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Thread: New Ranger Help

  1. #1

    Thumbs up New Ranger Help

    Hey guys,

    I just hit 50 on my PoM - and i bought that expansion that gives you the free level 50 - So i went with the ranger.

    I have zero clue how to play at this level. Are there any up to date guides or basic write ups for rotations, builds?
    (I saw the build thread here but its hard to know whats what since everything has been archived or is out of date)

    Any help is greatly appreciated as i'm going to be playing with my son and we'd really like to hit the ground running as best we can.

    Thanks guys - really looking forward to hearing some responses or links of some sort.

    PS- Just reactivated my account - which was dormant since 6mos after release! Havin fun!

    -M

  2. #2

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    Ok so I will admit there are probably better rangers out there, but this has to at least help get you going...

    I'd use something like this at level 50. Other people may object, but hey, it's just a start and when you hit 80 you will probably refeat anyway. At 80, this is what I run.

    You'll notice nothing is feated in the gen tree. I don't see it's important but some may disagree. Some like having second wind, excellent balance, wiles, and cheat the reaper, but I find with my build, I don't need them. If you us your advantages well (described below) you get more stamina so second wind isn't as important. Excellent Balance may help in PvP, but I don't see it helping much in PvE. Wiles is a detaunt, and I for sure need it on my barb, but I can handle not having it on my ranger, and still do solid dps. Cheat the Reaper is only 50/50 anyway, so I guess if you tend to die a lot you may want it, but if you are on the pom and your son is on the ranger, or vice versa, you will have a rez so it may not be needed in your situation.

    Each combo will give you an advantage depending on if you have the upper attack bonus, lower attack bonus, or both running. In order to get those attack bonuses, use your white hits first. You'll notice at the top of the screen an up or down arrow depending on which directional white hit you used. The up arrow is the upper attack bonus, the down arrow is the lower attack bonus.

    Once you've got the attack bonus you want (one, or both) then use the combo (quick shot for example) to get the max damage. You can use just the combo but then you won't get the extra bonus.

    That's the first thing to know - because every ranged combo works that way.

    If you use the build I posted above, make sure to set your traps all the time. That build has given you what's called 'Master Trapper', meaning any trap that an enemy walks into will give you a damage boost. You'll also have 3 traps - Fire Trap, Leghold Trap, and Booby Trap. So keep those three traps on an even rotation.

    Use your 'Advantages' to gain an additional bonus. Depending on the advantage, the bonuses differ.

    In that build I posted, I've given you Advantage: Fire Attack, so your next combo will deal extra fire damage and apply a dot. Like the traps, keep an advantage going as often as possible. There are multiple advantages to choose from in the feat tree, so you will probably have a couple by the time you hit 80. I can't recall if you are given any advantages as an innate ability, so you may have more than just the Fire Attack...if you do, use them how they suit you best, just make sure you keep them on cooldown.

    If you find you want another CC, you can weapon swap and use Cripple as a melee root.

    As for combo rotation, (no idea if I'm doing it in the most optimal way) I use Armor Ripper for the debuff first, then Deadly Draw which is an AA feat, so for you it'd be Bleeding Puncture. Follow up Bleeding Puncture with Penetrating Shot for a chance at a crit hit. Add in a Clout/Quick Shot rinse and repeat depending on what's not on cooldown.

    That build has also given you Concussive Blast. It's got a short range, so if you're not paying attention to distance, it won't work, but it is a stun.

    And then you also have Pin Down to slow your target.

    A ranger can also track what's in the zone. There's only one place I use this consistently, but if you PvP it may be helpful. I don't PvP so I can't speak on that.

