The Complete Ranger Warden Build – Neverwinter Mod 30 As Above, So Below
Welcome to our Ranger Warden Guide, updated for Mod 30: As Above, So Below.
The Ranger Warden in Neverwinter is a versatile and robust class, adept at both ranged and melee combat. As a protector of nature and its mysteries, the Warden excels in harnessing the raw forces of the wilderness to deal substantial damage to foes.
The purpose of our class guides is not just to show you a build that you can copy and use on your character, but to show you a base build and teach you the mechanics and stats of the game, so you can understand and play your class to its fullest capabilities.
Try different gear, feats, and powers, and learn to tailor your own build for your playstyle. See our guide to making your own build for more info.
Basic Ranger Warden Info
Below is all the basic information for the Warden from race choices to stats.
Other Ranger Builds
Race
What race you play doesn’t play a huge role, but will give you a small boost. Generally, I would advise you to play a race that you enjoy.
- Human – 1% Bonus to all stats – +3 To any Ability Score
- Metallic Ancestry Dragonborn – Recieve 3% more healing and 3% more Max Hit Points – +2 to Any two Ability Score – 3% Critical Strike – 3% Power
- Dragonborn – Recieve 5% more healing – +2 to Any Ability Score – 3% Critical Strike – 3% Power
- Gith – 5% Combat Advantage – +2 Dex and +2 Str or Int – 5% Stamina Regen
- Wood Elf – 5% Critical Strike – +2 Dex and +2 Int or Wis – 20% Resistance to Slow
- Tiefling – 5% + Damage to targets below 50% health – +2 Cha and +2 Con or Int – 10% to reduce damage of target for 5 sec by 2.5%
- Half-Orc – 5% Crit Severity – +2 Dex and +2 Con or Str – 10% Movement Speed for 3 sec when entering combat
Ability Score Priority
Put all your available Ability Scores into Strength and Dexterity. Alternatively, put a few points into Charisma instead of Dexterity depending on what you need.
Stat / Rating Priority
Your cap for each stat is based on your item level. To cap a stat, the numbers of the stat need to be equal to or higher than your item level.
If your stat number is higher than your item level, you are wasting stats and should try to allocate stats differently.
For every 1000 points, if a stat is lower than your item level you lose 1% in that stat.
Offensive Stats
- Power (90%)
- Combat Advantage (90%)
- Critical Strike (90%)
- Critical Severity (90%)
- Accuracy (90%)
Defensive Stats
- Defense (90%)
- Awareness (90%)
- Critical Avoidance (90%)
- Deflection (90%)
- Deflect Severity (90%)
Paragon Path Feats, Powers & Rotation
This part is all about optimizing the Warden with the best feats, powers, and boons.
Combat Powers
At-Will Powers
- Rapid Shot / Rapid Strike (ST)
- Electric Shot / Clear the Ground (AoE)
Encounter Powers
- Hindering Shot / Hindering Strike
- Split the Sky / Throw Cation
- Thorn Ward / Thorn Strike (ST) or Constricting Arrow / Steel Breeze (AoE)
Daily Powers
- Snipe (ST)
- Forest Ghost (AoE)
Class Features
- Blade Storm
- Seeker’s Vengeance (ST) or Twin Blade Storm (AoE)
Ranger Warden Feats
- Focused
- Storm’s Recovery
- Blade Hurricane
- To the Wind
- Nature’s Envoy
Rotation
Single Target Rotation
Split the Sky > Thorn Ward > Artifact > Throw Caution > Hindering Strike > Thorn Strike > Snipe > Mount > Belt > Throw Caution > Hindering Strike > Thorn Strike > Rapid Strike
AoE Rotation
Throw Caution > Steel Breeze > Hindering Strike > Clear the Ground
Boons
You should always choose boons based on what stats you currently need. Therefore a selection of several viable boons is available to you for each tier.
