Curse

Rikimaru · Feb 21, 2008, 12:40 AM // 00:40

I have two versions of this build. The first one has better defense, and the second one has a totally unblockable combo that removes enchants and has a Deep Wound. I think the second one is actually better (at least for PvP), but it's nearly identical to an already well-known assassin-primary build (I don't know how close they are in actual effectiveness).

The purpose of both builds is to apply pressure by spamming dagger combos. The first is much harder to stop, but the second strips all defenses from the opponent with every use of it's combo and has Deep Wound.

1)
Expertise: 10+1+3
Dagger Mastery: 12
Shadow Arts: 8
Wilderness Survival: 2

Zealous Daggers of Fortitude, +5 energy inscription.
Scout's Insignias.
3 Vitae Runes, 1 Vigor Rune, 1 Superior Expertise Rune.
[skill]Golden Fox Strike[/skill] [skill]Wild Strike[/skill] [skill]Death Blossom[/skill] [skill]Escape[/skill] [skill]Shadow Refuge[/skill] [skill]Antidote Signet[/skill] [skill]Apply Poison[/skill] [skill]Resurrection Signet[/skill]

2)
Expertise: 9+1+3
Dagger Mastery: 12
Shadow Arts: 8
Deadly Arts: 5

Zealous Daggers of Fortitude, +5 energy inscription.
Brawler's Insignias.
3 Vitae Runes, 1 Vigor Rune, 1 Superior Expertise Rune.
[skill]Golden Fox Strike[/skill] [skill]Wild Strike[/skill] [skill]Shattering Assault[/skill] [skill]Impale[/skill] [skill]Siphon Speed[/skill] [skill]Shadow Refuge[/skill] [skill]Antidote Signet[/skill] [skill]Resurrection Signet[/skill]

If someone is blocking your attacks, activate Shadow Refuge to make your next combo unblockable. If it's done with a stance, the first build will remove it and keep them from blocking again. With the second build, the combo will remove whatever they're using to block no matter what it is (unless they have 2 cover enchants over the blocking one).
Since Shadow Refuge is the only skill under Shadow Arts, you could probably replace it with something else, remove all the points in Shadow Arts and put the points in Expertise, then either increase Expertise by 1 and replacing the rune with a Major, or increase it by 2 and replace it with a Minor (depending on how many points you'll have). I think a self heal of roughly 136 with a 1 second cast and 8 second reset is worth a lot more than +35 or 75 health though. Most people don't from what I've seen *shrug*

I had posted this on PvxWiki, but it got totally removed. The arguments I got for it's deletion were that it wasn't good enough for an "Excellent" ranking, and that hundreds of other dagger-ranger builds had already gotten deleted for sucking. So it's kinda pointless posting builds there in my opinion.
I won't say this build is amazing, but it definitely wasn't bad enough for deletion, and at the time I posted it they didn't have a single other dagger-ranger build listed (the ones they have even now are trash)

Here's the assassin build that the second one is a lot like: http://www.pvxwiki.com/wiki/Build:A/...tering_Assault

I'd like some advice on improvements if anyone has any, but I'm really just posting this so other people that want to play a dagger-ranger can use it.

Tyla · Feb 21, 2008, 01:00 AM // 01:00

I'd stick to bows, mate.

Rikimaru · Feb 21, 2008, 01:12 AM // 01:12

It doesn't look very good? It's gotta be possible to make a decent dagger-ranger... this is the best I've been able to come up with so far.
I'm gonna look into something using beast mastery, I think.

I just realized, the reset times on those attacks are listed totally wrong, if thats what you were going by (most of those skills have the wrong stats shown). All 3 attacks in that combo have a recharge of only 4 seconds. There's only enough time between each combo for a single auto-attack.

Tyla · Feb 21, 2008, 01:14 AM // 01:14

Daggers don't pressure well, and 'Sins do it far better.

Scary Raebbit · Feb 21, 2008, 06:20 AM // 06:20

Quote:

Originally Posted by tyla salanari

Daggers don't pressure well, and 'Sins do it far better.

