I begin to play NWN2 after many years, before getting in the search of new PW (and maybe french for practice it) I said: "Lets try a ranger in the OC for remembering how the GUI worked"... OUCH OUCH OUCH,

Making the post short: Is a ranger using Weapon Finesse and two weapon style, I remember well that undeads and humans are the norm in the first OC and in many parts of the Betrayers Expansion, but can't remember other type of creatures for the Favored Enemy selection, so... suggestions? (maybe outsiders?)

I usually play wizards, paladins, clerics or fighter (full-plates), so this time, using a warrior as the ranger (who seem is not good for PrC) I'm having problems.

I mean, is not unplayable but I chew more than I should: I usually don't rest until the missions are over and as I usually play with Elaine and Khelgar but this time I'm playing with the others, so right now I'm having a little of hard time as the game truly think I rest after each encounter (and the are with the Orcs in hte old owl well are poorly designed as the trigger and the spawn point are in the same point). Is not unplayable but make me re-think if is useful to finish the OC

With weapon finesse you'll want small weapons and super high dexterity.
Which in turn means you do crappy damage until you get high enough weapon enchantments.
Which again means, you better get someone learning "craft magic arms".

Early on, I'd guess it's best to just hang back and rain death with a longbow.

I'd be tempted to multiclass a few rogue levels (use magic items, open locks, disable traps), or fighter levels to get weapon specialization. But there's perfect 2 weapon fighting at 21st level, more favored enemies. And the animal companion is already pretty weak without weakening it even further.

Human, undead, outsiders, dragons would seem solid bets for favored enemies. Maybe giants?
Plenty of orcs and lizard men, but I wouldn't think those are the kinds of fights where the extra edge is most needed.

Exactly my thoughts, probably the Ranger is ill suited for the PrC in the NWN2 game, plus as the light weapons come in variety and I don't remember which are the best weapons in those categories I'm not sure to go for Fighter lvls (AKA: Weapon Specialization), probably the Divine Champcion is better, similar amount of feats, plus extra saves (as the ranger has Evasion this is good), there is a feat that let me recover 3 levels for the animal companion (Though not sure if its a typo and should be 4 as the practiced spellcaster feat).

P.d. Something odd, the ranger's animal companion is half your level, instead of -4 levels (D&D 3.5 core), OUCH as ranger lvl 20 will have a animal companion of level 10 instead of 16. But this make think, is the same with the turn undead for the paladins?

In early levels seem the bow and dual weapons do similar damage, BUT the AC you character has (with the ranger's armor restriction) is hard, my ranger hit as my paladins and fighters builds but die very quickly. Now, that he is closet to lvl 11 with Nasher boots +3 Dex he can use power attacks and the damage is already better than using bows but still have the problem of dying quickly, so probably, expertise and improved expertise are vital but cleave and great cleave should be taken as well (That is why fighter or divine champion multiclass seem important).

with the small amount of magic and the animal companion the ranger in PnP should be a viable fighter character but I'm not sure if is the same case in NWN2, probably is more like a monk. At least with weapon finesse my BA and the AC can improves to the same time (But then again, I don't remember which are best armor letting maximum dex bonus). Dragons, not sure, in the OC I only remember the red dragon and the blue dragon from the expansion. Orcs and lizardmen are only in two chapter?. The Feys creatures from the expansion and the outsider are in the same category for NWN2? However, demons I think they appears more times than dragons, so probably will be the next one to pick

P.d. with my currently build, probably I could pass the game using as henchman Qara and Neseskha (for the traps), resting after each battle, BUT I hate that style of game of encounter/resting,

The best weapons are the ones you make and enchant yourself. Especially in MotB, but OC also.
Damage is not too important, critical range and multiplier are more.

And it's not about how often you meet favored enemies, it's how much trouble you have in the fights.

I'm pretty sure there's a tipping point somewhere, when dual wielder starts becoming a battle god.
Somewhat before having a couple of daggers both doing 5d6 of this and 5d6 of that elemental damage.

As a finesse-based ranger in NWN2? No way, he needs the damage. Critical hits really don't matter for him.

Some math: suppose you're using a kukri and need an 11 to hit and an 18 to threaten. This gives a 42.5% chance of a regular hit, and a 7.5% chance of a critical hit. Extending your critical range so you threaten on a 15 changes this to a 35% chance of a regular hit and a 15% chance of a critical hit. Given a x2 critical multiplier this works out to a 13% damage increase. The damage increase from a flaming enhancement is 1d6 fire damage, which averages a flat 3.5 damage per hit. In order for an increased critical threat range to be better than the baseline elemental damage increase, your average damage per hit must be at least 27. Even optimized two-weapon fighters won't get that much damage until they're well into the epics.

Critical hits do not multiply elemental damage in NWN2, which gives you too few sources of damage to fuel a decent crit. As a ranger, you do not have weapon specialization, and as a dexterity-based ranger your strength isn't going to be all that good. What's your ideal case on a kukri? 1d4 + 5 enhancement + 5 strength + 2 adamantine? Even less on your off-hand due to the halved strength. Pre-epic you'll be lucky to average more than 15 damage per hit, which is not even close to the 27 needed for an increased threat range to be better than more elemental damage.

Go with damage, every time.

