Curse

Vanquisher · Apr 13, 2005, 03:48 PM // 15:48

Ranger/Mesmer

Expertise 13 (10+3)
Marksmanship 12 (10+2)
Wilderness 9 (8+1)
Beast Mastery 5 (4+1)
Inspiration 7

Oath Shot
Whirling Defense
Penetrating Attack
Barbed Trap
Serpent's Quickness
Tiger's Fury
Drain Enchantment
Debilitating Shot

Tychus · Apr 13, 2005, 06:42 PM // 18:42

Not a full build, but I would think a Ran/Ele with Oathshot, Glyph of Lesser Energy, and one big expensive damage spell has potential for some nice burst damage. Of course most of the big damage spells cause exhaustion, and double exhaustion would be a major drawback.

Ran/Nec with Oathshot + Rend Enchantments could be useful.

Maybe a Ran/Mo with Vengeance? You could effectively keep a teammate up indefinitely. Maybe paired up with some kind of suicide build?

grimmolly · Apr 13, 2005, 08:11 PM // 20:11

Tychus, I like the way you think. I think there's a great combo to a Ra/Mo with oath shot and vengeance paired with a fast cast Me/E with AoEs that do knockdown, arcane echo, and +energy equipment. If the enemy is smart though, the counter is to not attack the bee after it loses its stinger.

Grimpaw · Apr 13, 2005, 08:20 PM // 20:20

Sorry I'm late, but I have a nice Virulence build that I thought might interest ya:

Ne/Mo or Mo/Ne
Virulence
Plague Touch
Plague Sending
Draw Conditions

then you can go either typical Protection or one of the other necro lines for offense, for example:
Reversal of Fortune
Remove Hex/Convert Hexes
Purge Conditions
Rebirth/Resurrect/Rend Enchantments

Jia Xu · Apr 13, 2005, 08:43 PM // 20:43

that vengeance / suicide build.... hmmm... sounds like a massive blood sacrifice build or pbaoe build would work very well with vengeance - when they start getting pounded on, simply null the enchantment after oath shot and recast to ressurect a PBAoE with full energy and health. sounds like an interested set of skills, considering it only uses 2 skills to keep that ability going. You'd just have to find someone who doesn't mind dying fast :P

Grimpaw · Apr 13, 2005, 09:06 PM // 21:06

Oath Shot build:

R/N
Beast Mastery 11 +2, Marksmanship 10 +1, Expertise 10 +1

Oath Shot (10en, 20sec)
Lightning Reflexes (10en, 60sec)
Throw Dirt (5en, 45 sec)
Favourable Winds (5en, 60sec)
Call of Resilience (10en, 60sec)
Call of Ferocity (10en, 55sec) (lasts 30 sec)
Comfort Animal (10en, 1sec)
Charm Animal

You could also drop BM to 10 +2, put Curses up to 5 and switch Rend Enchantments for Call of Resilience.

Generally this is a ranger that plays support, letting the pet do all the work, while she protects monks with Throw Dirt and sets up Favourable Winds for other rangers.

There might be energy problems with this build, but all Oath Shot builds will have the problem unless they are using Oath Shot to recycle energy gain spells. Also Oath Shot really doesn't do much except for spells with recharge of 45-60 seconds, not many of those that need recasting too often.

Call of Ferocity is the really nice skill for Oath Shot since you'll be able to keep it up constantly, it can't be removed, and 41% armor penetration and 25% faster attack speed makes the pet into a nasty DoT.

Acan Vishnu · Apr 13, 2005, 11:02 PM // 23:02

Quick question on oath shot: will it recharge signets?

Greco · Apr 14, 2005, 12:24 AM // 00:24

Class: Ranger / Mesmer

Attributes: (cost) '+' indicates Rune attributes
Expertise: 10+4 (61)
Wilderness Survival: 4+1 (10)
Domination Magic: 9 (48)
Inspiration Magic: 11 (77)

Total attribute points used: 196/200

Skills: [Attribute] (Energy, Cast Time, Recharge TIme)
1) Serpent's Quickness [Wilderness Survival] (5,0,45) Stance: For 20 seconds, recharge times for your skills are reduced by 33%. Serpent's Quickness ends if your health drops below 50%.

