Curse

m4g3r4ti0n · Aug 12, 2008, 04:00 AM // 04:00

Hey and i plan to make a barrage ranger

Here is my build i might use:

Barrage
Splinter Weapon
Throw Dirt
Lightning Reflexes OR Edge of Extinction
Whirling defense
Dust Trap
Troll Unguent
Storm Chaser

If you disagree with my build please post your thoughts of what changes I would need

I also need help on what bow I should have and what armor I would need
Thanks for Replying (if u replied)

GaaaaaH · Aug 12, 2008, 04:22 AM // 04:22

max armor (70)
bow: usually a longbow or recurve

tmakinen · Aug 12, 2008, 07:17 AM // 07:17

I assume that this is for PvE.

I would recommend dropping Whirling Defense or either of Dust Trap/Throw Dirt for Favorable Winds and using a flatbow (better firing rate than either longbow or recurve).

Another suggestion would be that you could try the buffed Incendiary Arrows instead, with some nice preparation like Ignite Arrows (Incendiary + Ignite + Splinter = WTFHAX AoE damage).

Yet another thing, try to find room for Distracting Shot. I've heard that it's good

TheDragonmaster · Aug 12, 2008, 07:36 AM // 07:36

A few things I don't understand with your build:

First, if Storm Chaser is there as E-management, that's ok, but if it's there as an IMS, i'd suggest a different skill, such as [Natural Stride]. Second, why do you have [Dust Trap] in there? At first I thought it was there as protection for the midlines, but seeing you also have [Throw Dirt], I hardly see any reason for it to be there...

I'll assume it's a PvE build, so why aren't you using any of the over-powerful PvE skills? I guess because they are out of your reach atm.

Also, if it's for PvE, why don't you carry a hard res, such as [Death Pact Signet] or [Flesh of my Flesh]? Otherwise, you'd need either a few Scrolls of Ressurection, or just never die.

Also, as the poster above suggested, getting an interrupt or two might not be amiss, such as [Distracting Shot], [Disrupting Shot], or [Savage Shot].

Also, your attributes are a bit diverse... I usually try to avoid WS when running Splinter Barrage, as that makes it a four-way split. But looking at it from that point of view, something like this might be suggested:

Expertise: 8+1
Marksmanship: 10+1+1
Wilderness Survival: 8+1
Channeling: 10

For equipment, you will want a Recurve Bow, as the attack speed makes your every attack a Barrage. If you choose to have a Flatbow instead, add Volley to your skill bar and alternate between the two (not really suggested). I suggest a Vampiric Recurve Bow (Strength and Honor) of Fortitude.

I suggest either Survivors or Radiant Insignias, depending on your preference (mine would be Survivors), the three minor runes mentioned above (Exp, Marks, WS), a vigor rune, and either a vitae or an attunement rune for the last slot. The mask obviously must give +1 to marksmanship.

gremlin · Aug 12, 2008, 08:01 AM // 08:01

By all means try it and make a note of what skills you seldom if ever use.
The build may well vary slightly from area to area anyway but I doubt you will use any traps as they are rather specialised.

A lot of it depends on what skills you have unlocked so far, personally I never use throw dirt as its a touch skill and as a ranger I like to keep my distance most of the time.
Edge of extinction I use when trapping but not when I am with a general party, well not without telling them first.

free_fall · Aug 12, 2008, 03:15 PM // 15:15

For my Barrage rangers, I completely dispense with WS and put those points into Healing/Prot (since i have Mo 2nd).

I typically run Marks 14, Exp 10, Heal 9, Prot 3 and my normal skill bar is:

Vigorous Spirit
Barrage
Distracting Shot
Savage Shot
Needling Shot
Mend Ailment
Healing Breeze
Resurrect

I go with Radiant on chest, legs and head and Survivor on arms and feet, then Marks on head, Exp on feet and a viogr and 2 Attunements.

That gives a total of 35E and, if you use a +5E bow instead of a 15^50, you can bump that to 40E. Using a Zealous bow, in combo with Barrage, usually provides a steady stream of energy. Heck, even hitting a single target with a Zealous bow lowers the cost of those 5E skills from 3 (at 10 Marks) to 2.

I really prefer HB over Troll Ungent because TU's 3 sec cast is easily interrupted, where HB's 1/4 sec cast isn't. Of course, HB, being an enchantment, can be stripped (unlike TU) but if you're far enough back, which is where you should be, that usually isn't a problem (I'm speaking of PvE here).

You can take Favorable Winds instead of Mend Ailment (and let the healers remove your conditions) if you want a little more damage and to boost your interrupt chances.

Use a recurve bow or a short bow, they have the shortest flight times on their arrows, though the recurve will keep you a little further from the melee, good if you're using HB instread of TU.

Crimson Flame · Aug 12, 2008, 03:30 PM // 15:30

I don't find Troll Unguent to be very useful, but maybe that's just me. By the time I take enough damage to activate TU, my frontline has collapsed and I probably ought to be kiting instead. So I would agree, drop the points out of Wilderness.

I haven't gotten my ranger to 20 yet, but I plan on putting Marksmanship at 15 (12+1+2) and Expertise at 13 (12+1). 13 Expertise means that Barrage only costs 2 energy - 1 with a zealous bowstring. I would probably use a flatbow and take Favorable Winds, but a recurve bow is a good all-around bow to have.

IrisLee · Aug 12, 2008, 03:57 PM // 15:57

As said above, drop WS and stick with a 3way attribute split.

Oh and, for PvE, i have to say i don't like using a Flatbow with FW because the recharge can be tricky when you're constantly going from group to group. So i normally just stick with a Recurve bow for it. With a splinter barrage build i tend to use a Zealous String too, other Barrage builds i find the emanagement even easier than Splinter, so i normally switch to vamp/sundering.

