Anyone auto-training? How common are respec stones? How much money will I save if I level Fletching?

Great questions.

The only thing I know for sure is that rangers, at least as a starting class won't be played much. Merely because of the cost involved. From what I recall seeing in these forums, it seems archery is either mucked up or rangers are the lowest of the low out of the bow users. Not sure how useful they will be. However I still plan to make an alt ranger anyway.

Ganaka wrote:Anyone auto-training? How common are respec stones? How much money will I save if I level Fletching?

I plan doing a melee ranger. Yes i know everything about this patch and that life will be hard for a ranger. I will also be running with a NS so it shouldnt be that bad.

Yes i plan on auro training bow, but even if i was going bow spec i would still auto train as that is what i did in beta and leveling wasnt that bad . Once you auto train to level 12 you get the first crit shot opener and it becomes very easy to solo. Pathfinding buffs are very effective in a world with out buff bots.

48 path, 30 stealth, 15bow, 44pierce, 24 CD. Once you get dodger and IP you become alot stronger in melee.

pirhana7 wrote:

Ganaka wrote:Anyone auto-training? How common are respec stones? How much money will I save if I level Fletching?

I plan doing a melee ranger. Yes i know everything about this patch and that life will be hard for a ranger. I will also be running with a NS so it shouldnt be that bad.

Yes i plan on auro training bow, but even if i was going bow spec i would still auto train as that is what i did in beta and leveling wasnt that bad . Once you auto train to level 12 you get the first crit shot opener and it becomes very easy to solo. Pathfinding buffs are very effective in a world with out buff bots.

48 path, 30 stealth, 15bow, 44pierce, 24 CD. Once you get dodger and IP you become alot stronger in melee.

Thanks! Nice to hear about auto train getting better at level 12. I will be doing a bow spec.

I like your build concept. Is 30 stealth enough in RVR? What am I losing compared to 40 or 50 stealth?

Ganaka wrote:Anyone auto-training? How common are respec stones? How much money will I save if I level Fletching?

Auto training is worth it, you can level with a low bow spec to pull and then kill nice and fast with CD and buffs.

Respec stones are from dragons only so scarce for a few months.

Making 20 top end arrows will cost you 48s40c compared to buying them for 76s80c. So over a bag or 2 full of arrows it's quite the saving, especially considering how easy it is to get 475 fletching to make them.

becareful with the pathfinding spec line on uthgard.
the buffs are not that decent as the druid buffs, because with the archer rework after toa, the line got buffed and with this patchlevel the selfbuffs are just a Little bit better then the potions.

Good to know. Thanks!

So Pathfinding is really only good at saving me the money to buy potions? Arrows aren't free, so it's a net of zero?

I shall give it a try.

I will even go the full mile and will chose Ranger as my first char.

Regarding Pathfinding I have come to the conclusion that the only real benefit it provides me with is the Speed Burst. Everything else can be supplanted by charges none of which is difficult to achieve.

So I have come up with the following spec:

44 CD / 36 Piercing / 35 Stealth / 35 Bow / 16 Pathfinding

This includes full auto train which is really easy to get as a Ranger.

Race will be Elf with +10 on STR / CON / DEX.

My overall gaming strategy will be "Meleer with decent sniper abilities" so for RAs after the inevitable Purge and LW 2 I will first go for Dodger 4.

As for Fletching I highly recommend it: At first for the arrows (you will save A LOT of money when you craft them yourself) and later on to be able to salvage drops.

So far for my paper DAoC --- comments are welcome!

35 Stealth and 35 Bow seem to be common themes. Is there any benefit to having more than 50 in Stealth or Bow?

Dodger 4? Interesting. Are any of the bow realm abilities worth anything?

Ganaka wrote:Good to know. Thanks!

So Pathfinding is really only good at saving me the money to buy potions? Arrows aren't free, so it's a net of zero?

You save 28s40c per 20 arrows. At 100 a stack that's 1g42s per stack. Over the life of a ranger it's well worth taking fletching to the low level it takes to craft the best arrows.

