Arty/Ranger multiclassing?

[joneb1999]

Is there any synergy with Ranger possible that isn't major suckage?

[drsmooth]

Ranger 6 for Deepwood Sniper and Ram's Might.

[KreepyKritter]

If you sacrifice Rune Arm use for Bows, going Elven AA is worthwhile. I don't see any synergy with Ranger, otherwise. None of the same skills. Not even the same casting stat. Only synergy I see is Pally (charisma), Wizard (int/sp/spells) or rogue (SA)

Can always splash fighter for proficiencies/HP/Feats/kensai though.

[ormsbygore]

Deepwood Sniper would be nice for the increased PBS/SA Range, and 2 Favored Enemy feats are kinda nice(Evil Outsider and Construct). I'm thinking about a 6 Ranger splash for my repeater rogue's next life as an Artificer(currently level 10, but plan on 13 Rogue/6 Ranger/1 Fighter - Sniper Mechanic). If Deepwood Sniper 2 is any good it may be worth taking.

[dummeskind]

I play out atm a 12 ranger 8 Arti Build(or 11 Ranger 9 Arti),and need to say its realy nice,its my Old Toon from Europe that i have TR in a Halfelf and he have 10 mixed Repeaters (MineralII,LightII and Earthgrab) and hell u get enough feats,u can Buff ur Repeater up with a Elemant Dmg or a DR Breaker.

Only thinking is to go 11 Arti 9 Ranger,or 12 Arti 6 Ranger and 2 Rog,and u got a UMD Trap Monster.

Only prob is ur Pet HP sucks^^

Would be a Dex Build,end Stats must be around.

22-24 Str
38-40 Dex
22 Con
Int around 26
Wis 18-20
Char 20

[EustaceTrevelyan]

Is there any synergy with Ranger possible that isn't major suckage?

I wish DWS were worth the 6 levels of ranger ( i know you also get the other ranger goodies, but for dws not really worth it. imho.) But it prolly isn't. The bump in range to 25 meters from 15 is apparently really nice, but you're sacrificing high level arti goodness for it, and high level that Xbow isn't going to save you (I'll be making an arti, and maybe it'll even be the one that makes it to 20, but i know high level i'm going to be buffing and sadly plunking away with my not at all uber xbow)


Hmmm, dummeskind seems to agree, looks like if you want some ranger now, you need to go at least to 9 for evasion. But try it out on lama and let us know

[joneb1999]

I wish DWS were worth the 6 levels of ranger ( i know you also get the other ranger goodies, but for dws not really worth it. imho.) But it prolly isn't. The bump in range to 25 meters from 15 is apparently really nice, but you're sacrificing high level arti goodness for it, and high level that Xbow isn't going to save you (I'll be making an arti, and maybe it'll even be the one that makes it to 20, but i know high level i'm going to be buffing and sadly plunking away with my not at all uber xbow)


Hmmm, dummeskind seems to agree, looks like if you want some ranger now, you need to go at least to 9 for evasion. But try it out on lama and let us know

Thanks to everyone who replied. Until I get a new computer I wont be playing so I will keep an eye on how things go. Until then I will monitor the forums.

I ask as I already have a 5th level ranger and was going to level that but now with arti coming out and he being a range worthy player too I dont know what to do. Im concerned that if peeps accept ranged into a party they will rather have arti than ranger for all the arti buffs too. However if I drop my ranger and restart with an arti I will be a small fish in a huge shoal on the server and I dont know if I want to jump on the show boat so early.

Maybe I would be better to get my 18 rogue to 20 then tr him to an arti and a helf for the extra sneak damage benefits or multishot xbow if thats possible?

Sorry Dr Smooth I have given too much rep in the last few hours.

[KreepyKritter]

After going back and pondering a bit, it occurs to me that for Melee focused players, this might not be a terrible approch.

Full TWS specc (granted you'd lose Rune-arms), with access to a boat-load of ranged feats (for Fwee). All of which provide a level of versitility to the build that a pure built Arty wouldn't have. The decision that has to be made with a ranger/arty build, however, is whether to go 3 (TWF/Rapid Shot/Bow Strength), 6 (ITWF, ManyShot), 9 (Evasion) or 11 (GTWF/PS/IPS) ranger levels. All of which are tempting, but the lack of which aren't necessarily build-breaking.

Evasion, of course, can be easily acquired with 2 lvls of rogue or 1 lvl of monk.

