Pure Ranged ranger Build Request

[BadDoc]

Looking to build a purely ranged ranger
basically the idea is to use him as a sniper with max spot, hide/move silently
anybody got a good build idea for this?
Was considering going dwarf but since i have never built a ranged ranger this may not be best

[CSFurious]

but, you should go with an elf for a sniper not a dwarf

[jmonty]

ya, don't elfs get longbow enhancements? as well as dex?

[Beherit_Baphomar]

ya, don't elfs get longbow enhancements? as well as dex?

Yes.

[Dailus]

I went with a pretty straight forward build.

28 point elven ranger S:14, D:19, C:12, I:8, W:11, Ch:8 to start, but I did eat a +1 wisdom tome, and a +1 dex tome pretty early on.

Planned Feats : 1st : Weapon finesse, 3rd: Point blank shot, 6th: Weapon focus : ranged, 9th: Improved critical ranged, 12th: Dodge, 15th: Mobility, 18th: Shot on the run.

For enhancments I took the prereq's for deepwood sniper, then focused the rest on favored enemy, elven bow , and elf/ranger dex enhancements.

Skills : I maxed out Hide, Move silent, spot, jump, and tumble.

Depending on the mob I either stand my ground and switch to melee, or tumble out of the way and try and let the melee characters regrab agro. I have had much sucess with this build and strategy, often leading the kill count in the group, especially against my favored enemies.

-Dailus

[Robeling]

I'm guessing you have 32 point builds since your sig shows several level 16 characters.

Dalius' build looks pretty good, but I would put more into strength and less into dex. I would go something like:

16/18/12/8/14/8

I would not max dex and just forget about strength as you level. I would keep them balanced...keep dex high enough to be hitting, but strength is where your damage is coming from. As an elf ranger you have a potential 5 dex in enhancements, so I would even use some level ups in strength and maybe even your favor tome. You also can invest into +2 for ranged-to-hit and ranged damage through enhancements.

I like a higher wisdom in a ranged focused build because since your standing back and ranging you can supplement healing and buffing. Makes you a more diverse build.

The only absolutely necessary feat you need to take as a ranged focused build in IC: Ranged. You need to take Point blank and Ranged Focus to unlock the deepwood sniper enhancement line (available at level 6 if you meet all the requirements; the two feats, Ranger Hide 2, Ranger Move Silently 2). There a mixed reviews for and against it. You will get Precise Shot, Improve Precise Shot, Manyshot (your best dps feat), and Rapid Shot for free by level 11.

You will also get the TWF feats for free, so I would suggest to balance the build and add some melee capabilites. In not a huge fan of the going the Dogde, Mobility, Shot on the Run route. It sounds good for Dailus' playstyle, but I think the three feats are to much for what you get. I would go with Quick Draw, IC: Pierce, and another feat that fits your play style (Iron Will, Extend, WF if your dex happens to be significantly higher than your str,....). A lot of DDO is in tight spaced areas and unless your using manyshot, most mobs will make it to you before you kill them. This allows you to quickly switch weapons/armour to melee and finish the job. You won't make a lot of friends if you keep running in circles and pulling the mobs with you, resulting in everyone running around and getting negatives to their attack. I find it better to pull and kill what you can, then quickly switch when mobs are in melee range.

Get a Silver Longbow. I think you can use it at level 6 and it's one of the best bows in the game.

[BadDoc]

i am very interested in doing good dps, so i would probably be more inclined to go with a balanced str/dex
sorry about forgetting to mention 32 pters, thats what all except 1 of my builds are due to a guild leader showing me why i needed to get 32 early on

[Dailus]

Some good suggestions here. Truth be told my Ranger is only 7th level and this is my first archery focused character so I have nothing to compare it to, but I just finished running Stormcleave elite and was dishing out crits regularly at 80 points of damage with my silver bow. Even one double crit (2 arrows) with many shot that landed for over 150 dmg. Admitedly Stormcleave is just one of those quest archers do well in.

