Crazy Barrage/Splinter Synergy

ubermancer

ubermancer

Jungle Guide

Join Date: Jul 2005

******************* Refuge From Exile [RFE]



Ill save you the trouble of adding all that up - its 556 damage total. Here is my bar:

Favorable Winds, Splinter Weapon, Barrage, Savage Shot.

I used a 16 Blood Magic hero with Order of the Vampire as well, and a Vampiric Flatbow of Fortitude.

Splinter Weapon was only at 12 Channeling, it can go up to -53 damage. This can create some crazy spike scenarios, especially in PVE B/P groups. Typically you have the foes balled up. Once thats achieved, its easy to have everyone just hang tight while the Me/Rt Mantra of Recovery Arcane Echo Splinter Weapon spammer (you call me crazy...) gives everyone a copy of the weapon spell (which lasts 41 seconds at 12 channeling), then, bam, barrage.

Splinter Weapon can give you up to 5 uses at 14 Channeling. That means that if 5 foes are balled together, you will deal 50*4*5 damage. THATS A THOUSAND DAMAGE.

Lets say things get crazy, and you get one of those piles of like 12 foes like you do in Urgoz at some points. You deal Barrage damage to half the foes, plus FW and Orders. This is alot of damage to begin with. Now imagine a Barrage-spike, with 6 (just 6!) Rangers that have a 15 Channeling Splinter Weapon on them.

Number of rangers * splinter damage * number of arrows with splinter on them * number of adjacent targets per arrow = 6 * 50 * 5 *11 = 300 * 5 * 11 = 1500 * 11 = 16,500 damage

Sixteen THOUSAND damage. Armor ignoring, instantaneous damage. Over only 12 targets. Thats 1,500 damage per target. Thats an instant, aoe killer.

So, who wants to do Urgoz with me and my Channeling Rit? =D

EDIT: The screenshot was one Barrage+Savage, and the target was at full health before. And I was being serious about wanting to do Urgoz - my Ritualist's name is "False Saint Ajora".

Indian

Indian

Wilds Pathfinder

Join Date: Oct 2005

[SWIM]/[HooD]/[RFE]

Me/

yes you are crazy

Nilator

Nilator

Jungle Guide

Join Date: Dec 2005

Mo/

I believe you misspelled "Splinter Weapon" for "Splinter Shot" and visaversa.

Edit: I can heal for Urgoz.

I'm wrong.

Sir Mad

Sir Mad

Desert Nomad

Join Date: Apr 2006

Moe's Pub

Pigs Can Fly [Pigs]

R/

Man...

I'm speechless.

Count me in for Urgoz

ubermancer

ubermancer

Jungle Guide

Join Date: Jul 2005

******************* Refuge From Exile [RFE]

Quote:
Originally Posted by Nilator
I believe you misspelled "Splinter Weapon" for "Splinter Shot" and visaversa. No intentional mention was made of Splinter Shot. I did, however, typo Weapon for Shot. I dont see Splinter Shot being a good use of Splinter Weapon.

(okay, any time I say splinter shot in the future, i mean splinter weapon)

Nilator

Nilator

Jungle Guide

Join Date: Dec 2005

Mo/

Check my Edit2 plz. Splinter Weapon is only applied to the first attack.

ubermancer

ubermancer

Jungle Guide

Join Date: Jul 2005

******************* Refuge From Exile [RFE]

Quote:
Originally Posted by Nilator
Check my Edit2 plz. Splinter Weapon is only applied to the first attack. Thats from the original wiki entry. Splinter Weapon only affected one attack on Barrage because... well, it only effected one attack, period. It now affects multiple attacks. It seems logical that each strike of an arrow would trigger Splinter Weapon now.

edit: look at my screen shot. I only fired 3 arrows on the barrage (top line). There are 5x -41's up there. This supports my model. The first arrow hit the practice target splintered to two, second hit adjacent to foe target, splintered to one, and the third arrow hit adjacent target and splintered to two.

MirkoTeran

MirkoTeran

Forge Runner

Join Date: Sep 2005

Slovenia

Scars Meadows [SMS]

Mo/

Count me in. (As a monk, what else..)

Nilator

Nilator

Jungle Guide

Join Date: Dec 2005

Mo/

Hmm. Off to try it!

Sir Mad

Sir Mad

Desert Nomad

Join Date: Apr 2006

Moe's Pub

Pigs Can Fly [Pigs]

R/

Just to make it clear: Splinter now affects the next 1...5 attacks. Each arrow of barrage counts as 1 attack. So if you use barrage and hit 6 foes, Splinter will trigger 5 times. If you hit 2 targets, then 4 tagets, Splinter will trigger for the 2 first targets, then 3 out of the 4 next targets.

