Greetings!

I am trying to come up with a Ranger-style build that uses a combination of Archery/Two-Hand for combat, Light Armor, limited sneaking, and to avoid magic as much as possible, using Alchemy for "survival" living off the land, etc. I also would like to avoid "gaming" smithing and enchanting. I'm curious about this type of build because I haven't seen many other people posting something similar, and I think this build is great for RP purposes (you can really go off the deep end hunting/foraging for food, selling pelts to support yourself, etc) but would like to know if anyone has had any success with a similar build at higher difficulties, etc. Thanks!

My character is a hybrid between this and a skirmisher. Only thing I'd say is that a survivalist wouldn't use two-handed weapons; they cripple your ability to move fast and silently, clank like anything, and are heavy. Can't chase down a deer with a battleaxe.

^ My thoughts exactly. 2H doesn't fit. Maybe 1H with a dagger or dual weild.

I'm using the same build right now, except with smithing. Oh higher difficulites, you need to have armor and magic resistance in order to go in melee range of enemies. I wanted to use my 2h in the beginning and work on resoration and light armor, so I took smithing to imporve my armor and damage. If I were to sneak and use the bow mainly, I would have skipped smithing, and perked archery and sneak as far as I could. Potions of the marksman are also easy to make for me, so there is a nice boost with your 3x bow multiplier. Remember, enemies keep scalling up, so if you aren't prepared for a melee fight because you have archer and sneak perked and you go into melee, you might have a hard time. I know, for example, I don't like to fight Falmer without 200 armor and close to or over 75 damage without a shield, in melee range.

It's just playstyle, but since OP wanted a RP build, I would agree. 2h and light armor is nice though, damage, mobility, and block work really well and you don't have to take the steed stone like a heavy armor character might.

My current character (see sig) is a bit like that. He is a pure archer (no melee, no magic, no sneak), and relies on poisons such as slow and paralyze to control his enemies. He also uses smithing because I restricted him to a long bow (it's his father's bow in his RP story), so I upgrade it whenever I can. To level smithing I do a lot of deer hunting, which is fun, and make leather bracers.

The result is a fun, non-overpowered character that lives off the land.

I don't think you need to "game" smithing but it is probably worth adding. You don't have many skills, right.

Archery
Sneak
Two-handed
Block
Light Armor
Alchemy
Smithing

Go for the animal shouts, maybe play a Bosmer. Just don't put any perks in the smithing and stick to the animal skin armors. Or maybe just get Arcane Smithing eventually since there are a couple of nice animal armor pieces out there. But if you leave out Smithing I guess it would be more of a challenge. You could see as you went along.

Thanks for the advice. I wanted to go with 2H for perk efficiency over DW (and if I could, I would wield a 1H with both hands like Dark Souls, but a greatsword will have to do), for melee support if Archery doesn't get the job done (sweep is awesome when surrounded). I'd only use sneak to get a bow sneak attack, not as a stealth/assassin playstyle. As far as defending against magic, I'd supplement Alchemy with choice of standing stone (Lord most likely) and Defensive Shout (UrF, Sprint, Animal Allegiance).

Edit: I don't plan to ignore smithing, just not to max it out. I'll improve my armor/weapons but not max them out like some do.

RP ideas based on the classic D&D style ranger:

1) NO fast travel
2) In d&d you can choose between archery-based or dual wield as your primary combat skill. Pick one, and stick with it. You can still use the other in support.
3) Hunt, and use all the resources. Cook and eat your venison, craft armor with the leather, use the antlers/etc in alchemy. Make/sell leather armor and potions.
4) In d&d the ranger CAN use basic low level priest/Mage spells. Rough equivalents in Skyrim would be Oakflesh, healing, clairvoyance, detect life, and calm.
5) Be sure to favorite dragon shouts animal allegiance and kynes peace.
6) a pure ranger is NOT an assassin, nor is he/she a thief. No need to join and become leaders of these guilds.
7) don't spam iron daggers
8) no enchanting. You're a Ranger, not a Mage.
9) Wear real light armors like leather, fur (which makes sense because you're in skyrim!!). No glass or dragon scale etc. Even a belted tunic looks rangerish if you're good at killing enemies from a distance.
10. If you're struggling early (and you should) get a follower to tank for you.

Skyrim is the perfect setting to RP a ranger archetype. It is a true adventurer who is comfortable in the wilderness.

Yes. No Alchemy, but you CAN use ingredients (berries, etc.) for their effects. Smithing should, IMO, be limited to things you can make or improve with leather or strips. Personally, I don't see rangers running around with large weapons, my preference would be one-handed or dual (sword/dagger). I would forego enchanting completely UNLESS it's at/near Hagravens/Forsworn nests. And, stay out of cities as much as possible (i.e. no home, favoring Falkreath, Morthal, etc. over Whiterun, etc.). Main perks, for me, would go Archery, Light Armor, Sneak, One-Handed. I think I'd go Breton or Bosmer.

Alchemy is the only way to craft healing potions and poisons (a ranger would craft poultices and poisons), so it's vital to the build even if it is a bit "magey."

Not really *necessary*. Note that you can USE ingredients and gain their (main) benefits WITHOUT making them into potions.