User:Jasminethetender/builds/ranger

Ranger =Brutal Glass Arrows= The Brutal Glass Arrows ranger combines the preparation Glass Arrows with the Ritualist weapon spell Brutal Weapon to apply continuous amounts of high damage with a minimum amount of time re-applying preparations.

Attributes and Skills

 * In the optional slot, use Antidote Signet or Troll Unguent depending on where you plan on operating.

Equipment

 * Scout's Insignia or Brawler's Insignia if you feel the need for defense, Radiant insignia otherwise.
 * A Vampiric Recurve or Short Bow and a Sundering Short or Recurve bow.

Usage
To use this build, maintain Glass Arrows at all times. When you're about to engage a foe, cast Brutal Weapon on yourself, then use Forked Arrow followed by Dual Shot for a quick spike, then simply shoot them until Forked Arrow and Dual Shot recharge. Repeat as necessary until foe is dead, maintaining Glass Arrows and Brutal Weapon.

If there is a Bonder on your team, tell them to not bond you unless its absolutely necessary.

Variants

 * RA Variant: Use Troll Unguent and take one level away from Communing to put into Wilderness Survival
 * TA Variant: Use Antidote Signet to keep yourself clean so your healer can focus on healing you.
 * Natural Stride can replace Whirling Defense to avoid the long cool down time

Counters

 * Hexes such as Faintheartedness will prevent Forked Arrow from triggering and will slow your damage output
 * Missing from Blind or hexes
 * Blocking, to a lesser extent; you will still make them bleed.

Equipment

 * A +5 Energy - Ebon Recurve Bow of Enchanting and one of Fortitude
 * Radiant insignias
 * Rune of Attunement

Usage

 * Just before entering battle, use Ebon Dust Aura, Harrier's Grasp, and Apply Poison.
 * Use Called Shot as your first attack on your target.
 * Watch your target for a second or two and interrupt any important skills (healing and/or resurrection skills in particular) they may use with Distracting Shot.
 * Switch targets and repeat.
 * Troll Unguent serves as your self heal - make sure it doesn't get interrupted by using Natural Stride to protect against weapon-based interrupts.

Variants

 * Savage Shot may be used as a second interrupt.
 * Screaming Shot may also be used for additional condition coverage.
 * Antidote Signet can be useful if against touch rangers, or any characters with Plague Touch.

Counters

 * Enchantment removal.
 * Restore Condition, Mending Touch, Draw Conditions etc.

=VoS Archer= This build is designed around Vow of Strength. This skill adds a multiplier to raw damage, but disables all attack skills while it is active. The Ranger line provides offense with an increased attack speed stance and raw damage boosting preparations and rituals; all to maximize the effect of VoS. The Dervish line, aside from VoS, provides defense and utility with enchants from Earth Prayers and Wind Prayers that give the build strong self healing and some ability to heal others, and an enchant that cripples moving foes on hit on every attack. Because all skills used have fairly long durations there is really very little energy used, and only little energy management is required. It has been used effectively in PvE and the RA and AB areas of PvP. It may work well in other arenas too, but no testing has been done there yet.

Attributes and Skills

 * Vital Boon and SoPL could be replaced with the single skill Mystic Regeneration.
 * If used for PvE, Harrier's Grasp and perhaps Favorable Winds could be replaced.

Equipment

 * Druid's Armor
 * Rune of Superior Vigor
 * Rune of Clarity
 * Rune of Attunement


 * Vampiric Flatbow of Enchanting with a "Guided by Fate" inscription (increases damage when enchanted).
 * Bring a Zealous bow, for those times you run into energy problems.
 * Bring a Recurve Bow and/or a Shortbow, in case you don't have Favorable Winds up and can't use Read the Wind.

Usage

 * When you enter battle place Favorable Winds Spirit somewhere it can effect where you will usually be, but not so close to battle as to be destroyed easily.
 * Vow of Strength, Heket's Rampage, and Read the Wind are providing the majority of your offense.
 * Because of the casting time of RtW, you will generally do your damage in sustained bursts over 20 seconds.
 * If you are going to focus on one target to kill, renew RtW before starting.
 * If you are using Harrier's Grasp to spread cripple around, you don't need VoS to be active.


