Seeking AA build that only uses ranged dps.

[Therigar]

There is one 'issue' while leveling such a build: 10k Stars needs Ki, and ranged attacking does not generate ki.

Some players are choosing their stances in order to have passive ki generation. This is another option if you have Greater Ocean (Master of the Seas) stance available.

[boredman]

Look at this Monkcher 12monk /6 ranger/2 fighter i found on youtube that can farm scrolls on epic elite, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_K6XI3mUTiE , the gear and heroic enhancements are showed at the end of the video, but good luck getting all the gear and epic destinies first.

[hermespan]

Not an artificer splash please. I want a ranged build that only uses ranged, and maintains reasonable dps with it. Does such a build exist?

LOL you almost had me going. Good one....

[masterzzan]

i know you said no melee but try this one: 11 ranger\9 dark monk half elf with rouge dil.
you use the
ranger to get: A.A. casting pre-requests.,bow str, full range and melee 2wf feats.beside the nice spells.

monk get you :the touch of death ,improved evasion and ninja spy I invisibility (also whole self to heal if no sp). i like the dark path because u get ki while hiding.use zen archery. 1k stars if you want to as well.

half elf to get: the A.A. prestige class(don't use the ranger as you can't get the full class with only 11 ranger class levels). and the rouge dill will add sneak attack to the ninja spy's.

the nice combo here is that you range with all the feats you want. and then can go melee with a monk's full attack options. notice that 2wf feats give off hand monk special attacks a 2nd chance as well. i got more then once a 1.5-2k damage hit with touch of death getting an off hand attack. you can also use short swords for the monk. and the Celestia in CitW is a very nice thing. specially if you can get 2 to dual wield.

[Symerith]

To the OP. Forums are filled with people who spend very little time ingame and therefore speak of builds that they never have played. Theory is nice yeah but as someone who just capped my monkcher, the DPS is insane. Obviously it's not the DPS of a 10 charges Blitz barb but yeah.. lots of burst DPS and in DDO, that's what you want (10 secs EE claw giant? np). Very few are the fights where the cooldowns on 10k star/Manyshot can be an issue, and you can definitely spare one feat for GTWF on a 12monk/6ranger/2fighter). I never put down the bow except on long boss fights.

I will say this: you are the highest burst DPS in the game, with 43 PRR, 12% dodge, stun every 15 secs, 25% incorporeal, full time displace and somewhat okay AC and you are not even meleeing.

Edit: agreed with what Karl-k0ch said.

[FreeMemory]

This may sound crazy, but my helf season's herald druid with ranger dilly while in elemental form (fire/water) does better dps when using AA bow than with a melee weapon, so with pet wolf and summon doing the melee, I just cast and shoot. I have high bluff on my wolf as well, which usually turns around any aggro'ed targets, letting me get a few more shots in at distance. In tight quarters I also throw up Body of the Sun, which is like a high power firewall (level x d6) that surrounds & follows you. In addition to the AA bonus I put the crown of summer enhancement on myself for an extra no-time-limit 2d6 light damage on my bow, not to mention the 15% healing amp. If I want to put the crown of summer on someone else, I can use the fires of purity spell to add 2d4 fire to weapon and debuff fire resistance. So far so good to level 19. For epic I'm planning on adding the Shiradi Champion archer ED abilities which are available to druid. The AA helps conserve spell points as well since I save them for heals or when high power boss/crowd damage is needed.

[Certon]

I have a 20 fighter kensai III/AA with sorc past life that can exclusively use ranged. The trick is to effectively switch between archer's focus and IPS. Go Shiradi double rainbow and stand and deliver. Take all the ranged feats. The focus of your kensai should be longbow. If you can get it at 25, use a Tempestuous Longbow of Radiance (unless you have Pinion, Cloud Chaser.) Focus on STR, DEX, and CON.

When Archer's Focus is fully stacked with Stand and Deliver, I crit 15% of the time for about 350. Until I get Pinion, I'm using a trinket of Ranged Alacrity 10%. I have the fighter capstone as well, but the 10% ranged speed doesn't show up on the display, so I think it's broken. Would be nice if they could get it to work.

First thing to remember: find a good vantage point and DON'T MOVE. You're a fighter. You're supposed to tank, even though you have a bow. Stand there and trust your healer. Also, you don't want to blow the stacks of Stand and Deliver that will be giving you +10 to damage per hit.

[FengXian]

Very few are the fights where the cooldowns on 10k star/Manyshot can be an issue, and you can definitely spare one feat for GTWF on a 12monk/6ranger/2fighter). I never put down the bow except on long boss fights.

I think this point should be clear by now. It's a good idea to get melee for those 40 secs vs bosses (and possibly for Stunning Fist).

It could be possible to have bow only builds, maybe like the super-focused Kensei Certon is talking about (although I'm pretty sure you can get much higher crits), but it's definitely not easy to make them work. Again, always talking about optimal builds, EE etc...

If you want something tested by many people, which you know will work if you make it right, roll a monkcher and be prepared to melee now and then, it's no big deal really. Besides, while pretty hard to play, it's also a very fun split, and you get abundant step, running speed, imp. evasion, water stride etc, lots of goodies.

