Guild Wars Guru

Read the Wind or Favorable Winds?

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Elythor
Lion's Arch Merchant
• #1
Hello, if I am to play as an interrupt/caster-hate ranger, do skills that speed up arrow air-time essential?

If so, which would be a better skill to take? Read the Wind or Favorable Winds?

They both increase the arrow speed by 2x...but read the wind does more dmg while favorable winds lasts longer. Any suggestions?
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JeshterDaggerfury
Academy Page
• #2
Along those lines, I was wondering if you can use both at the same time? One is a Preperation and the other a Nature Ritual. Do they stack? Cause if they do, they are both really cheap mana cost, especially with Expertise.

I just made a build where I would be amazing if they stack.

Someone who knows, please chime in.
Ensign
Ensign
Just Plain Fluffy
• #3
The important difference is that Favorable Winds is symmetrical - it'll help enemies as well as allies. If you have a Ranger-heavy team, grab it and don't look back - however, in a pick up or as the lone Ranger on a team, I'd stay as far away from it as possible, as it'll likely do more harm than good.

Read the Wind takes a while to prepare, but it's reliable and does a decent amount of damage. If you're trying to rely on interrupts I'd grab it and not look back.

Peace,
-CxE
Davion
Davion
Krytan Explorer
• #4
Your refire rate determines your speed more than anything. Arrows may go faster but you still only refire at a certain speed. Do they help though. Yes they do. Especially since they last for a set of time and you can gain their benefits even just using your normal attack mode while they are up.

Which is better? Hard to say.. read the wind is short with a little more damage and favorable is longer duration. Depends on your needs. The other thing to consider is that these two stack as well. Read is a preparation....Favorable is a ritual. It is perfectly viable to run both at same time if you choose, stacking the damage and benefits of both if need be.
J
JeshterDaggerfury
Academy Page
• #5
Hold on, I have a fundamental misunderstanding. Why would Favorable Winds be *bad* if I was the lone ranger? Cause the group moves around alot, or what?
Davion
Davion
Krytan Explorer
• #6
If you were the "lone" ranger,.. you would be the only one reaping benefits of it. Understand of course Ensign was speaking from a PvP point of view. On your team it wouldn't help anyone but you. It also takes considerable time to cast...more chances to be interupted by the opposition.
As far as PvE goes... anything that you can bring to the table is a welcome addition if you can use it without sacrificing your other abilities.

Edit : another thing... fovorable casts a spirit ghost on your location...you move around..it does not. to get its benefits you would be tied to that spot as long as spirit is active. (and yes..you and your enemies..if ranged capable will get to use it in area of effect)
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Great Gjl
Academy Page
• #7
Quote: Originally Posted by JeshterDaggerfury Hold on, I have a fundamental misunderstanding. Why would Favorable Winds be *bad* if I was the lone ranger? Cause the group moves around alot, or what? Quote:
Originally Posted by Ensign
The important difference is that Favorable Winds is symmetrical - it'll help enemies as well as allies. The radius on nature rituals is pretty big. It won't be too hard for enemy rangers to come in range and reap the benefits.
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JeshterDaggerfury
Academy Page
• #8
OKay.

1. Before this post I didn't know that Favorable Winds helped rangers on the other team as well. I guess I didn't understand rituals at all actually.

2. I always thought the spirit followed you around. That's lame that it doesn't. I'm taking this skill out of my build now, hehe.
Zarconis
Zarconis
Frost Gate Guardian
• #9
Quote: Originally Posted by Davion
If you were the "lone" ranger,.. you would be the only one reaping benefits of it. Understand of course Ensign was speaking from a PvP point of view.
Edit : another thing... fovorable casts a spirit ghost on your location...you move around..it does not. to get its benefits you would be tied to that spot as long as spirit is active. (and yes..you and your enemies..if ranged capable will get to use it in area of effect)
Enemy Monster get the benefit as well, just to make sure that is clear. When you cast a ritual EVERYONE in the radius is affected for whatever purpose. So all ranged attacks are buffed with this spirit cast.

To put it into perspective, if you are the only ranger on any team PvE, Arena, GvG whatever. You are only going to get a "good" result as long as no ranged attackers gets inside your radius. It really only takes one enemy to essentially negect the effects of it... which is why Ensign said that if you have more than one ranger in the party then it might be a viable option. Just place it toward the back and put yourself on the front edge of the radius if possible.

That being said, in PvE the Mobs are not nearly as intelligent as human players and may ignore the effects of the ritual and move in and out of the radius based on other circumstances.
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JeshterDaggerfury
Academy Page
• #10
Awesome reply. Thanks for the additional information. I'm of a firm belief that rituals are not for me now. I don't want to have to be responsible for managing who comes in the radius.
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Lazzeryth
Ascalonian Squire
• #11
I had no idea that these two would stack with one another. One question: Do they combine to send your arrows flying at 4 times normal speed, or do you get diminishing returns when they're both running?

Thanks in advance.
G
Great Gjl
Academy Page
• #12
Quote: Originally Posted by Lazzeryth
I had no idea that these two would stack with one another. One question: Do they combine to send your arrows flying at 4 times normal speed, or do you get diminishing returns when they're both running?

Thanks in advance. It's probably a 3x speed increase (100% + 100%). When effects stack it would be a bit overpowered if they multiplied by each other. I doubt it's worth wasting another skill slot just to make your arrows that little bit faster.
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Lazzeryth
Ascalonian Squire
• #13
Thanks, Gjl. You're probably right. I don't think I'm going to sacrifice a slot for that.
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Iain ap Cuilleain
Ascalonian Squire
• #14
Quote: Originally Posted by Great Gjl
It's probably a 3x speed increase (100% + 100%). When effects stack it would be a bit overpowered if they multiplied by each other. I doubt it's worth wasting another skill slot just to make your arrows that little bit faster. I'd agree. You'd be much better off with an increase in attack speed, such as Lightning Reflexes.