Sharing And Putting Up for Critique TWC

[Celexei]

So yeah, as I'd mentioned in Stuns last thread, here's my TWC ranger. This plan has been so incredibly effective for me, with a short sword and dagger combination. Aimed ambush of five seconds, usually with what I'm hunting now, legging and then eye crit 85% of the time. As far as what's going on with the training. I'm stopping armor and pf training and going to start putting it further into 2xing my perception fully, and picking up a bit more MIU for a few things, and mana share, that's been kinda a problem for me. I feel kinda like it's pointless that I have one rank in dodge and one rank in MOC. Should I pursue this further, it's not like I stay out in the open anyway? I suppose I should nuke those two ranks and put them into something else but who knows...well hopefully somebody does (besides The Shadow). Also another question. After my next ranger spell rank, should I continue following the ranger circle, or should I put my points towards the minor spirits? Anywho any input and any advice are much appreciated. Oh yeah and the stat's aren't the best, but they work for what I'm doing at the current moment. I'm pretty sure I have Stat Reallocations left..I sure as hell hope so. Ta!

(at level 29), your current skill bonuses and ranks (including all modifiers) are:
Skill Name | Current Current
| Bonus Ranks
Two Weapon Combat..................| 160 60
Armor Use..........................| 120 30
Combat Maneuvers...................| 120 30
Edged Weapons......................| 160 60
Ambush.............................| 120 30
Multi Opponent Combat..............| 5 1
Physical Fitness...................| 105 25
Dodging............................| 5 1
Magic Item Use.....................| 25 5
Harness Power......................| 120 30
Survival...........................| 122 31
Stalking and Hiding................| 160 60
Perception.........................| 150 50
Climbing...........................| 25 5
Swimming...........................| 25 5

Spell Lists
Minor Spirit.......................| 1

Spell Lists
Ranger.............................| 29

Strength (STR): 93 (21) ... 93 (21)
Constitution (CON): 69 (9) ... 69 (9)
Dexterity (DEX): 100 (35) ... 100 (35)
Agility (AGI): 99 (29) ... 99 (29)
Discipline (DIS): 64 (2) ... 64 (2)
Aura (AUR): 78 (19) ... 78 (19)
Logic (LOG): 67 (8) ... 67 (8)
Intuition (INT): 99 (24) ... 99 (24)
Wisdom (WIS): 59 (4) ... 59 (4)
Influence (INF): 37 (-6) ... 37 (-6)

[Stunseed]

Well now. This character is all about the hidden offense. I'd suggest the following.

1. Make smastery your first CMAN priority.
2. Drop perception to 1x. You're not an archer nor a pickpocket, and you swing light weapons. To most large weapon users ( like Chiv ), you may be able to justify further, but to me it isn't worth the cost.
3. Do something a little different. If you want 630 for the coolness factor, by all means. To me, 618/112-going on 120 seems MUCH smarter.
4. Drop TWC to 1.5 or 1.75x to give yourself some room TP-wise. Yes, your off-hand AS will suffer, but you should have them stunned/prone with the main weapon.

Things I wouldn't do.

1. Worry about MIU, AS, and Mana Share. I'd be more worried about surviving the next hit you take.
2. Forget about Dodge. Chiv has proven it's not a MUST to have dodge in the early goings, but for every 3 ranks of dodge you gain 2 DS. Spells in the Ranger circle only augment that number. TWC'ers like DS, alot.
3. Sacrifice the ability to hide. It is going to take a miracle for you to come into any type of actual redux anytime soon, so if you're caught in the open, prepare to pay the priestess for potions.

[zhelas]

If you want any type of Semidux, PF is the primary skill for that. I don't see that you have 1x in PF and that makes me wince.

I know are trained for brig and stopped with thirty ranks. Unless you have some incredible brig, a hit is really going to hurt when you get older. Recently my ranger has changed from his brig to augmented chain (70 ranks). He has never looked back. I do like the flexibility that I can always switch between the armors.

[Drew]

I agree with most of the things Stunseed said. 1x perception will be fine with the weapons you use. I think you should keep TWC at 2x though because you are using small weapons and probably going for eye/head shots and not leg shots, the AS helps there.


You don't need dodge, but it helps. If you do go to augmented chain like Stunseed, Zhelas, and I it will help less than in brig. 100 dodge trains in augmented chain is worth 60 points of offensive stance DS.


And at this point I would just go for 640, it's such a great spell. I went for 640 and 120 at the same time, and had them both by 43, but I love weird mutant paths.

[zhelas]

And at this point I would just go for 640, it's such a great spell. I went for 640 and 120 at the same time, and had them both by 43, but I love weird mutant paths.

640 and 120 are fantastic spells. Definately worth going for. I believe Stunseed did less for redux reasons. Either path is your own choice. Neither is right or wrong.

BUT

1x in PF for life! This is a must if you want Semidux.

