Help! Pure AA Ranger Paralyzing Arrows Build!

[Firebreed]

EDIT: OP IS NOW OBSOLETE
Hello, I'd like some advice on certain parts of my build. My questions lie at the end of this post, however you might want to at least go through my restrictions before answering them.

Things/restrictions that I am dead-set on (bear with me):

No Multiclassing
Won't be doing any Reaper at all
Will be a First Lifer and won't be Reincarnating
Will stay at cap (and attempt to raid at highest viable non-Reaper difficulty)
Is viable for solo play
I won't be levelling this build through Heroics (will Lesser Reincarnate a level ~20 toon)
Race: Elf
Alignment: Chaotic Good
Pure Ranger
Tome: Supreme +6 at lvl 1
Has +1 Racial AP Tome
32 point build
Must have AA Capstone and AA Tier 5s
Enhancement Points must be spent on Arcane Archer & Deepwood Stalker exclusively
Skill choices are set in stone (ignore them)
Elemental Arrows: Shock
Full-time ranged-only build
Will be twisting in Rank 3 Enchantment Specialist (Magister)
Won't go Scion of the Feywild
Won't use Dragonmark

The goal of the build is to reliably use Paralyzing Arrows whilst switching to Shock Arrows when the former are ineffective.

Before you redirect me to any of the other similar builds on here, I'm gonna go ahead and say that I've read the following threads through and through before settling on this:
http://www.ddo.com/forums/showthread...-Ranged-Ranger
http://www.ddo.com/forums/showthread...ed-pure-ranger
http://www.ddo.com/forums/showthread...or-New-Players
http://www.ddo.com/forums/showthread...layer-Friendly
http://www.ddo.com/forums/showthread...ain-AA-trapper
http://www.ddo.com/forums/showthread...cused-Ranger?s

as well as CThruTheEgo's excellent Paralysing Arrows DC breakdown which can be found here: http://www.ddo.com/forums/showthread...=1#post5749926

With that said, here is the build:

Character Plan by DDO Character Planner Version 4.37.105
DDO Character Planner Home Page

Toon Name
Level 30 Chaotic Good Elf
(20 Ranger \ 10 Epic) 
Hit Points: 540
Spell Points: 351 
BAB: 20\20\25\30\30
Fortitude: 18
Reflex: 18
Will: 17

                  Starting          Feat/Enhancement
Abilities        Base Stats          Modified Stats
(32 Point)       (Level 1)             (Level 30)
Strength              8                    14
Dexterity            16                    22
Constitution         16                    22
Intelligence          8                    14
Wisdom               16                    33
Charisma              8                    14

Tomes Used
+6 Tome of Strength used at level 1 \par +6 Tome of Dexterity used at level 1 \par +6 Tome of Constitution used at level 1 \par +6 Tome of Intelligence used at level 1 \par +6 Tome of Wisdom used at level 1 \par +6 Tome of Charisma used at level 1 \par 
                  Starting          Feat/Enhancement
                 Base Skills         Modified Skills
Skills           (Level 1)            (Level 30)
Balance               0                    26
Bluff                 0                    12
Concentration         0                    16
Diplomacy             0                    12
Disable Device        n/a                  n/a
Haggle                0                    12
Heal                  4                    44
Hide                  0                    19
Intimidate            0                    12
Jump                  0                    12
Listen                6                    46
Move Silently         0                    19
Open Lock             n/a                  n/a
Perform               n/a                  n/a
Repair                0                    12
Search                6                    37
Spellcraft            2                    23
Spot                  6                    46
Swim                  0                    12
Tumble                n/a                  17
Use Magic Device      2                    23

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: WIS


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


Level 6 (Ranger)
Feat: (Selected) Quicken Spell


Level 7 (Ranger)


Level 8 (Ranger)
Ability Raise: WIS


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


Level 10 (Ranger)
Feat: (Favored Enemy) Favored Enemy: Aberration


Level 11 (Ranger)


Level 12 (Ranger)
Ability Raise: WIS
Feat: (Selected) Empower Healing Spell


Level 13 (Ranger)


Level 14 (Ranger)


Level 15 (Ranger)
Feat: (Favored Enemy) Favored Enemy: Evil Outsider
Feat: (Selected) Weapon Focus: Ranged Weapons


Level 16 (Ranger)
Ability Raise: WIS


Level 17 (Ranger)


Level 18 (Ranger)
Feat: (Selected) Spell Focus: Enchantment


Level 19 (Ranger)


Level 20 (Ranger)
Ability Raise: WIS
Feat: (Favored Enemy) Favored Enemy: Construct


Level 21 (Epic)
Feat: (Selected) Epic: Overwhelming Critical


Level 22 (Epic)


Level 23 (Epic)


Level 24 (Epic)
Ability Raise: WIS
Feat: (Selected) Epic: Combat Archery


Level 25 (Epic)


Level 26 (Epic)
Feat: (Epic Destiny) Arcane Sphere: Epic Spell Power: Electricity


Level 27 (Epic)
Feat: (Selected) Epic: Blinding Speed


Level 28 (Epic)
Ability Raise: WIS
Feat: (Epic Destiny) Primal Sphere: Doubleshot