-Dailus

[CSFurious]

this might incite some hate from the finesse-based, but i will submit that a great ranger build is an elf that starts with 16 str & 18 dex

you do not need weapon finesse because you will put all level-ups into str

with ram's might & a +6 str item, you will have 28 str, once you get a +2 tome it is 30, & if you get lots of rage clickies or run with good warchanters, you are basically running around with 32 str at level 16

your dex will also be 30 with racial/class enhancements & +2 tome

i have one that is 11 ranger/4 fighter & it is an awesome build that is a lot of fun to play; right now str is 28 & dex is 30

if you dual-wield long swords with the racial enhancements, the damage is comparable to khopeshes

additionally, once you get a bloodstone, you be very dangerous

i write this because elves do not need to take weapon finesse to be dangerous & i do not like dwarves

later

[itsmezed72]

The ranged specialist I built is a 32pt elf, with a 9/7 ranger/fighter split. Why that particular split? 9 Ranger gets you evasion, of course. But you also get 4ac barkskin and 20pt resists. Aside from the 4 extra feats, the 7 fighter levels get you Strength II, Armor Mastery II, Toughness III, Haste Boost III, and weapon specialization. Haste + Haste Boost + Manyshot and things get downright silly.

This particular character topped out at 30/30 for strength and dex, after using the +2 favor tome on strength and a +1 tome for dex. CON is a respectable 18, although in retropect I might have went with a couple less points in dex and shifted them to CON.

As for feats, I believe they are:

Bow Strength, Rapid Shot, TWF, Improved TWF, Manyshot, Evasion (from Ranger levels)
Greater TWF, Oversized TWF, Point Blank Shot, WF: Ranged, Specialization: Ranged, Imp. Crit: Ranged, Imp. Crit: Pierce, Precise Shot, Improved Precise Shot, and Toughness.

Let's not forget the elf bow enhancements, or deepwood sniper, either. Taken together, I've hit bow crits as high as 188 (physical) + 24 (good). Having GTWF as a back really helps, although the HP are a little light (334) to go toe-to-toe for extended periods.

[bringjoy]

1 piece of advice. I have a 32 pt elf ranger currently lvl 12 -- all ranged Deepwood sniper with a Bloodstone and i LOVE it.

Since most casters think CC is a thing of the past, Make sure you keep Solid Fog clickies on your toon. THrow it down, fire up the multi shot and sniper attacks and nothing gets to you

Have fun

[Deaths_ward]

My take on it was 12 Ranger 4 Fighter

Character Plan by DDO Character Planner Version 2.96
DDO Character Planner Home Page

Pincushin Maker
Level 16 Neutral Good Elf Male
(4 Fighter \ 12 Ranger) 
Hit Points: 223
Spell Points: 156 
BAB: 16\16\21\26\26
Fortitude: 13
Reflex: 16
Will: 6

                  Starting            Ending          Feat/Enhancement
Abilities        Base Stats         Base Stats         Modified Stats
(32 Point)       (Level 1)          (Level 16)           (Level 16)
Strength             16                 21                   22
Dexterity            18                 19                   24
Constitution         12                 12                   12
Intelligence         10                 10                   10
Wisdom               12                 12                   12
Charisma              8                  8                    8

Tomes Used
+1 Tome of Strength used at level 1
+1 Tome of Dexterity used at level 1

                  Starting          Feat/Enhancement
                 Base Skills         Modified Skills
Skills           (Level 1)            (Level 16)
Balance               6                    15.5
Bluff                -1                    -1
Concentration         1                     1
Diplomacy            -1                    -1
Disable Device        n/a                   n/a
Haggle               -1                     0
Heal                  1                     1
Hide                  8                    28
Intimidate           -1                    -1
Jump                  7                    16
Listen                1                     3
Move Silently         8                    28
Open Lock             n/a                   n/a
Perform              n/a                   n/a
Repair                0                     0
Search                0                     2
Spot                  5                    21
Swim                  7                    16
Tumble                n/a                   8
Use Magic Device     n/a                   n/a

Level 1 (Ranger)
Skill: Balance (+2)
Skill: Hide (+4)
Skill: Jump (+4)
Skill: Move Silently (+4)
Skill: Spot (+4)
Skill: Swim (+4)
Feat: (Favored Enemy) Favored Enemy: Giant
Feat: (Selected) Weapon Focus: Ranged Weapons


Level 2 (Ranger)
Skill: Balance (+0.5)
Skill: Hide (+1)
Skill: Jump (+1)
Skill: Move Silently (+1)
Skill: Spot (+1)
Skill: Swim (+1)


