Dexerto / ObsidianAvowed’s combat isn’t exactly forgiving, especially if you’re underprepared. So, if you’re looking to sneak around the Living Lands and take down enemies without getting hurt, you’ll need the best Stealth Ranger build in Avowed.
From the moment you step into Paradis it’s clear Avowed isn’t going to pull its punches. Whether you’re fighting a bear, scouring the world for a treasure map, or hunting for a Totem to boost your stats, you’re in for a challenge.
However, if you’re prepared and leveled up correctly, you’ll be destroying even the toughest of fights, all without taking much damage. If that’s your bag, then the Stealth Ranger is the build for you, and we have the best one right here.
Best Stealth Ranger build in Avowed
- Background: Vanguard Scout
- Attributes: 3 Might, 1 Constitution, 1 Dexterity, 3 Perception, 0 Intellect, 1 Resolve
- Abilities: Tanglefoot, Steady Aim, Constant Recovery, Shadowing Beyond, Marksmanship, Power Slide, Survivalist, Sniper, Critical Strike, Staggering Shot, Flurry of Blows
- Weapons: Ancient Alacrity bow
- Armor: Blackwing armor
- Companions: Kai and Giatta
Steal Rangers have to prioritize two things, damage and keeping hidden. As such, you’ll need to increase your attack damage, movement, and most importantly, critical hits so you can get the best shot at taking the enemy down before they see you and have the chance to react.
Attributes
Dexerto / ObsidianWhen originally crafting your character, you’ll want to put the following into your Attributes:
- 3 Might
- 1 Constitution
- 1 Dexterity
- 3 Perception
- 0 Intellect
- 1 Resolve
While it may feel odd to have so much in Might, damage is your best friend here, as well as Critical chance, hence the Perception. You only get ten points initially, so once you begin leveling up, you’ll want to focus on Might (extra damage and carry capacity), Perception (critical chance and range), Dexterity (Attack Speed), and Constitution (health and resistance).
These will heighten your power and survivability. Lastly, you’ll want to add at least one or two points into Intellect, but that shouldn’t be your priority, you can always use potions for Essence.
Abilities
Dexerto / ObsidianYour abilities are the lifeblood of a Stealth Ranger build in Avowed, and we suggest you choose the following, in level order:
- Tanglefoot
- Steady Aim
- Constant Recovery
- Steady Aim Tier 2
- Shadowing Beyond
- Marksmanship
- Shadowing Beyond Tier 2
- Marksmanship Tier 2
- Marksmanship Tier 3
- Power Slide
- Shadowing Beyond Tier 3
- Steady Aim Tier 3
- Survivalist
- Tanglefoot Tier 2
- Sniper
- Sniper Tier 2
- Sniper Tier 3
- Critical Strike
- Critical Strike Tier 2
- Staggering Shot
- Critical Strike Tier 3
- Staggering Shot Tier 2
- Staggering Shot Tier 3
- Flurry of Blows
- Flurry of Blows Tier 2
- Flurry of Blows Tier 3
Tanglefoot is an ideal ability for when the enemy is approaching and you need to get to a safer position. It’ll hold them in place, and once leveled, deal poison damage too. Then, Steady Aim is a must for any Ranger, it’ll slow down enemies while you’re holding your power attack (which you should do with every shot) and again helps keep the chaos of battle in check.
Next, head over to the Fighter Abilities and pick up Constant Recovery. If you’re playing carefully you won’t need to worry about getting hit, but if you do, having some built-in regeneration is always welcome.
Dexerto / ObsidianAt level five, choose Shadowing Beyond. This will become your most used ability, allowing you to turn invisible and get a sneak attack on the enemy. Use this whenever you can and in every single fight. Following this is Marksmanship, which increases your damage. No Ranger should ever say no to more damage.
At level ten, choose Power Slide. It won’t be as powerful or useful as Shadowing Beyond, but when you’re in a sticky situation, sliding through enemies and knocking them down can save your life, and let Kai get more hits off. Combine that with Survivalist to increase the impact of your food, as your health will quickly suffer as that increases and the food doesn’t.
