test content
What is the Arc Client?
Install Arc

Official Feedback Thread: Ranger Paragon Path: Pathfinder

18911131417

Comments

  • l3g10nna1rel3g10nna1re Member, NW M9 Playtest Posts: 372 Arc User
    edited April 2014
    leillanna wrote: »
    DOT the critter up!!

    I wish!!! we had a Venom/Poison Skill this is the first hunter class ive seen without one :)
  • alvadimarcoalvadimarco Member Posts: 0 Arc User
    edited April 2014
    I wish!!! we had a Venom/Poison Skill this is the first hunter class ive seen without one :)

    As long as HRs are supposed to be less bursty and more about sustained DPS, it would be amazing if we were the DoT masters of the game. Some control, some reasonable sustained DPS, lots of dodging and lots of stackable DoTs.
  • kindwarfkindwarf Member Posts: 23 Arc User
    edited April 2014
    As long as HRs are supposed to be less bursty and more about sustained DPS, it would be amazing if we were the DoT masters of the game. Some control, some reasonable sustained DPS, lots of dodging and lots of stackable DoTs.

    We need to be able to compete in solo content too... even with the proposed amendments, that's simply not going to be possible. We are too squishy for sustained melee against multiple opponents. Split shot (pre latest nerf) as it was was what gave us a fighting chance.

    I will give the moderately upgraded powers a chance, but I remain unconvinced. I think only a climbdown by the devs, or a complete rework of the class is going to save it, and i don't think either of those options has even remotely decent odds.
  • twilightwatchmantwilightwatchman Member Posts: 2,007 Arc User
    edited April 2014
    kindwarf wrote: »
    We need to be able to compete in solo content too... even with the proposed amendments, that's simply not going to be possible. We are too squishy for sustained melee against multiple opponents. Split shot (pre latest nerf) as it was was what gave us a fighting chance.

    I will give the moderately upgraded powers a chance, but I remain unconvinced. I think only a climbdown by the devs, or a complete rework of the class is going to save it, and i don't think either of those options has even remotely decent odds.
    Which solo content?

    I do only PVP and the Sharandar/DR dailies at the moment. I have a full Combat spec HR. When these changes were announced I swapped out the affected powers on my live HR (don't use Preview much) and started running with StS/TC, TW/TS, and CA/SB as encounters. At-wills are Rapid Shot/Strike and ES/CtG. Class features are BS and TBS.

    I do OK in PvP and tear up the dailies. All this with the powers as they stand now.
    Jenna Sunsoul - Justice Tankadin
    Aelar Hawkwind - Archer
    Karrin Feywinter - Mistress of Flame
    Errin Duskwalker - Executioner
    Darquess - Soulbinder
  • kindwarfkindwarf Member Posts: 23 Arc User
    edited April 2014
    Which solo content?

    I do only PVP and the Sharandar/DR dailies at the moment. I have a full Combat spec HR. When these changes were announced I swapped out the affected powers on my live HR (don't use Preview much) and started running with StS/TC, TW/TS, and CA/SB as encounters. At-wills are Rapid Shot/Strike and ES/CtG. Class features are BS and TBS.

    I do OK in PvP and tear up the dailies. All this with the powers as they stand now.

    Try running Icewind Dale on the preview server, then we will at least have the same point of reference.
    I run a 14.6gs HR and tried all kinds of combinations and ate up a whole load of injury kits and got nowhere.

    I'm not talking about PvP, that isn't solo content
  • alvadimarcoalvadimarco Member Posts: 0 Arc User
    edited April 2014
    kindwarf wrote: »
    Try running Icewind Dale on the preview server, then we will at least have the same point of reference.
    I run a 14.6gs HR and tried all kinds of combinations and ate up a whole load of injury kits and got nowhere.

    I'm not talking about PvP, that isn't solo content

    14.4 GS Nature-build Hybrid-style HR. No enchants above r6, no purple artifacts. I don't actually use any of the nature buffs if I'm not in a party, since I need those slots for both ranged and melee DPS.