Yes.
Daggers=moar shadow steps

-Makai- · Feb 21, 2008, 06:30 AM // 06:30

I run a build that is somewhat similar to the one you mentioned. Ranger Assassins are fun to play, though it's nothing to take seriously. You're basically trading raw attack power for more defense, which in some situations could actually be beneficial.

EDIT: Oh, I didn't see the PvP clause in your post. Never mind.

Also, Shadow Refuge is rubbish.

Rikimaru · Feb 22, 2008, 09:15 PM // 21:15

Alright, I've come up with a different one. It doesn't have the enchant removal or the unblockable combo, but it has an average of about 65DPS (I've reached 70-80 on the Master of Damage pretty often, but the average is around 65).
It also has 40 extra health and a better heal

Expertise: 10+1+2
Beast Mastery: 11+1
Dagger Mastery: 10
[skill]Golden Fox Strike[/skill] [skill]Wild Strike[/skill] [skill]Death Blossom[/skill] [skill]Bestial Fury[/skill] [skill]Feral Aggression[/skill] [skill]Maiming Strike[/skill] [skill]Heal as One[/skill] [skill]Charm Animal[/skill]

This definitely still has room for improvement, but I think it's getting better.

I've tried switching it up to use Enraged Lunge or Rampage as One as the elites and sacrifice having a self heal, but interestingly the DPS ends up roughly the same.

tehshadowninjar · Feb 26, 2008, 11:29 PM // 23:29

Well, tbh, I hate you. I hate people who contribute to that crap of a site PvXwiki. But I'll try not to be so mean. It's okay, I guess. But the improved one with beastmastery will wear out soon without at least 40 energy. If you're spamming IAS and attack skills, you'll be outa energy in about... 12-15 seconds. Also, you never actually elaborated where to use this build, how to use it, or anything else.

I Might Avenge U · Feb 27, 2008, 03:35 AM // 03:35

Quote:

Originally Posted by tehshadowninjar

Default
Well, tbh, I hate you. I hate people who contribute to that crap of a site PvXwiki. But I'll try not to be so mean. It's okay, I guess. But the improved one with beastmastery will wear out soon without at least 40 energy. If you're spamming IAS and attack skills, you'll be outa energy in about... 12-15 seconds. Also, you never actually elaborated where to use this build, how to use it, or anything else.

Well that's blunt.. and not the least bit helpful..

Although quite a mean post, he does have a point. Energy management is quite tough with skills like [wiki]Bestial Fury[/wiki], [wiki]Maiming Strike[/wiki], and most of all [wiki]Feral Aggression[/wiki] All of which you have to spam fairly often to keep up a decent amount of DPS. Getting all these of, and a single chain will nearly deplete all your energy.

Before you start using a pet, you should realize what bring a pet does to your build

You lose at least two skill slots
You gain about 12-20 pet dmg/ hit with beast mastery at around 13 or 14 and a Dire pet.
You gain the Use of Pet skills (pet must be alive)
E-Management becomes a Bitch..
Etc...

What we are most interested in is the 3rd option on the list. Because of pet skills, you gain, IMO, the best IAS for a ranger, [wiki]Never Rampage Alone[/wiki] For about 13 energy (expertise) you have about a 20 second IAS with a bit of regen and no drawback (I.E. Attack skills disabled for 5 seconds). Although it may seem like a lot of energy, it is worth the amount of time.

Secondly, In order to make your pet effective you should have at least 13-16 Beast Mastery. This also means that you should only stick with 2-3 attributes (common knowledge) when making your build. This also helps when choosing an elite as Beast should be your highest attribute.

Next, you will need some energy management to pull this off. The best way I can think of is to bring [wiki]Ferocious Strike[/wiki] and throw in some expertise. Expertise should be around 9 ( 8 + 1 ). Allowing Dagger skills to run around 3 energy at a base cost of 5. And just enough to be 6 energy at a base cost of 10.