Level 29 (Epic)
Feat: (Epic Destiny) Multiple Spheres: Harbinger of Chaos


Level 30 (Epic)
Feat: (Selected) Greater Spell Focus: Enchantment
Feat: (Legendary) Scion of the Plane of Air
Enhancement: Elf - Elven Accuracy (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Arcane Archer (Rgr) - Arcane Archer (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Arcane Archer (Rgr) - Morphic Arrows (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Arcane Archer (Rgr) - Metalline Arrows (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Arcane Archer (Rgr) - Aligned Arrows (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Arcane Archer (Rgr) - Shadow Arrows (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Arcane Archer (Rgr) - Mystical Archer (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Arcane Archer (Rgr) - Conjure Arrows (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Arcane Archer (Rgr) - Shock Arrows (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Arcane Archer (Rgr) - Force Arrows (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Arcane Archer (Rgr) - Force Arrows (Rank 2)
Enhancement: Arcane Archer (Rgr) - Force Arrows (Rank 3)
Enhancement: Arcane Archer (Rgr) - Elemental Damage (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Arcane Archer (Rgr) - Terror Arrows (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Arcane Archer (Rgr) - Soul Magic (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Arcane Archer (Rgr) - Elemental Damage (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Arcane Archer (Rgr) - Wisdom (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Arcane Archer (Rgr) - Banishing Arrows (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Arcane Archer (Rgr) - Paralyzing Arrows (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Arcane Archer (Rgr) - Smiting Arrows (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Arcane Archer (Rgr) - Elemental Damage (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Arcane Archer (Rgr) - Wisdom (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Arcane Archer (Rgr) - Moonbow (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Arcane Archer (Rgr) - Arrow of Slaying (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Arcane Archer (Rgr) - Final Strike (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Arcane Archer (Rgr) - Improved Elemental Arrows (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Arcane Archer (Rgr) - Runebow (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Deepwood Stalker (Rgr) - Far Shot (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Deepwood Stalker (Rgr) - Sneak Attack (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Deepwood Stalker (Rgr) - Sniper Shot (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Deepwood Stalker (Rgr) - Sneak Attack (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Deepwood Stalker (Rgr) - Mark of the Hunted (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Deepwood Stalker (Rgr) - Favored Protection (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Deepwood Stalker (Rgr) - Stealthy (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Deepwood Stalker (Rgr) - Stealthy (Rank 2)
Enhancement: Deepwood Stalker (Rgr) - Stealthy (Rank 3)
Enhancement: Deepwood Stalker (Rgr) - Survivalist I (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Deepwood Stalker (Rgr) - Improved Weapon Finesse (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Deepwood Stalker (Rgr) - Damage Boost (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Deepwood Stalker (Rgr) - Damage Boost (Rank 2)
Enhancement: Deepwood Stalker (Rgr) - Damage Boost (Rank 3)
Enhancement: Deepwood Stalker (Rgr) - Survivalist II (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Deepwood Stalker (Rgr) - Thrill of the Hunt (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Deepwood Stalker (Rgr) - Thrill of the Hunt (Rank 2)
Enhancement: Deepwood Stalker (Rgr) - Thrill of the Hunt (Rank 3)
Enhancement: Deepwood Stalker (Rgr) - Favored Hunter (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Deepwood Stalker (Rgr) - Favored Hunter (Rank 2)
Enhancement: Deepwood Stalker (Rgr) - Favored Hunter (Rank 3)
Enhancement: Deepwood Stalker (Rgr) - Wisdom (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Deepwood Stalker (Rgr) - Survivalist III (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Deepwood Stalker (Rgr) - Killer (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Deepwood Stalker (Rgr) - Killer (Rank 2)
Enhancement: Deepwood Stalker (Rgr) - Killer (Rank 3)
Enhancement: Deepwood Stalker (Rgr) - Merciful Shot (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Deepwood Stalker (Rgr) - Wisdom (Rank 1)

A quick summary:

Strength 8
Dexterity 16
Constitution 16
Intelligence 8
Wisdom 16
Charisma 8

All level-ups into WIS

Feats:
1 Point Blank Shot
3 Precision
6 Quicken Spell
9 Improved Critical: Ranged Weapons
12 Empower Healing Spell
15 Weapon Focus: Ranged Weapons
18 Spell Focus: Enchantment
21 Overwhelming Critical
24 Combat Archery
26 Epic Spell Power: Electricity
27 Blinding Speed
28 Doubleshot
29 Harbinger of Chaos
30 Greater Spell Focus: Enchantment
Legendary: Scion of the Plane of Air


[Feats that didn't make the cut:
Toughness
Dodge
Mobility
Shot on the Run
Maximize
Power Critical
Least Dragonmark
Extend
Epic Toughness
Epic Reflexes
Epic Damage Reduction]


Enhancements: 42 AA, 34 DS (4 AP left)

Elf: Elven Accuracy (+1 Racial AP Tome)

Arcane Archer: All Cores + Capstone
T1: Conjure Arrows, Shock Arrows
T2: Force Arrows 3, Elemental Damage
T3: Terror Arrows, Soul Magic, Elemental Damage, Wisdom
T4: Banishing Arrows, Paralyzing Arrows, Smiting Arrows, Elemental Damage, Wisdom
T5: Moonbow, Arrow of Slaying, Final Strike, Improved Elemental Arrows, Runebow

