User:JP/sandbox

A basic Ranger using the popular skill Barrage and a number of varients. Multiple foes can be struck with arrows in a single volley. These arrows can be buffed in a number of ways and provide multiple strikes of adrenalin providing synergy with many skills and leading to a powerful builds for PvE.

=Basic Ranger / Any Build=

Attributes and Skills
Favorable winds Buffs arrows while a number of other skills provide defenceive capabilities.

Equipment

 * Either Druid's or Radiant Armor provides benifit in all cercumstances but different armor sets can be applied depending on the amount of Elemental damage dealt by monsters.
 * Drago's Flatbow is the generally preferred bow by most Barrage Rangers, although any bow can be used. Flatbows are the preferred bow type, thanks to their long range and fast refire. The low accuracy of Flatbows are not significant penalties, as enemies tend to remain stationary, and if not, the accuracy is increased through Favorable Winds.
 * Runes: Superior Marksmanship, Superior Vigor, Minor Wilderness Survival, and Minor Expertise
 * A good secondary weapon would be a Zealous bow, as firing Barrage into a group of 3 or more monsters gives you just as much, if not more, energy back. The Ironwing Flatbow or Chkkr's Flatbow are the ideal.

Usage
Place Favorable Winds in a safe location before fighting. Pick a target preferrably in the center of a group and begin to fire arrows through Barrage. Shutdown enemies with Savage Shot and Distracting Shot. If you're being swarmed with attacking monsters, activate Whirling Defense and break aggro, then use Troll Unguent to heal.

Resurrection Signet should be used in-between boss fights. Since pretty much all areas in the game are highly populated by boss monsters, it makes this skill very effective, perhaps more-so than the infamous Rebirth.

Counters

 * Interrupts or hexes that affect recharge time, such as Diversion, Distracting Shot, and Disrupting Lunge.
 * On attack or On hit hexes, such as Empathy or Spiteful Spirit.

Variants
The above skill bar can be altered to a varing extent to fit a given situation or to suit personal playing style.

The 9 points in Wilderness survival can be put in one of your secondary profession's attributes or by reducing expertise to 8+1 points you raise this to 10.

Ranger skills

 * Replace Whirling Defense with Lightning Reflexes for increased attack speed as well as evasion (be aware that Barrage only recharges so fast, so the attack speed boost would only be helpful when spamming interrupts).
 * Alternatively, replace Whirling Defense with Throw Dirt when facing enemies with unblockable attacks like Seeking Blade or stance-breaking skills like Wild Blow. This skill is also useful for helping a nearby teammate defend himself. Note that Throw Dirt has a shorter duration and can be countered with condition removal.
 * Take Serpent's Quickness to make Barrage recharge faster, therefore allowing you to use Shortbows and fire quickly with less downtime.
 * Include Healing Spring for additional healing for yourself as well as allies.
 * Replace Favorable Winds with Winter or Conflagration for Elemental damage.
 * Add Winnowing in case of large numbers of Warriors or Assassins in your party.
 * Replace Distracting Shot with Apply Poison for additional pressure when facing single targets.


 * Smiting Prayers and Judge's Insight. A Bow Grip of Enchanting is recommended.
 * Air Magic, Fire Magic or Water Magic and Conjure Lightning / Flame / Frost. These variants build requires an elemental damage bow string instead of a Zealous Bow String. See R/E Fire Barrage Ranger.
 * Communing and Brutal Weapon.
 * Support skills can be replaced with similar ones from your secondary profession.
 * Necromancer: Plague Touch instead of Antidote Signet
 * Monk: Replace Resurrection Signet with any repeatable resurrection spell, such as Rebirth. Mending Touch, Mend Ailment, or Purge Conditions can replace Antidote Signet.
 * Ritualist: Replace Resurrection Signet with any repeatable res, such as Flesh of My Flesh
 * Warrior: shouts, such as "Watch Yourself!" and "Shields Up!", to benefit back line casters.
 * Paragon: Remedy Signet works on all conditions, and has half the casting time and recharge time of Antidote Signet. It's only downside is that it only cures one condition at the time.
 * Warrior: Flail. Frenzy is ok, but you tend to take a lot of extra damage, especially if you like to be the first one to hit a mob to get in your 6 hits.