Curse

Bandwagon · Feb 06, 2010, 06:27 PM // 18:27

Hi all, thought I'd hop on and ask the R/ community for some critique/advice/w.e for my R/D build (tailored for HM vanquishing/ general PvE)

Skills:
Wounding Strike (E)
Victorious Sweep
Mystic Sweep
Never Rampage Alone
Conviction
Comfort Pet
Scavenger Strike
Asuran Scan

Currently my Asura rep is at R8, and Sunspear rep is at R9.

Attribute Distribution:
11 Scythe Mastery
6 Earth Prayers (conviction is pretty much maintainable with this set up)
8+1 Beast Mastery - (I use a dire pet for more dmg)
10+1+2 Expertise (13 expertise makes the 5 energy attacks cost 2 energy)

I usually run with an ROJ monk that maintains Strength and Honor on myself, this fulfills the block bonus on conviction, the DW on Wounding, and an extra chant to benefit the dmg from Mystic Sweep. The ROJ is mainly a second healer (Smiters Boon + reversal of dmg, smite condition and Smite Hex).

I usually do not have energy problems so long as scavenger strike is used correctly.

I found that conviction greatly ups my fragile armor so I do not get blown up by HM frontliners in HM (most of the time I just /laugh at the casters attempting to smash dent 70+10+24+30 armor)

I use Beastmasters on coat, legs and gloves, survivor on everything else. Superior HP rune, vitae, and attribute runes are used for my runes.

How is the build? Any advice? Is it worth improving (lol trolls, here is your target).

Xsiriss · Feb 06, 2010, 06:57 PM // 18:57

You don't really need to invest in beast mastery. Put the points in expertise and use zealous sweep. Depends if you like spamming A-scan really.

Artisan Archer · Feb 06, 2010, 07:10 PM // 19:10

Lyssa's Assault.
+6e with 14 expertise

Life Bringing · Feb 06, 2010, 07:37 PM // 19:37

This plus this with SoH, castigation, and smite hex/condition. Put SoH on you and your pet and make shit explode.

As for more armor in PvE, it's not really needed. The simplest thing to do is just micro a copy of prot spirit on yourself to take agro/pull.

Heroes don't use RoJ very effectively, so a SoS rit is the better option.

WhiteAsIce · Feb 06, 2010, 08:12 PM // 20:12

I just use the posted build on the wiki, but I hardly use Asuran Scan. Even in HM, things are dying too fast, and I usually run low on energy because Scavenger's Strike doesn't hit before the enemy dies. Am I doing something wrong if things are dying so fast that I can't even hit things?

Naughty Nurse · Feb 06, 2010, 08:25 PM // 20:25

Ive also used this and in certain cases your a bit weak, so additional armor is a good thing. great dwarf armor is one option. In some condition/hex heavy area s (Like prophecies last mission) melandrus resilience is a nice elikte, at the cost of wounding strike ofcourse

Just some stuff you can try.

Amy Awien · Feb 07, 2010, 12:50 AM // 00:50

If you bring a (dire) pet you should probably spec beastmastery higher (10+), otherwise it's just lost skills and dead weight waiting for the healers to burn energy on it. But you'd have to drop Conviction which seems to be your special. Then again, EBSoH and SoH will add more damage then extra points in Beastmastery. You could also drop the pet and create another build, I do run Melandru's Resilience in some area's (indeed like in Hell's Precipe) - infinite energy and most conditions and hexes will heal you.

I didn't like Woundig Strike much, the other Scythe elite, Reaper's Sweep, gives the choice in using it to remove an enchantment or to deal out the finishing deep wound.

Asuran Scan is single target, while the strength of a scythe is in hitting multiple targets. I find EBSoH far more effective, especially with a pet and minions who all get to benefit from it's +damage.

But to keep stuff near your scythe and within EBSoH I like some movement reduction, Crippling Sweep (or Crippling Victory), YMLAD! and/or Strike as One. Besides the cripple and knockdown, YMLAD! can also double as interrupt and finisher.

Smiting skills like SoH will also sit comfy on a secondary monk, one of your Necro's or a (Tease) mesmer, I don't think a full smiting bar is good enough and a hybrid prot/smite or heal/smite would suffer to much from the maintained enchantments.