Deepwood Stalker: All Cores except Capstone
T1: Stealthy 3 (for the +1 Sneak Attack die), Favored Protection 1
T2: Survivalist, Improved Weapon Finesse, Damage Boost 3
T3: Survivalist, Thrill of the Hunt 3, Favored Hunter 3, Wisdom
T4: Survivalist, Killer 3, Merciful Shot, Wisdom



HERE ARE THE QUESTIONS:

*1) WIS vs DEX levelups: Higher WIS = Higher Paralyzing Arrows DC. Literally none of the other builds level up WIS (they all opt for DEX); however when looking at the Paralyzing Arrows DC breakdown I am afraid I won't be able to reach the required DC without the WIS levelups (mostly due to the extremely unlikely chance I'll ever get optimal gear + no past lives). How much, in your opinion, am I gimping myself this way? Is my reasoning, well, reasonable?

*2) WIS vs DEX in enhancements: Unlike the levelups, some other similar builds do indeed opt to go for WIS in the enhancement trees, like I do. The question becomes similar to the above one then: Since I'll have 3 ways to pick stats (levelups, enhancements, Epic Destiny), where do I go WIS and where, if anywhere, do I go DEX? (Keep in mind we might pick an Epic Destiny that doesn't offer WIS as an option - more on that later)

ANSWERED {3) AA Tier 5: Elemental Damage VS Improved Elemental Damage. Which is better for my build?}

ANSWERED {4) Force Arrows: Do I need them? They're 6 EPs. Will I ever use them? And if so, when? If I keep them (I assume I will) should I slot Force Spell Power in my gear?}

ANSWERED {5) 4 remaining Enhancement Points: Where should I spend them (AA or DS tree only). And is there something I picked in the DS tree that I shouldn't have?}
AA options:
Dispelling/Shattermantle/Inferno Shot
Awareness
Energy of the Wild
Attack/Energy Resistance Boost

DS options:
Other 2 ranks of Favored Protection
Increased + Versatile Empathy (Positive Spellpower)
Aimed Shot + Leg Shot

ANSWERED {6) What's the consensus on Shattermantle Shot, Dispelling Shot, Inferno Shot, True Strike? Are they bad/fillers/used in niche builds?}

ANSWERED {7) Arrow of Slaying and/or Final Strike: am I right to have gotten them? The 2 obstacles in my decision are 1) I am not a DPS-exclusively build and 2) I might not be opting to go for Fury of the Wild (more on that on the next question). Are they good on their own (before we factor the rest of the build and the Epic Destiny)?}

*8) What Epic Destiny do I use? Here's the caveat: I'd VERY much like it to be either Fury of the Wild or Shiradi Champion, UNLESS we settle on the fact that I would gimp myself TOO MUCH by using any of the 2 and that I absolutely NEED to use another ED if I want this build to work. The prime candidates from what I understand are:
- Divine Crusader (almost no chance I'll agree to use this, I'd just like to know if it theoretically is the best option for this build or not)
- Legendary Dreadnought (might consider using this, although the chance of that is very low - I don't expect it to be that good of a fit for this build anyway)
- Shiradi Champion (not a great tree but I'd be happy to use it, and it has WIS in it)
- Fury of the Wild (classic Adrenaline + Arrow of Slaying combo, but it has no WIS or DEX, and on top of that I'm not sure if it deviates me from my playstyle too much - should I maybe not consider this since I'm not doing a monster-damage build?)

*9) How stupid is it to use the AA Tier 5s instead of the DS Tier 5s for this build? I know the DS Tier 5s are generally (and specifically for this build) better, but by how much? Do the AA Tier 5s belong to a different build and I'm forcibly mixing the two up? (see Question 7)

*10) Harbinger of Chaos VS Fount of Life: Which is better for my build?

Phew, that was a lot to write. I understand the self-imposed restrictions can be annoying, but they are very important to me.
I'd like to thank in advance anyone who takes the time to read and answer my questions. If you need any clarifications/questions/insight just shoot!

[Xgya]

The AA's tier 5s are best used Furyshotting, most certainly, but if your main goal is to para-arrow everything in sight, paralyzing is a tier 4 ability, and the DWS tier 5s are just better at making you attack faster and paralyze more enemies.

Choosing tier5 Arcane Archer and NOT using it to fury shot sounds like a waste, even though you said you're not aiming for that.