Nilator

Nilator

Jungle Guide

Join Date: Dec 2005

Mo/

Yeah, tried it. Definetly works as ubermancer said it would. Quite well also.

Nilator

Nilator

Jungle Guide

Join Date: Dec 2005

Mo/

I can get around 450 damage easily with only 3 targets.

Franco Power

Franco Power

Jungle Guide

Join Date: Dec 2006

UK

W/

<< count me in for urgoz aswel

ColaManiac

ColaManiac

Lion's Arch Merchant

Join Date: Nov 2005

DISNEYLAND!

R/Mo

awww.... let me say... anet will nerf this, we don't ever get anything fun... -.-
well while we are talkin about Sweapon and barrage, here is my new single barrage build for PvE purpose

R/Rt
marksmanship 16 (12+1+3)
expertise 9 (8+1)
channeling 10

skills:
1.barrage
2.cross fire
3.Splitter weapon
4.Nightmare weapon
5.speed boost
6.whirling defense
7.Fav wind
8.res
(bow with zealous mod)

Sight... this is exactly what we have been wishing for since factions came out...

Chamber Asgardian

Chamber Asgardian

Academy Page

Join Date: Jul 2006

Lions Arch, Kryta

Untainted Apocalypse

A/

deng it, why'd you have to post this. Now there's gonna be dozens of Ranger/Rt's and the original people who used this build like me are gonna look like copying noobs. I've been using R/Rt w/ barrage since factions came out now everyone will use this. Then Splinter Weapon will be nerfed in time .

- Keep the good things for yourself, and let those not as bright find their own secrets

ubermancer

ubermancer

Jungle Guide

Join Date: Jul 2005

******************* Refuge From Exile [RFE]

Quote:
Originally Posted by Chamber Asgardian
the original people who used this build like me are gonna look like copying noobs. Thats kinda cute, almost. You do know that this skill's functionality was just changed to be useful (though probably entirely too useful) like a few hours ago, right? And barring the unforseen, that I was the first one to post it / mention its effects.

Things get nerfed, thats the nature of the game. Cant stop it, but thats okay, new things will pop up. I think its cool when things that I come up with get nerfed. I have been working on building a personal resume of GW nerfs that are attributed to me.

Like just this morning, I found a way to use Protective Bond in farming again. I havent perfected it yet, but Ill let you guys know when I get around to it (my physics prof. is kinda going overboard, so that might be a while)

Orinn

Krytan Explorer

Join Date: Jul 2006

Defiant Dragons

nice. I've been running R/Rt since a week after Factions, and while Brutal weapon/Barrage was always a fun time, it looks like Splinter Weapon is now where the fun is.

Ryuujinx

Ascalonian Squire

Join Date: Oct 2006

N/A

Mo/E

Urgoz? I'm in...(I'm dazra off gwiki =P )

My necro is to HzH, my monk will be soon I could prolly speed run my ranger there too

IGN - Dazra Deathbringer

Amy Awien

Amy Awien

Forge Runner

Join Date: Jul 2006

R/

Splinter Weapon is almost as usefull without barrage, 4~5 attacks get +30 damage. Well, with barrage you could do it as frequently as you have energy. Could be nice with Quick Shot and Needling shot based builds as well, 120 bonus damage for 5 energy is not bad at all.

Son of Urza

Son of Urza

Frost Gate Guardian

Join Date: Dec 2005

I'm the guy right behind you staring through your head . . . .

W/

No, see, it only works on foes ADJACENT to your target, not the target itself, which is why Barrage works so well with it.

What I find most amusing is that this is what some people thought Splinter Weapon would do with barrage and were like "OMGWTFBBQ?" And now it really DOES do that . . . well, use it while it's hot, just like that Deadly Haste bug (although this is a LOT more legit than that bug).

gogoblender

gogoblender

Academy Page

Join Date: Jun 2005

Montreal, Canada

After I saw this I knew I had to pump out my first heroe ranger really fast.
wow
Certainly a huge uber damager.
Guys is there anyway to get this ranger doing synergy with a paragon?
I"M runnin now a paragon warrior/toff build with Searing energy Zhed and while a MM rounded out the super high damage of this team build, the switching out of a mm fer this archer is a bit more of a my style team build.
Anyway to get this kind of a ranger/rit doin synergy with Burning bein done from everyone on the team by a paragon?
Or even synergy for a searing Flames Ele?
*takes out timer*
HOw long till the nerf?


gogo

Anarion Silverhand

Anarion Silverhand

Desert Nomad

Join Date: Sep 2005

Denmark

None

Urgoz? Where?

I'm in.

