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Hamster Friend
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Young Adult Dragon
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| Joined: 12 Oct 2008 |
| Posts: 63 |
| Location: The Void |
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Posted: Tue Oct 28, 2008 11:03 pm Post subject: Help me decide on a PP for my ranger. |
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Uhh...yeah. As it turns out, the DM for the campaign I just joined is just having his first go at 4E so we're sticking to core classes and races. All my cracktastic plans for a swordmage'll have to wait for the next campaign.
So I ended up playing a ranger.
At Level 1, my ranger's been built to be versatile. 17 STR, 16 DEX and 16 WIS. CON's at a measly 13 (but he's a striker fer chrissakes, and two-blade rangers get free Toughness), and INT/CHA are both at 10. He's human, so his two starting feats're Action Surge and Quick Draw. Basically for me to pull DMC-style quick switches between longbow and dual longswords. So far he's working out well.
First I was wondering whether to focus on melee or ranged as he gains levels. Considering I already started off with a DMC flair to the guy, I decided I'd go more for melee. Now, that stat array's looking like it could do pretty well with either of two PP's: Pit Fighter or Stormwarden.
So...yeah. I need some help figuring out which of those two to take. What're the major differences between those two?
I'm asking here since I'm looking more for what's more fun to play than the pure optimization look at it. I guess. 
_________________
I don't go for record time, my friend. I go for record PAIN!
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Last edited by Hamster Friend on Wed Oct 29, 2008 9:11 am; edited 1 time in total |
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erwin
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Master of None
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| Joined: 06 Dec 2006 |
| Posts: 2932 |
| Location: Searching... |
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Posted: Tue Oct 28, 2008 11:16 pm Post subject: |
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Stormwarden is good since you have a high dex anyway, as long as you're going to pump it up with Str.
Pit fighter's wisdom to damage ability works with rangers as well, since you'll have more output with ranger's multiple-attack powers.
I say both PP looks good, though I'd go for stormwarden.
If you're looking for other PP, Maybe you'll like swordmaster if you're a heavy blade user. Or Shadow Assassin or other rogue PPs if you're planning to keep up the high dex.
_________________
There is happiness for those who accept their fate. There is glory for those who defy their fate
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Hamster Friend
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Young Adult Dragon
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| Joined: 12 Oct 2008 |
| Posts: 63 |
| Location: The Void |
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Posted: Tue Oct 28, 2008 11:19 pm Post subject: |
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| erwin wrote: | Stormwarden is good since you have a high dex anyway, as long as you're going to pump it up with Str.
Pit fighter's wisdom to damage ability works with rangers as well, since you'll have more output with ranger's multiple-attack powers.
I say both PP looks good, though I'd go for stormwarden.
If you're looking for other PP, Maybe you'll like swordmaster if you're a heavy blade user. Or Shadow Assassin or other rogue PPs if you're planning to keep up the high dex. |
Hmm. I guess the question'd be, which one'd be best for simulating a Devil May Cry-style fighter? If I could somehow simulate DMC3's Trickster style with one of the Rogue PP's that'd be pretty cool. I was told that the closest you could get to Trickster would be Feytouched, but that needs CHA I don't have. 
_________________
I don't go for record time, my friend. I go for record PAIN!
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erwin
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Master of None
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| Joined: 06 Dec 2006 |
| Posts: 2932 |
| Location: Searching... |
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Posted: Tue Oct 28, 2008 11:24 pm Post subject: |
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oh, a Devil May Cry reference. I've never played one, though as IIRC, they usually have flashy moves. Stormwarden, Shadow Assassin, Infiltrator, and Daggermaster fit the description I think. 
_________________
There is happiness for those who accept their fate. There is glory for those who defy their fate
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Hamster Friend
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Young Adult Dragon
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| Joined: 12 Oct 2008 |
| Posts: 63 |
| Location: The Void |
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Posted: Wed Nov 05, 2008 1:33 am Post subject: |
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Okay, to continue this a bit. I guess whether I go Stormwarden or Pit Fighter'll depend on where our party's other striker (an Artful Dodger rogue) goes; if the two-man striker team needs more DPR, I'll go with Stormwarden. If, however, it looks like we could use more burst damage (the thought of Armor Splinter + Blade Cascade with Pit Fighter WIS for the AC penalty is just hilarious), I'll go Pit Fighter.
So, my next question is: exactly how does Stormwarden achieve the "King of DPR" status it has on the WotC Character Op. boards? Is it *really* just pumping DEX sky-high to fuel the Lv. 11 Stormwarden class feature along with Scimitar Dance?
_________________
I don't go for record time, my friend. I go for record PAIN!
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Pitz-Ikko
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D' Original Henio
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| Joined: 16 Jan 2007 |
| Posts: 719 |
| Location: Abu Dhabi |
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Posted: Thu Nov 06, 2008 12:50 am Post subject: |
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| Hamster Friend wrote: | | So, my next question is: exactly how does Stormwarden achieve the "King of DPR" status it has on the WotC Character Op. boards? Is it *really* just pumping DEX sky-high to fuel the Lv. 11 Stormwarden class feature along with Scimitar Dance? |
Pretty much it.
You were considering whether to focus on melee or ranged earlier. Going Stormwarden is the answer to that: you don't need to focus on any 'coz you're focusing enough for both. Pumping Str and Dex at the same time. What more do you need? 
