Curse

akhil · Dec 10, 2009, 11:25 AM // 11:25

Hi,
I currently run a spear/pet build and I was wondering whether Asuran Scan affects the pet. My current build is:

Expertise: 11
Beast Mastery: 14
Spear: 11

Never Rampage Alone
Enraged Lunge (e)
Spear Of Fury
Blazing Spear
Asuran Scan
Run As One
Rez
Comfort Animal

I use a zealous spear however I still can't spam Asuran Scan on all my targets due to energy issue, so I usually end up just using it on monks and bosses or targets my team needs to spike. So I was wondering whether "I Am The Strongest" or "Dodge This" would be better options or if there are other better skills to take instead of the ones that I have.

Now the ranger question:
I have a sort of weird fetish about archery and I loved the whole idea of rangers in Guild Wars. Before, I used to love sitting right back and being a sniper and pounding a single target with conditions with my bow. Or darting around the battlefield with a shortbow and interrupting/dazing that annoying monk (nothing sounds sweeter than the noise you get from d-shotting a Word Of Healing). Or tanking that sin for a short while while you render him useless and cause mass degen and watching him run away regretting he ever started on you.
In PvP this is brilliant, however in PvE it all just seems a bit pointless/useless. I've played that kind of ranger (BHA/BA/Glass Arrow) in PUG's and it just seemed I was doing nothing and being carried the whole way through the mission. I think someone had technobabble and was dazing more effectively than I was. In hardmode interrupting is crazy difficult. Conditions aren't very effective since it's better to pound a target to the ground before it attacks. Glass Arrows is fun but the damage just seems......meh. Even when I h/h I feel like I'm being carried (discord). I then started with peoples recommendations to play Splinter Barrage and fair enough, it does the damage but only to grouped up enemies and as soon as you get one Barrage off they scatter or die and you end up wasting a 2nd Barrage on a single target. Beast Master is very fun to play once you get round the AI's mechanics, and it looks cool as well, however it works so much better without a bow. Which is why I am running the build I have now.
Now the question is.......Does anyone have any suggestions for a bow builds that is effective and uses the style of play that I mentioned.
It just seems to me that bows seem completely.........useless. And this reflects badly on Rangers as a class, since it is their primary weapon, which is very unfair because they have (in my eyes) one of the best primary attributes in the game, great versatility, good armour (good looking too), and they have some awesome skills, and all in all a very fun class to play.

Outo Oli Apc · Dec 10, 2009, 01:03 PM // 13:03

U may only have 12 spear mastery as a primary ranger.

The Arching Healer · Dec 10, 2009, 01:06 PM // 13:06

Does Asuran Scan Affect Your Pet?

no, just read the skill.

Aldric · Dec 10, 2009, 01:23 PM // 13:23

Does Asuran Scan Affect Your Pet? Nope unfortunately

If your short of energy then I would try dropping the Rez and/or Run As One and take something like Scavengers Strike. The energy gain at 14 BM is 14e and would cover any shortfall and also allow you to drop a point or 2 in Expertise and put Spear Mastery to 12.

As for bow builds , i do run builds with the following on occasion

Prepared Shot / Read the Wind / Penetrating Attack / Sundering Attack

Its decent but not great. Theres also a few glass arrows builds in the threads below which i think are a bit more potent but i rarely use them.

Anti Welfare · Dec 10, 2009, 03:12 PM // 15:12

if you're wanting to use a bow while running the standard discord team, try using melandru's shot along with apply poison. it speeds up the whole discord thing.

as for a pet build, i use the pet/scythe build quite a bit with good luck.

Charlotte the Harlot · Dec 10, 2009, 06:03 PM // 18:03

I run a very similar build on my ranger, scavengers strike is the way to go.

As for bows there are many usable builds in difficult HM areas. Barrage is probably the most common elite it can be run as a splinter/barrage as you said which is good for big mobs if you can expect them frequently. With barrage you can not run splinter and bring interrupts and support skills instead. With EBSoH, order of pain, and/or great dwarf weapon you will deal a crap ton of damage with barrage and triple shot can be brought for really good spike dmg vs 1 target (as in most targets will be very close to dead from tripple shot and savage). If an orders is on the team with dark fury save yourselves is very easily runnable from a ranger, although that isn't that useful unless your playing with heroes.

The incendiary arrow build with ebsoh and ignite arrows for pretty good aoe damage is fun and one of the few usable wilderness survival centered builds for general pve.

If you want to use a pet and a bow barrage is still pretty good, something along the lines of brutal strike could be used for single target dps or scavengers to help with your energy, and the pet is still very useful for triggering MoP, barbs, and death nova.

The single target dps of a build like the one you posted will be better than just about any bow build but a bow build will leave you with much more room for utility skills and barrage+great dwarf weapon is extremely effective. Interrupts are hard in HM but there are still plenty of 1sec+ skills that are very worth interrupting so dont sell a rangers effectiveness short. BHA, prepared shot, infuriating heat and lots of other ranger elites can be very effective depending on the area and team although the dps you deal may be lacking.