Good luck.

m4g3r4ti0n · Aug 13, 2008, 09:00 PM // 21:00

Well Heres what i decided so far from al the comments but I still might need help

PvE Barrage Ranger:
Barrage
Splinter Weapon
Throw Dirt
Lightning Reflexes
Distracting Shot
Savage shot
Troll Unguent
Flesh of my Flesh

Expertise 8+1
Mark: 10+1
WS: 8+1
Channeling: 10

Weapon: Sundering Recurve Bow of Fortitude

And BTW i only have 1 campaign which is Factions =\

SnipiousMax · Aug 13, 2008, 09:26 PM // 21:26

^I'd lose Troll Unguent completely. It's a bad skill for anything you'd need it for in PvE, and it's wildly worthless when you don't need it.

zelgadissan · Aug 13, 2008, 10:15 PM // 22:15

Adding a ditto with SnipiousMax. Troll is 3 seconds you should either be killing or kiting, and then 13 seconds of Healing Breeze. Not worth it at all. If you only have Factions I suggest [Hunter's Shot] or [Needling Shot] in its place.

I would also personally suggest lowering both Channeling and Wilderness and then raising Expertise, but I'm just addicted to Expertise.

Crimson Flame · Aug 14, 2008, 04:27 PM // 16:27

I would increase Expertise also. Drop Troll completely. Get rid of the Sundering bowstring and put a Zealous on there - it's pretty good e-management when you're using a Barrage build. I don't know how I feel about [Throw Dirt] - the goal is to stay away from the action. I carry [Antidote Signet] for the times that I get hit with blind.

SnipiousMax · Aug 14, 2008, 07:50 PM // 19:50

^Throw Dirt is a good all around skill to bring with just about any bar. Like distracting Shot, not the focus, but handy to have around.

^^^^Also, Rather than [Flesh of My Flesh] I'd use [Death Pact Signet].

gw_poster · Aug 19, 2008, 03:59 PM // 15:59

Quote:

Originally Posted by m4g3r4ti0n

Well Heres what i decided so far from al the comments but I still might need help

PvE Barrage Ranger:
Barrage
Splinter Weapon
Throw Dirt
Lightning Reflexes
Distracting Shot
Savage shot
Troll Unguent
Flesh of my Flesh

Expertise 8+1
Mark: 10+1
WS: 8+1
Channeling: 10

Weapon: Sundering Recurve Bow of Fortitude

And BTW i only have 1 campaign which is Factions =\

take out ss and ds, put in ur pet skills charm and comfort...and u have a perfect tombs ranger....oh, but u only have factions

/wtb Prophecies

Grammar · Aug 19, 2008, 05:03 PM // 17:03

Typical PvE Splinter Barrage build looks like this:

[Barrage][Splinter Weapon][Distracting Shot][Savage Shot]+ 4 optional slots.

There's all kinds of stuff you can bring with those optional slots; it really just comes down to personal preference and what you're trying to accomplish at the moment.
Some quick examples:
[favorable winds],[sloth hunters shot],[poison tip signet],[concussion shot],[Ebon Battle Standard of Honor],[Asuran scan],["You Move Like a Dwarf!"],[Antidote Signet], etc. etc.

As for the bow, I usually go with a vamp recurve bow for Splinter Barrage. I'm not a fan of zealous on bows (hence the vamp), and I like to do lots of interrupting as a ranger, even while using Splinter builds (hence the recurve).

Orange Milk · Aug 19, 2008, 08:05 PM // 20:05

^^ He only has Factions Grammar, thanks for your help.

Do not drop DShot for a freaking pet

Try to drop WS completly as suggested and rely on monks for healing.

If you are splinter/barrageing you will need exp at 12, if not then 9 will do. If you MUST have a Zealous Bow string while Barraging your doing it wrong. Vamp rules with Barrage though if Sundering has a place it is in a Barrage build.

If you feel you MUST heal your self, go with Grammars first 4 skills, not the PvE ones you dont have, add in Favorable winds and Mend body and soul, they synergyize well since FW lasts a ling time, shift a handfull of points into Resoration and you have a heal/condition remover all in one.

Now add a res of some sort and Lightning Reflexes for damage midigation.

Also Flatbows suck, half your arrows miss cause they take an hour to land, You interupts are VERY handy and they will be nearly useless with out a Recurve bow.

Another Felldspar · Aug 19, 2008, 08:28 PM // 20:28

The next thing is to go out and find a friend with Great Dwarf's Weapon. The knockdowns that you can get off of barrage when it's coupled with GDW are very nice -- unfortunately, you can't cast it on yourself.

Maccarelly · Sep 05, 2008, 09:31 PM // 21:31

Due to the limitations of having only factions, I suggest the following;

[Ranger;OggkclZZ4IyCGvYPmqVcCH2dxA]

Ranger shouldn't carry a heal unless they either have no healer in the group or they have a chimp playing for them. Ranger should receive minimal damage if in the right position, thus should easily be looked after by hero/henches.

I carry zealous and vampiric bows due to advantages under different circumstances.
Zealous - helpful for recouping energy mid- battle, works well with barrage (assuming your not attacking the one target) can easily make it a free energy attack.
Vampiric - boosts your health, its vampiric therefore not dependant on the armor level of your foe. In hard mode especially helpful.

Armor : I have always favoured high energy armor as it gives you more choice in what skills you can use, and of course your energy should last longer over any given battle...not many that should challenge you this way in pve.

Don't forget range is the advantage of the ranger, avoid the harmful damage of close combat.

Shadowmere · Sep 08, 2008, 02:43 PM // 14:43

you're in factions so if you've invested in either of the alliegance ranks at all it's worth it to get [triple shot]. combine with [nightmare weapon] for an impressive lifesteal spike.