Weed Mage Training at CAP

[Jace Solo]

Considering going pure Druid but couldn't find any threads directly related to a capped training plan. I'll admit, I have limited time to browse them, so I'm coming to you guys with the questions I have.

Proposed training:
30 Armor ranks (can I survive/cast well enough in brig?)
1 Ranged (isn't that all it takes to unlock ranged DS? It's what I've heard but I am no expert)
101 PF
101 Dodge
40 MIU
100 HP
50 MC:S
30 MnS
170 Ranger Circle
60 Summoning Lore (101 eventually)
40 Climb
35 Swim
101 perception (are all these ranks necessary?)
99 survival

Do I NEED CMan now or can that be a goal?
Do I NEED to be in heavier armor?
Is the spikethorn/nature's fury weedmage viable in capped areas?
Have I left any horrible gaps in the training plan?
Will I be crippling myself without a physical weapon skill?
Do I hunt with a bow out or a runestaff?
What should be my first couple post-cap goals?

I know that's a lot of questions, but hopefully the thread will serve as a jumping point for anyone else that wants to try the pure life of a ranger.

Thanks guys

[Buckwheet]

Where do you want to hunt is a better question.

[Jace Solo]

Where would this bud prohibit me from hunting?
He would likely be with an Immo Mage during 90+% of his hunts.

[Jeril]

You only need 1 rank of ranged to start getting ranged DS, but the more ranks you have the better your DS. If you are training ranged you obviously hunt with a bow out and with 1x ranged you'd get more DS from a bow then you would a runestaff. You could try a runestaff though just because the flares might be fun.

I don't see why you'd need 50 ranks of SMC myself.

Brig is fine as far as armor goes, I even know of some who use doubles.

You are looking at 20+ casts of spikethorn, so you should be fine with finishing hunts on your own which is the primary goal. You won't be able to stay out and hunt forever because obviously mana will run out but thats fine.

[Jace Solo]

How many ranks of SMC we thinking? Or should I scrap down to the typical 24 ranks?

I was thinking an acuity/ensorcelled runestaff.

[BriarFox]

Brig is the highest I'd want to go with a pure ranger, and doubles would be fine. I'd 2x ranged for DS and as a backup hunting method. You also want to 2x perception; it adds to ranged DS significantly, AS somewhat significantly, and to your maneuver defense. The MC:S is pretty useless. The mana regen boost is nice, but you don't get much else out of it unless you want to use 620 or such, which isn't what you're going for. Leave it at 20 ranks and train some MC:E so you can share mana with your wizard. Drop your summoning lore to 40 ranks for now to free up some points if need be.

Other questions:
1) You do not need any CMans, though you may want 5 ranks of Disarm as defense.
2) Don't go higher than brig or your spell hindrance will start to kick your pure ass (there's a good argument for torso chain, though)
3) Spike thorn and Nature's fury are VERY viable in capped areas.
4) Do ranged properly at 2x ranged and 2x perception. It's more than worth it.
5) See number 4.
6) Bow.
7) Boost your summoning lore to 101.

Other points:
1) Are you in GoS? CoL? If GoS, 2x Physical Fitness and write a stamina>mana script.
2) Strongly consider training 140 ranks of MnS and 160 ranks of Ranger. I think the +100 DS from Wall of Force is a game changer (especially in warcamps or the Scatter)
3) Get some mana (and stamina if GoS) regen boosts. Stick them on your badge if nothing else. They'll help quite a bit for a pure.

[Tgo01]

My spike thorn ranger wears double leathers and he does great. No hindrance is awesome.

He's also a halfling in col and stopped having mana issues around 40ish I think. Now he's just awesome.

He also has no dodging or cm ranks. I'm not gonna say he has never had issues because of this but it wasn't horrible.

[Buckwheet]

Wear heavier armor and use hinderance reduction from a paladin. I did not find support as useful or the evasion one as useful compared to spell hinderance.

[Dendum]

I have long followed Briarfox's recommendation for GoS+ Stamina Regen...it really makes a noticeable difference in how long I can hunt with nothing but spells.

[Riltus]

With your proposed build, at level 100, you would need 50 ranks ranged weapon training to achieve the same DS as the runestaff in stance guarded. Your build has a total of 4.5 magic ranks per level and 101 perception ranks. Assuming a +30 weapon enchant bonus, STR bonus 25, DEX bonus 25, your runestaff's guarded parry DS vs melee attacks will be +148.

Runestaff

[trunc(10 + 65 + 6 + 6) * 0.90] + 30 enchant bonus + 40 stance bonus = 148 DS

Runestaff innate weapon ranks bonus: 10
Magic ranks converted to weapon ranks: 65
STR bonus/4: 6
DEX bonus/4: 6
Runestaff guarded stance modifier: 0.90
Enchant bonus: 30
Guarded stance bonus: 40

Bow

With 50 ranks ranged (150 skill), 101 perception ranks, +30 bow enchant bonus, you'll also have a parry DS vs melee of +148 in guarded stance.

[(150 + 50) * 0.39] + 30 enchant bonus + 40 stance bonus = 148 DS

Ranged skill: 150
Perception ranks/2: 50
Bow guarded stance modifier: 0.39
Bow enchant bonus: 30
Guarded stance bonus: 40

Also note that runestaff's DS vs ranged attacks (missiles, hurled weapons and bolts) is halved. Ranged weapon users effectively lose all parry DS vs these attacks.

Mark

[BriarFox]

You can always count on Mark for the complex math breakdowns. In other words, you're way better off with a bow and 202 ranged/perception ranks.

2x Ranged/Perception:

With 202 ranks ranged (302 skill), 202 perception ranks, +30 bow enchant bonus, you'll also have a parry DS vs melee of +227 in guarded stance.

[(302 + 101) * 0.39] + 30 enchant bonus + 40 stance bonus = 227 DS

Ranged skill: 302
Perception ranks/2: 101
Bow guarded stance modifier: 0.39
Bow enchant bonus: 30
Guarded stance bonus: 40

[Jace Solo]

That's great stuff. Math and I have a love/hate relationship.

Thanks guys!