Random Arena Faction Farming Build

Well since your using Crippling Shot, you should use Whirling Defense or Throw Dirt instead of Dodge since you don't really need a speed boost when you snared your target. It actually still comes in handy to get out of range of other casters and other targets so I can heal with Troll in peace. The ability to travel quickly also comes in handy in lots of other areas (i.e. running the flag). I don't think whirling defense would be a bad idea, but throw dirt seems almost a bit overkill, since I would have to run back to the crippled target, blind him, then run away again. That would also leave me vulnerable to other targets not in range of throw dirt.

I really like it. Only thing I might change would be switching out Dodge for Whirling defense....but that doesn't give you the speed boost. I wish you could squeeze throw dirt in there... But I do really like it. Crippling shot is one of my favorite skills. Cause you can spam it and cause the other team all sorts of havock. Yea, I've come to love Crippling shot. I used to run the same build with Punishing shot and Pin down to replace Distracting Shot and Pin Down. It did more dmg, but was harder on energy and just didn't seem to work as well since I would be getting pounded while waiting for Pin Down to recharge, or waiting for enough energy to use it again.

You might want to try throw dirt anyway, it's a real boost for the team. Of course, the other team's tanks are going to try to bone your monks/casters, so you can basically shut them down with throw dirt and give your team a chance to knock them out. I've come to find that dropping Savage Shot and not using distracting as a quick-damage shot can work, so you might want to give it a shot.

I really need to start using crippling myself Here's my beef with throw dirt. If I want to protect my monk/caster with it, I first of all, have to leave whatever position I have taken that gives me an advantage (i.e. higher ground, out of reach of others) and run to the tank. I also have to reach the tank before that tank reaches my caster and causes too much dmg. Once throw dirt wears off, I have a long recharge time to wait for until I can use it to protect anyone again. If the condition is removed, all effort I have done is then in vain.

I prefer this: I stay where I am, when I see a tank targeting my monk/caster, I use crippling shot. This causes damage from the shot, cripples the tank allowing my allies to run in safe range, and should that condition be removed or wear off, I can reuse crippling shot again since it has almost no recharge time.

If I was to keep crippling shot and replace another skill, it would either cut my interupt ability in half, take away my one skill that causes greater damage, disallow me to poison foes (which can make a great buffer condition for cripple), disallow me to run to ecape or run flag, disallow me to heal myself, or disallow me to rez.

The reason having to run to touch distance would affect my build so much is that I tend to stay in places higher than other enemies. If I am on the beach area, I run onto the bridge when the match starts so that I may pick off enemies with greater visibility (works great with my longbow) and hide easily. To reach any enemy to use throw dirt I would have to reach them quickly and be forced to use dodge which would disallow me to use it to escape until it recharges.

This is not to say that throw dirt isn't a great skill, but it just doesn't work well with this build imho.

I approve. Woot!

Your new build I approve now. Woot! ...wait, new build?

i like it, but wouldnt it be better to switch penetrating shot for hunter s shot? most people, when crippled, still move, so in 2 shots your target would be poisoned, crippled, and bleeding ( in theory). i dont know, but i think hunters shot seems better to use in this combination. I have tried that skill actually and it does work well. I simply bring penetrating shot out of personal preference. Hunter's shot is a good substitution, though I wouldn't see a large difference in effectiveness.

What I'd personally love to bring in to this build would be some energy recovery such as Energy Trap from mesmer lines; since most stuff you picked out is really energy demanding (apply poison 15, penetrating 10, crippling 10 etc), i know expertise will help you out but if you wish to keep those cripping shots going... I'd also be in favor of dropping maybe penetrating attack with a 5 energy skill like hunters shot. I actually don't have energy problems with this build. High expertise and the way the build is used in general keeps it running well. If I was to put e-tap in there I would have to spread my attributes, which would lower the effectiveness, drop a skill, which would kill it's balance, and would have to find a long safe spot to use e-tap since it has a long casting time. I would strongly advise against this.

i like it, but wouldnt it be better to switch penetrating shot for hunter s shot? most people, when crippled, still move, so in 2 shots your target would be poisoned, crippled, and bleeding ( in theory). i dont know, but i think hunters shot seems better to use in this combination. I tried this out a bit more on your suggestion and it did seem to work rather well with the build. I'm not so sure anymore whether I like penetrating shot or hunters shot more. Either way, it is definately a workable skill for the build.

i would throw in a superior expertise rune instead of a major since i think major runes are just never worth it. 13 expertise is also the break point for 5/15/25e. cost skills so an extra -25 health is very worth it, imo.

you will still have 410 health if you use a sup vigor and a +30 grip and i have found that a ranger build like that can easily get by on much less health than other classes True, but you might notice that there are no 25 energy skills in the build. That and there are really very few ranger skills in general that req 25 energy. To me, a sup exp rune would be a waste of 25 health. If you look at how the att points are spread you will also notice that there is only 1 unused att point, so everything is already set up just about as efficiently as possible. Also, a +5 defenive grip > +30 health grip imho, but there's a a marginal difference between the two really.

