Backup FW and Winnow for B/P Tombs Groups

Ive recently done a few B/P tombs runs after a long break while running around Cantha.

It used to be that every B/P group going into Tombs discusssed who had FW and who had Winnow and also who would take the *backups* of these two skills in case the Primary carrier got interrupted or died etc.

In the few groups ive gone with recently the player designated as the one to carry FW insisted that backups are not necessary. Even in game when we were without FW because he had been interrupted and we were taking a serious beating, this player ( in several different groups) insisted a backup was not necessary.

In the past when I got into a group with someone like this I would bring a backup FW anyway. Its an imporant part of the group build and should always be up while we are fighting.

I can understand not taking it in order to use the skill bar space for another skill, such as Throw Dirt. There has always been a srtrong request that there be several players with Throw Dirt - but honestly I rarely see anyone using it ( at least in the groups ive been in)


Im just curious if the is the general feeling that a backup is not necessary?

Backup spirits are never a bad idea. Throw dirt is never a bad idea, nor is dust trap, but the difference between a group that has someone with a backup spirit and a group with an extra blinding ranger is minimal at best.

I always make sure we have a backup FW... a backup Winno i'm not bothered about. But FW is the thing that makes your arrows HIT HARDER and HIT OFTEN. Missing with your Dragos Flatbow (come on 3/4 of you have it) because some tosser didnt want to bring a backup FW sucks... hell even longbows/hornbows can easily miss moving targets.

back up FW is a must!

have you ever tried interrupting the Dryders with a drago bow? before the arrow gets there the guy is casting his 5nd spell already which happend to be manta of restauration instead of meteor shoers you were trying to interrupt! with FW its at least possible to GET your target and interrupt half good.

Its been a while im not using Drago's but i see more like 9/10 rangers with one and it just doesnt work well without FW.

I agree that it can be tough without FW since the obvious choice for a B/P ranger is a flatbow (although I think a vamp +15%^50 flatbow is much better than a Drago's), but I always have plenty of backup bows of other types on me, so when FW drops I can still land my hits.

I always bring FW even if there's another FW carrier (unless there's already 2 FW carriers). I've been in too many B/P groups where the sole FW carrier either err=7's or rage quits. It's not too bad for me because I always take a longbow, flatbow, recurve, & short, but the guys who only take Drago's flatbow are outta luck.

I thought everyone took either Throw Dirt or Dust Trap or Barbed Trap.

My usual FW setup is:
Barrage [E]
Distracting Shot
Throw Dirt
Favorable Winds
Troll U.
Comf. Animal
Charm Animal
Rebirth

If I'm going with Winnow, setup is:
Barrage [E]
Dist. Shot
Dust Trap/Barbed Trap
Winnow
Troll U.
Comf. Animal
Charm Animal
Rebirth

If there's enough spirit carriers, then I sub out the spirit for Apply Poison and stick with one of the traps. I also tried Resurrection Chant because I thought it was a good combat rez since the dead guy comes back with full health and it doesn't suck up all your energy, but it's useless when you're the last one alive and there are monsters on top of all the corpses. Rebirth is the best rez to take. I thought everyone used these "standard/cookie-cutter" setups for a standard B/P group?