Hello all, wondering if you could help me with a few questions
I'm not sure about spells and feat/weapon choices, there's a lot of literature about that (i/e: crossbow expert/sharpshooter, hunters mark vs favorite foe, etc..), but they often take into account starting from lvl1 or being able to take 2 feats by starting with variant human/custom lineage, or reaching lvl6 eventually. But this is a short campaign and species is duergar (plot reasons).
Campaign: Homebrew, Underdark only, we start at lvl3, and end around lvl5 or 6. (so no multi class probably)
I start with a Duergar (Urchin) ranger glookmstalker at lvl3. (Favored Foe + Natural Explorer set to Underdark, also Primal Awareness and Archery fighting)
Abilities: 8/16/16/8/16/8 (Using the 3x +1 of Duergar).
Proficiencies: Athletics, Insight, Perception, Sleight of Hand, Stealth.
I have a darkvision of 150 (rest of the party has 60).
Planning to take a Feat at lvl4, then if we reach lvl6, +2 DEX.
Parti has a Druid, a Warlock, an Artificer and 1 more which I don't know their class).
Weapon route ?
Hand Crossbow
Could try selling my starter longbow (or negotiate with DM).
Stuck with loading until lvl4 where I can take the crossbow expert feat, which also removes the penalty if someone gets too close. (Maybe affects only the first turn, as that's when I can take 2 attacks on ambush, until before lvl5).
Penalty for attacks farther than 30 feet, as I didn't take sharpshooter (and campaign will end before I reach lvl8 to do it).
Shorter range may waste my 150 vision and force me to fight closer to an enemy who may have a light or be close to one.
Tempting to have more boring fights by always using the bonus action to attack insted of team buffs, etc.
Could avoid using Hunters Mark and use the slot for something more fun.
Longbow
Starting equipment.
Would get sharpshooter at lvl4. (can workaround the -5 penalty with Archery fighting style and possible advantage if stealth, it also works around half-covers.).
Could leverage my 150 vision due to the longer weapon range. (Will there be actual opportunities for that in an Underdark campaign?)
To try to match the damage of crossbow expert+bonus action, I would have to use Hunters mark, which would take a spell slot.
So not super clear which route to go here, is longbow without hunters mark and relying on favorite foe worth it? taking into account the possible +10 damage?
Spells
I can replace 1 spell on each level change if necessary.
I selected Zephyr Strike and Goodberry.
Should the third one be Hunters Mark? If not, should I go with Absorb Elements or something to hold enemy in place like Entangle/Ensnaring Strike/Hail of Thorns ?
Sorry for all the questions, and thanks for any input you may provide. Thanks!
Personally I'd go Crossbow expert. If some how the campaign keeps going at 8th I'd take sharpshooter. You can always pick up a Heavy or light crossbow for longer range and switch to the hand crossbox in closer combate. With hand crossbow at lvl 5 and crossbow expert yo will get 3 attacks per round and the d6 of hunters mark on each hit.
It looks like due to loading on the crossbow I wouldn't be able to use the second hit from ambusher on the first turn, as it's technically the same attack. It looks like it would be best to keep the longbow and hunters mark until level 4, then get crossbow expert, a hand crossbow, and a shield (as it's one handed). Maybe I can take the time to drop the shield and switch to longbow if I'm scouting. I'll ask the DM if there would be a market when that happens, hopefully I also have the money.
Hello all, wondering if you could help me with a few questions
I'm not sure about spells and feat/weapon choices, there's a lot of literature about that (i/e: crossbow expert/sharpshooter, hunters mark vs favorite foe, etc..), but they often take into account starting from lvl1 or being able to take 2 feats by starting with variant human/custom lineage, or reaching lvl6 eventually. But this is a short campaign and species is duergar (plot reasons).
Weapon route ?
So not super clear which route to go here, is longbow without hunters mark and relying on favorite foe worth it? taking into account the possible +10 damage?
Spells
Sorry for all the questions, and thanks for any input you may provide.
Thanks!
Personally I'd go Crossbow expert. If some how the campaign keeps going at 8th I'd take sharpshooter. You can always pick up a Heavy or light crossbow for longer range and switch to the hand crossbox in closer combate. With hand crossbow at lvl 5 and crossbow expert yo will get 3 attacks per round and the d6 of hunters mark on each hit.
It looks like due to loading on the crossbow I wouldn't be able to use the second hit from ambusher on the first turn, as it's technically the same attack. It looks like it would be best to keep the longbow and hunters mark until level 4, then get crossbow expert, a hand crossbow, and a shield (as it's one handed). Maybe I can take the time to drop the shield and switch to longbow if I'm scouting. I'll ask the DM if there would be a market when that happens, hopefully I also have the money.
Even at 4th I'd keep hunters mark since it will stack with all the hand crossbow attacks if you go that route.