Talk:Barbed Arrows

Apply Poison
Owns this. Hands down. Why not use Apply Poison + Screaming shot? Recharge is the only thing, but aside from that, Poison arrow is a crap elite. End of story. It's an elite that causes -4 degen, compared to a normal preperation with 24 duration that can degen the whole team. Apply poison is also much better thant this, and the only good thing is that it STACKS with apply poison, and as such it should only be used of there are two players using degen, in which case one would use Apply Poison and the other Barbed Arrows, much like a Melandru's Ranger. This will free you an elite for magebane shot, crippling shot, or whatever elite you use. Guildwars is a team game, use your team to do it if you want maxed out degen. Tainted Warder, Barbed, and Apply Poison or something. This though, is a stupid idea. For a meager +3 degen that does not stack with many current skills like Sever, Barbed Spear, and Barbed Trap, you sacrifice an elite, a lot of energy from spamming poison arrows, interruptable preperation, and shorter duration. How the hell does that work? --Silk Weaker 08:00, 25 September 2006 (CDT)

Id agree guild wars is a team game. But in a team people have roles. This skill is obviously to be used with Poison arrow and Toxicity to easily stack a -10 degen at range. With this a single ranger can apply huge preasure. Wile others apply more dot with conditional damage hexes like SS, Empaty, Ineptitude ect.. So in the end your point that poison arrow is a crap elite (wich it is on its own) is mute compared to what can be done here this is a good skill and i think they made it easily interuptable to to find some balance in rangers who evade most interuption easily.NovaTalon 14:40, 25 September 2006 (CDT)


 * Firstly, almost noone uses Empathy, SS, and Ineptitude in top games.


 * Secondly, -10 or -7 is close enough. It's not worth an ELITE to get -3 at the expense of interruptability and shorter duration. Remember, a cripshot spreads -4 (-7 with dual) degen WHILE interrupting, snaring, and assist spikes with blackout, which, I suppose is what you are trying to say other players are supposed to do. Basically, 2 rangers, each using one degen and various interrupts is far more effective than one ranger with both degens, and another player with other skills.


 * Toxicity, I doubt works, but whatever. Spirits will go down pretty quick, and can easily backfire. What are the chances that the opponent won't have a cripshot or tainted necro? 60 recharge? You must be kidding me. One easy knockdown, savage or distracting shot and your skill slot is wasted. --Silk Weaker 14:54, 25 September 2006 (CDT)

Very much agreed, although I do find Poison Arrow a fun Elite, even if it's not the most useful. :P Arshay Duskbrow 18:20, 25 September 2006 (CDT)


 * I will cede ground on the fact that Apply Poison is extremely expensive takes time to prepare, and Poison Arrow comes whenever you want it. In the long run, and when used effectively, it's much better, especially since you can use it in conjunction with other elites, but Poison Arrow is pretty fun, yes. Press one to poison target using 2 energy? Sure why not? --Silk Weaker 09:04, 27 September 2006 (CDT)

