Ranged fighter viable?

[Malignacious]

Stats: 19 might, 18 dexterity, the rest into resolve and intelligence

Talents: Confident Aim, Disciplined Barrage, Weapon Focus Ruffian, Weapon Specialization Ruffian, Armored Grace, Gunner, Penetrating Shot, Two-Handed Style, Marksman, Quick Switch and Arms Bearer.

The whole build would revolve around Quick Switch and Arms Bearer, switching between 3 blunderbusses under penetrating shot modal. So, at the start of every combat it would be able to eliminate 3 enemies in quick succession. After that, gunner and armored grace would further mitigate reload speed penalty.

Damage passives would be 30%+penetrating shot+increased minimum damage.
What do you think - extreme accuracy, quick-firing, firearm fighter?

[KDubya]

Two handed style only affects melee weapon not ranged weapons.

 

 

It would work, you can beat the game with that build but all you have is auto-attack combined with the micro hell of swapping weapons four times per fight.

 

Specifics:

1.) The Fighter gets you +25% damage from spec and mastery, confident aim is roughly equivalent to +13.5% for a total of +38.5% damage and Armored Grace is close to +6% attack speed. That's pretty much all you get.

 

A.) Ranger - could do the same multi-gun swap scheme plus get benefit from Swift Aim for +20% attack speed and -50% reload speed. Plus get Wounding Shot, plus the Pet. Or even start with Twin Shots until you need to reload and then activate Swift Aim.

 

B.) Rogue - can do the same gun swap trick but also get Deep Wounds, Deathblows and a lot of per encounter special attacks.

 

c.) Cipher - gets +40% damage to weapons with one talent which is more than the fighte gets with two abilities and a talent. Plus you get Cipher powers. A Cipher will end up out damaging your Fighter as a side effect of trying to get more Focus, they're not trying to do damage it just happens and its better than what your Fighter will focus his entire build on.

 

 

Unless you are trying for the most optimized "non-optimal" build as a personal challenge I just can't see the appeal from a numbers standpoint. The thing that Fighters are best at is taking the "Take the Hit" aura and acting as a secondary endurance source for the rest of the team. All you need is a high constitution, high intellect, high lore and the two health heals.

Edited September 29, 2015 by KDubya

[Malignacious]

Two handed style only affects melee weapon not ranged weapons.

From where did you get that information?

[KDubya]

It says it right in the description. Plus it has been tested many many times.

[curryinahurry]

OP,

 

If you're going to build this fighter, you might want to consider an Island Aumaua, which gets +1 weapon set.  You can thus do 4 and tank or off-tank after you've fired your guns.  

 

Also, I would personally do this build around a Soldier focus because of Aquebuses and Greatswords.  The pump perception and dump a little con and resolve.  Wear light armor, and pick up knockdown or a crit talent and you will have an excellent back line guardian/ off-tank. Add lashes for extra damage.

Edited September 29, 2015 by curryinahurry

[gkathellar]

Yeah, ranged fighters are functional. They have no particular tricks up their sleeves, but they're functional.

 

Personally, I prefer rogue for fire-and-forget builds, since sneak attack and all.

[View619]

Only worthwhile if you plan on moving to the front-line after firing all of your weapons. If you want to go pure ranged, it's not worth it.

[the_dog_days]

With a ranged fighter you can't get the amount of damage you can with a rogue or ranger. You can't CC, AOE, or buff/debuff like spell casters either.

 

There's nothing wrong with it, but from a tactical standpoint the best role would be a second row tank, catching any mobs that make it past your front line. Keep him at range with an arbalest and switching to either a weapon and shield or two handed weapon when mobs get close. His main job would be protecting the squishy casters in the back row.

Edited September 29, 2015 by the_dog_days

[Elric Galad]

Note that heavy armor affects only recovery but not reload time. Consequently, heavy armor is not too much loss of DPS with firearms and arbalests.

 

So if you want a ranged DPS emergency tank, you can go guns & steel style.

[Malignacious]

OP,

 

If you're going to build this fighter, you might want to consider an Island Aumaua, which gets +1 weapon set.  You can thus do 4 and tank or off-tank after you've fired your guns.  

I never play non-human, non-male characters in any genre of games.

[Malignacious]

Is it still true that firearms don't interrupt?

 

If you invest in perception, which increases accuracy, it would be a shame to not use that interrupt potential too.

[View619]

I've had arbalests and pistols interrupt, not sure about the other reloadable weapons.

Edited September 29, 2015 by View619

[curryinahurry]

 

OP,

 

If you're going to build this fighter, you might want to consider an Island Aumaua, which gets +1 weapon set.  You can thus do 4 and tank or off-tank after you've fired your guns.  

I never play non-human, non-male characters in any genre of games.

 

 

Of course that is your right, only problem I see is that a 3 gun build will leave you with a fairly mediocre dps build at higher levels when you face tougher enemies.  Darguls for example, have 300+ health.  Even a crit oriented build likely won't even take one of those down.  If you want to go in that direction(with a human), a chanter is probably a better option as what you give up in damage you can make up for in additional abilities and chants, including the one that allows you to reload faster.

 

As to your other point; yes, you can interrupt with Arquebuses, but arbalests are a better choice.

[LaSpeakeasi]

Yeah, ranged fighters are functional. They have no particular tricks up their sleeves, but they're functional.

 

Personally, I prefer rogue for fire-and-forget builds, since sneak attack and all.

They are never fire-and-forget builds. You still need to re-position them quite for max effectiveness. Because of the 2m backstab range.