Build:R/A AoD Dagger Ranger
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This build has been archived and is
not updated by the GuildWiki community.
This build is only maintained for historical reference and may contain incorrect or outdated information. Reason: Nightfall made R/A's pointless. |
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This build has a role much similar to that of the Build:A/E Falling Shocker and Build:A/Mo Black Widow, but uses Expertise of a Ranger primary to allow a more frequent, though less lethal (due to lack of deep wound) use of the skill chain. To compensate for the loss of damage, this build uses an IAS from Beast Mastery to increase overall damage to match that of a primary Assassin in terms of DPS, as well as to allow the Ranger to finish the chain much faster, resulting in a much shorter exposure to danger, making a more durable, spammable, but less lethal version of the build. Because of Expertise, a completely energy denied Lyssan Fangs build can easily recover and begin the chain from scratch through the use of Zealous dagger mods.
[edit] Attributes and Skills
  Ranger / Assassin |
Attribute Rank |
|---|---|
| Expertise | 9 + 3 + 1 |
| Dagger Mastery | 12 |
| Beast Mastery | 8 + 1 |
| Wilderness Survival | 5 + 1 |
| Marksmanship | 2 + 1 |
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- Notes: Switch Resurrection Signet with Death Blossom for faster kills.
[edit] Usage
- Aura of Displacement to unsuspecting prey, providing an escape route at the same time. Remember to press spacebar as you cast it so that you attack as soon as you shadow step to the target.
- Activate Bestial Fury, and begin the chain with Golden Phoenix Strike.
- Continue with Horns of the Ox if target is not near any other foe. If it is, simply spam Repeating Strike under Bestial Fury.
- Follow Horns of the Ox (if used) with Falling Spider.
- Use Repeating Strike whenever waiting for the prey to move away from its allies or use a skill, or when Horns has not recharged yet. They give a very high DPS increase at only a small loss of energy due to Zealous dagger mods.
- Depending on the situation, you may wish to wait for an interrupt instead of using Horns of the Ox. Remember, with IAS, the interrupt has approximately 4/5 activation time.
- Use Death Blossom when you are about to retreat, change target, restart the chain, or if the opponent is nearly dead.
- Use Troll Unguent while skills are recharging, if you're waiting for an effect to wear off, or while soloing NPCs. As it's an energy efficient, but not a very powerful heal, you should rely on your healers for more intense battles when speed is crucial.
- Remember to switch to a non-zealous mod when not attacking.
Against lone archers, you could use repeating strike until the archer is about to finish casting Troll Unguent (5 times, 3 without tiger's fury), where you would interrupt it with Horns of the Ox, then finish the chain (use Repeating Strike once more) to kill it.
Against Knights, simply precast AoD (possibly on an earlier target) aggro it, cast Troll Unguent as it approaches you, and start with Golden Phoenix Strike, activate Tiger's Fury just as it ends. Spam Repeating Strike until it uses healing signet(8 times exactly); interrupt it with Horns of the Ox and when it does, finish the chain with Repeating Strike. Heal and change to a non zealous weapon when you are done.
Against Bodyguards, simply finish the chain as soon as possible and shadow step back. Hitting repeating strike five times is enough guarantee a kill, although you can also shadow step back after four and use a long bow to kill it. It's about as fast since you need a few seconds to regen anyway.
Since there are several archers outside at some guild halls, it may not be nessesary to renew AoD, or even use Tiger's Fury for each of them.
[edit] Notes
This build is more durable than the usual Assassin build due to resistance against elements and health bonus from armor, but usual tactics apply. You can easily and quickly interrupt, heavily damage, or even kill casters if they have no support, and with creative use of AoD, warriors that try to chase you off their backline (or chase you in general) would simply waste valuable time running back and forth. If left unattended, however, the damage and attack skills of this build would greatly pressure the opponent's monks, forcing your foes into making difficult choices. It is important to find the right targets while using this build, however, and it is somtimes useful to simply knock down a warrior chasing your ally, forcing it to kite back or self heal, although the ideal situation would be to shadowstep to a lone, moderately hurt caster and quickly make a kill or to coordinate with your teams warrior to assist in an adrenal spike.
In comparison with an A/Mo, it loses a fast casting heal (Feigned Neutrality) the condition removal against YAA warriors, it does have a slot for Signet of Malice or Natural Stride, which could allow flagrunning and easier escape. Crippling from archers can be dodged, and YAA warriors can be evaded if you're careful. Proper communications with your team could could also help in indentifying what builds the opponents have.
Despite this, the R/A does have an advantage in that it usually has more health during and after killing NPCs, and better performance in flagstand battles.
[edit] Counters
- General anti-melee counters, e.g. Blind, Clumsiness.
- Evasive or blocking stances, although not as large a problem due to the quick recharge of your skills.
- Enchantment removal: if AoD gets removed you'll be sent straight back. Unlike the Shock Sin, you depend on AoD to activate GPS. For this reason, it is important to have good communication with your Support Casters (for casting Guardian or Healing Breeze to trigger Golden Phoenix Strike) and Warriors (for KD to trigger Falling Spider).
[edit] Equipment
- Zealous daggers with 15% while enchanted or ^50 damage mod.
- Taking duplicate daggers with Vampiric mod could be useful.
- Explorer's Armor.
[edit] Variants
- Twisting Fangs could be used in cases without other sources of deep wound. Note, however, that the duration is much shorter due to 0 Critical Strikes, and that Twisting Fangs has a much higher 15 second recharge, so it should be used only for killing blows.
- Death Blossom can be replaced by Resurrection Signet. This slows down the ganking, but could give your guild an edge in split or flagstand fights.
- Disrupting Dagger could provide an alternate source for chaining skills as well as a vital interrupt.
- Natural Stride could be used to speed up ganking, provide safety, and allow flagrunning later on as well.
- Signet of Malice could be used for condition removal.
- The above skills could replace Bestial Fury or Resurrection Signet for easier NPC killing or Resurrection Signet for CMs or ABs.
