Ranged ranger?

[Sarzor]

So, I was thinking of doing a ranged ranger for my final ranger life, and I'm ashamed to admit I have no clue how to do one. I have most of the good gear to do one (pinion, Unwavering Ardency, etc), 30+ heroic lives, a ton of epic lives done, etc, but have yet to ever do a single ranged build other than 1 artificer life several years ago. I saw a number of threads on this page, but by and large they are elf, and I don't understand why, and I'm ambivalent about elves. I've always been human/WF/iconic except for one dwarven life, so elf seems... weird to me.

My needs largely revolve around that I want it to be fun, don't care about OP (or I'd just pile warlock lives) but want to feel competent. I plan to take it through heroics and maybe 1-2 epic lives, but do not plan to hang at 28, so I'd want to avoid something which bloomed around 25+ because at that point I'm just kinda finishing off an epic life.

I don't care about pure ranger vs multiclassed, as long as it was fun. Oh, and no iconics except BF (due to having completed all the others).

So, uhhhh, ideas?

[unbongwah]

Is this just for an HTR? Because if so, my advice would probably be, "Just play a Tempest instead." Or maybe a repeater rgr using DWS if you've got Harper. While Turbine recently re-buffed Manyshot - it now provides a flat +120% Doubleshot and (4 * BAB) to Ranged Power - it's still a pretty backloaded DPS style. My Manyshot Mechanic is a first attempt at combining archery with repeaters in a post-U28.1 world.

If you're looking at an epic archer, things get more interesting; although if you don't want to play an elf or half-elf, the appeal of monkcher goes down and you may be better off sticking with pure rgr.

[Sarzor]

Is this just for an HTR? Because if so, my advice would probably be, "Just play a Tempest instead." Or maybe a repeater rgr using DWS if you've got Harper. While Turbine recently re-buffed Manyshot - it now provides a flat +120% Doubleshot and (4 * BAB) to Ranged Power - it's still a pretty backloaded DPS style. My Manyshot Mechanic is a first attempt at combining archery with repeaters in a post-U28.1 world.

If you're looking at an epic archer, things get more interesting; although if you don't want to play an elf or half-elf, the appeal of monkcher goes down and you may be better off sticking with pure rgr.

I'd be fine being elf (never bought the half-breeds), but I guess I was thinking I've done two tempest lives, and before I finish up triple completionist I should do a ranged life. I know Rangers are more than ranged, but it's half the class (TWF and ranged), so maybe I should give it a go for a life. Only non-caster ranged life I've ever done was a single artificer life a while ago when they were still new.

My plan is to take it through at least one epic life. I don't plan to hang at 28, but want something solid for EH, or EE in a group.

Your mechanic build looks interesting, but it's a rogue icon, and I've finished my rogue lives (as swashbucklers mostly). Monkcher is a possibility, as is pure ranger. The main point is that I've no context how to build a ranged ranger, as I've never done it before. I understand the mechanics of melee and caster, just not archer/crossbower. Hence asking for builds.

[unbongwah]

A while ago, Tilomere posted a pure ranger build using repeaters which for some reason he deleted. With the ranger overhaul, I've been thinking of reviving it, focused on DWS - which provides a bunch of generic DPS bonuses that affect all weapons - and Harper. It can also use bows w/Manyshot, now that Turbine has eliminated Doubleshot penalties; so it's similar to my Manyshot Mechanic, except it can also invest in Tempest for decent melee DPS as well.

Here's a sample human build. Other races are doable, but you lose a feat and you don't have the APs to spare for racial tree anyway.