Yeah, for NWN2 is not a good idea, however, for NWN1 where the Keen property and the Improved Critical feat stacks is another history (That game is a fully special set of D&D 3.0). Though for NWN1 a ranger with the Two weapon style probably should consider to uses double-weapons with high strength (too bad NWN2 don't have the double-weapons),.

But backing to NWN2, I need weapons that deal as many damage as possible, due the light weapons don't benefit of extra strength and their dice damage are 1d4 or 1d6 mean elemental damages is the wa

Probably will choices a weapon for have replicas of different materials, the rapier seem a good candidate due its amount of damage, or maybe the kukiri? And probably the feat for improved the Favored enemy for undead and if I remember well, in the expansion there are many humans (Though wizards, so probably they will be easy to hit)

I didn't mean criticals vs elemental damage actually, I meant base damage, the difference between dagger or kukri doing 1d4 vs short sword or rapier doing 1d6. As enchantments go, obviously go damage all the way.

But as already pointed out, the crit differences are not that huge either. So best to pick a weapon you like visually.

Increase in damage output against lesser survivability. It's not an easy choice to make.
I don't think I've ever managed to go either extreme, rather opting to have decent scores at both.

I do think though, a finesse dual weapon ranger is deadlier than str based,
at high levels when most of the damage is coming from weapon enchantments.

One more thing to consider. A mithril made chain shirt is light armor, looks pretty nice as well.

Str based fighter or ranger is more effective at low levels,
and imo a sword+dagger or mace+axe or whatever, do look rather better than two small weapons.

It's absolutely viable, and at lower levels it's much stronger. You'll still want a decent dex (probably 14) for AC, but the higher strength score will give you significantly more damage output.

Eh, not really. If the enemies are attacking the Ranger instead of the Wizard, then that's a good thing. If you're planning on solo'ing or playing with tight resting restrictions that's another matter, but with typical NWN2 gameplay arcane casters just rule the roost and tactics revolve around supporting them.

The considerations at high levels (elemental damage overshadows everything else) are the only major downside of the strength-based variant. Still, You're probably looking at a difference of at least 8 points of strength; that's +4 on your main-hand and +2 on your off-hand. This is roughly equivalent to 2d6 elemental damage, which isn't shabby at all. Mithral Breastplate also counts as light armor, and unless your dexterity score is 22 or higher it's superior to a chain shirt.

Many thanks to everyone,
Closing the topic, As this character is not build for be overpowerul (I had to distribute Skills to diplomacy and intimidate plus didn't drop any stat to pump others) was not 100% tank character, however was usable and enjoyable, there are some suggestions from my experience:

- Elemental damage plus other types are mandatory for ranger based in Dex
- A pure Ranger or at least 26 levels of it is a good idea, or at least Ranger 21 due the Perfect Two-Wp style (witouth needing 25 of dex)
- There is a feat that let your animal companion to increase 3 levels if you multiclass.
- Multiclass to Rogue bring sneak attack (Plus dmg) but with less BAB and access to diplomacy, intimidate , bluff AND tumble
- Multiclass to Fighter bring full BAB and 2-3 feats (If you take only 4 level) and access to intimidate
- Multiclass to Divine Champion similar to fight plus +1 to your saves (Good as you has Evasion) BUT you need to spend another feat in the Weapon Focus
- Hide is very useful as you will get Hide in Plain sight at level 17, nice way to surviving
- Probably the Expertise and Improve Expertise are more important (At least more than the feat that give you +1 to Shield AC)

For the OC and MoB probably the favored enemies to get are: Human, undead, elemental, fey, with emphasis in the undead (Didn't remember the damned vampires epic monks). A pure Ranger get one last favored enemy at level 30.

I took the feat for learning cross-skills with 1 point and give priority to tumble, however half of the OC you will still incurring in attacks of opportunity (if you don't get items to benefit ), however this make Mobility and Spring Attacks less required and are two feats you can use for another things. Remember that if you multiclass then you has access to the normal progression of all the skills, making the rouge a little more tempting

As I learned on the march and didn't dump stats my ranger is very far from being a quick and lethal avatar of death with little AC but still is able to be the main tank in the MoB (with summons supporting the hits) so probably is possible to perfect the formula to make it A LOT MORE as a powerful thank



Seem that is not the case anymore, I tried them but the Two weapon style were deactivated, at the end I'm using an padded armor which give Immunity to Critical hits and the higher enchantment AC possible, still cap my dex but give more than not using an armor at all.

P.d. Maybe nex time will try a halfling ranger/barbarian with str as point only for being a shoeless avatar of death.

Ranger/Rogue isn't that great of a combo IMO. The classes have more overlap than synergy. Fighter/Rogue, Barbarian/Rogue, or Paladin/Rogue all work better on the Rogue side, while for the Ranger it really isn't worthwhile delaying access to your higher-level class features (not to mention you'll need to sink a feat to keep your animal companion up to speed). If you want diplomacy as a class skill, multi-class Cleric. The 1st level Domain powers are really nice.

When you're expecting to hit epic, it's not worth delaying perfect two weapon fighting. If you're not expecting to hit epic, however, it might be worthwhile.

If you're going to waste a feat in weapon focus you'll want weapon specialization. Fighter is preferable to this.

On the other hand, it costs you 2 skill points per level. That eats into your skill allocation very quickly.

I created the Order of the Stick (or a partial order, due to party size constraints) for SoZ. Fortunately, the fans of the comic have done most of the work for you in terms of working out their builds.