Com spec anyone?
With the advent of Mod 10, many questions will be asked at the expense of the trapper hunter ranger spec. We all know that most likely nothing will be touched for this particular paragon tree. As for archery and combat, what is it that we may expect? Firstly and foremost, let me just say that I may really revert Arylos back to the combat tree (after all, Mod 10 will most likely give me 3 free respec tokens. 1 for Kariss, 1 for Arylos, and 1 for Korey). Tbh, the main reason why I chose trapper in the first place was due to a sense of frustration that the com spec wasn't dealing enough damage to be deemed useful. For a trapper, it's more straightforward as I knew I was actually doing something. After all, I still can spend 7 Savras tokens in the event things go terribly pear shaped like a butt job gone terribly wrong.
Expectations
Basically, I'm expecting a massive buff in 99% of the hunter ranger's gameplay with the remaining 1% staying untouched (okay, that's technically a lie since I actually expect Swiftness of the Fox to be slightly nerfed together with Deft Strike as there needs to be some slight balancing done. After all, nerfing is basically a simple case of plus and minus sum). Firstly, I don't expect the cooldown aspect to be improved. If what the devs said was right, then all they need is to buff the damage output of encounters and at-wills (however, it seems that the only buff Aimed Shot will be having is a non-interruptible startup). As for the buffs, it seems that Fox's Cunning will be the only thing left untouched (Longstrider's Shot has its damage increased by a whopping 45%. Which means more value for damage no matter whether it's within or beyond the 30 ft range).
As for the class features, I don't expect any major changes. The most straightforward part mainly lies in damage and (to a lesser extent) the buffing. When it comes to CC and class features, the last thing the devs ever want to see is a repeat of pre-Mod 4 great weapon fighter (not to mention this current mod as well).
On the DDR side (read: NOT the Dept of Diagnostic Radiology, but rather Dept of Damage Revolution), I firmly believe that the devs will do two things:
1. To up the damage output for the ranged attacks.
2. To further up the damage output for the melee attacks so that the overall dps game between the melee spec and archery tree will be effectively narrowed.
The trickiest part, quite obviously, lies in making the combat ranger usable in team tactics. To do so, it's pointless to up the dps stakes since only a moron will expect a com spec to out-dps an archery spec. This comes to the survival aspect where the ranger would be more than able to hold his/her own ground. Apart from any great weapon fighter build, the combat hunter ranger should be your next best bet in the off tank dept.
Things to note (if you want to respec into a com spec)
Forget abt the dps side. The rest will win you hands down (even with a big nerf on the GWF's buffing game, you'll most likely get out-dps'ed anyway). Your role is to support the rest doing the melee damage with you. Any increment in damage merely means your team has a better chance of finishing a fight. You'll most likely need two things, if not at least either.
1. An effective mass buff game
2. An effective CC game
In the event of scenario 2, it means you'll have a higher chance to proc a Blade Hurricane. Come Mod 10, you'll effectively be given 4 at-will attacks for free (whether this will translate into 4 targets getting marked by Careful Attack remains to be seen albeit I truly doubt the devs will want to broke the game). The choice should be quite straightforward. Slot in Aimed Strike and Clear the Ground (if you're a stormwarden) or Split Strike and Rapid Strike (if you're a pathfinder).
For the former, it's all abt creating an effective balance between AoE dps and single target DoT. Aimed Strike will proc twice per hit, which means adding that much desired 2 stacks of bleeding to any one target. Clear the Ground is a burst attack. Which means you'll have a higher chance to deal critical damage per attack (read: effectively twice the normal chance so as to speak).
For the latter, it's a straightforward balance between single target dps and AoE dps. Rapid Strike may stay as the most damaging at-will (since it's non-burst) while blast damage most likely means a higher crit severity (i.e. Split Strike).
Another thing to note is that very few people actually uses Rain of Arrows/Swords so far. The reason why lies in a high chance of whiffing the attack. For Rain of Arrows, it's not so bad so long you launch it after Constricting Shot or Binding Arrow. Rain of Swords is more problematic as the only way for you to nail it cleanly is to do so at close melee range. The damage for RoS is quite astounding given that it actually gives 150% bleeding damage on top of a base 5K damage. Again, the problem lies in the 50-50 call in terms of nailing that decisive moment. This may seem a pittance of annoyance at first. That is until you realize that the lag in Icewind Dale is anything but sane.
In the event where you'll want to respec into a combat spec, please remember to have an effective means of holding the mob before contemplating whether to use RoS as your staple dps tactic (in other words, Plant Growth). At the same time, adopt an effective DoT game up close and personal as well.
If you're not into DoT, then you may want to try other options. Namely, whether the combat tree is suited for you. I'm not saying that DoT is the only way for you play a melee ranger. Rather, this is likely the most straightforward route in creating a standard dps melee ranger (alternatively, you can try Fox's Shift as the starter for RoS. However, the so-called landing point of this encounter move has gone totally random. Which means you may need to move a bit instead of doing a hit confirm like Umehara Daigo. Not that it's にんむインポシブル in this context quite obviously).
Assuming that I'll be doing an Arnie...
(not that I'll score a date with Emilia "You Before Me" Clarke anyway...)
...I may really end up doing a build with RoS as my dps staple. Tymora has a funny way of one-upping her wicked sister. They say the Nine Hells have no fury like a goddess scorned, I'm referring to Arylos spurning Beshaba's offer to be her consort. As a gamer in Neverwinter, I'm used to having a Rank E in luck (basically, that makes me both/either Archer and/or Lancer). In other words, all the good loot goes to others instead of me. Nevertheless, I'm still running around gimping opponents 99% of the time with the remaining 1% being defeat (note that I don't do PvP because of my traumatic past in dealing with people).
