Curse

Tyce · Oct 02, 2008, 02:22 AM // 02:22

I'm thinking either slow and shoot, or burn and shoot. Air+bow or fire+bow for spamable spells doesn't disinterest me either..

Any good distance bow/magic user builds?

the savage nornbear · Oct 02, 2008, 02:53 AM // 02:53

The only good r/e combo in my opinion is an elemental bow with a conjure.

SnipiousMax · Oct 02, 2008, 03:48 AM // 03:48

Your secondary should really be more of a tool than a defining character trait. If you are wanting to play with Bows, then you should play a ranger. If you'd prefer to cast spells then you should play an Ele. /anyclass isn't going to change what your primary does well, and you'll actually find that you really only use secondary skills when they compliment your primary skill set.

Amy Awien · Oct 02, 2008, 07:21 AM // 07:21

If you are going to use a bow and bow-attack skills the only viable primary is Ranger, primarily because of the high costs of theses skills which expertise reduces. At medium-high specked expertise these costs are halved, effectively giving the primary ranger a 60E pool and 6 pips of regen, but only for attack- and ranger-skills. Expertise does not affect spells which makes the primary ranger unsuitable for spellcasting.

Luminarus · Oct 02, 2008, 09:00 AM // 09:00

R/E, but dont use spells

E/R is a failure waiting to happen.

tmakinen · Oct 02, 2008, 10:55 AM // 10:55

Quote:

Originally Posted by Luminarus

E/R is a failure waiting to happen.

Not necessarily, my primary character started as E/R way, way back in 2005, so that she could use DShot between nukes. Was pure awesomeness back then, and still a decent choice when you roll a new toon and have limited options for a while.

But yes, if you're going to use any ranger skills besides DShot then R/E is the way to go.

Tyce · Oct 03, 2008, 01:29 AM // 01:29

So what if i use conjure frost (I have icy bowstrings) and then a freeze area skill then shoot em with apply posion

zelgadissan · Oct 03, 2008, 02:08 AM // 02:08

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tyce

So what if i use conjure frost (I have icy bowstrings) and then a freeze area skill then shoot em with apply posion

Conjure Frost - Water Magic
Apply Poison - Wilderness Survival
Ability to do any damage at all - Marksmanship
Energy issues - Expertise/Energy Storage

That's a lot of attribute spread. I guess you could do something like 10+1 Marks, 10+1+1 Expertise, 8 Water, 6+1 Wilderness, but four attributes is a serious stretch. Most conjure builds I've seen don't have any Wilderness at all.

As for your original question, R/E with a conjure.

wilebill · Oct 03, 2008, 02:31 AM // 02:31

Much better off using a trap to slow down mobs if you are a ranger. The cripple lasts a long time.

I have used R/E. This worked for me because I have a paragon hero set for motivation and got energy boosts when using spells. A battery paragon. I used lightning because of the fast recharge and low energy cost on three of the lightning skills. Those plus Conjure lightning, and half my bar was Ele. Crack their armor, spike 'em good with armor penetrating lightning spells, and stick a few lightning boosted arrows in 'em. And of course I carried an interrupt. A nice trap down before combat to keep them out of my face.

Well, the damage was decent; and energy was not a problem with the battery paragon along. I usually spammed lightning like crazy and still ended combat with something between half energy and nearly full energy.

But while damage was decent, and the build was a lot of fun, it was just not as much damage as I could deal out with a full bar of pure Ranger skills. These days if I use a secondary at all it is monk for grouping so I can carry Rebirth.

ajc2123 · Oct 03, 2008, 02:34 AM // 02:34

With a fair amount of points into energy storage, marksmanship and (insert elemental magic line here) you can most defiantly use a E/R. Mind you, it wont be as effective as using a R/E with a bow, but as long as it is pve we are talking about, have fun and use a ele bow shooter thingie!

You can use some combos like Mark of rodgort + fire damage bow + barrage + conjure flame for instance (also can be used on R/E too though! keep in mind!)

When you get into Hard mode, you should focus on more important details about your elementalist if you choose the ele path though, such as being an earth warder and others.

ALF71BE · Oct 03, 2008, 02:34 AM // 02:34

If you want to snare, just use Crippling Shot.

Quote:

Originally Posted by wilebill

Much better off using a trap to slow down mobs if you are a ranger. The cripple lasts a long time.

