Rangers bad again?

[Thetis]

Is it me or are rangers bad yet again?

 

In PoE 1 they were bad, and it looks like in PoE 2 they are bad again. I have come across no "meta" build that implements any sort of ranger class. What do you guys think can be done to maybe buff them a little. Imo they need better scaling abilities and maybe a general pet buff. Also it seems like unique bow/xbow weapons are rather hard to find, while the game throws lots of swords, maces and 2 hand weapons at you.

[Cylion]

I do t think they are weak at all... Devoted/Sharpshooter or Assasination/Sharpshooter will two-shot most things. However they are kinda boring just standing still and shooting every few seconds.

[wanderon]

Just started a Sharpshooter/street fighter (Scout) - Bear companion and she is highly effective so far.

[Crucis]

I do t think they are weak at all... Devoted/Sharpshooter or Assasination/Sharpshooter will two-shot most things. However they are kinda boring just standing still and shooting every few seconds.

 

I guess that it's just a matter of taste.  I don't find the ability to reach out and shoot the enemy boring at all.  Good way to keep all those pointy swords out of a character, after all. 

 

But for what it's worth, you can play a tanky Stalker if you want to get up close and personal ... and let those mean, nasty guys swing at you with their pointy swords! 

Edited May 12, 2018 by Crucis

[Cylion]

 

I do t think they are weak at all... Devoted/Sharpshooter or Assasination/Sharpshooter will two-shot most things. However they are kinda boring just standing still and shooting every few seconds.

 

I guess that it's just a matter of taste.  I don't find the ability to reach out and shoot the enemy boring at all.  Good way to keep all those pointy swords out of a character, after all. 

 

But for what it's worth, you can play a tanky Stalker if you want to get up close and personal ... and let those mean, nasty guys swing at you with their pointy swords! 

 

I was not clear on what I meant at all, sorry for that. I meant it can get boring for some people. I love the kill stuff from far away approach. That is also why I made the sniper post :D I am extremely allergic to pointy sticks.

[Theedarkcorner]

Rangers can be very powerful. Go with the stalker subclass. Note that you don't need more than 10 perception because they have tones of accuracy buffs. I'd also go with 3 res and 7 con if you're staying in the back. Pair it with a class that can buff your companion, such as a Paladin.

[dunehunter]

There is a bow with 3 projections, this is what you combine it with Swift Flurry, so who is the 'best' ranger?

 

Edited May 12, 2018 by dunehunter

[Thetis]

There is a bow with 3 projections, this is what you combine it with Swift Flurry, so who is the 'best' ranger?

 

 

 

Well, that rather seems like the weapon is very very strong, not so much ranger itself. Where to get the bow tho?

[Zzz]

so who is the 'best' ranger?

Devoted+monk - bcs he have more pen, more dmg, more crit dmg, more hit>crit conversion then ranger+monk, when ranger have only 10 hit advantage.

Best ranger is fighter, sad but true.

[Starwars]

I haven't really played around with builds at all but I'm enjoying playing my Seer (Ghostheart/Cipher) a lot. It feels strong at least, but can't say how it compares to other builds.

[ppscurry]

Did you guys know that there is a bow that recovers immediately if you crit lol.

[Clerith]

Did you guys know that there is a bow that recovers immediately if you crit lol.

Hunting or War Bow? Because if it's a War Bow, I could really enterain the Devoted/Monk build with it and the icy barrage bow.

 

But yeah, Rangers are just... like what am I suppose to pick, some pet skills? Out of all the companions, I had the hardest time making level up choices for the sharpshooter, since most of the skills just seemed bad.

Edited May 12, 2018 by Clerith

[ppscurry]

warbow, grab it from the nemnok quest line. High level assassins have a skill that basically 100% crits so I'm gonna test it out real soon.

Edited May 12, 2018 by ppscurry

[Crucis]

 

Did you guys know that there is a bow that recovers immediately if you crit lol.

Hunting or War Bow? Because if it's a War Bow, I could really enterain the Devoted/Monk build with it and the icy barrage bow.

 

But yeah, Rangers are just... like what am I suppose to pick, some pet skills? Out of all the companions, I had the hardest time making level up choices for the sharpshooter, since most of the skills just seemed bad.

 

 

I used to love playing Rangers back in the BG/IWD days.  But with the animal companions added to Rangers, I've grown to almost, not quite but almost, hate them.  Even Ghost Hearts.  The problem is that there are soooooooooooo damned many pet abilities that there just aren't that many for a Ghost Heart to use to build up a pet-less Ranger!

[EmilAmundsen]

FYI

pistols are currently capped at ~3,6 sec between attacks even if attack-speed + reload is supposed to be lower according to tool-tips. II haven't tested for other weapons, but it could be universial either for all weapons, all ranged weapons, all guns, or all everything.

 

Bug-report on it has been submitted.

Edited May 12, 2018 by EmilAmundsen

[dudex]

 

so who is the 'best' ranger?

Devoted+monk - bcs he have more pen, more dmg, more crit dmg, more hit>crit conversion then ranger+monk, when ranger have only 10 hit advantage.

