Are there any good ranger two weapon fight builds? [Archive] - Wizards Community

Are there any good ranger two weapon fight builds? [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Arlonnion
02-09-04, 01:34 PM I have done searches on "two weapon fighting" and "ranger build" and have not found anything too encouraging. I am trying to stick with the character I built in a campaign. He is a wood elf ranger 6th level who took the two weapon combat style route. In our campaign, there is already a monk, a barbarian with a greatsword and a giant (from Arcana Unearthed) with a greatsword, so I wanted to play a different fighting style (big group here, there is also a fighter/rogue, cleric/wizard, cleric and a wizard).

So far at 6th, my feats look like this:

1st level: Weapon Focus Short sword
2nd level: ranger combat style TWF.
3rd level: endurance, weapon finesse
4th level:
5th level:
6th level: twin sword style (FRC), improved combat style

Now, I felt pretty good about this character until I had to fight a damage reduction monster without the necessary weapon (ie, cold iron). when this happened, I was extrmely weak and useless.

Is there a good ranger based two weapon fighting build? Is there a good PrC for this build or should I mix barbarian, rogue or fighter levels into this characte? I want to stick with two short swords. Should I have taken power attack instead of twin sword style?

I thought with having 4 attacks a round I would be able to have similar damage output then someone with a two handed weapon. Boy was I wrong!:(

Any ideas on a ranger, two weapon build with two short swords?
Neonsamurai
02-09-04, 01:39 PM Use the feats extra favored enemy (masters of the wild) and improved favored enemy(complete warrior) to increase your damage output. Basically burn as many feats as you can in extra favored enemies. Good favored enemies are : outsider(evil), aberrations, monstrous humanoids,magical beasts and humans. Of course you need to customize your favored enemy list to your campaign's needs.

A sample build that emphasizes extra favored enemy can be found here (http://minmax.neonsamurai.de/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=49&mode=flat&order=0&thold=0)
Sisyfos
02-09-04, 01:47 PM This is pretty classic:

Ranger6 / Rogue3 / HorizonWalker6 / TelflammarShadowlord5

Your TWF style will improve all the time and the horizon walker's planer shifting gives you very nice archer options to use at times also. This combination will be strong throughout your levels. When you get shadow pounce from telflammer this build is more or less finished.

TWF pure ranger needs those favored enemy bonuses to be used constructively. With rogue 3 your TWF style will be strong most of the time.

Twin sword style is not any good. If you have access to complete warrior take improved buckler defense (it allows you to have a buckler strapped to off-hand and still use weapon in it and get the bonuses). That is +6 to AC with fully enhanced buckler. If you do not have CW there is shield expert in sword and fist I think. That also improves your AC and allows you to still TWF.

Power attack is not a good combination with TWF. And now with 3.5 light weapons cannot be used to power attack with (silly rule - not functional in our campaign), so you cannot use those shortswords to power attack.

Take a look at the ranger thread and see if you find any inspiration there. There is a link to it in my signature.

Sisyfos

PS. Oh... do carry those extra cold iron, silver and adamantium weapons with you. If swords are too heavy, expesive or silly, arrows are easy way to have damage reduction weapons all the time.
Arlonnion
02-09-04, 02:45 PM Thanks for the advice! Just to help with builds, the campaign has started Banewarrens and then City of the Spider Queen. My character background concept is a ranger who worships Shevarash and is drow hunter so to speak.

I like the favored enemy ideas and the horizon walker (underground terrain mastery will be a must!). There seems to be alot of buzz about the PrC from Book of Exalted Deeds, so I am gonna buy that today. Lion of Talisid and Stalker of Kharash seem to be two favorites.

So I am gonna try and use these classes to make the ultimate drow hunter!
Snow Savant
02-09-04, 04:41 PM Arlonnion said:
]...the campaign has started Banewarrens and then City of the Spider Queen. My character background concept is a ranger who worships Shevarash and is drow hunter so to speak.
Arlonnion, this Short Sword TWF build is tailor-made for your criteria and future objectives.

