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My latest character project has been a shadowy, grim ranger. I imagine him as a mercenary, bounty hunter, and perhaps occasional assassin. I want him to be stealthier than your average ranger.
I imagine him as a practical combatant, using reach weapons, spiked gauntlets,armor spikes, etc. Rather than use inconsistent methods such as sneak attack, he has a high STR score and power attack.
I am currently considering a 4 level dip into Shadowdancer as a way to gain an almost supernatural stealth abilities via HiPS, rogue talent (fast stealth), and shadow jump. This is merely a consideration, however, and not set in stone.
Are there any feats or ranger archetypes that lend themselves well to this kind of character?
Thanks!
Depends on your campaign setting, but the deep walker would fit the bill for a dungeon heavy campaign..
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Have you looked into the Spell-less Ranger?
You can check it out
Here if you like. It sounds like it might be right up your alley
Infiltrator would be an interesting choice for this. If you see him as a bounty hunter then favored enemy human would let him pick up skill focus stealth with his level 3 adaption ability. The other adaption abilities he gets later all could go into making him a more efficient hunter and the favored enemy bonuses would add the damage he needs.
Alternatily take levels in horizon walker and master urban terrain now anything that lives in urban environs is your favored enemy.
Interesting... Infiltrator sounds apt. Skirmisher sounds good too, but I like the versatility of spells more...
Any ideas for feats/classes/prestige classes that would mesh well with this? is there a better option that Shadowdancer for that thematically dark and stealthy character?
Probably gonna pick up Infiltrator, thanks for the help guys!
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Any ideas for feats/classes/prestige classes that would mesh well with this? is there a better option that Shadowdancer for that thematically dark and stealthy character?
Probably gonna pick up Infiltrator, thanks for the help guys!
Heh ... I'm gonna recommend the Spell-less Rangerone more time:)
Actually, in our current weekly high-level game, one of the players is playing a spell-less ranger 10 / shadowdancer 5 multiclass and is doing very well.
Maybe look at trapper for the bounty hunter/assassin angle.
Is shadowdancer a good idea for a ranger? seems like a good idea, but maybe i am wrong?
Hmm. You could qualify for shadowdancer at 6th level, but you would give up the ranger combat style feat. I personally think the combat style feats rock, because you don't need prereqs. You would need to spend all three of your pre-6th-level general feats on prereqs. You better want them versus Power Attack for that high STR.
Starting shadowdancer at 7th, you get Evasion one level earlier and Hide in Plain Sight 10 levels earlier. You trade spells or traps for shadow spell like abilities.
You lose good Fort and full BAB progressions.
What does your character want to have? "shadowy and grim" are role-playing... remember the debut of Aragorn.
One thing to think about is tracking vs. stealth. You don't need to be too stealthy if you can track well... assuming no magicness. And within your Favored Terrain, you have great bonuses to both and perception.
cheers
Starting shadowdancer at 7th, you get Evasion one level earlier and Hide in Plain Sight 10 levels earlier.
It bears mentioning that Camouflage comes five levels earlier than Hide in Plain Sight as well. Depending on how the campaign works, being able to Hide in Plain Sight while in favored terrain might be just as good as being able to do it anywhere.
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Any ideas for feats/classes/prestige classes that would mesh well with this? is there a better option that Shadowdancer for that thematically dark and stealthy character?
Probably gonna pick up Infiltrator, thanks for the help guys!
Heh ... I'm gonna recommend the Spell-less Rangerone more time:)
Actually, in our current weekly high-level game, one of the players is playing a spell-less ranger 10 / shadowdancer 5 multiclass and is doing very well.
I for one can vouch for Marc and say that the Spell-less Ranger is where it is at, especially for the theme you want your character to have....once you read over the character you will realize that spells are always necessary and this is a prime example of it.
I was making a high (17) STR melee ranger, and so missing the Ranger feats was merely delaying when I got Cleave and Great Cleave. I wasn't overly concerned about it.
Again, I a was more concerned about being stealthy for the occasional "assassin" angle. Tracking is great for the Bounty Hunter angle, but I feel I should be quite stealthy as well. Shadowdancer just seemed the quickest, most thorough way do to it. (as opposed to HiPS at ranger 17, Assassin (don't like the PF version anyway) at 8)
Is there a better way to do this?
Though i like the spell-less Ranger, my group never uses 3PP material, sadly. Sorry Marc!
thanks all, you've been very helpful.