Best bow for each build

Toxic RD

Toxic RD

Krytan Explorer

Join Date: Mar 2006

Vancouver, B.C.

Seers of Serpents

Mo/Me

For me as a Ranger the toughest decision is to decide what the best, or most suitable bow is for each build that i run, so i'd like, with the help of you who read this, to assemble a list of the most suitable bows (pref. greens as they are more accesible than custom rares) for the most popular builds.

So, what do you think are the most suitable bows to use with the following builds

Barrage ranger:
Interrupt ranger:
Poison ranger:
Broadhead ranger:
Condition ranger:
Beast master:
Machine gunner:
Trapper ranger:

trobinson97

trobinson97

Wilds Pathfinder

Join Date: Mar 2006

Guildless :(

R/

For each bow, I would try to have a 15^50 OR 15% always.

Barrage, a vamp shortbow, longbow if you don't like to be so close to the action.

Interrupt: I'd go with a short bow, close range, fast refire rate. For a little more range with same refire, go recurve.

Poison, any bow with a poisonous mod. It doesn't matter the type.

Broadhead, definitely shortbow. This a crazy innacurate shot, so it makes sense to pai it wth the most accurate bow.

Condition: Take your pick.

Beastmaster: I like longbowswhen I run BM. Pick an enemy, shoot it and the range gives my pet enough otime to tank it out for me.

Machine Gunner: Never ran this build.

Trapper: No bow, +15 energy staff.

Vermilion Okeanos

Forge Runner

Join Date: Feb 2005

Barrage ranger: Horn or long (if you use flat or short, you often have to stop your own attack animation to do it, which kind of made the speed pointless)
Interrupt ranger: read the wind + long bow or just plain recurve/composite
Poison ranger: usually they mix with other type of ranger build, hence, it would depend on the other half that was chosen
Broadhead ranger: shortbow no doubt, but a flatbow work just like a shortbow if you know how to control your range.
Condition ranger: Usually you would want long bow
Beast master: Long or Flat, depending if favoritable wind or read the wind is around or not
Machine gunner: As in Dual shot -> quick shot -> savage shot? Horn bow
Trapper ranger: +5 energy weapon + focus

SparhawkJC

SparhawkJC

Krytan Explorer

Join Date: Mar 2006

The Amazon Basin

R/Me

Here are the best greens for each job

Barrage ranger: Elswyth's Recurve (Vamp), Graygore's Zealous Shortbow, Swiftscale's Shortbow (Vamp).
Interrupt Ranger: Any green recurve or short bow though even with the short bow's range recurve bow arrows are faster.
Poison Ranger: Elswyth's Longbow, Rotwing Recurve Bow, Nundak's Recurve Bow.
Broadhead ranger: Koalin Longbow (assuming you have read the wind down and are using needling shot), otherwise any green recurve or shortbow.
Condition Ranger: Wouldn't this be the same as a poison ranger? What the hell is a condition ranger?
Beastmaster: I only use a longbow for sending in the pet initally and after the pet is engaged I switch to a +15 energy staff.
Machine Gunner: Again wtf is this? You mean a quickshot ranger? In that case I would use either a hornbow for more damage or a recurve.
Trapper ranger: No bow just use any +15 energy staff, and no weapon+focus combo. To get the energy on the focus you need to spec in that respective attribute which will never be wilderness survival or expertise. The only situation where a trapper did not use a staff was Famous Ranger from [Char] who used a +5 energy sword and i believe either a gingerbread shield or a +5 energy runic shield from a collector in ascalon. Either way the staff will give you more energy and in pve you most often will not be combat trapping making the armor from the shield worthless.

SnipiousMax

SnipiousMax

Perfectly Elocuted

Join Date: Sep 2005

Barrage ranger: Flatbow unless your using Tiger's Fury. If your using Tiger's Fury then a hornbow

Interrupt ranger:
Poison ranger:
Broadhead ranger: Recurve for all of these.
Condition ranger:

Machine gunner: Shortbow

Beast master: Longbow (I like to have enough points in Marks to make it worth bringing)

Trapper ranger: No Bow, Energy set staff, or energy sword/axe and no req shield.

