rangers with two weapon

[Kinslar]

I am very new to Gemstone so if these are silly questions please have patience. I currently play a level 6 ranger.

1) Is it possible to build a two weapon wielding ranger with useful ambush ability and some magic? How do you compensate for losing the shield?

2) I am currently specced to use edged weapons. Should I carry different types of weapons to use against mobs? My default weapon is a drake falchion. Should I also find a drake axe to use against armored mobs for instance?

3) Is there a way to consistently reduce the RT after an ambush or hide attempt? Currently seems to vary between 3 and 10 seconds. Much too long usually to take advantage of a stun or such.

Thanks

[Bhuryn]

I'm no ranger expert, so if someone that plays a ranger comments, default to them:


1) Is it possible to build a two weapon wielding ranger with useful ambush ability and some magic? How do you compensate for losing the shield?

Virtually anything is possible in gemstone if you're willing to sacrifice. If you don't have it go to www.tsoran.com and download the excel character planner spreadsheet. It will help you figure out these things alot more easily.

2) I am currently specced to use edged weapons. Should I carry different types of weapons to use against mobs? My default weapon is a drake falchion. Should I also find a drake axe to use against armored mobs for instance?

You don't really need to worry about other weapons until later. If oyu have a hard time with something just kill something else. Eventually ambushing ranks will supercede the need for different weapon bases. Eventually you'll probably move down to faster weapons.


3) Is there a way to consistently reduce the RT after an ambush or hide attempt? Currently seems to vary between 3 and 10 seconds. Much too long usually to take advantage of a stun or such.

The quickest hiding time you can get without shadow mastery (rogue only) is 3 seconds. As you train more hide/sneak you'll be getting 3 seconds consistantly unless you are spotted. You will later get camo or whatever it is that gives you 3 seconds of soft round time and hides you.

For ambushing, you need a faster weapon once you have enough ranks in ambushing. Until then you just have to live with the RT.

[kgolfer]

Rangers have access to shadow mastery, which allows you to hide quicker and sneak around with very little roundtime. As far as reducing your roundtime after you ambush.....weapons have different speeds at which they swing (daggers and short swords are faster then falchions and axes). The minimum roundtime without magic help is 6 seconds. The other way to reduce your roundtime after you ambush is by increasing your Strength, Dexterity, and Agility. Dexterity and Agility are the most influential, but strength is going to play on how weighed down you are. Some of the more statistical personnel on this site can break down the formulas for the above. It is possible to make a TWC ranger, you will have to give up some other rangerly stuff. Your off hand weapon has something to do with defense, a main gauche will give you more defense.

AK

[Kinslar]

Does anyone know where I can buy a main gauche from a weapon store? I know I can use the playershops.com to search, but most of those prices with locations I can reach are expensive.

[Kinslar]

Through a helpful conversation I was informed that there is a weapons vendor just north of the north gate in the Landing. Go north and then go to the clearing. He has lots of items for order.

[Back]

I did a TWC ranger for a while and it is completely plausible. I was shooting for metal breastplate. You won’t be training a spell every level... maybe two or three behind. Definately 1x Combat Manuvers and Dodge. Also get Multi Opponent Combat when you can. Avoid hunting bolt casting critters.

Giant as a race is good. As for weapons I used OHE and had a sweet flaring main gauche in the off-hand.

[BriarFox]

1) Yes. My ranger was TWC from 30 to 60 or so, and then I went ranged. TWC is a lot of fun, but it's not the most lethal weapon system for a ranger, at least in my opinion. All that said, it's totally doable. If you want to do hiding, TWC, OHE, and ambushing, you're going to have to give up a lot of other stuff, however, mainly spells, MOC, mana control, lores, skinning, all that sort of stuff. On the upside, you'll be pretty lethal with it eventually.

You can use a main gauche, as you already figured out, and that'll give you an extra +10 DS. In my opinion, though, it's not really worth it. A TWC build is an offensive one, and the whole goal is to kill them first. I'd plan to use two falchions or two handaxes (or two daggers from hiding for ambushing - in that case, a main gauche is fine). Just "stance-dance" your opponents (stay in defensive, let them hit, then go offensive and attack, etc.). You'll have a low bolt DS and you'll probably need a good number of spells to not die regularly in the upper levels, but it works out. I'd train in some MIU and AS just so you can cast basic defensive spells on yourself.

2) It's always a good idea to carry around a few different weapons so you can switch out depending on the armor of the critter you're fighting or such. Some creatures are weak to certain elements, too (like trolls and fire), so I'd carry two fire-flaring weapons with me if I were fighting them.

3) As you train more in hiding, you'll get 3 seconds all the time, unless you're spotted. Shadow Mastery will get you down to 2 seconds, with 1 second for sneaking.

For your build, I'd train armor to brigandine (30 ranks), MOC to 15 or 30, spells at .75x to 1x. Dodging, CM, PF at 1x. Mana up to 1x, but you could lose a few ranks without it mattering too much. MIU and AS to at least 15 ranks. As far as the main weapon skills, 2x edged and hiding, 1x ambush, and 1.5x-2x TWC.

[Asha]

1 sec sneaking RT? I had no idea Rangers could rock Shadow Mastery..
That's completely awesome.

[Jayvn]

My new sickness is a twc ranger, I'm using 2 longsword at 5 sec rt. lacking cmans due to getting 30 ranks in armor early for the brig.
Got a 4x fire flaring and a 4x acid flaring, I'd kinda like to find another 4x fire flaring longsword for the troll camps.

pick up a few feras whenever your in the pawnshop..twc feras = you win