Curse

SnipiousMax · Aug 08, 2008, 02:01 PM // 14:01

Quote:

Ranger

* Expert's Dexterity: this skill is now a stance; decreased activation time to 0; increased recharge time to 20 seconds. Functionality changed to: "(5..20 seconds.) You attack 33% faster and you gain +2 to your Marksmanship attribute."
* Incendiary Arrows: changed skill to an attack skill; removed activation time; decreased recharge time to 3 seconds. Functionality changed to: "Hits 2 foes near your target and inflicts Burning (1..3 seconds)."
* Melandru's Shot: decreased Energy cost to 5; decreased activation time to 1 second; increased recharge time to 10 seconds. Functionality changed to: "Deals +10..25 damage. Inflicts Bleeding (5..25 seconds) and Crippled (3..15 seconds) if target foe was moving or knocked down."
* Scavenger's Focus: this skill is no longer a preparation; decreased Energy cost to 5; decreased activation time to 0; increased recharge time to 20 seconds. Functionality changed to: "(10 seconds.) You gain 3..12 Energy if you strike a foe who has condition."
* Scavenger's Strike: decreased Energy cost to 5; increased recharge time to 10 seconds. Functionality changed to: "Deals 10..25 damage. You gain 3..15 Energy if target foe has a condition."

The one I find interesting (without any testing at all mind you) is Expert's Dexterity. Not only is it a constant IAS, but the +2 to Marks lets you spec as low as 10 in marks without incurring any penalty. Those extra points (anything above 12 gives diminishing returns) could go torwards a conjure or channeling, or whatever. It'd be interesting to see what you could come up with when you aren't limited by how much you put into Marks.

AidinSwiftarrow · Aug 08, 2008, 02:08 PM // 14:08

Interesting.....the attack sped bonus is nice, plus you could try a number of different builds without dumping points into 11 or 12 marksmanship.

Boogz · Aug 08, 2008, 02:27 PM // 14:27

incendiary arrows is good with apply poison/barbed arrows for degen spam, melandru's is also pretty nice for a snare

Vazze · Aug 08, 2008, 02:28 PM // 14:28

in PvE the Asuran Scan is probably the best skill for any physical in the update, including rangers. There are many pve ranger builds with ~80DPS, which means that suddenly your ranger can do 140-150 DPS from now on....

Flightmare · Aug 08, 2008, 03:01 PM // 15:01

Maybe [poison tip signet][scavenger's focus] for some insane energy management? Alltough I don't know what class could use it the best. You can get lots of energy with just a few points in WS.

SnipiousMax · Aug 08, 2008, 03:13 PM // 15:13

Quote:

Originally Posted by Flightmare

Alltough I don't know what class could use it the best. You can get lots of energy with just a few points in WS.

Maybe a Necro with disease? Dunno it still seems a little quirky to use with anything but a Ranger Primary, and I'm not sure a Ranger primary really has much to spend all that energy on.

Tyla · Aug 08, 2008, 03:21 PM // 15:21

Incendiary Arrows is an AoE Burning Arrow that has less burning and no +damage but spreads poison easier and triggers Splinter Weapon.

Melandru's Shot is just everything you need in a Ranger skill. Coupled with Apply Poison, if you hit the conditional you get a snare covered by 2 conditions that give -7 degen. More PvP like though...

Expert's Dexterity = Ranger Spike anyone? Infact, big domage central with this.

Scavenger's skills are meh. If I want more energy management on my Ranger I'd use Prepshot.

moko · Aug 08, 2008, 03:25 PM // 15:25

Melandru's is pretty ownage for PvP.

Incendiary is meh, i wouldn't trade it for BHA in PvE, and in PvP the other elites (BA / CS / Mage / Melandru's) are much better.

Expert's Dexterity looks good on the first sight -- but let's be honest; it's useless and bad.

scavenger's stuff..oh wut ye?

Tutis Evito · Aug 08, 2008, 03:30 PM // 15:30

Melandrus + Apply Posion + Epidemic.

I like the vanguard sniper support...

Azora · Aug 08, 2008, 03:35 PM // 15:35

5k in wich incendiary + apply is gonan be in the new meta rangers...

insane pressure!

the kurzick eater · Aug 08, 2008, 03:43 PM // 15:43

Quote:

Originally Posted by Boogz

incendiary arrows is good with apply poison/barbed arrows for degen spam, melandru's is also pretty nice for a snare

melandrus got a great buff. really good for pvp.

energy management elites have always been meh to me, i dont know why they continue to make them. hardly any are worth using.

Marverick · Aug 08, 2008, 04:58 PM // 16:58

Incendiary is alright but degen isn't that great in PvE.

Melandru's will be fun in PvP, maybe with Scorpion Wire? not really useful for PvE though.

Expert's Dexterity is worse than before.

Scavenger's Focus... eh, I'll stick to Prep Shot if I need energy.

moriz · Aug 08, 2008, 06:11 PM // 18:11

melandru's arrow cannot compete with cripshot/pin down for snare, cannot compete with burning arrow/hunter's shot/screaming arrow/ for degen, and cannot compete with penetrating/sloth hunter's for pure damage. i think it's still pretty useless. in the "leaked" update list (which actually turned out to be almost completely accurate", melandru's arrow had 5s recharge instead of 10s. at 5s, it pretty much trumps all of the above skills.

scavenger's strike is nice on a thumper now, since you can infinitely fuel RaO with it. incendiary arrow is now the only "multi-shot" bow attack that doesn't remove preparations, which is just epic lulz. add in apply poison for some mass degen spreading is pretty decent.

thedarkmarine · Aug 08, 2008, 07:59 PM // 19:59

I'm finding penetrating+crossfire+keen+dext+RoT to be a lot of fun.

kratimas · Aug 08, 2008, 10:07 PM // 22:07

I really like the Expert's Dexterity update, I will give it a try when I get home tonight. I can see some other good uses for the other elites as well.

moko · Aug 11, 2008, 02:27 AM // 02:27

so, i need to correct myself.

Expert's is fairly good in rangerspikes and pressure (turret) builds.

with rtw + experts, it's better than glass arrows. you lose the defense from lightning reflexes, but have a longer lasting ias and damage boost.

really nice imo.

distilledwill · Aug 11, 2008, 08:37 AM // 08:37

Incendiary Arrows is amazingly fun. You have to squeeze Wilderness Survival up to 12 but that kinda gives you a bit more survivability in low end PvP like AB. You get longer Nat Stride, more regen from Trolls and longer poison from Apply.

I can't really see any of the updates changing what I use in PvE. [[BHA] ftw.

SnipiousMax · Aug 11, 2008, 03:35 PM // 15:35

Quote:

Originally Posted by moko

so, i need to correct myself.

Expert's is fairly good in rangerspikes and pressure (turret) builds.

with rtw + experts, it's better than glass arrows. you lose the defense from lightning reflexes, but have a longer lasting ias and damage boost.

really nice imo.

What kinda attributes are they running on those builds moko?

Arkantos · Aug 11, 2008, 07:41 PM // 19:41

Expert's Dexterity is pretty much the only decent one changed for PvE, if you want to run a dps ranger. Incendiary Arrows is alright if you want to spread burning, but I'd much rather spread dazed. The other skills are bad in PvE and shouldn't be used.

Aldric · Aug 12, 2008, 12:28 AM // 00:28

Scavenger's Strike works well fuelling RaO. Haven't tried it much with Hammers yet but its pretty good with spears.