What class options make a good ranged and melee striker?

Question

What I'm looking for is a Striker, who is mainly a ranged striker, but also, sometimes, can go melee. As obvious. Something like an Arcane Archer or whatever would you call it. I've read a lot of guides and stuff, yet I found nothing astonishing.

Now what I'd like are these things:

• Stealth, Perception, Bluff and Insight are vital for my gameplay, if I'd be left with more to pick, it would be athletics OR acrobatics, depending... and the last heal.
• The next thing I'd like to have would be a few spells, don't have to be combat spells, but shouldn't be rituals.
• Also, I wouldn't like to use poisons as a main or important part of my class and I don't really like shields.
• I prefer bows and swords, but that's not really an issue.
• I don't like simple pew-pew style, need some more options. Someone suggested to me a Ranger with Battlefield Archer PP, but I'm not really sure how to work with that.
• It can be hybrid, doesn't have to be... whatever. Any race. Level 12, as I said.

Is this too much to ask or is there something that would allow me to do all or at least most of these things and still have a reasonable damage output?

Answer 1

First, you need to tone down your expectations. There aren't any strikers that are ranged & melee and use weapons & spells and get boatloads of skills (correction: there aren't any that actually do decent damage). But if you're willing to give up the spells part...

It sounds like what you want is a ranged rogue. The focus on ranged powers will mean you're most effective at range, but pull out a dagger and you're perfectly happy in melee. Also, you get training in your entire wishlist of skills (well, you have to pick athletics or acrobatics, but other than that you're set) plus thievery as an added bonus.

There are 2 general builds I'd recommend looking at: a typical halfling sling rogue (this guide can walk you through building it), or a bluffing multi-attack build (the core concept is described here) which will only do mediocre (though never bad) damage until level 16, at which point it will do very good (arguably broken) amounts of damage.

Alternately, you could give up the striker part and go with a bow-wielding bard. Ranged spells & bow attacks, plus some melee attacks (though you'd need a way to swap weapons as a free action; I'd recommend a familiar) covers your ranged/melee request. You'll have to burn a feat to get stealth, but you get insight, perception, bluff, and acrobatics/athletics by default, plus arcana.

If you go this route, I'd recommend going half-elf, wis/cha heavy, Virtue of Prescience, and grabbing Twin Strike as your Dilettante power, along with Versatile Master and the multi-class feat that makes your Dilettante power use your class' primary attribute for attacking instead of dex. This guide can walk you through building the character.

Answer 2

After some experimenting with the Dungeons and Dragons Character Builder I think I've found what you're looking for. It's not perfect, but I think a Hexblade (player essentials 2) is best suited for your needs. The description given in the character builder is as follows "Roll: striker. You wield a deadly weapon forged with magic, backed by your skills at spells, stout armor, and keen fighting ability." This class is fairly flexible, with multiple builds. I suggest making charisma your primary attribute and dexterity your second, since you are so keen on the skills affected by dex and cha. This leaves you with 3 compatible race choices- Halfling (+2 acrobatics, +2 thievery), Drow (+2 intimidate, +2 stealth), and Changeling (+2 bluff, +2 insight). To make the most of your skills in and out of combat I suggest playing a Changeling. Changeling Disguise allows you to change your appearance (as long as you remain humanoid) at will, giving you a +5 to bluff checks made to conceal your identity. Changeling Trick is a combat skill that can give you combat advantage until the end of your next turn if you manage to make a successful bluff check against your target's passive insight.

The powers available to Hexblades are very versatile, allowing for ranged and melee combat. Hexblades choose one pact. I personally enjoy the Star Pact (Dragon Magazine #393) which grants the Dire Fate power the most. Once per round, as a free action, if you reduce an enemy to 0 hp or an adjacent enemy falls to 0hp you gain a +1 bonus to attack rolls until the end of your next turn. As a striker more accuracy always comes in handy. Aside from your melee basic attack, all of yhe Hexblade's melee attacks come with neat effects. You may be able to teleport into a better position or deal extra damage to a nearby enemy on a successful hit. If you get tired of swinging your sword around you can throw a couple of Eldritch Bolts or unleash a powerful daily power. The most intimidating of which is Hellfire Blast (player essentials 2) which unleashes a close blast 3 exlposion (great for crowd control) dealing 3d8 + cha modifier damage. Plus half damage on a miss.

To sum everything up, you can engage in close combat or pick off your enemies from a safe distance, destroy hoards of monsters with large and powerful blasts, and use your character's rougeish tricks to gain the upperhand in battle. You'll be able to train several of the skills you're looking for.