UCS and spells

[Leto]

Never tried a Ranger class so rolled one up to play with UAC (which is also new for me) and spells. Will be in Sunfist as well which is also new to me. So, a perfect trifecta of newness! All the older guilds suggest archery however trying to see if UCS along with Ranger spells is pretty good pre and post cap.

I am planning on staying on doubles to keep TP's low so looking to have a good UCS build with 1x spells and fitting extra spells as points allow.

Any current builds out there I can take a look at and any hunting tips.

Training will be the following:

8 for Armor Use for doubles
1x Physical Fitness
1x Harness Power
1x Spell Research (fitting more in when points allow)
1x Perception
2x Brawling
2x Ambush
2x Stalking and Hiding
1x Combat Maneuvers
Climbing and Swimming to where it needs to be for hunting.

Probably won't have room for Lores until later in life unless there are some critical breakpoints to get to help with spells.

Dodging will probably be tough to fit in as well, but since I will be in the shadows and stance dancing will probably not be an issue until later in life.

Anything I missed?

thanks!

[kutter]

It works just fine, here is my build:

(at level 40), your current skill bonuses and ranks (including all modifiers) are:
Skill Name | Current Current
| Bonus Ranks
Armor Use..........................| 58 12
Combat Maneuvers...................| 147 47
Brawling...........................| 184 84
Physical Fitness...................| 152 52
Dodging............................| 142 42
Harness Power......................| 142 42
Spirit Mana Control................| 142 42
Survival...........................| 168 68
Stalking and Hiding................| 5 1
Perception.........................| 142 42
Climbing...........................| 138 39
Swimming...........................| 45 9
First Aid..........................| 173 73

Spell Lists
Minor Spiritual....................| 2

Spell Lists
Ranger.............................| 40

If there is more than one critter I will use tangleweed, then moonbeam, otherwise just moonbeam. Either and both will raise your MM dramatically. Keep an eye out for enhancives, they tend to not be too hard to find for UAC. I use a very enahancive cestus that has 3 sanctifications and 2 ensorcels and 7X with lightning flares. Opinions vary, most say nothing in the hand but from my experience with UAC is that given the proper item, the loss of a little MM is acceptable, but I am sure someone will disagree.

Mine is wearing leather breastplate and unlike my wizards, for whatever reason hindrance never seems bad with him. His breastplate is a little enhancive and he does not normally hunt solo, so it is acceptable for me if he occasionally misses a spell.

I do not stalk and hide, I have heard that is awesome for UAC from hiding but since he normally hunts with friends I find mechanics behind it are cumbersome and unneeded in a party.

[Leto]

Thanks for the reply and the spell setups. What stance do you tend to case tangleweed in? So far even at 14 seems like a fun build. Only annoying thing is not having some spells work inside caves and such. I realize that will change later.

For now I am doing both open and hiding UAC. Hiding definitely is getting quicker kills. Still getting used to figure out when to punch, kick and grapple. I may re-adjust later as he gets stronger with his spells.

How do your stats look like and placed for? I will need to figure that out as I come up on my 20th training.

[kutter]

Thanks for the reply and the spell setups. What stance do you tend to case tangleweed in? So far even at 14 seems like a fun build. Only annoying thing is not having some spells work inside caves and such. I realize that will change later.

For now I am doing both open and hiding UAC. Hiding definitely is getting quicker kills. Still getting used to figure out when to punch, kick and grapple. I may re-adjust later as he gets stronger with his spells.

How do your stats look like and placed for? I will need to figure that out as I come up on my 20th training.

Once I get to the hold point for 20 levels I set all my stats for cap on all my alts, my thought is that all critters below about 40-50 are much easier to handle, ie. not so many maneuvers, not such lethal spells, so that once you get to 50 your stats will have already grown to like 3/4 of what they will end up at, but that is just my .02. Admittedly it was a bit of a tough slog for my paladin until his strength got up some.