XvArchonvX

XvArchonvX

Forge Runner

Join Date: Nov 2005

R/

Barrage ranger: If you use Favorable Winds, use a Flatbow. If you use Tiger's Fury, use a Hornbow (this gives the highest damage per second, but is VERY energy heavy), or if you use neither, use a Longbow.

Mods to use with this: Vampiric String does the most damage, although a sundering string will work to a lesser extent if you don't like the life degen. A fortitude grip is a safe bet, though you may want an enchanting grip if you use a Conjure enchant or Judges Insight.


Interrupt ranger: Recurve

Mods to use with this: The string doesn't matter much, but a Sundering string would probably suit best. Fortitude grip is likely the best choice to use as well.


Poison ranger: As long as you have a poisonous string, the effectiveness of the type of bow you use is generally more reliant on your other skills. If you are just shooting to poison then trapping/running/doing something else, then go for a Hornbow since refire rate won't matter much to you. If you aren't sure, go with a Longbow, its usually a safe bet.

Mods to use with this: Poisonous string of course with a fortitude grip.


Broadhead ranger: Shortbow or to a lesser extent Recurve

Mods to use with this: Silencing string with a fortitude grip.


Condition ranger: For the most part this is like the answer to the Poison Ranger, but if you are crippling, then go with a longbow for sure. The maximized range is excellent for catching sneaky little runners.

Mods to use with this: A condition string, likely a poisonous or crippling string is best with a fortitude grip.


Beast master: If you have attributes in Marks, then go with a Longbow, otherwise use an Insightful Staff of Fortitude

Mods to use with this: Mods don't really matter much here.

Machine gunner: Shortbow or Flatbow if you use Favorable winds or Read the Wind

Mods to use with this: A Sundering or Vamp string is best with a fortitude grip.

Trapper ranger: An Insightful Staff of Fortitude is best, but a Longbow or Flatbow is good to use to pull.

Mods to use with this: Mods don't really matter much here.

Ismoke

Ismoke

Lion's Arch Merchant

Join Date: Jun 2006

Fullerton, Ca.

CDXX/THE420TH.COM

Mo/Me

interupt: recurve or horn

barrage flat or recurve

Maria The Princess

Maria The Princess

Forge Runner

Join Date: Mar 2006

Aequitas Deis

Barrage ranger: vamp or zealots recurve or long bow
Interrupt ranger: recurve
Poison ranger: long bow with 33% poison mode
Broadhead ranger: recurve or short bow
Condition ranger: horn bow with whatever mode
Beast master: +15 e stuff
Machine gunner: short bow or recurve bow
Trapper ranger: +15 e stuff

Jenosavel

Jenosavel

Master of Beasts

Join Date: Jul 2005

Servants of Fortuna [SoF]

R/

Barrage ranger: if Tiger's Fury, then Hornbow; if PvE then Flatbow and Composite Bow to switch between as the situation warrants

Interrupt ranger: Recurve Bow

Poison ranger: it doesn't really matter, but a Longbow and Composite bow to switch between will give you some nice flexibility

Broadhead ranger: it doesn't really matter, just make sure you position yourself darned near your target when you actually use the skill

Condition ranger: Longbow and Composite Bow to switch between

Beast master: if Marksmanship, then Flatbow unquestionably; otherwise just take a staff

Machine gunner: if this means a QuickShot spammer or a Dual->Savage->Punishing spike, then unquestionably a Hornbow. The poor refire gets completely ignored by these skills and thus the Hornbow deals more damage universally than the other bow types.

Trapper ranger: if Oath Shot, then Composite Bow; if other elite, then staff


Note: when I say Flatbow, I mean regardless of whether or not you're using RTW/FW. When I say Longbow, I mean only if you're not using RTW/FW, in which case you should switch to a Flatbow.

thesecondrei

Krytan Explorer

Join Date: Jun 2005

California

Alliance of Xen [XoO]

W/R

I would say for every build except trapping and broadhead, a recurve is very nice.