Anyone have a R/W Sword based build they could share?

I'm kinda curious on how well a R/W sword based ranger could work. From my experience playing various builds, I know that a R/A can play an assasin just as well if not better than most assasin builds due to superior energy management with Expertise and superior defense due to Expertise based defensive stances such as Escape {E}. I have however never tried a R/W, let alone a sword based ranger and am kind of tempted to try one out. I would like to find a find a build that could work well in PvE if possible.

This is what I've used in the past, and I can't remember the attributes off the top of my head, and I'm at work, so I can't play with the character creation screens...

1.) Tiger's Fury
2.) Pure Strike
3.) J. Strike (Pure St.'s clone)
4.) Wild Blow
5.) <utility>
6.) Escape {E}
7.) <utility>
8.) Rez Sig

Wild blow is key here. Because you are limited to 12 in Sword, you are also limited on the number of critical strikes you have. Wild blow is a guarenteed Crit every five seconds, and because this is an energy build, the loss of adrenaline doesn't even phase you. You also have the advantage that ALL your attacks are unblockable/undodgeable. This is especially helpful against enemy rangers.

For my utility skills I like the old standby of Throw Dirt. For the other, I usually bring savage slash or another defensive stance (WD). Another option is adding Apply Poison to the mix. (yes it does work with swords) You're not going to be trying to appy it to everyone, so you don't need to put many (any) points in wilderness survial, as the poison will be re-applied often enough to have constant degen.

CONS:

1.) No self heal
2.) No warrior runes
3.) Lower armor
4.) In order to get max armor from shield you'd have to spec into tactics or strength, so the most I generally get is 8 armor from my shield.

PROS:

1.) Guarenteed hits with your skills
2.) GREAT evasion stances
3.) Constant or near constant IAS with no downside
4.) Wild Blow!

This could work:

Sever Artery
Gash
Final Thrust
Hundred Blades
Apply Poison
Troll Unguent
Deadly Reposit
Rez Sig.

Sword-no sword evasion build for warrior killling and degen
Sword 9
Tactics 12
Wilderness rest
Expertise 12

Apply poison
Sever
Deadly riposte
Escape
Whirling
throw dirt
Healing signet
Troll

Make sure to poison all foes before you kill one. Posion and bleeding and not getting hit back. Good healing as well.

I beileve i used something like this in the past..

Sever Artery
Gash
Apply Poison
Melandru's resilience
Something
Something
Something
Something

I dont remember, Sorry!!

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Funny thing happend few days ago in aspenwood, my A/mo vs an A/E with the exact sme build you posted, i had the classic GPS-Hoto-FS-TF, he had the exact same combo as you. We Both AOD'd i got gps off then he shocked me - falling - blinding poweder, i just undid AOD.. he ran after me thinking i was gona die, the blind wore off when he got to me - HoTo - FS - TF.. dead A/E, soo... i dont see why an R/A cant do what i just did.

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Here's a build I use when I want to go wacking with the cat:

swordsmanship 12
tactics 8
Expertise 7 + 1 + 3
Beastmastery 8 + 1

Hudred Blades {E}
Pure Strike
Savage Slash
Tigers Fury
Comfort Animal
Charm Animal
Watch Yourself
Predatory Bond

I just played it again with 6 henchies from the Vasburg Armory to the Durheim Archives and was nearly as quick as I am when I play my beastmaster/supporting archer build which is the most effective all purpose build for me lately. Of course, it requires four attribute lines but I don't know how to avoid that when using sword and shield. Like many other builds its an energy build capitilizing on expertise to keep TF on nearly always and to ensure that there's always a skill charged and the energy to use it.

Fun from time to time? Absolutely. World's best? Probably not.

But I'd be very interested in seeing where this thread goes as I'd be very interested in a very effective, innovative sword build for a ranger. Thanks for the starting the thread XvArchonvX.

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