[unbongwah]

1. Most pure rgr AA builds go for DEX instead of WIS because DPS is considered more important than CC. If you own the Falconry tree, you can get WIS to damage, but it involves tradeoffs due to the AP cost (see here). Also you need DEX 21 for Combat Archery but that's not an issue with a +6 Supreme tome.
2. Up to you, just remember to keep your stats even.
3. Improved Elemental Arrows costs 1 less AP than a final rank of Elemental Damage, but since it's a proc-on-crit effect it's generally considered lower DPS. Vulnerability is the best of the bunch, IMO, so if going for Shock Arrows it's a reasonable pick.
4. Force Arrows is useful for when both elemental damage and Paralyzing don't work. You don't need to max it out if you're tight on APs; just the first rank gets you base force damage + Ghost Touch.
5. I usually take Energy of the Wild so I can take Soul Magic for both the USP and temp SPs. The rest are optional, IMO.
6. Dispelling Shot can be useful. The others are ¯\_(?)_/¯ IMO.
7. I mean if you're committed to tier-5 AA, then sure, particularly if running in FotW.
8. Right now I'd say the two best EDs for pure AA rgr is either FotW for Adrenaline + Slaying Arrow or Crusader for Zeal of the Righteous + Strike Like Lightning + AA capstone for the extra Doubleshot. Essentially burst DPS vs a higher hit rate (which would mean more chances for Paralyzing to land). Dreadnought is best for ranged builds with a high rate-of-fire to maintain Blitz (i.e., shurimonks and repeaters); this build is neither.

A typical AP spread for F2P elf AA in FotW would be 42 AA (tier-5s + capstone) / 31 DWS (tier-4s + cores thru Mark of the Hunted) / 7 elf (all cores for +2 DEX, +6% Accuracy, and +10m PBS range).

[Firebreed]

1. Most pure rgr AA builds go for DEX instead of WIS because DPS is considered more important than CC. If you own the Falconry tree, you can get WIS to damage, but it involves tradeoffs due to the AP cost (see here). Also you need DEX 21 for Combat Archery but that's not an issue with a +6 Supreme tome.
2. Up to you, just remember to keep your stats even.
3. Improved Elemental Arrows costs 1 less AP than a final rank of Elemental Damage, but since it's a proc-on-crit effect it's generally considered lower DPS. Vulnerability is the best of the bunch, IMO, so if going for Shock Arrows it's a reasonable pick.
4. Force Arrows is useful for when both elemental damage and Paralyzing don't work. You don't need to max it out if you're tight on APs; just the first rank gets you base force damage + Ghost Touch.
5. I usually take Energy of the Wild so I can take Soul Magic for both the USP and temp SPs. The rest are optional, IMO.
6. Dispelling Shot can be useful. The others are ¯\_(?)_/¯ IMO.
7. I mean if you're committed to tier-5 AA, then sure, particularly if running in FotW.
8. Right now I'd say the two best EDs for pure AA rgr is either FotW for Adrenaline + Slaying Arrow or Crusader for Zeal of the Righteous + Strike Like Lightning + AA capstone for the extra Doubleshot. Essentially burst DPS vs a higher hit rate (which would mean more chances for Paralyzing to land). Dreadnought is best for ranged builds with a high rate-of-fire to maintain Blitz (i.e., shurimonks and repeaters); this build is neither.

A typical AP spread for F2P elf AA in FotW would be 42 AA (tier-5s + capstone) / 31 DWS (tier-4s + cores thru Mark of the Hunted) / 7 elf (all cores for +2 DEX, +6% Accuracy, and +10m PBS range).

Alright, I have decided to split my build into 2 builds: One focused on Paralyzing Arrows and one focused on Arrow of Slaying + Fury of the Wild.

Paralyzing Arrows build v2:

Strength 8
Dexterity 16
Constitution 16
Intelligence 8
Wisdom 16
Charisma 8

All level-ups into WIS

Feats:
1 Point Blank Shot
3 Precision
6 Quicken Spell
9 Improved Critical: Ranged Weapons
12 Empower Healing Spell
15 Weapon Focus: Ranged Weapons
18 Spell Focus: Enchantment
21 Overwhelming Critical
24 Combat Archery
26 Epic Spell Power: Electricity
27 Blinding Speed
28 Doubleshot
29 Harbinger of Chaos/Fount of Life
30 Greater Spell Focus: Enchantment
Legendary: Scion of the Plane of Air

Enhancements:



ED: Shiradi OR Crusader

- Shiradi would be:



- Crusader would be:




***QUESTIONS***

1) Harbinger of Chaos VS Fount of Life. Which?

2) DS Tier 5s: I did not pick Headshot, as I did not have enough AP. Reasoning being that Blind doesn't matter if the target is Paralyzed. Should I pick it? And if yes, which DS Tier 5 should I drop for it?

3) Epic Destiny: I know, I know. Shiradi is for mages and throwers. But is it really THAT bad for this build? I'll have a lot of Doubleshot to make use of Stay Good and the Cores' 7%.

4) If I go Shiradi, are my points spent correctly? (I don't wanna go Rainbow line)
- Stay Good VS Stay Frosty? (don't need slows)
- Pin + Otto's Whistler (even more CC on a build focused on no-fail Paralyzing Arrows) I know they're great, but was I right to include them in this build?
- I didn't pick Nerve Venom for the same reason as above. Should I have picked it?
(Fey Spring and Illusion of Well Being are picked for the extra uses of Healing Spring they provide, and Rain of Arrows for the fun of it)

5) If I go Shiradi, I'll have permanent Ghost Touch from one of the cores. Does that make Force Arrows obsolete? Since I'll be using Paralyzing Arrows on mobs, Shock Arrows on mobs that can't be paralyzed, and Shock Arrows on bosses, the only 2 uses I see for Force Arrows beyond their Ghost Touch ability is when 1) I'm fighting mobs resistant to Electricity AND can't be paralyzed (extremely unlikely) or 2) bosses that are resistant to Electricity. All in all, are they worth it in that case?

