Celtic Heroes

Teaweasel's Ranger Primer to Update 3

I would like to preface this "Primer" by saying that I am not a Ranger.  I don't play them in live and all of my experience building and playing them in both PvP and PvE is in Beta.

I have noticed that the Beta-Tester Ranger platoon has dropped the ball in giving Rangers pertinent info and I can step in and raise some Ranger issues and Ranger concerns in this new Update. Please if you beta-test and you disagree or have other opinions please chime in and raise your thoughts. I, as said, am not a Ranger.

This is a Primer, not a Guide.  I can field some questions about skills, and about builds to a certain extent, but I'm not well versed in Ranger affairs past the fact that I am now testing a Ranger only in beta and have stopped playing my Druid there.

New Ranger Skills in Update 3

Conceal:
 This is a Camoflage Skill, but for your entire Group.  It's basically just a group Camo.  I am testing and will continue to test why a Ranger would use Camo at all once they have Conceal, but maybe this skill isn't going to be offered at the outset and will be a skill that is either found or quested for, thus empowering rangers that find it whenever they do.  It operates just like Camo does in how it operates per level of the mob's effected and skill points added.

This is a **BIG** deal because the aggro range in SV and OW have ballooned. And those mobs, esoecially Druids in SV will freaking wreck you, root you and then heal themselves with Wild Touch for 30%+ of their HP, it's a scary new world and camo is a freaking god-send, especially if a ranger can cast it on their entire group while dragon hunting across Wyvern infested Lava.

Entangle:

 This, to me, is EASILY the coolest skill the Rangers have in the Update, well this and Spikes.  This Skill throws a net on the Mob/Boss/Player and entangles their arms, and slows their attack speed by HALF.  That's right it cuts your opponents DPS in autoattack by HALF.  So against warriors wielding a King Hammer, or slow weapon it makes them SUPER slow. Vs a Rogue that prides itself on speed it makes them normal.

On the PvE side it slows boss attacks thus saving your tank, on your side it slows mob attacks thus saving yer HP.  The main drawback of this skill is 2 things.

 1>. It operates just like Conceal does in skill points.  More skill points lead to a higher lvl effected.  If it lands it always cuts dps by HALF, but you need to SINK skill points into it to make it effective, especially vs Otherworld mobs which will be in their lvl 100's+. Its a skill point Sink.

2>. It really can't be used well with Spikes.  

Shield of Spikes

This is a DMG shield.  Just like Cloak of Fire, but slightly less effective and with Piercing DMG not Fire DMG.  The spikes last 60 sec and don't cost a ton of energy to cast, but as you raise the skill the energy increases quite dramatically.  And like all skills, energy costs past like skill 18 are intense.  But the dps of the skill is pretty impressive, especially against mobs with low resistance vs pierce.

As said before a DMG shield is made for fast hitting targets, so...using a slow on Melee swings like Entangle doesn't make any sense pairing with this skill.  

The super nice thing about the skill however is that it can Stack with a Mage's CoF.  Thus a Ranger using a strong Spikes, can seriously aid DPS to their group by covering the Tank.  One last note about this skill, it can ONLY be cast on group mates.  You can't just throw spikes on noobs while running by them, like Mages do with Cloak.  It's a Group Specific Skill.  For a group oriented Ranger.  And the Graphics of it are pretty cool.  These defensive spikes come up from the ground and surround the target.

Changes in Existing Skills

Bolas:  PvE Bolas works exactly the same.  Although, like all skills now it can be resisted by all bosses and all mobs.  Nothing is automatic anymore in this game.  It's harder to play because of that.

In PvP, just like a Druid's Root, Bolas doesn't work for a very long time.  It's duration isn't much longer than 6-7 seconds.  It's a skill to use to harry and relocate, heal, respike, reentangle, or re-rapid, but the point is, it isn't some easy-button win anymore, especially vs Players.  All players need to complete a series of Riddles to get their Skill Evasive Abilities, but one they do, they also will be able to dodge Bolas occasionally.  Depending on their ability in "Evasion."

Bolas is still useful, even in PvP but Melee skill range has been slightly widened and you will need to relearn the exact ways to kite vs players, and how to use your bolas for maximum effectiveness in PvP.  It definately is possible, especially with spikes and entangle to succeed in PvP as a Ranger.  But now it takes a good build, and some good strategy, not just insta-win bolas.

Dexterity and Stats in general.