 * Use Harrier's Grasp to cripple targets
 * This skill can be kept on most of the time. Continous use will drain the energy of this build however.
 * You can spread cripple around the opposing teams meleers easily with this skill, as they are almost always moving.
 * You can prevent a target from kiting your team.
 * If you focus on a target, they will stay crippled regardless of condition removal. If you spread cripple around, targets will stay crippled for ~8 seconds, but it could be removed easily.


 * Cast Vital Boon followed by Signet of Pious Light to heal yourself.
 * You can heal yourself and someone else at the sametime by using the Signet on a teammate.
 * If you are needed to assist in healing, keep casting your enchants followed by SoPL on your allies.

Counters

 * Killing the Favorable Winds Spirit will reduce your damage and accuracy a little.
 * Persistent enchantment removal will hamper your damage and healing.
 * Typical physical damage counters such as Blindness and Weakness affect this build.

Variants

 * The pet adds more damage than Favorable Winds will. However, the Flatbow is not as useful without it.
 * Harrier's Grasp could now be replaced with a pet attack like Disrupting Lunge.

Optionals
 * Seeking Arrows: Use this to get past Aegis, Guardian, and similar spells or stances.
 * Antidote Signet: Removes Blindness, Disease, and Poison.
 * Any nature ritual.

Attributes and Skills

 * Vital Boon and SoPL could be replaced with the single skill Mystic Regeneration.
 * If used for PvE, Harrier's Grasp and perhaps Favorable Winds could be replaced.

Equipment

 * Druid's Armor
 * Rune of Superior Vigor
 * Rune of Clarity
 * Rune of Attunement


 * Vampiric Flatbow of Enchanting with a "Guided by Fate" inscription (increases damage when enchanted).
 * Bring a Zealous bow, for those times you run into energy problems.
 * Bring a Recurve Bow and/or a Shortbow, in case you don't have Favorable Winds up and can't use Read the Wind.

Usage

 * When you enter battle place Favorable Winds Spirit somewhere it can effect where you will usually be, but not so close to battle as to be destroyed easily.
 * Vow of Strength, Heket's Rampage, and Read the Wind are providing the majority of your offense.
 * Because of the casting time of RtW, you will generally do your damage in sustained bursts over 20 seconds.
 * If you are going to focus on one target to kill, renew RtW before starting.
 * If you are using Harrier's Grasp to spread cripple around, you don't need VoS to be active.


 * Use Harrier's Grasp to cripple targets
 * This skill can be kept on most of the time. Continous use will drain the energy of this build however.
 * You can spread cripple around the opposing teams meleers easily with this skill, as they are almost always moving.
 * You can prevent a target from kiting your team.
 * If you focus on a target, they will stay crippled regardless of condition removal. If you spread cripple around, targets will stay crippled for ~8 seconds, but it could be removed easily.


 * Cast Vital Boon followed by Signet of Pious Light to heal yourself.
 * You can heal yourself and someone else at the sametime by using the Signet on a teammate.
 * If you are needed to assist in healing, keep casting your enchants followed by SoPL on your allies.

Counters

 * Killing the Favorable Winds Spirit will reduce your damage and accuracy a little.
 * Persistent enchantment removal will hamper your damage and healing.
 * Typical physical damage counters such as Blindness and Weakness affect this build.

Variants

 * The pet adds more damage than Favorable Winds will. However, the Flatbow is not as useful without it.
 * Harrier's Grasp could now be replaced with a pet attack like Disrupting Lunge.

Optionals
 * Seeking Arrows: Use this to get past Aegis, Guardian, and similar spells or stances.
 * Antidote Signet: Removes Blindness, Disease, and Poison.
 * Any nature ritual.

Equipment

 * Preferred bow combinations (although really, any bow can be used):
 * Crippling Recurve Bow
 * Poisonous Recurve Bow
 * Crippling Longbow
 * Vampiric Flatbow
 * A Recurve Bow is usually preferred, for maximum accuracy and minimum flight time. The Flatbow is for speeding up NPC kills.
 * Runes of Minor Wilderness Survival, Minor Expertise, Minor Marksmanship, Superior Vigor.
 * You may wish to take a +5 Energy main hand and a Shield for Flagging or for escaping from enemies.