Also, a +5 defenive grip > +30 health grip imho, but there's a a marginal difference between the two really. There was thread about this...I might look it up in a bit. But I agree.

True, but you might notice that there are no 25 energy skills in the build. That and there are really very few ranger skills in general that req 25 energy. To me, a sup exp rune would be a waste of 25 health. If you look at how the att points are spread you will also notice that there is only 1 unused att point, so everything is already set up just about as efficiently as possible. Also, a +5 defenive grip > +30 health grip imho, but there's a a marginal difference between the two really. no 25's but you have 3 5's and a 15...given, its not much (a point here and there but that was apparently enough to justify losing 50 health over instead of none) but the extra point of expertise will also help your dodge a tiny bit. *shrug* i dont see this build as having much trouble with an extra 25 health gone...its a good one

the only reason i disagree with the armor comment is because so many builds are focussed on spells that ignore armor nowadays. ive run into more people with IW, necro drains, life loss, and ob flame people within the last few weeks than ever before and the extra armor wont do anything to stop it

overall this looks like a great faction farming build tho. packs a punch, hard to catch, pretty sturdy

no 25's but you have 3 5's and a 15...given, its not much (a point here and there but that was apparently enough to justify losing 50 health over instead of none) but the extra point of expertise will also help your dodge a tiny bit. *shrug* i dont see this build as having much trouble with an extra 25 health gone...its a good one

the only reason i disagree with the armor comment is because so many builds are focussed on spells that ignore armor nowadays. ive run into more people with IW, necro drains, life loss, and ob flame people within the last few weeks than ever before and the extra armor wont do anything to stop it

overall this looks like a great faction farming build tho. packs a punch, hard to catch, pretty sturdy I looked again at the expertise chart and you're right, there is one less energy for 5 energy skills. I'm still not sure if this would be enough for me to want to substitute my major exp rune for a sup one (especially since I'm too cheap to upgrade 9 more health with a sup vigor), but it is something to note. As for the armor, I agree with you. I have found that one of the weakenesses of this build are generally hexes and degen skills. Physical damage from tanks is usually avoided by crippling shot and running away using dodge, arrows are also usually avoided by dodge's evade technique as well, so I might look into trading out that defensive bow grip for a bow grip of fortitude...

i usually put 14 on expertise and 15 on markmanship for spiking purposes. IT could either be a hate with expertise and sup mark or major exper with sup mark could work also. Never in my life i have energy [problems with this build.

14 * 4 = 56% = 4 energy cost on a 10 energy skill. still 3 energy for a 5 energy skill.

I find out that saving one energy from a 10 energy skill is kinda useful. Even though it never looks that way, I never have low energy in spike builds. I can see that extra point making a difference in spike builds. I didn't in my build since it is a little less intense in terms of spamming any skills, but a spike build could definately benefit from that.

something else i noticed while playing this is that dodge only works on arrows...i ended up doing a lot of running away instead of interrupting and damage. i tried swapping in whirling defense for dodge and it helped a little but im thinking that theres something about dodge i am missing.

what is it you like about that skill? for me its a storm chaser that doesnt last as long 33% increase in movement vs. 25% increase in movement.

something else i noticed while playing this is that dodge only works on arrows...i ended up doing a lot of running away instead of interrupting and damage. i tried swapping in whirling defense for dodge and it helped a little but im thinking that theres something about dodge i am missing.

what is it you like about that skill? for me its a storm chaser that doesnt last as long I use dodge because it helps me get away from tanks. I cripple any enemy chasing me (as well as dodge any arrows from any rangers and avoid other rangers with crippling shot/pin down), then use dodge then troll if needed to heal. Whirling defenses would help defend, but the point of dodge is to get out of the way altogether. Not only does this get me away from tanks, but it can help me get to a more advantageous spot to attack. I use dodge when I'm at the beach map in RA to get on the bridge quickly and attack. From there I can attack enemies and do more dmg by being higher up. I can also hide from rangers there. Dodge also comes in handy to run the flag when applicable.

I chose dodge over storm chaser because, while storm chaser has a longer duration, I usually don't need that much time to get to a safe spot. Being able to escape at a quicker speed is also helpful. The recharge time for both skills is equal, but the energy cost is half that of storm chaser at 5 energy. If I use this build in a GvG however, I switch dodge for storm chaser to work as a flag runner, but I am far from an expert on GvG, and this build has been tested most in RA.