Curse

Chazeah · Mar 23, 2006, 03:58 AM // 03:58

Ranger/Mesmer
Level: 20

Expertise: 14 (10+4)
Wilderness Survival: 6 (5+1)
Marksmanship: 11 (10+1)
Domination Magic: 10

- Oath Shot [Elite] (Expertise) (Recharges all skills if it hits)
- Debilitating Shot (Ranger other) (-10 energy shot)
- Signet of Weariness (Domination Magic) (-8 energy AoE)
- Mantra of Signets (Inspiration Magic) (Next Signet used recharges instantly [Stance])
- Throw Dirt (Expertise) (Blind target and adjacent foes for 14 secs)
- Serpent's Quickness (Wilderness Survival) (33% Faster Recharge [Stance])
- Favorable Winds (Marksmanship) (Arrows fly faster, more damage)
- Resurrection Signet ()

So, this character uses signet of weariness and debilitating shot to cause energy drain, and then recharges them both with Oath Shot. seems fairly straight forward, but Serpants Quickness and Mantra of Signets come into play.

So this is how this ranger operates:

1. Begin casting Signet of weariness.
2. Activate Mantra of Signets midway through the cast.
3. Signet of Weariness instantly recharges due to mantra. This also deactivates the mantra.
4. Use Signet of Weariness again.
5. Midway through that cast, use serpants quickness.
6. Fire Debilitating Shot.
7. Fire Oath Shot.
8. Fire Debilitating Shot.
9. Use the Sig of Weariness/Mantra/Sig combination again. Remeber to reactivate serpants quickness.
10. Fire Debilitating Shot.
11. Fire Oath Shot
12. Return to step 8.

This is an infinite cycle. Serpants quickness means that Debilitating recharges in 7 secs, and Oath in 13. Expertise means i can keep up this chain for almost 4 mins straight until i run into energy problems.

Going from step 1 to 8 takes almost 8 seconds and drains 26 energy. The loop between steps 8 and 12 takes 9 seconds and drains 36 energy.

In a minute this character can drain 160 energy. [tested repeatadly]
-160 energy / 60 seconds = -2.666 energy per second
a "pip", or those little arrows that represent energy regen on your energy bar, give 1/3 energy per second.
-2.666 / .333 = -8.00

that means this character inflict -8 pips of energy regen on a target.

in comparison, lets anylze a standard e surge/burn mesmer.

Energy Surge: -10 energy every 20 seconds.
Energy Burn: -10 energy every 20 seconds.
Signet of Weariness: -10 energy every 30 seconds.

That means in a minute a mes could get off 3 esurges, 3 eburns, and 2 sigs, coming out to:
3(10) + 3(10) + 2(10) = 80 energy per minute drained.
-80 energy / 60 seconds = -1.333 energy per second
-1.333 / .333 = -4.000

that means a standard esurge/burn/weariness mes can inflict -4 pips of regen.

ranger: -8
esurge: -4

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Also, another benefit:

Because this ranger is firing Oath Shot constantly, skills that normally have a long cool down are spammable.

Throw Dirt: AoE Blind, normally has 45 sec recharge, making it a risky choice.

With this ranger spamming Oath Shot, its recharge is effectively cut down to 13 secs.

The blind lasts 14 seconds at 14 expertise, and with a recharge of 13, you can keep a group of warriors blinded indefinitely.

Lastly, this character brings Favourable Winds. This could be replaced by anything, but the fast arrow movement helps reduce the chance of missing for any of the ranger skills.

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It is a bit gimmicky, but it is none the less effective.

after getting comfortable with this build you can also easily degen two targets. youll find that if you focus you over drain a target, leaving them between 0-2 energy constantly. this is nice, but not necessary.

by switching up targets, you can fire debilitating on one, dual sig on another, then move back to the original. super effective.

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in HA i run this with a fire/necro pressure build and it works like a charm. biggets problems tend to be guardian, which cuts down debilitating's effectiveness. for these monks, i just use the sig combo and only fir debilitating when guardian is down or i just switch targets.

I know it doesnt do damage, but it does do edenial and blind well. the spirit could be replaced for anything in the marksmanship/expertise/wilderness line, depending on what the team you are part of needs.

comments/concerns?

thanks!
Funko

Siliconwafer · Mar 23, 2006, 05:41 AM // 05:41

It's a great build, but as you said, is honestly a utility role as it can't deal appreciable damage. Throw Dirt I guess could be subbed for whatever the build requires-any other skill that you would love to fire off every 13 seconds, and as can Fav Winds. Of course, with Oath Shot, there's always that chance to miss, even under Fav Winds (although obviously it'd be reduced).

I played around with a QZ+NR+Pred GvG build a while ago with two of these, and while I thought it was quite good at denying energy, but drpped it due to the fact that spirits limit mobility.

Senator Tom · Mar 23, 2006, 03:41 PM // 15:41

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chazeah

in HA i run this with a fire/necro pressure build and it works like a charm.

valandor used to run this

MAdnRisKy · Mar 23, 2006, 10:26 PM // 22:26

first time I saw this build was from patccmoi on gwonline.

works really well btw
(he called it the mursaat tower)