The Deadly
Archer

style="font-family: tahoma;" size="+1">Guide to Ranger Enhancements

style="font-style: italic;">By Darkgolem

Rangers are a deadly class, and, depending upon the situation, better
than a regular fighter or paladin. The reason this is the case,
is because href="http://ddo.tentonhammer.com/index.php?module=ContentExpress&func=display&ceid=143">
Rangers use less resources. Not only are they able to damage
many opponents faster than your standard front line type, they do so
without wear to their bows, without the concern of using massive
amounts of healing and other support spells being used on them.
However, in addition to their combat prowess, they also can provide
support. They can slow or stop opponents with their fascinate
ability (especially if they take certain enhancements), they can scout,
and they can heal and use other protective spells upon themselves and
their allies. With the choice of particular enhancements, these
abilities are increased enormously, and can customized to fit
particular facets of a rangers variety of abilities.

size="-1">The Basics

A quick summary for those
unfamiliar with the way enhancements work for DDO is in order.
First, you get 4 action points every level. They are earned
gradually as you work your way to your next level. You use these action
points to purchase enhancements. You much qualify for an
enhancement to purchase it. Enhancements require a certain amount
of action points to already have been spent, less powerful similar
enhancements and sometimes for you to have a feat, before you can
purchase them. Because of the requirements for various
enhancements, you should plan on how you wish to spend your action
points when you begin character creation.

size="-1"> href="http://ddo.tentonhammer.com/modules.php?full=1&set_albumName=album55&id=Ranger_UI&op=modload&name=Gallery&file=index&include=view_photo.php"> alt="Ranger Enhancement UI"
src="http://ddo.tentonhammer.com/files/gallery/albums/album55/Ranger_UI.jpg"
style="border: 2px solid ; width: 250px; height: 188px;" align="left">Choosing
Your Role

There are three
basic specializations that apply to rangers. Once is regular
combat with ranged weapons, another is specialization against certain
foes, and the final and third is the "scout/skillster". Pick what
you want to do, but remember that rangers often end up ok at
everything, even when aiming for a certain goal regarding what role
they will play in a party. style="font-family: tahoma;" size="-1">

size="-1">The Ranged Master

The ranged master's
specific role is that of a ranged combatant. Certainly, they
might be competent with their scouting skills, their animal empathy,
and fighting favored enemies, but in the end, the ranged master's goal
is to put as many arrows as possible into their foes as quickly as
possible.

Ranger Energy Resistance Boost - At times the ranged master is
going to be attracting a lot of href="http://ddo.tentonhammer.com/index.php?module=ContentExpress&func=display&ceid=175">spells
and (in some cases) attacks from archers armed with elemental ranged
weapons. This enhancement makes this nuisance go from a deadly
threat to a minor irritation, at best.
Ranger Tundra/Desert/Swamp lore - all of these enhancements are
useful, for the same reason Ranger Energy Resistance Boost is
useful. However, these are passive, always effective, making them
overall more useful. When taking these, probably the Desert and
Swamp lore enhancements are more valuable. Acid damage is usually
light, but a damage over time. With a little swamp lore, you can
ignore this type of damage in many cases. Fire damage is very
common, meaning you will get the most out of this ability, since it
will be used.. a lot.
Ranger Dexterity - ranged weapons use dexterity to hit.
Enough said.
Ranger Sprint Boost - Being able to keep away from fast opponents
is key for a ranged master. Ranger spring boost almost ensures
this in every case.

size="-1">The Hunter

While the Ranged Master
might concentrate, overall, upon ranged combat, the hunter concentrates
upon favored enemies. While views on this differ from person to
person, probably the most useful of all favored enemies are
giants. Found at all levels after level 1, you will always be
facing these enemies. Since favored enemies differ in
nature overall, your going to need to vary your enhancements somewhat
depending on what group of enemies you have dedicated yourself to
slaying. For example, giants tend to have a poor armor class,
making Ranger Favored Attack less useful than against undead. If
you choose undead as your favored enemy, your going to want all the
bonuses to hit you can get... certain types are quite well armored.

Ranger Favored Attack - hitting your opponents is critical for a
hunter. Hunters tend to make up for damage dealing with accuracy
and speed of attack.
Ranger Favored Damage - assuming you can hit your favored enemy,
and quickly, then this enhancement is gold, since it makes each
successful attack just that much more effective.
Ranger Favored Resistance - this is situational depending upon
your favored enemy. If your favored enemy has a lot of effective
spells and effects, such as a type of outsider or undead, by all means
take this. The only one who will regret is your local bartender,
since he or she will have lost a lot of business.

size="-1">The Master of the Wild

The master of the wild is
a ranger with an emphasis on a combination of skills and
abilities. While not as deadly or focused as the hunter or ranged
master, the master of the wild is overall better at scouting, dealing
with enemies outside of combat, and supporting his or her party.

Ranger Vermin Empathy - being able to turn off a group of href="http://ddo.tentonhammer.com/index.php?module=ContentExpress&func=display&ceid=36">spiders
or similar vermin is a huge deal. These creatures are very hard
to deal with, especially in numbers, and if a party is able to deal
with them piecemeal, it greatly increases that parties survivability.
Ranger Elemental Empathy - the danger of elementals are their
area attacks. Mephit breath and elemental fireballs have sent
droves of adventurers to their local tavern. If you can gain the
ability to make these creatures wait patiently for their turn at the
end of your bow, get it.
Extra Empathy - this is a nice enhancement, but consider not
taking too much of this. Frankly, vermin are not so common as to
need a large amount of investment in this ability.
Ranger Spot/Hide/Move Silently/Jump/Etc - these skill bonuses
vary widely in their usefulness. Certainly a bonus is nice, but
decide before you make your character how much you want to invest in
these. Personally, I like a large jump bonus, because it helps
with kiting, and being a living spring is fun.

The Enhancements

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