Anyone who disregards Pathfinding is a fool.

The damage add alone is a massive dmg boost. The dex/qui buff at lvl40 is much better than a pot (it delves at 42 but gives more - over 50 iirc) this is 20+ more than the dex/qui pot. The str buff is also more than double a potion.

Also don't forget about great AF buff for free
I will make ranger for sure but not at start, my spec will be:
45 bow
37 stealth (at 3l0)
42 pf(for red af shield)
26 pierc
11 cd

Ofc AT, free 77pts.
While i will raise in realm rank, my pierc & cd skill go up aswell.
About RA's, not sure yet. propably somethink with augdex+falcon eye and mastery of archery, later proly avoid pain and ip+purge and ofc volley for relic/keep defs!

about fletching, if you only want it for the arrows iirc tailoring lets take fletching to 75% of your tailor level, enough to make the arrows, and is cheaper to raise

Jarqo wrote:Also don't forget about great AF buff for free

just create a ranger with the free Level 50 and check the value, the selfbuffs are totaly weak at this patchlevel.

Bryt wrote:

Jarqo wrote:Also don't forget about great AF buff for free

just create a ranger with the free Level 50 and check the value, the selfbuffs are totaly weak at this patchlevel.

But better than pots.

peter1986 wrote:

Bryt wrote:

Jarqo wrote:Also don't forget about great AF buff for free

just create a ranger with the free Level 50 and check the value, the selfbuffs are totaly weak at this patchlevel.

But better than pots.

...but worse than charges.


At least for Dex/Qui and AF the situation is pretty clear:

Dex/Qui
You can easily get a +75 Dex/Qui charge from Pookha Lord's Mantle OTD which is better than the best Dex/Qui self buff from Pathfinding which will give +60 Dex/Qui
http://web.archive.org/web/200401131013 ... citem=2069

AF
Using Alchemy you can put charges for +75 AF on crafted items which is almost as good as the best AF buff from Pathfinding which will give +80 AF
http://web.archive.org/web/201607241532 ... erence.pdf


The next two can be considered to be open to debate:

Str
Considering the usual Pathfinding spec values the Str self buff will give you +51 Str. A pot will give you +20 Str. Therefore with Pathfinding self buff you will have +31 Str compared to a Pot.
However, you need to invest 779 spec points to achieve this bonus. Regarding the fact that Str is only relevant for melee situations I find a bonus of +31 Str too dearly bought for a price of 779 spec points.
Therefore in my opinion it is better to invest the spec points in melee skills and thereby boost your overall damage considerably more compared to what a plain bonus +31 Str would offer.
What is more: When you are buffed either with Str self buff or Str Potion work you will in sum lose MORE Str when a Str/Con debuff poison hits due to the way that debuff poisons work than you would lose if you had no Str buff running at all. So it is unwise to run any Str buff at all because Assassins will likely be 80%+ of the melee opponents.

Dmg Add
This one in my opinion is the most debatable buff. My opinion is based on the fact that while the dmg add will enhance your base damage it will do nothing else.
Means: If you put the spec points not into Pathfinding but into your melee spec you raise not only your base damage but also your style damage, your chance-to-swing for the offhand weapon (and thereby your damage bonus due to the haste effect) and most importantly your general chance-to-hit (and thereby your chance to deal damage at all).
What is more: When you are about to attack you can throw in a 11.3 dps charge for the first 30 seconds of the fight (either for the Crit Shot and the follow up shots or to fight that pesky Assassin).


TL;DR:

Dex/Qui and AF buff can be supplanted by easily achievable charges

Str buff is not worth the investment and will additionally enhance the effect that Str/Con debuff poisons will have on you

Dmg Add gives only bonus to base damage; therefore spec points are better invested in melee styles so you receive better base damage / style damge / off-hand-damage / chance to hit; on top of that you can apply 11.3 dps charge immediatly before attacking


...and that is why I only consider only the Speed Burst to be worth some (moderate) investment in Pathfinding.