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1 year ago ::
Apr 16, 2012 - 6:01AM
#51
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Date Joined:
Aug 21, 2008
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Sharpshooter (MP) - The ability to make OA's with a Bow or Crossbow is useful to, and likely intended for, an Archer who plans to be in the thick of things, but it's (ironically) also prized by Beastmasters who love being in the back, because Beast Protector will give them plenty of chances to trigger it, especially in conjunction with Quick Beast Command. A free basic attack when you use an AP is nice, too. I don't like the multitargeting emphasis the powers have, but you can bear it. A great choice for Beastmaster Archers.
The latest round of updates nerfs this for Beastmasters, since you can no longer make those OAs at range.
I killed Aleena.
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1 year ago ::
Apr 16, 2012 - 6:28AM
#52
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Date Joined:
Apr 25, 2002
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Downside is, the theme's racist, so you're not using it with anything but an Elf or Pixie.
Or Eladrin
NETH4-1 Containing Shadow (co-author) Handbooks
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1 year ago ::
Apr 16, 2012 - 6:29AM
#53
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Date Joined:
Jul 14, 2008
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There are other options besides Twin Strike. Throw and Stab can do some neat things, and Marauder's Rush can make a potentilly solid charger. Neither are better than Twin Strike, but they at least maintain striker level damage (potentially).
One-half of the tabletop gaming news podcast Going LastCo-author on AoA 2-3 and 4-1.
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1 year ago ::
Apr 16, 2012 - 6:49AM
#54
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Date Joined:
Aug 21, 2008
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I really want to focus on themes, missing items and anything else people think should be rated or upgraded/downgraded.
Themes for rangers are complicated. Among other things, those single attack encounter powers get in the way of ranger striker damage, so they're of limited utility.
Themes that are useful for Archers (they help you do your job, or at least don't get in the way):
- Bregan D'aerthe
- Outlaw
- Fey Beast Tamer
- Gloomwrought Emissary
- Halaster's Clone
- Harper Agent: For obvious reasons
- Seeker of Illefarn: Useful when rolling a 1 is the only time you miss. Elves can take this.
- Tuathan: Since you're not getting much out of your theme in the first place, combo Invigorating Stride with the L5 feature to get around cover & concealment. Or turn in to a bird at L10 and get a good place from which to shoot.
- Spellscarred Harbinger: Teleport out of trouble, or turn invisible to Stealth
Range limits the utility of these Themes for Archers:
- Devil's Pawn
- Sarifal Feywarden
These have limitations like campaign, source, or other:
- Fatedancer: Yeah, I know. I use this in combination with the Recall Power card to recycle garbage dailies in to Confounding Arrows
- Cultist
- Infernal Prince
- Noble Adept
- Escaped Slave
I killed Aleena.
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1 year ago ::
Apr 16, 2012 - 7:11AM
#55
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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...
The latest round of updates nerfs this for Beastmasters, since you can no longer make those OAs at range.
Thanks guys. I will make sure to change this.
Daren
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1 year ago ::
Apr 16, 2012 - 7:37AM
#56
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Date Joined:
Jun 18, 2008
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Drizzt is an okay ranger. But this one takes the cake. He also can dual weild! Spoiler:
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Also thanks for the guide, though I never get around to playing as rangers. One of these days I'll make a dwarven twin striker.
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1 year ago ::
Apr 16, 2012 - 7:47AM
#57
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Date Joined:
Oct 28, 2010
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I really want to focus on themes, missing items and anything else people think should be rated or upgraded/downgraded.
Themes for rangers are complicated. Among other things, those single attack encounter powers get in the way of ranger striker damage, so they're of limited utility.
Themes that are useful for Archers (they help you do your job, or at least don't get in the way):
- Bregan D'aerthe
- Outlaw
- Fey Beast Tamer
- Gloomwrought Emissary
- Halaster's Clone
- Harper Agent: For obvious reasons
- Seeker of Illefarn: Useful when rolling a 1 is the only time you miss. Elves can take this.
- Tuathan: Since you're not getting much out of your theme in the first place, combo Invigorating Stride with the L5 feature to get around cover & concealment. Or turn in to a bird at L10 and get a good place from which to shoot.
- Spellscarred Harbinger: Teleport out of trouble, or turn invisible to Stealth
Range limits the utility of these Themes for Archers:
- Devil's Pawn
- Sarifal Feywarden
These have limitations like campaign, source, or other:
- Fatedancer: Yeah, I know. I use this in combination with the Recall Power card to recycle garbage dailies in to Confounding Arrows
- Cultist
- Infernal Prince
- Noble Adept
- Escaped Slave
Windlord is a solid-to-good Archer theme. Trading an attack for a big slide and big mobility is not a bad thing.
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1 year ago ::
Apr 16, 2012 - 8:26AM
#58
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Date Joined:
Aug 21, 2008
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Windlord is a solid-to-good Archer theme. Trading an attack for a big slide and big mobility is not a bad thing.
This is true, but if Windlord is featured in the guide, then this compromise needs to be made explicit.
To a certain extent, I feel like Rangers are in a cruel crucible where doing anything but optimizing your damage is a waste of time. This is because Rangers are so very good at inflicting damage, there are so many ways to improve their damage, and Rangers don't do much else. For instance, with an Archer Ranger you forswear minor action attacks all together by doing anything but multiclassing in to Rogue and power-swapping for Snap Shot. I feel a little embarassed when I sit down at a high-paragon LFR table with my shaman-multiclassed Archer Ranger. On the other hand, I didn't want to be playing yet another Elf with a Greatbow and Snap Shot.
I'd kill for a Sohei-like minor action attack from a Theme.
I killed Aleena.
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1 year ago ::
Apr 16, 2012 - 8:53AM
#59
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Date Joined:
Sep 17, 2007
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Windlord is a solid-to-good Archer theme. Trading an attack for a big slide and big mobility is not a bad thing.
This is true, but if Windlord is featured in the guide, then this compromise needs to be made explicit.
To a certain extent, I feel like Rangers are in a cruel crucible where doing anything but optimizing your damage is a waste of time. This is because Rangers are so very good at inflicting damage, there are so many ways to improve their damage, and Rangers don't do much else. For instance, with an Archer Ranger you forswear minor action attacks all together by doing anything but multiclassing in to Rogue and power-swapping for Snap Shot. I feel a little embarassed when I sit down at a high-paragon LFR table with my shaman-multiclassed Archer Ranger. On the other hand, I didn't want to be playing yet another Elf with a Greatbow and Snap Shot.
I'd kill for a Sohei-like minor action attack from a Theme.
We'd all kill for a really goddamn OP theme, yes. Doesn't mean it should exist. Also, archers are brutal controllers and anyone who says otherwise didn't pay attention to their ability to inflict hard-hitting debuffs while at the same time loading up on multihitters.
Mountain Cleave Rule: You can have any sort of fun, including broken, silly fun, so long as I get to have that fun too (e. g., if you can warp reality with your spells, I can cleave mountains with my blade).
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1 year ago ::
Apr 16, 2012 - 8:56AM
#60
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Date Joined:
Oct 28, 2010
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Indeed - I use Windlord on my archer, and yes, I don't use it every encounter (and yes, he's my former Hunter, so he's as control-focussed as I can get him) - but when I do, it's pretty vital.
Sticking on things like Daze (Outlaw) are also not to be sniffed at.
But yeah, some more ranged weapon support (in general, and specifically from Themes) would be tasty.
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