Ranger sPvP | Tournament Shortbow, Sword/Dagger | Team fighter Carrion Spirits
Table of Contents
Summary
This build is constructed to provide your team with supportive spirit buffs and good pressure from your shortbow. The philosophy behind this build is to strike a balance between damage, utility, and survivability. This equilibrium is designed to maximize your team's ability to team fight, while being able to 1v1 on your team's home point.
Strengths:
-High sustain damage on a single target
-Strong CC chains with pet knockdowns, fear, and daze
-Large health pool to deal with condition damage
-Powerful passive condition removal
-Several evades to cope with high power damage and being trained
-High endurance regeneration for plenty of dodge rolls
-Passive AoE spirit buffs (Sprint, Protection, and Burning on your auto attacks)
-A very powerful elite skill that AoE ressurects, clears conditions, and 480 healing per second
Weaknesses:
-Only one passive stun breaker
-Extremely reliant on cleavable NPC's for utility and damage
-Reliant on random NPC positioning to utilize their actives for peels and damage
I. Weapons and Skills
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- Call Lightning20Your storm spirit strikes the area with a powerful blast of electricity.Daze: 3 s
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- Solar Flare½ 20Your sun spirit releases the brilliance of the sun, blinding foes.x3Burning: 5 sBlind: 8 s
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- Quicksand20Your stone spirit softens the earth around it, immobilizing and crippling foes.Immobilized: 2 s (at start)Crippled: 1 s (per pulse)
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- Nature's Renewal120Command your spirit of nature to revive and cure conditions on nearby downed allies.
Weapon and Skill Details
Shortbow: This weapon is your primary source of damage.
-Crossfire (auto-attack): This is your bread and butter damage dealer. It does decent power damage, applies bleeds (from behind and the side), and applies burning due to the sun spirit.
-Poisoned Volley: This is your poison damage on your short bow. It fires 5 arrows in a cone shape. Each arrow applies 2 seconds of poison.
-Quick Shot: This is a 3/4 second evade on your short bow. Excellent tool for buying space against rude thieves and warriors.
-Crippling Shot: applies cripple to the target and your next 3 pet attacks apply bleeding. Good tool for setting up future damage.
-Concussion Shot: Daze if you hit them from the front, stun if you hit from the side or behind. Excellent tool for securing kills.
Sword/Dagger: This weapon set is primarily for survival and utility
-Slash/Kick/Pounce (auto-attack): Be wary of the sword auto-attack. It does exceptional power damage, but you get locked into the animation very easily, which "sticks" you to your target. This is detrimental when you are stuck on your target while they run into their team and don't take kindly to you.
-Hornet Sting/Monarch's Leap: Hornet Sting is a 1/2 second evade, and Monarch's Leap is a leap finisher. This is an excellent tool for mobility between points, and synergizes well with combo fields.
-Serpent's Strike: This ability is a 3/4 second evade that applies a 6 second poison upon successful hit. You do not need to hit someone to still get the evade. This goes for all evades.
-Stalker's Strike: This ability is a 1 and 1/4 second evade. It also has a longer ranger than Serpent's Strike, and applies 10 seconds of poison upon successful hit. I prefer using this ability first then follow it up with Serpent's Strike for 2 seconds of evade and 16 seconds of poison on your target. However, do not always chain these two abilities together. The use of evades should be situational.
-Crippling Talon: This 900 ranged attack applies cripple for 6 seconds and 3 stacks of bleeds. Use it in the same fashion as your shortbow's Crippling Shot.
Utilities:
-Healing Spring: Although it is on a relatively long cooldown, it provides a large burst heal, regneration and vigor, and condition removal while you are standing within the spring. Don't forget to have your team utilize the fact that your heal drops a water combo field.
-Storm Spirit: This spirit provides your allies with swiftness buff. Upon activation it detonates for 1800-3000 power damage to those around a ~400 range radius.
-Sun Spirit: This spirit provides your allies with burning application on their auto-attacks. Upon activation it emits a blind that has roughly a ~400 range radius. This blind is applied throughout the animation.
-Stone Spirit: This spirit provides allies with a protection buff. Upon activation it creates a ~400 range radius circle that cripples and immobilizes foes.
-Spirit of Nature: This is your elite. When you summon it provides your allies with a 480 heal per second that has a roughly ~900 radius. Upon activation the spirit resurrects downed allies and clears all conditions on allies within a ~900 radius of the spirit.
This is what makes spirit rangers so powerful in team fights. Your ability to increase team dps with burning on auto-attacks and survivability through protection and sprint. Couple this with a ranged resurrection and condition clear that also provides a 480 AoE heal per second creates a force in team fights to be reckoned.
NOTE: You can use evades while immobilized, but you cannot dodge roll. Evades are your only tool to deal with being immobilized, besides relying on your passive pet condition clear.
Pets: There are several different options for pets. The general consensus is that Juvenile Wolf is necessary for the AoE fear. The choices for the second pet is varied. I prefer either the River Drake or the Krytan Drakehound.
-Juvenile Wolf: The knockdown and AoE fear is too good not to take. I think all spirit rangers should have this pet.
