Curse

thecandyman123 · Apr 15, 2007, 03:31 AM // 03:31

I have a Ranger/Mesmer originally Ranger/Monk (switched it using quest in Destiny's Gorge). I need to find a good trapping build. I only have Prophicies and I am at Thunderhead Keep. My current build is Flame Trap, Barbed Trap, Quickening Zep, Serpent's Quickness, Arcane Echo, Winnowing (which I don't know what it does to help exactly, this isn't a custom build), Dodge, and Escape.

I will replace dodge and escape with echo and spiked trap. And, I will eventually replace winnowing with energizing winds. Is this eventual build good for trapping? Any tips on how to improve/use it?

Wilderness Survival: 15
Expertise: 13

Any help appreciated, thanks.

kickthedonkey · Apr 15, 2007, 05:06 AM // 05:06

well fist of all get dust trap its the best trap on terms of raw damage out there ew is always good to help with energy i would take spike trap other echo for jsut questing as it helps with energy costs still seeing as you wont be in spirits range 100% of the time etc also winnowing helps with more dmg but not really needed

lennymon · Apr 15, 2007, 09:35 AM // 09:35

You wont have spike trap yet by THK, since its first available in ring of fire mission. There is NO trap worth echoing but dust trap in my opinion, so absolutely get it, use it, love it. Your attributes look fine, but you may want to lose serpents quickness and replace with energizing wind (synergizes very well with QZ), and then lose winnow for dust trap. Echo dust trap FTW.

The Poet · Apr 16, 2007, 02:24 AM // 02:24

you have no use for arcane echo until you get echo. arcane only mimics spells not skills

gw_poster · Apr 16, 2007, 04:01 PM // 16:01

can't stress enough the arcane echo, echo, dust trap spamming. Dust trap ignores armor and spike traps only work on targets that bleed. This is a good farming build for a lot of spots. In NF, Hekets are fun, just aggro em' all with WhirlingD on and they hardly do any damage...watch the -26's rain down and pick up the loot. You might get chased by the blue-tongues for a while but just run them into to some Vabbians and they'll give up the chase

In NF, Jahai Bluffs and Forum Highlands is good for hekets. In Proph, I like skyward reach for farming griffons, etc. Best by far though, is u/w.

In <90sec you can lay 9 dust traps and about 4 spike traps (enough to take down three aataxes) and still have energy left for whirling defense when you run to aggro! Key is picking the right spots (around corners, under stairs, etc.). My skills are as follows (L-->R):

QZ, EW, SQ, AE, E, DustT, SpikeT, WhirlingD

Expertise 13 (12+1 minor rune)
Wilderness Survival 16 (12+3+1)
Beast Mastery 3

HP: 501 Energy: 60

Another thing - if you can get your wilderness survival to 16 (12+3 sup rune +1 widerness/traveller's mask) it makes a 1sec or +2dam difference, which when multiplied by 13 (number of traps) can be just what is needed to finish the job.

Only problem is getting enough energy. Mine is 60, which is literally the minimum for getting all the traps/spirits down in time. I have all radiant armor with runes of attunement. Any ideas on a good staff? I have +10 energy inherent with a +13 energy inscription, but it is a -1 regen. Is that a big difference? Would I be better off with a different setup? Any help/tips on what you use for energy would be most appreciated!

Evilsod · Apr 16, 2007, 04:08 PM // 16:08

If your using QZ in a team... you're going to piss off alot of people. Nobody likes 30% extra cost on kills, specially when there recharges are insignificant. Never use QZ/EW if your in a normal team. Hell, never use traps unless your taking Dust Trap, i'd advise using a bow based build till then.

malko050987 · Apr 16, 2007, 07:32 PM // 19:32

Quote:

Originally Posted by gw_poster

My skills are as follows (L-->R):

QZ, EW, SQ, AE, E, DustT, SpikeT, WhirlingD

Expertise 13 (12+1 minor rune)
Wilderness Survival 16 (12+3+1)
Beast Mastery 3

HP: 501 Energy: 60

First of all, Echo and Spike Trap are both elites, so you can't have both. you probably meant Barbed Trap, since that's the standard Echo trapper build.

For trapping the UW with this build, use a Sup Expertise rune, a WS mask and a Sup WS rune, and the rest of the points in Beast Mastery. You should have

Expertise 15
WS 16
BM: Rest, but I think it's 5. Not on right now to check.

As a ranger with full druid's and some attunement runes and a +20 en staff, I have 55 energy, and 380-ish health, helped by a vigor rune.

With EW there, DT will be cheap. I have never ran out of energy with this build. 44 energy is also enough, altough a bit close at the end, when you lay down the 9th DT and an extra Barbed Trap.

Winnowing adds 4 damage to all creatures that take physical damage in it's range. So if an Aatxe takes damage from 9 dust traps (26 per second each) he'll be taking 30 per second.

It helps when 3-man trapping in the UW, but it's not really necessary anywhere else. If they survive, you didn't put down enough traps. ^_^

Evilsod · Apr 16, 2007, 08:27 PM // 20:27

Quote:

Originally Posted by malko050987

Winnowing adds 4 damage to all creatures that take physical damage in it's range. So if an Aatxe takes damage from 9 dust traps (26 per second each) he'll be taking 30 per second.

It helps when 3-man trapping in the UW, but it's not really necessary anywhere else. If they survive, you didn't put down enough traps. ^_^

Ok... you got 2 things wrong there in the space of 5 words. If he's taking damage from 9 dust traps at 26 each, he'll be taking 224 damage a second... and secondly, Dust Trap is not physical damage, its armour ignoring non-specific damage, so Winnowing does nothing to it.

Can we just get 1 thing straight with EW... its duration needs to be no longer than 46 seconds AT THE MOST. Anymore than 2 in BM is gonna hurt you more than help. Once the QZ dies the ever-lasting EW just screws up the recharge on your spirits completely and makes the next set take forever to recharge. Reason why QZ should always be placed first too, then the recharge on that isn't messed up. With 15 in expertise its not like it actually dints your supply. You regen 5 back before its even done casting for a start.

gw_poster · Apr 16, 2007, 11:39 PM // 23:39

Malko: you're right, sorry. Spike Trap is elite...I meant Barbed Trap, but the point is the same...bleeding doesn't hurt spirits with no flesh (or other bleeding-immune monsters) For trapping in u/w I only use one sup rune, why the extra -75hp? Figure aataxes hit for about 250ish you need enough for two possible hits. The point about dust traps stands (thanks evilsod).
My main beef is that 60 energy isn't enough to get the extra two dt's (echo+dt) after the 2nd spirit is laid. Only gives about 2-5 sec to pull and regain enough energy to have whirling d on. Anywhere else i don't care, but in u/w one or two traps is the difference between life and death. I guess the main question I had was dealing with getting enough energy and whether my -1 regen staff is killing it for me - what exactly does -1 regen mean (it's a +13 energy with -1 regen inscription)? Attached: Check out the aataxes getting blasted!