Ranger - Armed to the Teeth


Advice


I wrote up a 2nd level ranger for the Pathfinder game I'm going to be playing in.

STR 18
DEX 15
CON 13
INT 10
WIS 14
CHA 10

We use a high point buy but don't allow dump stats.

This guy has Rapid Shot, Quick Draw, and Power Attack. He's somewhat based off the guy from the advice blog on the PFSRD. The idea is that he shoots arrows until it becomes inconvenient, then switches to another weapon.

So he has a +4 masterwork composite short bow, great sword, short sword (not used at the same time as anything else), throwing knife, and...

a glaive.

I can picture how everything on his person is carried and when or why he would use it. The issue is that the great sword is better than the glaive, especially sense I won't be using the melee weapon at all when I have 10' to my target. From a tactical perspective, I have low AC and a sword and board dwarf I can stand behind and stab with a reach weapon.

So how are glaives carried? Can I get away with hauling all this stuff around? What if I dump the two handed sword and stick with the glaive, is the way in which it is carried still an issue? Does it have a sheaf of some kind?

I don't want him to drop his spear, fire his bow, then go fishing around on the ground again when he needs his spear.


Simpler question:

Can I go back and forth between a glaive and a bow using quick draw? If so, how would it be done? What's the fluff?


cranewings wrote:

Simpler question:

Can I go back and forth between a glaive and a bow using quick draw? If so, how would it be done? What's the fluff?

You have to drop the other weapon on the ground. Quick Draw is quick draw, not quick put away, and it doesn't let you sheathe weapons.

Unfortunately.

I think it should.


Ice Titan wrote:
cranewings wrote:

Simpler question:

Can I go back and forth between a glaive and a bow using quick draw? If so, how would it be done? What's the fluff?

You have to drop the other weapon on the ground. Quick Draw is quick draw, not quick put away, and it doesn't let you sheathe weapons.

Unfortunately.

I think it should.

Is there a way to carry a glaive besides in your hand? The main issue would be going from the bow to the glaive. If I had time to prepare, I could drive the glaive into soft ground so that it is prepared to be quickly drawn once I'm done with the bow, provided that I'm going to stay fighting in one place.


On a strap, crossed opposite the bow on the character's back. Also possible to have it on they backbelt, on a long, open sling.

Also, do you have the strength to carry all of this? You might be over your carrying capacity.


Kilbourne wrote:

On a strap, crossed opposite the bow on the character's back. Also possible to have it on they backbelt, on a long, open sling.

Also, do you have the strength to carry all of this? You might be over your carrying capacity.

He has an 18 strength. I don't think it is a problem. He's in leather armor and his camping gear is all on his horse.

Thanks for the idea. I'm trying to picture how it would work, I couldn't find anything on google.


Some GMs allow weapons to be tied to the character so they can be retrieved and used without having to bend down and pick them up.

Have someone craft a bow with a blade on the top end? Bow-bayonette them.

Swap "quickdraw" for "precise shot" and if you are standing behind the dwarf, just keep blasting them with three arrows a round. Then just pull your melee weapon when you are forced to.

I have a ranger in 4e who is a balanced melee/ranged build. In 4e (as was also the case in 3.5 I believe) the spiked chain is a reach weapon that can also be used on adjacent characters, so that's what he uses. Of course he is fairly high level so he has a throwing enchantment on his chain, and that's what he uses now for ranged attacks, but before then he used thrown daggers for his ranged attacks. In PF you could use starknives. With an 18 str, you'll do pretty solid damage with any thrown weapon. Typically he hangs onto his chain with one hand and chunks daggers with the other.

I'm not sure if there is any two handed reach weapon in PF that also is usable against adjacent foes. If so that might be something to look at.

BTW, my ranger also used a bow, but pretty much only when something was out of dagger range.


I don't want to get too committed to the idea of hiding behind the dwarf. There are already too many characters doing that. It is going to come up that I have to move around to defend other characters so I still want the quick draw to get to my up close arsenal.

My group allows simultaneous movement and movement out of turn to counter the movement of other characters - basically preventing walk arounds. I need to stay mobile.


Then keep quickdraw and throw things until you have to move to combat. Since your concept is based around throwing daggers, starknives or axes, you don't have to worry about dropping one weapon, you just have to remember to go gather them all up after combat is over. Most GMs will just hand-wave something that obvious and basic away.

My ranger has, I think, 24 dagger sheathes on his leather armor.... he looks like a giant porcupine...

But I know, "daggers don't do enough damage..." etc... He seemed to do just fine though.

If you intend to move around, then forget about the reach over the dwarf thing altogether and get in there and mix it up with a greatsword or use two weapons with TWF instead of power attack.


glaives are carried like spears and staves, usually in hand and used to aid walking. Stabbed in ground (or your last opponent) when you switch to another weapon.

A planned battle would have him stab several arrows in the ground and his glave. He would shoot arrows until enemies came in range, stab the bow into the ground and grab the glave (yes, that'd be "quickdraw") until the close work was done, and if necessary, (and possible) go back to bow.

people here need to spend more time watching "Deadliest Warriors" on Spike. You'd be amazed how many of these questions get answered there.


Get an Efficient Quiver ASAP. It can hold a lot more than just arrows.

This Appears to be a typical arrow container capable of holding about 20 Arrows. It has three distinct portions, each with a nondimensional space allowing it to store far more than would normally be possible. The first and smallest one can contain up to 60 objects of the same general size and shape as an arrow. The second slightly longer compartment holds up to 18 objects of the same general size and shape As a javelin. The third and longest portion of the case contains as many as 6 objects of the same general size and shape as a bow (spears, staffs, or the like). Once the owner has filled it, the quiver can quickly produce any item she wishes that is within the quiver, as if from a regular quiver or scabbard. The efficient quiver weighs the same no matter what's placed inside it.

Not sure if the Glaive will fit but no problem with extra bows, quarter staffs, and spears.


brassbaboon wrote:

Then keep quickdraw and throw things until you have to move to combat. Since your concept is based around throwing daggers, starknives or axes, you don't have to worry about dropping one weapon, you just have to remember to go gather them all up after combat is over. Most GMs will just hand-wave something that obvious and basic away.

My ranger has, I think, 24 dagger sheathes on his leather armor.... he looks like a giant porcupine...

But I know, "daggers don't do enough damage..." etc... He seemed to do just fine though.

If you intend to move around, then forget about the reach over the dwarf thing altogether and get in there and mix it up with a greatsword or use two weapons with TWF instead of power attack.

Oh, believe me, thrown weapons are just fine. My strength and power attack damage is pretty hefty at 18. Wonder if there is a thrown weapon that deals strength and a half?

I'll think about it. Throwing hammers and knives does sound like a lot of fun. It isn't like he can't still carry a bow.


What's more efficient? An efficient quiver or a fresh body? ;)


Try the weapon cord from the APG. It lets you drop something out of your hand, but still be tied on, so you can grab it again quickly.


cranewings wrote:
What's more efficient? An efficient quiver or a fresh body? ;)

The spell create pit will cut off your acess to inside your effcient quiver so be warned.

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