Ranged FuryShaper/Ascendant (Witch) is Obscene

[Marigoldran]

The synergy comes from frenzy ward +barb frenzy + Ascending as Cipher.  

 

Frenzy ward and frenzy stack, granting like 40% Action and recovery speed to your character and bonus might and Con (which is important because the enemies will focus you).  These abilities allow you to gain focus quickly and when you ascend you can spam cipher high damaging or aoe spells such as mind blades, disintegrate or silent scream at RAPID speed like no tomorrow.  Furthermore, at Barbarian Power level 3, you get Bloodlust which provides even more action speed bonuses.  When you hit level 10-12 (PL 4) you get both silent scream and  Spirit Frenzy, which means that your attacks when ascended cost no focus, are as quick as a machine gun, do AOE foe-only damage, stagger enemies, and stun and interrupt them.  

 

Also, the cipher has a lot of +will defenses that counter the furyshaper's will malus, so that's another good synergy.   Finally, the frenzy ward gives bonuses to the entire party making it a very party friendly character.  

 

And you can do all of that in the back line as a ranged character.  

 

My party consists of two heralds (one custom made, the other Pallegina) giving ranged attack speed buffs, AOE healing, sustain and summons. I also like Tekehu (pure druid) for his foe-only Chill Cloud and mass healing.  For the last character I switch between Xoti, Aloth, or Serefen for more buffs or CC.  

Edited December 24, 2018 by Marigoldran

[Boeroer]

Attack speed bonuses don't stack additively (so 30% and 10% are not like a single 40% bonus).

 

But yeah, especially with Blood Thirst things get really interesting.