Besides, while dealing slightly bigger damage on a hit is cool, it is infinitely more useful for the team if you can deal considerable damage even on a miss.
_________________
A little surprising, really...
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Hamster Friend
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Young Adult Dragon
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| Joined: 12 Oct 2008 |
| Posts: 63 |
| Location: The Void |
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Posted: Thu Nov 06, 2008 5:41 pm Post subject: |
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| Pitz-Ikko wrote: | | Hamster Friend wrote: | | So, my next question is: exactly how does Stormwarden achieve the "King of DPR" status it has on the WotC Character Op. boards? Is it *really* just pumping DEX sky-high to fuel the Lv. 11 Stormwarden class feature along with Scimitar Dance? |
Pretty much it.
You were considering whether to focus on melee or ranged earlier. Going Stormwarden is the answer to that: you don't need to focus on any 'coz you're focusing enough for both. Pumping Str and Dex at the same time. What more do you need?
Besides, while dealing slightly bigger damage on a hit is cool, it is infinitely more useful for the team if you can deal considerable damage even on a miss. |
Ahh, some very good points towards Stormwarden. I started seriously getting torn between the two, though, when I found out about the whole Armor Splinter/Blade Cascade combo and how big the AC penalty gets with the Pit Fighter's pumped WIS. That, and I didn't think the damage'd be that small considering that the action point-triggered ability of pit fighters deals half-level damage. It is however less consistent than just flat-out dealing damage all the time, as stated.
Plus, if we wanna metagame a bit, the party's other striker's a rogue who'll probably be better at burst damage than I am anyway.
_________________
I don't go for record time, my friend. I go for record PAIN!
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Hamster Friend
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Young Adult Dragon
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| Joined: 12 Oct 2008 |
| Posts: 63 |
| Location: The Void |
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Posted: Tue Dec 02, 2008 10:06 pm Post subject: |
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Alrighty, after reading through Martial Power here's what my build's gonna look like. I was tempted to go Blade Dancer/Dark Wanderer, but Stormwarden/Deadly Trickster really looks like the way to go since from experience, the party needs sustained damage more. Yeah, we tend to miss a lot.
| Quote: |
We were already Level 3 by the time our DM allowed Martial Power in our campaign.
Powers:
Lv. 1 At-Wills: Hit and Run, Nimble Strike, Twin Strike
Lv. 1 Encounter: Two-Fanged Strike
Lv. 1 Daily: Jaws of the Wolf
Lv. 2 Utility: (E) Yield Ground
Lv. 3 Encounter: Disruptive Strike
Lv. 4: Retrain Two-Fanged Strike to Off-Hand Strike*
Lv. 5 Daily: (D) Spitting Cobra Stance*
Lv. 6 Utility: (E) Serpentine Dodge*
Lv. 7 Encounter: Sweeping Whirlwind
Lv. 8: No Power
Lv. 9 Daily: Ranger's Recovery*
Lv. 10 Utility: (D) Hunting Party*
Lv. 11 Encounter: Clearing the Ground (PP)
Lv. 12 Utility: (E) Throw Caution to the Wind (PP)
Lv. 13 Encounter: Replace Sweeping Whirlwind -> Armor Splinter
Lv. 14: No Power
Lv. 15 Daily: Replace Jaws of the Wolf -> Blade Cascade
Lv. 16 Utility: (D) Evade the Blow
Lv. 17 Encounter: Replace Off-Hand Strike* -> Untamed Outburst*
Lv. 18: No Power
Lv. 19 Daily: Replace Spitting Cobra Stance* -> Cruel Cage of Steel
Lv. 20 Daily: Cold Steel Hurricane (PP)
Lv. 21: No Power
Lv. 22 Utility: (D) Adamant Recovery*
Lv. 23 Encounter: Replace Disruptive Strike -> Blade Ward
Lv. 24: No Power
Lv. 25 Daily: Ranger's Recovery* -> Ranger's Resurgence*
Lv. 26 Utility: (D) Epic Trick* (ED)
Lv. 27 Encounter: Replace Untamed Outburst* -> Death Rend
Lv. 28: No Power
Lv. 29 Daily: Cruel Cage of Steel -> Follow-Up Blow
Feats:
Lv. 1: Action Surge, Toughness, Quick Draw
Lv. 2: Weapon Proficiency (Bastard Sword)
Lv. 4: Two-Weapon Fighting
Lv. 6: Two-Weapon Defense
Lv. 8: Prime Strike*
Lv. 10: Predatory Action*
Lv. 11: Heavy Blade Opportunity
Lv. 11: Retrain Weapon Proficiency (Bastard Sword) -> Scimitar Dance
Lv. 12: Lethal Hunter
Lv. 14: Armor Specialization (Hide)
Lv. 16: Hunter's Advantage*
Lv. 18: Danger Sense
Lv. 20: Seize the Moment
Lv. 21: Prime Hunter*
Lv. 22: Martial Mastery*
Lv. 24: Martial Resolve*
Lv. 26: Rending Tempest*
Lv. 28: Correcting Aim*
Lv. 30: Unfettered Stride |
I'm a bit iffy somewhere around Paragon. Is the Armor Splinter/Blade Cascade combo still good even with a starting WIS of 16 (since I'll be pumping DEX more)? How's the build look?
_________________
I don't go for record time, my friend. I go for record PAIN!
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