In my opinion, Ranger. Perception isn't too much of a problem (don't need THAT much), and it helps for secrets and traps anyway.
The main thing though is using those special arrows, which means you absolutely MUST get into crafting. An antler or tooth costs 4g, combined with a knife it makes a stun or knockdown arrowhead, both of which are extremely useful (CC being the way to win 99% of all hard fights). Drudinae+arrowhead+shaft for another ~15g gets you a charming arrow, which is by far the most OP thing in the early game (turn your enemies CCers against your other enemies). Collect enough arrowheads and shafts and you have virtually unlimited poison, slow, and poisoncloud arrows combining them with ooze/oil barrels, or other poison arrowheads.
A special arrow always costs 4ap to fire, even if you are using a +2 level 7ap crossbow, and it still derives the damage from the weapon used to fire it. Special arrows also always hit regardless of accuracy chance and can effectively be targetted through smoke.
Oh, and before you think you can do everything with grenades instead of arrows, grenades are a LOT more expensive, the materials for making the best ones are a lot rarer even if you have the gold, their damage is lower and their effect chance is half that of an arrow. Not to mention you need 2 different talents for aim and distance which still isn't equivalent.
Personally, I would recommend taking Bairdotr for free and making the mage your second MC. She's got good starting talents and attributes and only a few "wasted" skillpoints (she ends up being your designated loremaster). For what it's worth, you also CAN re-roll her skills at the demon, but you CANNOT reroll Jahan or any henchmen.
Last edited by Sotanaht; 02/11/15 04:13 PM.
