Basic equipment
Armor/Shields:
Armor is essential for a swift hunter. To skirmish a target, you must be close to enemies, making you vulnerable to attacks and spells. You must try to use armor that keeps your check penalty low while allowing for a big dexterity modifier. Remember that medium and heavier armors give you penalties to speed and many of your abilities including skirmish don't work while you wear them.
Usual armor worn by swift hunters include:
Leafweave Padded: +1 armor/+9 max dex/0 acp
Thistledown Padded: +1 armor/+10 max dex/0 acp
Mithral Chain Shirt: +4 armor/+6 max dex/0 acp
Mithral Breastplate: +5 armor/+5 max dex/-1 acp
If you have the max dexterity modifier provided by each armor, the best choice is thistledown padded (and cheap, too). Don't forget that you are also proficient with shields. Usually you will have your hands full, but animated can be used as a solution to this problem. The typical shield that can be used is a darkwood heavy shield, +2 shield/-/0 acp.
Enhancements:
Fortification DMG: Given your average hit points and the inability to take big hits, this can help. +1/+3/+5 bonus.
Anchoring MIC: Nice bonuses to checks that can hurt. +1 bonus.
Aporter MIC: Essentially 2/day dimension door, this helps to escape tight situations in combat but nice for scouting and moving through difficult areas, too. +20.000.
Death Ward MIC: 1/day ignore a death effect. +1 bonus.
Mindarmor MIC: +5 unnamed bonus to your worst save as an immediate action, but only for mind-affecting abilities. 3/day. +3.000.
Armor Enhancements:
Shadow DMG: This is a nice enhancement, to provide even better benefits for your scouting and spy roles. It even saves you space for a custom magic item. Also jet black armors look really badass :[/b]D .+3.750/+15.000/+33.750.
Silent Moves DMG: As shadow. +3.750/+15.000/+33.750.
Bane Blind MIC: Swift invisibility that affects only one favored enemy type, lasts for 10 rounds and is usable 3/day. Nice if you have favored enemy arcanists or favored enemy evil somehow. +15.000.
Blurring, Greater MIC: Unlimited times per day, create a blur effect for 10 minutes. +3 bonus equivalent.
Buoyant MIC: Useful for sea swift hunters, prevents you from applying acp to swim checks and give you a small bonus to them, too. Only +4.000.
Deepdweller MIC: This is also useful for sea related swift hunters, providing nice benefits underwater. +12.000.
Easy Travel MIC: Allows you to use skirmish, even if you are carrying a medium load. Also nice traveling benefits. +1.500.
Freedom MIC: Very nice, essentially gives you permanent freedom of movement. Only problem is that it costs much. +5 bonus.
Healing MIC: Keeps you from dying and grants you an extra chance to get to safety, while saving actions for your party's healer. +8.000.
Landing MIC: Nice for mountain hoping swift hunters. +4.000.
Nimbleness MIC: The armor gains +1 max dex/+2 acp. +1 bonus.
Quickness MIC: +5 enhancement bonus. Bad because it doesn't stack with scout's fast movement. +5.000.
Woodwalk MIC: This is very good. Tree stride is normally a 4th level spell for you. Although it does last for only 1 round. Usable 3/day. +9.000.
Armor Crystals:
What is unique about these crystals, is that you can carry them all and change to the crystal that fits most to the situation. After all their cost is very low for the bonuses they provide.
Crystal of Adaptation MIC: Saves you from memorizing those planar protection spells. Nice for a planar ranger. 500/1.500/3.000.
Crystal of Aquatic Action MIC: Better than deepdweller provides pretty much the same benefits for a reduced price. Handy to have if it is required for you to function underwater. It even lets you breathe underwater and gives you a swim speed.250/1.000/3.000.
Restful Crystal MIC: Sleep in your armor for no penalties. 500.
Shield Enhancements:
Animated DMG: The shield floats close to you while your hands are free to use a bow or two weapons. +2 bonus.
Arrow Deflection DMG: Your reflex save will be high already and this doesn't require an action, but is usable 1/round. Unfortunately you can't deflect spells.+2 bonus.
Shield Crystals:
Clasp of Energy Protection MIC: This isn't bad to have if you have opponents that blast you with a particular energy type. 500/1.500/3.000.
Crystal of Arrow Deflection MIC: This is better from the Arrow Deflection shield enhancement, although it is actually handy if you are using a two handed weapon. Removing a hand from a two handed weapon is a free action, so before you finish your turn you can remove one hand, holding it in the other and be ready to deflect that arrow. 500/2.500/5.000.
Shield Crystals:
Clasp of Energy Protection MIC: This isn't bad to have if you have opponents that blast you with a particular energy type. 500/1.500/3.000.
Crystal of Arrow Deflection MIC: This is better from the Arrow Deflection shield enhancement, although it is actually handy if you are using a two handed weapon. Removing a hand from a two handed weapon is a free action, so before you finish your turn you can remove one hand, holding it in the other and be ready to deflect that arrow. 500/2.500/5.000.