    Dire Polar Bears are kind of a long fight for me, but I can do all the dailies just fine and solo 2- and 3-man Heroic Encounters without an issue. The most I used was two regular potions when I aggroed a few too many barbarians in their camp.

    Sharandar? I destroy it.

    Dread Ring? Even easier.

    The Lv61 mobs in Icewind Dale? Challenging and fun, but not exactly an uphill battle. Also, Pathfinder is amazing and it's too bad nobody realizes it.

    I haven't used Fox Shift or Split Shot anymore either since the changes were announced.
  • junkermyrklejunkermyrkle Member Posts: 14 Arc User
    edited April 2014
    I have tested the Icewind Dale campaign and other areas (Sharandar, Dread ring) on my HR with Combat/nature hybrid and Archery/nature hybrid spec. I must admit the results were inconclusive. In some encounters i do well, in others I will just get melted away.
    Having 35k HP did not always save me- especially the heroic encounters on the slippery frozen surfaces were devestating for me. With a teammate (CW) it all felt like a breeze but solo it was definitely harder and slower.
    What i don't like so much is that i am almost exclusively using melee attacks right now. The ranged attacks are mere opener for me now.
    Characters: Ravondir Orlond , Vesma Wildheart [GF 18k]

    Guild: Zirkel der Weltenwanderer (Circle of the world travellers)

    Characters: Betty Lou , Kermit

    Guild: Masters of Muppets
  • dungeonxxxxxdungeonxxxxx Member Posts: 6 Arc User
    edited April 2014

    Useless talk a lot the conclusion is easy: cryptic please don't nerf anything in HR especially in PVE because:
    1. PVE: right now HR can not be seen on the top of the damage dealt tab, it means CW and GWF are stronger DPS and they need to be balanced!
    2. PVE: No one want an HR in party for T2 dungeon or above it means this class is not strong, so HR need not a nerf GWF/CW need a nerf!
    3. PVP: situation is a better but with this nerf HR will become a bad class in PvP too (now is not the best but accettable)
    4. Is the problem HR spam split shot too much? we have to do because our encounter power deals few few damage and other at-will are useless!!!! So, please before nerfing 45% split shot increase other at-will/encounter power damage in order to allow HR deal the same damage without using split shot (I tried a lot to avoid use split shot because i like a dynamic way of playng with a lot of rotation between encounte/at will/daily but.......my DPS was half or at least 1/3 third down than the one i get spamming split shot!!!!!)
    5. Most player choose HR because it is supposed to be a DPS more dynamic than a GWF. The idea is that HR hit from far, dodge a lot, get in melee, run away.....BUT HR HAS TO DEAL DAMAGE AS OTHER DPS IN A DIFFERENT WAY THAN OTHERS BUT THE SAME AMOUNT OF DAMAGE OTHERWISE IS USELESS!!!!! Dont't bother us with support class, it is one way (nature build) but most player want DPS path good....... Because Robin Hood was not a wood nurse but a range fighter who can survive in a melee combat but is stronger with a bow!!!!!

    Think about all this consideration, i played HR in D&D, Path finder, Guid Wars, Neverwinter Night GdR 1-2 and other game, and me and a lot of people likes HR as a range fighter wich can fight in melee with same natural buff wich compensate his lack of armor.

    Please safe HR!!!!!!!!
  • frozenflame22frozenflame22 Member, Neverwinter Beta Users, Neverwinter Knight of the Feywild Users Posts: 56
    edited April 2014
    I have a full archery speced HR and I don't stand a chance soloing on the preview server. Switching to melee up close just gets me killed faster. Melee should be less powerful than archery for an archery speced HR, but it shouldn't be useless. Now I have a lowish GS (11.6 currently, was 12.5 but I swapped out some things and the total gs went down even though some key stats went up), but I still should be able to get through the solo content. I don't expect it to be easy, but I do expect it to be possible. As it is, this character is no longer soloable starting at Mount Hotenow, but that is with lvl 60 blue gear and a handful of epics. I'm just too squishy to get through the content.

