Ranger / Wizard 3 / 5 - need ideas (other then reroll!)


Advice


Hi,

I'm playing RotRL and I'm not really happy with my character at the moment.
So I try to figure out how to get a little more out of him.

Character so far:
Ranger (Dungeon Rover) 3 /Transmuter 5 (I know, not optimzed, but it fits from what happened during the campaign and the cahr concept).

Stats:
Str 10 / Dex 16 (+2 Transmuter) / Con 14 / Wis 10 /Int 16 / Cha 8
Feats: Precise Shot, Point Blank Shot, Cypher Magic, Weapon Focus (Crossbow) [will be retrained]

My first idea was to make a arcane (crossbow) archer out of him (DM approved), but unfortunately the AA abilities don't get me at all and I have to learn that a crossbow is a really weak wepaon compared to a bow :(

At the moment I'm the parties scout and dungeon expert.
But I don't really have an idea where to go from here...

If anyone has any intressting ideas feel free to post them. :)

Party consists of Monk, Summoner, Healer-Witch and Support-Cleric


The easiest fix is probably to retrain your focus to longbow, and then either keep going ranger, or reconsider AA...

This will keep you an effective scout, but with a strong weapon.

Get some thrown weapons for small space dungeons, and make sure th haves finessable weapon for melee...


If you like the character but not the build and retraining rules are allowed, then there's nothing really stopping you from "re-rolling" with the exact same character... which is really what I would recommend though you didn't want to hear that. =/

If you wanted a single classed version of what you have, consider Myrmidarch Magus. You get bow based magic attacking and some appropriate knowledges as class skills, but lack of stealth and perception is meh; could use your traits on them though. Then there is always Archaeologist Bard which is great for any "arcane dungeon expert" concept, but 8 charisma... I don't know if you can retrain ability scores or if you would even want to, so maybe forget that one.


Retrain is something my DM don't like as much, that why I can only re-train the last feat I took.

My problem with the AA is, that the "magic arrow" ability is worthless before level 3 as the enchantment bonus from bow and arrow don't stack (if I get it right). Also I would loose additional spell-levels which hurts.


Tryn wrote:

Retrain is something my DM don't like as much, that why I can only re-train the last feat I took.

My problem with the AA is, that the "magic arrow" ability is worthless before level 3 as the enchantment bonus from bow and arrow don't stack (if I get it right). Also I would loose additional spell-levels which hurts.

It's true that the enhancement bonus doesn't stack, but that's the trick with the AA. You can use the bow's enhancement bonus (up to +5) while getting rider effect's from the arcane archer. For example, a 9th level arcane archer always fire's +1 elemental-burst alignment-damage arrows. If you're using a +5 longbow, they are now +5 elemental-burst alignment-damage arrows. Admittedly it's sadly underwhelming since you can't change the around very much. If your GM will allow corrosive arrows that'd be pretty cool too (corrosive is the acid-equivalent elemental enhancement that was released after the arcane archer was in print).

That said you might consider going into Eldritch Knight. I'm not familiar with the ranger archetype that you're using right now, but I'd probably try to figure out where you'd like to be with this character in several levels. At the moment you have a lot of Dexterity but precious little Strength (too little, IMHO), but you might have the makings for a very stealthy individual.


Ranger Archetype Dungeon Rover: Basically a Ranger who is specialized of dungeon environment (e,.g gets disable device as class skill, Perception Bonus in Dungeons).

Quote:
to figure out where you'd like to be with this character in several levels.

That's my biggest issue :)

The character started out as an Explorer of thassalionian ruins, some sort of field-explorer-wizard who want's to understand the thassalonian magic. Due to the events of the campaign he decided to get some basic martial training (thats were the ranger levels came from).


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Well... continuing on the prestige class vein.

Your easiest bet is probably Cypher Mage, which you have the prereqs for, probably. No loss of caster level. Cool abilities to choose each level, such as Enhance Scroll, Extend Scroll, Focused Scroll, Swift Scrivener. I've had success with the focus on a library of scrolls in the past, and a few levels here might make you an even more flexible and effective caster. You can be versatile, which can partially make up for being three caster levels behind. Combined with the witch and cleric, you three could have every utility spell in the game at your disposal.

Seconding Eldritch Knight as a possible solution

Veiled illusionist makes you a better scout without giving up a caster level, but you'd need to take Spell Focus Illusion in place of Weapon Focus.

Arcane Savant, while losing a caster level, gets you automatic UMD checks and the ability to pick spells from any other spell list. See above, re: versatility

Evangelist, with its Aligned Class feature, would allow you to level up your spell casting (and every other class feature of Transmuter) with one lost level of casting, while getting a bunch of other abilities as well.

