UI and the Ranger - Need help / suggestions

[bohemian3]

I'm enjoying playing a ranger (Human / Tempest / Level 2) - but I can't figure out how to do the following, and would appreciate (Need!) some input.

1) I'm experimenting with different combat techniques other than bow & arrow. I have throwing axes in my Primary Hand, and a longsword in my secondary hand. The axes are great for taking out monsters at a distant but I want to start using my secondary weapon when they get in close. Without hitting the shortcut bar is there are a way to start using the secondary weapon. For example, as a fighter with a shield I can shield bash with a block attack, but I can't get a similar thing to happen for my ranger using a secondary weapon (works with a shield.)

The reason I don't want to hit a hot key is because I have my game controller in hand, spinning the camera with the left hand, handling movement with the right, and hitting a key is awkward when monsters are coming at you. Am I missing something, or is there any way to use the block attack key (mapped to a button on my game controller) to start using the second hand weapon? Hope that makes sense?

2) For others using game controllers, what effective techniques / mappings have you used to switch lightening fast between ranged and melee weapons?

3) Has anyone ever gotten any practical use of the trip feat? I've tried it on Cultists, Kobalds, zombies, and Sauhagin, and maybe none of the creatures in the early quests are affected by it. Just curious.

Thanks all! I've always gotten great advice from this community.

steve

[Blazer]

3) Has anyone ever gotten any practical use of the trip feat? I've tried it on Cultists, Kobalds, zombies, and Sauhagin, and maybe none of the creatures in the early quests are affected by it. Just curious.

I don't use a controller so I can't help with the rest of your post, however, trip worked well enough for my ranger when she was your level so I hope I can help here.

The DC to save against your trip is 10 + your STR modifier; the mob has to roll a d20 + their STR or DEX modifier (whichever is higher) to save. You also need to roll an attack roll to hit the mob when you trip it. So, you run up to the mob, click the trip button and attempt to trip it. If you roll a 1 on that trip attack, you obviously miss and they don't have to even make a save. If you hit, they then have to try and save. The lower your STR, the easier it is to save against your trip.

[Borror0]

For example, as a fighter with a shield I can shield bash with a block attack, but I can't get a similar thing to happen for my ranger using a secondary weapon (works with a shield.)

There are currently no way to accomplish that other than creating multiple weapon sets (to make a weapon set, open your inventory drag the weapons/shield you want to one of the green squares at the bottom and it will make a set that you can drag to your hotbars and switch to at the click of a button). You may want to consider explaining your problem in the Combat forums or suggesting a way to fix this in the Suggestions forum.

As a side note, since having a longsword in your offhand currently do nothing, you may want to consider using a of Backstabbing or a Seeker weapon. The bonus of these two abilities apply to both hands so both would increase your DPS while using a thrown weapon.

For others using game controllers, what effective techniques / mappings have you used to switch lightening fast between ranged and melee weapons?

I don't have any knowledge with game controllers, but is there a way to set a key to change the behavior of other keys?

A bit in the way that pressing '1' on a keyboard is different from pressing 'Ctrl+1", is there a way to do the same on a controller by setting combinations of buttons? No idea if that is possible or not, but it'd be a decent workaround.