Is it possible for a Range solo build with disarm/spot/open lock?

[happypuppy]

First of all I dislike melee, I usually play caster in all the games I play.
Most people zerg or the vets know the dungeons like the back of their hand, I wish to go at my own pace and actually explore the dungeon and be surprised at what happens (ie fake chest, ambush, the medic is a spy).

So I'm looking for a build where I can solo on normal using a range Weapon, since I don't know where traps are I would like to disable them and open locks. I've read some things about range combat that is not so good but doable.
I have no problem casting spells or cc, the only problem I have is taking TWF or something like that. A Ra/Ro would be the obvious choice but most of the builds I read have TWF or some melee in it.

My dream build would be Range weapon+trap+lock and maybe if it doesn't screw my char some sort of spells or cc but I'm guessing that's too much.

So any help, suggestion, advice would be much appreciated.
Also today or tomorrow I'm becoming a VIP, while in most games I hate dungeons this game has made them exciting

[GordonAbney]

Rangers get TWF as part of their class progression (they get the best of both worlds in ranged combat AND TWF). You don't have to use it.

[Angelus_dead]

So I'm looking for a build where I can solo on normal using a range Weapon

Using a ranged weapon is a fairly bad idea. The effectiveness is very much below melee weapons.

Don't take my word for it: Try it out. Go into Collaborator and kill some cultists first with a bow and then with a greataxe. See how much slower it is? And the bow only gets worse from then on.

[Callavan]

Using a ranged weapon is a fairly bad idea. The effectiveness is very much below melee weapons.

Don't take my word for it: Try it out. Go into Collaborator and kill some cultists first with a bow and then with a greataxe. See how much slower it is? And the bow only gets worse from then on.

Um... pardon my froobish ignorance, but could you explain exactly why you'd want to use a bow at melee range? I always thought those were for sniping...

[Angelus_dead]

Um... pardon my froobish ignorance, but could you explain exactly why you'd want to use a bow at melee range?

What makes you ask that?

I always thought those were for sniping...

DDO isn't a sniping game. I've heard TF2 is good for that...

[Callavan]

What makes you ask that?


DDO isn't a sniping game. I've heard TF2 is good for that...

What makes me ask that is that bows aren't a melee weapon and you're suggesting that someone try them out in a melee situation. That seems rather silly to me. So I asked why you'd want to do it. Come to think of it, why would you even suggest it?

Never played TF2, though I'd have assumed they eschew bows in favor of deadlier and more accurate weapons. I *have* come across plenty of sniping situations in DDO, though. That's what I use bows for. I certainly don't whip them out in a sword fight... unless I click the wrong button by mistake. lol

[Angelus_dead]

What makes me ask that is that bows aren't a melee weapon and you're suggesting that someone try them out in a melee situation.

Nope: I told him to try it in a quest situation. Fighting monsters indoors is what this game is about. I could have picked Misery's Peak or Baudry Cartomon or anything. Actually, Baudry is a really good demonstration! He should try it too... but I chose Collab because a new character can reach it very soon.

If you say that Collaborator is a "melee situation", then you'd have to apply that description to most of DDO's combat.

Never played TF2, though I'd have assumed they eschew bows in favor of deadlier and more accurate weapons.

Not so much.

That's what I use bows for. I certainly don't whip them out in a sword fight...

Clearly you've missed the subject of this thread. It concerns a player who hopes to use a bow for the large majority of his combat encounters.

[Beld]

doable, but you will need to keep your eyes out for a decent bow as your progress. And you will need to melee sometimes, when enemies are in melee range and you have your bow out backing up, you are easier to hit and take more damage (I think, not 100% sure tho, maybe some more veteran player knows). But my ranger is TWF specc'd and built and he can still own with a bow from the right locations/situations.

P.S. Once you get Manyshot at Ranger lvl 7, for 20 seconds every 2 min, you can rain death from above

[elldur]

Personally I have found a ranger build to be about the most efficient for surviving in solo play. If you are not opposed to a lower strength build you may wish to consider a halfling ranger rogue. The important aspect of this build is to provide enough intelligence to keep the rogues skills up, since most players recommend only 1 level of rogue. (14 intel seems to be a minimum unless you have access to some tomes) Rogue is taken at first level, incidentally, as this is where you receive the most skill points.

It is harder to accomplish everything you need if you have not unlocked the 32 pt. build, but with a supreme tome of ability available to level 3's in the new DDO store you can now go a lot further to making a realistically viable character.(this tome adds +1 to each of your abilities) Remember also that rangers get access to divine type spells at level 4 but they need at least 11 wisdom to be allowed to choose a spell.

The important point about playing a ranger is to always have enough ammunition, and to scout the dungeon or wilderness terrains to locate good spots to shoot from in relative security. Level 6 of ranger opens up the line of enhancements that allow for specialization, but most require pre-planning from lower levels, and even creation, to ensure that you can achieve what you desire. There is a site named www.rjcyberware.com/ddo that helps to pre-plan a character. There are many threads, as well as a request-a-build thread, that might already have just the thing you are looking for; type in 'ranger build' to search. By the way, halflings get a bonus for thrown weapons and there are some darn good "returning" throwing weapons out there.

Good luck and welcome to DDO!