Usage

 * Keep Apply Poison active when you're attacking to spread Poison with each arrow fired.
 * Snare enemies using Crippling Shot. Remember that this can be used both for offensive purposes (slowing down fleeing targets) and defensive purposes (slowing down foes chasing you or your team).
 * Interrupt enemies with Distracting Shot and Savage Shot. Note each skill's inherent effects besides just the interrupt.
 * Remove harmful Conditions with Mending Touch.
 * Use Natural Stride for a general-purpose speed boost.
 * Heal yourself and counter health degeneration with Troll Unguent.
 * Revive fallen party members with Resurrection Signet.

Counters

 * Illusion Mesmer's fast cast and hexes make them them the natural bane of Cripshots. Depending on your skill, the safest solution lays usually in either interrupt Crippling Anguish and then staying out of range, or using height advantage as leverage for the first shot, and, again, keeping the foe out of range at all times.
 * With little to counter enemy attacks, it is often best to Cripple the enemy and flee when targetted.
 * Because of the slower degen compared to a Burning Arrow ranger, it may become very difficult to take out opposing gankers using Feigned Neutrality.

Variants

 * Natural Stride can be replaced with other speed boosts such as Storm Chaser, Zojun's Haste, or Dodge.
 * For Alliance Battle or Competitive Mission usage of this build, consider taking an evasive or blocking stance such as Whirling Defense, Dryder's Defenses or Lightning Reflexes.
 * Screaming Shot, or, less reliably but more affordably, Hunter's Shot, can provide more Degen and a cover condition.

=Prepared Shot= The Prepared Shot Ranger is always prepared via Apply Poison. It then uses the Marksmanship energy management skill, Prepared Shot, to allow itself to skimp on Expertise for more offense, allowing it to be a versatile and hard hitting ranger with excellent endurance. This is a boon in lengthy battles, where the Ranger is designed to operate.

Equipment

 * Armor: Your choice. You could go all energy, or you could go with Scout's armor due to your preparation use.
 * Weapons: Suggested you use a poison bow generally and a crippling bow when you use Pin Down. Use a Silencing bow if you're using Concussion Shot. Choose between a shortbow for a faster firing rate, or a recurve bow for a little more range and flight speed. Finally, a longbow for max distance shots.

Usage

 * Keep Apply Poison upon yourself during combat, being sure to spam Prepared Shot every six seconds for additional damage and energy.
 * Snare enemies using Pin Down. With your high Marksmanship, and a crippling modifier, you can keep your target perma-snared and then some.
 * Interrupt enemies with Savage Shot. You should be able to spam this ability with the energy management from Prepared Shot. You will also be doing considerable damage if interrupting spells.
 * Use Screaming Shot every eight seconds to move -7 degen amid enemies.
 * To selectively spike a squishy target, spam Savage Shot, Prepared Shot, and Screaming Shot. With your 15 (or 16) Marksmanship and the damage modifiers from these three shots, you will be able to do a considerable amount of damage in a short amount of time.
 * Remove harmful conditions with Mending Touch.
 * Use Natural Stride for both a speed-boost and a reflexive counter to being attacked.
 * Heal yourself and counter health degeneration with Troll Unguent.
 * In AB, and you find yourself fleeing from an enemy (such as a shadow stepping assassin), use Pin Down to run.

Counters

 * Hex degen cannot be removed via Mending Touch, and will counter the regen from Troll Unguent.

Variants

 * Replace Savage Shot with the hefty costing Concussion Shot.
 * Replace Pin Down with Distracting Shot.
 * Swap out a skill for Resurrection Signet.
 * If you aren't worried about spikes, it is possible to run this at 16 Marksmanship, 9 Expertise, and 12 Wilderness Survival for 450 HP. (AB + PvE for example)

Equipment

 * Druid's Armor, With Rune of Superior Vigor and Rune of Superior Expertise
 * Weapons (one of the following)
 * A +5 energy axe/sword of shelter/defense/fortitude and a Blood Knife from Attendant Nashu or Jahn Pitz.
 * A Blood Magic wand such as the one available from Karl Jakobs and Blood Magic focus such as the one available from Volsung Stoneketil.
 * A +energy weapon set with otherwise same stats as the above.
 * Milthuran's Staff for more energy

Usage

 * Get close to your target and spam Vampiric Bite and Vampiric Touch.
 * Use Dodge to chase down kiting targets and avoid attacks that can be harmful to the build (such as crippling attacks).
 * Use Whirling Defense or Throw Dirt when targeted by warriors, rangers or assassins. This is not only important for avoiding the damage, but also the harmful conditions like crippling and Deep Wound.
 * Use Offering of Blood when you can get the full benefit of the energy gain and you are not taking too much damage. Use it as often as it recharges if you can.

