best ranger abilities

[Michael_Galt]

What are they?

 

I've just recently begun playing again as a ranger, and I'm enjoying it.  I figured that I would primarily use him as a ranged fighter, diving in to the melee when necessary.  So far I've picked resilient companion, and interrupting blows, since those 2 abilities seem like absolute must haves. 

 

Now, I'm trying to decide what to pick next.  For instance, the envenoming ability seems like it would be great, theoretically.  But, it only does 60 points of damage, and that is over 9 seconds.  9 seconds is a relatively long time, and 60 points of damage really isn't that much.  Does that increase with level?  Or, does it stay flat there?  If it scales with level, I could see that being really useful.  Sneak in, shoot them from across the screen, and run away.  If they pursue, they should already be substantially weakened by the time I bring them to my friends.  If they don't pursue, I can always sneak back and maybe take them out with a few more of those shots. 

 

The 2 weapon fighting.  Should I get it?  It speeds up attack speed.  That could be useful.  Fast attacks with my good sword, super fast attacks with my awesome stiletto.  Or, is it really not that significant, the speed increase?

 

Are there any other pet abilities I should get for sure?  Or is it completely dependent on my play style.  I usually leave my pet behind with the party, close to the wizard to protect him as needed.

[Climhazzard]

You're sort of posting in the wrong forum to get the best replies.  But anyways, personally I find the most effective ranger is one designed to take the most advantage of the stormcaller bow.  http://pillarsofeternity.gamepedia.com/Stormcaller

 

I use http://forums.obsidian.net/topic/85513-class-build-storm-plague-caller/ as a model, it works very well.

 

It's what I usually use for Sagani.

 

For the final ability I usually use vengeful grief.  Pretty sure I fit marked enemy in there somewhere too.  I don't like per rest stuff and the pet heal is tiny.

 

For the last 3 talents I usually use Heart of the storm, Apprentice sneak attack, and Veteran's recovery (I take Veteran's Recovery on every team member sooner or later).

 

If you're new to Pillars I wouldn't recommend Min/maxing as much as that build does, don't take any stat below 9 or so.

 

I usually equip a pair of hatchets in my offset to use if she gets engaged.  The link to the build explains all the reasoning behind all the talent's and abilities, for example using wounding shot + predator's sense.  (Your wolf can do 100+ damage on crits endgame)

 

Before you get storm caller you can use Persistence which can be acquired fairly early on the 4th level of the endless paths.  It's possible to acquire stormcaller by level 8 or so pretty easily, but you can get persistence before then.  Oh and I guess this reply assumes you have the first part of the white march, which you may not.  Persistence is probably the best bow to use if you don't (It helps activate predator's sense and does raw damage over time).  Don't take heart of the storm if you can't get storm caller.

Edited August 24, 2016 by Climhazzard

[Michael_Galt]

Thanks- where should this be posted, then?  I figured this was the correct part of the forum...

[DreamWayfarer]

Thanks- where should this be posted, then? I figured this was the correct part of the forum...

The "character builds and strategies" subforum, home of the wise and benevolent PoE sages.

[Climhazzard]

 

Thanks- where should this be posted, then? I figured this was the correct part of the forum...

The "character builds and strategies" subforum, home of the wise and benevolent PoE sages.

 

 

 

That would be the place.  It's where character builds, abilities, items, strategies, etc...  are usually discussed.  And some of the people that post there don't seem to post in the general forum.

[Boeroer]

Yes, come to the dark side.

 

Best ranger abilities and talents depend on the build, but for the usual ranger those can be (m=melee, r=ranged):

 

- Marksman ®

- Distant Advantage (r, Wood Elf racial)

- Minor Threat (r, m, Hearth Orlan racial)

- Swift Aim (m)

- Twinned Arrows ®

- Stunning Shots (m,r)

- Predator's Sense

- Vicious Companion

- Merciless Companion

- Driving Flight (r, if you use Stunning Shots and/or Stormcaller)

- Resilient Companion

- Binding Roots

- Apprentice's Sneak Attack (m, r)

- Wounding Shot (if you use Predator's Sense and don't use Persistence, Tidefall or Drawn in Spring as weapons)

 

Envenomed Strike is powerful if you a) have high MIG and INT, because those stats influence it's damage and b) if you use Predator's Sense.

 

Interrupting Blows can be nice if you already have high PER, but I don't consider it to be especially powerful if you're not planning your build around interrupts. You will get Stunning Shots at some point - which makes interrupts obsolete.

 

As I said, come to the character build forum. The first post there is a list of builds that is fairly actual, it also contains melee aas well as ranger builds. You don't have to follow them, but usually the description of the builds contain a lot of useful info how certain abilities/talents work best and why.

[Michael_Galt]

Envenomed Strike is powerful if you a) have high MIG and INT, because those stats influence it's damage and b) if you use Predator's Sense.

 

Interrupting Blows can be nice if you already have high PER, but I don't consider it to be especially powerful if you're not planning your build around interrupts. You will get Stunning Shots at some point - which makes interrupts obsolete.

Thanks!  I'll look over there now.  That means that I need Predator's Sense, I guess.  My Might is high, though my Intelligence is only 12- is that way too low to make it worthwhile? And, is there an admin that can move this thread??

[Boeroer]

High MIG and 12 INT is OK. You can use items with bonus to MIG and INT to boost the damage a bit further. Higher INT is also very useful for Binding Roots. It's a great CC ability. It only works against a single foe, but lasts a very long time. And with 5 uses per rest you can spam it in hard encounters and disable whole groups for a long time.

 

Envenomed Strike not only does more damage with more INT (because it lasts longer and therefore has more damaging "ticks") it also triggers Predator's Sense as I said before (I like to repeat myself - I have three little kids ). So it's not very likely that the enemy which suffers from Envenomed Strike and gets attacked by your pet at the same time will experience the expiration of Env. Strike - because animal companions on Predator's Sense (and Vicious + Merciless Companion) hit like trucks and kill normal foes within seconds.

 

If you plan to have a chanter in the team then you don't need Wounding Shots, no wounding weapon and also no Envenomed Strike in order to trigger Predator's Sense. Just use a damaging chant (Come, Sweet Winds of Death or The Dragon Thrashed) and Predator's Sense is always "on".

 

Wounding Shots and Env. Strike can still be very useful though - especially against tough single enemies.

 

You can always retrain in an inn if you feel that some ability or talent doesn't do what you expected.

Edited August 26, 2016 by Boeroer

[Michael_Galt]

I didn't really understand the connection between having the continuing damage and Predator's Sense.  The combination of those two is pretty substantial.  I got Persistence yesterday, and now see why having that continuous damage with a long duration is really helpful- I means that you have longer for your animal companion to do "enhanced" damage.  I guess that I need to get apprentice sneak attack, so that I can start combining that to really do damage from afar.

[Boeroer]

Right. In melee a ranger can also make good use of bonuses against flanked targets. He can always flank together with his animal companion. There are items that grant +10% damage against targets (boots, armor, headgear, all not stacking with each other) and there's a survival bonus of 20%. Apprentice's Sneak Attack also works with flanked targets. Flanked also triggers pet's Merciless Companion. So you can add up +45% damage against flanked targets which is good. It also works with ranged weapons of course if you hit targets which are flanked by others than you. There are even weapons which do bonus damage when you hit flanked targets ( +20% damage, stacks) which are called "Vicious". There are also weapons which are "coordinating". They do +4ACC and +25% damage when you attack the same targets as somebody else (like your pet).

Edited August 28, 2016 by Boeroer