DEX is the attribute that matters in terms of the Potency of your Skills.  Almost all your skills.  Skills like Rapid Shot, Camo, don't run on any stat.  But Sharp, Barbed, Spikes, and even heal run from Dexterity.  (Your First Aid basic skills like bandage, med, rej run from VIT, but yer ranger heal is DEX)

The Ranger Stat Juggle

This creates a juggle for the Ranger class.  Because you can no longer roll with 5 focus to fuel your energy, even with your regen items, it's just not enough energy to cover your skills. I would ballpark suggest around 50-70 focus, but you can float lower and just be more judicious with skill casting. I am ball parking focus to rangers with at least fullwarden gear and those bonuses, if yer in you lower lvls and don't have warden/meteoric bonuses, higher focus please.

 Obviously as I have suggested to Druids, using less skill points, like 5 skills at around 17/25 not 3 skills at like 25/25 with some change really helps regulate your need for energy.

But you as a Ranger need to juggle, DEX which finally really packs a punch in your skills, STR which is solely regulated to Autoattack DMG and VIT which governs meditation, rejuv, and bandage wounds as well as obviously your HP.

Classes such as Mage & Druid really only need to juggle 2 stats, Focus/VIT, though a few will try to do more against my suggestions, can't wait to face them in PvP.  But... The Ranger is a juggler, you need to figure out what kind of ranger you want to be and then sink your stat into covering the bases of that build.

Really the two accepted Beta builds for Ranger have been Group and DPS, and Group runs a bit more with Conceal and Spikes, and DPS runs harder on Entangle and almost maxing dps skills.  

The ideal of STR vs DEX is pretty debatable as well.  DEX super powers you skills but just like focus for Druids it hits a point around 300 where the added points of DEX do almost nothing to the increased DMG.  There is a law of diminishing returns at around 300 that I suspect few rangers will roll past.  That said a Ranger with 270+ DEX and a Group oriented build will heal and spikes like crazy!!! And then also be packing a serious wallop with Sharp and Barbs.  But what will ultimately suffer is HP,  if you thought your current HP in the live version was bad, try a group ranger.  It's a build that will be extremely powerful for high-powered clans, but pretty stupid for Rangers trying to lvl up right out the gate.

On the other side of things, you can go DPS, keep your STR/DEX roughly (though you will need to figure that DEX will be more important) equivalent and make up the skill power you lose in the cumulative auto attack.  Slowing dps of opponents with entangle and rocking a bit more HP you will probably find this a strong lvling build.  With bolas and other skills supporting your rapid and sharp.  Again, you may not heal a bunch, maybe even less than you do now since the entire system is stat oriented not skill point oriented... yer not necessarily bad for a group, but more pure dps than helpful to the team.

Skill cast times now run on Weapon Speed.

So Slow Powerful Bows, a la Winterking will fire their skills slower than faster bows.  Extremely slower?  Not exactly, but you will notice if you were rocking a Winterking previously and take it into this update.  Now obviously this all weighs into the STR vs DEX debate...is it better to go light fast bow with DEX, or split STR/DEX and a slower attack?  Legitimately you can cheat a bit with Rapid and use it to quick fire yer skills... It's not a Ranger only concern, all classes will be juggling the speed of their weapon with the speed of their skills.

And ultimately this change had to happen, because the slower weapons being fired with skills at the same rate twisted the dps of all classes.  And now let's more powerful weapons be placed into the game under the balancing duress of their speed.

Conclusion

So yeah... That's my primer.  If you went into the Update ignorant of all of this info then you would most likely waste your Rebirth and Alt books.  Now at least you know the juggle of the class and a few seperate approaches to possible builds and the ways they can be used.

I will answer what questions I can, but as I said, I am a Druid who Rangers in beta.  I'm not a viable candidate for Ranger Guru.  What I can say is that in both PvP and PvE the class is balanced if you understand how to build it.  What I fear will happen, especially to Rangers, is that they won't realize how to build it and they will screw their builds up so badly they will be worthless and then go forum crazy claiming their class "SUCKS"

That's simply not true, the class is fine, but a huge new system, and learning curve is now in the game, and people will need to learn it effectively before trying to succeed at it.

All the best,

Tea

Thank you really much!

One question, and i think you can answer it, how long does entangle cast?
Btw. Entangle is an epic new skill!! One of the bests.

I dont think that the build would be a problem for me. Ofcourse, we need to check out what will work the best, but its more tactical now and i like it. Its great when you find out a good build, you can be proud of being a good ranger now!

Thank you really much!

One question, and i think you can answer it, how long does entangle cast?
Btw. Entangle is an epic new skill!! One of the bests.

I dont think that the build would be a problem for me. Ofcourse, we need to check out what will work the best, but its more tactical now and i like it. Its great when you find out a good build, you can be proud of being a good ranger now!

Entangle lasts for 30s and it takes 4 sec to cast. I think that's standard but I will test later today using different bows to see if it's primed to bow speed. I know that wouldn't make sense, but who knows.. It seems to operate almost like a spell, as in it can get interrupted.

Thank you for tanking the time in making this great post.
I can sleep better now.