Counters

 * Use anti-spammer strategies, such as Diversion or Distracting Shot.
 * As the ranger needs to get within touch range, just stay away from them. Use any combination of snares, kiting and knockdowns to achieve this.
 * The life stolen per second is not enough to overcome focused damage and health degeneration. However condition based degeneration wont work as he just uses Plague Touch to pass it on.
 * Signet of Humility, Arcane Thievery or Arcane Larceny can be used to shut down Offering of Blood, which is crucial for the build. When used in combination with even mild energy denial such as Energy Burn, the ranger will soon be out of energy.
 * Blackout is devastating to touchers.
 * "Can't Touch This!" will cause touch skills to fail, but this is not overly destructive and will only waste the touch ranger 2-10 energy.
 * Tease will cause the recharge of all the touch skills used in the build to increase by a certain percent, decreasing the overall DPS of the build.
 * It may be wise for users of this build to bring a melee weapon (such as a sword) as a counter-counter, since Tease ends if the target hits the caster (who will have to be within touch range to cast it in the first place)
 * Because the build relies on two skills spammed consecutively, enemies with interrupts can easily time their interrupts.
 * It looks like a toucher is easy to stop. However one on one (in most cases even 2 or 3 on one) with the touch ranger at full energy its not as easy. The only realistic ways to stop him is using hex based snares, Diversion, heavy energy denial or out healing him until he runs out of energy.

Variants

 * Verata's Aura can take control of all minions around for a medium-short amount of time. Highly useful for AB.
 * Frozen Soil can be hidden on the Touch Ranger skill-bar, and when used intelligently, can be a devastating skill in TA, and especially RA. This requires the extra skill points to be put into Wilderness Survival. This can easily replace Throw Dirt.
 * Barbed Signet can replace Resurrection Signet in AB, giving the Touch Ranger a secondary distance attack to compliment Vampiric Gaze.
 * Signet of Agony and Distracting Shot with a barbed bow to replace Throw Dirt and Whirling Defense gives the build an interrupt and the ability to inflict 44 second bleeding (significant damage over time.) You can still have Blood weaponry as a secondary set.
 * Blood Ritual is useful especially in a team situation as it is affected by expertise and gives an energy gain. Similarily, a group of touch rangers could be effective using Blood is Power and Blood Ritual on each other.
 * Zojun's Haste, paired with Dodge, gives an almost nonstop speed boost and protection against rangers. This is a good replacement for Resurrection Signet in AB.
 * Blood Renewal makes a good self heal if used properly.
 * Strip Enchantment in place of Resurrection Signet for Alliance Battles or 8-Team Competitive Missions such as The Jade Quarry and Fort Aspenwood, where Resurrection Signets are useless.
 * Use the 6 left-over attribute points and put them into Wilderness Survival, then using Serpent's Quickness as a way to increase pressure on your target.
 * Touch of Agony and/or Wallow's Bite should not be overlooked.
 * For players who only own Factions, a spare points Melandru's Shot could be used, with Vampiric Bite and Wallow's Bite as the damage. This will be less effective and conditional to enemies faced, however.
 * Storm Chaser instead of Dodge can help with energy management, but is generally not as useful.
 * In Alliance Battles, Resurrection Signet may be replaced with Awaken the Blood for more powerful touch attacks.

=Keen Shouter=

This build uses "Go for the Eyes!" along with "Find Their Weakness!" to get big spikes with deep wound from keen arrow.

Attributes and Skills

 * The Elite Skill is VERY flexible here, so if Prepared Shot isn't preferable or available, then some more reasonable options would be:
 * Punishing Shot
 * Melandru's Shot
 * Crippling Shot

Equipment

 * Scout's Armor for bonus protection
 * 15^50 Sundering Shortbow of fortitude.

