The Complete Ranger Hunter Archer Build - Neverwinter Mod 18 Infernal Descent

All builds will be updated for Mod 20 Sharandar and the Combat Rework as soon as we have done enough testing.

Welcome to our Ranger Hunter Archery Guide, updated for mod 17: Undermountain / Uprising and mod 18 Infernal Descent. In this guide, we will give you tips and info on how to play the Ranger class, previously called the Hunter Ranger. To learn more about the new mod, check out our mod 18 Infernal Descent guide.

As Hunter builds are not optimal currently in Neverwinter, this build is mostly meant for players that would like to have some capabilities of doing damage with your bow at range. It is recommended that you keep a Warden Melee loadout as well, our Warden Melee DPS build can be found here.

Our Ranger PvP Build can be found here.

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.

Guide Contents

Basic Ranger Hunter Info

Best Ranger Hunter Races

Metallic Ancestry Dragonborn – 3% + Healing – +2 to Any two stats – 1500 Crit – 3% Increased Damage
Dragonborn – 3% HP + Healing – +2 to Any two stats – 1500 Crit – 3% Increased Damage
Wood Elf: 1% Critical Chance. +2 Dex and Wis. 10% Resistance to Slow
Drow: Darkfire (Defense Reduction Proc). +2 Dex and +2 Wis or Cha. Trance (Heal quicker at camps)
Half-Orc – 5% Crit Severity – +2 Dex and +2 Con or Str – 10% Movement Speed for 3 sec when entering combat

Ranger Hunter Ability Score Priority

Put all your available Ability Scores into Strength and Dexterity.

Ranger Hunter Stat / Rating Priority

Offensive Stats:

Armor Penetration (Caps at 85K)
Critical Strike (Caps at 85)
Accuracy (Caps at 85)
Combat Advantage (Caps at 135k)
Power (No Cap)

Defensive Stats:

Defense (Caps at 85K )
Deflection (Caps at 85K)
Critical Avoidance (Caps at 90K)
Awareness (Caps at 95K )
Health (No Cap)

Ranger Hunter Paragon Path & Powers

Ranger Hunter Combat Powers

At-Will Powers:

Rapid Shot
Hunter’s Teamwork / Careful Attack

Encounter Powers:

Constricting Arrow
Longstrider Shot
Commanding Shot

Daily Powers:

Disruptive Shot
Snipe

Class Features:

Aspect of the Falcon
Seeker’s Vengeance

RangerHunter Feats

Longshot
Critical Action
Predator
Commander in Chief
More Than Disruptive

Ranger Hunter 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.

At end-game, you should hit the stat caps without needing any of the boons.

Tier 1 Boons

Recruit’s Training – 250 Power
Critical Strike – 250 Crit
Cultist Bulwark – 1000 HP
Cultist Power – 1% Increased damage and damage resistance vs. Cultists.

Tier 2 Boons

Squire’s Training – 250 Power
Armor Penetration – 250 Armor Penetration
Demonic Bulwark – 1000 HP
Demonic Mastery – 1% Increased damage and damage resistance vs. demons.

Tier 3 Boons

Knight’s Training – 250 Power
Combat Advantage – 250 Combat Advantage
Dino Bulwark – 1000 HP
Simple Support – 2% Companion Influence
Dino Power – 1% Increased damage and damage resistance vs. dinos.

Tier 4 Boons

Captain’s Training – 250 Power
Accuracy – 250 Accuracy
Necrotic Bulwark – 1000 HP
Necrotic Mastery – 1% Increased damage and damage resistance vs. undead.

Tier 5 Boons (Choose 2)

Severe Criticism – 1% Crit Severity per rank
Call of Power – 1% Action Point gain per rank
Quick Turnaround – 1% Recovery Speed per rank.

Master Boons

Blood Lust 3/3

Guild Boons

Offense – Power
Defense – Hit Points

Ranger Hunter 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.

