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Life steal or Generation for Archer

luxvideriluxvideri Member Posts: 13 Arc User
edited September 2014 in The Wilds
I've been playing as PVE hunter ranger, Archery-Stormwarden (for my stats-distribution and current equipment please see below). At the moment I have to decide between Rampaging Madness and Endless Consumption for the last boon of Dread Ring Campaign. This brought me back to the questions:

- which is more effective/easier to stack for PVE-archers: lifesteal or regeneration?
- Which boon is better? Rampaging Madness or Endless Consumption?

Given that I have been dying quite alot/too fast during boss fights in epic dungeons, I really want to improve my survivability so that I can reduce the burden on other team mates (and especially our healer who had to heal me and our guardian fighter who often had to pull mobs from me and therefore tank too many mobs at once). I also have mid-level defense and deflect at the moment. Are there nice combinations between lifesteal/generation and defense/deflect (for example lifesteal+deflect might be a nice combo?)? Which stats should I improve?

Thanks alot! :D



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Post edited by luxvideri on

Comments

  • jrfbrunetjrfbrunet Member Posts: 388 Arc User
    edited September 2014
    First, from what you're describing, your biggest problem is not Lifesteal vs Regeneration. It's aggro.

    Nearly all Boss Fights in epic dungeons need the HRs to do single-target DPS to the boss. You're simply too squishy to tank or kite adds, and no amount of lifesteal/regeneration/HAMSTER healing from the DC will keep you alive if you consistently aggro multiple adds. Someone should have told you that after the first run.

    To your question as an Archery HR: lifesteal will net you more healing since your DPS is high. Only classes with low DPS and/or roles who do more buffing/healing/debuffing rather than DPS should take regeneration.
    Where'd my blinky-blinky path go?
  • luxvideriluxvideri Member Posts: 13 Arc User
    edited September 2014
    Thank you for your reply. The last time we did castle never epic dungeon, I also tried to concentrate on the boss first but as the party didn't have any CW that can handle the mobs gathering around the GF, he died at some points and then I was targeted by the mobs. That's why I tried to split shot + rain of arrow to reduce the mobs. But it seems that was not a good choice.
  • teleroguetelerogue Banned Users Posts: 112 Bounty Hunter
    edited September 2014
    Stop using Split Shot in boss fights.

    Survavibility problem solved.
  • luxvideriluxvideri Member Posts: 13 Arc User
    edited September 2014
    Thanks alot! It's true I have to take better care about aggro from now on!!

    For the encounter, as I should not attack any of the mobs but only the boss, which encounters do you recommend? My main encounters sofar are split the sky, rain of arrow, thorn ward. But beside split the sky (which is however not effective against only boss), both other encounters also attack mobs around the boss and therefore pull the mobs to me.

    By the way, do you also think rapid shot is better than aimed shot against boss? I love the mega high damage come from aimed shot but in fights without TR, I had to dodge boss attacks alot and so I often coundn't fire the arrow from aimed shot.
  • w00trandomsnoobiw00trandomsnoobi Member, NW M9 Playtest Posts: 387 Arc User
    edited September 2014
    luxvideri wrote: »
    For the encounter, as I should not attack any of the mobs but only the boss, which encounters do you recommend? My main encounters sofar are split the sky, rain of arrow, thorn ward. But beside split the sky (which is however not effective against only boss), both other encounters also attack mobs around the boss and therefore pull the mobs to me.
    I used to use commanding shot on boss. I'd still use rain of arrows, it's aoe is small so unless mobs are piled upon the boss, it shouldn't hit too many of them.