-Krytan Drakehound: I prefer this pet over the River Drake, however, I do understand why people choose the River Drake. I prefer the Drakehound due to it's knockdown and AoE immobilization on a 20 second cooldown (16 with the Commanding Voice trait).
-River Drake: This beastly pet provides you with powerful amounts of body cleave. It does not provide crowd control, but it does give you Lightning Breath and Tail Swipe to cleave down bodies.
II. Traits
Marksmanship
Skirmishing
Wilderness Survival
Nature Magic
Trait Details
Wilderness Survival. This trait line is very important to Spirit Rangers because it provides +300 toughness and +300 condition damage, Natural Vigor (50% endurance regeneration), Companion's Defense (2 seconds of protection on dodge roll), and less notably, Peak Strength (+10% damage while above 90% health). This trait line provides the ranger massive amounts of defense while providing +300 condition damage.
-Shared Anguish: This is your only stun breaker. Considering the amount of CC involved in the current meta, it is very important for your build to include at least one stun breaker.
-Vigorous Renewal: This trait is chosen over other popular traits, such as Off-Hand Training, because vigor increases endurance regeneration which translates to more survivability. Also, this build uses a shortbow, which does not benefit from the Off-hand Training trait.
-Empathic Bond: This trait is vital to the Spirit Ranger because this is the ranger's best way to remove conditions.
Nature Magic. This is the trait line that establishes a ranger as a Spirit Ranger. The passive +300 vitality and +30% boon duration synergizes well with the boons provided by the spirits. Rejuvination (gain regeneration at 75% health), Fortifying Bond (all your boons are shared with your pet), and Bountiful Hunter (deal 5% more damage per boon) are passive traits that work well with the premise behind the build.
-Spiritual Knowledge: This is a must-have trait for Spirit Rangers. Without the passive buffs from spirits are not always applied before the end of their duration.
-Nature's Vengeance: This trait enhances the spirit's active skills. Sometimes if you know your spirit is going to die, you can activate it, giving you two explosions.
-Spirits Unbound: Spirits being able to move is an essential trait because spirits are stationary without it. Stationary spirits are virtually useless because if you summon your spirits in the mid team fight, you will not have them at home point.
Marksmanship. Spirit Rangers put these final 10 points into the Marksmanship traits because of the 10% condition duration, +100 power, Opening Strike, and passive sharpening stones.
-Keen Edge: Free Sharpening Stones every 45 seconds means you get a 5 stacks of bleeding whenever it procs. It's juicy damage with your bleed duration.
III. Stat Specifics & Effects
Primary Stats
- Health 27922 (+12000)
- Vitality 2116 (+1200)
- Armor 2280 (+300)
- Toughness 1216 (+300)
- Attack 2916 (+1000)
- Power 1916 (+1000)
- Precision 916 (+0)
Secondary Stats
- Bleeding Duration 35% (+35%)
- Boon Duration 30% (+30%)
- Condition Damage 1600 (+1600)
- Condition Duration 10% (+10%)
- Damage 1000 (+0%)
- Defense 1064 (+0)
- Endurance Regeneration 25% (+25%)
Boons
Conditions
Control
Fields & Finishers
Stat and Effect Details
A large part of the Spirit Ranger's damage comes from the bleeds and burning applied by the shortbow. This is why I prefer Carrion over Soldiers. The extra condition damage is too vital to not include in a Spirit Ranger build. I also do not think precision amulets are worthwhile on this build due to the fact that there is no real mechanic in this build that relies on crits.
Finally, do not forget to maximize the water combo field created by healing spring. You can use your hornet's sting and monarch leap into the healing spring to get more healing. Also, firing projectiles gives you regeneration. Finally, the healing spring also gives you vigor which means more dodge rolls. Utilize your healing spring!