    I have a few suggestions to fix this.
    1. Instead of a 45% cut to Split Shot, cap the total damage dealt to all targets. Total damage should be more than Rapid Shot, but no more than half or 2/3 of Aimed Shot. This damage would be divided among the available targets. Also cap the maximum number of targets to be somewhere between 4 and 6. (Edit: Someone recently informed me that split shot already has a target cap. Please disregard that part of the suggestion.)

    2. Speed up the animation for Rapid Shot. Currently "Rapid" Shot isn't very rapid. A great way to do this is increase the firing speed as more points are put into this power.

    3. Reduce aggro for all ranged attacks regardless of class (also affects TR, DC, and CW). Monsters should at the very least have to take a little while to figure out where the attack is coming from since the player isn't right in front of it. Even a 20% reduction in aggro would help.

    4. Give a big defense and deflection bonus when in melee mode. In every single other Dungeons and Dragons game, Dexterity gives an armor class or dodge bonus. For the mechanics of this game, that would translate to defense and deflection. Archery speced players should not get a damage boost when in melee mode (unless it is across the board to all characters), but switching to melee needs to have a real benefit over shooting things at point blank range. In other words, for archery speced characters, switching to melee should be a viable way to keep from dying if a critter does get that close, but it should take much longer for an archer to kill things with blades.

    5. Change the Archery Mastery feat. So many of our encounters are buffs and do no damage. Perhaps the crit bonus should go to the next damage dealing attack regardless of whether it is an at will, encounter, or daily.


    Another thought that may not be exclusively related to HR balancing. It seems to me that the game is being balanced to PvP, even though thus far it has had a PvE focus. Given the new open world PvP content, this is somewhat reasonable. The problem is, in every game, PvP has different mechanics than PvE and the classes being slightly unbalanced is a bigger deal. However, when the game is balanced for PvP, suddenly classes that were useful in PvE are no longer wanted. Why not make certain powers work slightly different in PvP? If Split Shot really is that big of a problem in PvP, then go ahead and reduce the power by 45% but only when the player is flagged for PvP. This can be applicable to TRs too: make the caps in Domination a no stealth area. I recognize that this will likely require lots of recoding the game, but I think this would result in a more enjoyable game for everyone.
  • frozenflame22frozenflame22 Member, Neverwinter Beta Users, Neverwinter Knight of the Feywild Users Posts: 56
    edited April 2014

    1. PVE: right now HR can not be seen on the top of the damage dealt tab, it means CW and GWF are stronger DPS and they need to be balanced!

    Why is this such a big deal for so many people? I really don't care about being at the top of the paingiver or executioner charts. Even for a striker class, there are other classes that should regularly do more damage than HR, especially the GWF should be doing the most damage most of the time. I just don't see that as being what this class is about. Sure it is nice to be at the top of the charts occasionally, but I feel it should be a rare thing for us. I think in some ways, even having the charts perpetuates the idea that damage and kills are the only important things in the game. Maybe there should be new stats at the end of dungeons and skirmishes that highlight the utility of Rangers, especially those that are nature speced or tend to use a lot of party buffs. I don't know how that might look in practice, perhaps showing number of kill assists?
  • kindwarfkindwarf Member Posts: 23 Arc User
    edited April 2014
    I'd personally like to see the stats removed altogether. Perhaps then people would think in dungeons rather than it always being a race to see who gets most damage.
  • alvadimarcoalvadimarco Member Posts: 0 Arc User
    edited April 2014
    No they wouldn't. They'd just clamor for Cryptic to allow DPS Meter add-ons.
  • twilightwatchmantwilightwatchman Member Posts: 2,007 Arc User
    edited April 2014
    kindwarf wrote: »
    Try running Icewind Dale on the preview server, then we will at least have the same point of reference.
    I run a 14.6gs HR and tried all kinds of combinations and ate up a whole load of injury kits and got nowhere.

