I know I'm walking into this one, but...

[Alizar]

fair enough. I let the melee know that I am casting haste on myself in x amount of seconds, if your not there, drink a pot. I spam haste though every time I run out.

No good. You're interrupting the flow of your party by making them come to you. Its best...for max dps.. to cast it at the right moment on a party member or better yet, on yourself while putting yourself in the center of the fight. Any place where the group will gather...chests for example. If you have to cast it a little early to catch everyone at a good gathering then so be it.

[Alizar]

Hmm, how to word this without getting flamed.

Is there a reason why the majority of Rangers capable of casting Barkskin, dont unless you ask for it?

Players expect and practically demand Greater Heroism and Haste.

So why the reluctancy to add Barkskin to Spell Staple List?

I do not have a Ranger so this is why I am asking for guidance.

Thanks for the replies.

What is the best way to ask for a Barkskin? In General Chat? Private Chat? or "hey, can I bum a Barky off ya?"

I tend to cast it on all party members just to make them feel included. SP on a ranger isn't critical with wands and pots, and most quests in the game are so easy that you can complete running through naked. I use a sp item for the purpose of passing buffs out at start and then switch out to something more useful for the quest. This is quests..and not raids mind you.

[QuantumFX]

Or has the shield for DR...I know it's not common for people to use a shield in this way, but some find it pretty handy.

LOL. Just found this post. Yeah. A lot of people laugh at me when I tell them that my rangers carry shields. I then explain to them that besides being a DR item it’s also my Superior Devotion 4 item. It's a lot easier to find on my hotbars too.

[Ikuryo]

Its interesting, this gets brought up and asked from time to time in the ranger boards and the poster is normally scared that the rangers are going to start dropping buckets of fire on him. As the other posters have said, most players will not get much benefit out of having bark cast on them but most rangers will cast it if asked. I will typically cast it on anyone with plate armor and/or a shield. I'll have to remember to look for the monk levels from now on, that is a good point about them having a possibly high AC.

As we get higher in levels and the clerics get more and more SP I'm finding I have less and less chances to use my SP for healing others. As a result I'll throw bark on a couple more players. I'm running an arcane archer though and have close to 600sp right now.

Rangers typically don't mind passing out bark, but if you are a class that does not normally have a usable AC you are not likely to get it without asking. If you have an AC of 10 normally and just like the look of bark don't be afraid to ask. You might get a little ribbing about it but will probably have it cast on you anyways.

[Oswald_Gobblesnot]

Yes, many of the others have said what is true. Having two rangers, here are my thoughts on barkskin.

1. Some quests don't require it. Part 1 shroud for example. When on my rangers, I'll toss out bark when we get to the last portal, so that there's an AC bump going into part 2. But part 1 doesn't really need it.

2. Some character builds don't really benefit from it. End game content seems to require a 55+ AC to have any noticible effect. If someone isn't built for AC, adding a +5 NAT AC won't do anything. For example, my sorc has an AC of 19. Getting a 24 with a bark might help in a normal harbor quest, but not in any level 16 quest. A guildie's bard has an AC of 12 after he buffs with rage, makes that +5 barkskin worth absolutely nothing.

3. There are situations where you can sort of judge a book by its cover, look for the yellow bars, shields and icy rainments. Usually these signs denote AC is a primary factor. I also look at the ranger icons and check, are they pure rangers? Can they cast a full +5 AC bark? I'm seeing a lot more rangers with that icon, but they only go up to level 6 or 9 or 10. If they're a splashy, I may toss them a bark if the quest warrants it since my rangers are all single classed.

4. If you item swap a mana item for something else, like a HP item after you zone into a quest, by all means cast a bunch of barks or anything else you want. Start with the people who look like they're going to benefit first. For example the non-mana bar fighters and barbarians who can't cast resists on themselves.

5. When in doubt, ask. Though I suppose this should be rule #1. It goes on both sides, the ranger asking if anyone needs a buff and to the non-ranger asking to fill some deficient area, i.e. a barkskin or a resist energy.

