weapon Focus: Ranged Weapons

Level 2 (Ranger)

Level 3 (Fighter)
Feat: (Selected) Point Blank Shot
Feat: (Fighter Bonus) Precise Shot

Level 4 (Fighter)
Feat: (Fighter Bonus) Power Critical: Ranged Weapons

Level 5 (Fighter)

Level 6 (Fighter)
Feat: (Fighter Bonus) Manyshot
Feat: (Selected) Weapon Specialization: Ranged Weapons

Level 7 (Fighter)

Level 8 (Fighter)
Feat: (Fighter Bonus) Improved Critical: Ranged Weapons

Level 9 (Fighter)
Feat: (Selected) Toughness

Level 10 (Fighter)

Feat: (Fighter Bonus) Greater Weapon Focus: Ranged Weapons

Level 11 (Fighter)

Level 12 (Fighter)
Feat: (Fighter Bonus) Improved Precise Shot
Feat: (Selected) Iron Will

Level 13 (Fighter)

Level 14 (Fighter)
Feat: (Fighter Bonus) Greater Weapon Specialization: Ranged Weapons
Enhancement: Fighter Attack Boost I
Enhancement: Elven Dexterity I
Enhancement: Elven Dexterity II
Enhancement: Elf Ranged Attack I
Enhancement: Elf Ranged Attack II
Enhancement: Elf Ranged Damage I
Enhancement: Elf Ranged Damage II
Enhancement: Fighter Armor Mastery I
Enhancement: Fighter Armor Mastery II
Enhancement: Fighter Critical Accuracy I
Enhancement: Fighter Critical Accuracy II
Enhancement: Fighter Critical Accuracy III
Enhancement: Fighter Critical Accuracy IV
Enhancement: Fighter Item Defense I
Enhancement: Fighter Flanking Mastery I
Enhancement: Ranger Dexterity I
Enhancement: Fighter Strength I
Enhancement: Fighter Strength II
Enhancement: Fighter Toughness I
Enhancement: Fighter Toughness II
Enhancement: Fighter Toughness III
Enhancement: Fighter Toughness IV

So the question is:

At level 12 (10 fighter), i basically have an extra feat that i can't decide how to spend... i'm leaning towards Ironwill to make up for a bad lack in will save, but there are a bunch of options i can take instead... Weapon finesse comes to mind, as does toughness (again), or imp. TWF...

The character is basically all ranged though, and i try like hell to avoid switching to melee unless i absolutely have to.

Also, a noob question... Do any of the feat based attacks (hamstring, sap, slicing blow, etc.) work with a ranged weapon?... i don't think they do, but then i've never tried...

[Hokonoso]

if you were human and had two extra feats id take the dragonmark of passage giving you ddoor at that level, heluva lot better than iron will as ranged fighters hardly ever get hit even in pugs... I just have one question having never played a ranged character, why do all rangers max dex when at lvl 1 all their ranged damage is based on str? wouldn't you do way more damage with say 30 str than 20str with 30dex?

[KoboldKiller]

I guess my question would be why go with fighter at all if your focus is Ranged weapons? If you were to stay pure ranger you would get the spells extra favored enemies and ranged combat enhancements. I am asking this more for my own knowledge than anything else.

[Malachi_Stormlight2]

I actually had created a drow Archer similar to this back around mod 1 and he is still fun to play. The reason for 2 ranger 12 fighter is to make the perfect archer. Completely specialized.. which means fighter strength III along with Weapon focus, Greater weapon focus, Weapons Specialization, Greater Weapon Spec, and eventually Superior if that exists (I can not remember from d20 days).


Though when building an Archer like this you have to remember until they fix ranged combat you will never DPS like a melee but you can get marginally close. However it does afford many advantages too.

I build mine to be very STR heavy with Dex as my secondary instead of Dex heavy with STR secondary though. It helps a ton. I dont miss things on elite and I do more damage.

I guess my question would be why go with fighter at all if your focus is Ranged weapons? If you were to stay pure ranger you would get the spells extra favored enemies and ranged combat enhancements. I am asking this more for my own knowledge than anything else.