Tier 1 Boons
- Recruit’s Training – 0.2% Power Per Rank
- Critical Strike – 0.2% Critical Strike Per Rank
- Lingering Medicine – 1% Increase effectiveness of healing potions.
- Critical Avoidance – 0.2% Critical Avoidance Per Rank
- Cultist Bulwark – 0.2% HP Per Rank
- Cultist Power – 1% Increased damage and damage resistance vs. Cultists.
Tier 2 Boons
- Squire’s Training – 0.2% Power Per Rank
- Armor Penetration – 0.2% Critical Severity Per Rank
- Lingering Fortification – 1% Increase effectiveness of healing potions.
- Defense – 0.2% Defense Per Rank
- Demonic Bulwark – 0.2% HP Per Rank
- Demonic Mastery – 1% Increased damage and damage resistance vs. demons.
Tier 3 Boons
- Knight’s Training – 0.2% Power Per Rank
- Combat Advantage – 0.2% Combat Advantage Per Rank
- Lingering Power – 1% Increase effectiveness of healing potions.
- Awareness – 0.2% Awareness Per Rank
- Dino Bulwark – 0.2 HP Per Rank
- Dino Power – 1% Increased damage and damage resistance vs. dinos.
Tier 4 Boons
- Captain’s Training – 0.2% Power Per Rank
- Accuracy – 0.2% Accuracy Per Rank
- Deflect – 0.2% Deflect Per Rank
- Necrotic Bulwark – 0.2% HP Per Rank
- Necrotic Mastery – 1% Increased damage and damage resistance vs. undead.
Advanced Boons
- Masterclass – 1% Forte per rank
- Quick Turnaround – 1% Recharge Speed
- Call of Power – 1% Action Point Gain
Master Boons
- Blood Lust 3/3
- Life Lessons 3/3
- Blessed Advantage 3/3
- Deathly Rage 3/3
Guild Boons
- Offense – Power/Accuracy/Critical depending on what stat you need.
- Defense – Defence
- Utility – Mount Speed or Movement Speed
Weapons & Gear
If you are new to Neverwinter and need to know how to get better gear and increase your item level, check out our Gearing Up Guide.
Note that the best-in-slot for your build might vary depending on what stats you have.
The best way to gear up in Neverwinter is by making a lot of Astral Diamonds, check out our Astral Diamond Guide to learn all the secrets of AD farming.
Head
- Best-in-Slot Enchanted Depthcured Hat (Master Lair of the Mad Dragon)
- Prismatic Fractal Barbut
- Abyss Conqueror’s Healing Guard / Spellweaver’s Hood (Demonweb Pits)
- Serene Hood of the Dragon Hunter (Dragon Hunts)
- The Dark Maiden Assault Hood (Temple of the Spider / Menzoberranzan Campaign Store)
Armor
- Best-in-Slot Enchanted Depthcured Vest (Master Lair of the Mad Dragon)
- Abyss Conqueror’s Spellweaver Robe (Demonweb Pits)
- Mighty Cuirass / Tactful Leathers of the Dragon Hunter (Dragon Hunts)
Arms
- Best-in-Slot Enchanted Depthcured Wristguards (Master Lair of the Mad Dragon) AOE or Ultraviolet Elven Wristguards (The Imperial Citadel) Single-Target
- Prismatic Crystalflex Bracers
- Vinewoven Bracers
- Enchanted Depthweave Sleeves (Master Lair of the Mad Dragon)
- Abyss Conqueror’s Healing Mitts (Demonweb Pits)
- Mighty Vambraces / Tactful Gloves of the Dragon Hunter (Dragon Hunts)
Feet
- Best-in-Slot Enchanted Depthcured Boots (Master Lair of the Mad Dragon) Only in Fire Themed-Maps or Sharp Longboots of the Dragon Hunter (Dragon Hunts)
- Radiant or Ultraviolet Elven Jackboots (The Imperial Citadel)
- Starweave Slippers