Usage

 * Set up with Read the Wind and begin attacking a target.
 * Once adrenaline is gained up enough, use "Go for the Eyes!" with "Find Their Weakness!" followed by Keen Arrow then Prepared Shot. This should deal around 150-160 damage +deep wound.
 * If ever swamped by conditions, use Remedy Signet.
 * When being melee'd, use "Never Surrender!" for self heal once health is below 75%.

Counters

 * Stone Sheath.
 * Massive Degen.

Variants

 * In PvE, AB, or CM, use Screaming Shot instead of Res.
 * The elite in this case can be very flexible. another option could be Punishing Shot for its quick activation for the DW spike. Melandru's Shot is another option for E-management. Infuriating Heat is one of the most practical uses to get faster adrenalin gain for "GftE!".

Attributes and Skills
=Armed Assault=

Armed Assault uses several Weapon Spells to greatly increase the efficiency and strategy of ranger attacks. I'm sure the build will look odd at first glance, but read the notes below to see the individual strengths of each skill.
 * The main combo of attacks uses Nightmare Weapon to deal a near instant spike of 126 armor ignoring, life stealing damage.
 * There are several variants that are very useful in different areas and situations, including interrupting, using a pet, and barraging.

Attributes and Skills

 * To fill in the Optional slots, look in the Variants section for many different uses for this build.
 * The attributes can be changed, and runes can be lowered if the health seems too low.
 * Marksmanship can be lowered to 0 if the user doesn't need damage from the first two skills. NM Weapon makes all damage dealt exactly 42.


 * Preparations(when not using Barrage) which cause conditions can be very useful to eliminating enemies.
 * A defensive skill or some other interrupt skill can be put in the last slot. A Resurrect can also be used in PvP.
 * Serpents Quickness or another recharge-time lowering skill can be useful for the main combo.
 * Troll Unguent is a good out of battle heal, but points will need to be dropped from Marksmanship for this.

Equipment

 * Use one rune of Superior Vigor and 2 runes of Attunement along with the 2 stat raising runes.
 * Sundering/Zealous/Vampiric bows of Fortitude with +5 Energy. The type of bow is your choice.
 * The health and energy levels should be 450 and 35 respectively, but these can be higher.

Usage

 * Set up Favorable Winds outside of battle, but close enough for you to be constantly affected by it.
 * Against single enemies use Nightmare Weapon + Dual Shot followed immediately by Distracting Shot for a quick, armor ignoring, life steal of 126 damage.
 * Usages for the variants are listed below.

Counters

 * Standard melee counters apply here(Blind, Hexes, etc)
 * Kiting, conditions, and lack of healing may sometimes be a problem, but they can be covered by variants of the build.

Variants
Barrage + Splinter Weapon - Used in PvE and AB.


 * Use Barrage + Splinter Weapon against large mobs of enemies to do massive amounts of richocheting damage.
 * Recast Splinter Weapon every two shots as soon as it is available.
 * Use Nightmare Weapon + Barrage against large mobs to gain 126 health.

Total Spike Variant - Very powerful in TA or GvG with coordinated spikes.


 * In the first optional slot, use either Kindle Arrows, Melandru's Arrows, Marksman's Wager, or Apply Poison.
 * Use your preparation before the spike, then Nightmare Weapon.
 * Attack with Dual Shot, Wielders Strike, then Distracting Shot for a huge spike of life stealing damage.
 * If a non elite preparation is used, consider skills such as Melandru's Resilience for the other optional slot.
 * Oath Shot can be extremely powerful in team builds for doing multiple spikes quickly.

Quick Shot + Warmonger's Weapon - Used in RA and TA.


 * Use Warmonger's Weapon + Quick Shot to interrupt casters.
 * Use Dual Shot followed by Quick Shot followed by Distracting Shot for a quick 4 hit burst.
 * For the 8 seconds when Warmongers isn't up, Distracting Shot can still be used as an interrupt.

Animal Variant - Used mainly in TA and RA.


 * Use Heal as One as a quick heal for when NM Weapon isn't enough, this can be switched for a different elite.
 * Other possible elites are Rampage as One, Ferocious Strike, or an elite from a different attribute.


 * Use Maiming Strike to cripple foes, and Disrupting Lunge on casters to disable skills frequently.
 * The Pet Attacks can be switched for other skills.
 * For this build, Marksmanship must be lowered to 10, and Expertise much be lowered to 11, so Beast Mastery can go up to 8.
 * Marksmanship can actually go to 0 if you don't mind not doing any damage other than the NM Weapon combo.