6) If I go Crusader: No Regret VS Castigation. Which?

Thanks once more!

[barecm]

Alright, I have decided to split my build into 2 builds: One focused on Paralyzing Arrows and one focused on Arrow of Slaying + Fury of the Wild.

Paralyzing Arrows build v2:

Strength 8
Dexterity 16
Constitution 16
Intelligence 8
Wisdom 16
Charisma 8

All level-ups into WIS

Feats:
1 Point Blank Shot
3 Precision
6 Quicken Spell
9 Improved Critical: Ranged Weapons
12 Empower Healing Spell
15 Weapon Focus: Ranged Weapons
18 Spell Focus: Enchantment
21 Overwhelming Critical
24 Combat Archery
26 Epic Spell Power: Electricity
27 Blinding Speed
28 Doubleshot
29 Harbinger of Chaos/Fount of Life
30 Greater Spell Focus: Enchantment
Legendary: Scion of the Plane of Air

Enhancements:



ED: Shiradi OR Crusader

- Shiradi would be:



- Crusader would be:




***QUESTIONS***

1) Harbinger of Chaos VS Fount of Life. Which?

2) DS Tier 5s: I did not pick Headshot, as I did not have enough AP. Reasoning being that Blind doesn't matter if the target is Paralyzed. Should I pick it? And if yes, which DS Tier 5 should I drop for it?

3) Epic Destiny: I know, I know. Shiradi is for mages and throwers. But is it really THAT bad for this build? I'll have a lot of Doubleshot to make use of Stay Good and the Cores' 7%.

4) If I go Shiradi, are my points spent correctly? (I don't wanna go Rainbow line)
- Stay Good VS Stay Frosty? (don't need slows)
- Pin + Otto's Whistler (even more CC on a build focused on no-fail Paralyzing Arrows) I know they're great, but was I right to include them in this build?
- I didn't pick Nerve Venom for the same reason as above. Should I have picked it?
(Fey Spring and Illusion of Well Being are picked for the extra uses of Healing Spring they provide, and Rain of Arrows for the fun of it)

5) If I go Shiradi, I'll have permanent Ghost Touch from one of the cores. Does that make Force Arrows obsolete? Since I'll be using Paralyzing Arrows on mobs, Shock Arrows on mobs that can't be paralyzed, and Shock Arrows on bosses, the only 2 uses I see for Force Arrows beyond their Ghost Touch ability is when 1) I'm fighting mobs resistant to Electricity AND can't be paralyzed (extremely unlikely) or 2) bosses that are resistant to Electricity. All in all, are they worth it in that case?

6) If I go Crusader: No Regret VS Castigation. Which?

Thanks once more!

I would re-read my build as you commented to me in PM that it was a multiclassed build... it is not. I strongly suggest not going Shiradi or Crusader. You will get much higher damage from LD or, as much as I find it to be the crutch build and the reason why the devs won't help longbows, FoTW.

To answer your questions specifically:

1) Harbinger of Chaos VS Fount of Life. Which? Do you want more damage (Harbinger) or Survivability (Fount)

2) DS Tier 5s: I did not pick Headshot, as I did not have enough AP. Reasoning being that Blind doesn't matter if the target is Paralyzed. Should I pick it? And if yes, which DS Tier 5 should I drop for it? (take headshot as it allows for sneak attack to be active. Speaking of which, change Scion of Air to Scion of Ethereal Plane. Redo enhancements in general - Less AA and more DWS)

3) Epic Destiny: I know, I know. Shiradi is for mages and throwers. But is it really THAT bad for this build? I'll have a lot of Doubleshot to make use of Stay Good and the Cores' 7%. (LD is best damage, FoTW is best for Spike damage)

4) If I go Shiradi, are my points spent correctly? (I don't wanna go Rainbow line)
- Stay Good VS Stay Frosty? (don't need slows)
- Pin + Otto's Whistler (even more CC on a build focused on no-fail Paralyzing Arrows) I know they're great, but was I right to include them in this build?
- I didn't pick Nerve Venom for the same reason as above. Should I have picked it?
(Fey Spring and Illusion of Well Being are picked for the extra uses of Healing Spring they provide, and Rain of Arrows for the fun of it)

Don't go Shiradi at all. Only use for twists.

5) If I go Shiradi, I'll have permanent Ghost Touch from one of the cores. Does that make Force Arrows obsolete? Since I'll be using Paralyzing Arrows on mobs, Shock Arrows on mobs that can't be paralyzed, and Shock Arrows on bosses, the only 2 uses I see for Force Arrows beyond their Ghost Touch ability is when 1) I'm fighting mobs resistant to Electricity AND can't be paralyzed (extremely unlikely) or 2) bosses that are resistant to Electricity. All in all, are they worth it in that case?

Go Legendary Dreadnought, you can ghost touched from the cloak in Ravenloft that you need for Silent Avenger Set.

6) If I go Crusader: No Regret VS Castigation. Which? (Go Legendary Dreadnought)

Legendary Dreadnought with Blitz and Pulverizer will yield more damage than Shiradi for sure and probably FoTW over time. Ideally, you want the Epic Purifying Quiver or, early levels, run Morphic Arrows. Both will allow Pulverize to work with arrows.

