Hybrid Survival Solo Build Ranger/Cleric

[forumname1]

Hey all I just was wondering I might try out a build I thought of, a dps/survival good solo build with some good dps. But before I put hours into game time to try out my build, I would like for you people to criticize anything and add constructive tips on how to make it better. Unfortunately I have no clue on how to make the skill build in here so I will put the URL right here:

http://www.neurovat.com/ddochargen/h...px?build=61366

That has most of the description on it but if you need more its combining the sheer power a Arcane Archer has and the heals a cleric has (even though its only going up to level 4 spells I thought it would help, and having the Ranger needing Wisdom to use his spells Cleric is a great class to multi with. I'm thinking it would have a good survival to it it can self heal and buff and do lots of damage (arcane archer if built correctly is amazingly powerful).

Leave helpful and constructive criticism down below and no hatin'

[EllisDee37]

Con is not a dump stat. For this build, wisdom is the dump stat. (And cha, as you already do.) In addition to dumping wisdom, move the wisdom levelups (?) over to your damage stat. At first glance that appears to be dex. Put all five (seven) levelups into your damage stat.

Also, True Neutral is probably better than Lawful Good for a 13/7 ranger/cleric build.

EDIT: Unless Arcane Archers need wisdom for their damage? I thought that was only monkchers for getting extra arrows from 10k stars, but I don't know much about AAs. If so, then the build makes much more sense.

[forumname1]

Con is not a dump stat. For this build, wisdom is the dump stat. (And cha, as you already do.) In addition to dumping wisdom, move the wisdom levelups (?) over to your damage stat. At first glance that appears to be dex. Put all five (seven) levelups into your damage stat.

Also, True Neutral is probably better than Lawful Good for a 13/7 ranger/cleric build.

EDIT: Unless Arcane Archers need wisdom for their damage? I thought that was only monkchers for getting extra arrows from 10k stars, but I don't know much about AAs. If so, then the build makes much more sense.

yea i thought it would be better so you can cast higher level cler spells as well as ranger spells

[rayworks]

You'll only get 4th level cleric spells, so you only need to have 14 wis. But I would change the level mix to 11 ranger/9 cleric, since you don't get anything useful with ranger levels 12 and 13. Cleric 9 at least gets you 5th level spells like raise dead and divine punishment.

[EllisDee37]

You'll only get 4th level cleric spells, so you only need to have 14 wis. But I would change the level mix to 11 ranger/9 cleric, since you don't get anything useful with ranger levels 12 and 13. Cleric 9 at least gets you 5th level spells like raise dead and divine punishment.

Agreed about 13 ranger not offering anything over 11 ranger. But I also don't see much value in cleric 9 over 7. You can scroll raise dead with 7 cleric levels well enough, and you won't have enough mana or light spell power to make DP worthwhile. Instead, I'd probably go 11/7/2, with the 2 being fighter, rogue or monk.

For an example, see unbongwah's Tempest Warpriest.

[blerkington]

Hi,

Put more points into CON and less into DEX. The difference between a 16 and 18 starting DEX is ultimately negligible but taking the slightly lower DEX score gives you more build points for CON and/or other abilities.

A starting WIS of 8 will allow you to cast level 4 and lower ranger and cleric spells once you have a +6 WIS item, and it's never been easier to get one of those. Perhaps put those extra points into STR instead; even if you are going to be a dex based build being overencumbered due to a low strength sucks. Enfeeblement and exhaustion effects are common in the game, and they hit low STR characters very hard.

There's little reason to be Lawful Good. Being neutral will make you less susceptible to spells and damage which affect lawful and/or good characters more. Even neutral good is a better choice.

Your feat choices need to be re-examined. Don't take IPS, you get it for free at Ranger 11. That is just a waste, pure and simple.

Don't take weapon focus: ranged or mental toughness. You don't need them to qualify as an AA now and there are better choices available. Find a more up-to-date character planner, like Ron's DDOCharGen, if you aren't certain what the PRE requirements are post-enhancement pass.

Don't take stealthy at all; it is a complete waste even on a character which has an investment in stealth skills. Of your three FE choices, I think undead is the most useful and the others not so much. I guess you can make that call based on what parts and difficulty levels of the game you think you'll be spending the most time in. They can be changed later on, so it's not such a big deal.

As for what else you could be doing with your feat choices, you could choose from metamagics which improve your self-healing and/or some basic melee feats. I believe it's a mistake to build a ranged-only ranger for a first life and presumably undergeared character, but if you don't mind slow-paced play and a one-dimensional style forced by low damage output and a lack of versatility then it's all good.

You don't need to spend skill points on listen, search or arguably even concentration. UMD and heal might be worth considering, for the usefulness of the former even if you can't ever get it high enough for heal scrolls, and for the spell power increase of the latter.

I don't think your character benefits a lot from its seven cleric levels, but at the same time, not a great deal is gained from going much past ranger 14 or 15. Perhaps those last levels could be combined with something else instead for a better return, maybe even druid if you have it.

Anyway, I realise that this all may sound blunt, and if it does I apologise. It's just that your build has many of the same problems that people building rangers often make. Since I've made those mistakes myself and learned from them the hard way, I think it's best to be plainly spoken and maybe save you some trouble later on.

Good luck.

[unbongwah]

See my -

For an example, see unbongwah's Tempest Warpriest.

- right, that.

. . . okay, I got nothing else to add.