Prepared Shot + Read the Wind - Useful in many situations.


 * This variant uses Read the Wind to allow arrows to travel twice as fast, with Prepared shot for good damage without NM weapon, as well as energy management.
 * The idea with Splinter Weapon is to cast it and follow with Prepared Shot, Dual Shot, and two Needling Shots.
 * It also uses Dual Shot and Needling Shot for the 3 hit combo needed for the NM Weapon spike.
 * Needling Shot can also be used in conjunction with Prepared Shot for straight damage.
 * Splinter Weapon can be dropped in areas with no mobs.
 * Thanks to Defiant Elements for thinking up this build.


 * Many more variants are possible with this build, feel free to post your own combinations of skills in the discussion page as variants!

Attributes and Skills

 * Offensive Variant:


 * If doing Random Arenas or Team Arenas, use Flesh of My Flesh in the optional slot. If in AB use with another spirit of your choosing, such as Union.


 * Defensive Variant :

Equipment

 * Weapons - Recurve Bow with "I Have The Power!" inscription and Fortitude mod.
 * Survivor and Vitae Runes.

Usage

 * Use Whirling Defense while under attack or at risk of Ranger Interrupts.
 * Keep Generous Was Tsungrai up, as opposed to using it when necessary, as it has a relatively low cost and the main limit on its healing comes from recharge, not energy.
 * Use these skills preferably before oath shot if they have recharged to achieve full benefit.
 * Against spell based group, set up dissonance first, whereas against melee groups, use shadow song. These spirits will reduce the damage done to your builds, as well as potentially devastating area of effect spells on spirits.
 * Set up spirits spreaded out, as opposed to on the same spot, or else AoE spells or Dervishes (especially with Banishing Strike) would make short work of them.
 * In some situations, use spirits to body block for effect. Set up dissonance offnesively near monks if your group needs offense, at the back defensively if you need help against assassins or melee.

Counters

 * Anti-spirits or summoned creature skills such as Banishing Strike.
 * Armor dependent damage spells, especially AoE ones.
 * Blocking or Dodging Oath Shot, or Blinding you while it is being activated.

Variations

 * Pain does not benefit as much from Oath Shot, but is a nice addition if more damage is needed, and it would also help the energy management of the build.

=Lightning Hammer=

The Lightning Hammer PvP build focuses on the stance renewing ability of "On Your Knees!" combined with a powerful ranger stance that increases attack speed and evades attacks. With high elemental armor and near constant physical evasion, this build is highly resistant to most damage.

Variants

 * For the Optional Slot:
 * Dryder's Defenses can give you an additional 10 seconds of evasion, as well as very strong armor increase versus elemental damage. Whirling Defense is also useful and long lasting. Remember that you have +10 armor and possibly +15% damage while in a stance.
 * Storm Chaser is useful to chase down fleeing foes, to quickly engage in melee range, to regain energy, and to escape if necessary.
 * Antidote Signet can remove blindness.
 * Distracting Blow can be a useful interrupt.
 * Nature's Renewal is useful if your team uses few enchantments and hexes.
 * For Alliance Battles, Storm Chaser is a must, but the res signet can be replaced with any of the above option skills, Dodge for running to capture control points, or Healing Spring for large, concentrated battles.

Equipment
Armor: Weapons: Suggested Weapon Mods: Similar Green/Unique Hammers:
 * Sentry's Armor for additional armor while in a stance.
 * Any max damage customized hammer with either +15% damage while in a stance or +15% damage always, energy -5. Energy will likely never be a problem with either build unless you encounter very heavy energy denial.
 * Sundering Hammer of Fortitude for the Lightning Hammer build.
 * Furious Hammer of Fortitude for the Crazed Carpenter/Shakey Tanker builds.
 * It's often beneficial to bring along an extra hammer with an elemental damage mod such as an icy hammer haft to help damage Warriors.
 * Kanaxai's Mallet
 * Vera
 * Victo's Maul

Usage

 * Open with Lightning Reflexes only after you are in melee range, as its duration is short.
 * Spam Irresistible Blow whenever it's recharged. With 13 expertise you can easily manage your energy and deal consistent extra damage.
 * If your attacks are not interfered with, you should be able to use Devastating Hammer before Lightning Reflexes ends.
 * Immediately use Crushing Blow to cause deep wound and extra damage.
 * Immediately use "On Your Knees!" to recharge Lightning Reflexes. Then reactivate it as soon as it times out.
 * Use Troll Unguent only as necessary, as the 3 second delay will cause your stance to end before you can renew it.