Oh and I think we'll see a nerf on this sometime soon, so let's get cracking

ubermancer

ubermancer

Jungle Guide

Join Date: Jul 2005

******************* Refuge From Exile [RFE]

In the spirit of the test weekend, I think Splinter Weapon should be changed to (after the weekend, please) only 1 arrow per attack, or, if using an attack skill, one arrow per attack skill. That way the closest youd be able to get to unloading them all at once is Quick Shot + Savage Shot.

ubermancer

ubermancer

Jungle Guide

Join Date: Jul 2005

******************* Refuge From Exile [RFE]

Here is a bit better proof of concept. No buffs other then FW and Splinter Weapon:



There were 12 trolls. There are fourty four -41's in that picture, because I only got 4 actual arrows with Splinter Weapon (Channeling 12), though Barrage hit 6 times. 44 = 4*(12-1)

44*41= 1,804 damage from Splinter Weapon alone. Leet.

Evilsod

Evilsod

Banned

Join Date: Mar 2006

England

Lievs Death Squad [LDS]

Couldn't this be used to make for an extremely powerful Ranger Spike? Not for HA since you'd be stuck for numbers, but as GvG. Oh wait, forgot this was only to adjacent foes.... ignore that.

And perhaps now would be a good time to unlock Razah on my ranger

Jegred2

Ascalonian Squire

Join Date: Jan 2007

Quote:
Originally Posted by Chamber Asgardian
deng it, why'd you have to post this. Now there's gonna be dozens of Ranger/Rt's and the original people who used this build like me are gonna look like copying noobs. I've been using R/Rt w/ barrage since factions came out now everyone will use this. Then Splinter Weapon will be nerfed in time .

- Keep the good things for yourself, and let those not as bright find their own secrets ... i'd been contiplating using splinter weapon with barrage but since It only worked on one attack before I never found it usefull. Since the buff I have been pwning with all sorts of sin and ranger builds using it.

Barage and death blossom with splinter weapon = lots of aoe damage.

whobitz

whobitz

Academy Page

Join Date: Apr 2006

Mo/

So what happens when you get a Necro to Arcane Echo MoP onto 2 of the targets that get hit?

Wheeeeee.

EDIT: I went and answered my own question:

That's of course only the damage from my view, after one round of barrage. I had 18 Curses, and it woulda been 42s popping up if I hadn't used AtB. Jin had 14 Marks and 12 Channeling. Sorry for all the stuff cluttering the screen, but I guess you get to see everything I did to set up. It's probably kinda difficult to coordinate in a real situation. Although it'd be very impressive if you could do it to the trolls or something.

@Amy Awien: Yes, I'm aware it only works on physical damage. However, because I Arcane Echoed it, the 2 targets in the center had the hex on them, letting it trigger twice. I'm kinda confused as to why there are 10 46s though...I thought it would've been less.

Amy Awien

Amy Awien

Forge Runner

Join Date: Jul 2006

R/

Mhh, [wiki]Mark of Pain[/wiki] works when the target recieves physical damage, so likely only on the arrow.

Jegred2

Ascalonian Squire

Join Date: Jan 2007

wew, if mop had worked for the splinter dmg then you know that something would be nerfed.

SnipiousMax

SnipiousMax

Perfectly Elocuted

Join Date: Sep 2005

Did it cause scatter?

Vexed

Vexed

Frost Gate Guardian

Join Date: Dec 2006

Mo/

I didn't do a whole lot of testing, but it seemed like on the second volley, mobs would scatter.

XvArchonvX

XvArchonvX

Forge Runner

Join Date: Nov 2005

R/

Quote:
Originally Posted by Chamber Asgardian
deng it, why'd you have to post this. Now there's gonna be dozens of Ranger/Rt's and the original people who used this build like me are gonna look like copying noobs. I've been using R/Rt w/ barrage since factions came out now everyone will use this. Then Splinter Weapon will be nerfed in time .

- Keep the good things for yourself, and let those not as bright find their own secrets ROFL!! You can't be serious. Do you honestly think that this was some sort of secret combo that no one would think of on their own? After reading the update, I saw this potential and tried it out on my ranger just as I'm sure tons of other rangers did.

I tried this out in a 5-man bp run in SF, but I think that I actually prefer my standard R/Mo build since there's not really anything that's worth dropping out of that build. This skill combo is amazing though.

@ Snipious: I only really tested this out a little bit, but I did notice a little scatter at times when using this, but I'm not sure if it was from Splinter Shot.

Sir Mad

Sir Mad

Desert Nomad

Join Date: Apr 2006

Moe's Pub

Pigs Can Fly [Pigs]

R/

^ That's from Splinter Weapon - it cause the same kind of AoE scaterring than Sand Shards if you see what I mean.

Evilsod

Evilsod

Banned

Join Date: Mar 2006

England

Lievs Death Squad [LDS]

Quote:
Originally Posted by SnipiousMax
Did it cause scatter? I'm assuming it works either the same as all AoE or the same as all mobs react when attacking at melee and begin to take heavy damage.

