☆ Saranghaeyo_'s Physical Bow Ranger Resource ☆ WIP ☆ Gear & Gem Link Discussion ☆

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Saranghaeyo_ wrote:

Up.

Posted some sections of Chapter 5 which discuss how to build a 6L configuration. I start with Tornado Shot as an example, and then the other sections cover Split Arrow, Lightning Arrow, and Ice Shot.

I wanted to finish this section, but unfortunately the forums bugged out and my INV/Stash became empty, forcing me to redo every single link configuration in those sections. I'm a little on tilt right now.

I've also decided to remove Chapter 6 as I am completed out of space, and there is no way to reserve more posts after my initial ones. That said, I am playing Ranger in the 1M so there will be plenty of talk about that I'm sure.

It seems you've forgotten about Slower Projectiles gem injustfuly in your Chapter 5.
I think you should consider it as an option to further increase base damage. At some point, it may become even better than Faster Attacks. For example, when you have +100% increased attack speed (which isnt hard to obtain with Blood Rage and lots of frenzy charges) and +400% increased damage, then (20/20) Faster Attacks provide +26.5% more DPS, while (20/20) Slower Projectiles provide +31% more DPS. And with extra "increased attack speed" Slower projectiles will become more and more powerful.
Yes, it slows your arrows, but they have very high base speed, so this isnt an issue.

Also, even if you got 4+ power charges, it may be better to gain them with some Curse-on-hit + Assassin's Mark setup when clearing maps, and not with PCoC gem (which takes out 1 valuable slot).

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MortalKombat3 wrote:

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Saranghaeyo_ wrote:

Up.

Posted some sections of Chapter 5 which discuss how to build a 6L configuration. I start with Tornado Shot as an example, and then the other sections cover Split Arrow, Lightning Arrow, and Ice Shot.

I wanted to finish this section, but unfortunately the forums bugged out and my INV/Stash became empty, forcing me to redo every single link configuration in those sections. I'm a little on tilt right now.

I've also decided to remove Chapter 6 as I am completed out of space, and there is no way to reserve more posts after my initial ones. That said, I am playing Ranger in the 1M so there will be plenty of talk about that I'm sure.

It seems you've forgotten about Slower Projectiles gem injustfuly in your Chapter 5.
I think you should consider it as an option to further increase base damage. At some point, it may become even better than Faster Attacks. For example, when you have +100% increased attack speed (which isnt hard to obtain with Blood Rage and lots of frenzy charges) and +400% increased damage, then (20/20) Faster Attacks provide +26.5% more DPS, while (20/20) Slower Projectiles provide +31% more DPS. And with extra "increased attack speed" Slower projectiles will become more and more powerful.
Yes, it slows your arrows, but they have very high base speed, so this isnt an issue.

Also, even if you got 4+ power charges, it may be better to gain them with some Curse-on-hit + Assassin's Mark setup when clearing maps, and not with PCoC gem (which takes out 1 valuable slot).

Well the section isn't done as I didn't feel like writing any more last night. I tried Slower Proj in my main attacks and yeah, I guess with 100% AS it might be fine, but overall pretty clunky otherwise when I played around with the Tabula. No injustice here as I don't think it's normally ran anyways in those links? All of those 6L's I played around with in a Tabula to see how smoothly they played out. Slower Proj is king in single target though.

About to go to work now. On the second part I will mention CoH setups earlier, but I want to cover those in the next section.

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Saranghaeyo_ wrote:

Well the section isn't done as I didn't feel like writing any more last night. I tried Slower Proj in my main attacks and yeah, I guess with 100% AS it might be fine, but overall pretty clunky otherwise when I played around with the Tabula. No injustice here as I don't think it's normally ran anyways in those links? All of those 6L's I played around with in a Tabula to see how smoothly they played out. Slower Proj is king in single target though.

About to go to work now. On the second part I will mention CoH setups earlier, but I want to cover those in the next section.

Actually, any decent bow build can get 100% increased AS. For example, my (defensive) Duelist has +56% AS from passives, +10% from GMP gem, +24% from enhanced Blood Rage and +7% from frenzy charges (with Blood Dance) = 97% increased AS total. He uses Blood Dance (-21% AS from charges), he DOESNT use any attack speed on gear or jewels (which rarely happens), and he doesnt have access to Ranger's 8% AS node (as well as Cruel Kraityn quest reward).
Ranger with proper equipment, build and jewels will surely have more than 100% increased AS, and most probably, +150% or even more. So, i dont think "otherwise" (like you said) may happen too often...
It's almost a mandatory gem for physical 6-L setup, and can be a good (Faster Attacks) replacement for elemental setup. Do note - with proper gear, it provides MORE damage than Increased Critical Damage gem.
Do also note, that with Slower Projectiles and PtL gem, you will be able to shock more tough enemies, than it was possible with Faster Attacks (due to higher damage per hit).