- Abyss Conqueror’s Mauler Greaves
- The Dark Maiden Resolution Greaves (Temple of the Spider)
Weapons
- Living Magma Set / Encased Magma (Master of Flame Campaign Store)
- Demonweb Empowerment / Perfect Set (Northdark Campaign)
- Dark Matter / Solarium & Starcore Set (Adventures in Wildspace Campaign Store)
- Scalebreaker’s Wrath / Duergar Set (Dragonbone Vale Campaign)
Main Hand Modification:
- Rapid Shot / Rapid Strike
Offhand Modifications:
- Whatever stat you need
Rings
- Red Dwarf Ring of Xaryxis (The Imperial Citadel Master)
- Moondancer’s Binding of Precision (Wildspace)
- Dreadbreaker / Dreadwalker Loop
- Platinum Abyssal Loop (The Demonweb Pits)
- Sapphire Abyssal Loop (The Demonweb Pits)
- Emerald Abyssal Loop (The Demonweb Pits)
- Eilistraee’s Harmony + Elistraee’s Beauty (AOE) (Northdark Reaches)
- Soothsayer’s Ring of Absolution (Dragonbone Vale)
- Waywatchers Ring of Precision (Dragonbone Vale)
- Waywatchers Ring of Punishment (Dragonbone Vale)
- Mightbreaker’s Ring of Elegance (Dragonbone Vale)
Neck & Waist
- Masterwork of Menzoberranzan Set: Shroomwood Amulet & Shroomwood Sash
- Marilith Strike: Marilith Mask and Sash of the Marilith
- Demogorgon’s Wrath Set: Heart’s Twine & Sinous Chord
Shirt
- Ember Stiched Shirt (Lair of the Mad Dragon) Only in Fire-Themed Maps
- Ember Infused Shirt (Lair of the Mad Dragon)
- Brilliant Starwoven Shirt (Wildspace Heroic Encounters)
- Shimmering Flarefiber Shirt
- Lolth’s Embrace (Narbondellyn Heroic Encounters)
Pants
- Ember Stiched Pants (Lair of the Mad Dragon)
- Cerebral Predator Ink / Ocean’s Predator Ink
- Luminous Flarefiber Pants
- Lolth’s Embrace (Narbondellyn Heroic Encounters)
- War-Worn Pants (From the Auction House)
Artifacts
Primary Artifact
- Bloodbrass Pistol
- Demogorgon’s Reach
- Mythallar Fragment
- Halaster’s Blast Scepter
- Wyvern-Venom Coated Knives
- Crystal of Soul’s Flight
Secondary Artifacts
- Bloodbrass Pistol
- Jewel of Caldera
- Searing Conduit of Magma
- Astral Seed Tendril
- Portable Spelljammer Detector
- Macro’s Mystic Marker
- Xeleth’s Blast Scepter
- Scintillating Symbol of Water
- Rod of Pain
- Wand of Domination
- Marilith Mask
- Mystic Bolt
- Eye of Odran
- Assassin’s Dice
Enchantments
When getting enchantments, always get the ones with the stats you are lacking in with your gear, boons, etc in mind.
Offense Enchantments
- Ruby Enchantment
- Garnet Enchantment
- Cobalt Enchantment
- Citrine Enchantment
- Amethyst Enchantment
- Jade Enchantment
Defense Enchantments
- Garnet Enchantment
Utility Enchantments
- Garnet Enchantment
Bonus Enchantments
- Recharge Speed
Combat Enchantments
- Lightning Flash
Overload Enchantments
- Rage of Flames or Devil’s Precision
- Various Marks from Stronghold Vendor
- Corrupt Black Ice / Lethal / Piercing
- Black / Red Dragon Glyph
Armor Reinforcement Kits
- Accuracy, Power, or Critical Strike Kit +1, Depending on what stat you need.
Jewelry Reinforcement Kits
- Combat Advantage Jewel
Consumables & Buffs
Consider getting VIP for the Power of VIP HP buff if you aren’t already. Also always stand in campfires to get the +1 ability campfire buff.
