You aren’t locked into a single class inAvowedlike you might be in some other games. In fact, you never have to decide at all - while there are three distinct classes (Fighter, Ranger, Wizard), you can mix and match from all three types of skill throughout your adventure. However, in order to make the strongest character possible, you will need to commit to a more focussed build.
In this case, we’re looking at the best build for aRanger, someone who uses the resources of the world around them, attacks from afar or with fast, precise movements, and is a clever, active force on the battlefield. Fighter and Wizard skills can aid you there, especially with sensible choices.
1
Take first or Medium
High if ranged/Skip if melee
5
10
15
20
High if melee
High if ranged
Most of your skill points will, naturally, be spent in the Ranger category. You must choose eitherTanglefoothere,Chargein theFighter section, orMinor Missilein theWizardsection. In truth,none of these are great first skills. We suggest goingMinor Missleif you don’t plan on picking up a lot of spells (because thisbanks a good one early) or sticking withTanglefootif you won’t be using magic a lot. After that,Survivalist is the best Level 1 skillas you’ll be gathering food and using it a lot.Bow-based Rangers need Steady Aim, whilemelee Rangersneed Parry. If you’re expecting to swap between both, go with the one you’ll use most.Evasive is another useful skill to grab early.
At Level 5, there are three distinct paths. If you’re usingdaggers, sword, or spears for power attacks,opt forPiercing Thrusts. If you’re usingone-handed weapons, go forFinesse. And for ranged attacks, you wantMarksmanship. Of course, a good Ranger build might be sword and shield for one loadout, bow for the other, meaningall three may be useful. This isby far the most useful level for most Rangers, so invest across all useful ones.
Aside from those,Shadowing Beyondisuseful for gaining vantage points,andcan be used in side quests,so isvery helpful. Scavengeris good if you are fully committing to being a Ranger by gathering resources and crafting, but you caneasily get by on default weapon upgradesso this isnot an important skill.
Level 10 drops down to three skills, butPower Slide can be forgotten about. It’s fun butnot that useful. As forQuick Switch, it depends on how regularly you’re swapping between weapons. If you have one melee and one ranged,ignore this. If you have two different loadouts that work in tandemconsider it, but it’s stll not a priority.
Once you get to Level 15, you’re able to summon a bear withBear Ally. While this is less useful to a Fighter with their tanky power, it can be a great distraction and damage dealer for a Ranger, so shoulddefinitely be bought.Critical Strikeis another no brainer, you want to invest a couple of points in this.Sniperonly works on unaware enemies, so ishighly situational and therefore not recommended.
At Level 20, it’s a familiar choice.Flurry of Blowssuitsmelee players, whileStaggering Shotis best for ranged players.
High/Skip (if using Wizard build)
Low
Playing as a Ranger, there are a couple of skills you’ll definitely want to grab from theFighter section- namelyConstant Recoveryto recover health andToughnessto raise your health. If you’re wearing Medium (or Heavy, although that’s less optimum) armor, grabArmored Graceto offset the stamina cost too.
Aside from that, you have a choice to make. You can either have both of your loadouts be Ranger-oriented, so a sword and shield, twin daggers, dagger and spear, sword and spear, et cetera, plus bow or gun. If this is the case, youonly want Devastating Criticalsat Level 5 and (low prioritiy, but worthwhile)Built to Destroyat Level 10. The same goes if you want a Ranger/Wizard loadout, where one of the two slots is taken up by wand or Grimoire.
However, if you want a heavier hitting, two-handed weapon as your other loadout, there are more things to consider. Still grab Devastating Criticals and Built to Destroy, but also make space forBrawn, Retribution, and Clear Out. If you’re using anaxe or greatsword(as are more common)try Bleeding Cuts. For players opting instead for the rarermace or two-handed hammer, go forStunning Blows.
High (if taken first)/Low (if not taken first)
Only if building to Secrets of Rime
Medium/High if building to Scion of Flame
Only if building to Heart of the Storm
Medium/High if building to Spirit of Decay
Medium if using Wand
High if using Wand
High if using Grimoire/Spells
Only if building to Scion of Flame
Low if using Grimoire/Skip
Heart of the Storm
It’s the same story withWizard skills- if you are planning on leaning more heavily on Ranger/Ranger or Ranger/Fighter loadouts, therearen’t many useful Wizard skills. WhileMinor Missilesis a good first skill, if you passed it over youshould have at least one spell. In this instance,Fan of Flamesmight be the best choice as it can deal damage over time. That’s probably it for Wizard skills unless you’re committing to it.
However, if you are committing to it, it can be an excellent addition to a Ranger build as it gives more flexibility to your ranged attacks, or lets you use wand or grimoire as your ranged weapon while your sword/dagger does the melee work. In that case, you will want to grab eitherWand Mastery or Grimoire Mastery.Since it doesn’t drain Essence, wand is a better option overall - unless you want an arsenal fo spells, which requires Grimoire Mastery.Blastis also preferrable toBounceas it has better damage potential.
Moving to Level 10,Blood Magicis a risky choice that isnot worth it for Rangers, butHarvest Essence should be grabbed. Moving to Level 15, there arefour choices, each dealing with whether you deal moreIce, Fire, Shock, or Poisondamage. For a Ranger using magic as a secondary option, it’s better tostick with one damage type, and grab spells that suit it. Fire and Ice are the easiest two to find spells for and have the most variety. Elsewhere,Spirit Lance(Level 10) orBlackbow(Level 15) offer more general magic damage and are very versatile.
