Is take down combo any good?

[Crumbleton]

I was messing around in the character builder a bit and noticed take down combo has a whopping 100% damage increase for the next attack. I was thinking of pairing this with a morning star / Bleakwalker to be able to debuff fortitude enough to hopefully follow up with a big ass crit with FOD.

 

Is take down combo reliable? Will I be frustrated and hate my life for even trying this? Am I wasting my time for really wanting to use ranger in melee and not taking advantage of driving flight and the reload faster talent?

 

I was planning on doing PotD upscale which I normally do paired with paladins healing / armor aura and stalkers bonus armor would my pet still just be dead constantly?

 

 

I'm kind of looking for a fun build I can micro pretty hard. Was doing a warlock but it seemed a bit much having to blood sacrifice every few seconds since I was casting so fast. So I had to micro but it wasn't enjoyable pressing 1 button mindlesly.

[giftmefood]

I was messing around in the character builder a bit and noticed take down combo has a whopping 100% damage increase for the next attack. I was thinking of pairing this with a morning star / Bleakwalker to be able to debuff fortitude enough to hopefully follow up with a big ass crit with FOD.

 

Is take down combo reliable? Will I be frustrated and hate my life for even trying this? Am I wasting my time for really wanting to use ranger in melee and not taking advantage of driving flight and the reload faster talent?

 

I was planning on doing PotD upscale which I normally do paired with paladins healing / armor aura and stalkers bonus armor would my pet still just be dead constantly?

 

 

I'm kind of looking for a fun build I can micro pretty hard. Was doing a warlock but it seemed a bit much having to blood sacrifice every few seconds since I was casting so fast. So I had to micro but it wasn't enjoyable pressing 1 button mindlesly.

 

Yep, melee ranger is just a OK. You are far better as ranged. At POTD, pets become such a liability and die a lot. That's why Ghostheart gets chosen a lot for the posted builds on here.

 

If you want to armor stack and have a character that will never die even against megabosses on potd upscaled, go for paladin (any subclass) and fighter (unbroken for +1 armor) 

[Crumbleton]

Hmmm wasn't going for armor stacking more so a pet that could possibly live. Being a ranger I was attempting to not use ghost heart. But mainly as I said build around takedown combo

[giftmefood]

Hmmm wasn't going for armor stacking more so a pet that could possibly live. Being a ranger I was attempting to not use ghost heart. But mainly as I said build around takedown combo

 

Pets die really quick on POTD. You can try it out and see if you like it but personally I won't go for a melee ranger just for takedown combo. 

[Boeroer]

It's ok if you don't try to tank with them. Just don't send them into the fray and they will be fine.

I played an Arcane Archer/Bleak Walker with a Bear recently and the Bear seldomly went down. I used it to apporach the flanks and to apply Takedown Combo on weaklings before I shot them with Flames of Devotion (takes no penalty with Arcance Archer's passive). It's a bit like playing an assassin sniper.

 

Of course the dmg boost is very substancial then, especially when combined with a good lash. You'll spent the 1 Bond for Takedown Combo most efficiently if you chose a weapon with high base damage. Like Arbalest (I used Spearcaster) or Arquebus.

 

But it works with any attack. I also played a very good melee Stalker/Wizard with a Morning Star who used Takedown Combo to boost my Essential Phantom's Draining Touch attacks (highest melee base damage). Morning Star was used to lower enemy' fortitude so that Takedown Combo has a better chance to hit. With this Geomancer I could solo all Dragons on PoTD. Here I did the tanking, not the animal companion. It was a Lion by the way (it's the most flexible because it has shorter recovery). I could also cast somme nice single target spells on enemies once Takedoen Combo was applied - like Necrotic Lance and later Killing Bolt. Since spells usually have higher base dmaage than weapons this works especially well. This build was totally focused on tough single targets. And it was very good at taking down everything due to high dmg output, good tanking capability and having two additonal bodies on the field most of the time. If you are interested I could give a short comparison of the build. Atm Essential Phantom doesn'tt work too well because the level scaling of some summons is broken. I hope this gets fixed soon.