Horizon Walker has an array of nice abilities if you're willing to give up all spell casting.


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Pathfinder Adventure Path, Lost Omens, Rulebook, Starfinder Roleplaying Game Subscriber

Looks at party makeup. Looks at another thread in this subforum.

Does the monk outshine everyone else in the damage department?


Yes exactly this group :D


This goes a long way towards explaining why. :P

RPG Superstar 2012 Top 32

that's a tough one...
with 10 strength there's not a ton you can do to up your damage, and with 3 lost caster levels you're gonna be hard pressed to be a strong caster...

what race are you? that could open up some possibilities...

some good news- it looks like you're 2 feats short: you should have 1, 3, 5, and 7, plus a 5th level wizard bonus feat and a 2nd level ranger bonus feat; that's 6 feats (plus scribe scroll) but you only have 4...

a few options:
- arcane archer. switch focus to longbow, use one of extra feats for deadly aim (which you can only afford to use on low AC targets), and the other for arcane strike (if you can)- those will up your damage, as will the elemental arrows. its not ideal but its the most in keeping with what you've got and its definitely better than continuing to multiclass.

- eldritch knight. this is a worse option than AA (IMHO), but still better than continuing to multiclass; same feat advice as above; EK levels count as fighter levels, so at 5th you can add weapon spec which will help too.

- gunslinger. trade focus to a 1hand firearm; use bonus feats for rapid reload and deadly aim; make your gun your bonded item so you can enchant it; now your attacks will mostly all be vs. touch AC (so low BAB and mediocre Dex don't really matter), and you can iterate with alchemical cartridges; you could dip one level then continue as a wizard- focus on utility and buffs (which will reduce impact of low CL and mediocre Int).

- pseudo-reroll. i know this is the least favorable option, but you could talk to your GM about how your PC is a mess and see if there's something you 2 can work out to keep the same personality/story/etc but rework the mechanics... built right, a myrmidarch magus or archery based alchemist (possibly with the crypt breaker archetype) would probably maintain the exact same feel/skill-set but just function better.


Quote:
arcane archer. switch focus to longbow, use one of extra feats for deadly aim (which you can only afford to use on low AC targets), and the other for arcane strike (if you can)- those will up your damage, as will the elemental arrows. its not ideal but its the most in keeping with what you've got and its definitely better than continuing to multiclass.

This is by far the best solution in my opinion (without a complete rebuild).


yeah... honestly your best bet is to see if your GM would allow you effectively rebuild your guy... Because as it stands right now, you are level 8 with only level level 3 spells and a BAB that is 3 short of being full BAB... that hurts alot...

If you want the stealthy archer guy, your best bet might be to go into AA. I am sure you probably still want to stay race and wizard spec, so you might be forced into AA as you are (the other combinations being Fighter 6/wizard 1 or Scryer 1/fighter 1/ Eldritch Knight 5/ AA 1.

The only other idea I can think of if you still want that magical feel may be to see if your GM would allow you to play a Bloodrager from the Advanced Class Guide playtest. Just ignore the name if you will. Essentially they play like Arcane Paladins that rage instead of smite, but their rage is much more magical and if you take the Arcane bloodline, you can actually do thigns like blur while raging. You can also get alot of flavor by going Abyssal Bloodrager, into Dragon Disciple, and get EH to get the Abyssal sorcerer bloodline to have all the str. You then get an Adaptive Composite Longbow and go to town on people xD.


Update to my feats (i'm at home now and have my sheet in front of me^^):
General: Cypher Mage, Point-Blank Shot, Precise Shot, Weapon Focus (Crossbow)
Wizard: Multimorph
Ranger: Deadly Aim

So talked to my DM about it and she would allow the following:

- Arcane Crossbowman (aka Arcane Archer with Crossbows)
- Magic/engineer modification to my Crossbow which would allow it to reload as free action and increase the deadly Aim Damage by 50% (as Power Attack for a 2H Weapon) (3.500 gp, 10 days construction)

Only feat I have to take for it would be Craft Magic Arms & Armor.

What do you think?


If you don't want to start over, here is what I would do to bring you up to power.

First, you are missing 4 feats. You get Scribe Scroll, Endurance, a bonus wizard feat and a bonus ranger feat.

Second you want to start taking Eldritch Knight now. You actually would have been much better off if you had started off going this route, but it is the best path forward now. You should probably retrain the 3rd level of ranger to transmuter, so you end up with 9th level spells at 20th level, but that is a pain and if your favored terrain is useful this can wait.

