Curse

Yukito Kunisaki · Sep 27, 2005, 03:29 PM // 15:29

Quote:

Originally Posted by Scaphism

matiasdu is right.

This is basic knowledge about playing a ranger, and it's definitely something everyone should know. It's also posted in the expertise guide and Ranger Basics thread. Expertise affects everything except spells. The only thing I'm unsure of is whether expertise affects Signets while under the effect of Primal Echoes.

Ah, I thought expertise only affected ranger skills. At least, that's what I experienced in the betas...

Well, that's one HELL of a buff then if you run a 14 exp. ranger in order to go nutty with the secondary skills.

The game mechanic still isn't in your favor however. Though true you have the 2nd highest armor level in the game, a ranger's phys. armor level is only 10 above the caster types standards... Not good to have when in the midst of foes...

Saerden · Sep 27, 2005, 04:40 PM // 16:40

Quote:

Originally Posted by Yukito Kunisaki

Ah, I thought expertise only affected ranger skills. At least, that's what I experienced in the betas...

Well, that's one HELL of a buff then if you run a 14 exp. ranger in order to go nutty with the secondary skills.

Thats why expertise is considered the best primary attribute without question. The only thing holding it back are skill choices. There are 4 other casters who dont have many skills,esp ones that are worth spamming. And the warrior does not offer anything energy-based that is worth taking over +4 weapon and strength. But if an expansion introduces another non-caster profession, things might get interesting

These R/N build looks nice to fool around with, but i doubt it can get better success then a boon protter in random arena, or a reg. ranger standard build in 8vs8 - gj anyway, since fun =^ success

NatalieD · Sep 27, 2005, 11:55 PM // 23:55

Quote:

Originally Posted by Yukito Kunisaki

The game mechanic still isn't in your favor however. Though true you have the 2nd highest armor level in the game, a ranger's phys. armor level is only 10 above the caster types standards... Not good to have when in the midst of foes...

That's not an argument against being a ranger, that's an argument for taking Whirling Defense.

In my experience, though, I don't get attacked much by warriors and other rangers, who are all off hitting my team's monks or mesmers, so I don't feel a strong need for more physical armor. I've only tried it in random arena, admittedly, but I would think players in more organized places are even more likely to focus on monks over rangers.

Mr Jazzy · Sep 30, 2005, 04:44 AM // 04:44

wanting more suggestions

Khymera · Sep 30, 2005, 09:27 AM // 09:27

Vampiric Touch's recharge was lowered to a measly 2 seconds today...great news for this build. When I was playing around with it, I found that the biggest weakness (when I didn't have a monk around, especially) was that I couldn't quite heal myself fast enough with the Vampiric Touch to stay alive when I was focused on. This should change that, while increasing damage by quite a lot. You'll probably have to use Offering of Blood to make up for the relatively high cost of Touch (7 with 14 Exp., 5 with 16 Exp.), but you'll have significantly higher DPS. Whirling Defense is a bit more appealing now as well, as I think you could hold your own and keep doing constant damage for a full 21 seconds without losing much health at all, no matter who's attacking you. Throw Dirt is nice, but blindness always seems to get removed. Also, Dodge has recently been buffed, and I don't think the touches count as attacks. We could probably use Dodge as a sort of turbo-sprint to follow the target, in lieu of crippling them (which takes the elite spot).

I might try to test something like this when I get a chance:
12+4 Expertise
12 Blood Magic

Touch of Agony
Vampiric Touch
Plague Touch
Offering of Blood
Dodge
Whirling Defense/Throw Dirt
Something Else...I don't know. Possibly Strip Enchantment, Demonic Flesh, or even Throw Dirt
Resurrection Signet

Having played a version of this recently (I was playing around with Serpent's Quickness before, but the lowered recharge on Vamp. Touch reduces the need for that), this version looks pretty sexy to me. I'll give it a shot when I get a chance.

Mr Jazzy · Oct 02, 2005, 06:16 AM // 06:16

revised this build for mass OWNAGE.

DD
try it out in arenas, you will like it.

Rieselle · Oct 03, 2005, 04:05 AM // 04:05

On a side note, does that mean Flourish will work on all of these touch attacks too?

Mr Jazzy · Oct 03, 2005, 05:34 AM // 05:34

yes, but wouldn't that make the ranger r/w? i dont think a w/n with flourish is effective without expertise.

jesh · Oct 03, 2005, 07:02 AM // 07:02

Flourish is attack skills only, at least from what other people on this forum have told me in the past. That means seeking blade, cyclone axe, etc. Vampric touch I don't think would fall under this category, though I'd love to be proven wrong.