[happypuppy]

First thanks for saying it's not hopeless. Ok i've been doing some more reading and you suggested a Halfing.
Wouldn't it be better to choose a Drow? I get nice passive bonuses like Keen senses and Spell saves besides the stats.
With a Drow I can get my stats to look like this, took your advice about Int and Wis.

8, 16, 14, 14, 12, 14

Don't know if my Cha is low or good, also didn't knew I could cast spells as a Ranger (awesome).
About skills which are useful to max and what are secondaries for my type of build?
At first I get 40pt which I can go crazy but then I only get 8 when I go Ranger, should I dump it all on search, spot, disable device, open lock, umd. Just wondering if it's worth to max them all.

I did search the forums for build templates but it's mostly people putting down range weapons and saying TWF and WF. For now I'm not worrying about feats it's pretty straight forward for the bow damage.

Thanks

[Angelus_dead]

Wouldn't it be better to choose a Drow? I get nice passive bonuses like Keen senses and Spell saves besides the stats.

The "senses" are completely worthless and the saving throws are less than what a halfling could get.

8, 16, 14, 14, 12, 14

That's a laughably low strength. Strength should be your highest or second-highest; check out the level 1 ranger class features to see why.

I did search the forums for build templates but it's mostly people putting down range weapons and saying TWF and WF. For now I'm not worrying about feats it's pretty straight forward for the bow damage.

There's a reason everyone says ranged weapons are bad. If you won't believe popular opinion, fine, but go give it a try yourself. Test a few Korthos quests with ranged and then melee and see what happens.

For now I'm not worrying about feats it's pretty straight forward for the bow damage.

If you want bow damage you must be an elf. Not drow. There is no other choice.

[isldur]

The "senses" are completely worthless and the saving throws are less than what a halfling could get.


That's a laughably low strength. Strength should be your highest or second-highest; check out the level 1 ranger class features to see why.


There's a reason everyone says ranged weapons are bad. If you won't believe popular opinion, fine, but go give it a try yourself. Test a few Korthos quests with ranged and then melee and see what happens.


If you want bow damage you must be an elf. Not drow. There is no other choice.

Your kind of a dink aren't you.




OP
You will rule with a good bow early. It will become less useful as you level, tho not quite as bad as some think. Especially if you use sneak and hide in shadow ect. Charisma will be your dump stat. You get the use of healing wands and spells as you level as a ranger.

You should put the bow away if things get close as you will receive -4 to ac when a mob is in melee with you.

Get the silver bow from the vampire quest or off the auction house as soon as you reach level 6.
Enjoy the game.

[Angelus_dead]

Your kind of a dink aren't you.

Your kind of a troll aren't you.

[Bosco]

First of all I dislike melee, I usually play caster in all the games I play.
Most people zerg or the vets know the dungeons like the back of their hand, I wish to go at my own pace and actually explore the dungeon and be surprised at what happens (ie fake chest, ambush, the medic is a spy).

So I'm looking for a build where I can solo on normal using a range Weapon, since I don't know where traps are I would like to disable them and open locks. I've read some things about range combat that is not so good but doable.
I have no problem casting spells or cc, the only problem I have is taking TWF or something like that. A Ra/Ro would be the obvious choice but most of the builds I read have TWF or some melee in it.

My dream build would be Range weapon+trap+lock and maybe if it doesn't screw my char some sort of spells or cc but I'm guessing that's too much.

So any help, suggestion, advice would be much appreciated.
Also today or tomorrow I'm becoming a VIP, while in most games I hate dungeons this game has made them exciting

My suggestion is a real high dex heavy or light repeater rogue with a fearsome robe so you can reverse kite them when you get hit. It will be painfully slow to take down a lot of the mobs after level 5 or so but you can do it.

Get your umd up so you can use wands and scrolls. Not my cup of tea but it may work. Adding maybe six levels of fighter into the equation may help. It would get the one rank of kensei so you can specialize in the wep and to damage and free up some feats. Then again 18 levels of rogue might get you the vorpal attacks, aka insta kill, this may work but not sure if range applies to assassin 3 or not.

[happypuppy]

@Angelus_dead
Yeah I know melee is superior but I still want use a strictly range build, it's my playstyle. Not a melee type of guy but I don't know if you are really reading what I'm typing.

doable, but you will need to keep your eyes out for a decent bow as your progress. And you will need to melee sometimes, when enemies are in melee range and you have your bow out backing up, you are easier to hit and take more damage (I think, not 100% sure tho, maybe some more veteran player knows). But my ranger is TWF specc'd and built and he can still own with a bow from the right locations/situations.

P.S. Once you get Manyshot at Ranger lvl 7, for 20 seconds every 2 min, you can rain death from above

Well ok that's something nice to hear, I will still try to avoid melee but if it really calls for it I will show them my swords

[whysper]

Yeah I know melee is superior but I still want use a strictly range build, it's my playstyle.

The only problem with that is that the enemies prefer melee, and are not shy about letting you know that.

Also, whoever claimed to have soloed TR Elite at level 5 without a single point of damage, going to need a video capture of that

[Uska]

Ranged is sadly to gimped for you to truly count on it as your primary damage solo or even grouped most of the time, you can use it to soften mobs some what or even kill some but you will always be better off doing melee this is sad but true.