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

Lion Guard’s Raid Hood
Fancy Duelists Mask of Cormyr
Protégé’s / of the Spy’s Guild

Armor

Ebony Stained Hide

Arms

Vivified Primal Assault Gwanitis
Spiked Defenders Vambrace

Feet

Rusted Iron Leggings

Weapons

Lionheart Set (Best in Slot)
Alabaster / Burnished Set

Main Hand Modification:

Offhand Modifications:

Rings

Striking Ring of the Master
Leading Ring of the Teacher
Ring of the Shadowstalker +4/+5

Neck & Waist

Armaments of the Wyvern (Solo)
Apprentices’ Spoils (Music Box Set) (Groups)

Shirt

Ebony Stained Shirt

Pants

Pants of the Sentinel

Ranger Hunter Artifacts

Primary Artifact

Envenomed Storyteller’s Journal
Staff of Flowers
Decanter of Atropal Essence

Secondary Artifacts

Choose secondary artifacts based on the stats you are lacking.

Arcturia’s Music Box
Trobriands Ring
Staff of Flowers
Halaster’s Blast Scepter

Ranger Hunter Enchantments

When getting enchantments, always get the ones with the stats you are lacking in with your gear, boons, etc in mind. For example, if you’ve capped Crit with your gear and boons, don’t get azure enchantments for your offense slots. If you still need to refine your enchantments, see our Refinement Guide for tips on how to farm refinement.

Offense Enchantments

One Tenebrous Enchantment – Radiant Enchantments

Defense Enchantments

Radiant Enchantment

Utility Enchantments

Tactical Enchantment
Dark Enchantment
Fey’s Blessing / Dragon’s Hoard / Quartermaster’s Enchantment

Armor Enchantments

Barkshield Enchantment

Weapon Enchantments

Vorpal Enchantment

Overload Enchantments

Various Marks from Stronghold Vendor
Corrupt Black Ice / Lethal / Piercing
Black / Red Dragon Glyph

Armor Reinforcement Kits

Power Kits

Jewelry Reinforcement Kits

Combat Advantage Jewel

Ranger Hunter 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.

Get one from each of the rows below:

Empowered Chain of Scales (Best in Slot) > Adorable Pocket Pet > Tymora’s Lucky Coin

Wild Storm Elixir > Elixir of Fate

Squash Soup > Watermelon Sorbet

Ranger Hunter Companions

Summoned Companion

Bulette Pup

Enchantment Power

Potent Precision

Companion Powers

Below is a selection of viable companion powers.

Offense Powers

Tamed Velociraptor – 2000 Power per party member using it.
Staldorf – 8000 Combat advantage
Deepcrow Hatchling – 8000 Power
Batiri – 4% Damage against bosses

Defense Powers

Minstrel – 4000 Power and 2000 Awareness
Broom – 4% Critical Severity
Splinters – 4% Critical Severity and 2000 Critical Avoidance
Green Slime – 8000 Defense
Phase Spider – 2000 Critical strike and 4000 combat advantage

Utility Powers

Alpha Compy – 5% Power
Owlbear Cub – 10% chance to hit for 50% of you Power

Companion Equipment

Double offense slotted “Of the Companion” gear

Companion Runestones

Empowered Runestone

Ranger Hunter Mounts

When choosing a Legendary Mount for the Mount Powers, look for a mount that has both a useful equip and combat power. The best choice for a first legendary mount as a Ranger is a Swarm.

What other mounts you use is not that important. What is important is to get the right insignia bonuses, and many different mounts can offer the various bonuses. To find out what mount has the bonus you want, check out our Insignia Bonus Guide.

All classes and specs should consider using Wanderer’s Fortune before you have refined all your gear and enchantments, for extra refinement every day.

Mount Insignia Bonuses

Assassin’s Covenant
Cavalry’s Warning
Artificer’s Persuasion
Gladiator’s Guile
Survivor’s Gift

Insignia Type

Brutality / Dominance for Power, or alternatively any other with stats you need. You can also use Insignia’s to get your defensive stats to cap for survivability.

Ranger Hunter Mount Powers

Mount Equip Power:

5000 or 10000 Power

Mount Combat Power:

Bat Swarm (Swarm) (Best in Slot) > Tenser’s Transformation

If you have any questions or suggestions about our Neverwinter Ranger guide, please leave a comment below! More info about the Ranger class can be found at The Neverwinter Reddit. More builds and further info can also be found at MMOMinds.