I guess I thought that you already knew about the repository script ;combo, if not, go get it, it makes UAC about as easy as it comes. I am normally in guarded when I cast and when I see the spells take effect then I run combo. But that is only if I am solo hunting, if I am with friends, I do not bother with spells and just run combo. I have it hot keyed, it will adjust your stance, and automatically tier you up and then put you back in guarded or defensive when done depending on how you set it. I am pretty sure for my ranger I have it setup to jab for tierup and tier3 is grapple. I know kick does more damage but it is a second longer. My UAC wizard that uses celerity is kick for both tierup and tier3 since it is always a second and my monk uses mstrike, which combo does automatically when available with jab for tierup and kick for tier3.

[Leto]

Yeah I have tried ;combo, but was a bit finicky. I will have to play around more with the tierup settings and use it more for open combat when I don't feel like hiding.

So far what I have been doing is go stance offense, cast tangleweed to pull down and possible stun being in offensive stance, hide and while aiming for the head punch. I may have to do this twice to get an instant kill. I am hoping as I get more trains in, I may get some one shot kills this way.

Otherwise if I am just sneaking around and want to stay hidden will aim for the leg and kick it. Hide again and aim for head with a punch. That seems to have the most instant kills.

I have a few levels to think about the stats. I have other alts so planning for optimal stats at cap seems so far away. Good points on the stats growth strategy have to think about it.

Do you mind sharing your starting stats to get an idea what your cap looks like?

[kutter]

Obviously it will be slightly different from race to race, my ranger is a forest gnome, here is all his info start to cap:

Strength (STR): 71
Constitution (CON): 70
Dexterity (DEX): 35
Agility (AGI): 68
Discipline (DIS): 70
Aura (AUR): 82
Logic (LOG): 82
Intuition (INT): 55
Wisdom (WIS): 62
Influence (INF): 65

