Tempest rangers for all folks old and new ~ R10 Viable Tempest ranger build (2024)

My own two cents:

Weapon Choice:

STR based Khopesh (Calamity) - When you have no other source of Vulnerability, these win the DPS contest

DEX based Scimi (Vulkoor's Edge) - When you have other sources of Vulnerability, the additional DEX for Ethereal along with solid Scimi choices have this on par with Calamities. There are also amazing CC weapons that you can use DEX based: Flow and the new Reflection of the Frostblade. Haven't crunched the numbers on Vulkoor vs Nightshard, but I suspect Vulkoor still wins (metalline bypass is nice as well). In any case, the CC options, especially Flow, works well enough that you can solo pretty well.

STR based Mace (Beacon of Night/Day) - These fall a fair bit behind DPS wise, even with Scourge bonus. However it is still important to carry blunt weapons of some sort for bypass reasons, and Scourge helps prevent them from being as big of a DPS loss.

I would also like to talk about going WIS based via Falconry. While a Tempest doesn't really care about DCs, so doesn't benefit as much as a Monk/ranged/divine would, there are still some compelling reasons:

- Aasimar and Aasimar Scourge heals scale multiplicatively with WIS, and is the key to having high reaper self healing potential
- Mass Frog is a strong ability, and if you have the past lives/reaper tree for spell pen, can be very effective even without feats. Certainly more useful than Tactician
- Applies to all weapons like STR does, but is also boosting WILL saves with investment.

With No Mercy, you'll end up with higher trash DPS on everything CCed, but lower on bosses/non-CCed due to the loss of DWS investment. The new Frostblade (assuming it isn't glitched down to a 35DC like Epic Freezing is) presents a Dire-Charge > 6 seconds to freeze everything under your burst combo that could carry No Mercy into the general win zone even solo, which is where you'd want the stronger Aasimar heal anyways. However outside of Aasimar, I'd stick to STR or DEX only.

See Also

Strimtom's Hardcore Ready Character builds, Season 5Trash Remover, the end game assassin ~ Vistani Assassin Rogue by StrimtomStrimtom's Hardcore Ready Character builds, Season 2!First Life Build Dark Hunters for Discerning Adventurers

Race:

Aasimar Scourge has the boost to Maces (STR/WIS) or Light Maces (DEX), Oversized feat for a small boost to attack (does not qualify you for DEX to attack/damage on anything), free Undead FE, ghost touch, and the highest burst potential under Divine Form

Aasimar gives you passive Vuln stacking no matter your weapon choice as a Fallen, Quick Draw for quicker recovery from casting heals, and up to +5 STR under Purpose if you're STR based. Vuln Stacking is not to be underestimated, so Fallen Aasimar will out-DPS anyone that does not have a different source for it.

Elf is great for DEX builds as they max out DEX, boost accuracy (high reapers need all you can get to avoid grazing hits), and have a Displacement clicky.

Wood Elf gives up the Dragonmark Displacement option of Elf, but loses the CON penalty and has a STR option for someone rolling STR and wanting the accuracy bonuses. 5% doublestrike, a 10% action boost to speed for free with a tumble, and a strong attack/damage tree is nice too.

Half-Orc has action boosts, lock bash, and brutality for helpless damage. I consider this a top-tier damage option.

Human I really think is second-fiddle to Aasimar for Tempest. You don't really need the feat or action points, and Aasimar/Scourge gets the heal amp along a powerful self heal and a form that boosts DPS. It's far from a weak choice, but any Aasimar option is simply better.

Plenty of other options, but I don't think they bring as much to the table. Technically Helf would work well, but they're too ugly to count.

See Also

"Strimtom's Acid Arrow", Maximum Bow DPS, F2P/new player Friendly

Scion of Ethereal vs Scion of Arborea

Scion of Ethereal is very strong. SA damage scales at 150% of MP, so it can easily translate to 200+ damage per hit -- even on non-DEX builds. Obviously that gets downscaled by Reaper, but so does Arborea's affect. On anything that is not SA immune, it is no contest - especially as you have a reliable way to apply it with Exposing Strike.

I really would only take Scion of Arborea if there are one of two conditions:

1) There is no way you can fit Hide items without major sacrifice (and even then it is debatable)
2) You are mainly running content with SA immune targets such as RL raids

Gear

I realize you may have some inefficiencies due to using some existing Slavers gear, but there are definitely some improvements you could make:

- Executioner's Helm really can't be beat for DPS. It gives Seeker, 5% damage from Fury, SA from Insightful Deception, along with Qual Combat Mastery. Rolling with an Executioners + Legendary Bracers of the Fallen Hero will be better... especially when you're on the higher end of Doublestrike. This is including even when not under Fury. When on boss fights, you could swap on a Slavers with 17 STR and a Packbanner as you would not need Stunning at that point.

