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1 year ago ::
Apr 16, 2012 - 1:36AM
#41
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The idea was not "how to not use Twin Strike." The idea is "what to do to make Twin Strike less monotonous." Tricks, tactics, and tweaks to make it not literally the same thing every single round. Even just something like Hobbling Strike + Staggering Strike + WSG + TS will, at Paragon, make TS prone an enemy at a very awkward (read: not charge-friendly) distance. That's the kind of thing I'm talking about. Seriously, even I know better than to suggest that an optimized Ranger not use TS. That's just silly.
It's not about avoiding TS. It's about spicing it up in different ways.
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1 year ago ::
Apr 16, 2012 - 4:53AM
#42
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Date Joined:
Aug 21, 2008
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The idea was not "how to not use Twin Strike." The idea is "what to do to make Twin Strike less monotonous." Tricks, tactics, and tweaks to make it not literally the same thing every single round. Even just something like Hobbling Strike + Staggering Strike + WSG + TS will, at Paragon, make TS prone an enemy at a very awkward (read: not charge-friendly) distance. That's the kind of thing I'm talking about. Seriously, even I know better than to suggest that an optimized Ranger not use TS. That's just silly.
It's not about avoiding TS. It's about spicing it up in different ways.
HS + WSG + SS is about the only interesting thing you can add on top of TS, except for more damage. And that may come at the expense of Prime Shot exploitation & Permafrost.
That being said, I find that the fights are mostly over by the time Twin Strike comes out, at least for my Archer Ranger.
I killed Aleena.
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1 year ago ::
Apr 16, 2012 - 5:16AM
#43
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That being said, I find that the fights are mostly over by the time Twin Strike comes out, at least for my Archer Ranger.
Right, I have always thought this was a good counter to the "same old Twin Strike" comments and had a similar experience with my melee Ranger throughout Paragon. If you are very optimized and play in optimized parties, your fights will be shorter and you won't have to spam TS (as much). It also helps if you spread out your dailys between encounters or if your paragon path has a good encounter, etc.
But, again, this is not something we need to dwell on. I really want to focus on themes, missing items and anything else people think should be rated or upgraded/downgraded.
Daren
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1 year ago ::
Apr 16, 2012 - 5:24AM
#44
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Date Joined:
Apr 25, 2002
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A Ranger doesn't have to use all the immediate/minor action choices to be effective, particularly once the 3 shot powers start coming out. That relieves a lot of the boredom issues. And there are ways to optimize Throw & Stab to be tons of fun if you can pick up a solid MBA - Flail with a slide via Lashing Flail, then Flail Expertise as an example. Or Half-Elf or Hybrid with Righteous Brand and Power of Skill. Not as effective as Twin-Strike obviously, but...
I think the bigger trap of Twin Strike though is the Archer Ranger who avoids ever getting attacked by staying far away from the enemies - thereby causing healing surge management issues for the party.
Themes:
Elemental Initiate gives Ki Focus for dual wielders and very solid off-action attack
Gloomwrought Emissary can weaken for a Ranged Weapon user and grant a shift without using an extra action.
Guardian - remember, you don't provoke from the target on his turn. Crazy good for a ranged weapon user.
Knight Hospitaler - for Wisdom-based Rangers
Halaster's Clone has a good initiative bonus, though not so good with a Warlord in the party.
Primordial Adept - +2 to cold damage is one of the options...
Fey Beast Tamer - free CA. Just never heal it in combat
Serifal Feywarden - vulnerability 5/10/15 with cold(or other choices), just saying...
Those I think are the strongest ones
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1 year ago ::
Apr 16, 2012 - 5:39AM
#45
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Themes:
Elemental Initiate gives Ki Focus for dual wielders and very solid off-action attack
Gloomwrought Emissary can weaken for a Ranged Weapon user and grant a shift without using an extra action.
Guardian - remember, you don't provoke from the target on his turn. Crazy good for a ranged weapon user.
Knight Hospitaler - for Wisdom-based Rangers
Halaster's Clone has a good initiative bonus, though not so good with a Warlord in the party.
Primordial Adept - +2 to cold damage is one of the options...
Fey Beast Tamer - free CA. Just never heal it in combat
Serifal Feywarden - vulnerability 5/10/15 with cold(or other choices), just saying...
Those I think are the strongest ones
Thanks, Andy. I used your guide as a starting point (focusing on striker and general themes) and have rated all of those except for Knight Hospitaler. I'll look at Kn Hosp. again.
Daren
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1 year ago ::
Apr 16, 2012 - 5:42AM
#46
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Date Joined:
Feb 20, 2012
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Picking "Marginally Improved Twin Strike" over "Thing You Can Use With Twin Strike" is not a solution for finding Twin Striking boring.
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1 year ago ::
Apr 16, 2012 - 5:42AM
#47
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Date Joined:
Apr 25, 2002
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Themes:
Elemental Initiate gives Ki Focus for dual wielders and very solid off-action attack
Gloomwrought Emissary can weaken for a Ranged Weapon user and grant a shift without using an extra action.
Guardian - remember, you don't provoke from the target on his turn. Crazy good for a ranged weapon user.
Knight Hospitaler - for Wisdom-based Rangers
Halaster's Clone has a good initiative bonus, though not so good with a Warlord in the party.
Primordial Adept - +2 to cold damage is one of the options...
Fey Beast Tamer - free CA. Just never heal it in combat
Serifal Feywarden - vulnerability 5/10/15 with cold(or other choices), just saying...
Those I think are the strongest ones
Thanks, Andy. I used your guide as a starting point (focusing on striker and general themes) and have rated all of those except for Knight Hospitaler. I'll look at Kn Hosp. again.
Daren
No problem Daren.
Knight Hospitaler is one of those 'hey you, get back up' options. Very good for when someone drops your Defender if you're someone who wanders into melee a lot.
NETH4-1 Containing Shadow (co-author) Handbooks
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1 year ago ::
Apr 16, 2012 - 5:52AM
#48
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Date Joined:
Apr 11, 2008
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After the last errata, Beast Protector + Sharpshooter no longer works. Based on play experience, it was rare for the DM to attack the beast with a ranged or melee attack, simply because the beast is so ineffectual. An OA that does 1d8+6? Scary stuff...
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1 year ago ::
Apr 16, 2012 - 5:56AM
#49
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Date Joined:
Feb 19, 2006
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Serifal Feywarden - vulnerability 5/10/15 with cold(or other choices), just saying...
That could add a nice chunk of damage for permafrost novas.
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1 year ago ::
Apr 16, 2012 - 5:58AM
#50
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Date Joined:
Feb 20, 2012
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Downside is, the theme's racist, so you're not using it with anything but an Elf or Pixie.
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