2) Oath Shot [Expertise] (10,0,20) Bow Attack: If Oath Shot hits, all your other skills are recharged. If it misses, all your skills are disabled for 10 seconds. This is an elite skill. (50% miss chance with Expertise attribute of 7 or less)

3) Debilitating Shot [none] (10,0,5) Bow Attack: If Debilitating Shot hits, your target loses 10 energy.

4) Power Drain [Inspiration Magic] (5,0,25) Spell: If target foe is casting a spell, the spell is interrupted and you gain 23 energy.

5) Power Leak [Domination Magic] (10,0,20) Spell: If target foe is casting a spell, the spell is interrupted and target foe loses 19 energy.

6) Drain Enchantment [Inspiration Magic] (15,1,25) Spell: Remove an enchantment from target foe. If an enchantment is removed, you gain 19 energy.

7) Leech Signet [Inspiration Magic] (0,0,45) Signet: Interrupt target foe's action. If that action was a spell, you gain 12 energy.

8) Mantra of Signets [Inspiration Magic] (15,0,30) Stance: For 74 seconds, the next time you use a signet ring, it recharges immediately, and Mantra of Signets ends.

Build is still a little wonky for my taste, I'm not happy with the attribute distribution either. I'm ok with the low wilderness survival, I only need it long enough for Oath shot to refresh. Oath shot should be at 13/14 seconds to refresh, depending how the game rounds, and 20 seconds of Quickness will give me enough jiggle room. A 14 in expertise might be overload as well.

I liked the idea of oathshot+ mantra of signets. I flipped back and forth between signet of weariness or leech, and even both. In the end, I felt debilitating shot was enough, and dropped weariness for drain enchantment.

When making this build, my biggest worry was energy managment, with only 29 mana, I needed skills that paid for themselves, while giving a little extra for oathshot/mantra of signets.

Backfire was something I looked at, I didn't like spending so many points in Domination just for the Power Leak, but having 2 skills that were 15mana was really going to hurt (Backfire & Mantra of Signets). With Oathshot refreshing, a double powerleak made spending the points worth it IMO.

EDIT EDIT EDIT EDIT EDIT EDIT EDIT EDIT EDIT EDIT EDIT EDIT EDIT EDIT

Now that we know Oath Shot is based on Marksman instead of Expertise, I'll have to change the attributes accordingly:

Attributes: (cost) '+' indicates Rune attributes
Expertise: 8+4 (37)
Marksmanship: 7+1 (28)
Wilderness Survival: 4+1 (10)
Domination Magic: 9 (48)
Inspiration Magic: 11 (77)

Total attribute points used: 200/200

I'll stay with the ranger primary, the expertise will still help with Oathshot/Serpent's Quickness/Debilitating Shot. Most of the Mesmer skills pay for themselves, so the extra mana from a Mesmer primary will be just wasted paying for the increased mana cost of the Ranger skills.

Sausaletus Rex · Apr 14, 2005, 12:59 AM // 00:59

Quote:

Originally Posted by Acan Vishnu

Quick question on oath shot: will it recharge signets?

Oath Shot recharges *everything*. Any skill, any type. The only exception is adrenal skills which, of course, have no recharge timers to recharge. Seems to break any skill locks or disabling, too.

I will, however, point out that all evidence to the contrary, Oath Shot is linked to Marksmanship. Not Expertise. The game says Expertise, it's listed under expertise, it says "Miss chance with Expertise less than x" but it's Marksmanship. Means you don't have to be a primary Ranger. Build accordingly.

grimmolly · Apr 14, 2005, 02:16 AM // 02:16

Does anyone know for certain as of last BWE if death followed by Vengeance or other resurrects recharge your skills and if they counter exhaustion?

