Build suggestions - Archer to umm, anything else

[Klm10000]

I would very much like advice on stat placement and skill progression from here. I attempted the Voln Fu / Ambush Archer route and find that I'm not real keen on archery in general, though the Voln Fu was fun. If I could get training suggestions on ambush OHE or something along those lines I'd appreciate it.

Giantsheild Sheild'son
Level: 88 Gender: Male Age: 150

Skills:
Skill Name | Current Current
| Bonus Ranks
Armor Use.......................... | 210 110
Ranged Weapons.....................| 280 180
Brawling........................... | 205 105
Ambush............................. | 233 133
Physical Fitness................... | 190 90
Dodging............................ | 189 89
Arcane Symbols..................... | 105 25
Magic Item Use..................... | 105 25
Harness Power...................... | 190 90
Spirit Mana Control................ | 102 24
Survival........................... | 105 25
Stalking and Hiding................ | 280 180
Perception......................... | 280 180
Climbing........................... | 105 25
Swimming........................... | 105 25
First Aid.......................... | 105 25
Trading............................ | 25 5

Spell Lists
Minor Spirit.......................| 30

Spell Lists
Ranger.............................| 50
Training Points: 24 Phy 0 Mnt (330 Phy converted to Mnt)
(Use SKILLS BASE to display unmodified ranks and goals)

Spell Ranks:
Minor Spiritual :30
Ranger Base :50

Stats: Normal (Bonus) ... Enhanced (Bonus)
Strength (STR): 100 (40) ... 100 (40)
Constitution (CON): 86 (28) ... 83 (26)
Dexterity (DEX): 100 (20) ... 100 (20)
Agility (AGL): 92 (16) ... 92 (16)
Discipline (DIS): 95 (22) ... 95 (22)
Aura (AUR): 88 (14) ... 88 (14)
Logic (LOG): 75 (7) ... 75 (7)
Intuition (INT): 100 (25) ... 100 (25)
Wisdom (WIS): 100 (25) ... 100 (25)
Influence (INF): 50 (5) ... 50 (5)

[XeroEdge]

You can try becoming a caster?

[Klm10000]

Keep in mind that I have been gone for 10 years. I'm assuming that being a caster as a ranger is sorta inherent. Am I wrong?

[BriarFox]

If you want fun, try TWC with a lot of MOC.

By caster, he means the druid path (1x-2x ranger spells). It's only really doable post-cap. Avoid it for now.

[Klm10000]

Sorry for the ignorance. Lots of questions about this build. TWC is Two Weapon Combat? And MOC is Multi-Opponent Combat I'm guessing? Is that really viable for a ranger? Not sure I could manage the amount needed with the cost of MOC at 10 / 4. Would still have to have Edged Weapons, so move ranged to that. Would I need Ambush, Stalk / Hide, Perception for that sort of build? Could you do a brawling sort of MOC / TWC maybe?

Looking at stats, is there anything I need to be moving around? Should I move some Influence to CON and AGI?

[Kuyuk]

Once an archer always an archer. Everyone else has low AS and shit.

[droit]

He's got pretty low agidex as a giantman, so if he goes MoC, he'll be limited to smaller weapons if he wants to be quick. There's really nothing wrong with the old sword and board ambushed build. 2x OHE, 1x shield, 1x CM, 1x dodge, 1x ambush, 2x hiding, etc. You're at the level where you'd have extra TPs for more CM and ambush, which would allow you to start exploring things like dagger ambushing. Or, you could drop OHE and pick up OHB for some sweet mace\morning star ambush action.

[Drazaan]

Sorry for the ignorance. Lots of questions about this build. TWC is Two Weapon Combat? And MOC is Multi-Opponent Combat I'm guessing? Is that really viable for a ranger? Not sure I could manage the amount needed with the cost of MOC at 10 / 4. Would still have to have Edged Weapons, so move ranged to that. Would I need Ambush, Stalk / Hide, Perception for that sort of build? Could you do a brawling sort of MOC / TWC maybe?

Yes, you are correct on the terminology. It is viable for a ranger, but it is a more TP intensive build than something more plain jane like sword and board or archery. Another option I'll throw out there if you are looking for something a little off the beaten path would be an ambushing THW build.


Looking at stats, is there anything I need to be moving around? Should I move some Influence to CON and AGI?

I would bump your Logic a bit and generally ensure your stats will max out at level 100. Do you have some sort of stat allot from the transition to GS4 still?

Welcome back by the way. It's always nice to see old faces.

