Synopsis:
- Build for a pure Ranger Dex based scimitar wielding TWF Tempest, laying out the basic build and playstyle tactics with commentary.
- This is a high DPS build played as an off tank with high sneak attack damage and very high fort bypass.
20 Ranger Wood Elf
Commentary:
- Wood Elf for a few reasons--bonus to Dex and no elven Con penalty, Elven Weapon Training enhancement bonus to scimitars, and I like Wood Elves (flavor).
- Pure ranger for Tempest capstone.
Stats
. . . . . . . .36pt . . Tome . . Level Up
. . . . . . . .---- . . ----. . .--------
Strength. . . . .8. . . .+6. . . .4: DEX
Dexterity . . . 20. . . .+6. . . .8: DEX
Constitution. . 18. . . .+6. . . 12: DEX
Intelligence. . .8. . . .+6. . . 16: DEX
Wisdom. . . . . 10. . . .+6. . . 20: DEX
Charisma. . . . .8. . . .+6. . . 24: DEX
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .28: DEX
Commentary:
- Max dex and con, two points in Int and Wis. I get all the skill points I want with the 8 Int.
- I like having Str as a dump stat, and only have to worry about Dex and Con which helps with gearing.
Skills:
Max Spot, UMD, Heal, Balance, Search
Jump to 10 (any more is a waste)
1 point in tumble
Commentary:
- Concentration skill not a priority due to having Quicken feat for healing casting. Concentration would be then left to help with scroll usage, which is limited to Res Scrolls in this build.
- With the change (nerf) to Scion of the Ethereal Plane, I don't put any points into Hide, nor move silently.
Feats:
1 Precision
3 Completionist
6 Toughness
9 Improved Crit: Slash
12 Maximize
15 Quicken
18 Dodge
21 OC
24 Epic Toughness
26 Perfect Two Weapon Fighting
27 Blinding speed
28 Elusive target
29 Dire Charge
30 Epic Reflex
30 Scion of the Ethereal plane
Commentary:
- I value having lots of HP, thus going against the general grain with Toughness/Epic Toughness. The combo adds 82 hp at cap. Although a glass cannon, still need to be able to take some hard hits.
- Maximize vs Empowered Healing - I really value the ability to be an excellent single target healer, and I've kept tanks and whole parties up on high reaper content. He can burn through SP, but have an Epic Ring of Spell Storing, and SP pots. I also make sure I have a devotion bonus on my gear. One or the other is of value.
- Quicken - Need to get those heals off fast!
- Dodge - Can take it or leave it. I don't have any issues maximizing dodge with the help of items and enhancements, and maximizing dodge is a must on the build.
- Elusive target - Can take it or leave it, and didn't feel anything else was better.
- Dire Charge really helps as this build has no other crowd control which is a weakness that you have to be smart to work around.
- Epic Reflex - It's not about the bonus to reflex saves as it is the no fail on a 1. This guy just doesn't fail reflex saves. Love dancing in the middle of traps in reaper.
- Scion of the Ethereal plane - With the change (nerf), I'm still taking this over Scion of Arborea, though to be honest I could go either way. I like the Permanent Lesser Displacement and Ghost Touch. I like the Permanent Invisibility Guard too as it melds well with the playstyle.
Enhancements:
Tempest (to capstone):
Notable must haves for tempest:
- Shield of Whirling Steel, Tempest, Graceful Death, Deflect Arrows, Whirlwind, Dervish
- Improved Reaction III, Whirling Blades, Improved Defense III
- Improved Parry III, Whirling Blades, Sprint Boost III
- Storm Dancer, Whirling Blades
- Storm Tempest, The Growing Storm III, Whirling Blades
- Dual Perfection, Many Cuts III, Whirling Blades, Dance of Death III
Commentary:
- I take the passive Many Cuts vs the Thousand Cuts clickie because I value simplicity and not having too many buttons to click in combat.