Acan Vishnu · Apr 14, 2005, 03:38 AM // 03:38

Class: Monk / Ranger

Assumed items:
+2 to Divine Favor
+1 to Protection Prayers

Attributes: (cost)
Divine Favor: 12+2 (97)
Protection Prayers: 10+1 (61)
Marksmanship: 8 (37)

Total attribute points used: 195/200

Skills:
1) Divine Healing - (10,2,60) Heal yourself and nearby party members for 243 health.
2) Divine Spirit - (10,1/4,60) For 15 seconds, Monk spells cost you 5 less energy to cast (minimum cost: 3 energy).
3) Aegis - (15,1,45) For 10 seconds, all party members have a 50% chance to block attacks.
4) Shielding Hands - (5,3/4,25) For 10 seconds, damage received by target ally is reduced by 14.
5) Reversal of Fortune - (5,1/4,2) The next time target ally would take damage, that ally gains that amount of health instead, maximum 63.
6) Vengeance - (10,4,60) Bring target dead ally back to life at full health and full energy. After 30 seconds, or if this enchantment is removed, the enchanted ally dies. Deaths while enchanted with Vengeance do not incur a death penalty.
7) Divine Intervention - (10,1/4,30) For 10 seconds, if target ally receives damage that would be fatal, the damage is negated and that ally is healed for 226 health.
8) Oath Shot (elite) - (10,0,20) If Oath Shot hits, all your other skills are recharged. If it misses, all your skills are disabled for 10 seconds. This is an elite skill. (50% miss chance with Expertise attribute of 7 or less)

Would use a bow most of the time, switching to a wand/focus set as needed, or vice versa, as you prefer.

Energy management through Divine Spirit, made usable by Oath Shot's recharge, protection through Aegis and Shielding hands, both have long cooldowns, which Oath Shot should help tremendously. The Vengeance/DI combo isn't generally one of my favorites, but I just couldn't resist it for some reason once you put in Oath Shot, with that recharge DI might really get to shine through. Divine Healing throws in some major self-healing powers, and lets you use it even in the face of enemies, and on occasion you might even get to use it on allies too, most applicable would probably be on the primary healer... beware the interrupt with that one though. RoF is really the only innately spammable spell in the build, but it should be sufficient, especially with the high Divine Favor. This would most assuredly be used as a complement to a full healer.

Lazarous · Apr 14, 2005, 03:42 AM // 03:42

So a question about this challenge - do the builds have to be self contained or can you assume some sort of exterior support (an external BiPer comes to mind with oath shot)

Laz

Grimpaw · Apr 14, 2005, 05:58 AM // 05:58

Markmanship! Wow, I had already half-made Acan Vishnu's Devine Favor Mo/R when I saw it was Expertise and was foiled.

Divine Healing is probably the best skill in the game to use with Oath Shot. Hmm, what if I combine the two:

Mo/R
Divine Favor 12 +1, Beast Mastery 10 +2, Marksmanship 8
Oath Shot
Divine Healing
Vengeance
Favorable Winds / Symbiosis
Call of Resilience
Call of Ferocity
Comfort Animal
Charm Animal

If you keep your pet close to you, you could sub out Comfort Animal for something more useful, perhaps Signet of Devotion.

Anyway, those skills pretty much maximize Oath Shots recharging ability, but I don't know how effective it is as a build (sort of a monk bodyguard maybe?), but you'd be sure that your opponents would be confused by the monk with a bow and killer pet.

Hmm, yeah:
Divine Favor 10 +2, Protection 10 +2, Beast Mastery 9, Marksmanship 7
Oath Shot
Divine Healing
Pacifism
Aegis
Purge Conditions / Signet of Devotion / Remove Hex
Call of Ferocity
Vengeance
Charm Animal

That makes a nice monk protector + decoy, and it's my final answer.

Mak · Apr 14, 2005, 12:38 PM // 12:38

What can you make with Arcane Echo ?

Jia Xu · Apr 14, 2005, 04:19 PM // 16:19

Class: Elementalist / Ranger

Assumed items:
+3 to Energy Storage

Attributes: (cost)
Energy Storage: 10+3 (61)
Earth Magic: 12 (97)
Marksmanship: 8 (37)