Pick one from each of the categories below depending on the stats you are lacking.
- Invocation Blessing: Grace of Battle / Gift of Awareness / Righteous Boon / Gamber’s Fortune
- Stronghold Food: Ratatouille / Seared Tuna
- Event Food: Squash Soup / Watermelon Sorbet
- Elixir: Wild Storm Elixir / Sunlord’s Gift Elixir
- Potion: Superior Flask of Potency +1
- Belt: Stone of Health / Owlbear Figurine or Dragonfire / Forger’s Box
Companions
Summoned Companion
For your summoned companion you have the choice between using Augmented companions which will make it easier to cap stats or an active combat companion which will do damage. At the moment Active/Striker companions are usually better than augment companions.
Active Companion Choices
- Black Death Scorpion
- Etrien
- Tutor
- Blaspheme Assassin
- Wiggins the Undead Intern
- Mage Slayer
- Xuna
- Paranoid Delusion
- Tomb Spider
- Greenscale Bowman
- Regis (AoE)
- Wulfgar (AoE)
- Xaryxian Defector (AoE)
- Minotaur Mercenary(AoE)
- Rimefire Golem (AoE)
Enchantment Power
- Precision
- Potency
- Perfect Vision
- Acute Senses
- Potent Precision
Companion Powers
Below is a selection of viable companion powers.
Offense Powers
- Wulfgar (Wulfgar’s Wrecking) – 4.7% Combat Advantage & Accuracy
- Drizzt (Drizzt’s Devestation) – 4.7% Critical Change & Severity
- Neverwinter Knight (Neverwinter Knight’s Discipline) – 7.5% Outgoing Damage
- Wild Hunt Rider (Wild Hunt Discipline) – 2/3/5% chance to increase damage by 10% for 5 seconds.
- Siege Master (Siege Master’s Discipline) – Combined Rating – Increases the power of your At-Will powers by 11% (Doubled on Stronghold Map)
- Black Dragon Ioun Stone (Black Dragon’s Insight) – 7.5% Critical Chance
- Staldorf (Staldorf’s Presence) – 7.5% Combat Advantage
- Razorwood (Twigblight’s Insight) – 3.8% Critical Severity & Accuracy
- Hawk (Hawk’s Insight’s) – 3.8% Critical Severity & Critical Chance
- Armored Orc Wolf (Orc Wolf’s Instincts) – 3.8% Critical Chance & Accuracy
- Batiri (Batiri’s Wisdom) – 11% Damage Versus Bosses
- Dancing Blade (Dancing Blade’s Insight) – 3.8% Critical Severity & Combat Advantage
- Flame Sprite (Flamesprite’s Insight) – 3.8% Critical Chance & Accuracy
- Golden Cat (Golden Cat’s Insight’s) – 7,5% Combat Advantage
Defense Powers
- Minsc (The Bigger They Are) – More damage against big mobs (bosses)
- Phasespider (Phasespider’s Presence) – 3.8% Critical Chance & Combat Advantage
- Fire Archon (Fire Archon’s Insight) – 10% on At-Will use to increase Combat Advantage for 10 seconds
Utility Powers
- Dark Dealer (Dark Dealings) – 3.8% Accuracy & 3.8% Combat Advantage
- Alchemist Experimenter (Alchemist’s Discipline) – 3.8% Critical Chance & Combat Advantage
- Golden Cat (Golden Cat’s Insight) – 7.5% Combat Advantage
- Book Imp (Bookimp’s Presence) – 3.8% Accuracy & 3.8% Combat Advantage
Mounts
Mount Insignia Bonuses
All classes and specs should consider using Wanderer’s Fortune and or Traveler’s Treasures before you have refined all your gear and enchantments, for extra refinement every day.
Insignia bonuses are mostly down to preference. Some boost damage a bit, and some boost survivability, while others add utility.