When you estimate builds (and gems for them), you should understand what stats they're usually capable to get. There are some builds that have very poor Attack Speed - and those make use of Faster Attacks gem greatly. But physical bow build doesnt belong to those. I dont want to say that Faster Attacks is a bad option - no, it's still very good for physical setup, but i want you to show ALL options, with all their weak and strong points. Otherwise, a lot of players will continus to use very popular, but not always most useful setups, and you resourse wont serve its original task, actually.

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MortalKombat3 wrote:

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Saranghaeyo_ wrote:

Well the section isn't done as I didn't feel like writing any more last night. I tried Slower Proj in my main attacks and yeah, I guess with 100% AS it might be fine, but overall pretty clunky otherwise when I played around with the Tabula. No injustice here as I don't think it's normally ran anyways in those links? All of those 6L's I played around with in a Tabula to see how smoothly they played out. Slower Proj is king in single target though.

About to go to work now. On the second part I will mention CoH setups earlier, but I want to cover those in the next section.

Actually, any decent bow build can get 100% increased AS. For example, my (defensive) Duelist has +56% AS from passives, +10% from GMP gem, +24% from enhanced Blood Rage and +7% from frenzy charges (with Blood Dance) = 97% increased AS total. He uses Blood Dance (-21% AS from charges), he DOESNT use any attack speed on gear or jewels (which rarely happens), and he doesnt have access to Ranger's 8% AS node (as well as Cruel Kraityn quest reward).
Ranger with proper equipment, build and jewels will surely have more than 100% increased AS, and most probably, +150% or even more. So, i dont think "otherwise" (like you said) may happen too often...
It's almost a mandatory gem for physical 6-L setup, and can be a good (Faster Attacks) replacement for elemental setup. Do note - with proper gear, it provides MORE damage than Increased Critical Damage gem.
Do also note, that with Slower Projectiles and PtL gem, you will be able to shock more tough enemies, than it was possible with Faster Attacks (due to higher damage per hit).

When you estimate builds (and gems for them), you should understand what stats they're usually capable to get. There are some builds that have very poor Attack Speed - and those make use of Faster Attacks gem greatly. But physical bow build doesnt belong to those. I dont want to say that Faster Attacks is a bad option - no, it's still very good for physical setup, but i want you to show ALL options, with all their weak and strong points. Otherwise, a lot of players will continus to use very popular, but not always most useful setups, and you resourse wont serve its original task, actually.

Well don't get me wrong, I'm sitting at 94% AS (since one of my Jewels is AS focused) without Blood Rage or Faster Attacks Gem in my Tornado Shot link. If I go to a Rat's Nest configuration, it's 162%. Not hard to obtain. Main point I was making is how absolutely awkward the clear is with Slower Projectiles on an AOE skill. The damage boost is nice, but you clear so much slower with the delay you experience with a Slower Projectiles link. I guess I can re-run some maps with Ice Shot or LA using Slower Projectiles, but I wouldn't recommend it with TS or SA.

And all of the links I posted were tested. I simply went in my gear:

OUT

OUT

IN

IN

To stay resist capped but be able to play with the gem links in a map. All of those 6L setups were theorized and ran in either a Canyon, Gorge, or Plateau so I could focus on the clearing instead of where I was running. Maybe I need to go to harder maps? I don't know. I care a lot more about providing smooth clearing + fluid animation as opposed to DPS-Warrior style setups. If you have jumping Goats or charging Rhoa's, it doesn't matter if you can squeeze out extra damage with Slower Projectiles. It's going to take a noticeably time delay to hit a mob, knock them back with KOTH, etc. I just didn't like how it felt. Maybe if you want to share a different experience you can.

There isn't auto-attack cancelling in this game, but I still am generally trying to position forward as my main attack is going (rarely standing in once place), and it just doesn't feel effective to wait for the projectile to reach its target. With the TS section I went through all those iterations and adapted to SA, and then ran more maps using the same process with LA >>> IS. The 6L's are just logically built based on my experiences.