Counters

 * On hit hexes such as Empathy or Spiteful Spirit work, but are less useful than they seem. The high damage and slow attack speed of hammers allow the Lightning Hammer build to out damage any individual hex of that type though this may have a greater impact on the Crazed Carpenter build as it tends to hit multiple enemies with Crude Swing.
 * Blindness and Weakness
 * Heavy life degeneration.
 * Adrenaline drain or prevention.
 * Defensive stances, though Irresistible Blow can cause damage through them for the Lightning Hammer build and the AoE damage from Earth Shaker and Yeti Smash will still connect with adjacent targets for the Crazed Carpenter.
 * Damage reducing hexes such as Faintheartedness or Spirit of Failure
 * Anti-evasion skills such as Rigor Mortis, Griffon's Sweep, Warrior's Cunning, or Unseen Fury.

=Melandru's Sharpshooter= This build uses a combination of IAS, spirit, preparation, and high damage attack skills to provide a highly lethal damage output from afar.

Equipment

 * Vampiric Flatbow
 * Vampiric Shortbow
 * Recurve Bow
 * Explorer's Armor Set

Usage

 * Use Favorable Winds and Read the Wind beforehand
 * Use Marauder's Shot on a chosen target, activating Bestial Fury immediately afterwards. Marauder's Shot's blackout effect triggers on hit, so it is important to use Bestial Fury right before it triggers. By doing this, and using Marauder's Shot again as soon as it recharges, this blackout practically extends Beastial Fury's recharge to around 12 seconds, which is quite acceptable.
 * Use Melandru's Shot, preferably on an enchanted target.
 * Use Marauder's Shot, Melandru’s Shot, and Bestial Fury as they recharge, while keeping the blackout duration in mind for greater efficiency.
 * Dispense Savage Shot for interrupts liberally. Continue your attack on your target and use tab key to cycle through other high priority targets to look for possible interrupts (or spam it if you’re lazy).
 * Refresh Read the Wind and Favorable Winds as appropriate.
 * The build does heavy damage, but with ranger armor, it is important to kite properly.

Variants

 * Frenzy, Flurry or Flail can be used for a more energy efficient IAS.
 * Distracting Shot when interrupting signets or other skills with fast recharge.
 * Distortion
 * Dodge/Zojun's Haste for capping Shrines in AB or just a generic speed boost.
 * Troll Unguent could be used for self healing in PvE or RA/TA/AB/CM.
 * Consider switching out Distracting Shot or Favorable Winds if using one of the above variations, or Resurrection Signet if you are in Alliance Battle.

Counters

 * Lower armor and slow activation time for healing.
 * Limited interruption.
 * No snaring or degen capabilities (see R/Me Cripshot Ranger)
 * Blinding, Weakness, Empathy, and other anti spamming skills.

=Tranq Trapper=

This trapper build is used as part of physical-heavy builds to provide the powerful spirits Nature's Renewal and Tranquility as well as defense in the form of traps.

Equipment

 * Recurve Bow of Fortitude with "I Have the Power!" inscription.
 * Survivor Armor
 * Any staff with a +5 energy Insightful Staff Head, a perfect Hale and Hearty inscription, a +30 health Fortitude Staff Wrapping, and +10 base energy.

Usage

 * Place spirits in suitable locations - within range of combat, but in places where they cannot be attacked easily, such as behind map obstructions.
 * Use Dust Trap at the spirits' location to prevent opposing melee characters from killing them.
 * Place traps in and around the backline if defense is needed, or in opposing lines for offensive purposes.
 * Use Oath Shot to recharge spirits and traps as needed.
 * Activate Whirling Defense when trapping and when placing spirits with interrupting attacks nearby (e.g. Savage Shot, Distracting Blow).

Counters

 * Gale reliably interrupts spirits.
 * Avatar of Melandru dervishes can kill spirits easily, as they are immune to the blinding that Dust Trap applies.