Iron Rhino · Oct 03, 2005, 04:34 PM // 16:34

I have ben using the touch build for a while and it really does quite well. I use a slightly different version.

R/N
12 + 4 Exp
12 Blood

Barbed Signet - 52 Life Steal at range
Vamp Touch - 65 Life Steal
Touch of Agony - 50 Damage
Plague Touch
Life Transfer - 7 degen for them, 7 regen for you
Throw Dirt - 16 second blind
Whirling Defense - 21 second 75% block
Res Sig

I know Life Trans is not the best elite around but it works in this build. The regen combined with defense and life steal makes this a very sturdy build. Also Life Trans and Barbed Sig give me some damage at range to finish off runners.

Just my .02

Mr Jazzy · Oct 06, 2005, 07:08 AM // 07:08

maybe you should ditch throw dirt, it really doesnt work with the huge cooldown

Patrograd · Oct 06, 2005, 09:37 AM // 09:37

I think you need to be careful about the amount of points put into expertise. I think the following is correct, and apologies if it is covered elsewhere

Skills that have a list cost of 5

9 expertise redcues a 5 cost skill to 3
10 and its 3
11 and its 3
12 and its 3
13 and its 2
14 and its 2
15 and its 2
16 and its 2

Skills that have a list cost of 10

9 points in expertise reduces a 10 cost skill to 6
10 points in expertise has the same effect
11 points in expertise has the same effect
12 points in expertise reduces a 10 cost skill to 5
13 points and its still 5
14 points and its down to 4
15 points and its still 4
16 points and its still 4

Skills that have a list cost of 15

At 9 expertise these cost 10
At 10 expertise these cost 9
At 11 expertise these cost 8
At 12 expertise these cost 8
At 13 expertise these cost 7
At 14 expertise these cost 7
At 15 expertise these cost 6
At 16 expertise these cost 5

So it is only worth having the expertise above 14 if you are going to use alot of skills that cost 15 or more - only vampiric touch of those listed unless I'm being dozy. Vamp touch would cost you 2 less energy, at the cost of 2 attrib points, all the other skills are not enhanced by the extra points. I wonder if those points are better invested somewhere else where they will have a bigger impact?

LeftAlone- · Oct 06, 2005, 12:28 PM // 12:28

Pointless post of mine.
My friend Squidgy likes to call it "Disturbing ranger"

Iron Rhino · Oct 06, 2005, 04:17 PM // 16:17

Just a couple quick responses.

Throw dirt is generally used to help the high priority target in the team survive the warriors or interrupt rangers. I hit the warriors or rangers attacking them with a throw dirt and by the time it wears off of them, hopefully, we have dropped one of their team. It works well in Random Arena because warriors tend to bunch and condition removal is spotty.

IMHO, yes it is worth the 2 less energy per Vamp Touch to drive Expertise to 16. With the now very fast recharge of Vamp Touch, it gets spammed a lot. It is far and away the most used skill on my bar. With the high number of times used.....the 2 energy adds up fast.

NatalieD · Oct 06, 2005, 07:29 PM // 19:29

Quote:

Originally Posted by Iron Rhino

IMHO, yes it is worth the 2 less energy per Vamp Touch to drive Expertise to 16. With the now very fast recharge of Vamp Touch, it gets spammed a lot. It is far and away the most used skill on my bar. With the high number of times used.....the 2 energy adds up fast.

Agreed. I've tried it with 14 Expertise, and that just isn't enough. Vampiric Touch is extremely important to this build, since it pays for Touch of Agony's health cost.

I haven't tried it with 15 Expertise, but I don't see any reason to. I don't use any attributes but Expertise and Blood Magic, which is already maxed, so the only thing I could gain by going down to 15 is using a major rune instead of a superior, and 25 hp is by no means worth spending even 1 more energy on Vamp. Touch.

QuixotesGhost · Oct 07, 2005, 02:23 AM // 02:23

Anyone consider running this with Beastmastery? Ferocious Strike for energy and
Maiming Strike to keep em from running.

Hmmm....
Hmmm....

Time to run off to the desert to change my secondary.

Mr Jazzy · Oct 07, 2005, 06:44 AM // 06:44

energy from ferocious is not as efficient as offering of blood, and with 13 expertise, yes i can keep up my energy. its a matter of strategically using the skill so that the cooldown wont hurt you i.e. after a chain of two touches. with 2 second cooldown vamp, the sacrifice from OoB is really trivial, plus the points in death magic, in my opinion, are essential.

Mr Jazzy · Oct 08, 2005, 08:57 AM // 08:57

as i see more and more ranger touchers.......i wonder if it will be the new fotm