Savages play very much like other ranger expertise of a similar terrain choice. You get juicy ambush and VERY reliable lag that is dependent on the terrain it is used in.

Most rangers are gimped out of the wilderness, savages do not fall victim to that anymore than the rest.

You are also only heavily dependent on druids for transmuted stuff if your area/gear knowledge is limited. I very rarely had to utilize druids for transmute.

The not as good defensively is a toss up. You forsake shield block as a savage, but you gain mace and protection from metals which makes you stand up far better against certain classes than other rangers do.

The choice between playing high str and high dex ranger has nothing to do with being a savage and has more to do with personal preference.