Ranger6 / Rogue3 / GuildThief4 / DarkHunter5 / Templar2

BAB +18
+5d6 SA
Guild Thief gives you both Weapon Finesse & Weapon Focus feats
Dark Hunter gives you a bunch of excellent Underdark-related benefits that work perfect for a Ranger/Rogue build
Templar gives you Weapon Specialization: Short Sword, Mettle, 2 good saves, good extra HD, spells, & a Smite
11 of 20 Levels in Survival Skill, 18 of 20 Levels in Stealth Skills

As Neon Samurai said, take as many Extra Favored Enemy Feats as you can. And definitely take Elf (Drow), Undead, Evil Outsider, Vermin (Spiders!), & Aberration ... assuming you are headed into the Underdark.

Dark Hunter = Complete Warrior Book
Guild Thief = FRCS
Templar = DotF

Good luck ... and have fun!

XO,
Snow :cloud9:

P.S. Templar is a no-brainer in the build, as you will have all the pre-requisites freely taken care of by the time you reach it.
PhaedrusXY
02-09-04, 04:47 PM The Stalker of Evil build is a great way to make a ranger based character with good damage potential, if your DM will allow it. HERE (http://boards1.wizards.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=140595&highlight=stalker+AND+evil) is a link to it.
Arlonnion
02-09-04, 07:49 PM Originally posted by PhaedrusXY
The Stalker of Evil build is a great way to make a ranger based character with good damage potential, if your DM will allow it. HERE (http://boards1.wizards.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=140595&highlight=stalker+AND+evil) is a link to it.

I like this build too. Tough choice between both. On the Stalker of Evil build, should I take 5 or 6 levels of bard to get the improved combat feat?
PhaedrusXY
02-09-04, 10:22 PM Originally posted by Arlonnion
I like this build too. Tough choice between both. On the Stalker of Evil build, should I take 5 or 6 levels of bard to get the improved combat feat? Do you mean 6 levels of ranger? I don't have my books on me, so I'm not sure what all the requirements are for some of this stuff, or if you'd have a problem making them if you went ranger6 instead of ranger4/fighter2.
Arlonnion
02-10-04, 03:42 AM Well played tonight with my stalker of evil. He altered it slightly with feats for two weapon fighting, using weapon focus short sword and weapon finesse.