Deepwood Stalker (at least 30 AP for the 4th core Mark of the Hunted):
- Far Shot, Sneak Attack, Exposing Strike, Advanced Sneak Attack, Mark of the Hunted
- Stealthy III (for +1 additional Sneak Attack Die), Increased Empathy I
- Survivalist, Melee/Range Power Boost III
- Survivalist, Thrill of the Hunt III, Favored Hunter III
- Survivalist, Killer I, Merciful Shot
Commentary:
Mark of the Hunted: Activate: Expend a use of Wild Empathy. Your currently selected enemy receives -25% Fortification, -10 Armor Class, -10 Spell Resistance, and suffers a -4 penalty to all ability scores for 3 minutes. This effect also works on bosses and Raid bosses.
Passive: Your attacks bypass an additional 10% Fortification. You also gain +2 Damage when attacking Favored Enemies.
Passive: +10 Positive Spell Power
Mark of the Hunted, for red named and bosses, lasts more than enough time and benefits the ENTIRE party.
For when you get agro, Exposing Strike DWS clickie is huge in it gives you 4 out of every 6 seconds of sneak attack and as mentioned works on named bosses.
Wood Elf:
- Elven Accuracy I, Nature I: +1 Dexterity
- Elven Weapon Training I:
I have (5) racial action points is the reason for this.
For any left over enhancement points, I pump dex and will add additional dodge in the tempest tree.
Epic Destiny:
I go Legendary, but a case can be made for Shadow-dancer
Gear:
I haven't updated my gear since last year and I'm due to re-evaluate with update 46 coming out. So consider this a placeholder...
Part of the Family Set:
Armor: Legendary Wildcard: Fort 214% - PRR 54 - Heal Amp 85 - False Life 81
Necklace: Legendary Family Recruit Sigil: True Seeing - Armor Piercing 33 - Deadly 17 - Relentless Fury
Gloves: Legendary Hammerfist: Insightful Doublestrike 11 - Seeker 21 - Insightful Deadly 8 - Cannith Combat Infusion
Head: Legendary Umber Brim: Insightful Accuracy 16 - Insightful Deception 8 - Profane well-rounded - Improved Quelling Strikes
Goggles: Legendary Collective Sight: WIS 21 - Insightful DEX 10 - Quality Resistance 4
Cloak: Legendary Cloak of the City's Champion: Parrying 10 - Insightful CON 10 - Quality PRR 13
Ring: Legendary Celestial Ruby Ring: STR 21 - Stunning 23 - Accuracy 33 - Ghostly
Wrist: Legendary Hallowed Castigator: Devotion +214 - Healing Lore +31% - INS Sheltering +27 - Improved - Emp Heal
Ring: Sigil of the Triumvirate: DEX 22 - Insightful Accuracy 17 - Insightful Deadly +8 - Sonic Absorption 53%
Belt: Slavers Crafted: Wizardry 371 - Resistance 14 - Hide 22 - DEX 4 (Quality)
Boots: Cannith Crafted: Dodge 15 - Sheltering 38 (for the MRR) - Seeker (insightful) 7
Trinket: Echo of Ravenkind: E Holy Burst - True Seeing - CON 20 - Improved Deception
Scimitars:
Nightshard
Vulkoor's Edge/The Fractured Elegance
Commentary:
I looted The Fractured Elegance and then went into a long TR cycle, so I haven't really played with it yet. I'm concerned because it's been reported the Glass Shards effect is bugged. Vulkoor's Edge is a just very nice all around weapon. And I absolutely love Nightshard.
Playstyle:
A dex based scimitar ranger is best played as an off-tank and should always be focused on positioning to do sneak attack damage.
Maximize use of items giving sneak attack damage (Deception, Insightful Deception), and get three Sneak Attack Die from DWS tree.
A focus should be on getting Fort Bypass as high as possible, which benefits not only the sneak attack damage, but also the expanded crit range of the scimitar. This is a key of the build. With the advent of sharn content, we saw very high fort mobs and this character really, really shined in this regard.
Passive Sources:
Precision feat (25%)
Armor-Piercing Item (23% cannith crafting / 28% slave lord crafting / or other items or weapons with it.
Advanced Sneak Attack (10%) - DWS core 3
Mark of the Hunted (10%)
Can also Twist in Grim Precision (15%) or Piercing Clarity (10%)
There are more I'm not thinking off.
The result is a very resilient character with arguably the most under rated dps in the game when built and played right.