[Klm10000]

Yes, you are correct on the terminology. It is viable for a ranger, but it is a more TP intensive build than something more plain jane like sword and board or archery. Another option I'll throw out there if you are looking for something a little off the beaten path would be an ambushing THW build.



I would bump your Logic a bit and generally ensure your stats will max out at level 100. Do you have some sort of stat allot from the transition to GS4 still?

Welcome back by the way. It's always nice to see old faces.

Thank you! Not sure on the stat allotment. These are mostly original GS rolls, though I think I was forced into the trainer sometime in the past. Is there a command that I can check?

[Donquix]

if you were forced into the trainer at some point then you wouldn't have stat allotments remaining. You can look by checking in, if you have allotments you would have an option for 'reassign stats' or something similar.

If you don't have one there, you either have to just deal with it (which is fine, a lot of people deal with non-optimal stats) or get a fixstat potion from the adventurer's guild with bounty points. 1 million BP or you can buy them for about 40m silver from another player.

[Klm10000]

Rate, berate, improve on. Sorry for the crappy spacing, can't seem to make it come out right.

Giantsheild (at level 88), your base skill bonuses, ranks and goals are:
Skill Name | Actual Actual
| Bonus Ranks Goals In-Game Time to Goal
Armor Use.......................... | 210 110 110
Shield Use......................... | 0 0 90 ASAP (will rise when points are available)
Combat Maneuvers................| 0 0 90 ASAP (will rise when points are available)
Blunt Weapons......................| 0 0 180 ASAP (will rise when points are available)
Ranged Weapons.....................| 279 179.865 0 169 days, 2 hours, 18 minutes
Brawling........................... | 204 104.998 0 99 days, 5 hours, 37 minutes
Ambush............................. | 232 132.865 90 50 days, 19 hours, 51 minutes
Physical Fitness................... | 190 90 90
Dodging............................ | 189 89 90 ASAP (will rise when points are available)
Arcane Symbols.....................| 105 25 25
Magic Item Use.....................| 105 25 25
Harness Power......................| 190 90 90
Spirit Mana Control................| 99 23.838 0 21 days, 12 hours, 45 minutes
Survival........................... | 126 33 50 ASAP (will rise when points are available)
Stalking and Hiding................ | 280 180 180
Perception......................... | 279 179.797 90 79 days, 3 hours, 31 minutes
Climbing........................... | 105 25 25
Swimming........................... | 105 25 25
First Aid.......................... | 102 24.593 0 16 days, 7 hours, 39 minutes
Trading............................ | 25 5 5

Spell Lists
Minor Spirit.......................| 30.660 30 3 days, 3 hours, 16 minutes

Spell Lists
Ranger.............................| 50 52 ASAP (will rise when points are available)
Training Points: 0 Phy 13 Mnt (286 Mnt converted to Phy)

[Tatetrick]

Looks good but I'm a bit surprised you didn't enjoy archery. Perhaps its because of the hiding you got yourself involved in.

Fu is fu, and until they screw it up with the unarmed changes, it is spectacular. I expect serious nerfing (and the end of Voln).

Tatetrick is a fu/archer, but I always open fire. I am able to hit the left eye on roughly 90% of all shots fired from the open.

With your strength, you should have been able to fire a longbow aimed from the open with a 3 second RT. That with a haste imbed should have made you giggle.

Your new blunt training looks good though! I hope you enjoy it more!

What are your cman plans? If you intend to still ambush with the OHB, smastery is probably necessary. I was 2x hiding with all ranger spells, and it seemed like kobolds could still spot me.

Also, I'm not an expert on the subject, but if you are planning to invest so heavily in hiding, and then possible smastery, why wouldn't you full 2x ambush?

[Drazaan]

Just something that crossed my mind, but it is relatively not helpful: If you are interested in picking up Summoning Lore, now is a good time to do that before focusing on boosting Ranger Spell ranks.

Figured I'd toss that out there.

[droit]

I think you'll enjoy an OHB ambushing build. The only downside is that there aren't nearly as many nice OHBs as there are OHEs. Unless you happen to luck out and pick up a weighted mace or star right off the bat, I'd try to get my hands on a couple perfect weapons and start enchanting them up.

[Donquix]

Just something that crossed my mind, but it is relatively not helpful: If you are interested in picking up Summoning Lore, now is a good time to do that before focusing on boosting Ranger Spell ranks.

Figured I'd toss that out there.

I was actually just wondering about that myself. My ranger in the mid 50's, standard sniper build, 1x ranged, 1x armor, a little over 1x ambush (72 ranks), 2x, no brawl (CoL), 1x pf, 1x dodge, 1x survival, 1x FA, 2x SH/perception. 20 MnS and 40 ranger ranks.