Repeater Ranger
Ranger 20
True Neutral Human


Stats
               34pt     36pt     Tome     Level Up
               ----     ----     ----     --------
Strength         8        8       +2       4: INT
Dexterity       15       15       +6       8: INT
Constitution    16       16       +2      12: INT
Intelligence    18       18       +2      16: INT
Wisdom           8        8       +2      20: INT
Charisma         8       10       +2      24: INT
                                          28: INT

Skills
          1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20
         ------------------------------------------------------------
Concent   4  1  1  1  1  1  1  1  1  1  1  1  1  1  1  1  1  1  1  1  23
Heal      4  1  1  1  1  1  1  1  1  1  1  1  1  1  1  1  1  1  1  1  23
Search    4  1  1  1  1  1  1  1  1  1  1  1  1  1  1  1  1  1  1  1  23
Spot      4  1  1  1  1  1  1  1  1  1  1  1  1  1  1  1  1  1  1  1  23
Hide      4  1  1  1  1  1  1  1  1  1  1  1  1  1  1  1  1  1  1  1  23
Move Si   4  1  1  1  1  1  1  1  1  1  1  1  1  1  1  1  1  1  1  1  23
Swim      4                                            1     4     7  16
Spellcr   2     1     1     1     1     1     1     1     1     1     11
Bluff        2½ ½  ½     1     1     1     1     1     1     1  ½     11
Diplo              1½    2     2  ½  ½  ½  ½  ½  ½  ½  ½  ½  ½  ½     11
Balance   2        1  1     1     1     1     1     1     1     1     11
Tumble    1                    ½     2     2     2     2  ½  ½     ½  11
UMD       2     1     1     1     1     1     1     1     1     1     11
Jump      2                                                            2
         ------------------------------------------------------------
         44 11 11 12 12 12 12 13 13 13 13 13 13 13 13 14 14 14 14 14


Feats

 1        : Rapid Reload
 1 Human  : Exotic Weapon: Rpt Hvy Crossbow
 1 Ranger : Favored Enemy: Undead
 3        : Point Blank Shot
 5 Ranger : Favored Enemy: Giant
 6        : Precision
 9        : Improved Critical: Ranged
10 Ranger : Favored Enemy: Evil Outsider
12        : Empower Healing Spell
15        : Quicken Spell
15 Ranger : Favored Enemy: Construct
18        : Insightful Reflexes
20 Ranger : Favored Enemy: Human
21 Epic   : Overwhelming Critical
24 Epic   : Combat Archery
26 Destiny: Perfect Two Weapon Fighting
27 Epic   : Improved Critical: Slashing
28 Destiny: Doubleshot


Enhancements (80 AP)

Human (3 AP)

Damage Boost
Improved Recovery

Deepwood Stalker (42 AP)

Far Shot, Sneak Attack, Sniper Shot, Advanced Sneak Attack, Mark of the Hunted, Horizon Shot
Stealthy III, Increased Empathy III
Survivalist
Survivalist, Thrill of the Hunt II, Favored Hunter III, Aimed Shot
Survivalist, Killer III, Merciful Shot, Leg Shot
Extra Favored Enemy: Elf, Heavy Draw, Strikes Like Lightning, Head Shot, Improved Archer's Focus

Arcane Archer (6 AP)

Arcane Archer, Morphic Arrows
Conjure Arrows, Corrosive Arrows

Tempest (6 AP)

Shield of Whirling Steel, Tempest
Improved Reaction II, Whirling Blades

Harper Agent (23 AP)

Agent of Good I, Intelligence
Harper Enchantment, Strategic Combat
Versatile Adept III, Know the Angles III
Know Your Foe: Aberration, Versatile Adept III, Strategic Combat
Throat Dagger III


Destiny (24 AP)

Legendary Dreadnought

Extra Action Boost III, Constitution
Damage Boost III
Critical Damage III, Haste Boost III
Volcano's Edge
Advancing Blows, Devastating Critical
Master's Blitz, Pulverizer

Twists of Fate (26 fate points)

Balanced Attacks (Tier 3 Primal) (or Grim Precision)
Otto's Whistler (Tier 3 Shiradi)
Pin (Tier 2 Shiradi)
Rejuvenation Cocoon (Tier 1 Primal)

Gameplay is pretty simple: equip bow & Manyshot mobs to soften them up; then switch to repeaters to keep pew-pewing (hopefully with Killer + Thrill of the Hunt fully charged); switch to melee if necessary for the up-close kills. Ammo swapping can be a PITA, but it's manageable. You could just ditch AA & Tempest enhancements entirely to focus solely on repeaters, but I like the variety which comes from changing tactics / weapons.

