Building a Ranger

[Hells_Faithful]

I am not new to the game, but I have always lacked somewhat on the ability to come up with or even put together a really good ranger build...

I am asking all of those super-rangers out there for their input on what build assistance...

My current ranger (R/W) Uses:

1.) "I am the strongest" (EoTN Norn title shout)
2.) Poison Signet
3.) Barrage (Elite)
4.) Hunter's Shot
5.) Interupting Shot
6.) Lightning Reflexes
7.) Troll Ungent
8.) Sunspear Signet (new title rez)


I would like some help modifying my build, but I would like to stick with the barrage side of my ranger... but also trying to keep the build as a low energy cost build, so that I can keep active in battles longer...

Thx for all your future help,

Hells

[Hells_Faithful]

Anyone???

Plz...

[horseradish]

I'm not an expert ranger, but i think i know enough to help you out here.

If you're bringing an attack skill increase, try bringing Sloth Hunter's Shot. pretty good spike damage when you use it correctly.

I wouldn't recommend Barrage, but Volley instead so you'd have a free elite slot.

Lightning Reflexes has a long recharge for me to use it...Natural Stride, or Escape are excellent replacements.

Distracting Shot and Savage Shot ftw. Not necessary in PvE, but helpful especially for bosses.

Poison Tip Signet only effects one shot in Barrage just in case you didn't know. ^^

PTS is a good skill for a cover condition, but not necessary in your build.

Just my two cents. :)

what bows do you use btw?

[RPGmaniac]

I can help you more if you post some more info. Stuff like what kind of bows you are using as well as attribute distribution (with runes and headgear included) would be helpful.

But since you're dead set on using Barrage, I would take out Poison Tip Signet because as horseradish said, it only puts poison on the first arrow, not all 6 of them. I would swap it out probably for another interrupt since you will do satisfactory damage with Barrage and "I am the strongest!" and interrupts are always helpful.

[Washi]

If you want to use barrage then combine it with Splinter Weapon for crazy aoe damage. If you have problems with caster bosses get Broad Head Arrow and interrupts. Those are two basic builds I use in pve. Sometimes I use OF tank but thats ony for few high end areas.

PvP is a whole diffrent story.

[Hells_Faithful]

Well my ranger currently uses:

A Storm Bow 15^50, +30 20/20... (But I looking at getting some other bows)
A Full Set of Norn 15k armor (with runes mainly set for mark, and wilderness, and health)(some isignias for energy, and armor against physical, and some health)...

I beleive her skills are:

15-Mark
15-Wild
2-Expertise

[Abedeus]

Bad, very bad. Barrage + Splinter Weapon or Broad Head Arrow + Volley + Splinter Weapon are far more superior. Get 12 channeling magic, 9+1+2 marks, 8+1 in expertise and rest in Beast Mastery.
Broad Head Arrow
Distracting Shot
Savage Shot
Volley
Splinter Weapon
Charm Animal
Comfort Animal

And rez of your choice - Death Pact Signet, Flesh of my Flesh, Sunspear Rebirth Signet, Lively Was Naomei (not recommended), Resurrection Signet. Zealous longbow/flatbow.

[Hells_Faithful]

I like the idea of the barrage + splinter weapon build... It is actaully more of what I would like to use, but I have no clue as to what the rest of the build requires (skills or talents)

But I would like to have some sort of self heal in the build just in case...

[Washi]

15-Mark
15-Wild
2-Expertise
uhhhh ok, you need to realize that expertise is just to good to be neglected.

That's what I mostly use for highly populated areas:

Marksmanship 11+1+1
Expertise 10+1
Channeling 10

barragesplinter weapondistracting shotsavage shotthrow dirtpain invertervampirismflesh of my flesh

They could already update the damn skill tags :/

And that's how Splinter Barrage works:
http://img66.imageshack.us/img66/6452/gw042zy7.th.jpg (http://img66.imageshack.us/my.php?image=gw042zy7.jpg)

[lennymon]

Looks like at 15:15:2 attributes you are probably running a superior AND a major rune, this will decrease your survivability and increase the amount of aggro you'll draw as a result of monster AI. They can smell that you have lower health and it affects their targeting behavior. I'd recommend going to either 2 majors, or 1 superior (or lower, even better).