- Sheltering 45 is 100% useless on a gear setup that is giving you 50 PRR / 52 MRR. If you already have CON/DEX/STR/WIS covered (which you don't on your setups), then there is always False Life.

- Ward Inscribed Pendant may be a source of CON, but it is breaking up Adherent set bonus option and Fleetfoot is a strong defensive boost as it gives 20 WIS for Will saves and Wind Through the Trees for no-save knockdown on anything attacking you.

This is the setups I would suggest:

STR Based:
Goggles: Precision Lenses
Helmet: Legendary Executioner's Helm
Necklace: Fleetfoot Necklace
Trinket: Echo of Ravenkind
Cloak: The Invisible Cloak of Strahd
Belt: Braided Cutcord
Gloves: Molten Silver Gauntlets
Boots: Slave Lords Crafted - False Life 68 (or INT 17 for a lazy KtA), Accuracy 28, Hide 22 (or Vertigo 20 if you use Trips), Quality STR 4 (or Qual CON)
Bracers: Legendary Bracers of the Fallen Hero
Ring 1: Band of Insightful Commands
Ring 2: Ring of Nightfall
Armor: Mist Laden Vestment

You could do boots with FL 68, Accuracy 28, Vertigo 20, Qual STR 4 for trash, and a STR 17, Accuracy 28, Hide 22, Qual STR 4 (or CON) for bosses so you can swap to Lorefueled Packbanner.

If Dodge is needed, flip boots and Trinket and put CON 17 on Slavers
Trinket: Cannith Crafted - Dodge 15, Heal Amp 61, Insightful DEX 7 (or Ins Seeker)
Boots: Softsole Slippers

DEX based:
Goggles: Van Richten's Spectacles
Helmet: Legendary Executioner's Helm
Necklace: Fleetfoot Necklace
Trinket: Cannith Crafted - Dodge 15 (or Spell Saves 12 or Melee Alacrity 15, Heal Amp 61, Insightful DEX 7
Cloak: Legendary Shadowhail Cloak
Belt: Braided Cutcord
Gloves: Molten Silver Gauntlets
Boots: Slave Lords Crafted - CON 17, Accuracy 28, Stunning 20, Quality PRR 11
Bracers: Lorefueled Packbanner
Ring 1: Band of Insightful Commands
Ring 2: Ring of Nightfall
Armor: Mist Laden Vestment

There is also this setup. It will come at a slight DPS loss due to no longer having Ins Deception SA, and no Heal Amp or Dodge, but has other advantages:
Goggles: Cannith Crafted - Seeker 15, Accuracy 23, Insightful Seeker 7 (or Ins WIS 7)
Helmet: Wind Howler Mask - Insightful DEX 9, Relentless Fury, Doubleshot 12, Tendon Slice 16%
Necklace: Fleetfoot Necklace
Trinket: Echo of Ravenkind
Cloak: Legendary Shadowhail Cloak
Belt: Braided Cutcord
Gloves: Molten Silver Gauntlets
Boots: Slave Lords Crafted - Sheltering 45, Devotion 185, Stunning 20, Quality PRR 11
Bracers: Lorefueled Packbanner
Ring 1: Band of Insightful Commands
Ring 2: Ring of Nightfall
Armor: Mist Laden Vestment

WIS based
Goggles: The Masque
Helmet: Legendary Executioner's Helm
Necklace: Fleetfoot Necklace
Trinket: Trinket of Freewill - Insightful WIS 9, MRR 52, Spell Resist 46, Mind Control Immunity
Cloak: Legendary Shadowhail Cloak
Belt: Braided Cutcord
Gloves: Molten Silver Gauntlets
Boots: Legendary Flightfoot Greaves
Bracers: Lorefueled Packbanner
Ring 1: Slave Lords Crafted - CON 17, Accuracy 28, Stunning 20, Qual WIS 4
Ring 2: Legendary Cursebane Ring (or Legendary Deathwarden for healing)
Armor: Mist Laden Vestment

If you need Dodge, you can make the following changes:
Trinket: Cannith Crafted - Dodge 15, Heal Amp 61, Insightful WIS 7
Cloak: The Invisible Cloak of Strahd