Best ranger is fighter, sad but true.

 

 

ranger has 25 more accuracy and driving flight. devoted only has slightly more (10%)hit to crit if u go sharpshooter but 25 lower accuracy. now berserker is a different story but u gotta pump him full of drugs and food so he doesnt blow up your teammates.

 

ranger is underestimated their exclusive accuracy buffs stacks with everything. im not counting +20 from wounding shots since other class have +accuracy from skills(not sure if any goes to 20). running around with +45 accuracy mid/early game is huuuuge.

Edited May 12, 2018 by dudex

[Zzz]

 

ranger has 25 more accuracy and driving flight. devoted only has slightly more (10%)hit to crit if u go sharpshooter but 25 lower accuracy. now berserker is a different story but u gotta pump him full of drugs and food so he doesnt blow up your teammates.

 

ranger is underestimated their exclusive accuracy buffs stacks with everything. im not counting +20 from wounding shots since other class have +accuracy from skills(not sure if any goes to 20). running around with +45 accuracy mid/early game is huuuuge.

 

Can you explain me your math?

Devoted have 10 acc from stance, + 5 per ( =5 acc) from buff. And have +15% dmg from mastery

Marksman have +10 from mark, +5 from passive, + 10 from passive when he attack target with pet.

And marksman have 10% recovery penlty and -10 def, when devoted have 25% bonus recovery and +9 def from stance and passive.

So show me, where you found another 25 acc and 15% dmg?

Edited May 12, 2018 by Zzz

[dudex]

devoted 10 accuracy from stance does not stack with any other boost making it useless unless u dont run with a buffer or use monk dance  (if u use a cleric level 4 spell it overrides it)

 

ranger gets 10 mark, 5 marksman, 10 stalker (all stacks with cleric spells). then another +20 from accurate wounding shot (only applies to initial 3 shot arrows)

 

sharpshooter gets 15 hit to cri from their passive.

 

i didnt go into recovery since there are ton of gear and buff that can lower it to similiar amounts. the 10% penalty from ranger isnt much. accuracy on the otherhand is in short supply.

Edited May 12, 2018 by dudex

[aweigh0101]

Do ranger ACC buffs affect spell-slinging? How does Ranger/Caster-class combo look?

[Zzz]

devoted 10 accuracy from stance does not stack with any other boost making it useless unless u dont run with a buffer or use monk dance  (if u use a cleric level 4 spell it overrides it)

 

ranger gets 10 mark, 5 marksman, 10 stalker (all stacks with cleric spells). then another +20 from accurate wounding shot (only applies to initial 3 shot arrows)

 

sharpshooter gets 15 hit to cri from their passive.

 

i didnt go into recovery since there are ton of gear and buff that can lower it to similiar amounts. the 10% penalty from ranger isnt much. accuracy on the otherhand is in short supply.

Tested this. Really fighter's acc bonus from stance not stackable. Look like bug, bcs stance dont have time limit.

Okay, 20 acc vs 15% dmg, 10% hit>crit conversion, 1 pen and 25% crit dmg. 

About wounding shot with +20 acc - fighter have one with +4 pen and +25% dmg.

As result:

Marksman have +45 acc, +10% recovery, - 10 def.

Devoted have +40% dmg, +5 pen, +5 per( =5 acc), +10% hit>crit conversion, -25% recovery, +25% crit dmg, 4-9 def.

Devoted still look better as for me.

Edited May 12, 2018 by Zzz

[dunehunter]

Ranger is pretty good when multiclassing. A lot accuracy bonus, and takedown combo affect spells. Makes ranger a good multclass material for CC/nuke caster hybrid build.

 

But single class ranger is a bit meh. They do get a heart of furry like ability at PL 8, so not too bad, maybe a bit ahead of single class rogues.

[Sanctuary]

They do get a heart of furry like ability at PL 8, so not too bad, maybe a bit ahead of single class rogues.

 

[dudex]

thats up to u. to me the extra attack from driving flight and much higher accuracy far out weighs devoted bonuses to me

 

to me accuracy is the most important stat since its hard to come by. u can find gear with tons of recovery bonuses.

 

triggering swift flurry is what u want and driving flight and higher accuracy gets it done frost seeker or not

 

accuracy not stacking is not a bug. its always been like that. rangers like the first game is only class where all their acc bonuses stack with everything else. otherwise there be no reason to go ranger. 

 

(also +5 per doesnt stack with other per buff so its not exclusive to fighters.) a lot of classes look better on paper but when u go in game to see what stacks and the available gear it changes. recovery penalty and boost might sound big but when u are getting gear with 15-20 recovery bonuses it changes also.

Edited May 12, 2018 by dudex

[dunehunter]

I think it’s pretty pointless to debate between Devoted/monk and Sharpshooter/monk. Both are pretty good.

 

But all of these builds are based on the fact that Swift Flurry too good. It becomes even better once monk get that extra hit on crit passive.

[Clerith]

It becomes even better once monk get that extra hit on crit passive.

Heartbeat Drumming? According to the wiki, it works on melee weapon crits, so not bows.

 

It's really hilarious if fighter/monk is the best bow user.