    Hope that helps get your feet wet. If anyone has any better suggestions, go for it. I love playing the ranger, but I'm sure I could improve on things myself.
    Last edited by Mairenne; 15th March 2013 at 02:08.
    Conqueror Mairenne ~ Guardian Isabetha ~ Dark Templar Adayna
    Ranger Annalici ~ Barbarian Cailannah ~ Assassin Kaidha
    Necromancer Laylesi, Stirmatka ~ Demonologist Mavash ~ Herald of Xotli Nebithet
    Priest of Mitra Siracus ~ Tempest of Set Millah ~ Bear Shaman Yasuyin

  3. #3

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    at level 50, i'd use this, to maximize the bleedings, which are a large part of your damage...

    for the pulls, always start in hide with a lower attack (stuns the target), then change target, activate an advantage, and pin down. at the same time place the booby trap. after that, upper attack, lower attack, bleeding puncture. then upper attack, lower attak, change target to the one that you stunned before and use penetrating shot (the 1st mob should be dead now). place the leghold trap and kill the second mob....

    if you have mobs around you and your traps are in cd, switch to sword and shield and use a melee cc combo, then gain distance again. shield bash is better. if it's on cd too, use cripple...
    of course, don't forget to buff them too, especially shield bash that if buffed is knockback and a snare...

    if the mob reaches melee range and it's almost dead, switch to sword and kill him with deft stabs: you have a nice chance to apply a melee fatality!!

    about the advantages, you have 3 with this build, but you'll need only shattering and fire, 'cos they give a good burst in damage, that is very good for killing mobs fast...
    use them every time you can!!

    same goes for traps. they are not just cc's but they also boost your damage, so don't forget to use the fire trap too: the damage of the trap itself is not so high, but you'll get the master trapper buff!!


    EDIT

    i forgot the lvl 80 build: link...
    Last edited by Yawgmoth-VDN; 15th March 2013 at 09:47.
    "in the depths of a mind insane fantasy and reality are the same"

    Yawgmoth (Ranger) - Nyxathid (Necro) - Yixlid (HoX) - Kaltas (DT) - Heung (BS) - Teysa (HoX) - Gatzu (Guard) - Krovax (Ranger) - Hurkyl (Barb) - Vedalken (PoM)

  4. #4

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    I'm in a similar situation with the OP.

    One thing I don't understand about ranger is how they can use sword if most of their gear is Dex. When I created my free 50 character I was given sword and shield as starter gear and I've also noticed that tigers faction has a sword only rangers can use. The scripts for t1/t2 loot include both swords and daggers listed as ranger loot.

    Isn't it silly for a ranger to use a sword over dagger? Wouldn't they have to swap out their gear for Strength anytime they want to melee?

  5. #5

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    Quote Originally Posted by Daynan View Post
    I'm in a similar situation with the OP.

    One thing I don't understand about ranger is how they can use sword if most of their gear is Dex. When I created my free 50 character I was given sword and shield as starter gear and I've also noticed that tigers faction has a sword only rangers can use. The scripts for t1/t2 loot include both swords and daggers listed as ranger loot.

    Isn't it silly for a ranger to use a sword over dagger? Wouldn't they have to swap out their gear for Strength anytime they want to melee?
    The best solution is don't bother to melee. For PvE anyway.

    There is no minimum range in AoC, so just use the bow/xbow and shoot any mobs that get to you right in the face. Your ranged weapon is where your damage is.

    I've found there are only two reasons to weaponswitch. The primary one is when you need to drop aggro. Going to a sword/shield will give you a little more armor/protection while the tank(s) grab aggro back from you. (And don't run either - stand there, or run TO the tank.) The other reason is in the rare situation when ALL your ranged CCs are on cooldown and you need to switch to use a melee CC.

  6. #6

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    Quote Originally Posted by Daynan View Post
    One thing I don't understand about ranger is how they can use sword if most of their gear is Dex. When I created my free 50 character I was given sword and shield as starter gear and I've also noticed that tigers faction has a sword only rangers can use.
    Tigers' and T4 sword for rangers is basically a dagger, but with 1HE animations and higher dps

    If you wan't to deal melee damage before you get them, you would either have to use dagger (pfff...) or have a raw combat rating/strength gear.

    I leveled my ranger using barbarian and bear shaman gear and fought only with swords - in the beginning it's quite effective and doesn't look dumb. Most enemies prefer close combat, so if you use your bow at all times, it will look like this - http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lk...g0vyo1_500.gif You would have to RP (run away from mobs) to not look like an idiot...