 

So - yes. You can totally make it work. It's only 1 Bond and it also has the slight CC effect. I like it a lot.

Edited February 13, 2019 by Boeroer

[Crumbleton]

Hmm yeah I was thinking of coupling it with the morning star so it has the better hit chance. I was thinking of using the paladin so I could follow up with the FoD and have the healing + Armor for me and my companion. I'd probably have Eder as a swashbuckler too since I'm a sucker for him, and a theurge adventurer as a second line healer.

 

I was thinking of a devoted even since I plan on using a morning star and it has the double damage types, but I'm unsure if it's worth it since I could use an estoc with the modal if need be for penetration or a great sword for slashing.

 

I figured with the modal, access to leap boots, and sickened I can debuff fortitude pretty well to make sure take down combo works.

[Boeroer]

I'm pretty sure that that will work as well. With Exalted Endurance and Greater Lay on Hands the animal companion also won't die so easily. Especially if it's a bear who has +2 AR in the first place. 

 

Just watch out when using pulsing spells with Takedown Combo: a pulse will profit from the +100% dmg boost (which will be a very petty dmg increase in flat numbers - and remove it). So you shouldn't cast Chillfog or Wall of Flame or something likethat if you want to use Takedown Combo in that moment. 

[Crumbleton]

Man that'd be rough!..... honestly i was trying to get away with not using lay on hands here, just a pure single target smash face.  Seems dumb, but i mean i get stuck on concepts even if it's not... err optimal?

 

EDIT:

 

so its the first instance of damage made by an attack correct?  So it'd favor a single high strike over something like dual wielding?

Edited February 13, 2019 by Crumbleton

[Jayd]

I'm playing a stalker/shifter on POTD. Doing SSS currently, upscaled, at level 19. My pet does not die a lot. And when it is in danger, it is much easier to save than other members of the party because Play Dead exists (plus it doesn't suffer from injuries after getting rezed). And I don't think I'm very good at the game right now. So I don't know why people keep insisting that pets are a liability on POTD. It has always helped more than it has hurt. I use antelope btw. 

 

As for Takedown Combo, yeah, it's best used with big spike damage attacks. I have fast attacks so I chose Brutal instead for the penetration help. 

[Boeroer]

Man that'd be rough!..... honestly i was trying to get away with not using lay on hands here, just a pure single target smash face.  Seems dumb, but i mean i get stuck on concepts even if it's not... err optimal?

 

EDIT:

 

so its the first instance of damage made by an attack correct?  So it'd favor a single high strike over something like dual wielding?

Yes - if you want to use it most efficiently. But if you are not solo anybody in your party can profit from it - it's not necessary that the ranger executes the attack.

[Crumbleton]

 

Man that'd be rough!..... honestly i was trying to get away with not using lay on hands here, just a pure single target smash face.  Seems dumb, but i mean i get stuck on concepts even if it's not... err optimal?

 

EDIT:

 

so its the first instance of damage made by an attack correct?  So it'd favor a single high strike over something like dual wielding?

Yes - if you want to use it most efficiently. But if you are not solo anybody in your party can profit from it - it's not necessary that the ranger executes the attack.

 

yeah At that point though.... it's not a combo =(  unless i designed a sort of double team set up like a Bleakwalker/ Devoted Crusader who's job it was to use my rangers take down + mark accuracy

[Jayd]

 

 

Man that'd be rough!..... honestly i was trying to get away with not using lay on hands here, just a pure single target smash face.  Seems dumb, but i mean i get stuck on concepts even if it's not... err optimal?

 

EDIT:

 

so its the first instance of damage made by an attack correct?  So it'd favor a single high strike over something like dual wielding?

Yes - if you want to use it most efficiently. But if you are not solo anybody in your party can profit from it - it's not necessary that the ranger executes the attack.

