"Mr Jc"
R/N20
11 Blood
13 Expertise (10+2+1)
10 Death Magic
All Druid's Armor
-Pvp Truncheon Skill Recharge for Blood Skills (20%)/Pvp Idol +5 Armor/+45 HP (while enchanted)
Touch of Agony:48 dmg (3s recharge)
Offering of Blood: 17 energy gain (20s recharge)
Vampiric Touch: 62 dmg (2s recharge)
Vile Touch: 50 dmg (5 second recharge)
Plague Touch (0s recharge)
Dark Aura: 35 dmg, 15 hp loss (10s recharge)
Res Sig
Demonic Flesh : 168 hp gain, lasts 52 seconds (60s recharge)
1. Cast Demonic Flesh and Dark Aura
2. Touch of Agony>Vamp Touch>Vile Touch>Offering>Touch of Agony>Vamp
Switch it up, heal as much with vamp as you can.
THIS BUILD ROCKS WARRIORS, RANGERS, ELES, NECROS, AND MESMERS. (with the exception of energy draining mesmers.) Definitely not enough to solo monks, but with partners, most definitely. Try this build out, you will like it.
HAVE FUN!!
Any suggestions are cool, and I'd like some advice on how to manage my health better. Thx!
"Can I Touch You?": A New Take On Expertise
Mr Jazzy
NatalieD
My R/N toucher build looks something like this:
16 expertise, 12 blood magic
Touch of Agony
Vampiric Touch
Plague Touch
Crippling Shot (E)
Throw Dirt
Life Siphon
Strip Enchantment
Res Signet
With a wand/focus giving faster recharge and +1 blood magic chances, and a longbow for the switch.
I find that even with 16 expertise, I don't have enough energy to touch as much as I'd like. I've tried using Offering of Blood for my elite, but people running away is a major problem with a touch build, and Crippling Shot is the only effective way I've found for countering it.
Life Siphon and Strip Enchantment are energy hogs by this build's standards, but I've found the siphon to be more useful than anything else I can fill the skill slot with, and enchantment removal is always good to have. (Rend would be even better to have, but I don't have enough attribute points for Curses to make it so, and this build has health issues already.)
16 expertise, 12 blood magic
Touch of Agony
Vampiric Touch
Plague Touch
Crippling Shot (E)
Throw Dirt
Life Siphon
Strip Enchantment
Res Signet
With a wand/focus giving faster recharge and +1 blood magic chances, and a longbow for the switch.
I find that even with 16 expertise, I don't have enough energy to touch as much as I'd like. I've tried using Offering of Blood for my elite, but people running away is a major problem with a touch build, and Crippling Shot is the only effective way I've found for countering it.
Life Siphon and Strip Enchantment are energy hogs by this build's standards, but I've found the siphon to be more useful than anything else I can fill the skill slot with, and enchantment removal is always good to have. (Rend would be even better to have, but I don't have enough attribute points for Curses to make it so, and this build has health issues already.)
Esrever
If your using no other stances, Whirling Defense beats Throw Dirt. It lasts longer, recharges faster, and can only be removed by Wild Blow.
Yukito Kunisaki
Expertise is a very poor example of a Touch type build.
Why? It ONLY affects Ranger skills [unless the description is wrong and the game has it affect EVERY skill type from every class]
If I'm wrong, then hey, I'm wrong.
I made a W/N touch build. Why not R/N touch? Cause a ranger in the midst of enemies is dead, where as a Warrior in a midst of enemies is still alright...
High Str warriors can use Warrior's Endurance to feed his energy. Necro touchs are FREAKISHLY expensive. Unless you can spike your energy regen to something monstrously high, I don't see this build with much efficiency.
My other warrior build can't do as much damage per touch as you can [you beat me by 2 stat points, whoopty do], but I sure as hell can do my touch skills for many many more times than you.
Rangers have no touch range efficient energy manager ;_;
Why? It ONLY affects Ranger skills [unless the description is wrong and the game has it affect EVERY skill type from every class]
If I'm wrong, then hey, I'm wrong.
I made a W/N touch build. Why not R/N touch? Cause a ranger in the midst of enemies is dead, where as a Warrior in a midst of enemies is still alright...
High Str warriors can use Warrior's Endurance to feed his energy. Necro touchs are FREAKISHLY expensive. Unless you can spike your energy regen to something monstrously high, I don't see this build with much efficiency.