Variants

 * Flame Trap or Troll Unguent can take the place of Distracting Shot.

=Choking Gas=

The Choking Gas Ranger utilizes the combination of Practiced Stance and Choking Gas to indefinitely interrupt spells with your arrows. It's specifically aimed at shutting down targets that cast spells. It also uses Seeking Arrows to ensure interruptions on the Ghostly Hero in the Hall of Heroes.

Attributes and Skills

 * Optional slot can be Debilitating Shot, Concussion Shot, Whirling Defense, or Frozen Soil, depending on the team build.

Equipment

 * Your armor of preference, Druid's Armor is nice for the Energy bonus.
 * Best vigor rune possible. All minor runes to conserve health.
 * A good Bow, preferably a Recurve Bow and a Shortbow since you need fast recharge and/or fast arrow travel times.
 * A Recurve bow should be used when interrupting the Ghostly Hero, a Shortbow should be used with Choking Gas.

Usage

 * When only little time is left until start, use Practiced Stance.
 * Make out your target.
 * Once you're almost in range and the battles are starting, cast Choking Gas.
 * Use Flurry whenever possible after Choking Gas is applied. - Practiced Stance lengthens Choking Gas when applied, the stance doesn't need to be kept up all the time.
 * Use Practiced Stance as a cover.
 * Use Distracting Shot on enemies that use Resurrection Signet, Healing Signet, or Troll Unguent.
 * Use Savage Shot on regular basis whenever you can interrupt something and your energy allows you to do so.
 * When attacked by warriors, activate Whirling Defense or Lightning Reflexes (if you have either) or run away.
 * When in Heroes' Ascent on an Altar match or in the Hall of Heroes, use Seeking Arrows and Distracting Shot/Savage Shot to guarantee interrupts on the enemy Ghostly Hero.

Counters

 * Interrupt choking gas.
 * No defense makes it dependent on being healed by someone else.
 * Empathy, Spiteful Spirit or any other anti-attacking hex.
 * Aegis, Guardian, or similar skills (assuming you can't interrupt them).
 * Note: If an arrow is blocked it can still interrupt due to Choking Gas.
 * Blindness and Crippled.
 * You can time 1 sec cast time spells through arrow hits even when they have Flurry up.

Variants

 * For PvE-Content, switch Seeking Arrows with Favorable Winds and use Troll Unguent as the optional.
 * Switch Practiced Stance and Choking Gas with Broad Head Arrow and Apply Poison for a cover condition for single target Dazed effect.
 * Flurry can be replaced by Heket's Rampage. Then the secondary class can be changed (e.g. to Paragon with Song of Concentration).
 * Using Dual Shot as the optional, one can replace Flurry with Flail for extra damage.

Template
=Smoke Trapper= This Trap build uses Smoke Trap as their Elite trap. This can be used in HA or even for farming ideas in UW. The main idea is to make a combination of Smoke Trap, and then let other party members hit the foe while Dazed.

Attributes and Skills

 * Plenty of skills to consider, depending on the scenario:
 * Most Smoke Trappers in HA will bring spirits; NR, QZ (be sure the spirits fit with the team build, placing NR in an enchantment-heavy build can be devastating for your team).
 * Song of Concentration

Equipment

 * Use Druid's Armor for the energy bonus.
 * A Staff with +5 energy, such as Kole's Torment or Staff of the Forgotten.

Usage

 * Trap early. The trap will last 90 seconds; best to set it early and flee than to wait too long and get interrupted.
 * Trap choke points. If you know the enemy has to run over/through a certain spot, trap it.
 * Trap offensively by standing next to an attacking warrior (one not attacking you), activate Natural Stride, and lay down Dust Trap or Smoke Trap. Snare/Tripwire is a good combo for offensive trapping, as the KD can turn the tide of battle.
 * Trap defensively by setting a trap as your party flees/kites away; the enemies, in pursuit, will often run straight into your traps in an attempt to keep applying pressure.
 * And most importantly, don't try to trap while under pressure. Waiting the few extra seconds until you can successfully trap is better than jumping the gun and having traps interrupted.

Counters

 * Major Energy denial.
 * Constant physical damage (even simple wanding, if done often enough, can be the bane of a trapper).