Ranger / Paladin?

[Empireworld]

I was told Ranger / Paladin would be a good multi-class but I don't see why. Would it be something like Ranger 18 / Paladin 2? What benefit would the Paladin bring me?

[wax_on_wax_off]

I was told Ranger / Paladin would be a good multi-class but I don't see why. Would it be something like Ranger 18 / Paladin 2? What benefit would the Paladin bring me?

Ranger 6 / Paladin 14 (highest DPS combo probably, no evasion though)
Ranger 12 / Paladin 6 / Monk 2 (most amounts of attacks/second, more versatile style character)
Ranger 6 / Paladin 12 / Monk 2 (loses significant DPS compared to option 1 but makes up for it with 2 feats and evasion).

Could all be plausibly decent builds (in order of preference).

There is decent synergy between the extra attacks/second of ranger with offhand tempest proc (+10% at 6, +20% at 12 for tempest I and II) and paladin abilities such as divine sacrifice and exalted smite. Half-elf with rogue dilettante or half-orc would be a natural choice for this to maximise DPS. Possibility for real top tier dps vs evil outsiders in particular. Could AC hate tank with either of the monk splashes. Expect to be stellar vs evil outsiders and acceptable vs others.

In the end, pure paladin will probably be a stronger character all around (or 18 paladin/2 monk for an AC hate tank).

[painkiller3]

Any thoughts on 18 paladin/2 ranger? Get the 2wf without spending pts on dex and save a feat? Or am I overlooking something silly?

[Symar-FangofLloth]

You'd only be getting the first TWF feat, which is half the offhand attacks compared to someone with all three.
And you're missing the Paladin capstone on top of that.

[Mithran]

Drow 18 Ranger/2 Paladin (depending on the roll) means huge Saves with Evasion, significant Ranged dps, good melee dps and potentially high A/C. It's very versatile and doesn't require all the key-punching Paladins typically do.

[licho]

Any thoughts on 18 paladin/2 ranger? Get the 2wf without spending pts on dex and save a feat? Or am I overlooking something silly?

I2WF & G2WF, you will still need a 17dex to take that. 2WF is all or nothing, unlike 2HF.
Paladins are not horribly starving class, you can take 5 combat feats, tuffness, and extend, and you are fine.

Rng18/Pal2 gives you extra boost for saves from charisma, however you will not have much points to spend there, as well as you will not benefit as much from cha as normal paladin. Its probably less optimal than rng 18/rog1/fig1.

Idea behind rng12/X 8 is that after lv12 you have to just find combinecion of class which overshines: +6dmg vs FA, FoM, and 5% doublestrike. So something like rng12/pal6/x2 could be doable. (not that i state thats good idea)

If you really need to splash Paladin with something, lets it be class with evasion. Pal18/monk2 for example.

Also Pals has nice captsone, so staying pure Pally is adviseable.

[Waylayer]

Ranger 6 / Paladin 14 (highest DPS combo probably, no evasion though)
Ranger 12 / Paladin 6 / Monk 2 (most amounts of attacks/second, more versatile style character)
Ranger 6 / Paladin 12 / Monk 2 (loses significant DPS compared to option 1 but makes up for it with 2 feats and evasion).

Could all be plausibly decent builds (in order of preference).

There is decent synergy between the extra attacks/second of ranger with offhand tempest proc (+10% at 6, +20% at 12 for tempest I and II) and paladin abilities such as divine sacrifice and exalted smite. Half-elf with rogue dilettante or half-orc would be a natural choice for this to maximise DPS. Possibility for real top tier dps vs evil outsiders in particular. Could AC hate tank with either of the monk splashes. Expect to be stellar vs evil outsiders and acceptable vs others.

In the end, pure paladin will probably be a stronger character all around (or 18 paladin/2 monk for an AC hate tank).

Just to point out, the 2nd option also provides the two extra feats and evasion (When you get evasions depends on when you take your 2nd level of monk or your 9th level of ranger).

[yawumpus]

Drow 18 Ranger/2 Paladin (depending on the roll) means huge Saves with Evasion, significant Ranged dps, good melee dps and potentially high A/C. It's very versatile and doesn't require all the key-punching Paladins typically do.

I don't see the AC. You might get a few points from your aura, but I suspect that is by paladin level. Put on heavy armor (or even mithral plate) and kiss evasion goodbye [not an option if the OP is wondering]. Maybe with a helfsploiter?

IF favored enemy and KotC bonuses stack, it might be interesting to examine a 12/7/1 ranger/paladin/rogue helfsploiter (monk dilettante). Just what an exploiter needs, one less dumpstat. You will lose 3 points of damage against all favored enemies, gain 3.5 against evil outsiders and +2 while divine might is active (should be a non-problem for exploiters). Divine sacrifice looks like the other big difference for an exaulsploiter, but it doesn't appear to be sufficiently front loaded to get excited about. [Note that 15/4/1 helfsploiters can combine the missing +3 to 4 favored enemies with +2 weapon specialization and have another feat to boot. This isn't enough to go exaulspoiter on].