6. When you check the players in your group, look at the bios. Many players will put in their AC numbers if they're not one of your typical AC builds. I've also seen buff requests listed in their bios.

7. If someone has ugly armor or created a face that appears ugly, you can bark them to hide their appearance.

One more thing to note, be sure that you have enough mana to self-buff. As a lowbie, there were times when I buffed the group and found out that I didn't have enough mana to cast anything on myself.

So Lucian, ask yourself, "does your character really need that +5 AC boost?" Or is the miss chance from blur or displacement going to work better?

And to cbdb3rd, It puts the lotion on its skin or it gets the hose again!

[Strakeln]

I might also suggest that if you see a barbarian wearing armor (not robes/outfit/nekkid), he still wants barkskin.

I know many think it's impossible, but barbs can carry an effective (50-60) AC while THF/TWF and raging without much effort or sacrifice.

No biggie, I can ask if needed, but that's a rule of thumb I follow on my ranger.

[Nonan]

If you want a buff, al you need to do is ask. It should be common courtesie (sp???) to buff before a group/raid starts. If ya wanbark, ill cast it for ya, usually its no problem. Besides the major buffs, (GH, Haste, Mass Pro., etc.) any other "off" buff shoudl be by request.

You should also be aware that with Shroud/VoD being prevelant raids, a lot of Sorcs stopped carrying GH to carry a debuff. I was "criticized" for not having the right spells for a Shroud Raid the other day, what else can I say but , "Oh Well!!!!"

[branmakmuffin]

I was "criticized" for not having the right spells for a Shroud Raid the other day, what else can I say but , "Oh Well!!!!"

That's why I never PUG (not that I've ever run the Shroud).

[Phidius]

I will not waste my barkskin on a character unless it will truely benefit them. Like a wizard, sorc, barb, in 99% of these cases the barkskin did nothing but waste my spell points. I will throw it without thinking twice on characters that are obvious AC builds. If someone with 20 AC is asking me for bark's, they get laughed at.

So for the 1% of the wizard/sorc/barb where it's not a waste, how do you tell? Do you ask what their AC is, or just assume that the 1% aren't in your group?

For example, Precious has 54 AC with a barkskin pot... since the pot version is so short lived, I enjoy getting a real barkskin for the extended duration even more than the extra +2.

...
Regarding GH - all of the above have 2-4 girds which in my mind should be mandatory for anyone running end game content. Rather than pat yourself on the back for getting to 16 in a week - go spend a week running TR and xorian and get some visors and girds.

My luck in pulling the girds is horrible, but I have to agree with the Visor. All of my characters have at least 3 (except for the clerics).

[Mr_Ed7]

Several things may play a part in this...

A. The spell point pool for rangers is typically quite small. Sometimes they like to preserve the sp for emergency heals. Sometimes they don't even have a sp pool. (I have been asked for barkskin by a ranger at the start of a raid !)

B. They are playing a character that isn't commonly associated with throwing buffs out before a fight. They are in more of a melee frame of mind.

C. They don't get asked. I will usually hit myself with a barkskin and wait. If anyone asks, I will hit them with one.

A. My ranger has limited spell-points, and if I don't barkskin you I may still empty my mana bar on you with healing...

C. I only hit myself with the bark, but as soon as someone asks I provide, no strings attached.

Part of the issue I think is making assumptions about people's builds and play-styles.
Communication is key, just ask and a ranger will provide!

[dejafu]

Heh.

I remember when I first started this game two years ago, the friend who got me hooked told me that people saw rangers as basically useless except for one thing: barkskin.

So I made a ranger with one level of wizard and the extend feat, and to this day make a habit of hitting the whole group with a 30 minute barkskin. I get ragged on all the time for the gimp build... all the time, that is, except for that five minute buffing period at the start of the shroud

[Ghoste]

I was referring to melee characters.

As was I. My fighter is almost at 60 DR/- with a shield, but his ac still sucks with said shield.