    If you have a gwf and gf in a party, you shouldn't really get boss aggro. I find that for getting aimed shots off, Fox's Cunning is useful, it's auto-dodge and doesn't interrupt aimed shot, unless the attack comes with some nasty effect, like prone or freeze. I also have barkshield, so I can take couple of smaller hits (like form goblin archers) before aimed gets interrupted.
  • aderonzaderonz Member, NW M9 Playtest Posts: 120 Arc User
    edited September 2014
    Regeneration is useless for an archer and even more for a stormwarden because your health is not high like tanks and you dont have the features that goes with it , life steal is great for archer, dont forget to slot aspect of the lone wolf it will give you a nice +25% deflection most of time in dungeons.
  • lirithiellirithiel Member, NW M9 Playtest Posts: 2,482 Arc User
    edited September 2014
    luxvideri wrote: »
    - which is more effective/easier to stack for PVE-archers: lifesteal or regeneration?
    - Which boon is better? Rampaging Madness or Endless Consumption?

    For archer I would suggest lifesteal and combine it with Endless Consumption boon. Rapid Shot just doesn't hit nearly as fast as Rapid Strike so Rampaging Madness isn't as effective as with a Combat HR. I recently switched from high regeneration to high lifesteal and I find the latter to be better for me.

    Split Shot is still an aggro monster even after the Mod 3 nerf. I barely use it at all in either the new epic dungeon or skirmish because after just one shot the mobs gun for me, even with the 25% threat reduction from my Owl. I have Rain of Arrows and Split the Sky slotted as my AoE, and use mainly Rapid Shot for at-will. For boss fights I will slot Aimed Shot but even then I hardly have the time to cast it much.

    I did a few epic LoL runs with the same group last night and found I did better overall damage with Rapid Shot than Aimed Shot.

    Your stats will look better when you get whichever tier gear is best suited to you, whether Royal Guard, Grand Warden, Black Ice or Draconic set. High deflection is not needed as archer although I intend to stack it to above 1k soon anyway.
    Our pain is self chosen.

    The most important thing in life is to be yourself. Unless you can be Batman. Always be Batman.
  • jonkocajonkoca Member, NW M9 Playtest Posts: 2,586 Arc User
    edited September 2014
    At the moment, lifesteal all the way, pvp and pve. My regen stat is a big fat zero.
    No idea what my toon is now.
  • luxvideriluxvideri Member Posts: 13 Arc User
    edited September 2014
    ****!!! I should have asked everyone here earlier! I can change the equipments but can not change some boons I've chosen in the past. Well I'll try reallocating points from regeneration to lifesteal today and try the ability combinations you recommended to see how it goes.

    If the boss is separated from the mobs, which encounter is better to reduce the boss's defence? Thorn Ward or Commander Shot? I like Thorn Ward for its extra damage but Commander Shot is also not bad as Stag Heart can support the other team mates as well.
  • lirithiellirithiel Member, NW M9 Playtest Posts: 2,482 Arc User
    edited September 2014
    You can respec feats, boons and ability scores allocation with roughly 78k AD so it's not too late to make changes ;)

    Personally I prefer Thorn Ward over Commanding Shot. It's more damage overall and even if the animation sometimes bugs out, the casting time is still shorter than that of Commanding Shot. As archer I don't worry at all about melee encounters - switching stances means less time to pew pew ;)
    Our pain is self chosen.

    The most important thing in life is to be yourself. Unless you can be Batman. Always be Batman.
  • jrfbrunetjrfbrunet Member Posts: 388 Arc User
    edited September 2014
    Thorn ward is the best debuff an HR has for boss fights. Rain of Arrows is the best DPS-booster and is too small to worry about aggroing adds. For your third encounter: some people like Fox Shift melee (high DPS), some like Commanding shot, some like Stag Heart. I think that third slot is situational to match what the current party needs more of.

    Aspect of the Lone Wolf is not good for parties. Aspect of the pack will give constant Combat Advantage boost to DPS, which equates to more overall DPS and faster dungeon runs.

    As for the at-wills: during dungeon mob clearing, I'll have split shot and rapid-shot. For bosses, both Rapid shot and Aimed shot. It isn't very often that you have the opportunity to spam Aimed Shot because boss red zones and add red zones are just too prevalent. So rapid shot ensure consistent DPS.
    However, there are a few instances where you can spam Aimed shot, so slot it in the place of Split Shot for those specific boss fights.
    Where'd my blinky-blinky path go?
  • luxvideriluxvideri Member Posts: 13 Arc User
    edited September 2014
    lirithiel wrote: »
    You can respec feats, boons and ability scores allocation with roughly 78k AD so it's not too late to make changes ;)

    Ah yes, I totally forgot about this! Thanks!
    jrfbrunet wrote: »
    Aspect of the Lone Wolf is not good for parties. Aspect of the pack will give constant Combat Advantage boost to DPS, which equates to more overall DPS and faster dungeon runs.