All the ranged feats (less Many Shot) can be taken at lvls 4/8/12/16/20 at one's leisure.

Honestly, it really ends up just being a flavor choice. You're basically already walking around with a Rogue/Wiz build to start with, less backstab and evasion. I'll be interested to see if any ranger splashes show up in live (once the update drops in two weeks) and whether or not they're viable (at all, not just end game).

I, for one, don't forsee any splash builds in my immediate future. I see too much being sacrificed, between spells and spell slots lost, reduced effectiveness of the homunculus, lost SP, and lost capstone... just doesn't seem worth it. Maybe a rogue with Arty splash (low level buffs + taking Construct Essence and the freebie repairs for self-healing) for a lot of the same reasons you see rogue/wiz builds.

[fatherpirate]

the only synergy

half elf....ranger dil feat...AA (elf)
20 lvls of artifier...skip all xbow stuff
make sure you have a good dex for certain bow feats...like many shot ect.

that is almost as good as ranger..with trade offs
Sneaky no - traps yes
better pet <by a long shot>
healing weaker for non-WF - more spell based DPS

it all boils down too

What do you like better?

Bow or xbow ?

[rimble]

Just addressing some things that may not have been, I quickly skimmed this post:

Arcane Archer doesn't work with Crossbows.
Manyshot doesn't work with Crossbows.
You can't take both Arcane Archer and Deepwood Sniper.

What aspect of Ranger are you particularly trying to mingle with Artificer? If going for Ranged (Bow) type stuff, I don't see much synergy there. Better off as an AA Kensai.

If interested in some sort of Melee, I still don't think I'd mingle Ranger with Artificer for that.

[DarkShaolin]

I was thinking about the new artificer class, and thought of this spec that might be nice to try with either heavy repeating crossbow or great crossbows since now we have a way to conjure bolts, and arcane archer stances like force arrows and such apply to xbows...arcane archer will not let you conjure bolts, but, will again work with the stances. My only question is does arcane archer stances stack with artificer weapon buffs? Either way Arcane archer buffs from race are better within the lvl 7 range of artificer in this spec. But i wonder if both would apply since arcane archer abilities like force burst arrows are a stance, and artificer weapon enhancements are not a stance but more of a weapon buff. Ranger lvls even dilly ranger doesn't really help much, since artificer are geared towards xbows not a longbow. So bow strength, and manyshots feats would be useless here. This spec is specialized to ranged use with xbows, as such str is not a needed stat other then to carry more gear, also wis, and chr doesn't sound much use either. i'd rather specialize in ranged damage and counter melee with incressed defense, avoidance of damage, and damage reduction then focus both on melee and ranged..there is no reason you can't fight a melee opponent point blank with an xbow if your spec to handle the damage to go toe to toe, or avoid going toe to toe by kitting them.

Here is what i was thinking.

Half Elf ( barbarian dilly feat for con +1 increase and damage reduction 3/-, but use what ever dilly best helps you...just a suggestion.) (elven arcane archer)

lvl 7 Fighter (kensai 1) ( specialized weapon, haste boost, fighter critical accuracy, free feats.)
lvl 7 Artificer (battle engineer 1) ( for pet, endless fusillade, conjure bolts, healing , ...so many reasons.)
lvl 6 Rogue (rogue mechanic 1) (to allow int bonus to apply to xbow damage, and to get evasion/uncanny dodge)

I should start off with saying that i am not 100% sure which stats are important to artificer class yet since it isn't released yet, but have heard UMD is important for it some reason.( EDIT : I just learned there primary stat for artificer is int, not Chr...so did an edit to this post, and changed dilly feat from pally to barbarian and adjusted the stats at starting.)

32 point build:
was thinking starting stats of :

str 8
dex 16
con 14
int 18
wis 8
chr 8

then at lvl 7 use a +2 to all stats tome.

After +2 all tome and enhancments i used in my spec stats worked out before items and other buffs as :

str 10
dex 20
con 18
int 24
wis 10
chr 10


It should give 13 selectable feats by lvl 20, and all the ranged feats needed with xbows, also i would recommend for the artificer class feat I'd get if not a warforged, I would get the feat construct essence, it allows repair damage spells to let you receive 50% of the healing, sort of like how a warforged is healed by positive energy.

An idea for a weapon in mind I am thinking of is maybe a+5 Wounding Flametouched Iron heavy repeating xbow of Smiting.