[Stunseed]

Stunseed was only singled in spells, right now he is 1.25x'd in PF. I haven't really tested redux since we've proven the formulae is invalid, but before that, mid 60's Stun had 43-46% redux. He's nearing 72 now.

[Celexei]

So everyone feels that going to chain is the way to go? I just saw that freeing up some 200 or so TP's that I could use...I don't really get hit that often, lava trolls sometimes can find me and tackle me, but other than that. and by the time I get enough points for Chain I'll have a new fixskills and be like 70 trains won't I? What train was everyone else able to get into chain? I'm not too understand as to why chain would be so much better than brig as well. Does it increase my DS or my AvD drastically? As for 630, that's the whole reason I started a ranger two years ago..(been away most of the time) but I've wanted a white tiger since day one, mainly RP purposes, but I'm heavy into the RP factor. The reason all the hide, accuracy, and ambush are there, is because her RP is as an assassin, and I like her to be able to kill anything and everything that she could ever think of, as fast as possible. Would dropping any of those said skills, drastically affect this? My cman priority has always been smastery..hell rangers don't get jack else that is that useful imo. Semi-dux does sound tasty, but I don't know how I'd be able to fit it in. I want mana share pretty bad, although I've been well able to do without it throughout my whole 30 trains, it'd just be nice to spell up a bit faster, but I just time my spellups so that not all my spells go under an hour at once, so between hunts it's an easy spellup. Perception...is perception important for open ambush or for hidden ambush? What would it affect me if I did drop it? And what of the MOC? I don't hit from the open..it would be pointless with the small weapons I use, although I do plan on getting a set of handaxes or such for more armored, no pierceable things. I like neck shots with them. I would imagine if MOC where important, that it'd be something to focus on later in life. Again, thanks all for the help and info. Please keep it coming.

[StrayRogue]

Mana Share: Unless you MA and have someone else sending, the mana shares are really uneconomical for the extra mana gain on a pulse. I think it's something like +1 per pulse for every ten ranks. So at thirty ranks you'd be getting +3 mana back. Which, for 150 mtps, really isn't worth it.

Basic chainmail is better than the best brig. It has better CvA (cast versus armour, this is basically extra TD), DF (damage factors - it takes more raw damage to crit you in chain than it does brig), and better (or worse, from the critters pov) AvDs (which of course means more DS).

Perception is needed to aim. I believe it is a factor of both open and hidden ambushes.

[Celexei]

hmm, so the more perception I have, the more accurate I'm gonna be? It seems if I'm wanting to hit the spot every time, that 2xin that would be worth it wouldn't it? As for the mana share, I don't MA in fact my ranger is my only character I even have anymore, my other account with all my others has been frozen for about two years, but up here on Teras I have people sending me mana every time I turn around, and it would be quite nice to have, and so that I could help them out as well. It's not a necessity by any means. Hmm maybe I should go for this redux and chian, especially since I do plan on capping this character eventually. Should I apply my skill points towards other things though until I'm old enough to amass those points for that Chain? I just want to be able to optimize the best of my TP's whilst I have them, until I'm able to utilize them better. Also any touches on some of the other questions?

[StrayRogue]

I would go for chain ASAP. When you switch the difference will be instantly noticable. I worked fine with 1.5x perception. You could easily get away with 1x if you use smaller weapons.

[Celexei]

hmm, alright that sounds like it could work, how would I be able to get the points for all that armor? What train should I be able to see myself in chain?

[StrayRogue]

You need 50 ranks for basic torso chain. I'd drop MOC, the MIU training, possibly even the TWC ranks to 1.5x and you might have enough points to get into it right away. Or you can just train in the essentials: 2x weapon, TWC, 2x S&H, 1x CM, 1x Ambush, 1x Perception, 1x Harness Power, 1x Spell and then just save the spare points for armour.

Plus, I'd be at least .5x in Dodge.

[Celexei]

Dodge is damn expensive for a ranger. How's the coverage for torso chain as compaired to brig? I do plan on dropping MOC, MIU but I know I don't wanna drop the TWC at all, especially with the small blades that I use. I don't get good damage but I do like to be able to get over the AvD with each swing. I'm really trying not to have to drop the perception but otherwise I could pretty much pull off the second plan where I'm at,

[StrayRogue]

You get brig coverage on arms, legs and head with torso chain. Chain coverage on the chest, but importantly you get the chain DF everywhere else, as well as the CvA.

I'd talk to Dex (DCSL). He TWC ranger was very successful from what I remember.

[Celexei]

Dex? I'm confuzzled, Dex on the boards? DCSL on the boards?

[StrayRogue]

Dextra is her. DCSL is her posting name.

[Drakam]

last time I checked. open ambushing is based on CM skills and ambushing skills. hiding ambushing is based on perception skills and ambushing skills. If thats changed I'm not aware of it