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I'm thinking about making a Ranger for PFS with the Infiltrator archetype. The Adaptations are nice, and they let you get darkvision 60ft at 3rd level(as well as other neat things), at the cost of favored terrain. I'm having a hard time deciding which favored enemy to take though.
The Ranger will be a "switch hitter" style, as per Treantmonk's guide to Rangers. This means he starts combat using a bow, then drops the bow, Quick Draws a sword (Longsword to start, then Greatsword), and moves to melee. For flavor purposes, I'd prefer using a -sword of some variety over any other weapon.
For a human ranger, what would be the ideal infiltrator adaptations for Pathfinder Society play specifically? Darkvision has first priority, followed by natural armor. I'd also like it to be something where I'm likely to fight the favored enemy in nearly any given scenario. Here's some of the ones I have in mind.
- Aberration: amphibious, darkvision 60 ft., Iron Will, natural armor +2.
- Animal: climb 15 ft., darkvision 60 ft., Great Fortitude, Lightning Reflexes, low-light vision, natural armor (+2), swim 15 ft.
- Construct: darkvision 60 ft., Great Fortitude, Lightning Reflexes, low-light vision.
- Humanoid (gnoll): darkvision 60 ft., Exotic Weapon Proficiency (dire flail), natural armor +2.
- Humanoid (goblinoid): darkvision 60 ft., goblin fast, Skill Focus (Stealth), natural armor (+2).
- Humanoid (reptilian): darkvision 60 ft., kobold fast (as goblin fast), lizardfolk hold breath, natural armor +2, Skill Focus (choose Acrobatics, Perception, or Stealth).
- Magical Beast: darkvision 60 ft., Great Fortitude, low-light vision, natural armor +2.
- Monstrous Humanoid: darkvision 60 ft., Lightning Reflexes, low-light vision, natural armor +2.
- Outsider: darkvision 60 ft., energy resistance 5 (choose one type of energy from acid, cold, electricity, or fire), Great Fortitude, Iron Will, Lightning Reflexes.
- Undead: darkvision 60 ft., Great Fortitude, Iron Will, natural armor (+2). Skill Focus (Stealth).
Undead would be fantastic, except for the DR/bludgeoning that many undead have, and how that wouldn't mesh well with using a sword. Although I can just use blunt arrows and stick to ranged fighting vs undead. Having a bonus against Constructs would be great in some of the mid to high scenarios. Many of the others have the things I'm looking for, but are rarely encountered, like gnolls and reptilian types. Evil Outsider from what I'm hearing would be good for season 5. It'd go well with cold iron weapons.
It looks like I'm focusing a lot on combat, but there will be a non-combat aspect to the character, I'm just paralyzed by indecision on the combat side of it.
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From a current storyline aspect, evil outsider is a brilliant option for favored enemy.
Also, just generally speaking, undead seems to come up a lot. Yes, some have DR against slashing, but that's typically only skellingtons if memory serves. Plus, with the damage bonuses to favoured enemy, it sort of evens out once you get to +4. *Shrug* Just my musings on it. (Although, you could always carry a club or hammer or mace for those instances.)
I have seen a ranger use Favored Enemy: Humanoid (giant) to gain Lunge very early on. It also has Natural armor +2 as an option, as well as resist energy 10.
Overall, I'd suggest Undead. It has both darkvision, Natural Armour, and tends to come up a bit throughout PFS. Just my 2cp.
My infiltrator ranger went for Animal and climb speed. It's been surprisingly useful when fighting in close quarters. I was also very tempted by Lunge from Dragon or Humanoid (giant), but those aren't going to come up often enough to make a difference when considering the Favored Enemy side of things.
If you're going to be playing a lot of Season 5 scenarios with this character, I'd go for Outsider (evil) and darkvision first, unless you're playing a race with darkvision. Remember that adaptations only work 10 min./level in 10-minute increments, so you can't rely on them all the time.
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Yeah, from low levels to high levels, I've never run out of undead. Plus some of the nastier ones you don't want to fight them up close anyway, so using blunt arrows at range is a solid choice. I may just go undead, with evil outsider for my second favored enemy at level 5 once I'm likely to see more of them. Then at level 8 I can have darkvision, natural armor +2, and energy resistance 5. Probably vs fire, but what I'll do is keep track of all the elemental damage I take, up to level 8, and pick resistance against whatever type I've taken the most.
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what I'll do is keep track of all the elemental damage I take, up to level 8, and pick resistance against whatever type I've taken the most.
Future choices based on past experiences. I like it! Haha. (FWIW, my lvl 8 switch hitter ranger has gone 7 levels full melee, even against big bad undeadies. That's mostly just using his greatsword.)
Outsider seems like it might be best defensively as an early choice because it gives all three of the save boosting feats and energy resistance. That gives you a lot of options that you can tailor to what you are facing.
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what I'll do is keep track of all the elemental damage I take, up to level 8, and pick resistance against whatever type I've taken the most.Future choices based on past experiences. I like it! Haha. (FWIW, my lvl 8 switch hitter ranger has gone 7 levels full melee, even against big bad undeadies. That's mostly just using his greatsword.)
It seems to make sense, especially within the context of Pathfinder Society. We learn from our experiences. Since my cleric of Sarenrae, who I think is now at 7th level, keeps freeing slaves, I'm taking the eagle knight prestige award (courtesy of Broken Chains, my cleric is Silver Crusade) because it fits the character. And since I keep fighting really nasty bits of evil, at 8th level he's going Holy Vindicator. Mechanically I'd probably be better off going straight cleric, but HV fits the character path.
Outsider seems like it might be best defensively as an early choice because it gives all three of the save boosting feats and energy resistance. That gives you a lot of options that you can tailor to what you are facing.
From how I read it, you can only pick one of the adaptations listed for a type and you're stuck with it from 3rd level on up to 8th when you can get an additional one.
Adaptation (Ex): At 3rd level, an infiltrator learns how to copy the unusual abilities of his prey. He chooses one type of creature he has selected as a favored enemy, such as “aberrations.” The ranger selects one ability or feat from the adaptation list for that type (see below). A ranger can use adaptations for 10 minutes per day per ranger level he possesses. This duration does not need to be consecutive, but it must be used in 10-minute increments. If the adaptation requires the ranger to make a more specific choice (such as what skill to use with Skill Focus), this choice is permanent and cannot be changed.
At 8th, 13th, and 15th-level, the ranger chooses another one of his favored enemy types and selects one adaptation from that type's list, as well as an additional adaptation from any one list of a creature type he's selected (including the one just chosen, if so desired). The infiltrator can only use one adaptation at a time. This class ability replaces favored terrain.
There is apparently a lot of ambiguity about the Adaptation ability. For example, what's the point of this bit? "If the adaptation requires the ranger to make a more specific choice (such as what skill to use with Skill Focus), this choice is permanent and cannot be changed." Does that mean you can change what you use? When is the choice not permanent? Or does it mean that if you pick Skill Focus: Handle Animal, it will always be Skill Focus: Handle Animal and not Skill Focus: Intimidate if you want?
Outsider seems like it might be best defensively as an early choice because it gives all three of the save boosting feats and energy resistance. That gives you a lot of options that you can tailor to what you are facing.From how I read it, you can only pick one of the adaptations listed for a type and you're stuck with it from 3rd level on up to 8th when you can get an additional one.
Unfortunately, yes.
As for the rest of it: yes, you have it right. If you pick Skill Focus, you have to pick one skill and stick with it, and can't switch between different skills.