Now that we have energy management down, and have used 4 skill slots, we need to add some dagger-ing.. We also want to accomplish this in the least amount of Skill slots. The best Way I can think of is to use the combo of [wiki]Golden Phoenix Strike[/wiki] and [wiki]Repeating Strike[/wiki]. This a cheap and Spammable combo that only takes up two of your skill slots. This is also where a Zealous Dagger Tang would help out as it would reduce Repeating Strikes Energy cost to two energy.

Finally we need something to keep ourselves alive. Self-heals are nice, but if we're going to play PvE, Chances are that there will be a monk hero, and we need our last two skill slots. So far, our set up will require an enchantment, and something to keep us alive. The best idea here, IMO, would be the combo of [wiki]Dwarven Stability[/wiki] and [wiki]Whirling Defense[/wiki]. With a decent Delver rank, you will have 24-30 seconds (at 9 Expertise) of Pure Blocking action. Dwarven stability is also a cheap enchantment (keep in mind, it doesn't get reduced by expertise ), only running you 5 energy. Alternatively, consider bringing [wiki]Great Dwarf armor[/wiki] to free up a skill slot for things such as a Soft Rez or A Signet Capture Signet.

So Here's Our Build:

R/A

Skills

[skill]Golden Phoenix Strike[/skill][skill]Repeating Strike[/skill][skill]Ferocious Strike[/skill]

[skill]Whirling Defense[/skill][skill]Comfort Animal[/skill][skill]Charm Animal[/skill]

Attributes

Beast Mastery: 14 [ 12 + 1 + 1 ]

Expertise: 9 [ 8 + 1 ]

Dagger Mastery: 10

Equipment

Zealous Dagger Tang
Radiant Insignias x 2 [ Chest and Leggings ]
Stalwart x 3 [ Everywhere Else ]
Rune of Attunement x 2
Rune of Vigor (best you can afford)
Rune of Minor Beast Mastery
Rune of Minor Expertise

Usage

Cast Dwarven stability, then Whirling defenses before battle. Use Never Rampage Alone when ready to attack. Reapply Dwarven Stability if it is removed and you must change targets. Use Golden Phoenix Strike --> Repeating Strikes (spam) until target is dead. Use Ferocious Strike to keep energy up. Use Comfort animal to rez your pet ( rez only, don't use as a pet heal ). It helps to have a good delver and Sunspear Rank.

3... 2... 1... AND FLAME!

EDIT: Just so you know, I haven't actually tested this.. It's just based off of theory and my general knowledge. If someone wants to test it out, go for it.. For all I know, it could be an EPIC FAIL..

Also fixed the Build image for Dwarven Stability. I accidentally put Great Dwarf armor instead.. Too much text ftl..

~IMAU

quickmonty · Feb 27, 2008, 04:01 AM // 04:01

Been running a pure BM build, but this looks interesting. Now, to find a decent set of daggers.

RavagerOfDreams · Feb 27, 2008, 06:33 AM // 06:33

Quote:

Originally Posted by tyla salanari

Daggers don't pressure well, and 'Sins do it far better.

QFT

listen to tyla he's the ranger guru

bathazard · Feb 27, 2008, 06:43 AM // 06:43

ranger/assian with daggers is only usefull for DB/MS spammers then a sin can do it better, and who these days runs BB/MS?

Stormlord Alex · Feb 27, 2008, 07:21 AM // 07:21

Quote:

Originally Posted by bathazard

ranger/assian with daggers is only usefull for DB/MS spammers then a sin can do it better, and who these days runs BB/MS?

Every Assassin in PvE.

NamelessBeauty · Feb 27, 2008, 09:59 PM // 21:59

Unless you go for Beast Master stuffs else dagger is bad on other prof except the Sin itself. But even beast master stuffs aren't a great idea either. Just use a real sin with Crit def. It owns in AB and RA

I have seen Rt/A, D/A but I do not think it's a great idea at all due to the dependant of enchantments.