They'll either scatter instantly. Or scatter when they get to lower health (at least below 50%).

Yeah like Sand Shards as Mad said just as i was posting

Archon. The funny part about the coment you quoted been the skill changed massively recently and he's acting like its been his build since Factions

Darkpower Alchemist

Darkpower Alchemist

Jungle Guide

Join Date: Jan 2006

NYC

The Circle Of Nine[NINE]

E/N

No,It was a build I used since Factions. I took the "L" the last time I mentioned it. Now, finally,it works as I wanted it to.

And the nerf talk is ridiculous. They gave it to us like this, so why nerf it? THEY made it do this after it never did. If they take it away now, then why give it in the first place?

Evilsod

Evilsod

Banned

Join Date: Mar 2006

England

Lievs Death Squad [LDS]

Quote:
Originally Posted by Darkpower Alchemist
No,It was a build I used since Factions. I took the "L" the last time I mentioned it. Now, finally,it works as I wanted it to.

And the nerf talk is ridiculous. They gave it to us like this, so why nerf it? THEY made it do this after it never did. If they take it away now, then why give it in the first place? Erm... it may seem like Anet don't fully understand how long a weekend is. But these changes were suppose to be for the Weekend. Just to see how things would be used. Technically they never fully gave it us, so they can do what they like with it.

Its not like this sorta combo will get abused. In PvP if you stand that close you deserve to be caught in a multi-spike. Hell, they gave it Necromancers in the form of Opressive Gaze and didn't so much as try and stop it. In PvE if it causes scatter that quickly its likely to not be favoured all too heavily. Might be fun for a guild trip or something, but in a pug, i doubt it'll take off... you may get the odd R/Rt trying to utilize it every now and then though.

Nestaron

Nestaron

Krytan Explorer

Join Date: Mar 2006

Glasgow, Scotland

Banished Dragons

A/

It does cause scatter on groups of 4 or more... Was bored earlier so a friend and i went to UW. Him with his 55 monk and me with my Splinter Weapon Barrager.

On groups of 3 or 2 Aataxe it works like a charm! Though it does require some target switching, to evenly dish out damage so you don't have one staggler left over. Doesn't take too long either but it's still slower than an SS!
When it came to fighting the single attaxe it took a while to kill him spammming just barrage and throwing in a condition here and there... So maybe if the monk has space a smiting skill could help, or if the Ranger took afew more powerful single bow attacks?
We cleared all the Aataxe then disposed of the Graspings easily and quite fast... Then the monk had to go so we never got to test it on the smites!

It's in incredibly easy as it's just spamming two skills...

Skills i was using were...
Barrage
Splinter Weapon
FW
Apply Poison(for single aatxe)
Flesh of my flesh(hard res)

So as you can see theres still room for 3 more skills

Amy Awien

Amy Awien

Forge Runner

Join Date: Jul 2006

R/

Since you've invested in Channeling, maybe [wiki]Nightmare Weapon[/wiki]?
And there'd be some agressive spells in Channeling,
like [wiki]Gaze from Beyond[/wiki] and [wiki]Wielder's Strike[/wiki].

Nestaron

Nestaron

Krytan Explorer

Join Date: Mar 2006

Glasgow, Scotland

Banished Dragons

A/

Quote:
Originally Posted by Amy Awien
Since you've invested in Channeling, maybe [wiki]Nightmare Weapon[/wiki]?
And there'd be some agressive spells in Channeling,
like [wiki]Gaze from Beyond[/wiki] and [wiki]Wielder's Strike[/wiki]. Was tempted to suggest that but i know next to nothing about Rit's! Those skills could do a job i think!

HalPlantagenet

HalPlantagenet

Frost Gate Guardian

Join Date: Aug 2005

too far from Conwy

The Chained Swan

R/

I tried this out this morning in the Domain of Secrets: three rangers, myself, Jin and Margrid all equiped with this build, a necro with OotV and MoP, two healers, the motivation Paragon and the dervish henchies.

Here are some impressions. The first damage was always impressive, although the Margonites immediately spread themselves to preclude a second devasting shot. Also, Jin and Margrid weren't particularly good at coordinating splinter weapon with their Barrage, although obviously I could intervene manually.

The build necessitated dropping my IAS (flail), although I could have replaced it with Lightning Reflexes and execution entails both the cost of invoking Splinter Weapon as well as Barrage.

For all those reasons, my sense is that it's interesting, possibly devastating in situations where groups remain together, but unlikely to merit a nerf. Amy Awien's suggestions for augmenting it with other channeling skills is interesting and I'll probably invest it that later.

Nevertheless, it doesn't seem likely to be the basis for a versatile build one might run to address a variety of situations.