    I'm not talking about PvP, that isn't solo content
    Fair enough. It was a genuine question BTW as I hadn't seen the Icewind Dale content yet and I was curious as to what solo content was so challenging. My HR doesn't have his third Sharandar boon yet (I'm lazy and working on 3 toons ATM) so doesn't qualify for IW.
    Jenna Sunsoul - Justice Tankadin
    Aelar Hawkwind - Archer
    Karrin Feywinter - Mistress of Flame
    Errin Duskwalker - Executioner
    Darquess - Soulbinder
  • leillannaleillanna Member Posts: 171 Arc User
    edited April 2014
    kindwarf wrote: »
    We need to be able to compete in solo content too... even with the proposed amendments, that's simply not going to be possible. We are too squishy for sustained melee against multiple opponents. Split shot (pre latest nerf) as it was was what gave us a fighting chance.

    I will give the moderately upgraded powers a chance, but I remain unconvinced. I think only a climbdown by the devs, or a complete rework of the class is going to save it, and i don't think either of those options has even remotely decent odds.

    You need to take the bloodthirsty feat if you haven't already and then use that feat by following a ranged encounter with a melee encounter. Ranger players need to learn that this class isn't about just pewpewing or just staying in melee all the time. To get the most out of your ranger you need to constantly switch stances no matter which tree you specialized in especially while solo.
    [SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]Eilistraee zhal zuch tlu wun ussta xukuth.
  • bulletdancerbulletdancer Member Posts: 107 Arc User
    edited April 2014
    leillanna wrote: »
    You need to take the bloodthirsty feat if you haven't already and then use that feat by following a ranged encounter with a melee encounter. Ranger players need to learn that this class isn't about just pewpewing or just staying in melee all the time. To get the most out of your ranger you need to constantly switch stances no matter which tree you specialized in especially while solo.

    so, we are being semi forced into a play style?
    ranger class, should be about ranged first, and primary. the melee should be for when the critters close in. at least thats just the way i feel, a ranger, is still primarely a RANGED class.
  • cayappcayapp Member Posts: 826 Arc User
    edited April 2014
    leillanna wrote: »
    You need to take the bloodthirsty feat if you haven't already and then use that feat by following a ranged encounter with a melee encounter.

    Wow I found just the opposite, I dropped bloodthirsty for nature's blessing. I changed to the pathfinder paragon and I am almost pure archery other then nature's blessing. I do melee when I need to, but I find nature's blessing better. And I do just fine range with the changes on preview. Pre mod 3 content is not an issue, in fact a bit easier.

    With the changes they made yesterday Mod 3 does not really have any solo HE content, dailies can be soloed with ease as it should be.

    To each their own play style.

    Balletdancer no one is forcing you to a specific set of feats and paths. Trust me. IMO Leillanna is actually talking more PvP as you have to melee quite often...in PvE not so much. It is all what makes it fun FOR YOU. You have to decide. Of course I am with you on one thing...the class is named Hunter "RANGE"r.
  • kindwarfkindwarf Member Posts: 23 Arc User
    edited April 2014
    leillanna wrote: »
    You need to take the bloodthirsty feat if you haven't already and then use that feat by following a ranged encounter with a melee encounter. Ranger players need to learn that this class isn't about just pewpewing or just staying in melee all the time. To get the most out of your ranger you need to constantly switch stances no matter which tree you specialized in especially while solo.

    As just stated, that is AN option, but as an archery build, not really feasible.
    I don't just "pewpew", I engage in melee if and when i need to, but as we are so squishy, and do half the standard weapon damage of the bow, with our blades, its kinda like going racing in a Lada, when you have a Porshe in the garage.

    Why would you assume that i don't melee? Generalizing isn't really very helpful.

    Please bear in mind that everyone has their own build, that is the point of having options.
    There is no "correct" build.
  • rodrant64rodrant64 Member, NW M9 Playtest Posts: 172 Arc User
    edited April 2014
    If rangers are supposed to be primarily ranged then why even have a melee feat tree? Ranged, melee and nature builds should all be viable. I'm ranged build now but was nature for a while which also worked just fine for me in PvE. Only switched back to ranged because I thought it'd be better for PvP which I've been doing a lot of lately.