Total attribute points used: 195/200

Skills:
1) Oath Shot (elite) - (10,0,20) If Oath Shot hits, all your other skills are recharged. If it misses, all your skills are disabled for 10 seconds. This is an elite skill. (50% miss chance with Expertise attribute of 7 or less)
2) Hunter's Shot - (5,0,5) If Hunter's Shot hits, you strike for +13 damage. If this attack hits a foe that is moving or knocked down, that foe begins bleeding for 15 seconds.
3) Power Shot - (10,0,6) If Power Shot hits, you strike for +21 damage.
4) Favorable Winds - (5,5,60) Create a level 6 Spirit. For creatures within its range, arrows move twice as fast as normal and strike for +3 damage. This Spirit dies after 94 seconds.
5) Magnetic Aura - (10,1,60) For 10 seconds, Magnetic Aura has a 75% chance to block melee attacks.
6) Ward Against Foes - (10,1,20) You create a ward against foes at your current location. For 18 seconds, foes in this area move 50% slower.
7) Eruption - (25,3,30) Cause an eruption at target foe's location. For 5 seconds, foes near this location are struck for 28 earth damage each second. When Eruption ends, foes in the area of effect are blinded.
8) Earth Attunement - (10,2,60) For 55 seconds, you are attuned to Earth. You gain 30% of the energy cost of the spell each time you use Earth Magic.

now i know that it ain't expertise :
use Favourable Winds and Ward against foes to get high hit rates, ward and magnetic aura help reduce any chances of you getting hit, earth attunement reduces the massive energy drain, the remaining spells are damage. Use Oath shot to recharge ward and eruption, spam eruption while you have the energy. Didn't put much thought into this build really, should do some nice ranged damage though, and can drop a couple of conditions as well, so if you get backfired etc. use powerful bow skills, if you get enfeebled etc. spam eruption - havent included health gain here, relying on monks really. This character IS NOT FOR MELEE. you shouldn't let yourself get trapped, and if a group snares you, use your ward to increase the time it takes for warriors to reach you, and use your aura to reduce their hit rates.

WNxTyphoon · Apr 14, 2005, 04:55 PM // 16:55

Oath Shot is one of those skills that makes me feel no matter what build I make with it, there is some crazy skill combo that I'm missing that'll make Oath Shot infinitely better.

Here's my attempt though...

It seems too simple. Maybe I'll have some stroke of genius and come up with something more intuitive.

Class: Mesmer / Ranger

Assumed items:
+1 to Domination Magic
+2 to Inspiration Magic

Attributes: (cost)
Fast Casting: 7 (28)
Domination Magic: 11+1 (77)
Inspiration Magic: 10+2 (61)
Marksmanship: 7 (28)

Total attribute points used: 194/200

Skills:
1) Energy Burn - (10,2,20) Target foe loses 9 energy and takes 8 damage for each point of energy lost.
2) Shame - (10,2,30) For 9 seconds, the next time target foe casts a spell on an ally, the spell fails, you steal 12 energy from that foe, and Shame ends.
3) Power Leak - (10,1,20) If target foe is casting a spell, the spell is interrupted and target foe loses 22 energy.
4) Signet of Weariness - (0,1,30) Target foe and all nearby foes lose 9 energy.
5) Leech Signet - (0,1,45) Interrupt target foe's action. If that action was a spell, you gain 13 energy.
6) Energy Tap - (5,3,20) Steal 13 energy from target foe.
7) Power Drain - (5,1,25) If target foe is casting a spell, the spell is interrupted and you gain 25 energy.
8) Oath Shot (elite) - (10,0,20) If Oath Shot hits, all your other skills are recharged. If it misses, all your skills are disabled for 10 seconds. This is an elite skill. (50% miss chance with Marksmanship attribute of 7 or less)

Greentongue · Apr 14, 2005, 05:52 PM // 17:52

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sausaletus Rex

Oath Shot recharges *everything*. Any skill, any type. The only exception is adrenal skills which, of course, have no recharge timers to recharge. Seems to break any skill locks or disabling, too.

I have to assume by that, that it will be nerfed. That totally cancels the negative effect of Glyph of Sacrifice.

Glyph of Sacrifice (Spell) Your next spell may be cast instantly, but takes an additional 120 seconds to recharge.

( Actually, it could just recharge the base skill time leaving the +120 untouched. Doubt the code supports two different rechange counters though. )

Ensign · Apr 14, 2005, 06:02 PM // 18:02

Does Oath Shot combo the way one would think it does with Resurrection Signet?

Grimpaw · Apr 14, 2005, 09:06 PM // 21:06

Depends how they coded Res Sig. If it is just a recast timer that is set to max value then I suppose it would. If they have specific code in that makes skills one time use only then it wouldn't.

Sausaletus Rex · Apr 14, 2005, 09:08 PM // 21:08

It's no longer one use, though. There are ways to recharge it in the middle of a map. I don't know the correct answer to Chuck's question, though.