Comprehensive Ranger Guide

Comprehensive Ranger Guide File:Ranger and wolf.jpg Type Spiritual Semi Spell Circles Minor Spiritual, Ranger Base Prime Requisites Dexterity, Intuition Mana Statistics Wisdom

Physical Skills Skill Cost Ranks Two Weapon Combat 3/2 2 Armor Use 5/0 2 Shield Use 5/0 2 Combat Maneuvers 6/4 2 Edged Weapons 3/1 2 Blunt Weapons 4/1 2 Two-Handed Weapons 6/2 2 Ranged Weapons 3/1 2 Thrown Weapons 3/1 2 Polearm Weapons 7/2 2 Brawling 4/1 2 Ambush 3/3 2 Multi Opponent Combat 10/4 1 Physical Fitness 4/0 2 Dodging 7/5 2

Magical Skills Skill Cost Ranks Arcane Symbols 0/5 1 Magic Item Use 0/5 1 Spell Aiming 5/15 1 Harness Power 0/5 2 Elemental Mana Control 0/15 1 Mental Mana Control 0/15 1 Spirit Mana Control 0/5 1 Spell Research 0/17 2 Elemental Lore 0/20 1 Spiritual Lore 0/10 1 Sorcerous Lore 0/18 1 Mental Lore 0/20 1

General Skills Skill Cost Ranks Survival 1/1 2 Disarming Traps 2/4 2 Picking Locks 2/3 2 Stalking and Hiding 2/1 2 Perception 0/2 2 Climbing 2/0 2 Swimming 2/0 2 First Aid 2/1 2 Trading 0/3 2 Pickpocketing 2/3 1

About the Guide

This guide is maintained by Kithus but brought to you by members of the GS community from discussions via various forums, Discord chats and direct player input on gswiki. It is ALWAYS open for contributions from the community.
Last Upate: 2/8/2018

Race and Stat Considerations

Racial Bonus To Starting Statistics (Sortable Table)

Race	Strength	Constitution	Dexterity	Agility	Discipline	Aura	Logic	Intuition	Wisdom	Influence	Total
Aelotoi	-5	0	5	10	5	0	5	5	0	-5	+20
Burghal gnome	-15	10	10	10	-5	5	10	5	0	-5	+25
Dark elf	0	-5	10	5	-10	10	0	5	5	-5	+15
Dwarf	10	15	0	-5	10	-10	5	0	0	-10	+15
Elf	0	0	5	15	-15	5	0	0	0	10	+20
Erithian	-5	10	0	0	5	0	5	0	0	10	+25
Forest gnome	-10	10	5	10	5	0	5	0	5	-5	+25
Giantman	15	10	-5	-5	0	-5	-5	0	0	5	+10
Half elf	0	0	5	10	-5	0	0	0	0	5	+15
Half krolvin	10	10	0	5	0	0	-10	0	-5	-5	+5
Halfling	-15	10	15	10	-5	-5	5	10	0	-5	+20
Human	5	0	0	0	0	0	5	5	0	0	+15
Sylvankind	0	0	10	5	-5	5	0	0	0	0	+15

AgiDex

Roundtime is quite simple. Strength and encumbrance can be a factor but that can be managed by carefully managing inventory. The most important factor is AgiDex, or the sum of the bonuses of a character's Dexterity and Agility. This combined total helps reduce the Roundtime of a physical attack by a specified amount:

Agility + Dexterity	Roundtime reduction
8 - 22	1
23 - 37	2
38 - 52	3
53 - 67	4
68 - 82	5
83 - 97	6
98 - 112	7
113+	8
Roundtime reductions above 5 are not achievable without enhancive items.

Pairing that table with the stat table above we can break it down to see each races theoretical maximum AgiDex, before enhancives:

5 RT Reduction	4 RT Reduction	3 RT Reduction
Halfling	Aelotoi	Erithian
Burghal gnome	Dark elf	Human
Elf	Forest gnome	Dwarf
	Half-elf	Giantman
	Sylvankind
	Half-Krolvin

This is important because weapons have a minimum RT, and a base RT. By taking the base RT and subtracting the bard's AgiDex we can find that bard's unencumbered swing RT.
This is important to bards who use polearms because of their high base roundtimes:

Weapon Type	Weapon Name	Base RT	Min RT
THW	Claid	8	5
Polearm	Lance	9	5
Polearm	Awl-Pike	9	5

A Human, Dwarf, or Giantman cannot use a lance with minimum RT unless they use enhancives. Those in the middle columns can grow into a lance but their stats will not likely be placed for growth, so they will eventually want to invest in a fixstat. Halflings, Burghal Gnomes, and Elves are able to reach the highest AgiDex totals and will have a far easier time swinging a lance in at the minimum roundtime.

Dexterity is also important as the AS stat for the Archer Bard.

Strength

Strength bonus adds directly to melee AS. Any melee bard is going to want a decent Strength stat. Polearm bards will want to pair that with a decent AgiDex possibility. The table below compares the Strength stats of those races capable of using a lance at minimum RT:

5 RT Reduction	STR Mod		4 RT Reduction	STR Mod
Halfling	-15		Aelotoi	-5
Burghal gnome	-15		Dark elf	0
Elf	0		Forest gnome	-10
			Half-elf	0
			Sylvankind	0
			Half-krolvin	10

As we can see from the table an elf is likely to be the most balanced polearm user between their high AgiDex and lack of a strength penalty. Half-Krolvin, with their +10 strength bonus and reasonable AgiDex value can also be a good choice. Any race will make a viable polearm bard but those wanting to maximize their efficiency should look to those two, as well as the sylvan, half-elf, or dark elf.