Help with first time with Ranger

[savatage]

I want to deal alot of damage fast with this character so I took the feat heavy repeating X-bow and bought one as soon as I had enough money. Should I stick with bows as I get damage bonuses with it or will the repeater be better???? Any thoughts??

[Lillitheris]

If you have a decent Str score, bows are better.

However, you said you're looking for high DPS. Ranged combat lags FAR behind Two-weapon Fighting in terms of DPS. Dual Vorpals, dual Wounding of Puncturing weapons.. those are the DPS-tools. Well not DPS but kill count anyway

[savatage]

My str is a 16 and so is my dex. Not trying to be a melee expert, just want to be able to kill or damage monsters before they get to me...

[Cowdenicus]

Rangers have even a worse time with stats then pallies, ok they are both just as bad.

Right now what is holding me back from making my ranger is a con tome. I just wont build my 32 point elven ranger without a full set of tomes at the beginning.

[Pellegro]

I would assume that the repeater would do more damage, on average, but there are so many variables that I don't think anyone can give you a definitive answer. Try running the same quest using both and see how you compare.

[Pfamily]

No Bow Strength
No Many Shot
No GTWF (likely, as the feat is taken by the repeater)

No brainer?
IMO

[savatage]

So how many shots would i get if I used a bow with the many shot feat?

[Mad_Bombardier]

So how many shots would i get if I used a bow with the many shot feat?

BAB +6 to 10 = 2 arrows
BAB +11 to 15 = 3 arrows
BAB +16 to 20 = 4 arrows

[jmonty]

Rangers have even a worse time with stats then pallies, ok they are both just as bad.

Right now what is holding me back from making my ranger is a con tome. I just wont build my 32 point elven ranger without a full set of tomes at the beginning.

are you trying to do everything? you need to focus your character, and it will be fine.

[Pellegro]

So how many shots would i get if I used a bow with the many shot feat?

I think someone worked it out that over 100 shots you get to use manyshot once and it adds like an extra 17 shots total. So instead of 100 shots you get 117.

What you'd really need to know is the rate of fire of the repeater versus rate of fire of the bow. If the repeater fires enough more times on average than the bow, then the repeater should do more damage than bow (overcoming the strength bonus you get to damage by using bow). But I'm not sure of their ROFs.

If you test (count # shots in a minute or whatever) please post results. Would be interesting to see.

[Beorn_The_Bear]

Rangers have even a worse time with stats then pallies, ok they are both just as bad.

Right now what is holding me back from making my ranger is a con tome. I just wont build my 32 point elven ranger without a full set of tomes at the beginning.

That is very sad to hear. I have a level 14 elf ranger that does wonders both at ranged and melee and it is a 28 pts build and god i didnt rely on tomes for that. You do need some good weapons and items Since my dex is high enough that i pretty much never never miss anything with bows, i went for power attack for better melee. Sticking to ranged attacks and taking repeaters would surely make it quite interesting to play also but not sure that it would bring you more than yu already have with multishots. Just to give you an idea, with the bow of elements and fire arrows (from wands) i take down a beholder in no time. If i haste myself also then it becomes ridiculous