Natural Killer (Ranger Build)

Natural Killer

Human Ranger (Two Weapon Combat Style, Guide/Skirmisher)
Shwing-swhing!

The Natural Killer is all about dealing damage and de-buffing his enemies, in that order. He achieves both of those objectives by getting critical hits through a high threat range and multiple attacks. To this end, the Natural Killer uses dual wakazashis, weapons with d6 damage and a threat range of 18-20. After the threat range is doubled to 15-20 at level 9, the Natural Killer is virtually guaranteed at least one critical on his multiple attacks when using his full round action to slice away. At higher levels, these criticals blind, stun, and stagger his enemies.

The Guide archetype allows the Ranger to choose a single enemy to designate as his favored enemy on the fly.  At level 12, this allows for a +6 to damage and attack rolls against 4 different enemies a day.

Feats

 1:   Exotic Weapon Proficiency: Wakizashi, Weapon Focus: Wakizashi
 2:   Bonus Feat: Two Weapon Fighting

 3:   Double Slice

 4:
 5:   Hunter's Trick (Vengeance Strike), Dodge

 6:   Bonus Feat: Improved Two weapon Fighting
 7:   Hunter's Trick (Second Chance Strike), Two-Weapon Defense
 8:
 9:   Hunter's Trick (Chameleon Step), Improved Critical (Wakizashi)
10:  Bonus Feat: Greater Two-Weapon Fighting

11:  Hunter's Trick (Deft Stand), Critical Focus
12:
13:  Hunter's Trick (Surprise Shift), Lunge

14:  Bonus Feat: Two-Weapon Rend
15:  Hunter's Trick (Rattling Strike), Blinding Critical
16:
17:  Hunter's Trick (Distracting Attack), Staggering Critical

18:  Bonus Feat: Quick Draw
19:  Hunter's Trick (Tangling Attack), Stunning Critical

20:

Attributes

Str>Con>Dex>Wis>Int>Cha, but Dex should hit 15 for some feats.

Point Buy 15

STR:18 (16+2)
DEX: 16
CON: 12
INT: 7
WIS:11
CHA: 7

Point Buy 20
STR:19 (17+2)
DEX: 16
CON: 14
INT: 7
WIS:10
CHA: 7

Point Buy 25

STR:20 (18+2)
DEX: 16
CON: 14
INT: 7
WIS:11
CHA: 7

Attribute advancement:  Strength all the way!

Skills

Even with dumping int, 5 skills a level is alright.  Make use of that strength modifier with climb and swim, and grab survival (or people will yell at you) and perception (or you will yell at yourself).  Other than that, it's up to you.

How to Play

The Natural Killer should always be using full round actions to attack with both his weapons. Because of this, moving around the battlefield will be a challenge - make sure to use your five foot steps strategically. If you have to enter combat adjactent to one enemy, try to step around him during combat to get ready to attack a second enemy when the first one falls.

Full round actions means less mobility around the battlefield. Try to reposition yourself with five foot steps - make sure that when you kill one enemy, you can tear into another enemy without using a move action.

The Natural Killer is overly reliant on his specific fighting style - Dual wielding, with wakizashis. Because most of his feats either boost dual wielding or the wakizashi specifically, getting disarmed or fighting with alternate weapons poses more of a problem for the Crit Fiend then it does other fighters.

Obviously, the Natural Killer will be significantly less effective against enemies that are immune to critical hits.

Note that the Natural Killer is pretty much a ranger version of the Crit Fiend.  Essential differences are he gets more skills and utility bonuses, is weaker against the average enemy but really strong against a handful of enemies a day with Ranger's Focus.

Traits

Reactionary: +2 to initiative.  Everybody loves initiative.

Carefully Hidden: +1 to Will saves (and a minor additional bonus)

What He Looks Like Each Level

(assuming no magic gear, 20pt buy)

Level 1: Attacks with one Wakizashi at +6 (15-20/x2) for d6+4. +8 (15-20/x2) for d6+6 against one enemy a day.  5 Skills, 13hp, 19/13/16AC.  Saves 4/5/1.

Level 4: Attacks at +8/+8 (15-20/x2) for d6+5. +10/+10 (15-20/x2) for d6+7 against one enemy a day.  20 skills, 40hp, 19/13/16AC.  Saves 6/7/2.

Level 8: Attacks at +12/+12/+7/+7 (15-20/x2) for d6+5.  +16/+16/+11/+11 (15-20/x2) for d6+9 against 3 enemies a day. 40 skills, 76 hit points, 21/14/17AC.  Saves 8/9/3.

Level 12:  Attacks at +17/+17/+12/+12/+7/+7 (15-20/x2) for d6+6. +23/+23/+18/+18/+13/+13 (15-20/x2) for d6+12 against 4 enemies a day. 60 skill points, 112hp.  21/14/17AC.  Saves 10/11/5. (DPR: 78 against 4 average CR 12 enemies per day).

Level 16:  Attacks at +21/+21/+16/+16/+11/+11/+6 (15-20/x2) for d6+6, and a pretty good chance of a rend at d10+9.  Against 6 enemies a day, that's +29/+29/+24/+24/+19/+19/+14 (15-20/x2) for d6+14. Blinds on a critical.  80 skill points, 148hp, 21/14/17AC.  Saves 12/13/6.

Level 20:  Attacks at +26/+26/+21/+21/+16/+16/+11 (15-20/x2) for d6+7, and a pretty good chance for a rend at d10+10.  Against 7 enemies a day, that's +36/+36/+31/+31/+26/+26/+21 (15-20/x2) for d6+17. Blinds, stuns or staggers on a critical.  100 skill points, 184hp, 21/14/17AC.  Saves 14/15/7

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