[1.xx] Islidox's Build tips/critique section for Rangers

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Islidox wrote:

@VideoGeemer: I'd go with this build for more survivability. Also, the 20% mana regen nodes are a kaizo trap as mana regen only helps when you have a hugh amount of mana for it to be effective. In that case, you're better off with more mana and looking for mana regen/leech mods on items.

The build: using 108 points

Armor does only so much, so stacking it up isn't necessary and in fact a waste of points. Better off looking for evasion gear with high evasion, and with the Reflexes notable and Armour Mastery, you should be set. Blood Magic is another way to manage your resource, which then requires 2 things: 1) high life 2) regen/leech/LGoH. Due to the rising difficulty of this game since CB, stacking life has been paramount and BM is a logical choice in that regards.

Thanks for the response. :)

A few questions:

1) Why are the regens a trap? Sure, 20% more than very slow is still slow, but I've noticed the increased before, like on my witch, and in closed when I grabbed a good bit of regen then.

The other passives are just 8% mana nodes, and maybe I'm not seeing something correctly, but that just doesn't seem like a lot.

*looking up my C sheet, doing some math*

Right now I'm looking at a lot bigger boost by getting the 60% regen rather than three 8% nodes. Wouldn't 24% more mana come out to about 24% more regen as well? My numbers say 22%, but they're based on rounded figures. I was of the impression that I could get the regen nodes, then try to use items so boost mana. Sure, if I got those items, the 8% mana nodes would boost those as well, but they'd still only boost them by (for 3 points) 24%, rather than 60.

So then, there's just the consideration that regen doesn't give you MORE mana, just a faster recharge (which I think I'm okay with) and the possibility that there's something fundamental that I'm overlooking.


2) Why Armour Mastery but not Steel Skin? That node, and the 2 next to it, give 52% more armor, and even your version of the tree goes right up to them. You're putting 2 points for 18% rather than three points for 52%.


3)Are those life nodes in Marauder really THAT good? Because they seem kinda weak from here. Not that they're bad, but it seems I might as well stack more 8% life nodes, considering that I'd have to invest some extra "filler" str points in order to get there. Sure, if I wanted the Diamond Skin, I'd be right there anyway, but I was actually thinking I might not need passive resistances after all.

But that's why I'm asking. I figure you know something that I don't about the workings of those nodes. Troll's Blood seems kinda meh, but maybe it's not?


Thanks again for your help. :)

I'm going to start a physical bow ranger because i have the Broadstroke unique quiver (+30% phys dmg) and this phys bow:


Logic says follow VictorDooms phys ranger build.

Are critical strike multipliers the only way to keep up with Lightning Arrow rangers and their +40% dmg if shocked. can stack 3x thus +120% dmg.

I also want to use Hatred aura. chilled monsters increases my survival chances.

Are there any other good builds to revolve around my 2 pieces of gear?
(i also have a 136phys dmg bow at ~lvl 30.)

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Pi314 wrote:

I'm going to start a physical bow ranger because i have the Broadstroke unique quiver (+30% phys dmg) and this phys bow:

Broadstroke *looks* good, but my quivers actually give a lot more damage. And I'm not even that high-level yet. Don't overestimate that 30% until you try it out and actually see a much larger boost than what other rare quivers can provide.

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Logic says follow VictorDooms phys ranger build.

It seems good, but there are still some areas where I'm confused as to why he went that way. All that frenzy and critical strike ... I just don't get it. ... It must depend on what main skills you're going to use.

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Are critical strike multipliers the only way to keep up with Lightning Arrow rangers and their +40% dmg if shocked. can stack 3x thus +120% dmg.

I'm not sure we can. LA is so overpowered it really needs a nerf.

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I also want to use Hatred aura. chilled monsters increases my survival chances.

I've been trying this out too, but until I get more mana it is more of a burden than a boost.

Hi guys. I am stuck. I can't figure out if I should get Unwavering Stance or not. I've read about people who say it's very important to get, especially if you have IR. And I have read that some people don't use it and they get along fine (nugiyens build as an obvious example).

Since this is kind of a general tip thread for bow Rangers, I was hoping someone could give a good overview of Unwavering Stance and if/when it is worth getting.

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MackBolan42 wrote:

Hi guys. I am stuck. I can't figure out if I should get Unwavering Stance or not. I've read about people who say it's very important to get, especially if you have IR. And I have read that some people don't use it and they get along fine (nugiyens build as an obvious example).

