11 replies to this topic

[Naeryna]

I need high dex skilled monkey character with Listen, hide and lot other skills as party leader. Any ideas? I was thinking of Bard/swashbuckler, rogue/ranger, druid and wizard as party members.

 

 

I can't made my mind about SOZ party and I never finished any game I started. It's too hard.

[metatheurgist]

Just play the class you like and cheat the characters INT to a high value. As long as you're not playing a mage it's not much of a cheat. There are too few skill points in D&D classes anyway.

[Arkalezth]

Either works (though I'd go STR based if fighting in melee primarily), but I'm going to suggest a rogue/ranger/shadowdancer archer as the leader. You get survival and woodland stride, which bard lacks, and archers are pretty good in SOZ. Focus on rogue if you want a better sneak attack, or on ranger if you want a better animal companion (consider using a dino then), camouflage, etc.

That plus a bard, a druid and a wizard sounds good. I'd keep the bard STR based and pure (or maybe with a single fighter level, for proficiencies). One of my favourite parties I played SOZ with was pretty similar to that, but with a cleric (with animal domain) instead of a druid, and a warlock instead of a wizard. Either should work fine, but there's no perfect party.

[Dann-J]

Ranger / rogue can certainly be a powerful combination. If you choose a race that has a favoured class of either 'rogue', 'ranger' or 'any', then you can take a rogue level every two or three ranger levels to occasionally top up your rogue skills. You might have to concentrate on just a couple of rogue skills though, like open locks and disable device. The ranger class will take care of your search skill for finding traps.

 

A ranger with Power Attack gets to take the Favoured Power Attack feat, which doubles the PA bonuses against their favoured enemy (Monstrous Humanoid in SoZ is a good choice there, for fighting Yuan-Ti).

 

A wood elf makes a great ranger/rogue. Ranger is their favoured class, and being elves they're always actively in search mode without any movement penalties. With eight levels of ranger you also get the Swift Tracker feat, which allows you to track without movement penalties. Not to mention Woodland Stride at level seven, which should increase your speed on the overland map by 10% (on top of your survival skill bonuses to speed).

[GCoyote]

I played the SoZ Holiday Expansion with a Rogue/Ranger and it worked quite well. 

[Arkalezth]

A ranger with Power Attack gets to take the Favoured Power Attack feat, which doubles the PA bonuses against their favoured enemy (Monstrous Humanoid in SoZ is a good choice there, for fighting Yuan-Ti).

Yes, but that's only a good idea if you're using a single weapon, especially if two-handed. Dual wielders and archers can still take improved favoured enemy feats for some extra damage.

[Naeryna]

Could you suggest me a good build for rogue/ranger build and good build for bard/rogue build?

 

One more question - would ranger2/bardX or bard1/rangerX/RDDX be viable idea? Or arcane archer?

[Arkalezth]

Could you suggest me a good build for rogue/ranger build

I don't have any at hand to link here, but for SOZ, I'd do something like an archer rogue 1/ranger 13/SD1, and then add some more rogue or ranger. Wood elf would be the best race, but others can work too. Max dexterity, and take able learner, dodge, mobility, , natural bond, maybe dino companion, weapon focus, improved critical.

and good build for bard/rogue build?

Something like this should work (the fighter level and battle caster are not strictly necessary, but you may want to start with a bit more DEX otherwise): http://nwn2db.com/build/?32688

One more question - would ranger2/bardX or bard1/rangerX/RDDX be viable idea? Or arcane archer?

Maybe not the best builds ever, but yes, they're viable.

[Luminus]

Rogue/Ranger is best yes. Or you could make a pure Rogue (with SD) and get the Ranger NPC to help you in the wilderness.

On my Six-Drow-Party I had a Rogue/Scout/SD that was pretty much the skillmonkey.

[Snowdog65]

Rangers rock. I just finished the OC with a Rogue(1)/Ranger(18)/SD(1).

 

If you really want to pump skills, you could go Human, take Able Learner as bonus feat at first level(Rogue), then you have full access to rogue skill through all your ranger levels. I probably do what I did before, and never take another Rogue level. Rangers have almost as many skill points/level and with Able Learner you have access to all the rogue skills(and Ranger ones). 

 

Human Ranger with 14 Int, gives you 9 skill point/level (44 at first level Rogue).

 

Wood Elf is likely other Ranger choice. Chances are you will have 12 Int, so 7 skill points/level (36 at first Rogue Level).

 

Though I prefer strength over dex. I like to hurt things when I hit them.

[rjshae]

The rogue/ranger/shadowdancer build was a lot of fun to play.

[ShinsFortress]

I never got the almost ubiquitous 'need' for multiclassing.  SoZ is not the cake-walk that the OC was, but it's still easy enough.  Other than a Rogue, or in high level modules that make use of Prestige classes, I don't bother.

 

But then, I'm not a power gamer.  My first party was Ranger, Warlock, Favoured Soul, and a Rogue/Warrior (probably plain F/R).  I had plenty of fun with it, and used the Bard and Druid cohorts.