Showing Posts For BioScientist.7895:
Perhaps one solution to this problem would be to introduce a new trait in the marksmanship or skirmishing tree:
-Companion’s Vengeance:
While your pet is in the downed state, you deal 15-20% more damage.
This trait has considerable risk vs reward. Since pets regenerate the trait will eventually reset itself, especially quicker after combat. However, this trait will allow people who wish to not use their pet do just that, assuming their enemy decides to kill their beloved (maybe) partner. It would be a great punishment in PvP for those players that destroy pets just to nullify the ranger’s full potential. I figure a ranger will be so distraught by losing their faithful compatriot, they’d go into rage to enact some revenge on their enemy.
Thanks for the good suggestions folks. Like I’ve said, I’d like to stay away from bomb kit and grenades simply because I’m bored of using them. Their skills, while powerful, seem bland.
With that said, I’ve found flame thrower and juggernaut traits to help out a decent amount with dps against groups of mobs and especially in group play. However, retaliation eats me alive.
@Cyclohexane: You’ve got an interesting set up and I’ve not tried out the rabid set. I’ll have to give this set and trait set up a try too. Have you given the dire set a try?
I disagree with the hair trigger as I like to have my elixir gun skill up faster than my pistol. While static shot does wonders with confusion and blind, the acid bomb does too much AoE damage for me to want to give up, has a backwards leap to get away, and is a blast finisher. Not to mention how many times the extra boost super elixir has kept my tail alive too.
Thanks for the suggestions all! Keep ’em coming, maybe we can flesh out another viable non-bomb build.
Introducing the Toxicat build made possible by the Dec 10, 2013th patch:
For those of you that wish to get away from grenades and bombs, this build can deal some serious damage while keeping a good deal of evasion. This build takes advantage of Modified Ammunition and the incredible ability of the Elixir Gun to quickly pile on conditions.
The build consists of the following:
- 20 Explosives: Exploit Weaknesses + Incendiary Powder
- 30 Firearms: Fireforged Trigger + Precise Sights + Modified Ammunition
- 20 Alchemy: Blood Injection + Deadly Mixture
Armor: Celestial Armor with Superior Runes of Antitoxin seem to work great in providing useful stats to burn through enemies. Antitoxin runes for its extra condition damage and defense against enemy conditions.
Weapons: Giver Pistol and Shield using Superior Rune of Geomancy and Superior Rune of Tormenting. This combination provides extra condition duration to insure max damage to Mod Ammo while also providing easy access to torment application.
Trinkets: Celestial or Berserker here depending if you need more defense or damage, respectfully.
How to play: Start off with tranquilizer darts to stack the first few conditions (2-5 on the first hit alone!). Then start using Elixer F to keep enemies at bay. Fumigate to remove conditions from allies and stack vulnerability once enemies are in range. Use Acid bomb the second an enemy is in range and on cool down if possible as its your largest damage attack, especially when the enemy is loaded with conditions. Elixir B to provide stability and retaliation mostly. Elixer S to get out of tight situations.
I’m still tweaking this build, so any suggestions would be helpful. So far I’ve only tested this in PvE as I am not too good at WvW quite yet. I’m in training still. I’d really like to hear how this build can work in a more skilled PvP’er than myself.
~Mishra Smokehowl the Toxicat
Here’s a perma regen ranger build that I’ve been using for a while. The only necessary traits are Nature’s voice, Shout mastery, and Nature’s bounty. The rest comes down to personal preference. To play, just keep guard on cool down. Use Sic ’em when burst is needed. A bonus is that you also get perma swiftness too. Dodging to remove poison and keeping healing at max is icing on the cake.
Enjoy!