Is Blackout + Arcane Echo Good?

Since as a Ranger you can do pretty good damage with a bow if you have high Marksmanship, I was wondering how much it would hurt to have your skills disabled for 5 seconds?

Arcane Echo then Blackout (maybe Wastrel's Worry) and the Blackout from the Echo. By then Blackout has recharged and can be recast. That gives around 15 seconds of No skill useage for one target or 2 targets at the same time ~5 seconds each (plus a followup cast available.)

That could severly mess up a caster while having much less effect on a Ranger. Especially if using a pet.

Well, you could just go with Backfire because most good people won't try to cast through that anyway. It only takes one spot and gets the job done for almost as long as your proposition. And both could be eliminated by a simple hex removal so it doesn't really matter which you choose. As a Ranger I find I never have enough spots on my skill bar.

As a ranger myself I also find it is hard to decide what skills to select. There's just so much diversity that you sort of want to go everywhere with your build but know you should stay more focused.

I agree that Backfire might get the job done about as efficiently. You'll either shut a caster down while they wait for it to end, have a teammate waste time/energy using a hex removal spell, or have a player who casts through it. A lot of noobs will cast through it cause they aren't familiar with it.

But you should at least try out the Blackout build. Who knows, may be more effective than people think (especially depending on the other skills you add in).

As a ranger. skills = important. Unless your entire role in a party is to constantly black out their healer, then no.

As any profession, skills = important. Use a good skill beforehand to increase power/speed of regular attacks and then go with Blackout. The reward might be worth the sacrifice. Main problem I am seeing could be energy management. And without a high amount in Domination Magic, Blackout wouldn't be worth using. Looking at this in more detail with energy costs, recharges and other aspects, Backfire might be the better way to go. Maybe try Me/R.

You have to ask yourself, "As a Monk, would I be willing to take a 119 points of damage to save the life of a teammate?"
If you answered, "Yes", Blackout is more effective.

This assumes that as a Monk your job is to keep teammates alive.