First i say flametouched iron for the evil alignment bypass, but not sure its possible to find such a material in a xbow, but was an ideal example probably though most likely best material able to obtain in a xbow is densewood. Also the bow fires in 3 round bursts so each pull of the trigger fires 3 shots each doing +1 con damage each = +3 con damage per pull of the trigger except against crit immune, which leads me to why i picked smiting for the suffix. Really only creatures that are crit immune are construct types like golems or players with heavy fortification, and this kills them outright with vorpral blow...construct types...not non warforged players with heavy fort, or does 4d6 per shotx3 shots= 12d6 against constructs per pull of the trigger. Though potentially could work around that with precision feat to lower there fortification by 25% thus making them crit resistant, but not immune....also gives player a +4 to hit , but lowers players damage by half.

As for armor maybe a +5 fearsome mithril chain shirt of heavy fortifcation. light armor so it works with evasion, and mithril to remove most of the penilties. fearsome since this spec is geared to ranged damage and to help keep them off you, and heavy fortification to make you crit immune.

This is just a thought for an idea.. it isn't completely formed yet...though getting there, but thought i would throw it out there for you all to see, think about, and discuss.

[DarkShaolin]

Just addressing some things that may not have been, I quickly skimmed this post:

Arcane Archer doesn't work with Crossbows.
Manyshot doesn't work with Crossbows.
You can't take both Arcane Archer and Deepwood Sniper.

What aspect of Ranger are you particularly trying to mingle with Artificer? If going for Ranged (Bow) type stuff, I don't see much synergy there. Better off as an AA Kensai.

If interested in some sort of Melee, I still don't think I'd mingle Ranger with Artificer for that.

Arcane archer stances work like acid arrows, force burst, and slaying arrows...in that way and which is the primary reason to get Arcane archer. The only way arcane archer doesn't work with xbows is conjuring up +1 through +5 bolts , for conjoureing +1 bolts that comes with lvl 1 artificer. ...but for that your better off going with Elven arcane archer instead of ranger arcane archer...imo

Manyshot doesn't work with crossbows , that is correct, but then bows doesn't work with endless fusillade.

Of course you can't take 2 prestige enhancments from the same class. lol however i wouldn't take ranger at all with artificer anyways ...unless you were trying for arcane archer and were going warforged for the repair damage spell for heals...but then it is easier to get it as an elf/ half elf, and then go the other way around and take the free artificer bonus feat called construct essence, and get elven arcane archer

[fatherpirate]

Arcane archer stances work like acid arrows, force burst, and slaying arrows...in that way and which is the primary reason to get Arcane archer. The only way arcane archer doesn't work with xbows is conjuring up +1 through +5 bolts , for conjoureing +1 bolts that comes with lvl 1 artificer. ...but for that your better off going with Elven arcane archer instead of ranger arcane archer...imo

Manyshot doesn't work with crossbows , that is correct, but then bows doesn't work with endless fusillade.

Of course you can't take 2 prestige enhancments from the same class. lol however i wouldn't take ranger at all with artificer anyways ...unless you were trying for arcane archer and were going warforged for the repair damage spell for heals...but then it is easier to get it as an elf/ half elf, and then go the other way around and take the free artificer bonus feat called construct essence, and get elven arcane archer

Exactly....If you go Artificer AA Elf, you don't use xbows..or runearms..and you skip any enhancements based
on them

[wiglin]

6 Ranger adds the following to an artificer.

PBS extended to 25 meters. That almost doubles how far you can be from the mob and still get your bonus damage. The epic hellfire crossbow is 4d12+12 in pbs range. You also get to add +2dmg from rams might, not the str bonus, but the damage itself, and up to +6 damage vs 2 favored enemies. That is pretty good for the x-bow focused build.

Take at least 6 rogue for mechanic 1, and you can dump dex completely, using insightful strikes as a spell and getting int to damage from mechanic. Once you get a tovens hammer and add lighting strike to your weapon, the hellfire crossbow becomes a great weapon for non fire immune mobs.

After playing around using nothing but crossbows, I have become a fan of any of the
7/7/6 or 8/6/6 splits focusing 100% on ranged damage.

Even though manyshot does not work with a rune arm, just hot key everything and when manyshot is off timer pull out an epic thornlord for 4d8+16 damage, then hotkey back to the x-bow setup. This will be a viable and fun build option next update.

