Ranger Pure (Comments)?

[dsebutchr]

I've been wanting to play a pure Archer for a while now. I know all the arguements about splashing, I wanted a pure.
Along the lines of a pure could some folks with more experience than me look at this and tell me what I'm doing wrong or missing please? Thanks in advance to those that help out.

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Level 20 Chaotic Good Elf Male
(20 Ranger) 
Hit Points: 262
Spell Points: 458 
BAB: 20\20\25\30\30
Fortitude: 14
Reflex: 21
Will: 8

                  Starting          Feat/Enhancement
Abilities        Base Stats          Modified Stats
(32 Point)       (Level 1)             (Level 20)
Strength             14                    14
Dexterity            18                    28
Constitution         14                    14
Intelligence          8                     8
Wisdom               14                    14
Charisma              8                     8

                  Starting          Feat/Enhancement
                 Base Skills         Modified Skills
Skills           (Level 1)            (Level 20)
Balance               4                     9
Bluff                -1                    -1
Concentration         2                     7
Diplomacy            -1                    -1
Disable Device       n/a                   n/a
Haggle               -1                    -1
Heal                  2                     3
Hide                  8                    32
Intimidate           -1                    -1
Jump                  2                     5
Listen                2                    15
Move Silently         8                    32
Open Lock             n/a                   n/a
Perform              n/a                   n/a
Repair               -1                    -1
Search                3                    22
Spot                  6                     9
Swim                  2                     3
Tumble                n/a                   n/a
Use Magic Device      1                    10

Level 1 (Ranger)
Feat: (Favored Enemy) Favored Enemy: Undead
Feat: (Selected) Weapon Focus: Ranged Weapons
Enhancement: Aerenal Elf Melee Damage I
Enhancement: Elven Ranged Damage I


Level 2 (Ranger)
Enhancement: Ranger Favored Damage I
Enhancement: Ranger Favored Defense I
Enhancement: Ranger Dexterity I


Level 3 (Ranger)
Feat: (Selected) Point Blank Shot
Enhancement: Elven Dexterity I
Enhancement: Ranger Favored Resistance I


Level 4 (Ranger)
Enhancement: Aerenal Elf Melee Attack I
Enhancement: Elven Ranged Attack I
Enhancement: Ranger Energy of the Wild I


Level 5 (Ranger)
Feat: (Favored Enemy) Favored Enemy: Giant
Enhancement: Ranger Favored Damage II


Level 6 (Ranger)
Feat: (Selected) Mental Toughness
Enhancement: Ranger Arcane Archer: Imbue Force Arrows
Enhancement: Ranger Arcane Archer I


Level 7 (Ranger)
Enhancement: Ranger Dexterity II


Level 8 (Ranger)
Enhancement: Elven Dexterity II


Level 9 (Ranger)
Feat: (Selected) Dodge
Enhancement: Ranger Favored Attack I
Enhancement: Ranger Favored Defense II
Enhancement: Ranger Arcane Archer: Conjure +2 Arrows


Level 10 (Ranger)
Feat: (Favored Enemy) Favored Enemy: Evil Outsider
Enhancement: Elven Ranged Attack II


Level 11 (Ranger)
Enhancement: Elven Ranged Damage II


Level 12 (Ranger)
Feat: (Selected) Mobility
Enhancement: Ranger Favored Damage III
Enhancement: Ranger Arcane Archer: Conjure +3 Arrows


Level 13 (Ranger)


Level 14 (Ranger)
Enhancement: Ranger Favored Resistance II
Enhancement: Ranger Dexterity III


Level 15 (Ranger)
Feat: (Favored Enemy) Favored Enemy: Vermin
Feat: (Selected) Spring Attack
Enhancement: Ranger Favored Defense III
Enhancement: Ranger Arcane Archer: Conjure +4 Arrows


Level 16 (Ranger)
Enhancement: Ranger Favored Attack II


Level 17 (Ranger)
Enhancement: Ranger Favored Damage IV


Level 18 (Ranger)
Feat: (Selected) Toughness
Enhancement: Racial Toughness I
Enhancement: Racial Toughness II
Enhancement: Ranger Arcane Archer: Conjure +5 Arrows


Level 19 (Ranger)
Enhancement: Ranger Favored Resistance III


Level 20 (Ranger)
Feat: (Favored Enemy) Favored Enemy: Lawful Outsider
Enhancement: Ranger Master of Archery
Enhancement: Ranger Energy of the Wild II

[dsebutchr]

c'mon folks 34 views and no suggestions? I have 32pt build and I'm Elven Ranger pure. Gotta be an opinion out there?

Should I take Weapon Finesse? No?

[Lorien_the_First_One]

Drop dex to 16, assume a +1 con tome, they are cheap and available.

Consider dropping WIS to 10, you will need a +4 item to cast L4 spells.

Raise strength with the points saved. All level ups into STR.

