Originally Posted by LaserLight

Profession: Assassin/Ranger
Name: Bloody Barrage (One Woman Bloodstorm)
Type: Multipurpose
Category: Damage Dealer/Multi-Target ‘Arrow Nuke’/Condition Spread

Attributes:
Critical Strikes [P]: 9 + 3 + 1
Marksmanship: 12
Shadow Arts: 9 +1

Skills Set:

Focused Shot (Marksmanship)
Barrage {Elite} (Marksmanship)
Distracting Shot/Resurrection Signet (Expertise/Unlinked)
Critical Eye (Critical Strikes)
Sharpen Daggers (Critical Strikes)
Way of Perfection (Shadow Arts)
Viper’s Defense (Shadow Arts)
Dash/Dark Escape/ (Unlinked/Shadow Arts)


Summary:

Original Discussion Thread

The Bloody Barrage was originally designed for 12v12 matches, otherwise known as Alliance Battles, and the massive mutual ganks that occur in them, but has since been recognized as a viable character for almost any play style, including late-game PvE. Initially developed and tested in the March 26th Factions Preview Event (FPE), the Bloody Barrage was originally known as the One Woman Bloodstorm. The name was later changed because the creator got sick of typing so many letters every time he bragged about his baby.

The initial Bloody Barrage was created as a control point assault character and is at its best when booting Kurzicks out of control points in its match type of choice. In PvE, of course, you have what is essentially a Conjure Blood Barrage character with less armor and better healing. In the Random/Team Arenas you act as a basic damage dealer, slightly lower-powered than most, but easily able to squish as many characters as possible, especially in tight arena such as the Flag Battle zone. Same general rules apply to all other forms of combat – your specialty is multi-target, and your damage against single foes is somewhat reduced.

Anyways. Centering the build is Critical Strikes, the attribute, and Sharpen Daggers/Critical Eye. These skills are why the build exists. Sharpen Daggers allows Barrage to spread Conditions in a disturbing manner, getting around Barrage’s inability to work with Apply Poison or Melandru’s Arrows or other such Conditioning preparations. Dealing consistent heavy damage through a ludicrously high critical hit ratio and finishing foes with Bleeding, and doing it to multiple enemies, the Bloody Barrage can replace two or three character’s worth of offense in the right situation. Which is kicking Kurzicks out of control points

The bottom half of the skills list is a surprisingly solid defensive array for such a powerfully offensive character. Way of Perfection is a superb self-healing skill which will keep the Bloody Barrage healthy while it’s dealing out death. It actually allows the character to stand its ground against some attackers, using the constant healing and its own heavy offense to outlive and out-pummel certain foes. Sometimes though, you’ll just be outmatched. In that circumstance, flip on Viper’s Defense to leave your attacker a last lovely present and Get Out of Dodge. Once Dodge has been gotten out of, flip on your speed stance of choice (I prefer Dark Escape for its greater activated-time percentage and damage reduction) and bolt. Reposition, rearm, and repay.

Alternates are listed above. The first is just whether you like Dash or Dark Escape better, while the second offers a ReSiggy in place of Distracting Shot. This is for if you want to bring the Bloody Barrage into RA, TA, or other res-heavy environments (of course). I prefer running without a ReSig when I can, but some people don't feel comfortable without one on their bar. And I admit I don’t like to go exploring without one either – can’t count the number of times I’ve saved a party’s butt because of that particular habit.

Equipment is fairly fluid – nothing is absolutely vital to the successful implementation of the Bloody Barrage. When I tested it in the FPE, I used Zealous Short and Long Bows of Defense (PvP-Only char, would also have taken elemental bows if I could) and a mix of Vanguard’s and Shrouded Armor (Vanguard chest and gloves, Shrouded legs and boots), and had no troubles. Energy was abundant even with only minor boosts from armor; Vampiric bows would likely work just fine as well for the real damage-fiends, and of course Vampiric strings love that Barrage. Armor-wise, I went for the Blind and Weak duration cuts because those are the two Conditions I felt most dangerous to the Bloody Barrage. A good Deep Wounder is going to kill you with it before duration becomes a problem, and Bleeding isn’t as actively annoying as Blind or Weakness on a character which relies on attacks for both its healing and Energy management. Plus, I just liked the look of the armor mix. But nothing is vital for the works – you’re completely free to use Tenderfoot’s Guise and a Sundering Horn Bow of Charrslaying for all I care. Though your teammates will call you stupid, and rightly so.

Anyways. The best advice I can give is to take the thing out and put it to work. Bloody Barrage is simple to use but packs a good deal of innate trickery and funkiness as well, and the best way to get a handle on what it can do is to go out and do it. Team up with some guildies and jump into a 12v12 match, you’ll catch on quick enough.

Notes & Concerns:

You’ve got no way to deal with Conditions or Hexes yourself, so without proper Monk (or occasionally Mesmer, for Hexes) support, you’re dangerously vulnerable. If you find yourself snared in the path of a pissed-off Warr, your best bet is to stand there and ride it out, using Way of Perfection and Viper’s Defense to stay alive, until the snare goes away. If suffering from degen or combat-degradation Conditions or Hexes, scream for help and deal with it until help gets there. If help doesn’t get there…die, res, run back and get revenge XP.

Aside from that, the Bloody Barrage is remarkably self-reliant. You’ve got one mother of a self-heal and a combination damage reducer/speed stance to keep you alive, and you’re reasonably mobile without a booster char along. During the FPE I found that people didn’t tend to seek out Assassins much – if you weren’t actively trying to knife someone, you got left alone more than usual. This, of course, is not a guarantee, but if you play smart you should survive just fine.

Previous incarnations of the Bloody Barrage also suffered from a lack of single-target skills, though this was partially solved via tradint the now-nearly-useless Shadow Refuge for Focused Shot. Focused permits the BB to hunt down fleeing Kurzicks it has successfully kicked out of control points as well as a good survival skill when faced with a Warrior pounding at you. Way of Perfection, Viper’s Defense, and Focused Shot might just get you out alive. Realize, however, that you are not a spike build and cannot hope for the same single-target arrow damage Ranger primaries enjoy, and use Focused as a finishing move/last resort.

Credit: Heh…entirely me, I’m afraid. Concepted, refined, and combat-tested the Bloody Barrage without any help other than that given by the people I was shooting. No long list of credits here. IT’S ALL MINE!!! For now, anyways.