Level 3 (Ranger)
Skill: Balance (+0.5)
Skill: Hide (+1)
Skill: Jump (+1)
Skill: Move Silently (+1)
Skill: Spot (+1)
Skill: Swim (+1)
Feat: (Selected) Point Blank Shot


Level 4 (Ranger)
Ability Raise: STR
Skill: Balance (+0.5)
Skill: Hide (+1)
Skill: Jump (+1)
Skill: Move Silently (+1)
Skill: Spot (+1)
Skill: Swim (+1)


Level 5 (Ranger)
Skill: Balance (+0.5)
Skill: Hide (+1)
Skill: Jump (+1)
Skill: Move Silently (+1)
Skill: Spot (+1)
Skill: Swim (+1)
Feat: (Favored Enemy) Favored Enemy: Elemental


Level 6 (Ranger)
Skill: Balance (+0.5)
Skill: Hide (+1)
Skill: Jump (+1)
Skill: Move Silently (+1)
Skill: Spot (+1)
Skill: Swim (+1)
Feat: (Selected) Toughness


Level 7 (Fighter)
Skill: Hide (+0.5)
Skill: Move Silently (+0.5)
Feat: (Fighter Bonus) Dodge


Level 8 (Fighter)
Ability Raise: STR
Skill: Hide (+0.5)
Skill: Move Silently (+0.5)
Feat: (Fighter Bonus) Improved Critical: Ranged Weapons


Level 9 (Ranger)
Skill: Balance (+1)
Skill: Hide (+2)
Skill: Move Silently (+2)
Feat: (Selected) Mobility


Level 10 (Ranger)
Skill: Balance (+0.5)
Skill: Hide (+1)
Skill: Move Silently (+1)
Skill: Spot (+3)


Level 11 (Ranger)
Skill: Balance (+1)
Skill: Hide (+1)
Skill: Move Silently (+1)
Skill: Spot (+2)


Level 12 (Ranger)
Ability Raise: STR
Skill: Balance (+0.5)
Skill: Hide (+1)
Skill: Jump (+1)
Skill: Move Silently (+1)
Skill: Spot (+1)
Skill: Swim (+1)
Feat: (Favored Enemy) Favored Enemy: Evil Outsider
Feat: (Selected) Shot on the Run


Level 13 (Ranger)
Skill: Balance (+0.5)
Skill: Hide (+1)
Skill: Move Silently (+1)
Skill: Spot (+1)
Skill: Tumble (+1)


Level 14 (Ranger)
Skill: Balance (+0.5)
Skill: Haggle (+1)
Skill: Hide (+1)
Skill: Move Silently (+1)
Skill: Spot (+1)


Level 15 (Fighter)
Skill: Hide (+0.5)
Skill: Move Silently (+0.5)
Feat: (Selected) Toughness


Level 16 (Fighter)
Ability Raise: STR
Skill: Hide (+0.5)
Skill: Move Silently (+0.5)
Feat: (Fighter Bonus) Weapon Specialization: Ranged Weapons
Enhancement: Fighter Haste Boost I
Enhancement: Fighter Haste Boost II
Enhancement: Ranger Sprint Boost I
Enhancement: Ranger Sprint Boost II
Enhancement: Ranger Sprint Boost III
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: Ranger Favored Damage I
Enhancement: Ranger Favored Damage II
Enhancement: Ranger Favored Damage III
Enhancement: Ranger Favored Resistance I
Enhancement: Ranger Favored Resistance II
Enhancement: Ranger Deepwood Sniper I
Enhancement: Ranger Hide I
Enhancement: Ranger Hide II
Enhancement: Ranger Move Silently I
Enhancement: Ranger Move Silently II
Enhancement: Ranger Energy of the Wild I
Enhancement: Ranger Dexterity I
Enhancement: Ranger Dexterity II
Enhancement: Ranger Dexterity III
Enhancement: Fighter Strength I
Enhancement: Fighter Toughness I
Enhancement: Fighter Toughness II

Given all the stats above are without items equipped, with a +6 Con Item, Minos Legens and the Favor Bonus HP will hit, 299, 329 if you can fit a Greater False Life item in.
and with Ram's Might, Rage clicky/pot you'll hit 32 STR.