Just got my SMC to 24 ranks for convenience, and now trying to decide on what to raise next between getting some CM (stupid bandits), or summoning lore. Also I know a couple people suggest going full open archer around 70. What would that transition be? dump the SH and aim for 1x CM/Brawl?

[Klm10000]

I think you'll enjoy an OHB ambushing build. The only downside is that there aren't nearly as many nice OHBs as there are OHEs. Unless you happen to luck out and pick up a weighted mace or star right off the bat, I'd try to get my hands on a couple perfect weapons and start enchanting them up.

I am still a bit foggy, but I seem to remember that maces are crush only where morning stars are puncture and crush. Does that give extra chances for damage with a double roll or not?

Also, with the one handed blunt am I still looking for crit weighting or damage weighting? Would I be better off looking for a enhancive 2 slot that I can enchant? One last question, can you crit or damage weight an enchancive morning star?

Sorry for all the questions, still working on getting back up to speed. Thanks for all the help!

[droit]

I am still a bit foggy, but I seem to remember that maces are crush only where morning stars are puncture and crush. Does that give extra chances for damage with a double roll or not?

Yes, maces are crush only and morning stars are puncture and crush. No, having two damage types doesn't not give a chance for double rolls, it just means that for each hit, there's a percent chance it will use the crush critical table and a percent chance it will use the puncture. The reason this is important is that different damage types have different fatal crit thresholds for each body location. If you do a rank 5 crush critical to the head, for example, it will kill the target--but if you do a rank 5 puncture crit to the head, the target will live. This is why maces, which only do crush, make such great ambushing weapons: you don't have to worry about the chance of getting a different damage type even though you got a rank 5 head wound. The reason I included morning stars in my previous advice is that morning stars have the best damage factor of all one handed weapons, meaning they do the most damage per any given endroll. Stars are good to have if you're fighting un-crittable creatures.



Also, with the one handed blunt am I still looking for crit weighting or damage weighting? Would I be better off looking for a enhancive 2 slot that I can enchant? One last question, can you crit or damage weight an enchancive morning star?

Damage weighting is crap for ambushers. You either want crit weighted or enhancive weapons. Getting a two-slot fusion weapon is a good idea, but you'll have to find and buy the orbs too, which can be pricey.

[Donquix]

No, multiple damage types just means it can do one or the other. Ambushers tend to like weapons that do one damage type exclusively (or nearly so, they usually tend to do more one than the other) so they can aim for the area that damage type is most likely to kill. with blunts that is the head, with piercing wepaons it is the eyes, etc. Maces are a great ambushing wepaons due to being 100% crush, morning stars however hit like a fucking truck, so even if you don't hit the optimal area for the damage type you got it generally doesn't matter since it's a bloody pulp no matter what.

damage weighting is shit, in general. Especially so for ambuhsing, you aren't going to be bleeding things out so that's worthless for you. Crit weighting would be nice if you can get it yes, but if you have orbs to use fusion is never a bad option. Enhancives (be they inherent or fusion) can indeed be on a weapon that is flared/weighted yes.

[droit]

I win.

[Donquix]

I was hunting my warrior! I'm on gift! asdklasdlaksjd

Fuck this, i'm going to shattered so I can keep my forum posting at optimal levels.

[droit]

I was actually just wondering about that myself. My ranger in the mid 50's, standard sniper build, 1x ranged, 1x armor, a little over 1x ambush (72 ranks), 2x, no brawl (CoL), 1x pf, 1x dodge, 1x survival, 1x FA, 2x SH/perception. 20 MnS and 40 ranger ranks.

Just got my SMC to 24 ranks for convenience, and now trying to decide on what to raise next between getting some CM (stupid bandits), or summoning lore. Also I know a couple people suggest going full open archer around 70. What would that transition be? dump the SH and aim for 1x CM/Brawl?

Won't need brawl, but some CM would be nice since you'll be suffering more cmans in the open. Summoning has some nice benefits, but if you want to really boost your spell power, put those points into extra spell ranks. You should check out the summoning lore table and choose one of the early thresholds to shoot for. Many people stop at 36 ranks. Of course, mid-50s is a little early to think about this.

[Donquix]

yeah i wouldn't go open until later, and i don't see hunting anything any time before then where i'll really need CM besides bandits, which i can just skip for the time being so I wasn't really sure what else to put the points into. i don't even really cast at things much with the ranger spells, pretty much just sounds if i need to but for the most part 608 and firing away does the trick.

think i just get the 100s to 130 for the odd times i could use it and go from there.