Best Ranger PrCs [Archive] - Wizards Community

Best Ranger PrCs [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
barddan
08-10-07, 06:21 PM I am DMing for a group of adventurers and one of my players has asked my advice for her prestige class. In my opinion, the party is likely to end up a little short on melee combat ability, having no fighter or barbarian. The classes are as follows: Ranger, Bard, Sorceress, Druid, Cleric and Rogue. My half-elf Ranger wants to be the most hardcore melee character she can be and is wondering what the best prestige class would be for her. Any opinions? Thanks so much for your input!
dman11235
08-10-07, 06:56 PM You have a cleric and a druid and you're short on melee? Assuming your cleric falls into the stereotypical, and wrong, slot of healing monkey, you still have the druid. If you still need a melee character out of the ranger, then go with at least 6 levels of ranger, try for 11, to get the combat styles, and one good PrC is dervish. Another is tempest. Straight ranger isn't bad. If you concentrate of strength, then your AC will be terrible, so dervish isn't a bad option. In fact, the skirmish dervish (2 ranger, scout 5, dervish 10, ranger or scout) dishes out A LOT of damage, even with a str penalty. Make sure to use scimitars. Fighter can be substituted for ranger, picking up bonus feats towards TWF. Tempest is alright, concentrates on TWF. It lets you use two different weapons and apply weapon specific feats to both.

What level is this party?
BreegJac17
08-10-07, 11:57 PM Deepwarden, if your a dwarf, Tempest and dervish are also nice. Order of the bow initiate and deepwood sniper are good for archer-rangers.

Not really a PrC, but a Scout4/ Ranger 16 with swift hunter feat is very good.

Also, if these don't help go to the Prestige class forums or the CharOP forums.
Waterhammer
08-11-07, 01:00 AM An half-elf, eh?

Darkwood Stalker from Complete Warrior might do some good. The most useful feature is Uncanny Dodge of course.
HxHunter
08-11-07, 02:15 AM Dervish and Stalker of Kharash.
The_Shaman
08-11-07, 02:16 AM Half-elf ranger, eh? If he does not have excess feats, he can try to get 10 levels of wildrunner (Races of the Wild). It is a somewhat barbarian-esque PrC, and works best if s/he has not dumped their charisma. Quite cool, though. The progression can end with animal lord (CAdv), primeval (Frostburn) or Nentyar Hunter (UEast.) As a matter of fact, the primeval is a pretty tough cookie and can work great on its own (especially with some warshaper levels later on, hmmm), but please allow the player to take improved toughness over toughness as a prerequisite feat.

Dervish - possibly with Tempest later on - is okay, but very feat-heavy for your average ranger. It can work better for ranger/scouts and ranger/swordsages, imo (if the swordsage's lvl 1 ability counts as weapon focus, especially)
barddan
08-16-07, 04:56 PM Thanks a lot for all your input, now what about melee heavy Ranger PrCs that will keep the characters abilities with her animal companion leveling up too?
natzero
08-16-07, 05:07 PM hmm i think for your ranger a great melee choice is the dread commando from heroes of battle.

+ initiative bonus for entire party.

3d6 sudden strike dmg

can move at normal speed with no penalty while move silently
can run move silently with only -10

and armor check penalty reduced by 4.

good ref save and i think good BAB.
The_Shaman
08-16-07, 05:55 PM Thanks a lot for all your input, now what about melee heavy Ranger PrCs that will keep the characters abilities with her animal companion leveling up too?

I remember only a few PrCs that work with both. IIRC the animal lord and the Wild plains outrider give full BAB and decent abilities, although the Beastmaster might be worth for a level or two - but not more. The BoED Lion of Talisid is a fun PrC, but looking at it again it has only medium BAB, which might not be enough. Then again, you need not take it for 10 levels.

