Daze Epidemic Ranger

[Sarak Layghlin]

I'm a build noob but figured I'd at least post a build to get some feedback and suggestions. I want to improve at making my builds.

This is for PvE.

I ran this a while ago and I liked it but there are cons. Will go into that after posting the build itself.

	Ranger / Mesmer 12 + 1 Expertise 12 + 3 Marksmanship Weapon: Silencing Bow of Fortitude

Core Troll Unguent 10 3 5(2) Skill. For 10 seconds, you gain +3..9..10 Health regeneration. (Attrib: Wilderness Survival) Core Distracting Shot 10 ½ 5(2) Bow Attack. If Distracting Shot hits, it interrupts target foe's action but deals only 14 damage. If the interrupted action was a skill, that skill is disabled for an additional 20 seconds. (Attrib: 13 Expertise) Factions Broad Head Arrow 15 15(7) Elite Bow Attack. You shoot a broad head arrow that moves slower than normal. If it hits, target foe is Dazed for 20 seconds, and if target foe is casting a Spell that Spell is interrupted. (Attrib: 15 Marksmanship) EotN Body Shot 8 5(2) Bow Attack. If this attack hits, you deal +20 damage. If it hits a foe with Cracked Armor, you gain 10 Energy. (Attrib: 15 Marksmanship) Core Epidemic 5 ¼ 5 Spell. Spread all negative Conditions and their remaining durations from target foe to all foes adjacent to your target. EotN PvE only Ebon Vanguard Assassin Support 30 1 10 Spell. Summon a level 10..20 Ebon Vanguard Assassin that has Iron Palm, Fox Fangs and Nine Tail Strike. This summoned Assassin Shadow Steps to target foe. If that foe is a Charr, the Assassin lives for 20..30 seconds. If target foe is not a Charr, the Assassin lives for 10..15 seconds. (Attrib: 6 Ebon Vanguard rank) EotN PvE only "Finish Him!" 15 10 Shout. If target foe has less than 50% Health, that foe takes 20..80 damage and suffers from Cracked Armor and a Deep Wound for 5..20 seconds. (Attrib: 8 Norn rank) EotN Expert Focus 12 2 10(5) Preparation. For 24 seconds, your bow attacks cost 2 less Energy and deal 9 extra damage. (Attrib: 13 Expertise)

Daze Epidemic Ranger

It got me masters for Jennur's Horde but I'm not satisified. The idea is to inflict conditions with some extra damage from expert focus then spread them out if possible with epidemic.

I rarely am able to take advantage of energy gain from body shot since the mob usually go down very fast after I apply "Finish Him!"

Anyway a quick build I threw together - curious what will you guys come up with.

[Holy Hottie]

Looks good - I myself would probably toss in there Apply Poison and Screaming Shot to add bleeding and poison to go with the others. But even without those it looks good.

[Sarak Layghlin]

I'd probably switch out body shot for poison tip signet since I already have a prep but I usually bring Olias along and he often provide the poisoning. He also often have Jagged Bones on skill bar so some of minions inflict bleeding as well

[bandage dispenser]

You really don't need Troll Unguent.

[Sarak Layghlin]

You do have a point - I rarely use it and it's usually when everything has hit the fan or I'm not doing something right. Yet I feel naked without some kind of self-heal.

[Ancient Serenity]

Condition overload is a not as effective in PvE as it is in PvP. Personally, I would probably just run

	Prophecies Incendiary Arrows 24 2 5 Elite Preparation. For 3..13..16 seconds, targets struck by your arrows are interrupted and set on fire for 1..3..3 seconds. (Attrib: Wilderness Survival)

+

	Core Apply Poison 12 2 15 Preparation. For 24 seconds, foes struck by your physical attacks become Poisoned for 3..13..16 seconds. (Attrib: Wilderness Survival)

. However, if you want the daze, deep wound and cracked armor then stick with that. The biggest problem is the short range of epidemic, though.
As for the build, I'd switch out Troll unguent (it's a good self-heal, but you don't need that), Body shot, Assassin support, and Expert Focus for Apply poison, savage shot, sniper support and sloth hunter's shot.

That gives you:
Poison
Bleeding
Cracked armor
deep wound
daze

Apply poison will simply just do more damage than expert focus.

Savage shot: Bring because BHA isn't as versatile as Magebane. It's excellent at shutting down some boss if you got your team pounding on it, but the other casters won't be affected unless they're in epidemic range. It may be most important to permanently shutdown the big ele boss, but you'll still want to be able to savage the healer.

Sniper support is just too good to pass up - and it adds bleeding to your condition pressure.

Sloth Hunter's Shot is just a really good skill, and you mentioned that you wanted a little damage.

[Rinoa Hawkeye]

Wow, my poor ranger might finally be able to dump Barrage in PvE. That looks fun to try.

[Sarak Layghlin]

Do let us know what you think, Rinoa.

Good points made above.

Epidemic has a short range? I haven't noticed - I use recurve bows most of the time so perhaps they both have same range?

[Rynn]

what he means is that it affects adjacent foes. it has the same casting range as regular spells, but you'll probably only be able to spread conditions to two foes, if they are basically overlaying your target.

adjacent range sucks.

[Sarak Layghlin]

oh that. Yeah it's most useful when enemies are clustered up. Matter of knowing whether if a zone has foes that are often clumped together or not.

[Ancient Serenity]

If you really do want to play around with conditions I'd suggest you to run a mesmer hero with fevered dreams.

[Virgil Ravenscar]

Ancient Serenity wrote:

If you really do want to play around with conditions I'd suggest you to run a mesmer hero with fevered dreams.

Relax this post will only be half off-topic XD
seeing how fevered dreams got changed to also inflict daze, I'm currently testing this build to inflict daze on a caster while spreading other conditions-- it's even better when the caster starts running around hehe

Equipment, an essential Silencing Voltaic Spear of Enchanting (ok VS isn't essential but the Silencing mod is and you could try of Fortitude since no enchants on this build) with Don't Think Twice or Let the Memory Live Again and a focus that has +12 energy 20% HCT And 20% HSR Illusion or Water Spells

Attributes are:
Fire Magic 2 + 2
Water Magic 10 + 1
Energy Storage 10 + 1
Illusion Magic 12

Skills:
Glyph of Lesser Energy
Fevered Dreams
Phantom Pain
Glyph of Immolation
Steam
Slippery Ground
Rust
Glowing Ice

In short, GoLE to cast the 2 hexes since Energy Storage is lower than preferred
Fevered Dreams spread your conditions as well as use the rest of this build to Daze your selected caster
Phantom Pain helps pressure a lil while possibly inflicting Deep Wound, a helpful condition relating to the rest of the build
GoI obviously qualifies Steam for damage as well as Burning and Blind which will be your essential conditions and fun spreading
Just tested KD (Slippery Ground) and it Does start the Daze going (if no one on your party is taking advantage of that Daze, chuck a spear)
Rust is for damage as well as the side effect of being annoying to Resurrection Signets
Glowing Ice for slight damage and some energy

= Genius XD