Curse

WhiteAsIce · Oct 31, 2009, 08:23 AM // 08:23

I'm running a Splinter Volley build for my R/Rt. The problem is, I don't have room for an elite. This is what the build looks like:

11+1+1 Expertise
10+1 Marksmanship
1 Restoration Magic
10 Channeling Magic

Volley
Distracting Shot
Savage Shot
Splinter Weapon
"I Am the Strongest!"
EBSoH
Vampirism
Death Pact Signet

* Sure I could run Barrage, but Volley accomplishes pretty much the same thing, as one Volley can completely use up a Splinter Weapon. So I'm doing this to see if I can free up an elite.
* I took Vampirism just to use up all my PvE-only slots

So my question is, what Elite should I take (besides replacing Volley with Barrage), and what skill should I remove for it?

Abedeus · Oct 31, 2009, 08:39 AM // 08:39

What do you mean - no room for elite?

Vampirism goes out the window. OR Volley, damn it.

You might take Incendiary Arrows, it's like a Volley but burns things...

MercenaryKnight · Oct 31, 2009, 09:15 AM // 09:15

My guess would be remove distracting shot with w/e elite you want. Vampirism is also not the best pve choice. Most likely you should remove the ebon ward as well. Just because you'll be moving an awful lot. I would think summon ice imp (for aoe damage and snare) will help a bit.

Don't really know which elite or other pve slot you should run. If you go with a rit hero for splinter instead you could run r/p for go for the eyes spam or something.

Abedeus · Oct 31, 2009, 09:28 AM // 09:28

You can't be serious about removing Distracting Shot. It's an Elite Skill without the golden trip.

Faure · Oct 31, 2009, 09:35 AM // 09:35

Remove savage and take Magebane

. Or put in Punishing shot if you want the extra dmg. Or you could even replace dshot with Mage.

The suggested IA for volley is a very nice swap as well, as you get afaik more damage and burning back.

tasha · Oct 31, 2009, 09:48 AM // 09:48

Drop EBSoH and Vampirism, put in BHA and Lightning Reflexes and you have my standard PvE build. IAS is never a bad thing, neither is shutting down casters.

Thanks for the tip Abedeus, hadn't thought IA instead of volley. I'll have to give it a go.

Tenebrae · Oct 31, 2009, 10:18 AM // 10:18

Quote:

Originally Posted by tasha_darke

Drop EBSoH and Vampirism, put in BHA and Lightning Reflexes and you have my standard PvE build. IAS is never a bad thing, neither is shutting down casters.

Thanks for the tip Abedeus, hadn't thought IA instead of volley. I'll have to give it a go.

Oh no dear god , hell no. Its a Barrage build , use or Barrage+Volley or Incendiary+Volley. You are playing the build for aoe damage and 2-4 arrows in each shot ..... taking out Ebsoh makes no sense at all .

Agree on vampirism out for Lightning reflexes and savage for Dwarv Stability. For the elite i would take out the norn skill .... not worth for the recharge.

upier · Oct 31, 2009, 10:27 AM // 10:27

Even with just 10 in Channeling - Signet Of Spirits will probably do more then any other elite you can bring.

Abedeus · Oct 31, 2009, 11:02 AM // 11:02

Barrage + Volley makes no sense. Volley is weaker than Barrage in every way...

Being · Oct 31, 2009, 11:28 AM // 11:28

I've used Splinter + Volley combo with Offering of Spirit before so I could spam the combo and PvE skills more. Though if energy isn't a problem then scratch that.

Other elites - on the top of my head I might add - that you can throw in over Vampirism:

Expert's Dexterity: You attack 33% faster and you gain +2 to your Marksmanship

Broad Head Arrow: easy shutdown

Signet of Spirits: spirits r win yesh

Or just plain Barrage and swap it for volley and add another better PvE skill other than Vampirism?

IronSheik · Oct 31, 2009, 02:51 PM // 14:51

Quote:

Originally Posted by Abedeus

You can't be serious about removing Distracting Shot. It's an Elite Skill without the golden trip.

Lol humans interrupting PvE.

Otherwise, savage, dshot, volley, ward, death pact, vampirism can all be dropped.

Eragon Zarroc · Oct 31, 2009, 03:02 PM // 15:02

drop vamp, take Expert's Dexterity

talisk3 · Oct 31, 2009, 05:16 PM // 17:16

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tenebrae

Oh no dear god , hell no. Its a Barrage build , use or Barrage+Volley or Incendiary+Volley. You are playing the build for aoe damage and 2-4 arrows in each shot ..... taking out Ebsoh makes no sense at all .