Between the paladin hate bonus, paladin lay on hands, paladin toughness (three levels), paladin save bonus, paladin AC bonus, this might be the tanksploiter. Not so sure about the hit points. It looks like it would take at least a TR1 to get a choice between 1 16 and 1 14, and I originally put the 16 in strength. This means 20 less due to CON (assuming a 12 CHR), but 30 more due to toughness 1,2,3, 12 more hitpoints due to using d10 (over a helfsploiter with a single fighter level).

It might not replace many standard exploiters, but that doesn't make it useless. It should certainly be considered in comparison to a 18/2 TWF paladin/monk build.

[Mithran]

I don't see the AC. You might get a few points from your aura, but I suspect that is by paladin level. Put on heavy armor (or even mithral plate) and kiss evasion goodbye [not an option if the OP is wondering]. Maybe with a helfsploiter?

IF favored enemy and KotC bonuses stack, it might be interesting to examine a 12/7/1 ranger/paladin/rogue helfsploiter (monk dilettante). Just what an exploiter needs, one less dumpstat. You will lose 3 points of damage against all favored enemies, gain 3.5 against evil outsiders and +2 while divine might is active (should be a non-problem for exploiters). Divine sacrifice looks like the other big difference for an exaulsploiter, but it doesn't appear to be sufficiently front loaded to get excited about. [Note that 15/4/1 helfsploiters can combine the missing +3 to 4 favored enemies with +2 weapon specialization and have another feat to boot. This isn't enough to go exaulspoiter on].

Between the paladin hate bonus, paladin lay on hands, paladin toughness (three levels), paladin save bonus, paladin AC bonus, this might be the tanksploiter. Not so sure about the hit points. It looks like it would take at least a TR1 to get a choice between 1 16 and 1 14, and I originally put the 16 in strength. This means 20 less due to CON (assuming a 12 CHR), but 30 more due to toughness 1,2,3, 12 more hitpoints due to using d10 (over a helfsploiter with a single fighter level).

It might not replace many standard exploiters, but that doesn't make it useless. It should certainly be considered in comparison to a 18/2 TWF paladin/monk build.

I don't know why you'd be looking to wear Heavy Armor on what is ostensibly a dps build with Evasion. The Paladin levels are for the Saves.

The reason you'd go Ranger/Paladin in lieu of Paladin Monk is because you don't care to do all the button-mashing required in Paladin builds.

[FrozenNova]

I don't know why you'd be looking to wear Heavy Armor on what is ostensibly a dps build with Evasion. The Paladin levels are for the Saves.

Because you referred to AC. Without a monk splash (or dillettante), you won't have functional AC in less than full plate.

Paladin saves are powered by charisma. 2 paladin does not automatically give you saves on a 2. I can see starting at perhaps 12-14 cha maximum, and with a little effort could perhaps get 5-6 save bonus, which on a ranger, is not incredible. It offers far less than the typical fighter / rogue options, offering feats, haste boosts, umd, trap skills, suchlike.

[Shigura]

Just to let you know. you get ITWF at level 6 ranger and GTWF at level 12 ranger so there is no need for the 17 base dex unless you want ac.

[Ravoc-DDO]

Just to let you know. you get ITWF at level 6 ranger and GTWF at level 11 ranger so there is no need for the 17 base dex unless you want ac.

Fixed that for ya

[Phidius]

Just to let you know. you get ITWF at level 6 ranger and GTWF at level 11 ranger so there is no need for the 17 base dex unless you want ac.

I rolled a 28-point Dwarf 12 Ranger/7 Paladin/1 Rogue just so I could start Dex at 12 and still get gTWF. He's not an actively played character - I normally just bring him in for the rare fights where I can park him with auto attack on. Oh, and for those raids that I tend to shortman to give me extra chances at not pulling the loot I'm after.

The community (in general) expects certain things from a Ranger icon (like Freedom of Movement) that he simply can't provide. I can't really say I'd recommend the build on a primary account.

[garlor]

mixing ranger with pally is like mixing an spell casting class with another spell casting class, pointless ( wizard/clr, sorc/fvs are examples of poor mixes )

what gives you 12 levels of ranger? heals resistances, what gives you 6 levels of pally, heals resistances, uh .. duh?

either go pally with monk, rogue splash or ranger with fighter/monk/rogue splash

then only possible way I might foresee as viable is as a tank with 12 rngr 6-8 pally, but even then ....

[Shigura]

there is no need to trash a ranger/ paladin build :P . 12 ranger 7 paladin 1 rogue is a good build.

Ranger level 12 gives full bark skin Tempest II
Paladin level 7 gives Extra LoH 2 and 1st PrE paladin
Rogue level 1 for UMD :P so this is actually a great set up for a 28 pt. build

[kuro_zero]

Pal 14 / rgr 6 split was tossed around when tempest I and pal zeal were attack speed bonuses. With the changes to both, don't see it as a viable split anymore.

I like the 12 rgr/7pal/1rog split. Splashing too deeply as primarily paladin give up too many paly goodies, IMO.

[Shigura]

Pal 14 / rgr 6 split was tossed around when tempest I and pal zeal were attack speed bonuses. With the changes to both, don't see it as a viable split anymore.

I like the 12 rgr/7pal/1rog split. Splashing too deeply as primarily paladin give up too many paly goodies, IMO.

yeah the "zealest" was one of the fastest attacking builds before the changes now its practically worthless