Reign of Fire

Profession: Ranger/Elementalist

Name: Reign of Fire

Type: Massive Damage Dealer/PvE-PvP

Attributes:
14 Marksmanship(+1 +3)
12 Expertise (+1)
10 Fire Magic
2 Wilderness Survival (+1)

Skills:
1. Sundering Attack
2. Hunter's Shot
3. Pin Down/Dual Shot
4. Fire Storm
5. Conjure Flame
6. Favorable Winds/Tiger's Fury
7. Read The Wind
8. Glyph of Lesser Energy/Res Sig

I just started playing a week ago but so far this is the best and probably the funnest build Ive played. With a good bow, I can do lots of damage by myself.

Except for the Firestorm, looks quite good. I guess you're using Fiery Bowstring?

Fire Storm is a spell not really suited for dealing dmg. It's only purpose is to scatter enemies, but that is generally not a good idea.

Anyways, you need an elite skill in there, I suggest Poison Arrow Instead of Sundering Attack.

Fire Storm works good for me cuz when they try to scatter, I hit them with Pin Down/Hunter's Shot to cause some extra damage and slow them down to where Fire Storm can finish them off. Works quite nice

Take firestorm out. Please, before the flames come in.

But I like to play it. Plus I dont have Mark of Rodgort so Im using this instead.

Outside pre-searing where area of effect spells don't make foes run away, firestorm alone has only one use: being a defensive skill used on foes coming too close to make them run.

Rangers are not good at using spells. Their primary attribute, expertise, makes them able to spam attack skills, but they have a rather low energy, and no energy management for spells. Generally the only spells they use, sometimes, are enchantements or weapon spells to add more damage to their bow attacks. And most of the time (especially in PvE) they won't use any spell at all, since there are many ranger skills that can do the job or provide an extra goodie with the benefits of expertise (energy management).

Your build has no defensive skill (erm except firestorm but I somehow doubt you use it for that), which is something your monk may not like... Especially with 12 expertise you should consider a defensive stance (whirling defense for example), or a skill like throw dirt.

Also, a preparation instead of conjure flames could add more damage to your build. Kindle arrows, read the wind, apply poison are good candidate, and expertise works with them. Or if you want to keep conjure flames you could pair it with kindle arrows that converts your damage to fire, so you won't need to have a firey string (AND kindle will add more damage again).

How the hell could a ranger afford Mark of Rodgort even if you did have it? Its 25e for god sake. A ranger only has 32 at best (if he wants to do damage).

Conjure Flame is a complete waste of attributes, if you want fire damage, use Kindle Arrows. The damage it adds is so small against some targets its pathetic. Enchantment removal isn't exactly uncommon either. Leaves your bow mod open for a Vamp/Zealous too.

Please don't debate... remove Firestorm or people will just laugh at you.

Firestorm can be very powerfull in PvE, but it is very hard to wield it right. few people see that the scatter can be used as a good thing. My suggestion, surround a boss with 4 tanks and then spam fire storm on it. The boss will try to walk away, but he cant since he is surrounded. He wont attack or use skills, he just tries to get away which he cant.

But this is very hard and needs cooperation. In a team of random ppl I wouldnt advise taking this skill

Why waste a skill slot on the hope your with 4 warriors (Why the hell would that happen) and that they're gonna surround a boss, your a ranger, interrupt them, debilitate them, do whatever. The eles job is to use Fire spells, with a PUG or not, Firestorm is never a skill of choice. The more you try to argue this the more foolish you'll look.

About Mark of Rodgort: I remember tested a mark of rodgort build one day (basically a spike build with mark of rodgort and glyph of lesser energy to reduce the cost). Yes with a glyph you can manage the energy cost of mark of rodgort. That's not a bad build but erm... I can't say it's a good build either. Probably fair enough for RA but that's it.

And yeah one should never take firestorm out of pre-searing 4 warriors in the team so a ranger can use a spell that is, even without the flee effect, mediocre? Hmm that's not for me.

I do actually modify my build depending on what quest or mission Im doing. Usually a mission where I can get surrounded quickly ie. Afflicted I put in Whirling Defense/Troll Urgent. Then I usually cast Fire Storm to give myself some room to breathe while picking off the stragglers with Pin Down/Hunter's Shot.

Ive tried the Kindle Arrows build and I dont really like it as much. It only works if I need to up my Wilderness attributes for Troll Urgent.

With Glyph of Energy, Fire Storm is free and its a rather quick cast as well. I can use it for offense or defense. It works great to break up large mobs so tanks dont get obliterated by many targets at once. Ive yet to have any problems with this build and Ive yet to have any complaints as well so for you to say that Im foolish is quite absurd.

^ If you wanted the scatter, why not use Ignite arrows instead.

It comes down to devoting two skill slots to use skill that is mediocre at best if (huge if) allowed to deal full damage. It's great to look into interesting and unique combos, but you've always got to ask yourself what you are gaining by running this... And truth be told, not even full-blooded primary elementalists like to run this spell.

It's not a matter of 'not getting complaints', but rather running at your peak efficiency.

instead of this stupid argument why not just add in incendiary arrows for firestorm, use kindle or read the wind when it runs out. Then you can just sub whirling defense for penetrating or conjure or whatever... of course then its a completely different build and not at all what the op was using or talking about.
I think its a cool build, but yes its got some points of contention. If you posted it, you implicitly asked for a critique (you knew this right?). Unless this is part of a team arenes/HA build, there's good reason to include a defense and perhaps a self heal. That reason is 'it's yo butt, cover it'.
Conjure flame: at level 10 its +11 fire damage for a 10 energy (non-expertise mitigated) enchantment (which can be shattered, but possibly lasts 60 secs)
Incendiary arrows @ level 12 (where I'd put it) 5 energy (3 with even 8 expertise) gives you 8 secs with every arrow interrupts/burning for 3 secs (a LOT more damage)
kindle arrows (again with an assumed WS of 12) 5 energy (again 3 with mitigation), +20 fire damage
In conclusion, my thesis is that WS offers a *ranger* FAR more fire damage, with far less energy cost than any fire ele spell can dream of

Eh Ill try it again but the time I used it I didnt really like it that much.

dont get me wrong, *IF* enchant removal isnt an issue, you may be able to squeeze more damage out by using both RtW and conjure, but you won't have the natural healing option, and you wont get more damage by combining conjure with kindle (att point spread thing). as far as defense goes, I'd venture to say that whirling defense is far better for that than fire storm. One possible setup for using incendiary is to go R/W for frenzy to get the most out of your 8 secs, conveniently frenzy lasts exactly 8 secs and if you come unter heavy fire, just cancel it with whirling.

I pretty much scrapped the whole elemental thing. I tried out the Kindle Arrows build but I fire a lot slower without RtW. So I am using a build to maximize attack speed and do as damage as fast as possible. So far its worked pretty nice, soloed my first boss =)