Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Tressymfamiliar 01-17-05, 09:44 PM	Hello, I'm having trouble dealing a decent bit of damage...I have two weapon fighting and weapon focus, but I still rarely deal damage...I am a 4th level Urban Ranger with a Strength of 10 and I use a Rapier and Shortsword...my DM (Kiirnodel) uses the Weapon Group variants...so I have crossbows, Light and Heavy Blades as my weapons...how can I deal more damage?
Kaboth 01-17-05, 11:34 PM	Being melee, the best trick to doing more damage is rasing your strength score by getting Girdle of Giant Str and getting magic weapons with enhancement bonuses. The problem with ranger is they dip in to so many attributes and you neglected strength so that is the biggest thing that adds to damage. You have to remember your ability is not damage its all your skills and talents. If you want to be damage I would suggest leaving ranger and roll up a fighter.
siege72 01-17-05, 11:54 PM	Hello, I'm having trouble dealing a decent bit of damage...I have two weapon fighting and weapon focus, but I still rarely deal damage...I am a 4th level Urban Ranger with a Strength of 10 and I use a Rapier and Shortsword...my DM (Kiirnodel) uses the Weapon Group variants...so I have crossbows, Light and Heavy Blades as my weapons...how can I deal more damage? Since you don't have a high Strength, you need to hit often for low damage, instead of once for a lot. If your Dexterity is 12 or higher, take Weapon Finesse to be able to hit more often. If there is another melee fighter in the group, take a level of rogue -- that way you can flank and get Sneak Attack damage. And if you have the gold, get energy damage (flaming, shocking, screaming, etc) or wounding weapons.
Kiirnodel 01-18-05, 12:45 AM	I agree with the sneak attack idea, I also think a good defense provides a better chance to use offense...I mean if no one hits you...you'll have more chances to hit them :) Likewise, I think accuracy is an option...she has weapon finesse and focus with her Dex of 16. I'm her DM and am lost for ideas...she's got excellent skills...she just falls behind in combat and wants some help (TWF) I suggested that and possibly combat expertise to keep up a good Defense...Sneak attack is excellent for her character.
Kulthos 01-18-05, 12:48 AM	Take lots of rogue levels. Evel with a +6 girdle of giant strength you won't do that much damage. TWF is only good for rogues, everyone else should be using greatswords or spiked chains.
Kaboth 01-18-05, 12:58 AM	Sneak attack is one option... But I still highly recomend getting str increasing magic items if they want to increase melee damage. Then get magic weapons with + enhacers and maybe other characteristics to add additional damage. That will take gold primarily...
siege72 01-18-05, 12:59 AM	Likewise, I think accuracy is an option...she has weapon finesse and focus with her Dex of 16. I'm her DM and am lost for ideas...she's got excellent skills...she just falls behind in combat and wants some help (TWF) I suggested that and possibly combat expertise to keep up a good Defense...Sneak attack is excellent for her character. Going with the "hit often" idea... what about Improved Disarm or Improved Trip? Knock an enemy down or take away its weapon, and attacks of opportunity open up. Or she could take a level of Barbarian, and use rage to increase her strength. :D
Kiirnodel 01-18-05, 01:07 AM	and combat reflexes! Improved Trip and combat reflexes might be fun trip a few and get AoO when they try to get up!
PhaedrusXY 01-18-05, 01:19 AM	A level of barbarian, some levels of rogue, three levels of Swashbuckler (if it's allowed, and you have a decent Intelligence), energy enhancements on your weapons, or a magic item to increase your Strength. Or all of the above. ;) You could also get the party wizard to cast Enlarge Person on you. If you have a low strength, Improved Trip might not be a good idea, as you're likely to lose alot of those opposed trip checks and get tripped yourself in return. Edit: While you're at it, go check out this thread (http://boards1.wizards.com/showthread.php?t=365051).
Kalanth 01-18-05, 01:27 AM	TWF is only good for rogues, everyone else should be using greatswords or spiked chains. Even Wizards and Sorcerers? :D There are many ways to pull off hitting for more. Definetly look into weapon finesse, and utilize two finese based weapons with that. Get some good focus in those weapons as well, in order to ensure better to hit numbers. Improved critical can be usefull as well, increasing the threat range can make a low strength character a bit more deadly in that sense too. Don't worry about massive damage at this stage in the game, worry about it when you are closer to 10th lvl and the DM starts throwing one thing after another with DR (like me :schemes: ). My last session, the players faught two flesh golems, an Iron Golem, and two Vampires. Each of those has DR, and it was not easy for them to figure out how to bipass it. DR is when damage is really needed. Just focus on finesse for now, things will balance out for you as you progress.
D_Martin 01-18-05, 01:51 AM	As an Urban Rgr, taking some Rog levels sounds like the right way to do it or a Str increasing item. A Rgr/Rog is a great combo! If she is the frontliner, probably should have gone with a higher Str anyway. If not the frontliner, I really wouldn't worry about it too much. Just chip in what you can. No need to be a big hitter. A Rapier and Shortsword aren't meant to be big hitters. But the Rapier has a threat range of 18-20, so maybe taking Improved Crit is the way to go. With a threat of 15-20, possible crits and extra dice might make up some of the difference. Other than that, I don't know what to tell ya, and the others have covered the possible ways(magic weapons, Improved Trip/Disarm).
Fasius 01-18-05, 03:24 AM	3 words: Character Optimization Boards