>;whatstat full
--- Lich: whatstats active.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * LEVEL 40 * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
*
* The Growth Interval for CON as a level 40 Forest Gnome Ranger is 3: Growth divisor: 22
* No stat growth at level 40 for CON
* Your CON will grow from 83 to 84 at level 42
* Your CON will grow from 84 to 85 at level 45
* Your CON will grow from 85 to 86 at level 48
* Your CON will grow from 86 to 87 at level 51
* Your CON will grow from 87 to 88 at level 54
* Growth Interval changed from 3 to 4
* Your CON will grow from 88 to 89 at level 56
* Your CON will grow from 89 to 90 at level 60
* Your CON will grow from 90 to 91 at level 64
* Your CON will grow from 91 to 92 at level 68
* Your CON will grow from 92 to 93 at level 72
* Your CON will grow from 93 to 94 at level 76
* Your CON will grow from 94 to 95 at level 80
* Your CON will grow from 95 to 96 at level 84
* Your CON will grow from 96 to 97 at level 88
* Your CON will grow from 97 to 98 at level 92
* Your CON will grow from 98 to 99 at level 96
* Your CON will grow from 99 to 100 at level 100
* Your CON stat will max at 100
*
* The Growth Interval for DEX as a level 40 Forest Gnome Ranger is 2: Growth divisor: 32
* Your character should have seen stat growth in DEX from 69 to 70 at level 40
* Your DEX will grow from 70 to 71 at level 42
* Your DEX will grow from 71 to 72 at level 44
* Your DEX will grow from 72 to 73 at level 46
* Your DEX will grow from 73 to 74 at level 48
* Your DEX will grow from 74 to 75 at level 50
* Your DEX will grow from 75 to 76 at level 52
* Your DEX will grow from 76 to 77 at level 54
* Your DEX will grow from 77 to 78 at level 56
* Your DEX will grow from 78 to 79 at level 58
* Your DEX will grow from 79 to 80 at level 60
* Your DEX will grow from 80 to 81 at level 62
* Your DEX will grow from 81 to 82 at level 64
* Your DEX will grow from 82 to 83 at level 66
* Your DEX will grow from 83 to 84 at level 68
* Your DEX will grow from 84 to 85 at level 70
* Your DEX will grow from 85 to 86 at level 72
* Your DEX will grow from 86 to 87 at level 74
* Your DEX will grow from 87 to 88 at level 76
* Your DEX will grow from 88 to 89 at level 78
* Your DEX will grow from 89 to 90 at level 80
* Your DEX will grow from 90 to 91 at level 82
* Your DEX will grow from 91 to 92 at level 84
* Your DEX will grow from 92 to 93 at level 86
* Your DEX will grow from 93 to 94 at level 88
* Your DEX will grow from 94 to 95 at level 90
* Your DEX will grow from 95 to 96 at level 92
* Growth Interval changed from 2 to 3
* Your DEX will grow from 96 to 97 at level 93
* Your DEX will grow from 97 to 98 at level 96
* Your DEX will grow from 98 to 99 at level 99
* Your DEX stat will max at 99
*
* The Growth Interval for DIS as a level 40 Forest Gnome Ranger is 3: Growth divisor: 22
* No stat growth at level 40 for DIS
* Your DIS will grow from 83 to 84 at level 42
* Your DIS will grow from 84 to 85 at level 45
* Your DIS will grow from 85 to 86 at level 48
* Your DIS will grow from 86 to 87 at level 51
* Your DIS will grow from 87 to 88 at level 54
* Growth Interval changed from 3 to 4
* Your DIS will grow from 88 to 89 at level 56
* Your DIS will grow from 89 to 90 at level 60
* Your DIS will grow from 90 to 91 at level 64
* Your DIS will grow from 91 to 92 at level 68
* Your DIS will grow from 92 to 93 at level 72
* Your DIS will grow from 93 to 94 at level 76
* Your DIS will grow from 94 to 95 at level 80
* Your DIS will grow from 95 to 96 at level 84
* Your DIS will grow from 96 to 97 at level 88
* Your DIS will grow from 97 to 98 at level 92
* Your DIS will grow from 98 to 99 at level 96
* Your DIS will grow from 99 to 100 at level 100
* Your DIS stat will max at 100
*
* The Growth Interval for LOG as a level 40 Forest Gnome Ranger is 6: Growth divisor: 15
* No stat growth at level 40 for LOG
* Your LOG will grow from 90 to 91 at level 42
* Your LOG will grow from 91 to 92 at level 48
* Your LOG will grow from 92 to 93 at level 54
* Your LOG will grow from 93 to 94 at level 60
* Your LOG will grow from 94 to 95 at level 66
* Your LOG will grow from 95 to 96 at level 72
* Your LOG will grow from 96 to 97 at level 78
* Your LOG will grow from 97 to 98 at level 84
* Your LOG will grow from 98 to 99 at level 90
* Your LOG will grow from 99 to 100 at level 96
* Your LOG stat will max at 100
*
* The Growth Interval for INT as a level 40 Forest Gnome Ranger is 3: Growth divisor: 25
* No stat growth at level 40 for INT
* Your INT will grow from 75 to 76 at level 42
* Your INT will grow from 76 to 77 at level 45
* Your INT will grow from 77 to 78 at level 48
* Your INT will grow from 78 to 79 at level 51
* Your INT will grow from 79 to 80 at level 54
* Your INT will grow from 80 to 81 at level 57
* Your INT will grow from 81 to 82 at level 60
* Your INT will grow from 82 to 83 at level 63
* Your INT will grow from 83 to 84 at level 66
* Your INT will grow from 84 to 85 at level 69