[DarkShaolin]

6 Ranger adds the following to an artificer.

PBS extended to 25 meters. That almost doubles how far you can be from the mob and still get your bonus damage. The epic hellfire crossbow is 4d12+12 in pbs range. You also get to add +2dmg from rams might, not the str bonus, but the damage itself, and up to +6 damage vs 2 favored enemies. That is pretty good for the x-bow focused build.

Take at least 6 rogue for mechanic 1, and you can dump dex completely, using insightful strikes as a spell and getting int to damage from mechanic. Once you get a tovens hammer and add lighting strike to your weapon, the hellfire crossbow becomes a great weapon for non fire immune mobs.

After playing around using nothing but crossbows, I have become a fan of any of the
7/7/6 or 8/6/6 splits focusing 100% on ranged damage.

Even though manyshot does not work with a rune arm, just hot key everything and when manyshot is off timer pull out an epic thornlord for 4d8+16 damage, then hotkey back to the x-bow setup. This will be a viable and fun build option next update.

Is it possible to get the epic hellfire xbow as F2P, i am a premium account, not p2p. i don't ever plan on going p2p.. i have pretty much everything as f2p.

Also i feel lvl 7 fighter (kensai 1) ( repeating heavy xbow specialization) is better then 7 lvls of ranger for this... considering in that span of lvls you get much better collection of enhancements, , you don't lose any feats ( ranged feats.. i mean my starting str is 8...i don't plan on going melee any time soon here)..though you do lose favored enemy which might be the single only reason to even consider ranger in this spec...imo.

[DarkShaolin]

Exactly....If you go Artificer AA Elf, you don't use xbows..or runearms..and you skip any enhancements based
on them

...but was gonna focus around crossbows with elf aa.. i have recent learned i was wrong , and stances like force arrows do not work with xbows.. so rerolled as warforged. I learned it used to be like that with AA, but that changed.

[rimble]

EDIT: nm, I see in your previous post you figured it out

[Cyr]

It is possible to go six or eleven ranger (for feats and extra damage), take elven AA, take a decent number of artificer levels and make a crossbow focused toon who swaps to bow for manyshot. Nothing beats the dps of manyshot on a toon that is set up to take at least some advantage of it while it is going and unlike the melee hybrid approaches (which are very respectable) it has more feat and itemization synergy (same accesories and armors increase ranged dps while not all melee dps increasing options work with ranged).

Note, in this build you do not take DWS (which is really not a big lose at all) and your AA enhancement line exists entirely for the 20 seconds you have many shot. Not the easiest build type to pull off, but something along these lines is probably where I will build my ranged TR.

[wiglin]

Is it possible to get the epic hellfire xbow as F2P, i am a premium account, not p2p. i don't ever plan on going p2p.. i have pretty much everything as f2p.

Also i feel lvl 7 fighter (kensai 1) ( repeating heavy xbow specialization) is better then 7 lvls of ranger for this... considering in that span of lvls you get much better collection of enhancements, , you don't lose any feats ( ranged feats.. i mean my starting str is 8...i don't plan on going melee any time soon here)..though you do lose favored enemy which might be the single only reason to even consider ranger in this spec...imo.

The epic hellfire crossbow is available if you purchase the devils assault pack with the chronoscope raid.

I am a big fan of 6 rangers if only to extend pbs an extra 10 meters. That is a significant dps boost from further away. Kensai is a solid choice and many prefer kensai over ranger. I like what ranger brings to the table though.

+6 Damage to Constructs and Evil Outsiders = this will cover raiding
+2 Damage from rams might
25 Meter PBS Range = this is significant, pbs doubles your based damage and the further you can start doubling your damage the better
Ranger Sprint Boost = zoom zoom
Sniper Shot = not amazing, but +1 crit range and multiplier every 10 seconds
Manyshot = Even without a high str, swapping to an epic thornlord for manyshot and then back x-bows will be a significant dps boost

[JasonJi72]

I like the idea of a ranged Arty Elven AA switching to bows for manyshot. Even without a high strength, the dps is still respectable during manyshot.

Not knowing exactly what Arty brings to the table at high levels, I cannot even begin to draw up a build yet. It seems like you lose a lot by not maxing Arty from what I have read so far. The pet alone almost seems to make it worth considering taking him to cap.

I also like the idea of taking Mechanic I for the intelligence boost for crossbows.

What type of magic effects does Arty have?

Healing should not be too much of an issue with a high UMD.