DPS
- Tactician’s Precision
- Enchanter’s Hex
- Warlord’s Inspiration
- Warlord’s Motivation
- Artificers Enticement
- Mender’s Covenant
- Executioner’s Covenant
- Artificers Persuasion
- Assassin’s Covenant
- Calvary’s Warning
- Gladiator’s Guile
Self Healing
- Barbarian’s Revelry
- Survivor’s Blessing
- Survivor’s Gift
- Knight’s Rebuke
- Oppressor’s Reprieve
Utility
- Wanderer’s Fortune
- Traveler’s Treasures
Insignia Type
- Insignia of Dominance
- Insignia of Brutality
- Insignia of Aggression
- Insignia of Skill
Mount Collars
- Sturdy Crescent Collar
- Suportive Crescent Collar
- Unified Crescent Collar
- Wayfaring Barbed Collar
- Unified Regal Collar
Mount Powers
Mount Equip Power
- Dominant Force (Power)
- Ferocity (Extra Damage)
- Opportunistic ( Combat Advantage)
- Ferocious Predator (Power & Critical Severity)
- Rapid Accuracy (Accuracy)
- Armor Breaker (Critical Severity)
- Precision (Critical Strike & Severity)
- Ruthless Efficiency (Critical Strike
Mount Combat Power
- Bigby’s Hand
- Tunnel Vision (Several)
- Giant Toad
- Golden Warhorse
- Space Guppy School (For AoE)
- Pegasus (For AoE)
If you have any questions or suggestions about our Neverwinter Ranger Warden guide, please leave a comment below!
Updates
- 29.08.2024: The build has been updated for module 29: Mountain of Flame. Basic info including stat priority, skills, mounts, enchantments, artifacts, and gear has been updated. Unrelevant info and fluff have also been removed to make the guide easier to read.
- 11.02-2025: Updated with Mod 30 gear.
So I see the option for warden when will you come out with the option for hunter?
seems more a copy of old builds, outdated companion list and again no option for a actual hunter (bow) build
The build is getting an update today or tomorrow 🙂
I don’t see main hand or off hand artifact powers to use. Thank you in advance.
Definitely looking for a bow build. If I wanted CQC, I’d use a rogue.
Huh??? Alabaster Great sword and sword knot ??? LOL..A Hunter using this weapons..
Sorry, the same person who wrote the Barb build, also wrote this. Fixed now 🙂
so im pretty new to the game and i was wondering why Charisma? something like Strength seems better in my eyes
Strength adds to Stamina Regeneration and Physical Damage Bonus
Constitution adds to Hit Points and Action Point Gain
Dexterity adds to Critical Severity and Movement Speed
Intelligence adds to Control Bonus and Magical Damage Bonus
Wisdom adds to Control Resist and Outgoing Healing
Charisma adds to Forte and Recharge Speed
Your extra Power is coming from Forte. 50% of your Forte total is added to Power, 25% is added to Combat Advantage and the other 25% is added to Deflect Severity.
Just check the auction house for the staff of flowers and music box. 3 million AD + for each. It will take forever to raise 6 million AD for me
Seems like a hastily slapped together “mod 16” build….
I don’t find options for bows… Maybe it is not the best DPS but it is funny and I like it. I have the Demon Lords’ Immortality set but I don’t see the advantages to have the full set…
Thanks for the guide
People are gonna complain about a CQC BUILD like sorry the range build is garbage lmao
Lol I find all the people bitching about this build funny. Yes the build is similar to the barb because you are playing qcq with this build and almost all that gear boosts melee by 3% damage! And the demon lord set boosts damage up to 20% based on missing health. By far a better build then any of the others I have seen! Lol and it’s funny this build out dps a rogue ???
With using an augment companion, why would you use the Protector’s Camaraderie insignia bonus? Doesn’t that only trigger on your companion attacking?