* Your INT will grow from 85 to 86 at level 72
* Your INT will grow from 86 to 87 at level 75
* Your INT will grow from 87 to 88 at level 78
* Your INT will grow from 88 to 89 at level 81
* Your INT will grow from 89 to 90 at level 84
* Your INT will grow from 90 to 91 at level 87
* Your INT will grow from 91 to 92 at level 90
* Your INT will grow from 92 to 93 at level 93
* Your INT will grow from 93 to 94 at level 96
* Your INT will grow from 94 to 95 at level 99
* Your INT stat will max at 95
*
* The Growth Interval for STR as a level 40 Forest Gnome Ranger is 3: Growth divisor: 22
* No stat growth at level 40 for STR
* Your STR will grow from 84 to 85 at level 42
* Your STR will grow from 85 to 86 at level 45
* Your STR will grow from 86 to 87 at level 48
* Your STR will grow from 87 to 88 at level 51
* Growth Interval changed from 3 to 4
* Your STR will grow from 88 to 89 at level 52
* Your STR will grow from 89 to 90 at level 56
* Your STR will grow from 90 to 91 at level 60
* Your STR will grow from 91 to 92 at level 64
* Your STR will grow from 92 to 93 at level 68
* Your STR will grow from 93 to 94 at level 72
* Your STR will grow from 94 to 95 at level 76
* Your STR will grow from 95 to 96 at level 80
* Your STR will grow from 96 to 97 at level 84
* Your STR will grow from 97 to 98 at level 88
* Your STR will grow from 98 to 99 at level 92
* Your STR will grow from 99 to 100 at level 96
* Your STR stat will max at 100
*
* The Growth Interval for AGL as a level 40 Forest Gnome Ranger is 3: Growth divisor: 23
* No stat growth at level 40 for AGL
* Your AGL will grow from 82 to 83 at level 42
* Your AGL will grow from 83 to 84 at level 45
* Your AGL will grow from 84 to 85 at level 48
* Your AGL will grow from 85 to 86 at level 51
* Your AGL will grow from 86 to 87 at level 54
* Your AGL will grow from 87 to 88 at level 57
* Your AGL will grow from 88 to 89 at level 60
* Your AGL will grow from 89 to 90 at level 63
* Your AGL will grow from 90 to 91 at level 66
* Your AGL will grow from 91 to 92 at level 69
* Growth Interval changed from 3 to 4
* Your AGL will grow from 92 to 93 at level 72
* Your AGL will grow from 93 to 94 at level 76
* Your AGL will grow from 94 to 95 at level 80
* Your AGL will grow from 95 to 96 at level 84
* Your AGL will grow from 96 to 97 at level 88
* Your AGL will grow from 97 to 98 at level 92
* Your AGL will grow from 98 to 99 at level 96
* Your AGL will grow from 99 to 100 at level 100
* Your AGL stat will max at 100
*
* The Growth Interval for INF as a level 40 Forest Gnome Ranger is 7: Growth divisor: 10
* No stat growth at level 40 for INF
* Your INF will grow from 71 to 72 at level 42
* Your INF will grow from 72 to 73 at level 49
* Your INF will grow from 73 to 74 at level 56
* Your INF will grow from 74 to 75 at level 63
* Your INF will grow from 75 to 76 at level 70
* Your INF will grow from 76 to 77 at level 77
* Your INF will grow from 77 to 78 at level 84
* Your INF will grow from 78 to 79 at level 91
* Your INF will grow from 79 to 80 at level 98
* Growth Interval changed from 7 to 8
* Your INF stat will max at 80
*
* The Growth Interval for WIS as a level 40 Forest Gnome Ranger is 3: Growth divisor: 25
* No stat growth at level 40 for WIS
* Your WIS will grow from 80 to 81 at level 42
* Your WIS will grow from 81 to 82 at level 45
* Your WIS will grow from 82 to 83 at level 48
* Your WIS will grow from 83 to 84 at level 51
* Your WIS will grow from 84 to 85 at level 54
* Your WIS will grow from 85 to 86 at level 57
* Your WIS will grow from 86 to 87 at level 60
* Your WIS will grow from 87 to 88 at level 63
* Your WIS will grow from 88 to 89 at level 66
* Your WIS will grow from 89 to 90 at level 69
* Your WIS will grow from 90 to 91 at level 72
* Your WIS will grow from 91 to 92 at level 75
* Your WIS will grow from 92 to 93 at level 78
* Your WIS will grow from 93 to 94 at level 81
* Your WIS will grow from 94 to 95 at level 84
* Your WIS will grow from 95 to 96 at level 87
* Your WIS will grow from 96 to 97 at level 90
* Your WIS will grow from 97 to 98 at level 93
* Your WIS will grow from 98 to 99 at level 96
* Your WIS will grow from 99 to 100 at level 99
* Growth Interval changed from 3 to 4
* Your WIS stat will max at 100
*
* The Growth Interval for AUR as a level 40 Forest Gnome Ranger is 6: Growth divisor: 15
* No stat growth at level 40 for AUR
* Your AUR will grow from 90 to 91 at level 42
* Your AUR will grow from 91 to 92 at level 48
* Your AUR will grow from 92 to 93 at level 54
* Your AUR will grow from 93 to 94 at level 60
* Your AUR will grow from 94 to 95 at level 66
* Your AUR will grow from 95 to 96 at level 72
* Your AUR will grow from 96 to 97 at level 78
* Your AUR will grow from 97 to 98 at level 84
* Your AUR will grow from 98 to 99 at level 90
* Your AUR will grow from 99 to 100 at level 96
* Your AUR stat will max at 100
*
* -The total of your current stats is 808
* -The total of your calculated capped stats is 974