Weapons:
A swift hunter's main damage source is his skirmish ability. So his weapon selection actually isn't too important. There are four types of weapons used generally by skirmishers:
Light Melee Weapons: Favored by the two weapon fighting style swift hunters, these lessen penalties for fighting with two weapons. Power attack doesn't matter much since skirmish damage is pretty high already.
Two Handed Melee Weapons: These are used mainly by power attack pouncers, along with power attack multipliers to capitalize damage.
Ranged Weapons: Ranged skirmishers with bows are probably along with two weapon style warriors, the vast majority of the swift hunters.
Throwing Weapons: An interesting variation, these skirmishers take advantage of the range requirement of skirmish attacks and use throwing weapons to be efficient from both close and afar.
Enhancements:
Bane DMG: After all you are a ranger and this might come handy against your most hated enemy. +1 bonus.
Distance DMG: Sure nice ability, by why would you want to have a larger range since you can only skirmish a target within 30ft?. +1 bonus.
Returning DMG: Unfortunately this can't be used in conjunction with shot on the run. Otherwise it's fine. +1 bonus.
Collision MIC: +5 damage per hit. +2 bonus.
Dispelling, Greater MIC: 3/day greater dispel magic with a caster level of 15. +2 equivalent bonus.
Fiercebane MIC: This is a nice addition for a bane weapon. +2 equivalent bonus.
Force MIC: Overcomes damage reduction and suffers no miss chance. Only problem is that it doesn't damage those immune to force effects. +2 bonus.
Hunting MIC: Deal +4 points of damage against favored enemies.
Mage Bane MIC: The spellcaster bane. You gain a +2 enhancement bonus to your weapon and +2d6 points of damage against opponents that use invocations or cast arcane spells.
Precise MIC: If your feat selection is set for a different fighting style, this can be used to effectively use basic archery. +1 bonus.
Shattermantle MIC: If you have a blaster in your team and you are dealing with spell resistance opponents, get your hands on this to assist them. +1 bonus.
Sizing MIC: Lots of usefulness in this one. Most importantly you can reduce it to pass weapons from guards etc. +5.000.
Splitting CoR: This is the best weapon enhancement to optimize your damage output, as each arrow fired is magically split. Requires you to have precise shot though. +3 bonus.
Seeking DMG: Although you get improved precise shot, you still need to overcome concealment to deal precision damage. Note that this only negates the miss chance from concealment, but i'd say it works.
Weapon Crystals:
Crystal of Return MIC: Gives eventually the returning property for a mild cost. 300/1.000/4.000.
Demolition Crystal MIC: Deal extra damage, treat your weapon as adamantine for overcoming damage reduction and eventually allow you to sneak attack constructs assuming that works for skirmish damage. 1.000/3.000/6.000.
Truedeath Crystal MIC: Deal bonus damage, be treated as ghost touch and eventually be able to sneak attack undead. 1.000/5.000/10.000.
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- [SIZE="4"]Rings:[/SIZE]
[COLOR="Blue"]Counterspells[/COLOR] DMG:[/B] You have a lot of buffs, but you lack the caster level to keep them if you are targeted by a dispel magic or similar effect. You can keep one of these rings to protect you from debuffers. 4.000.
Evasion DMG:[/B] With this you can get both evasion and spell reflection alternative class feature. 25.000.
[COLOR="Blue"]Freedom of Movement [/COLOR] DMG:[/B] A very good ability and much too cheaper than the freedom similar armor ability. 40.000.
Protection DMG:[/B] Boosts your armor even more against attacks and spells. bonus^2*2000.
Sustenance DMG:[/B] This is cheap, so you can keep watch easily after 2 hours of sleep. 2.500.
Darkhidden MIC:[/B] Renders you invisible to darkvision. 2000.
[COLOR="Blue"]Entropic Deflection[/COLOR] MIC:[/B] If you move at least 10ft away from where you started your turn, this creates a 20% entropic shield. If you have an item that grants a bonus to your speed easily obtainable on your armor through Quickness enhancement that miss chance is 50%.
Floating MIC:[/B] Cheap and easily used to pass over any form of liquid. 2.000.
Miscellaneous:
Immovable Rod DMG:[/B] Useful when adventuring to help climb, bar doors and the like. 5.000.
Metamagic Rods, lesser DMG:[/B] And especially extend. You have a lot of nice buffing spells, and lesser rods are too cheap and affect the 75% of them. various:[/b] extend, lesser 3.000
Bag of Tricks DMG:[/B] Along with an animal messenger spell, this is well worth it to inform allies. 900 gray.
Bracers of Archery DMG:[/B] Gives you a small boost to your ranged attacks. 5.000/25.000.
Ioun Stones DMG:[/B]
Clear:[/B] Sustains you without food or water.
Dark Blue:[/B] Grants you the alertness feat.
Pale Green:[/B] +1 competence bonus to most rolls.
Orange:[/B] +1 caster level.
Dull Gray:[/B] With a continual flame casted on it, you have a free torch.