I've seen some decent GvG battles during the event use 2 rangers: one with Poison arrow + Barbed Arrows, and another with Tox + Traps (to defend the flag stand and spirit) + Oath shot (to refresh the traps and spirits). Seemed to work rather well - especially with a Necro using Tainted Flesh (since Tox boosts disease damage, too). 24.11.175.161 11:38, 29 September 2006 (CDT)
 * Shh, don't tell anyone that! The general consesus here is that Apply Poison > Barbed Arrows and theres nothing you would want to do with this skill in a build! Rawr. [[Image:Chuiu Me Icon.png]] (T/C) 14:40, 5 October 2006 (CDT)
 * Shh, it's alright, you and me can stick to Barbed Arrows + Poison Arrow and it won't be FOTM enough to be countered kthx. Kessel 08:57, 9 October 2006 (CDT)
 * Count me in as well. After being sceptical I've tried it and it worked great for me. Of course, the stuff about interrupting is true, but then again, there is VIM where interrupt should be an even bigger issue but isn't because, to point out the obvious, interrupt can be handled so that it stops crippling a build. Here's a build similar to what I ran during the preview: User:RolandOfGilead/R/D Toxic Spammer. Lame name maybe, but whatever :) RolandOfGilead 18:41, 11 October 2006 (CDT)
 * Well everyone here says it's good with poison arrows, then I'll try, but I haven't heard anywhere else. I definetly would consider using it with 2 rangers, and maybe a tainted, but really. By the way, I interrupt trappers with cripshot --Silk Weaker
 * Almost all builds function better if geared towards team play, but that's pretty much a given, isn't it? What's so good about PA/BA as opposed to screaming/apply is ease of use. You get full range and a totally painless 2 energy/1 second recharge per shot, while SS is ca. half range (which you even have to estimate), 5 energy and 8 seconds (which limits bleeding to 4 foes max), which in combination can be quite difficult to time for maximum efficiency. The end result, the enemy team having -7 degen, is the same, but geting there is a lot less painful with PA/BA. Therefore, you have more time to think where and when you best recast that barbed arrows/toxicity. Is all that worth the Elite slot? Depends on your play style I guess, but for me, it worked. RolandOfGilead 20:00, 11 October 2006 (CDT)

"Unlike Apply poison, this skill is not Apply Poison."


 * Toxicity + This + Apply Poison = win in RA. No monk can keep up with that and people are generally too stupid to destroy the spirits in RA. [[Image:Glimmer_of_Light.jpg|20px|Shiny :o]] Finrod 09:23, 29 October 2006 (CST)


 * How about this, no need for this skill at all: Apply Poison + Screaming Shot + Toxicity + Lacerate = over the maximum degen to counteract regen spells. Aren't i brilliant?--Samurai Snack 18:49, 19 December 2006 (CST)


 * Screaming Shot is a slightly poor skill, honestly, because it requires you to get in pretty close to get the bleeding out of it, and it has an awful recharge time compared to so many other bow attacks. PurpleXVI 16:04, 14 September 2007 (CDT)

Location?
Where can you aquire this skill? I havent been able to locate it yet.

need nf trainer
This skill needs the NF skill trainer. Xeon 09:18, 11 December 2006 (CST)

Hero Skills
Warden of Whispers in Chantry of Secrets only had 4 ranger skills, and this wasn't one of them. Anyone confirm/deny? --Shattered Self 21:57, 5 March 2007 (CST)

Burning Arrow Combo
Wouldn't Barbed Arrows+Burning Arrow be better than the combo with Apply Poison? Both cap the degen except Barbed Arrow cost 5 less energy. Also they're less ways to cure bleeding than you can cure poison.
 * In PvP, the only thing this has going for it over apply is that it's 5 energy less. With 10 or more expertise, it's actually only 1-3 energy less. Being easily interruptible really sucks, especially when it's got a lower duration than apply, since people will watch you and then attack to interrupt.  People don't use antidote signet so removal isn't any different between them.  You won't keep someone burning forever so the extra degen from poison still helps.  Just about the only time people use this is with poison arrow to get both conditions out of one character.  People going conditions with two rangers will usually use Melandru's arrows instead.  No one really does condition builds anymore, anyway.  --Fyren 00:25, 31 March 2007 (CDT)
 * Even not factoring in expertise, the energy to keep them up (assuming you aren't interupted) is very similar. Apply Poison is 5 energy/8 seconds whereas this is 5 energy/9 seconds, 1 less pip of degen (If they use regeneration enchantments or have natural regeneration) and is easily interupted, making Apply Poison superior in every way unless you have poison arrow, which in turn has nothing on burning arrow exept maybe energy cost/duration.--Devils Apprentice 08:17, 28 April 2007 (CDT)
 * Add in Poison Tip Signet and you can get -3 from bleeding, -4 from poison, and -7 from burning arrow for a total of -14. I know it caps at -10 but it works well against enemies or bosses with health regen like the Glacial Griffon or the like since you have to hit and run. --[[Image:VallenIconwhitesmall.JPG]]  Vallen Frostweaver  23:05, 7 November 2007 (UTC)
 * Or you could use Screaming Shot for bleeding rather than this POS --Gimmethegepgun 00:28, 8 November 2007 (UTC)
 * Unless you are trying to take down a target from a distance, then Screaming Shot becomes the POS since you have to be in shortbow range to have the bleeding take effect. So, again, it is useful, but only in certain circumstances... which is about the same for any other skill created.  No need to be so negative about it. --[[Image:VallenIconwhitesmall.JPG]]  Vallen Frostweaver  23:26, 13 November 2007 (UTC)