[Leto]

Made a few adjustments that gave me more training points and a very effective hunter. Will get even better when I get Spike Thorn I imagine.

I got rid of ambush and stalking and hiding and picked up shield use. I realize my MM will reduce with the shield out so I have a script to toss it on my shoulder when ready to do physical attacks and pull it out when done. ;combo script works great for this open UAC build. Setup with moonbeam and/or tangle weed as you suggested then UAC to finish them off.

Adding the shield gave me much better defense. However, I need to test out what offers better defense 2x shield use with a tower shield or 1x shield use and 1x dodging with a smaller shield. Plus, mobility will add more dodge on to that.

Here is my training so far and doing this gave me room for more spells when I want them.

(at level 15), your current skill bonuses and ranks (including all modifiers) are:
Skill Name | Current Current
| Bonus Ranks
Armor Use..........................| 40 8
Shield Use.........................| 128 34
Combat Maneuvers...................| 78 17
Brawling...........................| 128 34
Physical Fitness...................| 78 17
Harness Power......................| 78 17
Perception.........................| 78 17
Climbing...........................| 25 5
Swimming...........................| 25 5

Spell Lists
Minor Spiritual....................| 3

Spell Lists
Ranger.............................| 15

[kutter]

I think there is a script called shield-size that can tell you what is best in terms of shield size and defense. It has been a while since I used it and it may no longer be accurate but I know that when I used a shield on my alts it always came out to a medium being best. Since you are still under 20 you can change up your build to test it easily.

I like dodge for brawlers but it is a lot more TP's than shield use for a ranger. My monk is fully doubled but it is so cheap for a monk, my wizard would be singled but it is so expensive that is a far off post cap goal.

I do not think you will have an issue with your MM, I know that I do not when I use my cestus, moonbeam and tangleweed raise it dramatically.

I know there are some that will think we are nuts for this build but it is very effective, and there are two things I love about UAC, critters cannot dodge and you cannot be disarmed.

[Asha]

You're definitely not nuts. Rangers are the best at doing pretty much anything. Not meaning they're the best at everything, I mean they're the best class to just mess about with creating builds. You can't really go wrong.
UAC works really well. Archery is the GOAT, our spells basically are meant for it. I swung a claidh for a long time too, really good. TWC is expensive but almost as good as a rogue. Sword N board is old school fine, again not as good as a rogue. You can even use a bow as a runestave kind of and just be a caster. But You can eventually get in an actual runestave.
Don't talk to me about polearms. Pretend they don't exist.

[kutter]

Don't talk to me about polearms. Pretend they don't exist.

Bite your tongue, I had sorc gnome that swung a naginata for...well only for 20 levels before the whole mana thing got better, but I admit it is a far better choice for warriors, paladins and bards than likely any other classes.

One day I may have to try out my bard on the test server with UAC and Tonis, I have not read that it impacts tierup so it could be a strong build.

So I just looked, and apparently the penalties for any type of spell to speed up attacks were removed, IN 2016! So I wonder why that rumor is still circulating?