Build request ... U49 Bow user with trapping skills

[awar1234]

Hello and ty! just going 1-30 playing R1 then TRing. want to use long/short BOW and be able to get all traps.... 11 ranger seems good place to start FREE rapid shot, precise shot, IPS, and evasion

so should it be DEX build ...
Your character's Dexterity bonus is now applied to damage by default when wielding a shortbow or longbow.
Point Blank Shot now also adds "When using a Longbow or Shortbow, you gain +1 Critical Threat Range."
Combat Archery now also grants +1 Critical Multiplier with Longbows and Shortbows.
Combat Archery's Dexterity requirement is now 17, down from 21.

or WISDOM with enchantment for PARALYZER???

or go all INT and use HARPER tree???

from what i see i will need the following feats at MINIMUM...

Point Blank shot
Rapid shot (free)
Precision
Improved Crit: ranged
wepon focus: ranged
combat Archery
Overwhemling Crit
Precise shot (free)
IPS (Free)

Dodge , mobility , Shot on the run line is 3 feats??? do we need this??
manyshot???

also should take Rogue at level one for skills and trapping??

thanks for your input

[awar1234]

bump, need advice so i can proceed with HC bow trapper

[rabidfox]

or go all INT and use HARPER tree???

In general, I'd want INT as main stat as a trapper on HC. Being able to search to find and disable without blowing a trap is a big deal. My static group setup is me running a bard to buff our trapper (and do other bard type things). Even with that, as we approached 20, his spot began to not pick up stuff so trapping/search was being done entirely off having memorized locations for possible traps (and lots of us talking in teamspeak in case any one didn't remember trap locations). Thankfully, search/disable are high enough that every trap we've run across has been dealt with without issue. HC trappers tend to be trappers > anything else they can do and a good party appreciates the heck out of them doing so.

[unbongwah]

Considerations for picking your primary stat.

DEX
Pros:

• Default to-hit stat and all short- and longbows now get DEX to damage inherently. So no AP requirements or mandatory splashes. Which is good if you want to stick with the classic 41 AA / 39 DWS AP split.
• Higher AC and Reflex saves; boosts DEX skills like Open Lock and stealth.

Cons:

• No Battle Trance based on DEX (or other physical stat) means you either invest in a secondary mental stat OR skip Trances entirely and rely on Insightful Damage gear

INT
Pros:

• More skill points and higher INT skills (Search, Disable Device, Spellcraft)
• INT becomes your to-hit, damage, trapper, and Reflex stat

Cons:

• Costs 12 APs in the Harper tree for INT to damage and one feat (Insightful Reflexes) to get INT to Reflex saves
• Can't dump DEX because still need DEX 17 for Combat Archery (which is a lot better than the previous DEX 21 pre-req) and DEX 19 for Improved Precise Shot (or ranger 11 to get IPS free)

WIS
Pros:

• Higher DCs for AA imbues (Paralyzing, Terror)
• WIS is also your Will save and Spot stat

Cons:

• Costs 12 APs in the Falconry tree for WIS to damage OR you need to run majority-Favored Soul with Knowledge of Battle + Silver Flame deity
• Falconry's Deadly Instinct is tier-4 making it the most AP-expensive Battle Trance OR you splash FvS for War Soul's Divine Will
• Can't dump DEX because still need DEX 17 for Combat Archery and DEX 19 for Improved Precise Shot (or ranger 11 to get IPS free)

So it depends on what you want your build to focus on. With the monkcher nerf, for DPS DEX-based pure ranger seems like the best (or at least safest) option; see Strimtom's original and Carpone's thread. For an archer / trapper on Hardcore, rapidfox makes a good case for INT-based rogue-splashed ranger because not blowing trapboxes is more important than a bit more DPS. Whereas if you want to go all-in on a Paralyzing archer, go WIS-based, especially since the change to Doubleshot has nerfed multi-proc-on-hit effects, IIUC, so you want to get as close to no-fail DCs as possible.