[MINMAX] Ranger Gloom Stalker > Rogue

[Riitoken]

Somewhere in Act3, I began feeling that lack of Rogue utility in combat. Truthfully, I felt it long before that but I was in denial - because I like Rogues and stealth in general. I was just coping with Astarian's single attack for the entire game.

But after the Orin fight and her Shroud-Self dagger assassins - who also stalk the sewers - after seeing them get multiple dagger hits per turn and then disappear, I thought "Why in the hell is Astarian not able to do this?"

A little research uncovered the Shroud-Self ability.

https://bg3.wiki/wiki/Shroud_Self

Apparently Larian thought we'd really like it, if the Bhaal assassins had a kind of stealth sanctuary ability - because that's what it feels like. Now as it turns out, Shroud Self is undone with any AOE damage of any kind - my favorite being the big Hammer Slam with my MC fighter. It knocks them into visible and it does feel great, I must admit. But that does not change my mind about the Rogues.

A little more research and I discover Umbral Shroud, a Ranger : Gloom Stalker subclass feature.

https://bg3.wiki/wiki/Umbral_Shroud

I got excited (temporarily), and I respec'd Haslin (recently rescued) to a level 12 Gloom Stalker with Dual wielding focus. I gave him the legendary shortsword Crimson Mischief, and the legendary dagger Bloodthirst - from Orin - this seems rather poetic given what happened right? He went from big-hearted bear druid to GloomBlood ranger assasin.

So now I gotta take him for a test drive right? So I head back to the temple where there are remnant Bhaalist neutrals lingering at the entrance. Now I am pumped thinking I'm going to have an identical experience as Shroud-Self. Nope. Haslin gets to do it once then must rest - hopes dashed.

But then it happened! Haslin got multiple attacks each round with crits (which helped my bias), and within only 2 turns I knew this class was better than Astarion. And this fact is the motivation for this OP.

Last night I went after Raphael with MC Fighter, Shadowheart, Minsc (respec Barbian zerker), and Haslin the dual wielding assasin. He got multiple attacks each turn. If there was any doubt in my mind, the Raphael fight killed all doubt. Because Astarian just would not have delivered the same in combat (I concede lockpicking here).

In BG3, in Act3, Gloom Stalkers are greater than Rogues. Fact.

Don't believe me. Try it.

[victorvnv]

And Hunter ranger > both rogues and gloom stalkers .

[Riitoken]

Originally posted by victorvnv:

And Hunter ranger > both rogues and gloom stalkers .

Not for melee it isn't. But I'm willing to listen to you attempt to prove me wrong.

[victorvnv]

Originally posted by Riitoken:

Originally posted by victorvnv:

And Hunter ranger > both rogues and gloom stalkers .

Not for melee it isn't. But I'm willing to listen to you attempt to prove me wrong.

How about I just demonstrate you with a video of my ranger 11/ cleric 1 soloing honor mode Raphael in melee?

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=ve4FsnVUwb8

Or house of grief

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=WGzqA5SvUtg

Or cazador

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=fgnSDt82j_k

And this is the melee version.

The ranged version is even more disgusting lol

[Riitoken]

Originally posted by victorvnv:

Originally posted by Riitoken:

Not for melee it isn't. But I'm willing to listen to you attempt to prove me wrong.

How about I just demonstrate you with a video of my ranger 11/ cleric 1 soloing honor mode Raphael in melee?

Or house of grief

Or cazador

And this is the melee version.

The ranged version is even more disgusting lol

Very impressed with these videos. Nicely done. I've never tried WW. Where did you get the Bhaalist armor?

[Riitoken]

Originally posted by victorvnv:

And this is the melee version.

The ranged version is even more disgusting lol

I assume "Sanctuary" is the core motive for taking a single cleric level.

[TheBlueFox]

Based on the fact that there's Burning Hands and Faerie Fire in their hotbar, they've probably chosen Light cleric.

At level 1, Light clerics get Warding Flare, a reaction action that gives someone attacking you Disadvantage. A decent way to use your Reaction when you don't have things like Counterspell

[victorvnv]

Originally posted by Riitoken:

Originally posted by victorvnv:

And this is the melee version.

The ranged version is even more disgusting lol

I assume "Sanctuary" is the core motive for taking a single cleric level.

You get the armor in act 3 by sacrificing the elephant at the murder tribunal and becoming unholy assasin.

The cleric level was for sanctuary and also for command but I updated the build and it’s optimal version is 1 lvl wizard instead of cleric for haste, mirror image, shield and hold person

[victorvnv]

Originally posted by Riitoken:

Originally posted by victorvnv:

How about I just demonstrate you with a video of my ranger 11/ cleric 1 soloing honor mode Raphael in melee?

Or house of grief

Or cazador

And this is the melee version.

The ranged version is even more disgusting lol

Very impressed with these videos. Nicely done. I've never tried WW. Where did you get the Bhaalist armor?

Early game the hunter is super good too I soloed the harpies at lvl 3 with it honor mode but you need to have good positioning skills to make it into a powerhouse build:
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=E1ZLXSSwgkU