[Certon]

I think this point should be clear by now. It's a good idea to get melee for those 40 secs vs bosses (and possibly for Stunning Fist).

It could be possible to have bow only builds, maybe like the super-focused Kensei Certon is talking about (although I'm pretty sure you can get much higher crits), but it's definitely not easy to make them work. Again, always talking about optimal builds, EE etc...

If you want something tested by many people, which you know will work if you make it right, roll a monkcher and be prepared to melee now and then, it's no big deal really. Besides, while pretty hard to play, it's also a very fun split, and you get abundant step, running speed, imp. evasion, water stride etc, lots of goodies.

Even my build has TWF, ITWF, GTWF, IC:Slash, and Exotic Weapon:Khopesh proficiency, because sometimes I get bored of just shooting. If I wanted, I could go sword and board and change any four of these feats out for Power Attack, Cleave, Great Cleave, and Overwhelming Critical, which would increase my crit profile another step, though I think it's really shortsighted of the Turbine staff to require melee feats to improve ranged criticals.

[maddmatt70]

I think this point should be clear by now. It's a good idea to get melee for those 40 secs vs bosses (and possibly for Stunning Fist).

It could be possible to have bow only builds, maybe like the super-focused Kensei Certon is talking about (although I'm pretty sure you can get much higher crits), but it's definitely not easy to make them work. Again, always talking about optimal builds, EE etc...

If you want something tested by many people, which you know will work if you make it right, roll a monkcher and be prepared to melee now and then, it's no big deal really. Besides, while pretty hard to play, it's also a very fun split, and you get abundant step, running speed, imp. evasion, water stride etc, lots of goodies.

You just do not play enough with a variety of folks. I guess I am spoiled my guildy who is devoted to the ranged combat to the extreme and plays a pure level 20 AA ranger that ranges all the time and literally in hard CITW will get 120 kills and the next closest is like 60 or 70, but that was just bells and whistle right? Your just another forum math dude and not a real player can tell. When you swap between styles that takes time and then moving to a target takes time. Meanwhile you just got out of the improved precise shot where you lined up multiple mobs and cost yourself a lot of dps. Really just tired of guys that do not play.

[Jaid314]

crazy idea, and one i've never tried, so uhhh... don't expect too much in the way of awesome results.

however, do you specifically want bow DPS ranged, or do you just want no artificer splash for repeater?

if it's the former, can't help you. if it's the latter, than a monkcher could probably fit in shuriken expertise, and you'd be right back to firing multiple shots (provided it works, i don't think anyone's tested and posted results). if you can fit in whirling wrists from shiradi champion, it may actually work.

(note: once again, i've never done this. it's just a crazy idea for staying at range without using a repeater. in all likelihood, it will turn out to be absolutely atrocious and you'll curse my name forever. but there is that small chance of it turning out to be amazing...)

[FengXian]

You just do not play enough with a variety of folks. I guess I am spoiled my guildy who is devoted to the ranged combat to the extreme and plays a pure level 20 AA ranger that ranges all the time and literally in hard CITW will get 120 kills and the next closest is like 60 or 70, but that was just bells and whistle right? Your just another forum math dude and not a real player can tell. When you swap between styles that takes time and then moving to a target takes time. Meanwhile you just got out of the improved precise shot where you lined up multiple mobs and cost yourself a lot of dps. Really just tired of guys that do not play.

Lol no.

What part of "DPS loss vs bosses" is not clear? I'm pretty sure I've played AA A LOT more than you ever will, since it's been my main for years and I've tried many different builds putting most of my efforts into ranged combat.

If your goal are kills, be my guest. We were talking boss dps. I've already said a few times that ranged-only IS viable in quests because you can time your cooldowns. I've also said that ranged-only builds ARE possible, just more difficult compared to ranged+melee. But you can't read. Oh well.

But really...swapping styles takes time? Get quick draw already...moving to targets, err, like sitting below Lolth? And stunning blow is not good enough either, with like 60 DC? Disarming...why would you go all aggressive-mode on me, "you don't play" etc., without even reading what I've been saying until now? Mystery...anyway I still kinda respect you so peace

[Orratti]

A repeater rogue. Either assassin or mechanic. With the right gear and an aggro magnet you'll never have to go out of ranged.

If bow damage I'd think some kind of arcane archer barb mix for max bow str damage would be a interesting thing to look at. Still I think you'd end up meleeing often. The firing speed of bows is too slow to expect to kill several mobs quickly unless they are lined up for improved precise shot or you have manyshot going.

[rabrams99]

I was considering tring my old AA into one of these type of builds.

From people who have played both which one does more ranged dps? I am looking at least amount of melee as possible:

this 12ftr/6 or 7monk/1arti vs a 12 monk/6 ranger/ 2 arti

[Bart_D]

I don't know anything definitive about relative dps but I'm really enjoying my monk6/ranger11/arty1 (will probably take another ranger and then artficer level). I didn't go 12/6/2 as suggested above bc I wanted more free feats and a ranger past life.