Rangers *still* need an update,

[HungarianRhapsody]

We all know that, This thread is about the lack of help with the weak spells and the lack of items to help, and also (by player feedback) about it's ranged inequalities.

Since the title of the thread says that Rangers need help, I thought it was worth mentioning. Especially since not everyone knows this. Rangers don't need an update to become good. Bows need an update if SSG wants to bows to be better. That's different.

[Eryhn]

Since the title of the thread says that Rangers need help, I thought it was worth mentioning. Especially since not everyone knows this. Rangers don't need an update to become good. Bows need an update if SSG wants to bows to be better. That's different.

yup. tempest is beast.


lobby for a roundabout improvement to ranger CC spells and the best we might get out of it after inevitable susbequent ranger too op whine is a heavy handed global nerf to mass frog or to tempest melee dps to balance it or some such 0.o



now, if improvements could be tied to higher AA tree tiers or cores ...

[dsmwhiteknight]

Also, Bow of Sinew as the quest alternative

I think Sapphire Sting from Temple of Elemental Evil is superior to Bow of Sinew unless you are going for alignment DR bypass. And it is usable 7 levels sooner.

[Captain_Wizbang]

Also, Bow of Sinew as the quest alternative

Don't take this out context, BUT.......

You started a thread for 1 or 2 items that you polled us every week for input.

myself and other petitioned for a ranged item, as per your final assessment, this was not the case.

It was a perfect opportunity to handle this. granted the 1 bow coming from Sharn is nice, but that's just a bow.

Rangers need items, not just for ranged paths, but for spell casting, as per my OP.

X-bow users suffered a long time for the recent changes to give them a decent edge, Look at Endless Fusillade, Thats a bump to the nth scale, why can't rangers get some attention?

A handful of weapons is not the answer.

Changes to the cores, new items, and even a feat or 2 that deal specifically with this plea for help.

Personally, I migrated away from ranged characters to TWf, to S&B, then back to ranged in hopes the small changes made 2? years ago and Falconry would make a difference. They did for Heroic, not for Epic or Legendary.

Steelstar said many builds are viable in Epic content, well those aren't true builds.

Again SSG, I'm asking for help with Ranged Rangers, and Ranger Spell abilities.

[Requiro]

Its in Falconry for that reason (...)

Technically yes, but it’s waste of 5 AP.
I meant somewhere in ranged-oriented tree

(...) If you want them to become better spellcasters, then you're asking for them to be Druids.

No. We just want some spells that are useful. If you ever played pure ranger, then you know that most ranger players don't even bother pick ANY 4th level spell, 3rd and 4th spell slot. Longstrider? Not stacking. Summon-one-shot-companion? Waste of time. Animal grown? On what? One-Shot-Animal-Companion still remain one shot.

was about to say *ugh that's trash low*

then saw its heroic version

yeeeah, right

+5[W] is nice, but it's still 20/x3 critical profile (19-20 came from Keen property).

On the other hand, because of no other alternatives it should replace Silver Bow on level 15.

It's so sad, that by so many years they won't give us good bows.

[Kielbasa]

Came back to the game recently but finding a pure ranger dws/aa won't get me beyond playing legendary hard content. Running into a lot of the same frustrations I see all over the Ranger boards. You have to gear for dps and then on top of that max an element/devotion or potency as well. Not sure if it is possible to get anywhere close to what I need gearwise to be effective. AA needs the same treatment as eldritch knight where you get all four elements at tier one and dws needs a lot more for a dexterity bow ranger. Its just weird how they have a wisdom tree mashed in with two dexterity enhancement trees for the class and how they split up all of the weapon critical bonuses. It does seem that an int based xbow ranger inquisitive/harper splashing dws or a wisdom based falcony aa are the only current functional setups endgame? Enjoying the journey but will probably need to tr into something else if I want to play anything challenging.

[Clemeit]

Make Named Returning Arrows with powerful effects a new raid loot item. Why are arrows so bad? Make some awesome Named Loot arrows for people to grind for.

[barecm]

Your post suggests you're trying to play a pure Ranger as an offensive spellcaster in Epics.

A bold choice.

At any rate: There are a lot of (TEMPEST) Ranger builds that hold up extremely well in Epics. While there is still a need for {IMPROVEMENT} in the {LONGBOW} ecosystem as a whole, (TEMPEST) Ranger (as an enhancement line) is performing very well right now.

