My Vampiric Ranger/Monk

I've been playing a Ranger/Monk for a little bit now--and I'm just peaking level 16.Expertise +13 (Supierior Rune) Marksmanship +9 (Minor Rune) Healing +6 Wilderness Survival +Remaining (Minor Rune) Now, I'm a little lazy--so I use something a little like this:Barrage Distracting Shot Dual Shot Lightning Reflexes Troll Unguent Vigirous Spirit Live Vicariously Mending Being as it is, I get about +21(ish) health everytime I hit something (I use Elswyth's Recurve Bow), and on good mobs, I get +63 to +126 HP everytime I use Barrage and a cool +42 HP when I use dual shot. I've thought on this for quite some time and I found it to be quite effective for the following reasons:I can handle myself when mobs attack me bad. While I sometimes can't take them all down alone, I can hold my own--my teammates are falling down around me and I'm still going as much as I can. Barrage only costs 2 energy to use. 2 energy. So does Distracting Shot and Troll Unguent Lighting Reflexes and Dual Shot only cost 7 energy--but it's usually energy well place.

My energy usually never drops below 10 points--and it's only when everything is falling apart. If I can hold my own, everything is peachy-keen (which means targeting the right link to get the most out of Barrage). However, I find it unnerving only having one PIP of energy to fall back on. I'm also a target (especially in Traveller's Vale) to enchantment removal spells--and I don't feel like I have any potential to move forward with this build. I see, perhaps, having the chance to do some good farming with this build--but that would mean spreading myself a little more thinner in later levels (especially with protective spirit and the 105 Solo-Ranger build discussed in this forum) by putting points into Protection Spells. Not to mention Superior runes are going through the roof.

I see myself being able to counteract having a constant heal up (Healing Breeze/Troll Unguent) by having Vigorous Spirit + Live Vicariously + Elswynth Vampiric Bow constantly firing. I also have the notion that I might be able to keep up with Barrage where I am right now (+13 Expertise +9 Marksmanship have remain constant--the rest of the skills can be messed around with) while constantly maintaining Protective Spirit + Vigorous Spirit. This might mean I would have to have about +8 to Protection Spells (which would mean I would have to cast Protective Spirit twice as much as I would have to cast Vigorous Spirit -- meaning I would have to keep at least 15 energy in stock at all times -- hence the need for Expertise to be so high.

I might have to leave Dual Shot and Lightning Reflexes at home in exchange for Whirling Defence of Dodge for those especially dangerous times where protective spirit would go down or I'm getting slammed by many people.

Another option would be to keep Protective Bond + Live Vicariously up. This means no more than 5 damage with the 105 build and I would be able to keep Barrage going a bit--with Vigorous Spirt + Live Vicariously, I'm already protecting myself from spike damage, seeing as how it would take 21 people constantly spamming hits at me to really take me down. My energy would always be low--but I could take both. My experimental skillset would be something like...Barrage Dodge Whirling Defence Lightning Reflexes Protective Spirit Vigorous Spirit Live Vicariously Protective Bond With this skillbar, I might be able to keep something going for a while. In the case that I really need to use one of my more potent stances and find myself without 7 energy (what is needed with +13 Expertise), I could cast Dodge, lose Protective Bond (this is all chancey, of course) and toss up Protective Spirit in time to cover for what I've lost.

Suggestions? Comments? Debating?

Your builds seem quite solid. When level 20 use this:

Healing 10
Expertise 11 (10 + 1)
Wilderness Suvival 10 (9 + 1)
Marksmanship 11 (7 + 4)

Thats 27 Health per Barrage with 5/-1 Vamp. If your shooting at 6 enemies then thats 162 Health per Barrage. Which is more than enough to counter the 1 degen. Take out Mending as the - 1 energy cost isn't worth it. Energy management is an issue as spamming Barrage gets your low. Try a zeaolus string to start and then when enemy health is below 40% switch to Vamp, switch during Barrage's recharge time to not break attack pattern.

Edit - Protective Bond? Seriously you can't handle the energy management, Prot Spirit all the way.

Thank you..

What I really need is some cash. Farming/Solo-farming is the way I'd like to go. I'd like to at least make 4k a day.

I was experimenting with this today:

A Mix of Major/Superior runes to get 105 HP

Barrage
Orison of Healing
Healing Breeze
Protective Spirit
Dodge
Lightning Reflexes
Balthazar's Spirit
Mending

It seemed to work for a little while, but I was trying it around Kryta and outside Camp Rankor and I just keep getting slaughtered. I'm not still level 20, mind you, but I think I should be able to atleast make a dent before I die.

Before I was level 20 I used to hunt the Lightning Drakes in the Sanctum Cay mission. I'd just run past (or kill) the fire imps, then pick a spot, drop a few traps and use whilring defense or throw dirt while I was picking of the rest of the drakes.

I could get about 1k a run. I don't know if it's still that profitable.

Looks like no matter what I do, I'm going to have to go through the Jungle Missions.

I tried tossing on Balthazar's Spirit (? the one where you get energy when hit) and it wasn't as effective as I've previously read. It was good when I was doing my Solo-Ranger running thing (I had 75 HP + Prot Spirit + Healing Breeze + Dodge + Storm Chaser), but I found it rather unnerving in any other place. I think I might just stick with my original build for now.

I just tried those stats on my Ranger, and they don't seem possible to me... Am I doing something wrong here?

Have you done the two 15 Attribute quests, or adding Runes where specified?

I've been running my build in Whitman's Folly (outside Port Sledge). I need to up my Marksmanship to 12 to get the most out of my weapon--but otherwise, I'm doing great.

I'm looking into getting Gorgash's Recurve Bow. I love "teh" green weapons.

Right, sorry, forgot about the attribute quests...