My other warrior build can't do as much damage per touch as you can [you beat me by 2 stat points, whoopty do], but I sure as hell can do my touch skills for many many more times than you.
Rangers have no touch range efficient energy manager ;_;
Esrever
Expertise affects all "Skill"s. Unless Guru's description is off, Touch of Agony and Vamp touch are "Skill"s. Since you have enough expertise, a few seconds of Marksman's Wager should give you all the energy you need.
NightOwl
Quote:
Foppe
I thought it affects spells.
matiasdu
"For each rank of Expertise the energy cost of your skills of types "skill", "attack skill", "glyph", "preparations", "nature ritual", "shout", "stance" and "trap" decreases by 4%"
Of course, the actual cost is rounded to the nearest whole number.
Touch skills are in the "skill" type, so it reduces the cost of everything that is not a "spell", "hex spell" or "enchantment spell".
Of course, the actual cost is rounded to the nearest whole number.
Touch skills are in the "skill" type, so it reduces the cost of everything that is not a "spell", "hex spell" or "enchantment spell".
Arturo02
no you cannot.
Scaphism
matiasdu is right.
This is basic knowledge about playing a ranger, and it's definitely something everyone should know. It's also posted in the expertise guide and Ranger Basics thread. Expertise affects everything except spells. The only thing I'm unsure of is whether expertise affects Signets while under the effect of Primal Echoes.
This is basic knowledge about playing a ranger, and it's definitely something everyone should know. It's also posted in the expertise guide and Ranger Basics thread. Expertise affects everything except spells. The only thing I'm unsure of is whether expertise affects Signets while under the effect of Primal Echoes.
Dont Look At My
err why should it affect signets? since they cost no energy ...
and ...
whats considered as a spell and a skill ?
as necro agony touch is considered as a skill, im kinda confused ...
anyone can help me plz?
and ...
whats considered as a spell and a skill ?
as necro agony touch is considered as a skill, im kinda confused ...
anyone can help me plz?
Kaizume
Quote:
Originally Posted by Dont Look At My
err why should it affect signets? since they cost no energy ...
anyone can help me plz? Primal Echoes make your sigs cost 10e to use.
anyone can help me plz? Primal Echoes make your sigs cost 10e to use.
Mr Jazzy
yes, expertise affects skills. thats why i made a ranger, otherwise i would make a necro for the 4 E regen.
Pharalon
Quote:
Originally Posted by Scaphism
The only thing I'm unsure of is whether expertise affects Signets while under the effect of Primal Echoes.
Expertise will reduce the cost of signets under Primal Echoes.
NatalieD
Quote:
Originally Posted by Esrever
If your using no other stances, Whirling Defense beats Throw Dirt. It lasts longer, recharges faster, and can only be removed by Wild Blow.
Whirling Defense would only defend me. Throw Dirt can defend a monk on my team, which is far more valuable.
edit: And yes, Expertise affects all "skill" skills. I can assure you that my vampiric touch does not cost 15 of my energy.
edit: And yes, Expertise affects all "skill" skills. I can assure you that my vampiric touch does not cost 15 of my energy.
Enigmatics
The choice between the two really varies depending on what type of pvp you play. In my opinion, this would be slaughtered in the HoH, so why not go for self sufficiency and tab Whirling Defences?
NatalieD
Quote:
Originally Posted by Enigmatics
The choice between the two really varies depending on what type of pvp you play. In my opinion, this would be slaughtered in the HoH, so why not go for self sufficiency and tab Whirling Defences?
Yeah, I've only tried this in random arena. Even in team arena I'd probably dump Throw Dirt just because every team has a monk, usually a semi-competent one who can remove major conditions. I'm still not keen on Whirling Defense, though... I don't know that I get attacked enough to justify it.
ShadowStorm
The previous posters are all incorrect. Expertise reduces the costs of all Attack Skills, Preparations, Traps, Stances, Rituals, Glyphs, Signets (yes, signets) and Shouts by 4% per attribute level. It does not reduce the costs of Spells, Enchantments, or Hexes.
NatalieD
Quote:
Originally Posted by ShadowStorm
The previous posters are all incorrect. Expertise reduces the costs of all Attack Skills, Preparations, Traps, Stances, Rituals, Glyphs, Signets (yes, signets) and Shouts by 4% per attribute level. It does not reduce the costs of Spells, Enchantments, or Hexes.
