Ranger tank

[karkon]

So my group needs someone to be the frontline fighter in an urban campaign we are starting. we rolled for stats and I did alright 17, 17, 13, 12, 11, 9 much better than the 20 point buy I was suggesting. Originally, my concept was a dwarven fighter cleric. Fighter for tanking and cleric for some flexibility for the non tanking times.

But thinking about it I realized that a ranger might be a better option. I can put 17 in str and dex, still have a good con with the dwarven bonus and a good wisdom. If I wear Medium armor that works with my dex then I should still have a pretty solid armor class for most fights. I took the armor expertise trait to help with stealth rolls and other armor check skills (of which the ranger has many)

Treatmonk's ranger guide kinda confirmed my idea of the archer ranger who hits hard with a two handed weapon.

So the question is can I be a solid front line fighter throughout a campaign if I stick with ranger?

[Wolf Hunter]

YES YOU CAN. I played a ranger who had started out being an archer. Soon though it turned out the group relide on him greatly as a front end meele fighter. He stuck to archery as his comdat styl but I added in power attack at 3rd level so he could two hand a longsword he carried wtch with a 16str put out quite a bit of consecutiv damage. Later (7th level) I gave him two weapon fighting and he became even greater.

[Doc Cosmic]

Rangers can be fantastic as front liners.

Front line options:
(Strength) Take Heavy Armor Proficiency and get yourself some mithril full plate, and you will have no issues whatsoever. Falchion is your friend, nice big composite bow, choose a race that allows you to +2 your strength.

(Dexterity) Elf eeks out on this one, especially with some of those APG options. Get yourself some Celestial Armor and ask you GM if you can complete quests to upgrade the magical bonus on it...GMs love adventure hooks especially when provided by players. 2h Elven Curve Blade becomes your 2h of choice since you can weapon finesse it and use that viscious dex to hit with it.

I would go with Treantmonk's Switch Hitter, 2h weapons requires few feats to structure a potent build, allowing you to perform two jobs easily, whereas most classes can only perform one :)

enjoy your ranger...they are a hoot :)

[Wolf Hunter]

YES, to the elvin curvblade. I have played two frontline elvs that weild this weapon with weapon fenesse. theay are great with at least a 14 str and even better when you can rage. Yes I have played elf barbarians or at least charaters that started with a level of that class.

[Ardenup]

Actually you could make an awesome Dwarf Waraxe and Shield TWF tank!

Ranger's can ignore DEX requirements for TWF.

Put 17 in Str, another in Con or Wiz and Dump Dex.
Burn a feat on Heavy armour and wear Stoneplate and Large Shield.

Take boon companion and have a pet wolf trip up enemies while you close.

[Ardenup]

Make that mithral fullplate, combat styles only work in med armour