Toxophilite

[Taentid]

Up until this last update, I have, for the most part, used Walt Snider's toxophilite build with a few adjustments to suit me. At the time the latest update happened, I had two drow and one elf toxophilites. With this new update, I can't seem to hit for more than about 50-60 anymore, and crits are lucky to hit 200. Anybody who knows the build, and who has played it, please, advise me. I have already wasted a lesser tr and a bunch of plat. I need help, as I am at the quitting the game completely stage.

[unbongwah]

I presume you mean this build? What do your current builds look like?

I'm still mulling over what's best for a pure rgr under the new system. Still, some general points:

Feats

• For archery, you still want Point Blank Shot, Precision, Imp Crit:Ranged, Combat Archery (if it's WAI), and Doubleshot (Primal ED feat).
• For melee, you still want at least Power Atk & Imp Crit & PTWF (Primal ED feat); if going STR-based, Cleave+GC+Overwhelming Crit are desirable.
• For survivability, you may want some combination of Toughness, Dodge, TWD, and/or metamagics (Emp Heal+Quik+Rejuv Cocoon is a good combo for epic lvls).

DEX-based elves are now doable thanks to elven Grace; but it costs you 22-24 APs to pick up Grace + Skill, which limits how much you can spend in rgr PrEs. Plus a lot of what's in the elf tree is sorta blah to rgrs; I almost wanna get Shadow DM just to have something more interesting than +1 DEX or +2% to-hit to spend APs on.

If you want a full-time archer, you can certainly spend most if not all your APs on AA+DWS now. But at least 8-10 pts in Tempest is still good for +10% offhand and Haste Boost, if nothing else.

[Taentid]

That's the build, and thank-you, I will try your suggestions on my 25 Elf. Still have no idea how to fix the drow AA at level 14.

Last night, I attempted an EH Von1 and spent the whole end fight feared and incapable of doing anything, and/or dead. I am not used to being so GIMP on my archers, and I don't like it. My HP are down, my saves are down and I cant fight my way out of a wet paper bag. I've been told to drop str and increase Dex, so tried that and it's worse. hitting for only 50-80, and critting for only about 180-250.

Anybody else have any ideas to help?

[unbongwah]

Here's an example of a first-life elven ranger who's focused on DPS:

Character Plan by DDO Character Planner Version 03.16.01
DDO Character Planner Home Page

Level 25 True Neutral Elf Female
(20 Ranger \ 5 Epic) 
Hit Points: 305
Spell Points: 260 
BAB: 20\20\25\30\30
Fortitude: 15
Reflex: 17
Will: 5

                  Starting          Feat/Enhancement
Abilities        Base Stats          Modified Stats
(28 Point)       (Level 1)             (Level 25)
Strength             16                    24
Dexterity            17                    21
Constitution         14                    16
Intelligence          8                     8
Wisdom                8                     8
Charisma              8                     8

Tomes Used
+2 Tome of Strength used at level 23
+2 Tome of Constitution used at level 23
+4 Tome of Dexterity used at level 25

Level 1 (Ranger)
Feat: (Favored Enemy) Favored Enemy: Undead
Feat: (Selected) Point Blank Shot


Level 2 (Ranger)


Level 3 (Ranger)
Feat: (Selected) Precision


Level 4 (Ranger)
Ability Raise: STR


Level 5 (Ranger)
Feat: (Favored Enemy) Favored Enemy: Giant


Level 6 (Ranger)
Feat: (Selected) Power Attack


Level 7 (Ranger)


Level 8 (Ranger)
Ability Raise: STR


Level 9 (Ranger)
Feat: (Selected) Improved Critical: Ranged Weapons


Level 10 (Ranger)
Feat: (Favored Enemy) Favored Enemy: Evil Outsider


Level 11 (Ranger)


Level 12 (Ranger)
Ability Raise: STR
Feat: (Selected) Improved Critical: Piercing Weapons


Level 13 (Ranger)


Level 14 (Ranger)


Level 15 (Ranger)
Feat: (Selected) Cleave
Feat: (Favored Enemy) Favored Enemy: Construct


Level 16 (Ranger)
Ability Raise: STR


Level 17 (Ranger)


Level 18 (Ranger)
Feat: (Selected) Great Cleave


Level 19 (Ranger)


Level 20 (Ranger)
Ability Raise: STR
Feat: (Favored Enemy) Favored Enemy: Elf


Level 21 (Ranger)
Feat: (Selected) Empower Healing Spell


Level 22 (Ranger)


Level 23 (Ranger)


Level 24 (Ranger)
Feat: (Selected) Overwhelming Critical


Level 25 (Ranger)

Lvl 27 feat: Combat Archery - if you have a +3 DEX tome instead of +4, put your lvl 24 stat pt into DEX
ED feats: PTWF & Doubleshot (remember you need to max out 2 Primal EDs to pick up the latter)

Feats: I prioritized ranged feats, but also picked up all the melee feats I wanted too. This also lets me pick up Overwhelming Crit, which is good for melee & ranged. The drawback to this approach is I invested almost nothing into survivability, apart from Emp Heal.

EDs: I would start with Shiradi, shift to Primal Avatar long enough to Twist in Rejuv Cocoon (hence Emp Heal as lvl 21 feat), then make either Shiradi or FotW your primary ED. If you really get into grinding out EDs and you like using Cleaves, pick up Lay Waste & Momentum Swing from LD.

Skills: I would definitely max out Concentration & Heal. After that, it's a toss-up between UMD, Balance, Spot, and stealth (Hide+MS), depending on your priorities.

Enhancements: these will depend on your priorities. If you're focused on archery, AA+DWS are the way to go with a few pts into Tempest for good measure; if melee, max out Tempest with a few pts in DWS+AA to balance things out. But the goal is the same: exploit melee and ranged DPS, which is what a pure rgr is good for.

[Alfhild]

Enhancements: these will depend on your priorities. If you're focused on archery, AA+DWS are the way to go with a few pts into Tempest for good measure; if melee, max out Tempest with a few pts in DWS+AA to balance things out. But the goal is the same: exploit melee and ranged DPS, which is what a pure rgr is good for.

If you are going to melee, why pick up Doubleshot at all? As soon as you hit Manyshot, you suffer a -100 to Doubleshot which lasts 70 seconds.
So you can Manyshot for burst, Melee for 50 seconds, and then Range for 50 seconds now that the Doubleshot debuff is expired.
OR
Melee for 100 secs between Manyshot and forgo the Doubleshot Feat and spend T4 and T5 AA cores on something which works ALL the time.