The Complete Ranger Hunter Archer Build – Neverwinter Mod 18 Infernal Descent
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.
For the latest Neverwinter news and events, go to the MMOCULT Neverwinter Hub.
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.
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
Ranger Hunter Guide Index
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.
For the latest Neverwinter news, go to the MMOCULT Neverwinter Hub.