So with retraining and the extra feats added back in it looks more like:
Point Blank Shot, Precise Shot, Rapid Shot, Endurance, Scribe Scroll, Cypher Magic, Weapon Focus (Composite Longbow), Craft Magic Arms and Armor

You could go the Arcane Archer route, but I assume that you want to get your highest level wizard spells eventually.

EDIT: OP updated while I was typing, the crossbow is good if you want to focus on that.

Scarab Sages

Tryn wrote:

Update to my feats (i'm at home now and have my sheet in front of me^^):

General: Cypher Mage, Point-Blank Shot, Precise Shot, Weapon Focus (Crossbow)
Wizard: Multimorph
Ranger: Deadly Aim

So talked to my DM about it and she would allow the following:

- Arcane Crossbowman (aka Arcane Archer with Crossbows)
- Magic/engineer modification to my Crossbow which would allow it to reload as free action and increase the deadly Aim Damage by 50% (as Power Attack for a 2H Weapon) (3.500 gp, 10 days construction)

Only feat I have to take for it would be Craft Magic Arms & Armor.

What do you think?

That crossbow modification on a heavy crossbow is actually pretty good. Since you have a terrible STR that will actually be better than a longbow for your character as you will not have any damage from STR.

If you can get that and go Arcane Archer it will probably be your best bet. Don't forget the Flame Arrow spell. If you cast that you can have Flaming Shock arrows on every hit which will also help with your lack of static damage.


Imbicatus wrote:
Tryn wrote:

Update to my feats (i'm at home now and have my sheet in front of me^^):

General: Cypher Mage, Point-Blank Shot, Precise Shot, Weapon Focus (Crossbow)
Wizard: Multimorph
Ranger: Deadly Aim

So talked to my DM about it and she would allow the following:

- Arcane Crossbowman (aka Arcane Archer with Crossbows)
- Magic/engineer modification to my Crossbow which would allow it to reload as free action and increase the deadly Aim Damage by 50% (as Power Attack for a 2H Weapon) (3.500 gp, 10 days construction)

Only feat I have to take for it would be Craft Magic Arms & Armor.

What do you think?

That crossbow modification on a heavy crossbow is actually pretty good. Since you have a terrible STR that will actually be better than a longbow for your character as you will not have any damage from STR.

If you can get that and go Arcane Archer it will probably be your best bet. Don't forget the Flame Arrow spell. If you cast that you can have Flaming Shock arrows on every hit which will also help with your lack of static damage.

Agreed on that magic item-- it eliminates the need to take the Rapid Reload feat. With that item, Arcane Crossbowman would defintely be the way to go.

Don't forget the gravity bow spell. That increases the damage of bolts from a heavy crossbow from 1d10 to 2d8.

So, at 3rd level Arcane Archer, you would be able to enhance every bolt to be a +1 shock bolt If you also cast flame arrow and gravity bow, if you were within 30 feet, and using Deadly Aim, your bolts would each do:

2d8 + 1d6 + 1d6 + 6 damage. (2d8+6 piercing, 1d6 electricity, 1d6 fire)

That ain't bad!


IMO, i would start leveling ranger and use my wizard 5 spells to buff myself, being a transmuter, thats your specialization afterall.
Ss an archer, you can even levitate/fly above your enemies and shoot them from above (and ignore cover for being on higher ground), combine that with shifting sands and grease and the melee opponents are pretty much screwed.
Haste will give you an extra attack with your bow and a +1 to hit, cat's grace will give you another +2 to hit.
You have access to flame arrow, which can increase your damage output by 1d6 per shot for 50 minutes.

If you cant fly and people get too close, you can blink away from them.
You also have access to vanish from wizard 1.

You already have access to gravity bow, and you can get more slots to cast it once you get ranger 4.

I would simply keep leveling ranger and focus on combat from now on, selecting the best buff spells available.


My problem with the AA is that the 1st level ability is "worthless" as the bonus didn't stack with the existing enchantment bonus of the weapon (afaik).

Pure Ranger would be an option, but I like my spells and want to get a few more.


Heya, go for a one-shot ranged character.
Take a level of Alchemist. Take the Kirin Strike feats. Take Vital Strike or Focused Shot (not both, standard action)
With a swift action and a Conductive longbow/crossbow (hitting with your bombs on ranged impact), you'll be doing x4 Int + x2 weapon damage.

Hints: Named Bullet, Arrow Eruption, True Strike, Gravity Bow.


Or if your Dm is willing to let you tweak your character, you can switch the wizard archetype to the one that uses bombs (4 barred schools, steep but worth it) to skip multiclassing into alchemist.

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