[Firebreed]

I would re-read my build as you commented to me in PM that it was a multiclassed build... it is not. I strongly suggest not going Shiradi or Crusader. You will get much higher damage from LD or, as much as I find it to be the crutch build and the reason why the devs won't help longbows, FoTW.

To answer your questions specifically:

1) Harbinger of Chaos VS Fount of Life. Which? Do you want more damage (Harbinger) or Survivability (Fount)

2) DS Tier 5s: I did not pick Headshot, as I did not have enough AP. Reasoning being that Blind doesn't matter if the target is Paralyzed. Should I pick it? And if yes, which DS Tier 5 should I drop for it? (take headshot as it allows for sneak attack to be active. Speaking of which, change Scion of Air to Scion of Ethereal Plane. Redo enhancements in general - Less AA and more DWS)

3) Epic Destiny: I know, I know. Shiradi is for mages and throwers. But is it really THAT bad for this build? I'll have a lot of Doubleshot to make use of Stay Good and the Cores' 7%. (LD is best damage, FoTW is best for Spike damage)

4) If I go Shiradi, are my points spent correctly? (I don't wanna go Rainbow line)
- Stay Good VS Stay Frosty? (don't need slows)
- Pin + Otto's Whistler (even more CC on a build focused on no-fail Paralyzing Arrows) I know they're great, but was I right to include them in this build?
- I didn't pick Nerve Venom for the same reason as above. Should I have picked it?
(Fey Spring and Illusion of Well Being are picked for the extra uses of Healing Spring they provide, and Rain of Arrows for the fun of it)

Don't go Shiradi at all. Only use for twists.

5) If I go Shiradi, I'll have permanent Ghost Touch from one of the cores. Does that make Force Arrows obsolete? Since I'll be using Paralyzing Arrows on mobs, Shock Arrows on mobs that can't be paralyzed, and Shock Arrows on bosses, the only 2 uses I see for Force Arrows beyond their Ghost Touch ability is when 1) I'm fighting mobs resistant to Electricity AND can't be paralyzed (extremely unlikely) or 2) bosses that are resistant to Electricity. All in all, are they worth it in that case?

Go Legendary Dreadnought, you can ghost touched from the cloak in Ravenloft that you need for Silent Avenger Set.

6) If I go Crusader: No Regret VS Castigation. Which? (Go Legendary Dreadnought)

Legendary Dreadnought with Blitz and Pulverizer will yield more damage than Shiradi for sure and probably FoTW over time. Ideally, you want the Epic Purifying Quiver or, early levels, run Morphic Arrows. Both will allow Pulverize to work with arrows.

Hey barecm,

Unfortunately the majority of your response was of barely any help, probably due to misunderstandings.

First off, I never said your Ranged Ranger build was a multiclass build. The multiclass comment referred to the Monkcher build you suggested in one of your PMs. Neither of the 2 builds is close enough to what I'm looking for unfortunately.

Now, about the questions:

1) It is apparent to everyone that HoC provides damage and that FoL provides sustain. My question pertained as to whether one of the two is hands down a better fit for my build compared to the other, or if they are of comparable strength in this case.

2a) Thanks for your input on Headshot. You did not however suggest what DS Tier 5 I should drop to get it, since due to the restrictions set, it is mandatory for the build to use the AA capstone and the DS Tier 5s, which translates to a mandatory 41 AA/39 DS spread.

2b) Scion of the Ethereal Plane provides 0 bonus to Enchant DCs which is the whole point of the build. I am not trying to build a DPS Ranger, nor am I trying to do something similar to your build. I am trying to build a pure Ranger with as high as a viably possible Paralyzing Arrows DC, who follows certain flavor restrictions mentioned throughout the thread.

3) The questions here were a) if Shiradi is ABHORRENTLY bad for my build, and b) if my claim that my Doubleshot percentage is high enough to make good use of Stay Good and Shiradi Cores. As I mentioned previously, I understand other trees are better, but that is not what I'm asking.

4) The question begins with "If I go Shiradi", and you tell me to not go Shiradi.

5) The question begins with "If I go Shiradi", and you tell me to not go Shiradi. And even if we were to ignore the first part of the question and say I got Ghost Touch from the item you mention or any other source, you do not touch the matter at hand (Force Arrows).

6) The question begins with "If I go Crusader", and you tell me not to go Crusader.

Point being, different suggestions are generally fine; but I have already explicitly mentioned that I have gone through almost all of the material/options available to me, and have arrived at certain things I want to do and certain things I do not want to do. That's why I phrase my questions in such a way. I try to make them as specific as I can, as I am not looking for generic/large scale build advice, but rather situational/specific answers to these questions. My build is not supposed to be an uber one. Nor am I looking to adapt my build to be closer to any of the other popular Ranger builds. I am just trying to find the best possible way to do what I'm trying to do, within my limitations. With that said, I am willing to accept "The build you have in mind cannot work at all the way you imagine it, you are REQUIRED to change your limitations for it", if it comes to that; but only if the build would be ABSURDLY gimped, not if it's just not top-tier. Until someone comes out to say that, I'll still try to find the answers to my questions.