Skill Synergy
I've been experimenting with odd skill on my curses bar lately, and what about this skill + Ulcerous Lungs (which has a decent energy cost, is AoE, and is non-elite), possibly combined with Poison Arrow and Toxicity? Maybe a new generation of widespread degen for rangers? X Deity X  02:32, 15 November 2007 (UTC)
 * Waste of elite and skill slots, use BA + Epidemic or run Fevered Dreams for better results [[Image:Entropy Sig.jpg]] (T/C) 02:33, 15 November 2007 (UTC)
 * I for one like the idea. Barbed Arrows + Ulc Lungs ftw! 72.66.107.217 05:33, 24 November 2007 (UTC)

I was running Smiteball the other day with my guildies, and i cam across a team with 2 rangers, one using barbed arrows and BHA, and the other using Fevered Dreams and Choking Gas. There was also a necro using Ulcerous Lungs. needless to say, we were totally pwned. lolz, i think we only got 2 kills... the rise of the condition rangers? =D Cnk3 19:50, 20 December 2007 (UTC)

Does this need a slight buff?
I find poison arrow much stronger than this skill. Poison=Higher degen, 15e cost, 12 s recharge, 2s cast time. Barbed=Less degen, 10 e cost, 12s recharge, 2s cast time that is easily interupted. So to break it all down, you got the same thing with additional degen for 5 more energy at base. barbed lasts 6 seconds less. Its weak compared to apply poison. I think it needs a 1s cast time without easy interruption. And lets face it, screaming shot, glass arrows, and melandrus arrows are far better choices if you want to inflict bleeding. Gorbachev116 03:28, 7 May 2008 (UTC)
 * apply poison is better than barbed arrows because poison is a condition that anet wants rangers to be good at, while bleeding is better applied by other classes. balance doesnt require that a class be able to apply one condition as well as it applies another, or as well as another class applies that condition. the point of classes is to separate the different abilities in the game and distribute those abilities between the classes. sure other classes do it better. sure rangers do other things better. thats intended and necessary. 76.98.149.51 23:48, 12 June 2008 (UTC)
 * Because if you use Poison Arrow or Poison Tip Signet with this you apply 2 conditions in a single hit. Poison Tip, this and Burning Arrow gives 3. 86.25.27.34 09:38, 15 June 2008 (UTC)

Saying : " apply poison is better than barbed arrows because poison is a condition that anet wants rangers to be good at" is a horrible reason,theres lots of stuff that anet would like but in practice dont work as well.

Barbed arrows is worse compared to apply poison simply because bleeding as a condition on itself is very weak,the only real use i can think of for bleeding is to use gash for the deep wound, but even then thats bad.Poison is just a great pressure skill whereas bleeding is very weak. Durga Dido 03:38, 14 June 2008 (UTC)
 * The only reason I can possibly think of is that bleeding "combos" with certain skills that make it more powerful. I'm talking about Gash. Of course, that doesn't make sense because poison interacts with Toxicity and Signet of Toxic Shock... --Macros 04:31, 14 June 2008 (UTC)