Wait, even the ones who said the same thing as you about Expertise are incorrect? Does that mean you're lying to us about Expertise? 
ShadowStorm
Ok, yeah, I'm an idiot. I skipped matiasdu's post for some reason. I apologize to matiasdu.
Yukito Kunisaki
Quote:
Originally Posted by Scaphism
matiasdu is right.
This is basic knowledge about playing a ranger, and it's definitely something everyone should know. It's also posted in the expertise guide and Ranger Basics thread. Expertise affects everything except spells. The only thing I'm unsure of is whether expertise affects Signets while under the effect of Primal Echoes. Ah, I thought expertise only affected ranger skills. At least, that's what I experienced in the betas...
Well, that's one HELL of a buff then if you run a 14 exp. ranger in order to go nutty with the secondary skills.
The game mechanic still isn't in your favor however. Though true you have the 2nd highest armor level in the game, a ranger's phys. armor level is only 10 above the caster types standards... Not good to have when in the midst of foes...
This is basic knowledge about playing a ranger, and it's definitely something everyone should know. It's also posted in the expertise guide and Ranger Basics thread. Expertise affects everything except spells. The only thing I'm unsure of is whether expertise affects Signets while under the effect of Primal Echoes. Ah, I thought expertise only affected ranger skills. At least, that's what I experienced in the betas...
Well, that's one HELL of a buff then if you run a 14 exp. ranger in order to go nutty with the secondary skills.
The game mechanic still isn't in your favor however. Though true you have the 2nd highest armor level in the game, a ranger's phys. armor level is only 10 above the caster types standards... Not good to have when in the midst of foes...
Saerden
Quote:
Originally Posted by Yukito Kunisaki
Ah, I thought expertise only affected ranger skills. At least, that's what I experienced in the betas...
Well, that's one HELL of a buff then if you run a 14 exp. ranger in order to go nutty with the secondary skills. Thats why expertise is considered the best primary attribute without question. The only thing holding it back are skill choices. There are 4 other casters who dont have many skills,esp ones that are worth spamming. And the warrior does not offer anything energy-based that is worth taking over +4 weapon and strength. But if an expansion introduces another non-caster profession, things might get interesting
These R/N build looks nice to fool around with, but i doubt it can get better success then a boon protter in random arena, or a reg. ranger standard build in 8vs8 - gj anyway, since fun =^ success
Well, that's one HELL of a buff then if you run a 14 exp. ranger in order to go nutty with the secondary skills. Thats why expertise is considered the best primary attribute without question. The only thing holding it back are skill choices. There are 4 other casters who dont have many skills,esp ones that are worth spamming. And the warrior does not offer anything energy-based that is worth taking over +4 weapon and strength. But if an expansion introduces another non-caster profession, things might get interesting
These R/N build looks nice to fool around with, but i doubt it can get better success then a boon protter in random arena, or a reg. ranger standard build in 8vs8 - gj anyway, since fun =^ success
NatalieD
Quote:
Originally Posted by Yukito Kunisaki
The game mechanic still isn't in your favor however. Though true you have the 2nd highest armor level in the game, a ranger's phys. armor level is only 10 above the caster types standards... Not good to have when in the midst of foes...
That's not an argument against being a ranger, that's an argument for taking Whirling Defense. In my experience, though, I don't get attacked much by warriors and other rangers, who are all off hitting my team's monks or mesmers, so I don't feel a strong need for more physical armor. I've only tried it in random arena, admittedly, but I would think players in more organized places are even more likely to focus on monks over rangers.
In my experience, though, I don't get attacked much by warriors and other rangers, who are all off hitting my team's monks or mesmers, so I don't feel a strong need for more physical armor. I've only tried it in random arena, admittedly, but I would think players in more organized places are even more likely to focus on monks over rangers.
Mr Jazzy
wanting more suggestions
Khymera
Vampiric Touch's recharge was lowered to a measly 2 seconds today...great news for this build. When I was playing around with it, I found that the biggest weakness (when I didn't have a monk around, especially) was that I couldn't quite heal myself fast enough with the Vampiric Touch to stay alive when I was focused on. This should change that, while increasing damage by quite a lot. You'll probably have to use Offering of Blood to make up for the relatively high cost of Touch (7 with 14 Exp., 5 with 16 Exp.), but you'll have significantly higher DPS. Whirling Defense is a bit more appealing now as well, as I think you could hold your own and keep doing constant damage for a full 21 seconds without losing much health at all, no matter who's attacking you. Throw Dirt is nice, but blindness always seems to get removed. Also, Dodge has recently been buffed, and I don't think the touches count as attacks. We could probably use Dodge as a sort of turbo-sprint to follow the target, in lieu of crippling them (which takes the elite spot).