Interrupting can be hard but if you get good with concussion shot some fun builds can be made around the energy supplying ranger elites.

Chthon · Dec 10, 2009, 07:14 PM // 19:14

Quote:

Originally Posted by akhil

Hi,
I currently run a spear/pet build and I was wondering whether Asuran Scan affects the pet.

No.

Quote:

Does anyone have any suggestions for a bow builds that is effective and uses the style of play that I mentioned.

The style of play you describe is inherently ineffective in PvE.

Bob Slydell · Dec 10, 2009, 07:22 PM // 19:22

Asuran Scan does not affect your pet.

http://wiki.guildwars.com/wiki/Asuran_Scan

Quote:

Hex Spell. For 9...12 seconds your attacks against this foe deal an additional 45...75% damage.

Concise description

Hex Spell. (9...12 seconds.) Your attacks against target foe do +45...75% damage.

majikmajikmajik · Dec 10, 2009, 07:30 PM // 19:30

Asuran Scan used to work on your pet actualy, but it was changed(dont feel like diggin).

also id opt for a dagger/pet ranger with the generic 123 1/2cast death blossom chain + enraged Lunge. add I Am The Strongest and an SoH hero and you wont need a 2nd chain.

Demo · Dec 10, 2009, 08:37 PM // 20:37

Try and bring scavengers strike.. That should do for energy management

Ugh · Dec 10, 2009, 11:09 PM // 23:09

Quote:

Originally Posted by akhil

Never Rampage Alone
Enraged Lunge (e)
Spear Of Fury
Blazing Spear
Asuran Scan
Run As One
Rez
Comfort Animal

I'd drop either the rez or Run As One for Scavenger's Strike.

Quote:

So I was wondering whether "I Am The Strongest" or "Dodge This" would be better options

"IATS!" would be okay, but "Dodge This!" wouldn't be very good.

Quote:

Does anyone have any suggestions for a bow builds that is effective and uses the style of play that I mentioned.
It just seems to me that bows seem completely.........useless. And this reflects badly on Rangers as a class, since it is their primary weapon, which is very unfair because they have (in my eyes) one of the best primary attributes in the game, great versatility, good armour (good looking too), and they have some awesome skills, and all in all a very fun class to play.

Unfortunately, rangers are seriously lacking in PvE capabilities. Other classes can do more damage, interrupting is damn near impossible, and condition-spreading is pretty useless. When it comes to bow builds, Glass Arrow turret and Splinter are pretty much your only effective options (I wouldn't recommend bringing BHA unless there's a nasty caster boss).

Cross your fingers and hope for a buff. :\

Quote:

The incendiary arrow build with ebsoh and ignite arrows for pretty good aoe damage is fun and one of the few usable wilderness survival centered builds for general pve.

I wouldn't consider ~11 armor-respecting, scatter-causing fire damage to adjacent foes "pretty good aoe damage."

Charlotte the Harlot · Dec 11, 2009, 01:04 AM // 01:04

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ugh

I wouldn't consider ~11 armor-respecting, scatter-causing fire damage to adjacent foes "pretty good aoe damage."

Neither would I; EBSoH triggers on the ignite arrow damage and attack damage making incendiary and triple shot very strong, especially vs char.

WhiteAsIce · Dec 11, 2009, 01:28 AM // 01:28

Quote:

Originally Posted by majikmajikmajik

also id opt for a dagger/pet ranger with the generic 123 1/2cast death blossom chain + enraged Lunge. add I Am The Strongest and an SoH hero and you wont need a 2nd chain.

Enraged Lunge... Anyways, I've ran this build before:

Beast Mastery 9+1+1
Expertise 9+1
Dagger Mastery 12
---
Jagged Strike
Scavenger's Strike -or- Golden Lotus Strike
Fox Fangs
Death Blossom
Escape
Never Rampage Alone
Dwarven Stability
Comfort Animal

Perma IAS, IMS, blocking, and Mending (at r10 delver)!

akhil · Dec 11, 2009, 11:19 AM // 11:19

Hey, thanks for the replies.
Ok so Asuran Scan doesn't affect your pet (it seemed like a stupidly obvious question to some of you :S). I guess the general consensus is to keep Asuran Scan and take Scavenger's Strike. I'll give it a try. I'll also try taking up a scythe or daggers but really the reason why I rolled a ranger was to be a ranged physical attacker. However it does seem that Guild Wars doesn't like them to much too much in which case I would have to go mellee or caster in which case I would probably role another class which is a shame since I like the concept of rangers.

Now for the bow builds,

Quote:

try using melandru's shot along with apply poison. it speeds up the whole discord thing.

Surely it would be better to run a Burning Arrow build? But I will give it a shot.

It does just seem that bows are very much inferior (I'm not saying useless but to some extent it is) to a lot of weapons out there. People have argued the utility it possesses but in all honesty it's just not needed. However, I'm probably wrong and I'm not willing to give up on them so I will try the suggestions, especially from Charlotte.

Thanks again.