Spells or Traps?

[DiesALot]

Hey guys,

I've built a ranger, but I'm facing the question of whether I use spells or Traps. Current level (9) spell list is quite limited. The best spells would probs be Treasure Map and Gravity Bow, while focusing on the ability of traps, I could better incapacitate enemies (and next level I get to throw traps at enemies) :D

What would you guys pick and why?

BTW, our current campaign we're getting absolutely trashed by Dragons. The current line of thinking is to go for Spells, just so I can use Treasure Map (Cause ya know, Dragons love gold and stuff, and we could find massive amounts again (it was used once before and we found some incredibly awesome stuff (including a very dangerous cursed item that turned me into a woman) :D

Thoughts?

[DinosaursOnIce]

I'd go with spells personally, Rangers get resist energy as a first level spell, helps some with dragons. Barkskin is pretty good too if you don't have many amulets of natural armor floating around. The reduced caster level hurts in both cases but both are still very solid spells. Gravity how is nice of course too. Plus at level 11 you can start using the instant enemy spell which is awesome for rangers.

I'd say the treasure map spell might be better in scroll form since it's probably not something that will come up everyday (but if you are literally running into dragons on a daily basis maybe actually prepare it).

[KoboldKhemist]

It does depend. Traps aren't useful if you don't do ambushes. As cool as traps are, it's normally for npcs. I would go spells.

[Claxon]

For what it's worth most ranger spells aren't actually very good.

The only on really worth it is Instant Enemy, but man is it worth it.

Notably, gravity bow is not worth casting once you're in combat. The standard action to cast it and increase your damage from 1d8 to 2d6 only increase your average damage by 2.5. Compare that to the fact that currently you are probably capable of making 4 attacks a round (1 iterative from BAB, 1 rapid shot, 1 manyshot, 1 normal). On each of those attacks you're going to have a static damage modifier.

By taking a full attack action that first round instead of casting your 2.5 points of damage per attack needs to overcome the total damage you could have done in that first full attack to be useful. When I play my ranger that was easily more than 30+ points of damage on a full attack.

To balance this would take 15 attacks, or more than 3 rounds of combat. Most combats are over more quickly than the benefit of casting gravity bow can make up for the damage lost.

As to spells vs traps.

Spells all day, but mostly for Instant Enemy next level.

[Wonderstell]

The main problem with the trapper ranger is the low saves of the traps (which often leads to the target completely avoiding your traps), the very low perception DC (only a blind drunk would fail a DC of 16-18 at lv 9) and the need for preparation.

You might need a standard action to cast a spell, but you'll need a full-round action to place a trap; which often won't have any effect. Rangers should buff themselves primarily since Wisdom isn't their main stat.

There are only a select few ranger traps which don't have a save-the only good ones. If you want Sleet trap (one of those), just get the feat Extra Ranger Trap instead of giving up on your spells.

So yeah, a normal enemy at your level should instantly notice your traps before getting close enough to trigger them, so regardless if you think the spells are weak; the traps are weaker.

[DiesALot]

Yeah, but the biggest benefit is that I can attach traps to bolts/arrows. Which again would be incredibly useful, since the DM has already ruled that if I get a hit, the trap automatically takes (I probably should've mentioned that in the first post. Sorry).

So with that in mind, I have a 17/17/12 to hit with Rapid shot (don't have many shot yet). Which means there would be a high chance for traps to be successful.

I'm also able to design my own traps (within reason) and what they do (equal to the level of which I can already cast).

[Cavall]

I'd recommend trapper since I've seen them in use. Spells are one or two a day and are buffs yiu likely won't use unless you want to not do something else. With traps you know you've got a few options, such as attacks against things with low ac or stopping creatures with low reflex. The thing about traps is that even if the bad guys know the trap is there they still won't stop to disarm it. That allows you essentially a permanent bottle neck in a fight. When you control a fight and it's terrain you win it.

So yeah traps work. They aren't epic. They won't sing songs about you. But I've seen a level 9 trapper in my game stop a field of giants dead cold just by spending a few actions and then having the group switch to range.

[Paulicus]

Spells are generally better, unless they don't fit the theme. I had a skirmisher ranger that was pretty fun.

[Wonderstell]

Oh, so if you hit they'll get no save? That's pretty good! Almost too good!

Since the traps degrade over time a normal trapper ranger is unable to create his trap-arrows during the morning and use them up a couple hours later since the DC would be ridiculously low. (Assuming you are using supernatural traps, which you should be.) That's why the preparation time is a problem even for lv 10 ranger trappers normally.

Anyway, no-save traps will be quite strong, are you sure your GM understands the implications of his houserule?