Thank you for your time nonetheless.

[unbongwah]

Strength 8
Dexterity 16
Constitution 16
Intelligence 8
Wisdom 16
Charisma 8

All level-ups into WIS

If you want to go WIS-based, why are you starting max CON instead of max WIS? It's not a deal-breaker either way, but you might as well go all-in on your core goal, IMO.

1) Harbinger of Chaos VS Fount of Life. Which?

Short answer: I don't know.

Longer answer: My usual advice is "invest in survivability buffs until you can't be one-shotted and can heal faster than you get hurt, then invest in DPS." The problem is that very much depends on gear, past lives, content / difficulty you're running, solo vs grouping, etc. There's no one-size-fits-all answer, which is why a lot of my builds show feat options for more DPS vs more defenses.

Also just to add to the confusion: consider Deific Warding instead of either. Particularly if you want to skip / don't have room for Epic DR.

2) DS Tier 5s: I did not pick Headshot, as I did not have enough AP. Reasoning being that Blind doesn't matter if the target is Paralyzed. Should I pick it? And if yes, which DS Tier 5 should I drop for it?

I don't consider it a must-have.

3) Epic Destiny: I know, I know. Shiradi is for mages and throwers. But is it really THAT bad for this build? I'll have a lot of Doubleshot to make use of Stay Good and the Cores' 7%.

A pure ranger is never going to hit the fire rate of a shuriken build, which means they'll never see the number of Shiradi procs that those builds do. Also Nerve Venom is a nice bit of extra CC, but it's redundant for a Paralyzing-focused AA (it's not like mobs can be "double-paralyzed"), whereas shurimonks don't have inherent CC like an AA does.

Also the damage procs in Shiradi scale with Spellpower and naturally a caster build will invest more than a ranger typically would. Plus metamagics from spells "carry over" to the damage procs they cause; that doesn't happen with ranged / thrown weapon procs.

4) If I go Shiradi, are my points spent correctly? (I don't wanna go Rainbow line)

FYI Prism / Rainbow line is better than Stay Good because all of the effects could potentially proc on the same attack. I mean obviously a triple-proc is super-unlikely (7% ^ 3 is 0.0343%), but it increases the odds of getting at least one effect per hit if you're making three separate rolls vs only one.

[AbyssalMage]

***QUESTIONS***

1) Harbinger of Chaos VS Fount of Life. Which?

Neither honestly
Leverage your high Wisdom with Mass Frog for trash clearing. Honestly can't remember what I took at this level. Then again I was Dex based and will be some time before my Alt Ranger makes it back there.

2) DS Tier 5s: I did not pick Headshot, as I did not have enough AP. Reasoning being that Blind doesn't matter if the target is Paralyzed. Should I pick it? And if yes, which DS Tier 5 should I drop for it?

Drop:
Tier 1:
Favored Defense

Tier 3:
Rank 3, Favored Hunter.

Tier 5:
Improved Archer's Focus
Extra Favored Enemy

Grab:
Tier 1:
Increased Empathy (+4 Pos. Spell Power)

Tier 5:
Head Shot (Blind = More SA damage which scales with range power)

This leaves you with 2 AP to spend. I recommend Thrill of the Hunt rk 3, Favored Hunter rk 2. This should balance out your DPS slightly better.

Another option is skipping Head Shot (may not be able to get the DC being Wisdom Based) and instead doing Aimed Shot (Tier 3) and Leg Shot (tier 4) neither requiring a DC and still providing DPS, especially through MS.

3) Epic Destiny: I know, I know. Shiradi is for mages and throwers. But is it really THAT bad for this build? I'll have a lot of Doubleshot to make use of Stay Good and the Cores' 7%.

Yes it really is that bad for anything other than the prescribed builds. But if you want to remain in that ED:

Tier 1:
Healing Spring rk 3
Illusion of Well Bing rk. 1

Tier 2:
Prism
Pin
Fey Spring rk 1
Fey Form rk 1

Tier 3:
Otto's Whistler

Tier 4:
Double Rainbow

Tier 5:
Nerve Venom (no save!!!)

There is a lot I left out as I only included what you want to pick up. My guess is spend the remaining AP for +Wisdom. If you are twisting Cocoon, you can probably save a rk or two on Healing Spring but honestly I personally don't think it is worth it.

4) If I go Shiradi, are my points spent correctly? (I don't wanna go Rainbow line)
- Stay Good VS Stay Frosty? (don't need slows)
- Pin + Otto's Whistler (even more CC on a build focused on no-fail Paralyzing Arrows) I know they're great, but was I right to include them in this build?
- I didn't pick Nerve Venom for the same reason as above. Should I have picked it?
(Fey Spring and Illusion of Well Being are picked for the extra uses of Healing Spring they provide, and Rain of Arrows for the fun of it)

I talked about this in #3 before I saw you didn't want to go "Rainbow." Unfortunately "Stay Good" doesn't scale making it worthless even by time you make it to level 25. Stay Frosty I think is even more limited but someone else would have to chime in to correct me. NPC's immune to Cold are immune to the slow effect which already has a low chance of even happening. I would definitely stay away.

