Post/Author/DateTime	Post
00_Whupass 09-07-05, 03:09 PM	Ok so I'm working up an alternate character for my current campaign, in case of character death, and I thought I could use some imput from the CO comunity. So for this alternate character I'm envisioning a Half-Orc Barbarian/Scout progressing into the Bloodhound PrC. Thats about where my vision ends, I'm not sure how to best buy my stats (36 point buy), or how many levels of each class to take, or feat selection. I know going with scout rather than ranger means having to burn a feat to pick up track, for RP reasons this will likely be his 3rd level feat, unless someone has a compelling reason to take it somewhere else. I think Dodge -> Mobility -> Shot on The Run might be a good set of feat choices using a Mighty Composite Longbow (to take advantage of high str), while not as useful as the traditional melee barbarian it would allow you to take advantage of skirmish without giving up the Str benefit from rage. What do you guys think? Core and Complete books are definitely allowed while other sources will require DM approval but are not completely off limits.
Gerdreg 09-07-05, 03:44 PM	Greater Manyshot from the XPH and SRD will allow you to apply Skirmish damage to multiple arrows (unlike regular Manyshot) after you move. Many consider the XPH "core" as it is covered under the SRD. You May also wanna consider going all Scout and using Highland Stalker PrC to fulfill the "Barbaric" aspect of your theme, until you land in Bloodhound. This will give you the same BAB but will maximize Skirmish (at the cost of Rage). Actually, from an otimization point of view, it's difficult to beat a Greater Manyshot Scout/ Highland Stalker. If you take a look at the abilities the HS gains, almost everything they get would be equally useful in an urban or city based environment, from rooftop battles to stairway chases. It could also fit your bounty hunter theme. Pay special attention to Mountain Stride and Surefooted which both mention stairs and steep slopes (such as rooftops). I always wondered that the Bloodhound gave you all these ways to find your "mark", but none to actually get to him. As an aside, with a 16+ BAB, you will be able to fire 4 arrows after moving, each getting upto 6d6 additonal Skirmish damage.
00_Whupass 09-07-05, 04:25 PM	True Highland stalker does continue to advance skirmish but by the time a character can qualify for it as a scout you should already qualify for Bloodhound (gather info is cross class requiring 5th level to aquire 4 ranks). Essentially you can take your first level of Bloodhound at CL 6 for a pure scout build, and not until CL 8 for Highland stalker. Therefore using Highland stalker as a stop on the way to Bloodhound doesn't make sence. Mountian stride is a cool ability, but the redundancy of swift tracker between bloodhound and Highland Stalker maks 3rd level in highland stalker a waste. I think I would like to continue to solicit Ideas for a Barbarian\Scout. Though I am considering a 2 level dip in Highland stalker for BAB +1d6 skirmish and Mountian stride.
jedrious 09-07-05, 05:47 PM	there are too many defenses against range attacks ok books used: Complete Warrior, Complete Adventurer, Unaproachable East, Player's Handbook Human from Rashamen Barbarian1 Snow Tiger Berserker Two Weapon Fighting Scout1 Scout2 Combat Reflexes Scout3 Scout4 Track Scout5 Weapon Focus (Light Mace) Scout6 Scout7 Scout8 Quick Draw Improved Two Weapon Fighting Scout9 Highland Stalker1 Highland Stalker2 Lightning Mace Highland Stalker3 Highland Stalker4 Highland Stalker5 Greater Two Weapon Fighting Highland Stalker6 Highland Stalker7 Highland Stalker8 Improved Critical (Light Mace) Highland Stalker9 Highland Stalker10 This nets you 7 attacks on a charge plus 1 more attack for every natural 19-20 you get on an attack roll(whether the crit is confirmed or not) each dealing 6d6 damage assuming a str of 10 and an anti-magic field your speed is 50 ft. you have a not-so-shabby BAB of 17 BFS 12 BRS 9 BWS 6 and has all sorts of nasty stealthy abilities
00_Whupass 09-07-05, 05:58 PM	That is a pretty nice build, Jedrious, well optomized. But its not quite what I'm after. I want to take the unusual build of the Barbarian/scout focused on Ranged Weapons. Also I specified Half-orc in the original post. I guess I need to clarify that I want to fill this niche as well as possible with this class race combo. I understand that there will be other builds that accomplish this better, or could be more effective, but this is the path I would like help with. Thanks for the responses so far guys, Keep them coming!
jedrious 09-07-05, 06:04 PM	That is a pretty nice build, Jedrious, well optomized. But its not quite what I'm after. I want to take the unusual build of the Barbarian/scout focused on Ranged Weapons. Also I specified Half-orc in the original post. I guess I need to clarify that I want to fill this niche as well as possible with this class race combo. I understand that there will be other builds that accomplish this better, or could be more effective, but this is the path I would like help with. Thanks for the responses so far guys, Keep them coming! biggest problem I have with ranged skirmish builds is you're adding more things that can prevent your damage, such as winds, with a meee build that can move around and still full-attack all you really need extra is a way to fly
00_Whupass 09-07-05, 06:10 PM	You can't move and full attack. Full attack requires a full round, there for you can't move and then full attack. What you can do is charge, which is a full round action, provides +2 to attack and -2 to AC and ends in a single attack up to 2x your movement in a striaght line from your starting position. This is the inherent inferiority in skirmish compared to sneak attack. If your target is denied his dex you can take a full attack of all sneak attacks, however to skirmish you must first move at least 10' which means taking a move action or charging, either way you only get a single attack. That is... unless I've totally missed something. PS anyone who can tell me what movie I just quoted gets 10 million coolness points. *Hint: The line is spoken by Willem DeFoe's character*
jedrious 09-07-05, 06:16 PM	that's the point of the snow tiger bererker feat it allows you to make a full attack at the end of a charge while weilding light weapons
00_Whupass 09-07-05, 06:23 PM	Ah I'm assuming thats from Unapproachable East? I've never had a chance to look through that, which would explain my confusion. Well any suggestions for a Half-orc ranged Barb/Scout, or maybe pure Scout.
jedrious 09-07-05, 06:30 PM	for ranged skirmishing the greater manyshot route is the only way to go, so pointblankshot preciseshot rapidshot manyshot greatermanyshot also expediousdodge and mobility will be your friends, but that ties up all but your scout bonus feats