I might try to test something like this when I get a chance:
12+4 Expertise
12 Blood Magic
Touch of Agony
Vampiric Touch
Plague Touch
Offering of Blood
Dodge
Whirling Defense/Throw Dirt
Something Else...I don't know. Possibly Strip Enchantment, Demonic Flesh, or even Throw Dirt
Resurrection Signet
Having played a version of this recently (I was playing around with Serpent's Quickness before, but the lowered recharge on Vamp. Touch reduces the need for that), this version looks pretty sexy to me. I'll give it a shot when I get a chance.
I might try to test something like this when I get a chance:
12+4 Expertise
12 Blood Magic
Touch of Agony
Vampiric Touch
Plague Touch
Offering of Blood
Dodge
Whirling Defense/Throw Dirt
Something Else...I don't know. Possibly Strip Enchantment, Demonic Flesh, or even Throw Dirt
Resurrection Signet
Having played a version of this recently (I was playing around with Serpent's Quickness before, but the lowered recharge on Vamp. Touch reduces the need for that), this version looks pretty sexy to me. I'll give it a shot when I get a chance.
Mr Jazzy
revised this build for mass OWNAGE. 
DD
try it out in arenas, you will like it.
DDtry it out in arenas, you will like it.
Rieselle
On a side note, does that mean Flourish will work on all of these touch attacks too?
Mr Jazzy
yes, but wouldn't that make the ranger r/w? i dont think a w/n with flourish is effective without expertise.
jesh
Flourish is attack skills only, at least from what other people on this forum have told me in the past. That means seeking blade, cyclone axe, etc. Vampric touch I don't think would fall under this category, though I'd love to be proven wrong.
Iron Rhino
I have ben using the touch build for a while and it really does quite well. I use a slightly different version.
R/N
12 + 4 Exp
12 Blood
Barbed Signet - 52 Life Steal at range
Vamp Touch - 65 Life Steal
Touch of Agony - 50 Damage
Plague Touch
Life Transfer - 7 degen for them, 7 regen for you
Throw Dirt - 16 second blind
Whirling Defense - 21 second 75% block
Res Sig
I know Life Trans is not the best elite around but it works in this build. The regen combined with defense and life steal makes this a very sturdy build. Also Life Trans and Barbed Sig give me some damage at range to finish off runners.
Just my .02
R/N
12 + 4 Exp
12 Blood
Barbed Signet - 52 Life Steal at range
Vamp Touch - 65 Life Steal
Touch of Agony - 50 Damage
Plague Touch
Life Transfer - 7 degen for them, 7 regen for you
Throw Dirt - 16 second blind
Whirling Defense - 21 second 75% block
Res Sig
I know Life Trans is not the best elite around but it works in this build. The regen combined with defense and life steal makes this a very sturdy build. Also Life Trans and Barbed Sig give me some damage at range to finish off runners.
Just my .02
Mr Jazzy
maybe you should ditch throw dirt, it really doesnt work with the huge cooldown
Patrograd
I think you need to be careful about the amount of points put into expertise. I think the following is correct, and apologies if it is covered elsewhere
Skills that have a list cost of 5
9 expertise redcues a 5 cost skill to 3
10 and its 3
11 and its 3
12 and its 3
13 and its 2
14 and its 2
15 and its 2
16 and its 2
Skills that have a list cost of 10
9 points in expertise reduces a 10 cost skill to 6
10 points in expertise has the same effect
11 points in expertise has the same effect
12 points in expertise reduces a 10 cost skill to 5
13 points and its still 5
14 points and its down to 4
15 points and its still 4
16 points and its still 4
Skills that have a list cost of 15
At 9 expertise these cost 10
At 10 expertise these cost 9
At 11 expertise these cost 8
At 12 expertise these cost 8
At 13 expertise these cost 7
At 14 expertise these cost 7
At 15 expertise these cost 6
At 16 expertise these cost 5
So it is only worth having the expertise above 14 if you are going to use alot of skills that cost 15 or more - only vampiric touch of those listed unless I'm being dozy. Vamp touch would cost you 2 less energy, at the cost of 2 attrib points, all the other skills are not enhanced by the extra points. I wonder if those points are better invested somewhere else where they will have a bigger impact?
