Curse

koneko · Mar 03, 2006, 07:22 AM // 07:22

Quote:

Originally Posted by SnipiousMax

I wonder how the update will affect the B/P teams now...can't stack orders so....

Not that much, I think...in the dozens of B/P groups that I've been in, the 105-Orders Necros haven't tended to continually overlap OoP/OotV, but will on numerous occasions. They've mostly been alternating between the two. Maybe now they'll just take one of the Orders and use the extra slot for something support-based.

B/P teams will go on; it'll just take a little while longer to farm greens.

bobrath · Mar 03, 2006, 02:58 PM // 14:58

From a MM that's been on far too many B/P teams to count:

Pets dying or not ... it doesn't really change my help to you in the mid and late part of each map. At the start (first fight), all I can do is catch interrupts. I'm just ineffective. Once the first body drops (and of course I had death nova on that pet), then the fun starts.

If I had my choice, the puller's pet would be a massive tank. Bodies way out of my range don't help me at all. The others? even split between easy kills and moderate tanks. The easy kills just get me into the game sooner and can be rezed for a quick body if I need it.

To the previous poster that put up builds for all us support chars and said "no fiends".... uh NO. The fiends naturally arrainge themselves as a second line of minions. So when the dryders AoE the snot out of your entire melee line of summons, what are you left with? Nothing. If you're in love with the 2 for 1 minions, then drop horrors. Remember, a mm with a B/P group is truly there to provide a secure line of aggro containment not damage. (which btw is why an MM should be first prioity for healing!).

As far as the ranger builds go, I've seen some great use of non-dust traps as saftey valves for loose aggro. Its nice to know that the grasp coming right for you is about to fall down and go boom on a spike trap.

Defensive stances are a waste in terms of avoiding damage from a loose grasp. As a ranger, fingers of chaos will *always* hit you. They can't do anything about blindness tho.

Quaker · Mar 03, 2006, 06:45 PM // 18:45

I've seen many posts here listing various builds, so I thought I'd list mine too. (Credit where credit is due - This is based on a build by River Prowler on Photics.com)

Marksmanship - 14 - superior rune + archer's mask
Beast Mastery - 12 - minor rune - needed for Tiger's Fury, see below
Expertise - 11 - minor rune - reduces energy cost of skills
Wilderness Sur - 2 - left over point + minor rune

1. Concussion Shot
2. Barrage
3. Tiger's Fury
4. Throw Dirt
5. Favorable Winds
6. Comfort Animal
7. Charm Animal
8. Rebirth

Notes:

1. You could use various interupts here. The main purpose is to disable the Dryders and Wurms. With Expertise of 11, CS only requires 15 energy (instead of 25)
2. Believe it or not, I've been in B/P groups where rangers haven't brought Barrage.

3. Tiger's Fury increases your attack speed by 33% and takes 10 seconds to recharge. With 12 in Beast Mastery it also last for 10 seconds, so you can continually attack 33% faster. It also speeds up skill recharge time. (with expertise of 11 it takes about 6 energy)
4. Throw Dirt, as has often been pointed out, is for use on those few Grasps that break through the meat shield and is just as important as a defense for the monk and necros as for yourself.
5. A number of spirits and other skills can be used here. I use FW or Winnowing or Ortayugh's Cry or Heeling Breeze depending upon what the other group members have. Since I consider FW to be almost essential, it's my default one.
6. Revive Animals can be brought by someone instead of Comfort, but the pets have to be in your circle to be revived with it.
7. Charm Animal = duh
8. My secondary is monk so I bring Rebirth, but a Rez Signet is also good.

With the above build and a Drago's Flatbow, I can keep up about a 1 second refire rate with continuous Barrage.
Btw - i went through the Tombs today and didn't notice any nerfing.

4runner · Mar 03, 2006, 08:48 PM // 20:48

last night we went in! and instead of throw dirt 2 rangers brought dust trap!!!
thats has to be the most effective way to deal with grasps gettin by the 1st line! Dam it was fun!! 1 traps front line, 2nd guys traps the MM, orders and the monk!! Saved us countless time!!!