I'm creating a 4th level Gloom Stalker and I have a question. Is it worth it to take the Alert feat at 4th level? My stats are Dex: 16, Wis: 14, Con: 14, Int: 12, Str 10, Cha: 10 if I take the feat. If I don't take the feat I'd raise either Wis or Con to 16, probably Wis. Alternately, I could raise my Dex to 18. So, with the feat my initiative would be crazy at +10 at 4th level. Without the feat it would still be respectable at +6 and my Wis or Con goes up to 16 or my Dex goes up to 18. Thoughts?
Have your fellow PCs been cool with you going ahead to sneak around and get that first round in? If not, you may want to make sure you initiative is off the charts so you can do that thing that gloom stalkers do. After the first round of combat they are just a ranger so in think it’s important to act first, either via steal thing ahead or having a crazy good initiative.
Gloom Stalker already adds bonuses to initiative so spending more character resources on it seems less useful. Assuming with a strength like that you are using ranged or dex weapons then +2 to dex is probably the strongest thing you can do until it is 20. +1 to AC +1 to Hit +1 Damage +1 to Dex Saves +1 to initiative +1 Stealth.
In your case I would select alert more based on the other two powers (not surprised, and no advantage for hidden or invisible creatures).
For feats if you are primarily ranged attacking crossbow expert, sharpshooter, or gunner are probably more useful. Gunner if you are more bow related and less crossbow and you really just want to be able to point blank fire without disadvantage.
I'd go for the dex boost at level 4, I took a feat at that level and regretted it. Gloomstalker anyway gives you a initiative bonus, and the extra +1 to attack, damage and any dex skills (and save) are great at level 4
I'd go for the dex boost at level 4, I took a feat at that level and regretted it. Gloomstalker anyway gives you a initiative bonus, and the extra +1 to attack, damage and any dex skills (and save) are great at level 4
Also all the more effective at level 5 when you gain the extra attack
I'd go for the dex boost at level 4, I took a feat at that level and regretted it. Gloomstalker anyway gives you a initiative bonus, and the extra +1 to attack, damage and any dex skills (and save) are great at level 4
Also all the more effective at level 5 when you gain the extra attack
Thanks, I’m definitely going with Dex.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
To post a comment, please login or register a new account.
I'm creating a 4th level Gloom Stalker and I have a question. Is it worth it to take the Alert feat at 4th level? My stats are Dex: 16, Wis: 14, Con: 14, Int: 12, Str 10, Cha: 10 if I take the feat. If I don't take the feat I'd raise either Wis or Con to 16, probably Wis. Alternately, I could raise my Dex to 18. So, with the feat my initiative would be crazy at +10 at 4th level. Without the feat it would still be respectable at +6 and my Wis or Con goes up to 16 or my Dex goes up to 18. Thoughts?
Have your fellow PCs been cool with you going ahead to sneak around and get that first round in? If not, you may want to make sure you initiative is off the charts so you can do that thing that gloom stalkers do. After the first round of combat they are just a ranger so in think it’s important to act first, either via steal thing ahead or having a crazy good initiative.
Gloom Stalker already adds bonuses to initiative so spending more character resources on it seems less useful. Assuming with a strength like that you are using ranged or dex weapons then +2 to dex is probably the strongest thing you can do until it is 20. +1 to AC +1 to Hit +1 Damage +1 to Dex Saves +1 to initiative +1 Stealth.
In your case I would select alert more based on the other two powers (not surprised, and no advantage for hidden or invisible creatures).
For feats if you are primarily ranged attacking crossbow expert, sharpshooter, or gunner are probably more useful. Gunner if you are more bow related and less crossbow and you really just want to be able to point blank fire without disadvantage.
I'd go for the dex boost at level 4, I took a feat at that level and regretted it. Gloomstalker anyway gives you a initiative bonus, and the extra +1 to attack, damage and any dex skills (and save) are great at level 4
Also all the more effective at level 5 when you gain the extra attack
DEX bump is boring, but it’s definitely stronger.
Thanks, I’m definitely going with Dex.