Since this is kind of a general tip thread for bow Rangers, I was hoping someone could give a good overview of Unwavering Stance and if/when it is worth getting.

well, if u are using IR, then it's a no brainer to get US next. and obviously, you better be also using Grace with IR.

if you're not doing IR, then i would say no. you are a ranged toon.
spell totem/skels should keep you out of harms way.

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VideoGeemer wrote:

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Pi314 wrote:

Are critical strike multipliers the only way to keep up with Lightning Arrow rangers and their +40% dmg if shocked. can stack 3x thus +120% dmg.

I'm not sure we can. LA is so overpowered it really needs a nerf.

What do you mean physical bow rangers cant keep up with LA?

Why?

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Pi314 wrote:

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MackBolan42 wrote:

Hi guys. I am stuck. I can't figure out if I should get Unwavering Stance or not. I've read about people who say it's very important to get, especially if you have IR. And I have read that some people don't use it and they get along fine (nugiyens build as an obvious example).

Since this is kind of a general tip thread for bow Rangers, I was hoping someone could give a good overview of Unwavering Stance and if/when it is worth getting.

well, if u are using IR, then it's a no brainer to get US next. and obviously, you better be also using Grace with IR.

if you're not doing IR, then i would say no. you are a ranged toon.
spell totem/skels should keep you out of harms way.

The other thing to consider, though, is that Unwavering Stance is several points away on the tree. There are some life nodes and a Steel Skin out there, but pretty much we'd spend several levels worth of points to get it.

I guess it depends on how often we get stunned, and if we can get an item that helps with that (like we can with shock and freeze). I don't seem to get stunned that often, or at least I don't seem to notice it if I do.

I'm not planning to go that way, personally, but I guess I never know what Merciless might bring as far as shifted priorities.

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Pi314 wrote:

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VideoGeemer wrote:

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Pi314 wrote:

Are critical strike multipliers the only way to keep up with Lightning Arrow rangers and their +40% dmg if shocked. can stack 3x thus +120% dmg.

I'm not sure we can. LA is so overpowered it really needs a nerf.

What do you mean physical bow rangers cant keep up with LA?

Why?

It depends what you mean by "keep up."

The way things are right now, I'm not sure if *anything* can truly KEEP UP with lightning arrow. As in, if you're going to race other players through areas, LA will probably be a little faster, because it's overpowered, and can (with LMP and chain) deal up to 36 times the damage shown in the DPS readout.

But physical ranger can keep up with *anything else* in the game, because physical ranger is awesome. :)

Not only that, we can switch from poison (+ LMP and pierce is great) to normal arrows (which are really good for single targets) to split arrow to quickly thin a crowd, and rain of arrows if you're into that sort of thing ... and besides that, we can STILL use elemental shots, just not *as* effectively as investing in one particular element across the tree. But they have to choose an element and more closely stick with it. I choose chaos as my element, but I suppose there aren't very many of us around anymore, since LA is so OP.

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Pi314 wrote:

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MackBolan42 wrote:

Hi guys. I am stuck. I can't figure out if I should get Unwavering Stance or not. I've read about people who say it's very important to get, especially if you have IR. And I have read that some people don't use it and they get along fine (nugiyens build as an obvious example).

Since this is kind of a general tip thread for bow Rangers, I was hoping someone could give a good overview of Unwavering Stance and if/when it is worth getting.

well, if u are using IR, then it's a no brainer to get US next. and obviously, you better be also using Grace with IR.

if you're not doing IR, then i would say no. you are a ranged toon.
spell totem/skels should keep you out of harms way.

Very good points, and for the most part that is common sense. But sometimes the actual numbers prove otherwise in games like this.

Also, most builds include Grace simply because damage mitigation is overall more effective than evasion, right now at this stage of the game's life cycle. This includes builds that don't have Unwavering Stance.

Any other feedback, possibly from a number cruncher?

Does anyone else have opinions/math on the mana regen nodes? They seem like they'd be really beneficial, but Isildox doesn't agree.

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VideoGeemer wrote:

Does anyone else have opinions/math on the mana regen nodes? They seem like they'd be really beneficial, but Isildox doesn't agree.

I dont like regen nodes because mana leech gets the job done better. If you run auras you usually will have a small pool of mana to work with and it gets leeched back so quick. Ther best combo I think is on phys ranger, get the 2% mana leech node above the shadow crit assassination cluster, and pair that with mana leech gem. that alone is good, toss in some leech from gear and you dont need regen nodes at all.