Curse

SnipiousMax · Aug 03, 2006, 02:23 PM // 14:23

*Before someone jumps on me to use the search, I'm looking for a discussion rather than an actual build.*

Focused Shot. For all intents and purposes, this skill is a slower recharging Barrage, that only hits one target, deals a little more damage and disables the rest of your attack skills. This skill was enormously handy back when it did NOT disable Beast mastery attacks. I didn't consider it to be overpowered, and really all it did was help to synergize Beast mastery with Marksmanship. All that said, I guess I could understand the nerf since it was something that they obviously did not intend.

Now, here we have a skill that is really not effective with any other attack skills, or interrupts. So my question for the community, what type of builds would fit this skill now? What cases would you only need one attack skill?

The one thing that came to mind, was a spirit spamming ranger... But most Spirit Spammers nowadays are primary Rits, fueled by Ritual Lord. Beast master still comes to mind, but most beast master builds involve either Enraged Lunge or Ferocious Strike now. So really I'm having trouble thinking of a case where I would use this skill.

Then again, maybe it is bordering on overpowered, and I'm just missing the reasoning behind it.

Amy Awien · Aug 03, 2006, 04:55 PM // 16:55

I've tried it - in PvE - with a PS/CG type build, it worked, sortoff anyway, as it doesn't really depend on using (m)any attack skills. Not too bad, not so great either, I prefer needling shot to finish them off.

It has a 2 second recharge so you don't really need any other attack skill, and at a low 5 energy cost and it stacks with preparations, unlike barrage and it does more damage, to a single target, then Barrage.
For the same damage, Power Shot is twice as expensive and has three times the recharge.

I presume a spirit spammer would take Oath Shot and have little room, or need (time) for other attacks. Not sure that Rits would make better spirit spammers, few nature rituals are better served with spawning then with >12 in their attribute. Besides that, with decent expertise, Rangers have more energy then Rits to spam spirits. But that's all off topic.

SnipiousMax · Aug 03, 2006, 06:17 PM // 18:17

Quote:

Originally Posted by Amy Awien

I've tried it - in PvE - with a PS/CG type build, it worked, sortoff anyway, as it doesn't really depend on using (m)any attack skills. Not too bad, not so great either, I prefer needling shot to finish them off.

Hmm... That is an intresting possiblity. I didn't consider PS/CG, it's not a build I use often, but it does seem that it would fit.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Amy Awien

... it stacks with preparations...

Another thing I didn't consider. It still feels very debilitating to not have a hard interrupt. At least with barrage, you can catch slower spells with an interrupt.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Amy Awien

I presume a spirit spammer would take Oath Shot ...

Yea, not mentioned in the OP but that's another reason I'm vary of using it with a spirit spammer.

Maybe I should note, that I'm not bashing this skill. It does deal an impressive amount of damage, especially for only requiring two slots to deal an impressive amount of damage (F.Shot + Prep). What I was hoping to do with this discussion is bring to light possibilities with using it. You essentially have 5 more slots (6 minus rez) open to bring whatever support/secondary skills you wanted. It seems like a poor thing to waste the potential.

Another possiblity would be using this in a R/P build: Plinking people with arrows, while using chants/shots/sigs. So I'll have to wait a bit to try that one.

Amy Awien · Aug 03, 2006, 07:55 PM // 19:55

Quote:

Originally Posted by SnipiousMax

Another thing I didn't consider. It still feels very debilitating to not have a hard interrupt.

I can imagine it feels a bit unsettling, like when I left WS and Trolls at home for the first time for a BM build.

Quote:

You essentially have 5 more slots (6 minus rez) open to bring whatever support/secondary skills you wanted. It seems like a poor thing to waste the potential.

It does seem like a nice (perfect) addon bowattack for builds that carry more "support" skills then bowattacks. A skill to keep in mind for those situations.