Hi OP. First of all this is a great thread that really brings forwards the many choices you have when building a physical bow archer :)

In your belt section I think you are missing some important information.

For many rangers taste of hate is a key piece of their gear since it gives us more damage and more survivability. That is why I have started to switch away from resistances on my suffix slots and invest into flask duration (and possible flask charges acquired) a long with the normal prefix slots (life, WED).

Combined with druidic rite passive node we can stack up 40% increased flask duration which is pretty neat (and it works on quicksilver potions and resistance potions as well which is also nice).

This of course makes you lack some resistance which you must then gather from other item slots but overall I actually really have started to like those flask suffixes =)

Hey guys, thanks for the suggestions.

@Frankenberry: I agree that this is an overlooked mod and even I will admit I may not have paid as much attention to it as I should. I will add this to a list of review subjects for what the body is released and I can make final tweaks.

@Panini: I did some more tests earlier with 6L setups and LA/IS you can mess around with to get effective clearing with it, but at the cost of losing PCOC/Increased Critical Strikes as a potential gem option. Tested the following (have higher level IS, but forums are buggy when I take it out of my off hand and equip it later):



The irony of that was when I tried to use Herald of Thunder and Curse on Hit to maintain charges (dropped below 80% Crit to use this setup), the AOE was killing large packs without HoT able to apply, so I had to re-chrome to use Herald of Ice and CoH instead. That setup does work at applying AM and getting Charges from it. Mana multiplier, however, is absolutely atrocious. Ice Shot cost 81 Mana, one the downsides of adding yet another 140% Mana Multiplier to an already high cost skill. Definitely the "one-shot" type mechanic, could pair well with manual Puncture or Frenzy to pick off stragglers.

Will comment on LGOH gem, as I skipped that over.


I do have these on a Notepad file, but eventually I will try to adjust for:

Other class trees (mentioned/requested by MortalKombat3)
Flask duration on gear (mentioned by Frankenberry, requires some testing from me to familiarize)

I can get LGOH Gem the next time I edit, maybe later this week, into the most recent section very quickly though.

Keep up the good work! Haven't touched Rangers since before Forsaken Masters so this was very informative and well put together! Thanks for making an extensive resource for physical bow rangers. It's helping me to come up with my own unique builds combinations without worrying about ruining my ever so important early game.

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Saranghaeyo_ wrote:

Main point I was making is how absolutely awkward the clear is with Slower Projectiles on an AOE skill. The damage boost is nice, but you clear so much slower with the delay you experience with a Slower Projectiles link.

Running it with TS, and projectile speed is OK. And i ran many different maps and faced many diferent enemies, including fast moving ones. TS isnt a sniping tool, BTW.
LA and IS are quite slow with Slower Projectiles, i admit. But not TS.

If Slower Projectiles make your clearing speed slower with TS, then (i guess) you overgear content greatly, pick up no loot and have around +100-150% movement speed. And all you should care about at that point, is your tankiness and move speed. Why dont suggest PtL+Innervate combo, for example? Surely they'll provide a great clear speed boost in that case.

I dont think guides should teach how to run the easiest content at light's speed. It isnt D3, after all.

And here is a tip how things may be different with different map layouts.
In Gorge and similar maps, 10 second charge duration is completely enough. But in more "maze-like" maps, you'll often lose your charges between packs. So you should rely less upon Power charges, for example, and ensure you have enough frenzy charge duration (like i did in my build).
Another thing - in narrow tunnels TS actually loses a bulk of its power, due to hitting walls. Not a big issue, usually, though.

You have a burning arrow linked in your lightning arrow section.

Nitpicking, but your lightning arrow section is missing some small details in my opinion. The built in elemental conversion is crucial for reflect damage. LA has great synergy with life gain on hit. I didn't notice mention of shock status effect. Personally, LA + chain is better than LA + GMP; and I would only use LA + GMP + chain for controlling reflect damage. I believe pierce is actually the substitute for GMP.

New map mod: "Added a new end-game map mod: of Congealment. This mod provides monsters with immunity to life and mana leech. This mod only appears at high tier maps and is rarer than most mods." Personally, I use life gain on hit and hybrid flasks to counter.

No likey meginords girdle heavy belt?

Overall, a bit wall of texty IMO. Could use more spoiler tags when you finish. For instance, how about putting LA, SA, TS, and IS each in their own spoiler tags.

Very small complaints from me. Great work compiling all this information.