[Garth_of_Sarlona]

My bard sings AC song for people carrying shields and occasionally monks (but not monk splashes). Singing takes longer so I normally do it on the run i.e. once the buffs are complete I just run around singing for them. Barkskin is pretty quick to cast - I agree with the OP that if I had a ranger I would probably default to casting on shield carriers and obvious AC builds. I wouldn't slow down the group to cast barkskin on everyone, but just like if I see someone taking a lot of damage in the party and I'm on my sorc, I throw them a displacement - if I see someone running around with a shield I would probably throw them a barkskin. I think also if people drink barkskin pots then they deserve a +5 barkskin

But then... I was in that VOD group a few weeks ago where one of the melee kept complaining when the ranger gave him barkskin, and eventually dropped group (in the middle of the raid!) out of anger... so maybe some people really don't want barkskin (I'm thinking guard builds).

my 2cp from someone whose never had a character who can cast barkskin...

Garth

[Ikuryo]

[QUOTE=Phidius;2167755]So for the 1% of the wizard/sorc/barb where it's not a waste, how do you tell? Do you ask what their AC is, or just assume that the 1% aren't in your group?

For example, Precious has 54 AC with a barkskin pot... since the pot version is so short lived, I enjoy getting a real barkskin for the extended duration even more than the extra +2.

The default is to assume that you don't have the 1% in your group and that if they want a barkskin they will ask. Most rangers have very little to do during the buff step of a quest and will pass out anything that is requested of them assuming they have SP to spend. I have seen rangers that used wis as a dump stat and had 100sp or less, and then you run into an arcane archer with 500+.

Its very simple, if you would like a barkskin you just need to ask. Much of the time it will be cast without a word. It might sometimes be better to ask in the chat window as we are not used to buffing and might miss the name of the requester lighting up.

[Noctus]

The default is to assume that you don't have the 1% in your group and that if they want a barkskin they will ask. Most rangers have very little to do during the buff step of a quest and will pass out anything that is requested of them assuming they have SP to spend. I have seen rangers that used wis as a dump stat and had 100sp or less, and then you run into an arcane archer with 500+.

Its very simple, if you would like a barkskin you just need to ask. Much of the time it will be cast without a word. It might sometimes be better to ask in the chat window as we are not used to buffing and might miss the name of the requester lighting up.

Would have said the same, if Ikuryo wouldnt have been faster.

[MAP1974]

Ridiculous Tip: If a character is naked, it should definitely be given a barkskin in case the quest requires a mudwrestler.

[FluffyCalico]

Pro tip: If it wears a shield, it probably wants a barkskin.

My cleric would rather have jump lol

PS> Most clerics (at least mine) wear the shield for superior devotion 8. And the DR is a nice freebee

Personally as long as the ranger doesn't cast cammo or huge bush I don't really care what it casts.

Edit> Part 4 of SOS I have been known to give the ranger a DV to get a jump out of him because the sorc didn't have it doah

[CSFurious]

with my level 13 ranger, i do not even have bark loaded, i.e., i have bear's & protection from energy loaded

my build is more about dps then ac & casting bear's frees me up from having to use a con item right now

if you really want some bark & you are an ac build, they sell potions

[FluffyCalico]

with my level 13 ranger, i do not even have bark loaded, i.e., i have bear's & protection from energy loaded

my build is more about dps then ac & casting bear's frees me up from having to use a con item right now

if you really want some bark & you are an ac build, they sell potions

When did bears start giving +6 con? When did bark pot start giving +5 extended duration?

Only reason to have bears over level 10 is to buff puppies

[CSFurious]

clueless one, if you look i said level 13, i have level 15 +6 con item in the bank for end-game

i think you should read harder before the smartass side of your brain compels you to make a post

i also said that i am not concerned with ac with my build thus no bark

When did bears start giving +6 con? When did bark pot start giving +5 extended duration?

Only reason to have bears over level 10 is to buff puppies