Robed Ranger (or Astray's idea to rely solely on dodge)

[Astray]

So this has been an idea I've been fiddling with for a while. Has anyone had any modicum of success wearing robes as a ranger?

[Androidpk]

Why do you want to dodge?

[Astray]

Why do you want to dodge?

Because I like to stay alive.

[Androidpk]

Can rangers get evasion mastery?

[Astray]

No, but they do get Mobility.

[Androidpk]

Being able to dodge physical attacks rocks, and I'm sure dodge will rock even harder once it gives protection against maneuver attacks. You get out at a pretty big disadvantage against magic attacks though, since you take quite ahit to your CvA.

[Astray]

I'm planning to go the Sniper route, I just wanted to know if it was viable or wise to wear robes over something like Brig or higher.

[Androidpk]

Would the Zeons wear robes??

[Astray]

Probably. They retrofitted fucking everything.

[Taernath]

I'm planning to go the Sniper route, I just wanted to know if it was viable or wise to wear robes over something like Brig or higher.

Most archers wear brig or augmented chain because of arm wounds. You'd be able to dodge a lot, but getting hit means getting rekt.

[Astray]

Most archers wear brig or augmented chain because of arm wounds. You'd be able to dodge a lot, but getting hit means getting rekt.

Carrying herbs will help reduce the risk, probably get some crit-padded stuff later on to stay safe.

[Androidpk]

See if you can hunt Susan a self-mana iron skin item.

I don't know where that Susan came from and I'm not changing it.

[Astray]

Jeez... PK did you hit your head somewhere?

[Androidpk]

Jeez... PK did you hit your head somewhere?

I don't drink a lot, okay.

[Whirlin]

Not worth it...
It works for Rogues Solely from Evade Mastery, which grants higher dodge yields as a result of wearing lighter armor. For Rangers, no such benefit exists.

When we look at DS contribution of Dodge for higher tier armors, we're looking at a reduction of Evade DS contribution of 6%. That means that if you're a full 2x Dodge, with 100 ranks in Ranger circle for maximum additional dodge, you'll be losing 18 DS in defensive by wearing brig. If you're in offensive, well, in that case it's only 13 DS compared to robes. Meanwhile, Robes versus Brig AvD would offset a bit of that penalty.

Comparing Brig to Hauberk, we're looking at a fully trained off evade penalty from 6% to 9%... Honestly, not a huge deal.

[Astray]

So... go rogue if you're gonna go robed archery?

[Androidpk]

So... go rogue if you're gonna go robed archery?

Or monk.

[Astray]

Or monk.

Has anyone tried archery on a monk?

[Androidpk]

Has anyone tried archery on a monk?

I think Spiffy might have. I've considered it but I love my THW too much.

[Astray]

Edit: Scratch that. I found a post by Spiffy that basically says it's an awful idea.

[Jeril]

There are some rangers out there who wear doubles, so dropping down to robes isn't that huge of a stretch. You should be able to do it just fine and you shouldn't be dying any more then normal for the most part.

[Whirlin]

Doable: Yes
Advantageous: Not Really

A lot of rangers wearing just doubles tend to be druids... basically training to pimp out spike thorn with very little weapon hunting capabilities.

[Luftstreitkräfte]

go brig or go home

[m444w]

Not worth it...
It works for Rogues Solely from Evade Mastery, which grants higher dodge yields as a result of wearing lighter armor. For Rangers, no such benefit exists.

When we look at DS contribution of Dodge for higher tier armors, we're looking at a reduction of Evade DS contribution of 6%. That means that if you're a full 2x Dodge, with 100 ranks in Ranger circle for maximum additional dodge, you'll be losing 18 DS in defensive by wearing brig. If you're in offensive, well, in that case it's only 13 DS compared to robes. Meanwhile, Robes versus Brig AvD would offset a bit of that penalty.

Comparing Brig to Hauberk, we're looking at a fully trained off evade penalty from 6% to 9%... Honestly, not a huge deal.


Where did these numbers come from?

[Whirlin]

Where did these numbers come from?
Evade DS equation. 202 ranks of dodge + 100 ranks of dodge from 100 ranks of Ranger circle ~ 300 *.94 = 282 = 18 DS loss from armor hindrance before factoring in stance

Evade Hindrance Factor = Half of the action penalty, rounded down
Evade stance modifier in offensive is .75, while 1.0 in defensive.

There are additional modifiers for a shield, but this example is specific to archery.

[Middian]

I have an opened ranged monk that wears robes. He rarely dies from physical attacks, its more from a disarm or spells.

[SpiffyJr]

Edit: Scratch that. I found a post by Spiffy that basically says it's an awful idea.

It was doable. I was firing pretty fast as a halfling but there's just so much shit being a rogue/ranger gets you that I just didn't see the point. I played him like my Ranger (pre-convert), except I had worse CC, and significantly worse TD.

[Astray]

Thanks for the input.

I can deal with the build not being advantageous. I'm not in it to win it.

[Androidpk]

Yeah, definitely gotta worry about spell casters. But if you kill them fast then you really have nothing to worry about. I think at one point my DS was approaching 700 in offensive and I only had 6x armor.

[Androidpk]

I'm not in it to win it.

Spoken like a true Zeon!

[Astray]

Spoken like a true Zeon!

It's Zeke. And if I were a true blooded Zeke I'd be dropping colonies or plunging massive asteroid bases at the Earth to win.

[Astray]

So let's move on. What would be the better Companion, mechanically speaking?

[Androidpk]

So let's move on. What would be the better Companion, mechanically speaking?

A native american martial artist.

[Donquix]

It was doable. I was firing pretty fast as a halfling but there's just so much shit being a rogue/ranger gets you that I just didn't see the point. I played him like my Ranger (pre-convert), except I had worse CC, and significantly worse TD.

and it's still arguably the strongest monk build. Which is just like, hilarious.

p.s. what the fuck dude, f2p. play again and write moar scriptz!

[Astray]

A native american martial artist.

I can't argue that but I was thinking one of the four available in game.

[Androidpk]

and it's still arguably the strongest monk build. Which is just like, hilarious.

p.s. what the fuck dude, f2p. play again and write moar scriptz!

Even better than a THW build?

[droit]

If you want to go light armor, you could wear doubles and still not have any spell hindrance while moving past the godawful robe DF/AvD bracket.

[Donquix]

Even better than a THW build?

for sure, because ranged is broken. they both kill in 1 shot, and one does it in half the time.

just like doing open ranged for rogue or ranger, just without their utility/disable spells/cva (and you could just train armor and forego 1202 for the latter, as always), which are the same problems you have as THW anyway.

perfectself + burst you get basically free max dex for pumping AS, and the str for RT. "benefit" of ranged having no martials that matter so you can run inner harmony/slippery mind without missing out on krynch/mongoose. since ranged is so broke it doesn't get any cmans that help it directly (aside from the stat boosters) the lack of good monk cmans doesn't hurt as much! :D

[Astray]

Looking over the ranger spells, it looks like warding won't be much of an issue if I invest in MnS and some Blessing Lore.