    Also, you're not being forced into a play style. You just need to adjust play style for certain circumstances. I always looked at HR as the challenging class given how often you have to switch stances and use all 6 of your set encounters to be effective. For solo pve stuff, I've done just fine with rapid shot, split shot, fox shift, thorn ward and rain of arrows (15.6k GS + stone, I beat the dread spire boss today in 20 seconds so single target DPS is fine, as long as there's only 1 target lol) and I'm starting to think that the split shot nerf isn't going to hurt that too much. But I've only spent a day in the new content and mostly fooled around with open pvp so I'll have to give the pve stuff a real shot to see for myself.
    Just call me Rod. Member of Grievance!
    CW: Rodrant Turnbul
    TR: Rodran
    DC: Rodrat
    GWF: ROARdrant TurnBRAWL
    Other GWF: Shieldrant
    HR: Bowdrant
    SW: Wardrant Turnlock (my main!)
    OP: Paladrant (on Preview!)
  • frozenflame22frozenflame22 Member, Neverwinter Beta Users, Neverwinter Knight of the Feywild Users Posts: 56
    edited April 2014
    Soloing is pretty doable right now on the live server. I've also soloed Dread Spire regularly with a 11.5k GS. This isn't about what is current but the upcoming changes on the preview server.
  • monokherosmonokheros Member, NW M9 Playtest Posts: 37 Arc User
    edited April 2014
    *NEW*
    Changes coming soon
    • Fox Shift: This power may now strike any one target a maximum of 2 times.
    • Thorn Strike: Base Damage of this power increased by roughly 40%.
    • Split the Sky: Base Damage of this power increased by roughly 40%. Additionally fixed a bug with the way weapon damage was calculated by this power. There should be no net change from this fix.
    • Aspect of the Pack: Now correctly grants Combat Advantage to allies instead of only granting it to the Ranger. The Ranger still benefits from this effect as well.
    • Hawkeye: *REWORK* This power now grants you 15% bonus damage on the next attack. Allies gain half this benefit (based on the rank of the power).
    • Oakskin: Healing increased by 150%.
    • Commanding Shot: This power now also gains +10% damage when it ranks up.
    • Boar Charge: This power now requires a target to be fired.
    • Electric Shot: Damage increased by roughly 100%. *It should now be in line with Split Shot.*
    • Clear the Ground: Damage increased by roughly 50%. *It should now be in line with Split Strike.*
    • Slasher's Mark: Damage increase by 300%.

    feedback 13.5k single target HR ive tried both paragon paths

    Electric shot still feels weak and is constantly missing the second and third mobs maybe an increase in effect
    clear the ground is an excellent melee move now unfortunately im spending more time in melee then in ranged stance as a full archery build


    i understand HR is a ranged and melee class i just feel that with the new paragon path im going to be forced to full melee. i use split shot in aoe situations as my only aoe im single target across the board otherwise i prefer use rapid constricting hawk shots with binding arrow. i know i can score more on the damage charts with thornward and split the sky but i find them only really usefull in groups where i set them and forget them and can sit and snipe or use forest meditation and sit back and laugh with a little more buff to electric shot ill switch gladly away from split shot but it needs to hit like rapids shot will and does in order to be useful
  • cheesegromitcheesegromit Member Posts: 540 Arc User
    edited April 2014
    ^ I don't believe those quoted changes have been implemented yet.
  • cayappcayapp Member Posts: 826 Arc User
    edited April 2014
    ^ I don't believe those quoted changes have been implemented yet.

    I am not going to go dig for the dev post on this, but you are indeed correct. The Dev announced these would be changed a day or 2 before the scheduled patch last Friday that was cancel. He announced these changes and also stated it would not be in the upcoming build but the one after that. So the patch preview build on Monday would not contain these changes.
  • twilightwatchmantwilightwatchman Member Posts: 2,007 Arc User
    edited April 2014
    leillanna wrote: »
    You need to take the bloodthirsty feat if you haven't already and then use that feat by following a ranged encounter with a melee encounter. Ranger players need to learn that this class isn't about just pewpewing or just staying in melee all the time. To get the most out of your ranger you need to constantly switch stances no matter which tree you specialized in especially while solo.
    Actually this playstyle is pretty much only viable when solo. In PvP the stance change can be and is frequently interrupted, resulting in less than optimal results.

