Urban Ranger-Guide-Skirmisher for PFS

[illy-d]

Soon I will be joining my first PFS game. I had an idea in my head for a ‘roguish’ like character but after building up several different Rogues to level 12 I didn’t find anything that I felt lived up to the expectations I had in my head for the character.

So I’ve settled on an Urban Ranger-Guide-Skirmisher, but I’m wondering if a 4 (or more) level dip into Fighter would be worth it – perhaps after 6th or 7th level.

I’m hoping the collective brain trust on these boards can help me optimize the build for PFS play.

Character Synopsis
The character is Varisian. As a babe his ‘family group’ wandered across southern Avistan eventually settling in the Qadiran capital of Katheer. This band of gypsies has carved out a modest living selling traditional (and colourful) Varisian textiles such as blankets & scarves. In keeping with the cynical (and often accurate) generalization of Varisians, this income is heavily supplemented by less legal means...

Growing up as a child and playing ‘hide & go seek’ in the bustling markets of Katheer gave my character ample opportunity to develop his skills of tracking, and scouting with a touch of break & enter.
He grew fascinated by the graceful fighting style of the Dervishes of Sarenrae who can be seen practicing their techniques in secret fighting schools – which aren’t so secret if one knows where to look. He’s combined the graceful dance of the dervishes with a traditional style of Varisian knife fighting.

The Build (in broad strokes)
Urban Ranger/Guide/Skirmisher archetypes
TWF Combat Style
STR>DEX>CON>WIS>INT>CHA. In a home game I’d probably dump CHA to 7 and lower INT to 9. Would this gimp my character for PFS play? 6 skill points/level (on account of being human) is usually good enough, but I’ve heard the PFS play may rely on skills a bit more then normal...
Weapons: Scimitar (2 handed whenever necessary), or Kukri – at level 2 it will become Scimitar & Kukri. Later in the game when it comes time to select Improved Critical/Critical Focus/Weapon Focus etc it will be with the Kukri and he’ll fight with two of those.

Traits: Reactionary & a Faction feat yet to be decided.
Feats: 1st: Power Attack & Toughness (Human Bonus), TWF (Combat Style), 2nd: Double Slice, 3rd: Quickdraw, ITWF (2nd Combat Style), 4th: Improved Initiative.

The quandary
That’s the general details to level 7. I can’t decide if it’s better to stick to straight Ranger all the way through, or break off at level 8 and dip into Fighter. Doing so would let me use the bonus feats to snap up Improved Critical (Kukri) followed by Critical Focus at level 9. This would be at the expense of 1 HP (favoured class) and 4 skill points/level in addition to the other Ranger class features I leave on the table...

I’m open to suggestions and look forward to reading your insights. If the Fighter is what you recommend, is there a specific arcetype that would be better then Vanilla fighter?

[Fredrik]

You've clearly done a lot of research. I'm not sure about the guide archetype for that character. Does the guide's terrain bond work with the urban ranger's favored community in PFS? I would expect a GM in a home game to say yes, but organized play is a little different; standardization is valuable, so they go more by RAW.

My PFS ranger is still level 1. However, I'm looking forward to the animal companion from hunter's bond (which is replaced by terrain bond). I've seen a druid's companion in action in another game, and they are a very powerful class feature: an extra action per round, plus flanking, and a whole bunch of damage that isn't being taken by the PCs.

Of course, a ranger's is level - 3, for which I have two words: Boon Companion. With that feat, it would even be possible to dip a level in another class, and still have a druid-strength companion.

Toughness as written is not terribly strong, and I've enjoyed Quick Draw at 1st for being able to walk around all peaceful with my hands empty, and then oh wait you have a javelin sticking out of you and I'm ready to AoO if you approach. It would be even more useful for you with TWF.

Let's just suppose theoretically that you liked my perspective. If so, the feats might look something like this:

1st: Power Attack, Quick Draw
2nd: Two-Weapon Fighting
3rd: Double Slice
5th: Boon Companion
6th: Improved Two-Weapon Fighting
7th: Improved Initiative

In that case, I would recommend dipping no more than one level in something else, in order to keep the animal companion up with the challenges. I think that one would be enough for your plan, but if you decide to go more, the weapon master looks like a good choice.

[Fredrik]

Actually, adjusting my perspective to look at it more from your point of view again, I think that four levels of weapon master from 8th to 11th would rock your kukris' world. Three bonus feats for things like Improved Critical, Weapon Focus, and Weapon Specialization, plus a bonus to your kukris' CMD/saves vs. anything that targets them -- disarm, sunder, grease, heat metal, etc. -- and another +1 to their attack and damage rolls at 10th.

And thanks to Boon Companion, the end result is that your animal companion would be "merely" normal ranger-strength. And you would have plenty of time to adjust your plan based on actual results and feedback from players with higher-level characters.

Wicked.

[illy-d]

Very nice! According to the class features replaced and arcetype rules I'm fairly certain all 3 choices (Guide/Skirmisher/Urban Ranger) all work together... That said, of the arcetypes I've selected only Urban Ranger is set in stone for my character concept.

I've chosen Guide because in my home game I'm playing a Guide/Horizon Walker and the arcetype rocks with that prestige class - the Ranger's focus class feature is fantastic against the BBEG (even more so if the BBEG is from one of my favoured terrains).

Being that the extra damage from Rangers Focus is multiplied on a succesful crit I thought it would synergize well with the high threat range of the kukri's.

I'll give some more thought to the Animal Companion idea - but I'll need to get my hands on that source book in order to use it...

Thank you for the insight & tips!

[Fredrik]

You're right! I hadn't thought of it, but ranger's focus would be absolutely fierce against the BBEG. You're also right that none of the three class archetypes replace the same class features.

The problem with guide in your build is that terrain bond says "when in his favored terrain". Well, you don't have any favored terrains, since the urban ranger's favored communities replaced those. Now I haven't done any research to see if there have been any FAQs issued for PFS, but going by RAW that would be a wasted ability in place of a rocking one. Just sayin'. ;)