Everyone talks about splinter barrage as being an 'ultimate' ranger build. I disagree that it's good for you as a developing ranger.
Here's why:
1) Essentially you won't be learning how to play a ranger or how to improve your skills as a ranger.
2) While it does a lot of damage if foes are grouped up it also virtually eliminates your ability to actually see and interrupt key skills.

If all you run is splinter barrage, you may as well just be a nuker. Not that I dislike the nuker, it's just that a ranger can fulfill a number of different roles (I ran Spiteful spirit/mark of pain/volley last night in Slaver's for example - yes we steamrollered it). I love to challenge myself to make a build to do anything with my ranger, and then prove it's usefulness in full human groups. Your build is actually fine, personally however the only real change I'd suggest is to run both distracting and savage shots and drop the PTS. The degen PTS gives is insignificant to the value of a second interrupt. Then your assignment (should you choose to accept it) would be to go forth and practice the art of ranger interruption.

Wash is right though on attributes spread, try swapping your WS attribute entirely for expertise with no other changes. Play like an hour or two with each setup and try to see the difference.

[horseradish]

Storm Bow?

go /E for Conjure Lightning with "I am the Strongest!" or something.

Expertise at 2?

ARE YOU MAD?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?

TWO 15 POINT ATTRIBUTES?!?!

WHAT?

......

I like 13-14 points in Expertise for this build.

Expertise=best frickin energy management ever

Escape
Distracting Shot
Savage Shot
Volley
"I Am the Strongest!"
Splinter Weapon or Mending Touch
Troll Unguent
Rez

but I agree with Lennymon. Splinter Barrage isn't exactly the best way to be a ranger. You don't learn much about the class that way, but hey...you want something along the lines of Barrage so...here you go :)

[Horseman Of War]

save splinter barrage for when you know the big mobs will be clustered.

also, conjure element+ranger is bad juju.... an Orders nec will eat your brain if they catch you without a physical damage bowstring.

[iridescentfyre]

A Storm Bow 15^50, +30 20/20... (But I looking at getting some other bows)
A Full Set of Norn 15k armor (with runes mainly set for mark, and wilderness, and health)(some isignias for energy, and armor against physical, and some health)...

I beleive her skills are:

15-Mark
15-Wild
2-Expertise
First of all, I'd probably get a Perfect Salvage Kit and take the 20/20 string off of the bow and sell it for whatever obscenely inflated price its going for now, and buy a Vampiric or Zealous string since you're running Barrage.

Also, I would go with either Major Marksmanship/Major Expertise/Minor Wilderness or Superior Marksmanship/Minor Expertise/Minor Wilderness. Make sure you're also running at least a Major Vigor rune and whatever Insignia meets your personal preference (I like Survivor, personally).

Do not neglect Expertise. Its the best part of being a Ranger. Running a Barrage build you don't need very much but I'd still not go below 12 Expertise personally. Wilderness Survival is only ever used at high levels with certain niche builds like Trap farmers and such. A marksmanship bar doesn't have room for it... put Wilderness at 8 to make the breakpoint for +7 from Troll Unguent.

[wilebill]

OP, the above Channeling Build is with Beast Mastery is very good. Mine looks like: 10 Expertise, 7 Wilderness Survival, 11 Marksmanship, 12 Channeling Magic. You can drop the Wilderness Survival and go beast if you like.

Troll's Unguent
Splinter Weapon
Volley
Broad Head Arrow
Ancestor's Rage
Essence Strike
Optional
Optional

Use a Silencing bowstring if possible and you have a Swiss Army Knife Build with a great interrupt, excellent AoE, and channeling power to experiment with. Ancestor's Rage and Essence Strike (for energy recovery) are just two fairly useful examples from Channeling. All you really need is Splinter Weapon. Plenty of room for your favorite Marks skills.

[Washi]

OK nevermind the spliter barrage, it just got nerfed hard.

[horseradish]

Splinter Barraging is still pretty powerful though. It's just not overpowered.