I have used R/E. This worked for me because I have a paragon hero set for motivation and got energy boosts when using spells. A battery paragon. I used lightning because of the fast recharge and low energy cost on three of the lightning skills. Those plus Conjure lightning, and half my bar was Ele. Crack their armor, spike 'em good with armor penetrating lightning spells, and stick a few lightning boosted arrows in 'em. And of course I carried an interrupt. A nice trap down before combat to keep them out of my face.

Well, the damage was decent; and energy was not a problem with the battery paragon along. I usually spammed lightning like crazy and still ended combat with something between half energy and nearly full energy.

But while damage was decent, and the build was a lot of fun, it was just not as much damage as I could deal out with a full bar of pure Ranger skills. These days if I use a secondary at all it is monk for grouping so I can carry Rebirth.

Though probably decent damage and definately more damage than my ranger BHA bar, we all know rangers aren't meant for damage.

wilebill · Oct 03, 2008, 03:02 AM // 03:02

True ALF71BE, I should have mentioned I was talking about PvE only. My bar for HM Dungeon raiding probably looks a lot like yours. BHA rules!

Tyce · Oct 03, 2008, 04:07 AM // 04:07

Ya it is for pve.. Thinking i'm gonna go R/E with shatter armour, lightning strike, conjure lightning, and another lightning skill. Thanks guys

We Dont Accept · Oct 05, 2008, 03:32 AM // 03:32

r/e+conjure+elemental bow+apply posion=GG

xanarot · Oct 05, 2008, 09:56 AM // 09:56

You mean barrage+volley+conjure+elemental bow+poison tip signet... load more damage without the problems of an preparation.

As for the OP, your primary proffesion dictates your style (there are a few exceptions, like a R/W bunny thumper [melee ranger]).
As such, E/R is best if you want to create a spellcaster that (ab)uses ranger spirits to improve the casts, brings a pet for more single target damage or uses traps to enhance the aoe capabilities.
R/E is best if you want to create a bowuser that (ab)uses the elemental conjures to increase damage output along, possibly with additional debuffs like mark of rodgort.

Tyce · Oct 08, 2008, 10:36 PM // 22:36

I might just try both xan

MisterB · Oct 08, 2008, 11:16 PM // 23:16

Barrage and Volley on the same bar is bad. Use one or the other; don't use both. The whole point of using Volley is that it is a non-elite, less powerful version of Barrage so you can have the AoE attack, and use a different elite skill than Barrage. Taking both is redundant, because Barrage will always be better, and it will always be recharged before your bow's refire rate. If you have Barrage, you never need Volley.

Don't use spells on a Ranger, and don't use a bow or a pet on an elementalist. Sure, you can do it, but you'll always be worse than a Ranger with a bow, or an elementalist with spells. Although DShot on an ele sounds fun.

Rangers can snare with pin down, crip shot, traps, and even with a pet, and apply poison and burning(Burning Arrow, Incendiary Arrows) without using their secondary. Just go R/E conjure, and leave the spells to the elementalist.

illidan009 · Oct 09, 2008, 12:25 AM // 00:25

Yea what that guy said...barrage AND volley suxxorz. If you really like to make "unique" build this won't be for you, but I suggest Barrage+conjure, that alone already rapes...add Dshot and a few other staple skills and you're good to go! Oh wait add Triple Shot(factions skill) if you want...

Luminarus · Oct 09, 2008, 01:29 AM // 01:29

Triple shot is good whenever you have a skill that adds +damage per arrow... Also LOL @ Barrage + Volley... yay for redundancy.

shru · Oct 09, 2008, 05:41 AM // 05:41

Try an Incendiary Arrows ranger build. All the massive AoE pyromania of an ele combined with the versatility and survivability of a ranger, and you don't even have to waste your secondary on ele.
(and please, for your own sake, don't use offensive elementalist spells on a ranger primary, you're just asking to get yourself abused)

I'd recommend a bar like [Incendiary Arrows][Distracting shot][apply poison][blank][blank][blank][blank][ressurrection signet]
and depending on the additional skill you choose for the blank spots, attributes as following:
Expertise:8+1
Bow Mastery:11+1+1
Wilderness survival:11+1
(or, if you're having energy problems)
Expertise:11+1+1
Bow Mastery:8+1
Wilderness survival:11+1