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

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Bitemcho999 wrote:

PPL please tell me what do you think of that build im not expirienced one and i just experiment a lot and want to know whad do u think and what do i dont need does i mistaken a lot in this build???

1.2-New lvl 1-20lvl.

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After the life/ES nerfs, CI became very popular, especially when combined with Ghost Reaver and Vaal Pact. The upside of this build (once properly geared) is being able to use Blood Rage and instantly leech life. It's a very strong build but is also quite equipment heavy. Discipline/Grace/Hatred are your go to auras. Use Frenzy for single target and Split Arrow for your AoE.

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Islidox wrote:

What my final build at lvl 100 will become: 117 point build

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Islidox wrote:

My Current gear:

Spoiler

Current numbers: (needs updating)

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- 3.4k HP
- 7.6k EVR @ 45% chance to evade, 8.26k EVR @ 45% chance to evade with 7 charges
- 41.9% chance to crit
- 335% crit multiplier
- 86% chance to hit
- all capped resists @ 78% and will eventually get 79 rez with a higher leveled Purity
- 608 mana, 155 mana after 3 auras (Grace, Hatred, Purity)
- 8.2k DPS @ 3.58 APS for Frenzy (7 charges)
- 5.5k DPS @ 2.75 APS for RoA (7 charges)
- 64 life/sec regen
- 29% runspeed
- 334 Dex, 177 Str, 104 Int

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Islidox wrote:

Skill Gem Setup:

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Main single-target skill is Frenzy, main AoE skill is Rain of Arrows. Supports are listed in priority from left to right. Reason why I use RoA instead of Split Arrows is because you can use the Concentrated Area of Effect gem and seriously boost your DPS that way and also be able to control your shots - no offscreen-physreflect deaths! You control your own fate.

- Frenzy + Mana Leech + Faster Attacks + Inc Crit Strikes + Added Fire Damage + Inc Crit Damage/Culling Strike

- Rain of Arrows + Faster Projectiles + Faster Attacks + Concentrated Area of Effect + Inc Crit Strikes + Inc Crit Damage/Inc Area of Effect/Added Fire Damage

- Grace + Hatred + Purity + Reduced Mana

- Decoy Totem + Faster Casting

- Bear Trap and Smoke Mine (supported or not, some good ones are Culling Strike, Added Fire Damage, Increased Duration)

- Projectile Weakness + Temporal Chains + Critical Weakness + Reduced Mana
(You can swap out Critical Weakness for Frostbite or Enfeeble) Use Projectile Weakness from Normal to Merciless, then take it out and use Critical Weakness for maps.

- Puncture and Poison Arrow on gear or on Weapon Swap

Miscellaneous skills:
- Arctic Armor (situational)
- Lightning Warp (movement, retreating)
- Summon Skeleton + Spell Totem (another decoy/aggro-magnet)
- Ranged Attack Totem + whatever bow skill

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Islidox wrote:

Build Specifics:

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I decided to opt for a pure evasion build simply due to the fact that Iron Reflexes suck for us Dex-users, or characters that have a high amount of dexterity. (In short, our dex bonus do not apply for extra armor, which is bad since Dex-based Rangers can get around 350 Dex, which translates into 70% extra armor%.) That means you will need to be extra careful when you encounter physical reflect mobs and use Bear/Conversion Traps or single out the phys reflect boss from the pack. You won't have armor to protect you from straight reflect damage, but having evasion and Acrobatics/PhaseAcrobatics will help avoid some of the damage.

Let me also explain some of my choices in my build and my skillgem setup.

- First off, I have enough resistance on gear and from Purity (not even high-leveled) to avoid getting Diamond Flesh and the +6allrez node. I do not recommend players skipping those nodes unless they have gear that can cover 120% resistance of each type. I can get away with one passive investment in resistances (which is the Nullification notable that gives +8 all rez) and still be capped. Having over-capped resists is also important for maps with ele-weakness curse mod or the -x max player rez mod. More rez you have, the better you can take on endgame content.

- Crit Chance over Crit Multiplier is my creed; you don't have to follow this. I personally like being able to crit more. Every third shot should crit, and if you can build even higher crit, every second shot should crit. That provides a more consistent DPS over time, especially when facing unique/rare mobs. Stack too much crit mult, you run the risk of one-shotting yourself on physical reflect. This is why I suggest aiming for a 250-400% crit multiplier and go no further. Yes, having tons of crit mult is fun, but ultimately I think is unnecessary and overkill. The Heartseeker cluster is overkill and worse off point-investment-wise compared to the Deadly Draw cluster.

- Why get Mana Flows when you already have Primal Spirit? Mana Flows is necessary to support 3 auras at once (Grace, Hatred, and Purity) while having enough leftover mana to constantly support your attacks and miscellaneous skills like curses and traps and totems. If I get to a high enough level that I don't need the extra mana, I'll spec out of Mana Flows, but I don't think it will happen since the Ranger isn't an Int-based build.

- If you have over 33% chance to crit and over 80% chance to hit, I don't recommend getting the Bloodthirst notable that grants 45% increased crit chance because it isn't necessary. (At the top of the Shadow tree) But if you don't have high enough crit chance and accuracy, then definitely get Bloodthirst. The same goes for Crit Multiplier such as Deadly Draw, which grants 40% increased crit mult. IMO, you want more crit chance than crit mult. With my current passives, I have slightly over 300% crit multiplier, which is MORE than enough to destroy mobs/bosses. You can also support your main skills with the Increased Critical Multiplier support gem for the extra damage.

- If you notice, my complete build will grab all of the hybrid evasion/HP nodes. You should grab those because they increase both your primary and secondary defense, life and evasion respectively. I would grab those nodes over pure evasion. That's how important those nodes are in order to prevent a oneshot. Also, I compared grabbing 6 hyrbid EV/HP nodes to grabbing a 3 8%HP nodes + Beef + Leather&Steel, and you still win by 4% increased evasion and 6% increased life. By the same token, Acrobatics/PhaseAcrobatics do not have to be taken early whatsoever. I did a test run on my new Ranger at Lunaris lvl 2, and had no problems surviving stuns/stunnage, and this was without Acrobatics. You must grab Ondar's Guile, which makes you godly against projectile attacks.

- Icebite is optional. I don't know whether I want a +10 dex and 30% increased cold damage with weapons over a 12% increased physical damage with bows and 20% increased accuracy rating. I'll have to see once my character gets into endgame. For now, I'm going with the +IPD and 20% acc nodes since I respecced a bit out of the offensive starting highway. Also, grab the 2 15% increased physical damage nodes above Aspect of the Eagle notable, being the best bang-for-buck physical damage nodes on the tree for bows.

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Islidox wrote:

Updated my Gear Section and Current Numbers for my own build on Page 30.

Mainly new chest, new rings, new quiver.

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VictorDoom wrote:

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Islidox wrote:

Updated my Gear Section and Current Numbers for my own build on Page 30.

Mainly new chest, new rings, new quiver.

i still kinda want to see a video of your ranger though, it might remind me of my old build which i miss so much :(