Agree on vampirism out for Lightning reflexes and savage for Dwarv Stability. For the elite i would take out the norn skill .... not worth for the recharge.

Why Barrage+Volley when barrage is a 1 second recharge and is better...

I say take out Vampirism and put in Broad Head Arrow as said above, good for big bosses,
Or
Incendiary to piss off a bunch of healers trying to spam their condition removal

smilingscar · Oct 31, 2009, 05:45 PM // 17:45

I'd drop vampirism for asuran scan, that will do more damage than any elite (single target) and help you when you're fighting a single strong opponent rather than a mob. Bring Expert's dexterity instead of savage shot, and Technobabble instead of EBSoH. That will buff your damage and give you some anti caster options.

Ideally, I'd then drop the res or d-shot (sacrilege, I know) for an e-management skill to fuel this build. I'd suggest spirit siphon, and bring a rit or n/rt healer.

The build:
Splinter Weapon
Volley
D-shot
Expert's dexterity
Asuran Scan
I am the Strongest
Technobabble
Spirit siphon

majikmajikmajik · Oct 31, 2009, 06:58 PM // 18:58

Go barrage if your going to gimp yourself not using a prep, drop volley, add lighting reflexes, drop the ward(i feel its too ene heavy for a ranger(should be spamming)), add Dwarven Stability, drop vampirism, add favorable winds, "I Am the Strongest" is fine, id add another weapon skill like Sundering Weapon or Brutal Weapon(if you arnt getting enchanted), drop interupts(your team is either killing them fast enough not to need it OR you should have a few optional slots on heroes). your optional can be a pet on heel(looks cool plus it levels and draws hexes and conditions away from your team).

Chthon · Nov 01, 2009, 05:29 PM // 17:29

1. Drop vampirism. Doesn't serve any vital purpose and doesn't synergize with anything.

2. If your elite slot is truly free, there is no reason to ever use Volley. Barrage is superior in every way.

3.

Quote:

Originally Posted by talisk3

Why Barrage+Volley when barrage is a 1 second recharge and is better...

Because that is obviously part of Tenebrae's super-secret build that he won't tell anyone, but swears is good enough to prove that rangers are not a second-rate class outside of disruption.

4. I don't know how "I Am the Strongest" found a place in so damn many ranger builds, but it doesn't deserve it. The recharge is 20 seconds. At max rank it's 8 DPS. Surely you can do better with a PvE slot that that...

5. If the area is filled with significant casters, BHA is a good choice. If the area isn't filled with meaningful casters, ranger is probably a bad choice.

Fay Vert · Nov 01, 2009, 06:13 PM // 18:13

BHA is so rarely a good choice it isn't funny. What is funny is the number of bad rangers who think it's good!

Tenebrae · Nov 01, 2009, 09:08 PM // 21:08

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chthon

Because that is obviously part of Tenebrae's super-secret build that he won't tell anyone, but swears is good enough to prove that rangers are not a second-rate class outside of disruption.

Or maybe is because Tenebrae used + instead / and made a mistake but i guess its better to drop your BS when you have the slightest chance to do it. Stop going offtopic .

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chthon

5. If the area is filled with significant casters, BHA is a good choice. If the area isn't filled with meaningful casters, ranger is probably a bad choice.

Ranger hate blawrf blawrf . BHA is BS , problem with casters ? techbabble. Bha has nothing to do in an AoE dmg ranger build .

HigherMinion · Nov 06, 2009, 07:06 PM // 19:06

I've never liked Splinter barrage/volley rangers; mainly because of the amount of DPS lost due to casting Splinter itself is absurd. Don't bring it yourself, let a slave do it. But of course, when playing with humans bringing GDW is superior.

Notorious Bob · Nov 08, 2009, 02:18 PM // 14:18

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fay Vert

BHA is so rarely a good choice it isn't funny. What is funny is the number of bad rangers who think it's good!

But it's such an entertaining thread! :P

Can someone plz direct me to the page in the rule book that says you HAVE to use an Elite?

As for BHA - On it's own it's an average skill, it needs strategy & support to make it truly effective. But couple if with something like EAS and it comes into its own

Like almost every build other than dross like Spirit Spam or Perma twiglet then you're build should be conditional and flexible.

IMHO a Ranger who believes barrage is the be all and end all should be lumped in the happy sac!