Currently, my active class feature bonus in my artifact weapon is Crushing Roots. Basically, it gives Arylos a 15% control bonus. Prior to rolling my much-wanted choice, I got myself a Blade Storm. Which means I can easily use 5K astral diamonds to do a switch. Because I'll most likely get a free respec anyway, I don't really need that 15% control bonus. The reason being that the devs have fixed Skirmisher's Gambit nicely. Even with 1 pt dumped into that paragon feat, it means I'd end up having 10% bonus in crit severity at the cost of 2% crit chance. Since I'm pretty much of a crit player (hence my cat named Crytt), it means I only need to decide where the remaining 4 points will go. At the same time, I'm more of a tactical gamer than the simple run-and-gun type. Therefore, I won't be surprised at myself if I end up dumping 5 feat points into Keen Eye and Stormcaller's Arrow for the archery tree. Because I'm using Lostmauth set atm (not to mention I'm not gonna barter it in the long run at least), it also means I don't need Lucky Blades at all. Which means I'll most likely dump the 4 points into Serpent Weave or Bloodletting. I'm still a regen gamer rather than doing lifesteal, so a synergy of Aspect of the Lone Wolf with Survivor's Gift and Wilds Medicine may suit me better with Oak Skin thrown into the fray as well. At the same time, my recovery stat is quite okay for me. At least I got no problem with a 4K+ recovery score (that's basically given the fact my choice of Dragonflight arms slot is recovery and crit). In other words, a grand total of 19% to 20% lifesteal on a base value basis is more of a bonus to me.
As for boons, I'll most likely do a few major changes. Firstly, I'm not gonna dump my boon pts into armor penetration. This is due to the presence of Piercing Blades where ignoring the enemy's damage resistance to a certain extent is an offer too good to pass up (note that both this feat and Scything Blades will be buffed in the next mod come 16th Aug 2016). Below is most likely how I'll prioritize my boons in descending order.
1. Defense, HP, Stamina, Combat Advantage
2. Critical and Regeneration
3. Deflection and Power
5. Recovery
6. Lifesteal and Armor Penetration
Above list may not be exhaustive in terms of what all the in-game boons can offer, but you get the drift.
The reason why I decide to go for a more defensive option lies in the nature of my gear. Pretty much 99% of the gear stats are offensive oriented (think the only notable defensive slot comes from the Elven Ward Ring worn by my cat Crytt).
Control bonus or dps?
I doubt I'll be spoilt for choice here. Assuming that I'll choose Blade Storm over Crushing Roots, what this means is that my new choice of Tyranny of Dragons 4th boon will be Dragon's Grip. While Dragon's Fury is nice (it confers you 5% crit severity bonus), CC still remains the mainstay of Arylos' (or just about any HR build) defensive game. If I choose to stick with my current guns though, it means Dragon's Fury. Being a melee spec should mean that you'd have a decent, if not superior, defensive game for a melee dps build. With or without control bonus amounting to 15%.
At the same time, Blade Storm is capped at 25% chance to proc with 5% damage bonus per rank up (think it should be like that, will need to check back again though). In other words, not every aspect of the melee ranger was brutally shafted. Just those which truly matters at the end of the day.
Note: Apparently, you'll be able to proc Blade Storm with Plant Growth come Mod 10.
Note: Apparently, you'll be able to proc Blade Storm with Plant Growth come Mod 10.
Universal language
Don't we all love universal language? As early as my ITE days, I knew exactly what that means. At this point of time, I'm actually referring to the New Jersey salute (just don't ask me how Chris "the Governator of New Jersey" Christie would react to such a culture). In the current context though, I'm referring to whether I should have a change in epic armor enchantment. Because I'm more comfortable in using a one-size-fits-all approach, I find that Soulforged won't be good enough to bail me out. It's too much of a lottery in a sense that there's a 50-50 chance of things going terribly wrong (read: getting the sledgehammer after you auto-revive). This will be very problematic once I slot in that same enchantment for Kariss and Sheallyn in particular. Hence, I upped my Soulforged in the auction house. I've checked the pricing. Assuming I can fetch around 700K worth of astral diamonds in this way, I can easily do a buyout for a Negation of the same rank with a profit of 100K. Yes, there will be no auto-revive, but something needs to give. As for Lightning, Holy Avenger, and Lifedrinker, I'm currently fine with them.
Possible skill set
At-will:
Clear the Ground/Electric Shot; Aimed Strike/Aimed Shot
Encounter:
Plant Growth/Cordon of Arrows; Rain of Swords/Rain of Arrows; Oak Skin/Binding Arrow
Daily:
Forest Ghost; Cold Steel Hurricane
Class:
Aspect of the Lone Wolf; Blade Storm/Crushing Roots
A/N: I may substitute RoS with Gushing Wound for team tactics. This is to give me more tactical options in the event where I need to disengage and/or play support behind the forward line. At the same time, I'll definitely replace Oak Skin with Throw Caution for the same reason as well. Hence my decision to don Negation instead of Soulforged. I really need to know when to use TC instead of just spamming it against random mobs.
P.S: Increment of the HR dodge frames may seem like good news to all. That is until you realize something most likely has to give. I call it the stamina meter.
P.S: Increment of the HR dodge frames may seem like good news to all. That is until you realize something most likely has to give. I call it the stamina meter.
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