Although I like this build and the character concept, I am having a difficult time with damage reduction creatures.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Arlonnion 02-09-04, 01:34 PM	I have done searches on "two weapon fighting" and "ranger build" and have not found anything too encouraging. I am trying to stick with the character I built in a campaign. He is a wood elf ranger 6th level who took the two weapon combat style route. In our campaign, there is already a monk, a barbarian with a greatsword and a giant (from Arcana Unearthed) with a greatsword, so I wanted to play a different fighting style (big group here, there is also a fighter/rogue, cleric/wizard, cleric and a wizard). So far at 6th, my feats look like this: 1st level: Weapon Focus Short sword 2nd level: ranger combat style TWF. 3rd level: endurance, weapon finesse 4th level: 5th level: 6th level: twin sword style (FRC), improved combat style Now, I felt pretty good about this character until I had to fight a damage reduction monster without the necessary weapon (ie, cold iron). when this happened, I was extrmely weak and useless. Is there a good ranger based two weapon fighting build? Is there a good PrC for this build or should I mix barbarian, rogue or fighter levels into this characte? I want to stick with two short swords. Should I have taken power attack instead of twin sword style? I thought with having 4 attacks a round I would be able to have similar damage output then someone with a two handed weapon. Boy was I wrong!:( Any ideas on a ranger, two weapon build with two short swords?
Neonsamurai 02-09-04, 01:39 PM	Use the feats extra favored enemy (masters of the wild) and improved favored enemy(complete warrior) to increase your damage output. Basically burn as many feats as you can in extra favored enemies. Good favored enemies are : outsider(evil), aberrations, monstrous humanoids,magical beasts and humans. Of course you need to customize your favored enemy list to your campaign's needs. A sample build that emphasizes extra favored enemy can be found here (http://minmax.neonsamurai.de/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=49&mode=flat&order=0&thold=0)
Sisyfos 02-09-04, 01:47 PM	This is pretty classic: Ranger6 / Rogue3 / HorizonWalker6 / TelflammarShadowlord5 Your TWF style will improve all the time and the horizon walker's planer shifting gives you very nice archer options to use at times also. This combination will be strong throughout your levels. When you get shadow pounce from telflammer this build is more or less finished. TWF pure ranger needs those favored enemy bonuses to be used constructively. With rogue 3 your TWF style will be strong most of the time. Twin sword style is not any good. If you have access to complete warrior take improved buckler defense (it allows you to have a buckler strapped to off-hand and still use weapon in it and get the bonuses). That is +6 to AC with fully enhanced buckler. If you do not have CW there is shield expert in sword and fist I think. That also improves your AC and allows you to still TWF. Power attack is not a good combination with TWF. And now with 3.5 light weapons cannot be used to power attack with (silly rule - not functional in our campaign), so you cannot use those shortswords to power attack. Take a look at the ranger thread and see if you find any inspiration there. There is a link to it in my signature. Sisyfos PS. Oh... do carry those extra cold iron, silver and adamantium weapons with you. If swords are too heavy, expesive or silly, arrows are easy way to have damage reduction weapons all the time.
Arlonnion 02-09-04, 02:45 PM	Thanks for the advice! Just to help with builds, the campaign has started Banewarrens and then City of the Spider Queen. My character background concept is a ranger who worships Shevarash and is drow hunter so to speak. I like the favored enemy ideas and the horizon walker (underground terrain mastery will be a must!). There seems to be alot of buzz about the PrC from Book of Exalted Deeds, so I am gonna buy that today. Lion of Talisid and Stalker of Kharash seem to be two favorites. So I am gonna try and use these classes to make the ultimate drow hunter!
Snow Savant 02-09-04, 04:41 PM	Arlonnion said: ]...the campaign has started Banewarrens and then City of the Spider Queen. My character background concept is a ranger who worships Shevarash and is drow hunter so to speak. Arlonnion, this Short Sword TWF build is tailor-made for your criteria and future objectives. Ranger6 / Rogue3 / GuildThief4 / DarkHunter5 / Templar2 BAB +18 +5d6 SA Guild Thief gives you both Weapon Finesse & Weapon Focus feats Dark Hunter gives you a bunch of excellent Underdark-related benefits that work perfect for a Ranger/Rogue build Templar gives you Weapon Specialization: Short Sword, Mettle, 2 good saves, good extra HD, spells, & a Smite 11 of 20 Levels in Survival Skill, 18 of 20 Levels in Stealth Skills As Neon Samurai said, take as many Extra Favored Enemy Feats as you can. And definitely take Elf (Drow), Undead, Evil Outsider, Vermin (Spiders!), & Aberration ... assuming you are headed into the Underdark. Dark Hunter = Complete Warrior Book Guild Thief = FRCS Templar = DotF Good luck ... and have fun! XO, Snow :cloud9: P.S. Templar is a no-brainer in the build, as you will have all the pre-requisites freely taken care of by the time you reach it.
PhaedrusXY 02-09-04, 04:47 PM	The Stalker of Evil build is a great way to make a ranger based character with good damage potential, if your DM will allow it. HERE (http://boards1.wizards.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=140595&highlight=stalker+AND+evil) is a link to it.
Arlonnion 02-09-04, 07:49 PM	Originally posted by PhaedrusXY The Stalker of Evil build is a great way to make a ranger based character with good damage potential, if your DM will allow it. HERE (http://boards1.wizards.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=140595&highlight=stalker+AND+evil) is a link to it. I like this build too. Tough choice between both. On the Stalker of Evil build, should I take 5 or 6 levels of bard to get the improved combat feat?
PhaedrusXY 02-09-04, 10:22 PM	Originally posted by Arlonnion I like this build too. Tough choice between both. On the Stalker of Evil build, should I take 5 or 6 levels of bard to get the improved combat feat? Do you mean 6 levels of ranger? I don't have my books on me, so I'm not sure what all the requirements are for some of this stuff, or if you'd have a problem making them if you went ranger6 instead of ranger4/fighter2.
Arlonnion 02-10-04, 03:42 AM	Well played tonight with my stalker of evil. He altered it slightly with feats for two weapon fighting, using weapon focus short sword and weapon finesse. Although I like this build and the character concept, I am having a difficult time with damage reduction creatures.