Curse

JeshterDaggerfury · Apr 25, 2005, 08:56 PM // 20:56

Here's my modified trapper build. Tell me if this looks feasible.

Credit to Scaphism for the general idea and strategy I used to make the build, as well as the general skil buildup. I threw in Necro as a secondeary and tweaked a few skills. Tell me how this looks.

Trap Master

Expertise 11 +1 hat +1 rune
Wilderness Survival 11 +1 rune
Marksmanship 8 +1 rune
Curses 3 (for a 25 second Shadow of Fear)

Skill 1: Point Blank Shot
Skill 2: Precision Shot
Skill 3: Oath Shot
Skill 4: Shadow of Fear
Skill 5: Flame Trap
Skill 6: Barbed Trap
Skill 7: Whirling Defense
Skill 8: Troll Unguent

The general idea is once again to start the fight with Whirling Defense active. Nail the mobs with Shadow of Fear slowing down the rate they hit you. Lay both of the traps. Taking timing and energy into consideration there may be enough energy for a point black hit to the current target. Oath Shot will then reset the skills, and the procedure can be rinsed and repeated as necessary.

Sidenote: I was trying to come up with a build where a ranger might actually be able to solo 2-3 mobs at once (while still being useful to your average PvE group). With expertise at 13 like that, the mana costs for everything will be very low. With good timing, a cheap Troll Unguent might be feasible once per Trap round, keeping the ranger alive enough to perhaps see the fight to the end. Once all but one of the creatures is dead the Point Blank and Precision will decimate the last one standing.

Am I being realistic here?

tektonik · Apr 25, 2005, 09:11 PM // 21:11

Traps are not that useful in PvE.... In PvP they are nice because there are usually standoffs before the attack not so much in PvE.

JeshterDaggerfury · Apr 25, 2005, 09:21 PM // 21:21

Quote:

Originally Posted by tektonik

Traps are not that useful in PvE.... In PvP they are nice because there are usually standoffs before the attack not so much in PvE.

Huh? in PvE you can direct the mobs to you, and let loose with the traps, crippling, bleeding, etc. With the buildI have here we are doing the following to a pack of mobs:

*I have a 75% chance to block attacks, and each time I block it does 18 piercing damage to adjacent foes.
*all foes in the area are struck for 42 fire damage
*set on fire for 3 seconds
*all foes in the area take 74 piercing damage
*become crippled for 21 seconds
*begin bleeding for 21 seconds

Now whether the mobs are attacking my warrior and I do this to them, or they are attacking me, while me or others heal me, I don't see how it's not a viable PvE option. A crippled, bleeding, burning mob, struck by damage, taking punishment from my point blank and precision shots, is gonna be hurting pretty good.

But like I was concerned with, maybe I'm really NOT being realistic. If I'm not, please explain in detail why though, cause I don't get it.

Zarconis · Apr 25, 2005, 09:25 PM // 21:25

Quote:

Originally Posted by JeshterDaggerfury

*I have a 75% chance to block attacks, and each time I block it does 18 piercing damage to adjacent foes.

You're taking the 18 damage from Barbed trap, correct ?

tektonik · Apr 25, 2005, 09:36 PM // 21:36

Aren't traps interruptable?

Quote:

When Barbed Trap is triggered, all foes in the area take 20-56 piercing damage, become "Crippled" and begin "Bleeding" for 3-21 seconds. Barbed Trap ends after 90 seconds. While activating this skill, you are easily interrupted.

JeshterDaggerfury · Apr 25, 2005, 09:36 PM // 21:36

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zarconis

You're taking the 18 damage from Barbed trap, correct ?

Not that I'm aware of.

JeshterDaggerfury · Apr 25, 2005, 09:37 PM // 21:37

Quote:

Originally Posted by tektonik

Aren't traps interruptable?

That's what the 75% block rate is for. You can certainly be interrupted, but that's good odds.

tektonik · Apr 25, 2005, 09:46 PM // 21:46

Assuming you have 4 people attack you they will each get 2 attacks off on you.... 8 Attacks.

Besides the damage is subpar because of high armor on most melee mobs and cripple isn't useful in PvE.

Zarconis · Apr 25, 2005, 10:01 PM // 22:01

Quote:

Originally Posted by JeshterDaggerfury

Not that I'm aware of.

I meant specifically in your calculations. You said you would do 18 Piercing damage.. that figure is from you barbed trap and not something else, correct ?

When I first read it I thought you were counting the damage from Whirling Defense so I posted to correct you, then I reread the post.

JeshterDaggerfury · Apr 25, 2005, 10:09 PM // 22:09

Quote:

Originally Posted by tektonik

Assuming you have 4 people attack you they will each get 2 attacks off on you.... 8 Attacks.

Besides the damage is subpar because of high armor on most melee mobs and cripple isn't useful in PvE.

Okay, so strictly talking PvE here, you think I would be better off with some kind of Shock Sniper or Barrage variant, instead of a Trapper?

Tanik · Apr 25, 2005, 10:10 PM // 22:10

Unless you plan to solo traps dont work so well PvE its not a damage thing, its more that your team wont stop to let you use the traps. Most teams that ive found prefer to just plow through the mission they dont stop to set up traps or prepare a battle plan. Now im assuming later in the game this will change as tactics becomes an ever increasing part of PvE but from what i saw as a trapper i was usually just ranged support fire for the warriors as they run ahead into a battle they are prepared for but dont need the aid of traps to win so long as they have their monk.

JeshterDaggerfury · Apr 25, 2005, 10:11 PM // 22:11

Well, I actually was envisioning my self soloing with trapping.

My original intent was to try to understand the feasibility of such thing.

Scaphism · Apr 25, 2005, 10:20 PM // 22:20

The damage on Whirling defense is capped at 10 now, which is a shame, but not the end of the world.

It's a solid build, and playing a trapper is definitely viable in PVE. I've done it.
It's hard to solo, however. If you bring 3 or more mobs on you, your 75% evade will still struggle to prevent 0 hits from landing. I've soloed parts of Riverside, but it's hardly the most efficient or effective solo farming build. A bit of advice for soloing- do not bring healing spring. Stick with troll unguent. It's important to remember that.

The damage on traps was reduced slightly as well- it doesn't change the theory, it just makes execution take a bit longer.
I'd probably drop precision shot and take an interrupt- trying to fight anything with self-healing will be a huge pain without it.

In a team environment you will be fine, and a valuable asset. With even 1 other person holding some of the attention, you will be more than able to lay all the traps you need.

I'd be a bit concerned about energy management, however.
Your opening move is Whirling Defense- 5 energy.
SOF- 10 energy.
Flame Trap- 5 energy.
Barbed Trap- 7 energy.
You'll probably have regenerated enough to use Oath Shot by now, so go ahead: 5 energy.
At this point you're probably living off of Regen, but Flame Trap should be usable soon.

Your opening sequence is pretty energy intensive, so I'd look to try and get expertise to 14- that will drop those 10 energy skills to 4 energy, instead of 5, and you have a bunch of them. It will make a big difference.
You don't want to be out of energy exactly when you need it most- re-activating Whirling Defense and probably troll unguent.

JeshterDaggerfury · Apr 25, 2005, 10:39 PM // 22:39

thank you scaphism, I appreciate the insight. What interrupt do you think would work well with this build in particular?

Scaphism · Apr 25, 2005, 10:48 PM // 22:48

Distracting shot's base energy cost is 5, Savage Shot's is 10. I'd probably take Distracting Shot, given your energy concerns.