 

yeah At that point though.... it's not a combo =(  unless i designed a sort of double team set up like a Bleakwalker/ Devoted Crusader who's job it was to use my rangers take down + mark accuracy

 

And if your ranger does have fast attack speed that gives you a very short window in which to use another party member's attack without having to tell your ranger to stop attacking. A party-based combo would probably work well with a slow-attacking ranger.

[brasilgringo]

 

With this Geomancer I could solo all Dragons on PoTD. Here I did the tanking, not the animal companion. It was a Lion by the way (it's the most flexible because it has shorter recovery). I could also cast somme nice single target spells on enemies once Takedoen Combo was applied - like Necrotic Lance and later Killing Bolt. Since spells usually have higher base dmaage than weapons this works especially well. This build was totally focused on tough single targets. And it was very good at taking down everything due to high dmg output, good tanking capability and having two additonal bodies on the field most of the time. If you are interested I could give a short comparison of the build. Atm Essential Phantom doesn'tt work too well because the level scaling of some summons is broken. I hope this gets fixed soon.

 

 

how'd you facetank the fire dragon (and any other dragon if they do the same wound-giving bite attacks etc)?  interrupts so he couldn't wound you?  or try to time the attacks and run out of range?  or keep the oozes between you and him?

[tedmann12]

Not sure what mode you are on, but I am on turn based POTD upscaled and my pet has only died once. Granted I am only level 8, but I am able to keep him alive very well. I invested points into buffing his armor (and attacks) I generally cast a buff on him to give him the +5 con bonus and I use him to tank. I heal him when he is hurt etc. I put as many armor buffs on him as I can and more often then not the enemies I face can't penetrate his armor and do little damage.

 

I am sure this will change if I get to a higher level, but so far the whole "pet is a liability" thing has not proven to be true what so ever for me on turn based at least. He does a solid 20-35 damage a round as well, which to add onto my consistent 40-55ish makes my ranger by far the highest single target dps dealer in the party thus far.

[Boeroer]

how'd you facetank the fire dragon (and any other dragon if they do the same wound-giving bite attacks etc)?  interrupts so he couldn't wound you?  or try to time the attacks and run out of range?  or keep the oozes between you and him?

Since I had me, the Phantom and the Animal Companion who would relentlessly pommel the dragon there wasn't too much "facetanking" involved. The high AR helps to not getting killed quickly, Body Blows lowers Fortitude, Willbreaker + Misasma lower Will into the ground, Draining Touch from Phantom targets Will and weakens (lowers Fortitude), ACC is generally very high - also for hard CC spells. Killing Bolt + Takedown Combo is nice.

 

I didn't even use any consumables against Neriscyrlas...

 

It's a ton of micro though.

 

The phantom often gets targeted - but it's suprisingly sturdy, especially if you are wearing thick armor. And if it goes down: I have 6 of them (3 Essential, 3 Substancial - Grimore of Vaporous Wizardry), so no problem.

 

Also a thing: Shroud of the Phantasm not only duplicates you (six times) but also your animal companion (six times)!

Edited February 13, 2019 by Boeroer

[Crumbleton]

Alright just to add to this..

 

 

Holy **** I'm loving this so far. Between hunters mark, FoD and the Flame ring I have +30 accuracy, im only lvl 7 now but I'm able to just obliderate single enemies. With sworn enemy, retribution, Bleak walker FoD, it's pretty fun.

[Boeroer]

Yes, Ring of Focused Flame + FoD + Ranger is really great in the early game. Lots of crits where you usually don't see them that often.

 

I did the same (ranged) with Spearcaster on an Arcane Archer/Bleak Walker - where I could also add the Eternal Devotion, the Ring bonus and the Arcana bonus (twice) to Imbue Fireballs. Crits galore!

 

Try to get the amulet "Precognition" - it's not bad with such a high ACC Paladin/Ranger setup.

Edited February 13, 2019 by Boeroer