Best Ranger type build?

[Exarch_Alpha]

I´m trying this one, and with a greatsword for emergencies (lol) my ranger is pretty good.

How people develop their rangers?

[Kernest]

Assuming you're doing a ranged ranger, like one should, a greatsword is a terrible emergency weapon.

Go with a Shield+Rapier/Shortsword.

[marmih]

Archery gloomstalker ranger multiclassed with Rogue thief or assassin is very OP

[Exarch_Alpha]

Dunno man, with the trait where you reroll after a miss greatsword is pretty solid.

I can see the value of a shield, however.

Originally posted by marmih:

Archery gloomstalker ranger multiclassed with Rogue thief or assassin is very OP

I´m still trying to get the most out of Asterion thanks. Can you elaborate why it is OP?

[swbrandt]

I am running a dual-wielding ranger (handcrossbows and two finesse-based longswords) and she is tearing things up. With the singing sword "shriek" bonus and two other stacking damage bonuses from concentrating and inflicting statuses she does massive damage - especially when Gale buffs her with Haste. Loads of fun.

[marmih]

Originally posted by Exarch_Alpha:

Dunno man, with the trait where you reroll after a miss greatsword is pretty solid.

I can see the value of a shield, however.

Originally posted by marmih:

Archery gloomstalker ranger multiclassed with Rogue thief or assassin is very OP

I´m still trying to get the most out of Asterion thanks. Can you elaborate why it is OP?

Ranged, constant advantage due to hiding/rogue shenanigans. OP damage with sneak attack. Thief subclass gives you 2 bonus actions so you can use offhand weapon twice or use hunter's mark for more damage per target. or if you go with assassin subclass, it gives you more initiative and ambushing stuff so you can get a full attack in, and have that action restored instantly once per combat and essentially get an extra attack in that way.

[Non-binary Tiddies]

I'm doing a Ranger Knight dual wielding strength build. It's pretty nice though it is missing some of the pizzazz I got from my Swords Bard playthrough.

[Argonaut]

Gloomstalker / Assasin for ranged characters Gloomstalker / Thief for dual wiedling.

Gloomstalker gives you a free action at the start of every combat round with amped up damage as well as having the strongest intro to combat sneak attack possible. There are many fights in the game that a gloomstalker ranger can solo by repeatedly one shotting everything from stealth and high range especially once you have access to greater invisibility and stealth buffing gear.

Gloomstalker / Thief gives you two attacks per action and two bonus actions as well as dash and disengage as a bonus action allowing you great battlefield mobility and 2 main hand + offhand attacks per turn. It also allows you greater liberty to use your dual wielded weapons separately by using your bonus action to apply offhand weapon statuses/debuffs and use your mainhand for special attacks or prime damage. It also has the free action bonus attack at the start of combat.

There are stronger dual wielding builds but you wanted to stick to ranger so I'm not going to go over them.

[IlluminaZero]

I was legit shocked when I experienced first hand just how powerful Gloom Stalker + Thief with dual crossbows is. Especially if you are playing a Dark Urge playthrough with a particular cloak...

Fun factoid but Astarion is ALSO the best martial character in the game thanks to early access of the "happy" buff. I suspect many don't realize just how busted he is since pure Rogue is so underwhelming - Especially if you follow the game's default advise and make him an Arcane Trickster.

Gloom Stalker + Thief Astarian is absolutely crazy.

[talemore]

Chainsaw and shovel

[wendigo211]

You can do a STR ranger with throwing and greatswords, it works pretty well. That said, I don't find the class offers much past level 5. I found Ranger 5/Cleric 7 and Ranger 5/CoL Druid 7 work pretty well.

I did do Hunter 8/Thief 4 with Astarion and it was pretty powerful. Not as good as Gloomstalker/Assassin in the first round, but better in subsequent rounds.

[Argonaut]

Originally posted by IlluminaZero:

I was legit shocked when I experienced first hand just how powerful Gloom Stalker + Thief with dual crossbows is. Especially if you are playing a Dark Urge playthrough with a particular cloak...

Fun factoid but Astarion is ALSO the best martial character in the game thanks to early access of the "happy" buff. I suspect many don't realize just how busted he is since pure Rogue is so underwhelming - Especially if you follow the game's default advise and make him an Arcane Trickster.

Gloom Stalker + Thief Astarian is absolutely crazy.

I strongly disagree. Half-orc and Zariel tiefling make the best martials by far and with no contest due to how strong the racial bonus is from orcs and how strong free smites are from Zariel.

Astarions bite + happy buff doesn't even compare to innate faerie fire from drow which gives AoE advantage on attack rolls.

[DragonMaster]

Originally posted by Exarch_Alpha:

I´m trying this one, and with a greatsword for emergencies (lol) my ranger is pretty good.

How people develop their rangers?

Well as for me I've ran it 4 levels rogue assassin and then I'm going to and then 5 levels as ranger gloom stalker and I'll top it off with 3 levels of fighter. And I'll have to see how it works out.

So far we are 4th level Just brought down the Toll house of the so called Paladins for Karlach and we are headed to the bog to the bog to take out Auntie Ethel. The I got a couple of tiny quests I forgot to finish out in the druids grove and then it will be time to bring Krogar <SP> to see the light of her ways then go rescue Halsin.

AS for the party I've got Tav Drow assassin Ranger Gloom stalker And then Fighter. I'm hoping it turns out to be good.

Then there is currently Wyll, Shadow Heart and Karlach in the party. We've met Wyll's patron and avoided him being turned to a devil.

[Kernest]

Originally posted by Exarch_Alpha:

Dunno man, with the trait where you reroll after a miss greatsword is pretty solid.

What trait is this exactly...?

But in any case, Greatsword goes off of your STR modifier, not your DEX.

If you have 10 STR, your Greatsword damage is just 2d6 and your hit chance is going to be crap. A rapier with let's say 18 DEX (+4 modifier) would deal 1d8+4, which is better AND you have higher hit chance and more AC with a shield.

[swbrandt]

Originally posted by Kernest:

Originally posted by Exarch_Alpha:

Dunno man, with the trait where you reroll after a miss greatsword is pretty solid.

What trait is this exactly...?

But in any case, Greatsword goes off of your STR modifier, not your DEX.

If you have 10 STR, your Greatsword damage is just 2d6 and your hit chance is going to be crap. A rapier with let's say 18 DEX (+4 modifier) would deal 1d8+4, which is better AND you have higher hit chance and more AC with a shield.

You can also go with a finesse longsword (there are two - Phalar Aluve and Larethian's Wrath) both of which have nice bonus abilities. Those are great back-up weapons for an archer.

[Elazul]

Shield + Knife of the Undermountain King. This short sword will make it so you roll a Crit on a 19 or 20.