Skills that have a list cost of 5
9 expertise redcues a 5 cost skill to 3
10 and its 3
11 and its 3
12 and its 3
13 and its 2
14 and its 2
15 and its 2
16 and its 2
Skills that have a list cost of 10
9 points in expertise reduces a 10 cost skill to 6
10 points in expertise has the same effect
11 points in expertise has the same effect
12 points in expertise reduces a 10 cost skill to 5
13 points and its still 5
14 points and its down to 4
15 points and its still 4
16 points and its still 4
Skills that have a list cost of 15
At 9 expertise these cost 10
At 10 expertise these cost 9
At 11 expertise these cost 8
At 12 expertise these cost 8
At 13 expertise these cost 7
At 14 expertise these cost 7
At 15 expertise these cost 6
At 16 expertise these cost 5
So it is only worth having the expertise above 14 if you are going to use alot of skills that cost 15 or more - only vampiric touch of those listed unless I'm being dozy. Vamp touch would cost you 2 less energy, at the cost of 2 attrib points, all the other skills are not enhanced by the extra points. I wonder if those points are better invested somewhere else where they will have a bigger impact?
LeftAlone-
Pointless post of mine.
My friend Squidgy likes to call it "Disturbing ranger"
My friend Squidgy likes to call it "Disturbing ranger"
Iron Rhino
Just a couple quick responses.
Throw dirt is generally used to help the high priority target in the team survive the warriors or interrupt rangers. I hit the warriors or rangers attacking them with a throw dirt and by the time it wears off of them, hopefully, we have dropped one of their team. It works well in Random Arena because warriors tend to bunch and condition removal is spotty.
IMHO, yes it is worth the 2 less energy per Vamp Touch to drive Expertise to 16. With the now very fast recharge of Vamp Touch, it gets spammed a lot. It is far and away the most used skill on my bar. With the high number of times used.....the 2 energy adds up fast.
Throw dirt is generally used to help the high priority target in the team survive the warriors or interrupt rangers. I hit the warriors or rangers attacking them with a throw dirt and by the time it wears off of them, hopefully, we have dropped one of their team. It works well in Random Arena because warriors tend to bunch and condition removal is spotty.
IMHO, yes it is worth the 2 less energy per Vamp Touch to drive Expertise to 16. With the now very fast recharge of Vamp Touch, it gets spammed a lot. It is far and away the most used skill on my bar. With the high number of times used.....the 2 energy adds up fast.
NatalieD
Quote:
Originally Posted by Iron Rhino
IMHO, yes it is worth the 2 less energy per Vamp Touch to drive Expertise to 16. With the now very fast recharge of Vamp Touch, it gets spammed a lot. It is far and away the most used skill on my bar. With the high number of times used.....the 2 energy adds up fast.
Agreed. I've tried it with 14 Expertise, and that just isn't enough. Vampiric Touch is extremely important to this build, since it pays for Touch of Agony's health cost.
I haven't tried it with 15 Expertise, but I don't see any reason to. I don't use any attributes but Expertise and Blood Magic, which is already maxed, so the only thing I could gain by going down to 15 is using a major rune instead of a superior, and 25 hp is by no means worth spending even 1 more energy on Vamp. Touch.
I haven't tried it with 15 Expertise, but I don't see any reason to. I don't use any attributes but Expertise and Blood Magic, which is already maxed, so the only thing I could gain by going down to 15 is using a major rune instead of a superior, and 25 hp is by no means worth spending even 1 more energy on Vamp. Touch.
QuixotesGhost
Anyone consider running this with Beastmastery? Ferocious Strike for energy and
Maiming Strike to keep em from running.
Hmmm....
Hmmm....
Time to run off to the desert to change my secondary.
Maiming Strike to keep em from running.
Hmmm....
Hmmm....
Time to run off to the desert to change my secondary.
Mr Jazzy
energy from ferocious is not as efficient as offering of blood, and with 13 expertise, yes i can keep up my energy. its a matter of strategically using the skill so that the cooldown wont hurt you i.e. after a chain of two touches. with 2 second cooldown vamp, the sacrifice from OoB is really trivial, plus the points in death magic, in my opinion, are essential.
Mr Jazzy
as i see more and more ranger touchers.......i wonder if it will be the new fotm