I am just curious as to why you would put you points into CHA and not DEX or INT? DEX gives you crit sev and movement speed and INT would give you boosts to your Lightning dmg. Just looking for insight on this.
Need to add Enhancement Utility slots = dark enchantment = Companion Influence %
Thank you looks like a good build to me!
Im currently using this build, granted with some of my own tweaks. Im sitting at 21.6k il and i top the charts by millions in almost every dungeon, except the occasional 24k cws. Anyone that says this build is not good has either not tried it or are content with not doing any dmg at all.
This article is for a melee Warden build.
About that, I think the Ebony Stained Hide is BiS now. Also maybe the bracers from the primal set? How about the armour that gives you +5% dmg vs foes not facing you? Has anyone tested that? Are Terrored Grips actually better than Fearbringers, when most of the damage is coming from Storm Strike?
I’ve found that a RANGED Hunter build can be decent when using the following powers:
at-wills: Rapid Shot + Hunter’s Teamwork
Encounter: Rapid Volley, Constricting Arrow, Commanding Shot
Daily: Slasher’s Mark, Disrupting Shot
Passive: Seeker’s Vengeance, Aspect of the Falcon
Feats: longshot, critical action, predator, commander in chief, more than disruptive
Rapid volley is the only power we have to deal with mobs, so that stays.
I prefer Commanding Shot to Longstrider Shot because, despite the longer casting time, Commanding Shot recharges faster, applies a nice buff/debuf, and is tied to a feat for a small additional benefit.
I prefer Constricting arrow to Longstrider Shot, and I’ll explain why below.
The interesting thing about this build is that even though melee encounters deal -50% damage, you can still use them for their utility. Windwalk Strike lets you dash twice across the battlefield. Steel Breeze lets you recover some stamina, which you might have spent dashing around, especially in solo play. Stag Heart (better utility than Longstrider Shot) gives you some temp hp.
Rotation:
–>Boss
Commanding Shot (long casting time, applies Prey + its own buff/debuff) + Disrupting Shot (additional debuff) + Constricting Arrow + Rapid Volley x5. Then either dodge/utility or use at wills (with the additional Disrupting Shot thrown in when convenient). No reason to use Hunter’s Teamwork beyond the first shot.
–>Mobs
Like in the olden days, mark the most powerful enemy with either Commanding Shot, Constricting Arrow (Prey) or Disrupting Shot, then Rapid Volley.
Obviously, if you’re playing with powerful people and enemies die fast, you may want to substitute Commanding Shot with Longstrider Shot.
A note on positioning: when in a party, you need to be close to the action, so that you get the Aspect of the Falcon bonus, and your healer does not go crazy trying to save your bom. Stay just behind the boss, or behind a melee dps who’s behind the boss.
A final note: this build in not as competitive as the build mentioned in the article above, but at least is a decent ranged build for ranger, which is being sorely missed. Increasing the magnitude of Aimed Shot to like 300 could make a difference here!
Need Hunter build buddy
Anyone on xbox, add me @ MashMyTots. Im always online between 5pm-11pm est.
I haven’t really seen any builds out for mod 17. What about TOMM ready?
I’m new to Neverwinter and am confused. The races recommended seem to be dex races, but recommended abilities is Str and Cha? Am I missing something about the races? Or are the recommended abilities incorrect?
This build has been updated for mod 18 Infernal Descent! See you in Avernus!
Hey!
Any reasons for CHA and not DEX or INT? Thank you!
For the companion influence and recharge, the different is slightly better for your stats than having Dex
Any chance for an update soon?
The Head Equipment you listed:
Order Mercenary’s Armet is for Fighter Paladin or Barbarian only.
Alliance Soldier’s Helmet is for Fighter or Barbarian only.
The two unified collars cannot both be equipped.
Lost about 100k messin around with this dumb mechanic.
I’m a D&D player just getting into this. Why charisma and strength? And how high should they go? (I have to retrain because I figured everything capped at 20 lol)
Wood Elf Warden Ranger