Nerve Venom I believe can effect NPC's that are immune to Paralyzing Arrow unless that bug was fixed (which is very possible).

5) If I go Shiradi, I'll have permanent Ghost Touch from one of the cores. Does that make Force Arrows obsolete? Since I'll be using Paralyzing Arrows on mobs, Shock Arrows on mobs that can't be paralyzed, and Shock Arrows on bosses, the only 2 uses I see for Force Arrows beyond their Ghost Touch ability is when 1) I'm fighting mobs resistant to Electricity AND can't be paralyzed (extremely unlikely) or 2) bosses that are resistant to Electricity. All in all, are they worth it in that case?

I usually use Force Arrows more frequently than my Elemental Arrows, but that is just me.

6) If I go Crusader: No Regret VS Castigation. Which?

Thanks once more!

I'll let someone else answer this one. I don't think i used either after playing with both.

[Captain_Wizbang]

1. Most pure rgr AA builds go for DEX instead of WIS because DPS is considered more important than CC. If you own the Falconry tree, you can get WIS to damage, but it involves tradeoffs due to the AP cost (see here). Also you need DEX 21 for Combat Archery but that's not an issue with a +6 Supreme tome.
2. Up to you, just remember to keep your stats even.
3. Improved Elemental Arrows costs 1 less AP than a final rank of Elemental Damage, but since it's a proc-on-crit effect it's generally considered lower DPS. Vulnerability is the best of the bunch, IMO, so if going for Shock Arrows it's a reasonable pick.
4. Force Arrows is useful for when both elemental damage and Paralyzing don't work. You don't need to max it out if you're tight on APs; just the first rank gets you base force damage + Ghost Touch.
5. I usually take Energy of the Wild so I can take Soul Magic for both the USP and temp SPs. The rest are optional, IMO.
6. Dispelling Shot can be useful. The others are ¯\_(?)_/¯ IMO.
7. I mean if you're committed to tier-5 AA, then sure, particularly if running in FotW.
8. Right now I'd say the two best EDs for pure AA rgr is either FotW for Adrenaline + Slaying Arrow or Crusader for Zeal of the Righteous + Strike Like Lightning + AA capstone for the extra Doubleshot. Essentially burst DPS vs a higher hit rate (which would mean more chances for Paralyzing to land). Dreadnought is best for ranged builds with a high rate-of-fire to maintain Blitz (i.e., shurimonks and repeaters); this build is neither.

A typical AP spread for F2P elf AA in FotW would be 42 AA (tier-5s + capstone) / 31 DWS (tier-4s + cores thru Mark of the Hunted) / 7 elf (all cores for +2 DEX, +6% Accuracy, and +10m PBS range).

I've tried Aasimar/ Falconry/ Wisdom AA FotW

I has a few big disadvantages over a dex build. But then again, I dont have the proper gear to get it optimized.

Rangers need a bump in a few areas compared to all the class adjustments made as of late. Until that happens they are still stuck in mediocrity

[barecm]

I've tried Aasimar/ Falconry/ Wisdom AA FotW

I has a few big disadvantages over a dex build. But then again, I dont have the proper gear to get it optimized.

Rangers need a bump in a few areas compared to all the class adjustments made as of late. Until that happens they are still stuck in mediocrity

I have gone down the path of falconry on Lamannia last time through. The only workable way was to go moncher (12m, 6f, 1wiz + 1 of whichever you like) and Elf AA tree. You lose the entire Deepwood tree. You can gain Kensai and some nice things in falconry and with 1 lvl of wiz opens access to enchantment focus feats (ranger lvl 4 also gets it). You also will be running FoTW which in my opinion is less reliable than running in LD.

The other little wrinkle is if you want to obtain the best things from Falconry like no mercy and deadly instinct, you will need a total of 90-92 points (minimum 9 racial past life points for elf AA with +1 Universal Tree tome from Sharn purchase). 90 points will get you everything with deadly instinct at tier 1. If you have 11 or more Racial PL, you can max tier for deadly instinct if you want longer action time.

AA 14
Elf AA 41
Kensai 11
Falconry 24-26

This may all be fuzzy math on my part but the concept is there...

[Captain_Wizbang]

I have gone down the path of falconry on Lamannia last time through. The only workable way was to go moncher (12m, 6f, 1wiz + 1 of whichever you like) and Elf AA tree. You lose the entire Deepwood tree. You can gain Kensai and some nice things in falconry and with 1 lvl of wiz opens access to enchantment focus feats (ranger lvl 4 also gets it). You also will be running FoTW which in my opinion is less reliable than running in LD.

The other little wrinkle is if you want to obtain the best things from Falconry like no mercy and deadly instinct, you will need a total of 90-92 points (minimum 9 racial past life points for elf AA with +1 Universal Tree tome from Sharn purchase). 90 points will get you everything with deadly instinct at tier 1. If you have 11 or more Racial PL, you can max tier for deadly instinct if you want longer action time.

AA 14
Elf AA 41
Kensai 11
Falconry 24-26

This may all be fuzzy math on my part but the concept is there...

Yamani & I talked about this in discord chat last month. Falconry w/ wisdom the only way to go is monchker.

As for racial PL's, not any time soon. (not going to happen this year)