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[li]Bead of Karma DMG:[/B] Use this when you buff up and gain a nice +4 bonus to your caster level. [/li]
[li]Amulet of Translocation MIC:[/B] If the hop allows for skirmish to activate, use this at low levels if you fight two weapon style. 1.400.[/li]
[li]Armbands of Might MIC:[/B] +2 on strength checks and strength related skills, which include jump, climb, swim. Also a small bonus to power attack if you use it for whatever reason. 4.100.[/li]
[li][COLOR="Blue"]Belt of Battle[/COLOR] MIC:[/B] Exchange your swift action for a move, standard or full round action. Also a +2 competence bonus to initiative. Again, this is used for both activating skirmish and taking a full attack. 12.000.[/li]
[li][COLOR="Blue"]Belt of Ultimate Athleticism[/COLOR] MIC:[/B] Give away your swift action for skill mastery in balance, climb, jump, swim and tumble. This probably can be used unlimited times per day. Also once per day you can activate the belt to treat a balance, climb, jump, swim or tumble check as a natural 20. 3.600.[/li]
[li]Blindfold of True Darkness MIC:[/B] Gain blindsight 30ft and become immune against gaze attacks or effects that rely on sight. However you can't see, so don't scout around while wearing this. 9.000.[/li]
[li]Boots of Agile Leaping MIC:[/B] Use dexterity for jump checks and stand up from prone as a swift action if you have 5 ranks in balance. Also you don't provoke attacks of opportunity when standing up from prone. This is a very good item against trippers. Only 600.[/li]
[li]Boots of the Battle Charger MIC:[/B] Interesting charge related abilities, usable for pounce builds. 2.000.[/li]
[li]Boots of Sidestepping MIC:[/B] 3/day take a 5ft movement even if you moved that round as a swift action. Combined with your free 5ft per round, this is enough to activate skirmish. 6.000.[/li]
[li]Chronocharms MIC:[/B] You can wear multiple chronocharms but only once each. 500 each.
Celestial Wanderer:[/B] Reroll a listen or spot check.
Fateweaver:[/B] Reroll a balance, climb or tumble check.
[COLOR="Blue"]Horizon Walker[/COLOR]:[/B] Move as part of the swift action required to activate this chronocharm. You move half your speed and this movement doesn't provoke attacks of opportunity.
Laughing Rogue:[/B] Reroll a disable device check even after you have determined failure or success.
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[li]Circlet of Mages MIC:[/B] Retain some spells. You can wear this if you want to buff yourself and retain your spells for later use. Also gives you some bonus on concentration checks. [/li]
[li]Enemy Spirit Pouch MIC:[/B] A +2 bonus for a single favored enemy. Also +1 bonus to attack rolls. 2.100.[/li]
[li]Finned Gauntlets MIC:[/B] A nice addition to any aquatic swift hunter, these grant you a swim speed, skill mastery and bonus on swim checks and you can run while swimming.[/li]
[li]Gloves of Agile Striking MIC:[/B] 3/day +2d6 damage with ranged or light weapons. 2.200.[/li]
[li]Gauntlets of Manual Prowess MIC:[/B] This item gives you a variable competence bonus to various skills. It saves you space from custom magic items that grant you competence bonuses. 3.000.[/li]
[li]Gloves of Object Reading MIC:[/B] Nice if you are a hunter-tracker type. Gain information of an item's owner. [/li]
[li]Googles of the Ebon Hunter MIC:[/B] 30ft darkvision if you already don't possess it and +1 competence bonus on attacks and damage with ranged weapons. 18.000.[/li]
[li]Hat of Anonymity MIC:[/B] Continuous non-detection and +5 unnamed bonus to your hide skill. 12.500.[/li]
[li]Mindvault MIC:[/B] Considering the low will saves you'll have, this can by handy in many situations. 8.000.[/li]
[li]Moonstone Mask MIC:[/B] Bonuses to listen and spot checks and darkvision. 15.000.[/li]
[li]Quicksilver Boots MIC:[/B] 2/day as a swift action move up to your speed and can go across liquids without falling in. 3.500.[/li]
[li]Scout's Headband MIC:[/B] Bonus on spot checks and various uses dependent on charges/day. 3.400. [/li]
[li][COLOR="Blue"]Skirmisher's Boots[/COLOR] MIC:[/B] +2 bonus on damage rolls and 2/day use a swift action to gain an extra attack if you moved at least 10ft. 3.200.[/li]
[li]Transposer Cloak MIC:[/B] Allows swapping places with an ally. If it allows for skirmish to activate, it is great for tactical movement, such as transporting a pouncer that just charged back to ready-to-charge position, while you deliver skirmish full attack. 6.000.[/li]
[li]True Strike Gauntlets MIC:[/B] Manyshot requires only one attack roll, so every arrow will benefit from it. 3.500.[/li]
[li][COLOR="Blue"]War Wizard Cloak[/COLOR] MIC:[/B] Despite its name, this has great abilities that help a scout. Endure elements, feather fall. Also 1/day dimension door, mage armor, protection from arrows and sending. 16.000.[/li]
[li][COLOR="Blue"]Cyran Gliding Boots[/COLOR] //"
http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/cw/20061120a"]here[/URL][/SUP]:[/b][/B] 3/day move 10ft as your free action. This can be used with the storm spells especially arrow storm to deal exceptionally large amounts of damage to many creatures, while activating skirmish.[/li]
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