Level 15 unlocks Sniper, where the Stealth Ranger yet again comes into its own. Additional damage against unaware enemies is a game-changer. Invest in this and you’ll watch the monsters fall without getting into a proper fight. Complement this with Critical Strike, to increase your Critical Hit Chance.
At level 20, choose Staggering Shot, then Flurry of Blows. Staggering Shot will offer you stun to your power attacks, and Flurry of Blows (while expensive) will increase your Attack speed, move speed, and Stamina regeneration. Perfect for a tricky battle, which is what you’ll come across in these levels.
Following on from these to max level, simply max all of them out and you’ll be a Stealthy killing machine.
Weapons
Dexerto / ObsidianUndoubtedly, the best weapon for a Stealth Ranger is the Unique Ancient Alacrity bow. This bow will slow any hit enemy by 15% for five seconds thanks to its Time-Stealing Arrow ability and will grant your Power Attacks +20% Move Speed for five seconds with Parting Shot.
Combine that with the following stats, and it’s perfect for a Stealthy Ranger who needs to destroy the enemy before they get to attack back:
- 162 Physical Damage
- 182 Stun
- 12 Stamina Cost
- 9% Critical Hit Chance
You can find the Ancient Alacrity bow in Galawain’s Tusks in the Solace Lava Tubes. Fight Sibelius and open the first locked door, the bow will be there.
Before you unlock this, we recommend grabbing the bow that suits you best and keeping it regularly upgraded using the materials you find around the Living Lands. It’s vital you stay on top of the upgrades.
Armor
As for armor, you’ll want to focus on the Blackwing Armor. This Light Unique Armor will be Fine Quality when you grab it, so you’ll need to upgrade the item. Nevertheless, it comes with two abilities. The first, Ambushing, grants +30% Stealth Attack Damage. The second, Creeper, will give you +25% Move Speed while crouched.
Dexerto / ObsidianThe Blackwing Armor starts off with the following stats:
- 10% Damage Reduction
- 14 Additional Damage Reduction
- -20 Maximum Stamina
- -20 Maximum Essence
Thankfully, the Blackwing Armor is easy to find. You’ll be able to pick it up if you fight and defeat Ygwulf during An Untimely End.
Companions
For a Stealth Ranger, Kai and Giatta are the best companions to choose.
It’s vital to keep away from the enemy, which is why you need to choose the only melee companion in Avowed, Kai. He’ll safely tank the hits while you shoot from afar and will shoot, block, or slam his way into the crowds. Just make sure he’s controlling the crowd and is keeping the enemies off you and you’ll be fine.
Dexerto / ObsidianHowever, Kai can’t always do that, and for a tank to tank the hits, he needs to be healed, which is where Giatta comes in. If Kai is beginning to struggle, activate Giatta’s healing and keep him alive.
Alternatively, activate her shield spells and both you and Kai will be able to destroy anything in your way. It also works perfectly if anyone gets too close to you, as she can easily protect you while you get to a safer position.
How to play
You can have all the right gear, attributes, abilities, and companions, but a Stealth Ranger’s skills begin and end on the battlefield. Without the right technique, your squishy nature will be the death of you.
What you’ll want to do is sneak into a battle, remaining hidden throughout. Then, if the enemy is in an optimal position (away from others) you can sneak up on them and use your Divine Thorn to take them down. Then go to the next enemy and let off your bow to take one down at a time.
The primary aim is to get this all done without alerting the rest of the monsters.
Dexerto / ObsidianIf / when this isn’t possible, activate your Shadowing Beyond and sneak up to a safer location, either higher up or near a corner so you can hide. Then, aim your bow at the biggest enemy, grab that powerful surprise shot, then summon Kai’s Leap of Daring and Fire and Ire, in that order. He’ll slam into the middle of the fight, drawing the attention and letting you keep attacking from safety.
Other than this, remember two things, keep yourself in a safe and preferably hidden position, and keep your weapon and armor leveled up. This Ranger thrives on immense damage, so if you’re under-leveled, you won’t stand a chance.
So, that’s all you need to know about how to build the best Stealth Ranger in Avowed. While working on your character, check out our guides regarding how to level up fast, the best way to make money, or our classes tier list, in case you want to choose something else like the Wizard, Fighter, or Summoner Ranger.
