ranger solo viability?
So... First off.... I KNOW THAT DUAL OR MULTI CLASS IS BETTER OPTIONS! Lol now thats out of the way.. Id like to do a solo pure class run, but its been a decade since ive done anything of the sort on this game. While generally i find joy in playing a solo mage/sorcerer...Ive been trying to mix it up lately. Im enjoying the stalker ranger kit immensely. I freaking rolled a 97 on his stats right out the Gate. Clearly a sign of lady luck lol. But i digress. If i do a solo run, how should i gear up? Potential problems? Tactics? Just plain never going to work? If the latter is the case, what about a 2 man or 4 man stealth team? Thoughts?
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Spoilerish ranger stuff follows. Be warned.
The key is utility. With the UI change allowing quick switches from bow to 2 wep, those 2 free pips in 2 wep style finally give Stalkers that ranged assassin/first strike aspect that they have always lacked. In an Elf build that mitigates the 2 pip restriction, you can go full on long bow/long sword/2 wep through BG, then finish short sword at lev 9 in SoD. With the Fractal and Acid Tongue, this is as good a dual wield solution for the final fight as any. BTW, those short sword pips pay off nicely in BG2, better IMO than Scimitar.
Full stealth and ranged attack make for some good hit/run/hide tactics made even better by a follow-up backstab after acquiring Stalker's Gauntlets and Archer's Eyes amulet (which can push a BG trained 20 dex elf into next level of AC and ranged ToHit). The underrated armor made from the green dragon scale, which will allow usage of the +2 prot ring, was practically made for the ranger as well, esp in situations where you are forced to duke it out like a tank.
A pleasant surprise in SoD for rangers is the inclusion and availability of cleric scrolls like freedom and prot from evil which both have situational uses. With plenty of potions, arrows and scrolls available through the game (still, bring what you can from BG, arrows of detonation, I'm looking at you) the only problem you will have, as always, is the unbashable even with 25 str chests. Nothing rangery that you can't get your hands on so no big loss.
Now, OP, if you really want to have some fun, try a stealth/no magic custom party as you mentioned. Mine consisted of a Swash/F, Assassin/F, FT and Archer. I laughed as I slew.
Str 18
Dex 19
Con 18
Int 12
Wis 16
Cha 14
For freaking 97!
Edit: realized i goofed here. I originally rolled this character on a playthrough starting in SoD, but wanted to do a full playthrough with him instead. So i recreated him with ctl shift 8 and forgot the Constitution penalty. I fixed via an editor and made finding the manual of bodily health, an early priority.
I paired him up with a female fighter/thief.
Str 18
Dex 19
Con 16
Int 10
Wis 14
Cha 14
For 91 (hit that roll fairly early.)
F/t pips put into shortbows, katanas and two weapon style. Figured primarily archer support, and traps (both setting and disarming). Shes gonna get the specialty arrows. ( arrow of dispelling when im positioned to backstab the nasty mage?lol). Ranger gonna tank and potions of invisibility with cloak of none detection. Probably need boots of speed. Both are essentially fighter thiefs, but each leans more to one side or the other.