Noob Ranger build

[Locke_L]

New to the game and wanted to ask what people think about this build. The character is now lvl 3 and close to 4. Two things about this build. Skills and enhancements will be adjusted some, I'm sure, as I go. But this is a good guideline as I think I have what I will want there. Also, at CL 3, I have actually taken oversized two weapon fighting instead of mobility. At CL 6 / Ranger 5, I will do a feat exchange for Mobility (before I go to the trainer and actually lvl) and then at the trainer take Spring Attack to then have Mobility+Spring Attack in order to get Tempest 1 at CL 7 / Ranger 6. My reasoning is that I hate to take Mobility in the first place, but I want to go Tempest, so I only want to suffer that feat when I need to. And I know at lower levels, OTWF will be far more valuable than Mobility. I do end up taking OTWF at lvl 12, but that might change depending on how well I'm hitting stuff at that time.

Oh yeah, the stats include no tomes or stat items, but that will change in order to even stats out and get Wisdom enough to cast spells as they become available. Also, I am dual wielding dwarven axes.

Please be kind to the noob and let me know how this is. Thanks.

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Level 20 Lawful Good Dwarf Male
(1 Rogue \ 19 Ranger) 
Hit Points: 320
Spell Points: 280 
BAB: 19\19\24\29\29
Fortitude: 15
Reflex: 16
Will: 6

                  Starting          Feat/Enhancement
Abilities        Base Stats          Modified Stats
(32 Point)       (Level 1)             (Level 20)
Strength             18                    23
Dexterity            14                    17
Constitution         16                    18
Intelligence         10                    10
Wisdom               10                    10
Charisma              6                     6

                  Starting          Feat/Enhancement
                 Base Skills         Modified Skills
Skills           (Level 1)            (Level 20)
Balance               6                    11
Bluff                -2                    -2
Concentration         5                    15
Diplomacy            -2                    -2
Disable Device        4                    19
Haggle               -2                    -2
Heal                  0                     0
Hide                  6                     7
Intimidate           -2                    -2
Jump                  4                     6
Listen                0                     0
Move Silently         6                     7
Open Lock             6                    10
Perform              n/a                   n/a
Repair                0                     0
Search                4                    16
Spot                  4                    16
Swim                  4                     6
Tumble                n/a                   n/a
Use Magic Device     n/a                   21

Level 1 (Rogue)
Feat: (Selected) Dodge
Enhancement: Rogue Haste Boost I
Enhancement: Dwarven Axe Damage I
Enhancement: Rogue Sneak Attack Training I


Level 2 (Ranger)
Feat: (Favored Enemy) Favored Enemy: Undead


Level 3 (Ranger)
Feat: (Selected) Mobility
Enhancement: Ranger Dexterity I


Level 4 (Ranger)
Enhancement: Dwarven Axe Attack I
Enhancement: Dwarven Constitution I
Enhancement: Ranger Devotion I


Level 5 (Ranger)
Enhancement: Ranger Devotion II
Enhancement: Ranger Energy of the Wild I


Level 6 (Ranger)
Feat: (Favored Enemy) Favored Enemy: Evil Outsider
Feat: (Selected) Spring Attack
Enhancement: Dwarven Spell Defense I


Level 7 (Ranger)
Enhancement: Dwarven Axe Damage II
Enhancement: Ranger Tempest I
Enhancement: Ranger Dexterity II


Level 8 (Ranger)
Enhancement: Dwarven Constitution II


Level 9 (Ranger)
Feat: (Selected) Toughness
Enhancement: Racial Toughness I
Enhancement: Racial Toughness II
Enhancement: Ranger Energy of the Wild II


Level 10 (Ranger)
Enhancement: Dwarven Axe Attack II


Level 11 (Ranger)
Feat: (Favored Enemy) Favored Enemy: Aberration
Enhancement: Racial Toughness III


Level 12 (Ranger)
Feat: (Selected) Oversized Two Weapon Fighting
Enhancement: Racial Toughness IV


Level 13 (Ranger)
Enhancement: Ranger Tempest II
Enhancement: Ranger Energy of the Wild III


Level 14 (Ranger)
Enhancement: Ranger Devotion III


Level 15 (Ranger)
Feat: (Selected) Extend Spell
Enhancement: Rogue Damage Boost I
Enhancement: Ranger Devotion IV


Level 16 (Ranger)
Feat: (Favored Enemy) Favored Enemy: Giant
Enhancement: Ranger Skill Boost I
Enhancement: Dwarven Spell Defense II


Level 17 (Ranger)
Enhancement: Dwarven Spell Defense III


Level 18 (Ranger)
Feat: (Selected) Quicken Spell
Enhancement: Ranger Dexterity III


Level 19 (Ranger)
Enhancement: Ranger Skill Boost II
Enhancement: Ranger Tempest III


Level 20 (Ranger)
Enhancement: Ranger Skill Boost III

[Silvershaper]

Looks good overall, which I believe is why there has been no responses until now. You're ending on odd str and dex at lvl 20, so you can hope for an odd tome or maybe exceptional bonus from item to even that out. With dex, you can adjust your enhancements and free up 6 AP from ranger dex 3.

About skills: I've never used concentration myself, so I don't know if 15 is enough, but you should be able to get 23 ranks (+ constitution modifier) at lvl 20. Same thing with disable device, only more important here. If you have some spare points, you could throw them at open lock, I think 10 is on the very low side, even though you don't need as many points here as on DD. And you should definitely allocate some points for spot and especially search if possible - without a good search, you'll never get the trap disabled.

About feats: You'll want to take giant earlier, so that you have that covered before you get to Gianthold. I would take giant instead of aberrations, and then constructs or elementals last. The other feats look good, but I'd skip extend, since your spells will have the same duration in minutes as your ranger class level. I would also skip quicken, since you'll mostly use spells as buffs before you start fighting. Though if you plan on using concentration to battleheal, quicken might make sense. I would choose differently though. This will give you 1 or 2 extra feats, I'll recommend Improved Critical: Slashing (your battle axes are slashing, right?) and Power Attack. Maybe you should even delay OTWF and start with IC and PA instead.

I would recommend splashing another level of something, since ranger 19 gives you nothing special over ranger 18 (which is where you get Tempest III). You can take another rogue level (check the benefits on rogue 2), a level of fighter or barb (very popular splashes for dps) or even a level of monk, though I would not recommend that in your case.

Your enhancements are looking good as well, and I will not comment further on those, since you can switch them out every 3 days for a small amount of plat. I usually do that every now and then while leveling, to make sure I always have the best available.

[Locke_L]

Thank you for replying. You know, I think I will go another level of Rogue like you suggest...I was considering the possibility of another lvl of something else. I guess another Rogue lvl will help with skills, as I'm finding myself spread a little too thin this way and I hate agonizing over that. Fighter or Barb I like too, but skills would suffer even worse than now. Tough decision.

I will also follow the advice on favored enemies, as you would know better than I what mobs I will be facing. I will look at those metamagic feats too. I wasn't at all sure about them. I was thinking of IC slash while building this char, but I decided to attempt to own keen weaps instead, as I heard those two things don't stack. However, maybe you are right about IC as well. Perhaps I will have a weap that doesn't have keen but has other good stuff. I would hate not having IC then.

You have been very helpful...thx.