MasterSasori · Feb 07, 2010, 02:28 AM // 02:28

Quote:

Originally Posted by Amy Awien

Smiting skills like SoH will also sit comfy on a secondary monk, one of your Necro's or a (Tease) mesmer, I don't think a full smiting bar is good enough and a hybrid prot/smite or heal/smite would suffer to much from the maintained enchantments.

Smites can easily go /Me for power drain/leech sig or inspired --- and adds another use to the monk.

@OP

SoH should definitely be on there and if you find RoJ lacking, then Defender's Zeal is good for the energy. Tease is also very good despite it being a Mesmer elite. Smite makes an excellent cleaner and is worth bringing in certain situations. For healing purposes, smiter's boon is very good.

mistokibbles · Feb 07, 2010, 05:33 AM // 05:33

I'd out Beast mastery points, out NRA for Drunken Master, and asuran scan for EBSoH, Pain Inverter of Air of Superiority

Bandwagon · Feb 07, 2010, 05:46 PM // 17:46

Hello, me again, ty for the feedback, I have already made some alt builds from the responses and I am testing them out after the snowball tourney / afk fest =P

Some of you found that I should just drop beast mastery, now that is fine and dandy, however I lose out on an IAS, with no real alternative in sight (I usually do not stockpile alcohol, nor do I plan to so Drunken Master is kind of lackluster even at R10). Are there any options for a decent IAS that is maintainable for R/D?

@ Amy Awien

I find that Reaper's Sweep is simply a bigger Victorious Sweep, that can be used 1/2 as often, sure it removes a chant, but the only enchants that matter, (USUALLY) and that stop me from performing my role IE killin &@^@, are block chants, which will probably negate the attack anyway. Wounding gives a cover condition and the deep wound and you can reposition and alternate between several mobs, just my 2 cents.

A dire pet will be no less of an energy sponge than a Hearty or Elder pet, the HP is lower, but the damage mitigation remains the same.

@ Life Bringing

Rocking build, but I usually manual cast RoJ for max effectiveness. However the build you supplied (SoS) is still awsome, any alternative elites if I am running with a spirit spammer (IE: SoS is alrdy taken)?

@ WhiteAsIce

Not your fault, if things are dying fast, that is good, however you may have to slow down (and perhaps use another PvE skill instead of AS when vanquishing that area or similar areas again with the same team-builds)

@ Naughty Nurse

I'll try out the Mel Resil stance, still need to cap it for the title anyway.

Great guidance so far! Keep it up everyone

Life Bringing · Feb 07, 2010, 08:51 PM // 20:51

Hmm, could you post your entire hero setup? Would make helping easier.

Arrogant Bastard · Feb 07, 2010, 11:49 PM // 23:49

Drop conviction and bring a hero with PS.

An SoS rith with SoH+splinter will also make things blow up faster.

Desert Rose · Feb 08, 2010, 01:37 AM // 01:37

Bring Aura of holy Might; it's bugged, it doesn't increases your damage by x% but decreses the oppenent armor level by x, which is more than double as much +x% damage.
If you already use a pet think about using Enraged Lunge, it can be used nearly as often as Wounding Strike (remember that it can be used only every 3 seconds plus attack speed) and adds bonus damage.
Bring both Mystic Sweep and Eremite's Attack, their fast activiation times add more damage than any other attack skill.
Bring either "By Ural's Hammer!" or Ebon Battle Standard of Honor for Asuran Scan, the scan is not that good at a closer look.

Hyozanryu Sanada · Feb 08, 2010, 04:17 AM // 04:17

Quote:

Originally Posted by Desert Rose

Bring Aura of holy Might; it's bugged, it doesn't increases your damage by x% but decreses the oppenent armor level by x, which is more than double as much +x% damage.
If you already use a pet think about using Enraged Lunge, it can be used nearly as often as Wounding Strike (remember that it can be used only every 3 seconds plus attack speed) and adds bonus damage.
Bring both Mystic Sweep and Eremite's Attack, their fast activiation times add more damage than any other attack skill.
Bring either "By Ural's Hammer!" or Ebon Battle Standard of Honor for Asuran Scan, the scan is not that good at a closer look.

