Curse

Kiru Malkav · May 26, 2005, 12:53 PM // 12:53

Ok, I decided to wander into the desert and switch from Elementalist to Mesmer, and so far it's turning out fairly well. I can ususually clamp down fairly hard on someone with this build, but there are definatly parts I need to improve, but I'm not sure on how to improve them. My current build is:

Class: Ranger / Mesmer

Attributes: (cost) '+' indicates Rune attributes
Expertise: 7+1 (28)
Marksmanship: 7+1 (28)
Wilderness Survival: 9 (48)
Illusion Magic: 9 (48)
Inspiration Magic: 9 (48)

Total attribute points used: 200/200

Skills: [Attribute] (Energy, Cast Time, Recharge TIme)
1) Conjure Phantasm [Illusion Magic] (10,1,5) Hex: For 10 seconds, target foe experiences health degeneration of 5.

2) Ether Feast [Inspiration Magic] (5,2,8) Spell: Target foe loses 5 energy. You are healed 20 for each point of energy lost.

3) Energy Tap [Inspiration Magic] (5,3,20) Spell: Steal 12 energy from target foe.

4) Power Drain [Inspiration Magic] (5,0,25) Spell: If target foe is casting a spell, the spell is interrupted and you gain 19 energy.

5) Apply Poison [Wilderness Survival] (15,2,12) Preparation: For 12 seconds, enemies struck by your physical attacks become poisoned for 10 seconds.

6) Storm Chaser [Wilderness Survival] (10,0,30) Stance: For 16 seconds, you move 25% faster, and you gain 3 energy whenever you take elemental damage.

7) Troll Unguent [Wilderness Survival] (5,3,10) Skill: For 10 seconds, you gain health regeneration +8.

8) Resurrection Signet [none] (0,5,0) Signet: Resurrect target party member. You may use this skill only once per mission.

Firstly I started with Apply Poison and Conjure Phantasm as degen skills. This sets my enemy on a nice -9, even when I'm running around frantically trying not to get hit (hence the storm chaser). I then threw in a bit of healing with Troll's Unguent and Ether Feast, which can usually help me survive enough hits for me to either run away or for them to get bored.

I was stuck with a bit of trouble with energy, so I threw in Energy Tap to get some energy back and annoy people while doing it. I also decided to put in power tap, to stop healing, removal of hexes, removal of conditions, and prevent meteor strikes as well as give me a nice energy boost.

I don't currently have Poison arrow, but as soon as I do it's gonna replace apply poison. The res signet is primarily there because I play random 4v4's while testing this. I understand if you're in a reasonably good 8v8 you probably shouldn't need it. Would probably throw in another interrupt there but I don't know what, maybe distracting shot.

This build is kind of focused towards shutting down monks, but I guess could be extended towards warriors with a monk secondary (or primary) and other spellcasters.

Anyway, any criticism is appreciated, as long as it's constructive

Mercury Rivenswift · May 26, 2005, 02:02 PM // 14:02

I also have a R/Mes but have gone a totally different route. The main problem I see is with the Ranger as a class itself. It is too weak. I play a ranger and I love his adaptability. However, pvp is a game of specialization. Ranger can do just about anything other classes can do, only not as well. If a ranger focuses all on caster disruption, he's a poor man's mesmer. Focus on ranged damage and he becomes a poor man's elementalist. The only area where the Ranger is superior is in the beastmastery skill. Pets are lame now because they have poor AI and you don't get much control over them. I'm working on a beastmastery build and trying to win with it. It does pretty well in 4v4, but I doubt it would be viable in hall of heroes. (In fact, I doubt anyone would want me on their team). Anyway, bottom line is that Ranger is vastly underpowered in pvp and anyone that says otherwise is just theorycrafting.

Kiru Malkav · May 26, 2005, 02:38 PM // 14:38

What are you using the Mesmer part for in your beast mastery build? Plus I think you meant underpowered, lol.

I dunno really, I guess they are a bit of a miss match of different stuff, but I think Rangers have some advantages in that they are better vs elemental attacks and have some nice evasion skills in case they get too badly injured.

Tomo · May 26, 2005, 03:03 PM // 15:03

Two skills worth a try are Throw dirt and Lightning reflexes.
Throw dirt will blind foe and nearby foes, so that will help for getting rid or "boring" warriors.
Lightning reflexes is a ranger must, in my opinion. It gives 75% chance of miss to foe, and gives a attack speed bonus.
Mecury, let me know how you get on with that beastmastery build.... There is a way pets will own, we just havent found it yet ^^ btw, what pet are you using ?

Bigb04202 · May 26, 2005, 04:01 PM // 16:01

I disagree A ranger is just as good as a spell interrupter if you know what you are doing. I am a level 20 RE/ME and I do pretty well in PvP because I play my role. I don’t bring every skill with me I just bring the ones that allow me to interrupt do my job. With skills like distracting shot , salvaged shot , concussion shot “which daze a spell caster” , and if we ever find the elite skill Punishing shot combined with read the wind so the arrow can get there fast enough ranger is some one a caster does not like to see.

Expertise: 7+1 (28)
Marksmanship: 7+1 (28)
Wilderness Survival: 9 (48)
Illusion Magic: 9 (48)
Inspiration Magic: 9 (48

You need to lose illusion or inspiration magic if you just haft to use mesmer skills. Your expertise needs to be at least 10 and marksmanship should me 12 or 13 so you can use the better bows. I personally leaning to a pure ranger because with high expertise you can just spam skills with druid armor. Mesmer skills are great skills you just don’t wont to being a lot of them unless you a full Mesmer. Its fun just to practice but you haft to pick what you roll you like to play in PvP anti warrior , anti monk, anti castrer, monk protector all kind of things and concentrate your skills towards that. I would take Storm Chaser out and put a defense in like throw dirt or whirly defense, a defense is a must for ranger. Also some how try to take Distracting shot great skill. One other thing in PvP you haft to bring favorable winds or my favorite read the wind because people will run around a dodge you arrows. With out read the wind you be just about useless unless someone dumb enough just to sit there and take you shooting at them.

Epinephrine · May 26, 2005, 04:11 PM // 16:11

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bigb04202

I disagree A ranger is just as good as a spell interrupter if you know what you are doing.

Hmm, it can be hard to hit 1 second spells honestly, and a mesmer has the edge in that way. Put arcane conundrum on your list as a ranger mesmer and you up your effectiveness a lot withthe arrow interrupts. I have no trouble shutting down healing signets, troll's unguent and 2 second+ casting time spells, but hitting a 1 second spell can be tough.

Bigb04202 · May 26, 2005, 05:26 PM // 17:26

Once you’re able to hit them with concussion shot it make it easier. It is all about learning once you played for a while you know when to shoot and how long spells take it takes practice. Right now I am trying to capture “Migraine” in Ring of fire mission. I haft to use that as my elite but the effect it just great. I agree it is though hitting 1sec spells with out them being dazed / or casting Arcane Conundrum.

Migraine {Elite}

Description: For the next 5/17/21 seconds, target foe suffers -1/-3/-3 health degeneration and takes 100% longer to cast spells.
Energy Cost: 10.
Casting Time: 2 seconds.
Recharge Time: 15 seconds.
Linked Attribute: Illusion Magic. Increases duration and health degeneration.
Skill Type: Hex Spell.