Can't wait to have my cry when the updates arrives

gj

When you say that skill cast times run on Weapon Speed, does it mean that we could cast our skill faster by using Heroic Gloves of Haste ?

When you say that skill cast times run on Weapon Speed, does it mean that we could cast our skill faster by using Heroic Gloves of Haste ?

I asked a similar question be relative to Entangle, if a Ranger casts Entangke on a Warrior, does the Warriors skills then take a longer time to cast as well?

It seems not.

This is how the skill delay system was explained to us:

Some skills add a normal weapon attack onto their skill damage.

These skills now use exactly 75% of the weapon delay as their skill casting time.

All other skills have a set timer as before.

So for example (for warriors) pummel has a set timer but doesn't add a weapon attack, giant swing adds a weapon attack and has 75% of weapon delay as the timer.

We have asked for an exact skills list that is effected by the weapon delay so we can test then if gloves of haste or if entangle effect skill casts...so far though in initial tests, it seems like thing are fine...and it's just a few skills that add the weapon base DMG on to the weapon's skill DMG...we are guessing that Sharp Shot will be a skill that is effected by the 75% delay.

Thanks tea so much for this. I wondering if you can give us a sample build for both of the "types" of rangers. Also what you like and what you think will be best. I certainly don't wanna screw up my build. The stats In numbers would be awsome and what skills you think are vital and should be maxxed or close to it first. Another question only three new skills?
Thanks a ton if you can awnser all my demands
I'm still saying they should have accepted my beta application

Hey Tea, Its Ellee

Made a level 40 ranger so far on your server.

I have a question..

You said that everything including skills would have the ability to be missed/Dodged/Parried.. Right?

Is there any way to increase skill hit chance? Skills missing is new- So I'm not sure if it's affected by dex like normal attacks.


I'm Only level 40 But, I see that dex will be most important PvP wise Especially for rangers, People here will have to focus more on Fast long term DPS and Survivability instead of their current- "All str Dps"

I hope to see you in game Tea <3

My names StarLight~

Lol Ellee, or um StarLight! That rocks. Great to see ya on server and in game.

Skill Hit Chance currently isn't regulated by things like Attack/Defense the way auto-attacks roll. I would expect that One Thumb will probably add jewelry or some sort of items to eventually maximize Spell/Skill Hit like OnC. I say this..because already in Otherworld there are sets of armor that raise skill evasion. Not OP sets, the raise is measured, but it definately seem geared toward extending PvP battles especially in terms of the fact that WinterKing Weapons (in the Winter there was a bunch of bosses that dropped serious DPS weapons, but now dealing with the fact they are in game has created a tough balancing system) now can't just pony up and 2-shot someone because the skill very well could miss. And now due to the new balancing the Winterking weapon skills will be slower, thus leveling out DPS over the added seconds.

In truth it's not like there are a ton of Winterking weps floating on all the servers, but there are enough that they wanted to recalibrate the skills and the first additions were raising skill evasions, I'm sure as I said there will be forthcoming items that will raise skill hits.

To the other comments... The main difference between this primer and my Druid guide is I can talk you to death about Druid builds and Druid pvp and Druid choices, I know much less about the ranger. I know enough, because I have put some time in, but I don't as of this time have a bunch of testing into specifically testing builds. Might need the weekend to play around and see what I can find out, but I can't make any promises. I think it's very likely that the Update will be released within a week, seems like 2+ weeks is the industry standard and 2 weeks is Friday. So I will work on some ranger beta and if I can re-post my build findings I will in an add on to this. But the chance that the update releases before I do, will make me consider you all on yer own

Only 3 skills?

In terms of 3 new skills this isn't really surprising. Each class got either 3 or 4 new skills, the Druids got 10 because 6 of them are all Wards of 6 different resistances. So Druid would symbolically be considered getting 5. Warriors got 3, Rangers had 4 but we removed it because it made the class too powerful. So Ranger's 3, Rogues have 3 as well. Mages have 8 but again 4 are Lures and they symbolically have 5.

So...
Druid/Mage 5(symbolically not listing the lures/wards individually)
Warriors/ Rogues/ Ranger's 3

I don't personally have a problem with that especially since the two classes that legitimately needed the biggest kick in the pants were the casting classes. But yep, that's my response.

It should be noted that I am 95% sure that the Dragon, Mr, Hardest mob in game and scary as hell, drops skill books and skills that no beta tester has seen. I saw a list by mistake of some of these skills and I think that they are upgraded versions of existing skills. Like instead of Barbed Shot you will see a much meaner named skill that does much meaner DMG. I say 95% sure, because this could not be true. But the leaked stuff I have seen makes me quite confident that groups that do wander in and succeed against that dragon will be walking away with a slew of new skills as well as items to make the best armor/weps in game.