User:Jabird/buildarchive/Shiverpeaks Runner

The Shiverpeaks Runner makes running through the Southern Shiverpeaks no longer impossible. Due to spell-breaking it is good for routes full of hex-casters, and guarantees a more secure run than any other class or build. It is primarily built around Spell Breaker and the main Ranger running skills.

Armor
It is essential to wear infused armor for the run to Marhan's Grotto or Thunderhead Keep where many Mursaat and Jades with Spectral Agony would instantly kill you without Infusion. Other than that, consider the following armor types for additional protection:
 * Acolyte's Armor for its +10 armor (while enchanted) bonus.
 * Wanderer's Armor for its +10 armor (vs. elemental damage) bonus.

Weapons
A weapon with 20% longer Enchantments is essential for lengthening the duration of Spell Breaker, and shortening the recast gap between 2x Spell Breaker. Divine Favor Skill Recharge bonus is helpful but not strictly required for this build to work. Options:
 * A weapon such as Gardock's Staff offers 20% Skill Recharge for Divine Favor and 20% longer enchantments.
 * A Totem Axe or a Rajazan's Fervor and the Divine Symbol from collector Cinder Linnwood in the Diviner's Ascent
 * The weaponsmiths Gertrud (Vasburg Armory) and Telamon (Leviathan Pits) also craft the same item.
 * There are also many other Divine Symbols available throughout the campaigns that provide beneficial bonuses.
 * A Holy Staff obtained from collector Rylan Paval in Skyward Reach, upgraded with:
 * a perfect Insightful Staff Head (+5)
 * a perfect Staff Wrapping of Enchanting (20%)

Usage
Maintain the following casting orders when running.

Enchantment Sequence

 * Activate Blessed Aura and Watchful Spirit (in this order).

Note: Watchful Spirit, though providing only a Health recovery of +2, can quick-heal you for 160 Hit Points (12 Divine Favor) or even 190 (Divine Favor of 16) when canceled by double-clicking on it. Recover your Energy bar after that. Therefore, in emergency situations (Avicara Rangers, Jade Bows) cancel this skill, if you need immediate health. Blessed Aura helps keep up Spell Breaker - your only insurance of not dying right away.

Running Sequence

 * Activate Serpent's Quickness, Spell Breaker, and Storm Chaser (in this order).

Note #1: With Serpent's Quickness you initate your running sequence. It will give Spell Breaker a minimal advantage to recover faster. Try to keep up Spell Breaker at any given moment. Blessed Aura (supported by your weapon with +20% longer enchantments), and Serpent's Quickness guarantee that Spell Breaker will get recharged within 18,5 secs or less if you delay the activation of Storm Chaser (which cancels Serpent's Quickness' Quick-Recharge-Skill ability) (See Bug: Serpent's Quickness under Specific Hints No. #6). Eventually, Storm Chaser will boost your speed for 18 secs, the same period of time Spell Breaker is being active (with Divine Favor of 16). If there aren't any Hex-casting enemies on your route, you, of course, are free not to use Spell Breaker.

Note #2: As soon as Spell Breaker fades away, recast it, and use Storm Chaser again. You can do the Running Sequence twice, without a gap between 2x Spell Breaker.

Variants

 * It is possible to use Dryder's Defenses instead of Dodge in order to start aggroing multiple Rangers (Jade Bows, etc.) since Dryder's Defenses is one of the evasion stances that is not tied to Expertise unlike Dodge.
 * Zojun's Haste can replace Dodge, as it is a Factions duplicate skill.
 * Holy Veil can replace Smite Hex, as both are generally one-second cast Hex removal skills, and you will not have to stop to remove a hex if you pre-cast it where needed.
 * Divine Intervention for fatal situations can replace Smite Hex but be aware of the missing hex remover in emergency situations (unforeseen aggroing) where you simply aggroed enemies w/o Spell Breaker being active. Be aware of the long skill recharge of 30 secs.
 * Healing Touch can replace Smite Hex when in need of healing, but don't want to cancel Watchful Spirit. With 16 in divine and 3 in Healing Prayers, Healing Touch will heal for about 25+102 HP for the cost of 5 energy.
 * Dodge can also be replaced with other running skills, such as Storm's Embrace or Natural Stride.
 * For users with Nightfall, Purge Conditions can be replaced with Mending Touch.

Major Running Principles

 * 1) Don't aggro too many groups.
 * 2) Evade and choose a direct pass through groups.
 * 3) It's better to aggro one group than two, even if the one group is much bigger.
 * 4) Avoid boss aggroing, because bosses have a different aggro radius. They won't give up chasing you as easily as all the other non-boss characters.
 * 5) Take your time for regeneration of your Health and Energy.
 * 6) If you are a paid runner, run your routes secure rather than fast.

Specific Hints

 * 1) It is vital to keep up Spell Breaker as long as possible. With a 20% longer enchantment item, Serpent's Quickness and Blessed Aura you should be able to keep up Spellbreaker for at least twice  in a row.
 * 2) Use Dodge for encountering Jade Bows due to its Dodge abilities, or in emergency situations if Storm Chaser is not available or for short distance sprints.
 * 3) Make use of your high Divine Favor attribute to gain health by using skills that you may not need at the moment like: Purge Conditions, Smite Hex before thinking of canceling Watchful Spirit.
 * 4) Smite Hex is there for emergency anti-hex situations. (E.g. you aggroed an Ice Imp but did not notice...)
 * 5) Storm Chaser gives you much energy for elemental attacks. Though, do not start the running sequence with less than 30 Energy (5 + 15 + 10).
 * 6) Although Storm Chaser should cancel Serpent's Quickness, it is still active and recharges Storm Chaser 33% faster, so that you can use Storm Chaser immediately again (1 sec gap in-between).
 * 7) Sometimes it's useful (e.g. Iron Mines to Grotto) to recast your already used Watchful Spirit even while running, and immediately cancel it again to boost up your health. Pay attention to your Energy bar, though. Spellbreaker, and a running skill has the first casting priority.

Possible Routes
Note: The second route can be a 100% guaranteed run. Use henchmen for attacking the Pinesouls and therewith luring the Azure Shadows (keep calling your targets). Use Watchful Spirit and Divine Intervention whenever needed. Take the middle way.
 * 1) Deldrimor War Camp -> Granite Citadel -> Copperhammer Mines
 * 2) Copperhammer Mines -> Iron Mines of Moladune
 * 3) Iron Mines of Moladune -> Marhan's Grotto -> Thunderhead Keep