Advantages:

• Thanks to Harper + Insightful Reflexes, INT becomes your dmg, to-hit, and Reflex stat all in one. You also have a ton of skill pts, which you can spend on whatever you want. [With all those "wasted" skill pts, it's tempting to take a rog or arty splash for trap skills; but that means giving up Horizon Shot, which adds a significant amount of DPS in epic levels. Particularly without any crit multiplier bonuses, I think you really need the extra Ranged / Melee Power on this build.]
• A whopping +17 dmg vs Favored Enemies: +2 dmg per FE * 7 FEs + 3 from Favored Hunter. And since two of your FEs are Enhancements rather than feats, it's easy to swap to different options for specific content.
• +50% Doubleshot from Doubleshot ED + Strikes like Lightning + Killer; +30% Doublestrike from SlL + Killer.
• +31 Ranged / Melee Power from DWS & Harper bonuses; you could ditch Throat Dagger for another +3.
• +7d6 sneak atk die from DWS and you're always in PBS / ranged SA range with Horizon Shot (so don't forget to equip an Imp Deception item somewhere).
• EDIT: 45% static Fortification bypass with Precision + DWS cores; this would go up to 60% with Grim Precision Twist. Mark of the Hunted is another -25% Fort for boss fights.

Drawbacks:

• I can't afford the APs for the +1 crit multiplier in Tempest or AA, so crits will not be as impressive as other builds.
• Heavy Draw only affects longbows, so in practice you're only boosting your Manyshot DPS on this build.
• Turbine just nerfed / bugfixed Doubleshot so it only applies 1/3 to repeaters; this is now WAI, but it means repeater builds took a DPS hit from U28.1.
• Some of the better named repeaters are light rather than heavy: e.g., Needle, Slaver's, Doublecross. So depending on your gear, you might want to either swap to light repeaters or take both feats. [Another option is HE w/arty dilly which grants both profs; except you need to put 4 APs into racial tree for Dmg Boost, so you need to drop a pt somewhere and give up heal amp.]

Crit profiles in LD if I'm adding right:

• longbows: 17-18/x3 19-20/x5 (IC:Ranged + Adv Sneak Atk + Pulverizer w/Morphic Arrows + Overwhelming Crit + Devastating Crit); Pinion should be 15-18/x3 19-20/x5.
• heavy repeaters: 16-18/x2 19-20/x4 (IC:R + ASA + OC + DC)
• Needle if you use light repeaters instead: 16-18/x3 19-20/x5 (IC:R + ASA + OC + DC)
• scimitars: 14-18/x2 19-20/x4 (IC:Slash + ASA + OC + DC)
• khopesh (needs prof): 16-18/x3 19-20/x5 (IC:Slash + ASA + OC + DC)

This build would also work well in Div Crusader; Celestial Champion + Zeal of the Righteous for +1 crit range and stacking doubleshot / doublestrike bonuses, as well as extra healing from Sacred Ground. In which case, consider one of the Good alignments for Blessed Blades.

[Melkazar]

You can do perfectly well as an archer based ranger without being an elf. I prefer human for the extra initial feat. You will get most of the TWF feats for free as a ranger so you can switch to melee as needed. I prefer pure classes to multi-classes. Both of the enhancement lines for ranger have been revamped recently. I took shot on the run this time only for the ranged power boost. In the past I haven't bothered since you rarely miss a shot even when running. (And if the numbers are correct shot on the run isn't working for that anyhow.)

Deepwoods Stalker seems to have a slight edge on damage, but the new Arcane Archer enhancements are a step up. In the past having all the elemental imbues was convenient, but only occasionally useful. This time around I decided to specialize in acid and then took the enhancements to add hit die to all the acid damage. As a result my acid damage is around 60-70 per shot exclusive of other damages. (At level 18 currently in a third life.)

From the racial tree I would take all the healing amp line since your only useful ranger spell is cure wounds and Freedom of Movement. I also took the greater heroism to fuel the epic moment in Shiradi. (I also like the dragonmark of passage line since I use dimension door and the teleport spells to zap around.) If you don't take those you should have ample points to fill Arcane Archer tree and then take quite a few from Stalker or Tempest.

The name of the game is to have fun. You don't have to be anyone else's version of a ranger to do that.