Learn how to use Asuran Scan right... Use on hard to take down targets such as monks and bosses.

Quote:

Originally Posted by mistokibbles

I'd out Beast mastery points, out NRA for Drunken Master, and asuran scan for EBSoH, Pain Inverter of Air of Superiority

Pain Inverter is for bad people who don't know how protting works. Ever thought about flagging your heroes to pre-prot you while you pull?

Bandwagon · Feb 08, 2010, 05:30 AM // 05:30

Quote:

Originally Posted by Life Bringing

Hmm, could you post your entire hero setup? Would make helping easier.

I usually run a N/Rt healer (pretty much a copy paste of the sabway N/Rt) with the Sabway MM R/Mo

the MM uses
Jagged Bones
Bone Fiend
Shambling Horror
PS
Divert Hexes
Sig of lost Souls
Aegis
Death Nova

9+1 Soul Reapin
12+1+1 Death Magic
9 Prot Prayers

Amy Awien · Feb 08, 2010, 12:30 PM // 12:30

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hyozanryu Sanada

Learn how to use Asuran Scan right... Use on hard to take down targets such as monks and bosses.

It works only on that target and for your own attacks, EBSoH works on all allies (including minions and pets) in your area. And for longer.

Orange Milk · Feb 08, 2010, 04:23 PM // 16:23

Drop:

Conviction
Never Rampage Alone
Comfort Pet
Scavenfers strike

Add:

Great Dorf Armor
Dorfin Stability
Zealous Sweep
Lightning Reflexes

take out those 6 points in earth and the 9 in BM and put them into Scyth and Exptersise. 12 scyth the rest in expertise.

Now you have an almost your almost perma IAS, you have your +24 armor, you have almost perma 75% block (instead of 50%) you have +60 Hp(so now you can use a Sup expertise if you want) you have your enchant for Wounding Strike, and you have a way to balance some energy with Zealous Sweep, even though you should not need it with 15-16 expertise. Oh and, counting SoH, you are now maxing out Mystic Sweep to +30 damage because of 3 enchants.

Then change your armor from the beast stuff to whatever floats your boat.

Chthon · Feb 08, 2010, 11:00 PM // 23:00

I hate to rain on this parade, but scythe rangers are a waste of time in PvE.

1. Because they have no SY! they are vastly inferior to D/W ZV builds and W/D WE builds. The only things this build has to offer against those builds, with their SY! and superior damage output, are WS and the pet. Sorry, but that doesn't come anywhere close to an even tradeoff. You just can't run a phys build, especially a melee build, without SY! and not end up with something that's just plain worse than something similar with SY!.

2. Even among crappy no-SY! scythe builds, this is strictly inferior to a scythe sin, which can run a pretty much identical bar, except with a better IAS and better damage from CritStrikes.

3. Scythe builds in general suffer from the huge problem that is AoHM. It's very nearly the only way to get your solo damage output up to a reasonable level (and the only way most people know about), but you must NOT use it, because it converts your damage type and completely removes you from intrateam synergies that rely on physical damage.

maxxfury · Feb 08, 2010, 11:38 PM // 23:38

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chthon

1. Because they have no SY!

In a h&h situation this is a big issue, as you say the trade off isnt worth loosin Sy imo.

------

I cant see a bow dps bar beating out what a melee can do, given the buffs a melee can get these days, and for that reason id prob rather run melee over bow for dps on R.

If i dont need to bring bha for dazing big bosses, then i want to run dps, as i cant rupt so well in hm :P (cast times and a crap ping

)

Then assuming sy is covered, id prob run scythe(poss+pet) or dagger(poss+pet), if not id go r/w for sy with a turret or fake a war melee bar. If there is a tank id poss run barrage :P .Tho im open for been shown some epic new bar i havent happened upon that does this better :P

**assuming im locked into ranger for the area and cant/dont want to change for a better damage class.

TLDR: If SY is covered in a NON tank n spank, whats the best dam bar a ranger can take now? melee or bow..

theslyr · Feb 09, 2010, 01:15 AM // 01:15

i just made this build you can test it if you want
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