User:Artist of Healing/builds/Bold Forge Runner

[ Original build's history]

Original build's discussion

This Bold Forge Runner build was especially designed for the Droknar's Forge run with a Ranger. It makes clever use of the Ranger's abilities to recharge skills faster to use Balanced Stance, and "Charge!" twice in a row. The downside is that one has to tank out hexes, and conditions successfully.

Armor
Note: Your armor level (AL) is more important than your energy pool due to hex- and condition-tanking, that is why it is not advised to use the popular Druid's Armor here.
 * Full Sentry's Armor for extra armor (+10 AL in stance).
 * Full Fur-Lined Armor for the extra +15 AL against cold damage. This helps a lot vs. the ice imps and ice golems, which will usually be the reason you're stuck tanking in the first place. It's also the best option if you're limited to prophecies.

Runes

 * Rune of Major or Superior Vigor

Weapons

 * Any one-handed weapon that increases health, and/or energy:
 * 1) Sword with +5 Energy and +30 HP

NOTE: There is a cheap +25hp axe that is given as a reward for completing the Scavengers in Old Ascalon quest. It makes a good beginning/budget running weapon since it is free and obtainable early and easily.

NOTE: The above shield has identical stats to Grognar's Defender, and can be obtained with greater ease.
 * Any shield with either stance and/or health modifications:
 * 1) Grognar's Defender - the Runner's Best Stance Shield Choice.
 * 2) Emboldened Carapace Shield from Hagnon Warblade [Health +60 (while hexed), Received damage -3 (while hexed)] - for hex passages of this runs.
 * 3) Crimson Carapace Shield from Lord Dorn Lendrigen [Health +45 (while in a stance), Received physical damage -2 (while in a stance)]
 * An additional weapon or shield with a -20% crippled mod.

General
The Running Sequence provides a constant speed boost, whereas the Anti-KD Sequence fully protects from knockdown effects for a long time. Pay attention to hexes, and conditions which can put you in grave danger if not tanked out correctly.

Running Sequence

 * Use Dodge, Zojun's Haste and "Charge!" for a constant speed boost.


 * Dodge and Zojun's Haste give a 33% speed boost, but "Charge!" only gives a 25% speed boost

Note #1: With Dodge and Zojun's Haste you can evade missile attacks.

Note #2: "Charge!" is the only Warrior running skill that can be used together with Balanced Stance, as it is a shout and not a stance. Remember: Only one stance can be used at a time.

Anti-KD Sequence
The Anti-Knockdown Sequence protects you from knockdowns by Frost Wurms, Tundra Giants, and Siege Ice Golems. Furthermore, it adds protection against damage.
 * Activate Serpent's Quickness, "Shields Up!", "Charge!", and Balanced Stance (in this order). You will be able to use "Charge!" twice in one Balanced Stance recharge cycle. Balanced Stance will recharge immediately after that due to the enhanced recharge time that Serpent's Quickness (SQ) gives, but beware that there will be about a 2-3 second gap in coverage before you can reactivate it (assuming 12 tactics). Shields Up is optional, depending on the situation. It's good for going by Tundra Giants and the first wurm area with the Avicara. Use it whenever you know ranged damage is coming your way.

Note: If you run into a situation where you're going to run out of Balanced Stance before you're out of harms way, you can try the following. As soon as the Balanced Stance icon begins blinking, indicating that it's about to end, hit your Troll Unguent. You should be able to get Troll Unguent on just before Balanced Stance expires, thus giving you a little edge on tanking while you wait for it to finish recharging. If you miss this, then you may be unable to activate Troll Unguent because of the knockdowns.

Note: "Shields Up!" is used right away to protect you from extra damage. It is not an essential part of the Anti-Knockdown Sequence, but comes in handy for taking less damage.

Healing

 * Try to use Troll Unguent before engaging large damage-dealing mobs. Be aware of the long casting time of 3 seconds.
 * Use Healing Signet in safe areas where regeneration is possible.

Handling Hexes
This build has no anti-hex, or anti-condition mechanism. You are forced to tank out the damage and keep on jogging.
 * Activate "Shields Up!", and Troll Unguent to counter damage, and/or degeneration.
 * Try to avoid ice golems. If there is no way to get past one (or a group of them), use troll unguent before going by and then do Serpent's Quickness + Charge + Shields Up + Balanced Stance. You can also try to use Dodge or Stormchaser to get by them quickly and then do the mentioned combo when the first hex hits you. Sometimes if you're lucky you can get far enough away from them that by the time the first hex lands, they are out of attack range and they may not harass you any more than that. The main danger from the ice golems isn't really them killing you, but the other things that hang out with them killing you while you're slowed. This can either be Avicara and Frost Wurms at the first wurm area, Grawl at the large ice golem/Grawl field, or even trolls if you get that one ice golem that spawns at the second troll cave in Snake Dance. The first wurm area and the grawl field are probably the hardest parts of the entire run for this build if the ice golems spawn/patrol in such a way that you cannot sneak by them.
 * Avoid Stone Summit Heretics like the plague. Crippling Anguish + Conjure Phantasm will snare and shred you quite quickly. The only place where this is really survivable is at the very end of Snake Dance when Camp Rankor is in sight. The Heretic that sometimes spawns there is by itself, other than some Blessed Griffons which are (thankfully) hostile towards it. If you get hexed there you actually have a good chance of surviving and getting to Camp Rankor. Sometimes the griffons even attack it before it tries to hex you, in which case you get a smooth end to your run through Snake Dance. Everywhere else Heretics spell almost certain death.

Variants

 * Whirling Defense can replace Healing Signet for a better tanking out hexes, and conditions. Be aware that you have no quick-heal then.
 * Storm Chaser can replace Zojun's Haste if you do not have Factions.