IV. Runes, Sigils, Accessories & Jewels
Armor & Runes
- Condition Damage: 25
- Bleeding Duration: 10%
- Condition Damage: 50
- +15% Bleeding Duration; 25% chance when struck to inflict bleeding for 10 seconds. (Cooldown: 15 seconds)
- Condition Damage: 100
- +20% Bleeding Duration; when you use an elite skill, you inflict bleeding, torment, and poison for 8 seconds to nearby foes. (Cooldown: 30 seconds)
- Condition Damage: 25
- Bleeding Duration: 10%
- Condition Damage: 50
- +15% Bleeding Duration; 25% chance when struck to inflict bleeding for 10 seconds. (Cooldown: 15 seconds)
- Condition Damage: 100
- +20% Bleeding Duration; when you use an elite skill, you inflict bleeding, torment, and poison for 8 seconds to nearby foes. (Cooldown: 30 seconds)
- Condition Damage: 25
- Bleeding Duration: 10%
- Condition Damage: 50
- +15% Bleeding Duration; 25% chance when struck to inflict bleeding for 10 seconds. (Cooldown: 15 seconds)
- Condition Damage: 100
- +20% Bleeding Duration; when you use an elite skill, you inflict bleeding, torment, and poison for 8 seconds to nearby foes. (Cooldown: 30 seconds)
- Condition Damage: 25
- Bleeding Duration: 10%
- Condition Damage: 50
- +15% Bleeding Duration; 25% chance when struck to inflict bleeding for 10 seconds. (Cooldown: 15 seconds)
- Condition Damage: 100
- +20% Bleeding Duration; when you use an elite skill, you inflict bleeding, torment, and poison for 8 seconds to nearby foes. (Cooldown: 30 seconds)
- Condition Damage: 25
- Bleeding Duration: 10%
- Condition Damage: 50
- Poison Duration: 15%
- Condition Damage: 100
- +20% Bleeding Duration; when you are downed, you create a death nova. (Cooldown: 30 seconds)
- Condition Damage: 25
- Bleeding Duration: 10%
- Condition Damage: 50
- Poison Duration: 15%
- Condition Damage: 100
- +20% Bleeding Duration; when you are downed, you create a death nova. (Cooldown: 30 seconds)
Rune Stat Totals
- Condition Damage 100
- Bleeding Duration 35%
Rune Bonuses
PvP Rune of the Krait- Condition Damage: 25
- Bleeding Duration: 10%
- Condition Damage: 50
- +15% Bleeding Duration; 25% chance when struck to inflict bleeding for 10 seconds. (Cooldown: 15 seconds)
- Condition Damage: 25
- Bleeding Duration: 10%
Accessories & Jewels
- Condition Damage: 0
- Power: 0
- Vitality: 0
Accessory Totals
- Power:900
- Vitality:900
- Condition Damage:1200
Weapon Set Sigils
- Weapon Strength: 905-1000
- Weapon Strength: -
Weapon Set I
Sigil of Superior GeomancyYou bleed nearby foes for 10s when you swap to this weapon while in combat. (This effect cannot trigger more than once every 9s)
- Weapon Strength: 905-1000
- Weapon Strength: 924-981
Weapon Set II
Sigil of Superior GeomancyYou bleed nearby foes for 10s when you swap to this weapon while in combat. (This effect cannot trigger more than once every 9s)
Sigil of Minor CorruptionYou gain +10 condition damage each time you kill a foe. (max 25 stacks and ends on down)
Upgrade Item Details
Runes:
I use 4 piece Krait and 2 piece Afflicted for the +30% bleed duration. This bleed duration accompanied by the 10% condition duration provided by marksmanship adds 1 extra tick on the bleeds applied by crossfire. It also increases the bleed duration on all other bleed sources (which this build has plenty). The 4 set bonus on krait also helps, and it procs more than you would think.
Sigils:
-Geomancy: I use geomancy because I find myself weapon swapping frequently in 1v1 situations. Applying 3 bleeds with every weapon swap really adds up to be a lot of damage.
-Corruption: If you can get your sword/dagger out when you're ganking people after the first team fight it is an excellent way to achieve more condition damage, which a spirit ranger can always use!
Amulet/Jewel:
I use Carrion Amulet and Jewel because it provides power, vitality, and condition damage. I know other Spirit Ranger builds opt for Shamans or Rabid, but I prefer Carrion due to the extra power damage that really amplifies my shortbow's effectiveness.
V. Basic Gameplay
Your role in the team fight is to provide spirit buffs, do damage, and properly use your elite spirit. Providing spirit buffs is easy and simple to do. Doing damage is also straight forward as a shortbow spirit ranger. Essentially, you want to use your auto-attack. A lot. Don't forget to use your shortbow utilities at the right moment, but your pressure definitely comes from "shortbow spam". Using your elite spirit at the right time depends on communication. Try and have it available around the time someone on your team is dying so the enemy team does not have ample time to react to the spirit's presence. Then just use the active when your ally is down to get a low-risk resurrection.
If your team adheres to the current meta in NA, you will have a necromancer with you in the team fight. Your primary job is to relieve melee pressure from your necromancer. The most common melee classes to attack a necromancer are thieves and warriors. To help your necromancer, use your shortbow pressure to force the attacker to fall back, utilize your immobilizations from your krytan hound and stone spirit, and take advantage of your sun spirit's ridiculously powerful AoE blind.
Maximizing your pet's utility is more important in 1v1 situations. Chaining your wolf's knockdown into a fear, into a Concussion Shot while your Storm Spirit detonates translates into a ton of pressure on whoever you're fighting. Using your abilities to their fullest potential comes with practice and criticism. Also, your passive condition removal and stun break do not work if your pet is dead. Be smart with your pet swaps to avoid your pet dying, and if it is dead be conscious of the fact that you have no condition removal or stun break.
Don't forget you have a ton of endurance as a spirit ranger. Frequently dodge roll and use your evades. This build may seem like it has low toughness, but I promise you that if you correctly dodge and evade, high power damage can be mitigated. Not to mention, this build has a large health pool to deal with condition damage.
Main Skill Rotation
If you notice at the start of the fight your pet knocking down your opponent, you can do this cc chain that results in the most burst a spirit ranger can do. (The last ability is supposed to be wolf fear, but it is not giving me the option to select it.)
Comments
Demimas @ 08:16 AM, Fri August 16 2013
Reply @ 10:41 AM, Fri August 16 2013
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