I have a cousin (a girl cousin) who is new to Pathfinder and pen and paper RPGs in general who is going to be playing in an upcoming dragon based campaign I will be running. She has decided that she would like to play a Half-Elf Ranger and I think that is a good idea for a beginner. The only problem she is having is that she isn't sure how to make the character dragony.
My advice to her was to take Favored Enemy: Dragon as her first favored enemy. She wasn't too hot on the idea because she felt that it would make her opposed to ALL dragons including the good ones. I explained that the ability doesn't do that and she may be reading too much into the mechanics. I explained the bonuses it would give would actually help her with interacting positively with good dragons as well as helping her vanquish evil ones. I think that helped some but not sure if it gave her enough dragon flavor.
Outside of background stuff and character flavor fluffyness the only other thing I could think of mechanically was the shifter ranger. But that is only for a certain number of rounds per day. So... let me just ask this in the most broad way I can think of:
If you were going to make a Half-Elf Ranger for a Dragon campaign like the one linked above how would you build it?
I welcome answers that reflect mechnics and fluffy backgroundy type stuffs.
Go ranged. Staying the hell away from a dragon and using arrows is the way to go.
Well, she could take eldritch heritage and draconic bloodline, but I think the infiltrator is the best bet. She would still want favored enemy dragon, though.
Alternatively, go kobold or be a human with racial heritage (kobold), and take the dragon-y racial feats
She should really consider dragon herald...
+1 for racial heritage [kobold] (which 1/2elves can take) into their racial dragon feats.
another good option would be to use the racial skill focus for any knowledge, then pick up eldritch heritage [arcane] and improved familiar to get a pseudo-, faerie, or tidepool dragon familiar (the improved familiar options are based on caster level so a trait or feat for a SLA that scales with level will bring that all together at 7th).
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I think a lot of it will come from her backstory, but mechanically, the Infiltrator or Shapeshifter archetypes are the best. Infiltrator works with any fighting style, but Shapeshifter forces you into natural attack mode, which doesn't have a ton of synergy with half-elf.
Here's an idea: let her be the diplomat of the party when it comes to dragons. She could have Skill Focus: Diplomacy from being a half-elf, and act as a mediator between Elves and Humans, Dragons and Humanoids, Nature and Civilization, etc. Make her a high-dex archer so she can also be excellent at stealth - surely an important talent for anyone that deals with dragons on a regular basis. Being an archer also makes her able to put out a lot of damage from relative safety, which is nice for a new player who can't easily tell when they're outmatched. Being a dragon diplomat is also one helluva way to introduce a player to roleplaying.
If she wanted to later on, she could also grab a level in Draconic sorcerer and go Arcane Archer. She could get a lot of leverage out of spells like Gravity Bow and Arrow Eruption.
Made something up for you as a thought experiment.
Elite array, two traits.
Krishena
Female Half-Elf ranger 6
NG Medium humanoid (elf, human)
Init +7, Senses low-light vision; Perception +18
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DEFENSE
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AC 21, touch 15, flat-footed 16 (+5 armor, +5 Dex, +1 natural)
hp 43 ((6d10)+6)
Fort +7, Ref +11, Will +5, +2 vs. enchantment spells and effects
Resist fire 5
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OFFENSE
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Speed 30 ft.
Ranged darkwood adaptive composite longbow +1 +12/+7 (1d8+1/x3)
Special Attacks Favored Enemy (Dragon) +4, Favored Enemy (Outsiders(Evil)) +2
Innate Spell-Like Abilities dancing lights (1/day), darkness (1/day), faerie fire (1/day)
Ranger Spells Prepared (CL 3rd, concentration +5)
1st—aspect of the falcon, gravity bow
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STATISTICS
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Str 13, Dex 20, Con 12, Int 10, Wis 14, Cha 8
Base Atk +6; CMB +10; CMD 22
Feats Deadly Aim, Draconic Aspect, Endurance, Improved Precise Shot, Precise Shot, Racial Heritage (Kobold), Skill Focus (Stealth)
Skills Climb +10, Knowledge (Arcana) +3 (+7 vs. dragons), Knowledge (Nature) +6, Knowledge (Planes, evil outsiders only) +3, Perception +18, Stealth +17, Survival +11, Swim +10
Languages Common, Elven
Archetypes Infiltrator
SQ adaptability, adaptation, bonus critical confirmation (elf weapons) (6x, +3), drow magic, elf blood, elven immunities, hunting companions, keen senses, low-light vision, track +3, weapon and armor proficiency, wild empathy +5
Combat Gear oil of flame arrow, scroll of cure light wounds, scroll of feather step, scroll of resist energy, silver weapon blanch, sleep arrow
Other Gear eyes of the eagle, darkwood adaptive composite longbow +1 with 40 arrows, 20 blunt arrows, 20 cold iron arrows, and 20 smoke arrows, mithral shirt +1, belt of incredible dexterity +2, climbers kit, cloak of resistance +1, masterwork survival kit, efficient quiver, 62 gp
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SPECIAL ABILITIES
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Adaptability (Ex) Half-elves receive Skill Focus as a bonus feat at 1st level.