Drop all ranged feats and arcane ranger enhancements, give up the idea that past l8 there is any point in being range focussed. You are good for 20 seconds every 2 minutes, otherwise you will be using TWF. Take Tempest.

[WeiQuinn]

Drop Dodge, Mobility and Spring Attack for Weapon Finesse, Improved Crit: Ranged and Improved Crit: Pierce since Rapiers are Finessible.

Put more points into Spot than Search (eventually you'll pick up a Detect Secret Doors clickie).

Not sure if 10 UMD is really worth it. You'd be better off putting those points into Balance.

Give yourself 10 ranks in Jump (with your Jump spell you'll hit 40, which is the cap).

[dsebutchr]

WeiQuinn thank you very much for the suggestions. I think I agree with you. +1 rep for the help


Lor I appreciate your opinion as well, but I said in my post I wanted a pure archer build. I have twf builds and they bore me to tears. I don't really care if they are the "best". But thank you as your suggestions are correct for anyone that cares about a TWF build.

[xberto]

WeiQuinn has it right. I'd also add that elemental as a favored enemy is a good choice because evasion guys are often asked to take care of the fire ele's. I originally took 14 wisdom on my arcane archer but dropped it to 10 when I reincarnated. I just never needed that many spell points and points in str or con benefit you much more. Also, most important is that, although ranging is fun, you need to TWF sometimes so take Weapon Finesse for sure.

[WeiQuinn]

Heh, I forgot to look over your Favored Enemy choices.

I went with Undead, Constructs and Elementals since they are uncrittable and topped off the other 2 choices with Evil Outsiders and Aberrations.

I would Drop Lawful Outsider, since Evil Outsider should take care of any outsider. Vermin is another one that can be better used by something else.

My pure Elven ranged Ranger started life as a 28-pointer way back in Feb. 2006. His starting abilities were..

Strength 14
Dexterity 16
Constitution 12
Intelligence 12
Wisdom 12
Charisma 10

Since then, he has read a +2 Dexterity favor tome, a +2 Strength tome, a +2 Constitution tome and a +2 Wisdom tome. All level-ups went into Dexterity along with the 5 Dexterity enhancements.

If I were to do it all over again (as a 28-pointer) I would start like this...

Strength 14
Dexterity 16 (18 as a 32-pointer) + 5 ability increases + 5 enhancements = 26 (28)
Constitution 12 + 2 favor tome = 14
Intelligence 10
Wisdom 14
Charisma 10

As for his feats, they are Point Blank Shot, Weapon Focus: Ranged, Mental Toughness, Improved Critical: Piercing/Ranged, Weapon Finesse and Toughness.

He was a Deepwoods Sniper, but I changed him to an Arcane Archer at level 18 when I picked up Mental Toughness.

[Fennario]

Honestly, I would make your archer strength based. At least 16 strength and put all level ups into strength.

I'd do something like 16 str 18 dex 14 con 10 wis, or 18 str 16 dex 14 con 8 wis. Or something else close to that. Mostly str and dex in other words.

Even without level ups in dex, with ranger and elf enhancements, tomes, items, etc. your dex will still be up there around 30. You'll be able to hit with your bow.

And with the added strength, you'll hit much harder with your bow. And you'll save a feat for melee capability because you won't need weapon finesse.

And if somewhere down the line you decide that archery is not working out, you can swap feats around and have a perfectly viable strength based tempest ranger.

Just my take.

[WeiQuinn]

Honestly, I would make your archer strength based. At least 16 strength and put all level ups into strength.

I'd do something like 16 str 18 dex 14 con 10 wis, or 18 str 16 dex 14 con 8 wis. Or something else close to that. Mostly str and dex in other words.

Even without level ups in dex, with ranger and elf enhancements, tomes, items, etc. your dex will still be up there around 30. You'll be able to hit with your bow.

And with the added strength, you'll hit much harder with your bow. And you'll save a feat for melee capability because you won't need weapon finesse.

And if somewhere down the line you decide that archery is not working out, you can swap feats around and have a perfectly viable strength based tempest ranger.

Just my take.

I've considered rolling up a 32-point Tempest with balanced Dex/Str that used Scimitars and took the Master of Archery capstone. I may still do that, but I have enough alts at the moment... something to think about in the future though.

[Dragavon]

Honestly, I would make your archer strength based. At least 16 strength and put all level ups into strength.

I'd do something like 16 str 18 dex 14 con 10 wis, or 18 str 16 dex 14 con 8 wis. Or something else close to that. Mostly str and dex in other words.

Even without level ups in dex, with ranger and elf enhancements, tomes, items, etc. your dex will still be up there around 30. You'll be able to hit with your bow.

And with the added strength, you'll hit much harder with your bow. And you'll save a feat for melee capability because you won't need weapon finesse.

And if somewhere down the line you decide that archery is not working out, you can swap feats around and have a perfectly viable strength based tempest ranger.

Just my take.

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