Freebooter Ranger has an interesting ability, Freebooter's Bane. +1-5 to hit and damage over the course of 20 levels. Kind of makes for a Bard lite.
Anyway, it has an additional limitation of the similar Inspire Courage. That being you are limited to a 30 foot range. Ergo, you need a build that is fine with close range archery, and can do with being 30 or so feet away from the enemy instead of 70 or more.
Any tips or hints?
Freebooter Ranger has an interesting ability, Freebooter's Bane. +1-5 to hit and damage over the course of 20 levels. Kind of makes for a Bard lite.
Anyway, it has an additional limitation of the similar Inspire Courage. That being you are limited to a 30 foot range. Ergo, you need a build that is fine with close range archery, and can do with being 30 or so feet away from the enemy instead of 70 or more.
Any tips or hints?
Dip 3 levels into Zen Archer.
You get a ton of your archery feats between the two classes in 6 levels, you get the ability to shoot in melee without provoking, you can threaten melee even while shooting ranged, you get some bonus AC when not in armor (assuming you have some wisdom). Since you won't really be relying on your flurry, you can take some of those feats that don't work with flurry for your monk bonus feats (rapid shot, many shot).
Im trying to keep it pure classed, so as to get my party members the best bonus via Freebooter's Bane.
Seems like wearing armor would get a better AC anyway, since i have never seen a ranger with over 14 WIS.
I think I am looking for some sort of... "Tank" Archer?
Im trying to keep it pure classed, so as to get my party members the best bonus via Freebooter's Bane.
Seems like wearing armor would get a better AC anyway, since i have never seen a ranger with over 14 WIS.
I think I am looking for some sort of... "Tank" Archer?
I only said that when you weren't wearing armor, you'd still have some AC bonuses, I agree they should wear armor with this type of build.
You can work it up other ways, that's just the fastest way to get the ability to be in close melee without attacks of opportunity.
You could try a switch-hitter type ranger. Treantmonk's guide has it. They're fun!
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Point Blank Master is the feat that will let you fire while in Melee without provoking AoOs, you can take it with your 6th level bonus feat.
You might also consider grabbing Snap Shot, Improved Snap Shot, and Combat Reflexes. That'll let you threaten squares out to 15 ft., and give you plenty of opportunity attacks each round to exploit that threatened area.
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Sounds like you are building a switch-hitter ranger. It's a strong option. What more is there to say?
Party has a strong melee presence, I am currently playing a switch hitter. Turns out, we need dedicated range support. We have a feral mutagen Alchemist and a temple sword wielding Monk Quingong Monk.
Melee is pretty well covered, and I am suffering at range due to a lack of Precise Shot. There is also some ship to Ship combat, and lack of dedicated ranged is hurting us a bit extra, I feel.
Im not trying to be IN melee, just... closer to it than most archers. I just need to be 30 ft or closer from my allies when I trigger my Freebooter's Bane; I don't have to be right next to them though.
The way I see it, is I need a more defensive presence than the typical lightly armored archer. DPS is well taken care of (like I said, Feral mutagen alchemist) but we need some kind of ranged focus.
If you do the 3 level dip into Zen Archer, you not only get Point Blank Master and 2 bonus feats, you can also use your wisdom bonus for your bow attacks instead of Dex. That would let you have a lower Dex and wear heavier armor.
(If you're planning on going more than 4 levels in ranger, a higher wisdom will help with your spells, too.)
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You could also be Half-Orc with the toothy alternate racial trait.
This will give you a natural attack that gives you 1.5x STR to damage and lets you threaten adjacent while wielding your bow.
Bear in mind that your 6th level feat should ALWAYS be Improved Precise Shot (especially if you, your allies, and your enemies are going to be bunched into close quarters - that cover penalty will dog you forever, or until level 11 anyhow). Having an "always on" bite attack means you can conceivably push back Point Blank Master until 10th and not be too gimped.
Point Blank Master is the feat that will let you fire while in Melee without provoking AoOs, you can take it with your 6th level bonus feat.
You might also consider grabbing Snap Shot, Improved Snap Shot, and Combat Reflexes. That'll let you threaten squares out to 15 ft., and give you plenty of opportunity attacks each round to exploit that threatened area.
Which is why I suggested multiclassing Zen Archer, you can pick this up at 3rd if you start out zen archer, or 4th, or 5th, plus pick up a ton of ranged feats. *shrug* but what do I know. :)
You could also be Half-Orc with the toothy alternate racial trait.
This will give you a natural attack that gives you 1.5x STR to damage and lets you threaten adjacent while wielding your bow.Bear in mind that your 6th level feat should ALWAYS be Improved Precise Shot (especially if you, your allies, and your enemies are going to be bunched into close quarters - that cover penalty will dog you forever, or until level 11 anyhow). Having an "always on" bite attack means you can conceivably push back Point Blank Master until 10th and not be too gimped.
Im not worried about being in melee... Worst case, i 5 ft step back, put a handful of arrows in the critter. If that fails, someone (probably the vivisectionist alchemist with feral mutagen) will come along and help me out... They better, if they want that Freebooter's Bane helping them out.
Like I said, I don't need a melee presence. I'm going to be threatening with spiked gauntlet, thats about it. Eventually, Point Blank Master at 10. (we are 3 now.)
I am worried about having a high AC, being survivable in near melee range.