    Around level 60 the melee becomes boring (2 combos...) and ineffective (very high damage spread of DS), while you have a ton of good ranged combos and feats.

    Rangers don't need a lot of work to be perfectly viable as melee - some number tweaks to make the sustained damage higher (lowering the spread, increasing melee dot damage, adding off-hand hits).

    Quote Originally Posted by Daynan View Post
    The scripts for t1/t2 loot include both swords and daggers listed as ranger loot.
    Loot scripts stink. Tanks will get more from "ranger" T1-T3 shield/sword (400+ protection - duh!) - at least in PvE.

    Quote Originally Posted by Daynan View Post
    Isn't it silly for a ranger to use a sword over dagger? Wouldn't they have to swap out their gear for Strength anytime they want to melee?
    You don't need to have strength to use swords - you'll just deal crap damage. Daggers have lower base dps, so the difference might not be that big anyway

  7. #7

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    Dagger/shield or dagger/dagger has the problem, that all the new combos from the ranger revamp will not work (deft stabs, cripple etc.).

    Sword and dagger, if you don't have shield bash feated. Otherwise one additional cc is good to have in melee in exchange for a few points of dps (would be different, if funcom added feats, combos or at least SOME offhand rating).

    Difference between an 80 blue sword combined with dagger and blue 80 dagger and dagger is still around 20 dps and more (and i have +dex on almost every item there). But it certainly is fun to play "assasin" once in a while

    Otherwise not much to add to what misuggah said, except that you are not bound to one or two melee combos, since every old combo finisher (except slam) adds an upper bonus for the new "combos".

  8. #8

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    Quote Originally Posted by Kurt2013 View Post
    Dagger/shield or dagger/dagger has the problem, that all the new combos from the ranger revamp will not work (deft stabs, cripple etc.).

    Otherwise not much to add to what misuggah said, except that you are not bound to one or two melee combos, since every old combo finisher (except slam) adds an upper bonus for the new "combos".
    I didn't check if dagger has full functionality in main had, but it was to be expected that it hasn't

    Does it makes any sense to use old combos, even for U/L bonus? DS is superior to other combos, so you may want to use it all the time. You need 2 swings to fully buff DS and it's exactly the time for it to go off cooldown - no space for anything else.

  9. #9

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    I think yes, considered that each combofinisher gets a chance for fatality and the first tortage combofinishers are not much slower than a white hit. Have not parsed it though...but it is at least a lot more FUN (the animations and sounds of the old combos alone are worth it for me) If i wanted pew pew i could use bow and arrow as well or max the deft stab cooldown reduction
    Also it is easier to manipulate mobs shield directions (they seem to react differently to a combo finisher than to a white hit, but that might be my impression) and deft stabs has only one direction to offer.
    Still pure dpswise you might be right.
    Last edited by Kurt2013; 15th April 2013 at 10:57.

  10. #10

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    Quote Originally Posted by Kurt2013 View Post
    I think yes, considered that each combofinisher gets a chance for fatality and the first tortage combofinishers are not much slower than a white hit.
    You can only fatality if you deal a killing blow, so only dps matters if the target has still a lot of hp.

    Quote Originally Posted by Kurt2013 View Post
    Have not parsed it though...but it is at least a lot more FUN (the animations and sounds of the old combos alone are worth it for me) If i wanted pew pew i could use bow and arrow as well or max the deft stab cooldown reduction
    Obviously when going full melee with a ranger, you will do it for fun. Adding some old combos will definitely keep it less harmful to your mental condition

    Quote Originally Posted by Kurt2013 View Post
    Also it is easier to manipulate mobs shield directions (they seem to react differently to a combo finisher than to a white hit, but that might be my impression) and deft stabs has only one direction to offer.
    Heh, never compared that. White hits worked quite well in keeping only one shield on DS side. Now if anyone would bother to check if DS bonus damage (was it like 2x or 3x higher than tortage combos?) covers the shielded penalty...

    Quote Originally Posted by Kurt2013 View Post
    Still pure dpswise you might be right.
    This is only true on strawman or when you can stand the whole fight on enemy's back... but that's all I need for my experimental ranger

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