Altogether, I think Animal Lord might be worth your time if you only want combat skills and animal companion. Ideally, try to get at least 6 ranger levels for the weapon style, save and spell boosts. Dragon Magic, iirc, has a few ranger spells that give you cumulative effects if both are working - 2 of them give you uncanny dodge, and they last for the entire day.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
barddan 08-10-07, 06:21 PM	I am DMing for a group of adventurers and one of my players has asked my advice for her prestige class. In my opinion, the party is likely to end up a little short on melee combat ability, having no fighter or barbarian. The classes are as follows: Ranger, Bard, Sorceress, Druid, Cleric and Rogue. My half-elf Ranger wants to be the most hardcore melee character she can be and is wondering what the best prestige class would be for her. Any opinions? Thanks so much for your input!
dman11235 08-10-07, 06:56 PM	You have a cleric and a druid and you're short on melee? Assuming your cleric falls into the stereotypical, and wrong, slot of healing monkey, you still have the druid. If you still need a melee character out of the ranger, then go with at least 6 levels of ranger, try for 11, to get the combat styles, and one good PrC is dervish. Another is tempest. Straight ranger isn't bad. If you concentrate of strength, then your AC will be terrible, so dervish isn't a bad option. In fact, the skirmish dervish (2 ranger, scout 5, dervish 10, ranger or scout) dishes out A LOT of damage, even with a str penalty. Make sure to use scimitars. Fighter can be substituted for ranger, picking up bonus feats towards TWF. Tempest is alright, concentrates on TWF. It lets you use two different weapons and apply weapon specific feats to both. What level is this party?
BreegJac17 08-10-07, 11:57 PM	Deepwarden, if your a dwarf, Tempest and dervish are also nice. Order of the bow initiate and deepwood sniper are good for archer-rangers. Not really a PrC, but a Scout4/ Ranger 16 with swift hunter feat is very good. Also, if these don't help go to the Prestige class forums or the CharOP forums.
Waterhammer 08-11-07, 01:00 AM	An half-elf, eh? Darkwood Stalker from Complete Warrior might do some good. The most useful feature is Uncanny Dodge of course.
HxHunter 08-11-07, 02:15 AM	Dervish and Stalker of Kharash.
The_Shaman 08-11-07, 02:16 AM	Half-elf ranger, eh? If he does not have excess feats, he can try to get 10 levels of wildrunner (Races of the Wild). It is a somewhat barbarian-esque PrC, and works best if s/he has not dumped their charisma. Quite cool, though. The progression can end with animal lord (CAdv), primeval (Frostburn) or Nentyar Hunter (UEast.) As a matter of fact, the primeval is a pretty tough cookie and can work great on its own (especially with some warshaper levels later on, hmmm), but please allow the player to take improved toughness over toughness as a prerequisite feat. Dervish - possibly with Tempest later on - is okay, but very feat-heavy for your average ranger. It can work better for ranger/scouts and ranger/swordsages, imo (if the swordsage's lvl 1 ability counts as weapon focus, especially)
barddan 08-16-07, 04:56 PM	Thanks a lot for all your input, now what about melee heavy Ranger PrCs that will keep the characters abilities with her animal companion leveling up too?
natzero 08-16-07, 05:07 PM	hmm i think for your ranger a great melee choice is the dread commando from heroes of battle. + initiative bonus for entire party. 3d6 sudden strike dmg can move at normal speed with no penalty while move silently can run move silently with only -10 and armor check penalty reduced by 4. good ref save and i think good BAB.
The_Shaman 08-16-07, 05:55 PM	Thanks a lot for all your input, now what about melee heavy Ranger PrCs that will keep the characters abilities with her animal companion leveling up too? I remember only a few PrCs that work with both. IIRC the animal lord and the Wild plains outrider give full BAB and decent abilities, although the Beastmaster might be worth for a level or two - but not more. The BoED Lion of Talisid is a fun PrC, but looking at it again it has only medium BAB, which might not be enough. Then again, you need not take it for 10 levels. Altogether, I think Animal Lord might be worth your time if you only want combat skills and animal companion. Ideally, try to get at least 6 ranger levels for the weapon style, save and spell boosts. Dragon Magic, iirc, has a few ranger spells that give you cumulative effects if both are working - 2 of them give you uncanny dodge, and they last for the entire day.