Fixed.

And as a side note, if you want to be able to compete (sort of) as a bow using ranger, you cannot be a ranger. You have to be some sort of moncher combo in order to boost up wisdom to reasonable levels so that paralyze / fear works at the highest levels of content. Otherwise, you are supplanted by much better dps options.

[Captain_Wizbang]

And as a side note, if you want to be able to compete (sort of) as a bow using ranger, you cannot be a ranger. You have to be some sort of moncher combo in order to boost up wisdom to reasonable levels so that paralyze / fear works at the highest levels of content. Otherwise, you are supplanted by much better dps options.

[HungarianRhapsody]

Fixed.

And as a side note, if you want to be able to compete (sort of) as a bow using ranger, you cannot be a ranger. You have to be some sort of moncher combo in order to boost up wisdom to reasonable levels so that paralyze / fear works at the highest levels of content. Otherwise, you are supplanted by much better dps options.

Also, if you want to compete as a bow using ranger, you'll be better off not using a bow and choosing a different ranged weapon (i.e. thrower)

[barecm]

Also, if you want to compete as a bow using ranger, you'll be better off not using a bow and choosing a different ranged weapon (i.e. thrower)

Kind of my point and why I said "sort of"... if you want to compete, you have to be a cc moncher or some wisdom build and play a very, very narrow play style that is incredibly boring and weak vs mobs that are immune to fear and paralyze. You cannot compete dps versus a shuriken thrower or any xbow user.

[Captain_Wizbang]

You cannot compete dps versus a shuriken thrower or any xbow user.

Funny how a bolt firing weapon now has the range of a bow, and totally OP damage. Couple that with Endless Fusillade and now dual wielding crossbows, it's comical how SSG ignores this topic.

[Captain_Wizbang]

At any rate: There are a lot of Ranger builds that hold up extremely well in Epics. While there is still a need for adjustments in the Ranged ecosystem as a whole, Ranger (as a Class) is performing very well right now.

I (and others) totally disagree with these statements.

As for "ranger builds", those are multi-class builds, and many players don't want to get pigeon-holed into those "builds".

Let's face it, until an SSG dev starts wanting to play and enjoy rangers "as a whole" the class is behind the curve.

[Sho-sa]

Actually, I picked the lvl 24 feat 'Intensify Spell' (not on the OP's list). 1st life Ranger, great boost to healing spells and the DWS Vigor enhancement.

[janave]

Let's face it, until an SSG dev starts wanting to play and enjoy rangers "as a whole" the class is behind the curve.

Pretty much, i facepalmed when I first saw they gonna buff xbows thru the roof with Inquisitor.

[Captain_Wizbang]

Pretty much, i facepalmed when I first saw they gonna buff xbows thru the roof with Inquisitor.

I realize this is a fantasy game, but dual wielding a weapon that requires 2 hands to load ONE of them, AND being on a rapid-fire sequence is nonsense.


The devs keep saying "we're trying to balance the game" but yet they keep pulling off maneuvers like that. Add things like that to reasons player retention is what it is.

[Ausdoerrt]

The devs keep saying "we're trying to balance the game" but yet they keep pulling off maneuvers like that. Add things like that to reasons player retention is what it is.

Technically, it's balance from the gameplay perspective, as prior to Inquisitor there was zero reason to use non-repeating crossbows at all. Now there is, and they're not so overpowered as to be stronger than repeating or great xbows.

Realistic? No. Balanced? Likely.

[Lynnabel]

Realistic? No. Balanced? Likely.

Fun? Absolutely.

[barecm]

So I did a quick search on DDO to see if I am exaggerating or my memory is accurate. I searched "Manyshot as a Stance" and the oldest reply (over 271 threads identified with that specific search criteria) was from June 2007.

2007. We have been asking for Manyshot to be changed to a stance since 2007!!! And still, we are told by the dev team that Manyshot is an obstacle for developing bow use? Nearly 12 years of asking, probably more, but that is as far back as I can prove. From what I can tell, it is not Manyshot that is the issue, it is the unwillingness to do anything about it that is the problem here. 12+ years of asking and still bow use stinks.

[Kaboom2112]

Fun? Absolutely.

I don't disagree, but would it kill you to make longbows not the worst possible ranged option?