    I'm a Combat HR but don't run Bloodthirsty for this reason. I still swap stances frequently but sometimes it's better to hold off if there is a lot of CC flying around.
    Jenna Sunsoul - Justice Tankadin
    Aelar Hawkwind - Archer
    Karrin Feywinter - Mistress of Flame
    Errin Duskwalker - Executioner
    Darquess - Soulbinder
  • kindwarfkindwarf Member Posts: 23 Arc User
    edited April 2014
    rodrant64 wrote: »
    If rangers are supposed to be primarily ranged then why even have a melee feat tree?

    Unfortunately, the Dev's can't or won't tell us what their vision of the Hunter Ranger is,..... or was...
  • rayrdanrayrdan Member Posts: 5,410 Arc User
    edited April 2014
    These are not bugs but please read. I'm here to propose two great quality of life changes for HRs.
    Make Aimed Shot working as Split Shot: greater damage the more i charge. This will make the ability usefull when we can predict an attack is about to hitting us.
    Make the AOE encounters working with some sort of smartcast: too much time wasted to double click and sometimes they dont even work at the first try
  • frozenflame22frozenflame22 Member, Neverwinter Beta Users, Neverwinter Knight of the Feywild Users Posts: 56
    edited April 2014
    I love the idea of Aimed Shot working as Split Shot. I'd also say to fire upon interrupt with reduced damage.

    The second suggestion can be done in the options. I don't know how exactly to get to it but if you dig a bit, it is in there
  • cheesegromitcheesegromit Member Posts: 540 Arc User
    edited April 2014
    I'd be a bit disappointed if a button needed to be held for the duration to fire a fully charged aimed shot. From a usability perspective that's a downgrade for me, I'm sure I'd adapt though if it were to be changed, I have used split shot in the past. There are very few situations where I'd want to fire an early but weak aimed shot that couldn't be covered by another at-will, e.g. rapid-shot.

    Why is this such a good idea?

    Fire on interupt is something that got mentioned when the HR was first on preview. It makes more sense if you're trying to reduce the frustration of getting aim shot interupted for zero damage.
  • quitegonejinquitegonejin Member Posts: 3
    edited April 2014

    2. Speed up the animation for Rapid Shot. Currently "Rapid" Shot isn't very rapid. A great way to do this is increase the firing speed as more points are put into this power.
    This is very much needed, esp with the Split nerf.
  • quitegonejinquitegonejin Member Posts: 3
    edited April 2014
    so, we are being semi forced into a play style?
    ranger class, should be about ranged first, and primary. the melee should be for when the critters close in. at least thats just the way i feel, a ranger, is still primarely a RANGED class.

    That is a matter of opinion, one many of us who LIKE using both melee and ranged would whole heartedly disagree with.
  • frozenflame22frozenflame22 Member, Neverwinter Beta Users, Neverwinter Knight of the Feywild Users Posts: 56
    edited April 2014
    Let's not argue about play styles. This has long been regarded a hallmark of the Ranger class - versatility.

    Some of us play exclusively archery, and that's ok.
    Some of us play exclusively melee, and that's ok.
    Some of us play hybrid, and that's ok.
    Some of us play nature path, and that's ok.
    Some of us love PvP, and that's ok.
    Some of us never PvP, and that's ok.
    Some of us are looking forward to the new Pathfinder paragon, and that's ok.

    All are valid play styles, and no player should be ashamed of how he or she plays. Likewise no player should be forced to play a certain way.

    My hope is eventually the game will get to a point where each class is viable to end game content no matter what feats or powers are chosen or what the player's preferred play style. This isn't to say to make the game easy, but to be more flexible with the many ways we can create a character.

    Please, let's return to the topic of discussing the changes to the game proposed in the preview release notes and giving ideas on how to make things better.
Sign In or Register to comment.