    I think I will test between both to see which is better for me (if I manage aggro okay then Aspect of the Pack, if not yet then Aspect of the Lone Wolf at first). I think the other class feature can only be Twin-Blade Storm, right? Normally I use Twin Blade with Stormstep Action for reducing cool down (quite good sofar), but maybe for the whole team switching Stormstep Action to Aspect of the Pack will be better...
  • jrfbrunetjrfbrunet Member Posts: 388 Arc User
    edited September 2014
    Storm Step isn't as good as it used to be (though still viable). I read somewhere recently that Twin Blade will net significantly more DPS. However, all the passives are situational. Recently, I see better results from Serpent and Aspect of the Pack in typical dungeon groups.
    Where'd my blinky-blinky path go?
  • luxvideriluxvideri Member Posts: 13 Arc User
    edited September 2014
    jrfbrunet wrote: »
    Storm Step isn't as good as it used to be (though still viable). I read somewhere recently that Twin Blade will net significantly more DPS. However, all the passives are situational. Recently, I see better results from Serpent and Aspect of the Pack in typical dungeon groups.

    Isn't Serpent only good for Hybrid play style? I used to play hybrid before mod4, but since mod 4 I only play Archery.
  • jrfbrunetjrfbrunet Member Posts: 388 Arc User
    edited September 2014
    Yeah I like to use Fox shift melee, so it works for that. HR is one class that definitely has you switched out powers per situation.
    Where'd my blinky-blinky path go?
  • luxvideriluxvideri Member Posts: 13 Arc User
    edited September 2014
    Cool, I've just done an epic Frozen Throne and it went much better than before (my life steal actually helped me alot! and I didn't have too many problem with mobs during boss fight). Thank you all!

    Btw, which T2 Gears do you recommend for Archers? I planed on geting Dread Legion for T2.5 but I heard that it is quite difficult to get that gear so I'll work on T2 gears first. Many on the forum wrote that Royal Guard is one of the best gear sets (I guess because of the reducing cool down effect). But as that set doesn't give any Crit and gives regeneration in stead of life steal, do you think it is good for Archers?
  • lirithiellirithiel Member, NW M9 Playtest Posts: 2,482 Arc User
    edited September 2014
    Dread Legion requires a fair amount of VT farming. It's not so much about the drops but the currency needed to purchase the vendor items not available from the dungeon.

    There is some debate about which gear set is better, I run with the Royal Guard set and I have no issues with the absence of crit rating on the four pieces. It also means I can forego all ArP from the rest of my gear, aiming for stats like defence and lifesteal.
    Our pain is self chosen.

    The most important thing in life is to be yourself. Unless you can be Batman. Always be Batman.
  • stanelycstanelyc Member Posts: 19 Arc User
    edited September 2014
    If you have survive issue in PVE, use fox cunning.
    rain of arrow is very useful in boss fighting, split sky is too slow for boss fighting.

    and try electric shot replace split.

    Also forest ghost will help u when mobs all focus on u.
  • ikapamkikapamk Member, Neverwinter Beta Users Posts: 294 Bounty Hunter
    edited September 2014
    Lux, I use GW set for Archery and stack life steal in my few defense slots. For PvE, my top specs are Power, Crit & Pen, and Rec & Steal

    As for managing aggro in bosses, split the sky isn't a good idea. I keep it in because I'm lazy (Thorn, RoA, Split for everyday PvE). I would have said use constricting shot pre-mod4 for the 3 ticks (still prefer that mechanic) but commanding's not bad and what I've heard about fox shift makes me want to give it a try.
    Carpe Jugulum
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