Adaptation (Ex) At 3rd level, an infiltrator learns how to copy the unusual abilities of his prey. He chooses one type of creature he has selected as a favored enemy, such as aberrations. The ranger selects one ability or feat from the adaptation list for that type (see below). A ranger can use adaptations for 10 minutes per day per ranger level he possesses. This duration does not need to be consecutive, but it must be used in 10-minute increments. If the adaptation requires the ranger to make a more specific choice (such as what skill to use with Skill Focus), this choice is permanent and cannot be changed. At 8th, 13th, and 15th-level, the ranger chooses another one of his favored enemy types and selects one adaptation from that type's list, as well as an additional adaptation from any one list of a creature type he's selected (including the one just chosen, if so desired). The infiltrator can only use one adaptation at a time. This class ability replaces favored terrain.
Adaptation Choice: Dragon darkvision 60 ft.
Bonus Critical Confirmation (Elf Weapons) (6x) With longbows, add a +3 circumstance bonus on critical hit confirmation rolls with that weapon (maximum bonus of +4). This bonus does not stack with Critical Focus.
Draconic Aspect Your scales take on the color and some of the resistances of one of the chromatic dragons: red (fire). Your scales take on the color of that dragon, and you gain resistance 5 to the dragon color's corresponding energy type.
Drow Magic A few half-elves with drow ancestry exhibit the innate magic of that race. Half-elves with this trait have drow blood somewhere in their background, and can cast dancing lights, darkness, and faerie fire each once per day, using the half-elf 's character level as the caster level for these spell-like abilities.
Elf Blood (Ex) Half-elves count as both elves and humans for any effect related to race.
Elven Immunities (Ex) Half-elves are immune to magic sleep effects and get a +2 racial saving throw bonus against enchantment spells and effects.
Elven Reflexes You gain a +2 trait bonus on Initiative checks.
Favored Enemy (Dragon) (Ex) You gain a +4 bonus on Attack Damage, Bluff, Knowledge, Perception, Sense Motive, and Survival checks against creatures of this selected type. A ranger may make Knowledge skill checks untrained when attempting to identify these creatures.
Favored Enemy (Outsider(Evil)) (Ex) You gain a +2 bonus on Attack Damage, Bluff, Knowledge, Perception, Sense Motive, and Survival checks against creatures of this selected type. A ranger may make Knowledge skill checks untrained when attempting to identify these creatures.
Hunting Companions (Ex) You form a powerful bond with your companions. This bond allows him to spend a move action to grant half his favored enemy bonus against a single target of the appropriate type to all allies within 30 feet who can see or hear him. This bonus lasts for a number of rounds equal to the ranger's Wisdom modifier (minimum 1). This bonus does not stack with any favored enemy bonuses possessed by his allies; they use whichever bonus is higher.
Keen Senses (Ex) Half-elves receive a +2 bonus on Perception skill checks.
Killer You deal an amount of additional damage equal to your weapon's critical hit modifier when you score a successful critical hit with a weapon; this additional damage is added to the final total, and is not multiplied by the critical hit multiple itself. This extra damage is a trait bonus.
Low-Light Vision (Ex) You can see x2 as far as humans in low illumination. Characters with low-light vision have eyes that are so sensitive to light that they can see twice as far as normal in dim light. Low-Light Vision is color vision. A spellcaster with low-light vision can read a scroll as long as even the tiniest candle flame is next to her as a source of light. Characters with low-light vision can see outdoors on a moonlit night as well as they can during the day.
Track (Ex) You gain +3 to Survival checks made to follow tracks.
Weapon and Armor Proficiency A ranger is proficient with all simple and martial weapons and with light armor, medium armor, and shields (except tower shields).
Wild Empathy (Ex) You can improve the attitude of an animal
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Racial heritage ... dunno why I didn't think of that.
Also great suggestions, Reynard. I thought of some stuff like that. I'll have to share these ideas with her.
Tangaroa: I like the build. I have never been a fan of bonding with companions though it would be more effective if multiclassing and/or using a PrC. If she does something like Reynard suggested then I'll definitely give her this suggestion.
I didn't want anyone to think I didn't appreciate the suggestions so just wanted to post again to say thank you.
I went with bonding over animal companion as an animal companion makes a second character to run. Not necessarily the best for a new player.
A higher wisdom statistic makes hunting companions more viable. Also, a Horn of the huntsmaster or hunter's band make the effect more viable.
Instant enemy is also a very, very nice ranger spell, if you ever get that high.