Tactics: Soloing groups of MoBs

[Sulas]

OK, it's been a while.  There are some really great threads on ranger solo tactics against solo MoBs.  I've actually spent some time on the beach in EL (I just dinged 33) and think I'm well on my way to honing my solo skills.  A single yellow > Turtle (it 34/ me 32) posed little threat so long as I got off my Bow CAs.  I can probably drop them before I hit 75% health. On the other hand, when I was tooling around Antonica, just beginning to learn my new abilities ( and I'm sure this is part of the problem) I inadvertantly aggroed 5 Scarecrows (22-24^) and I was quickly overwhelmed and decided to Escape when the HP was dropping too quickly for comfort. The Question: Will any more capable Rangers share their tactics and limitations in taking on groups of linked MoBs.  I think I could do 2 even cons, as long as I jumped them, since I'm certain one of them wouldn't even get to me alive.  But how about 3 blues? 3 whites?  4 greens? etc... What is your approach? TIA. e <div></div>

[Zholain]

<div></div><font size="2">Well...I wouldn't define myself as being more capable...but maybe I just have a few more miles of grass under my boots. For starters. if you're not already doing so, load up the defensive stance for linked encounters.  I have found it to not be as critical for solo encounters, but it really seems to help if you're fighting multiple mobs....and get it to at least adept 1. Secondly, try to position yourself so that all mobs are in front of you.  If possible, don't let them get around to your extreme left or right(the defensive stance does a really nice job of deflecting frontal attacks as long as they're non-magical). Use your debuffs...all of them...not just the piercing/slashing debuffs, but the ones incorporated into the snares as well.  You need to bring down the first 1 or 2 creatures as quickly as possible, otherwise the group as a whole will beat you senseless.  If you get the first one down fast, then you will more than likely have enough health left to outlast the rest of the bad guys.  So don't be overly concerned with power conservation on the first guy. Sorry, I"m at work or I'd go a little farther.  At least this might be a starting point...or a chance for my ranger brethren to point out my idiocy.....<span>:womanhappy:</span> Good luck! </font><div></div><p>Message Edited by Zholain on <span class=date_text>09-20-2005</span> <span class=time_text>03:25 PM</span>

[chanaho]

   As always, Zholains advice is sound and what is needed.      Its also nice if you can eliminate one damage source for awhile. One I have found beneficial for multiples is a twist on what is already being touted and that is to use cheap shot or evade to put some distance between you and the bad guy. The problem is cheap shot gives you a nice 6 secs but they charge back to you right after stun is off while evade only slows there advance and by the time you stop there half way to you..    What I have been doing on multiples (after the pulls or if jumped) is right off using evade then cheapshot on one, then backpeddal and pull the extra 1-3 with me.  Run back as far as you need to put some distance between you and the stunned one but stop before the stun breaks. Now pick one bad guy to pound on (hopefully its only one). You can also pick the one you want to whack on while running back and loose a crippling arrow on him before you stop.    Once the stun wears off on the first it is now a slow crawl before he gets to you, and must travel as far as you ran before hes a problem but hopefully your down one bad guy. Rinse and repeat. The nice thing about this is your almost always taking damage from the number of bad guys minus 1   This also works great for singles, it gives a whole lot more time to get off an arrow volley    <div></div>

[seabhac]

Another thing I noticed I was doing was turning off my auto attacks as soon as I hit Cheap Shot.  Before LU13, you had to do that so as to not break your stun.  Now, you definately don't because you'd be missing out on any extra auto attack damage.  They only time you really need to turn off your auto attack now is when you are going to use a stealth based CA. <div></div>

[Jay]

<P>"A few more miles of grass under my boots" - I really like that, Zho. <img src="/smilies/3b63d1616c5dfcf29f8a7a031aaa7cad.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" /></P> <P>Group encounters are fun and exciting for the solo ranger. Here's four greens or blue single-downs using the Untamed Ferocity (tm) approach to soloing:</P> <P>1. If necessary, buff with Focus Fire. Then, Culling > Triple > Sharp Shot on the first victim, preferably a caster or healer type. He dies before closing to melee.  If possible, switch targets and hit a Leg Shot, Storm of Arrows, and/or Debilitating Shot on the second victim before the mob arrives. SoA and Debilitating can be fired on the move, so I'll kite a bit here.</P> <P>2. Three left. As soon as mob closes to melee, I make some split-second choices. If one of the remaining targets is in the orange or red from my second volley (esp. if SoA was involved), I'll use frontal melee arts and HOs to take it down fast. If everything is still relatively healthy, I'll Cheap Shot the one with lowest health immediately, then use whatever flank / rear attacks I can to bring him down. </P> <P>3. Two left - I hit the next with Ensnare and back off while using whatever extended melee or ranged arts I have ready - Debilitating Shot, Survival of the Fittest, Deadly Reminder, etc - this will soften up the next victim. After they close to melee again, use HOs to finish him off. </P> <P>4. One left and he's dead already, but doesn't realize it yet. By now my Cheap Shot and a few ranged attacks have refreshed, so I stun him and either Longshank > Crippling Blade or Triple Fire / Sharp Shot for the final kill. </P> <P>Because greens or blue arrow-downs are generally pretty weak (to me at my level), I don't switch stances when soloing them. I prefer the higher damage output and the increased chance to proc over the defensive gains - I subscribe to the "best defense is a good offense" strategy in those situations. With whites or yellows, I'll often start in offensives stance and switch to defense if I'm taking a lot of dmg or I'm stuck in an extended melee situation. In the above scenario, I'm leaving several key tricks up my sleeve in case I need them - namely Honed Reflexes, Feral Instinct, and Focus Fire. If I break out Honed Reflexes and Feral Instinct at the same time, melee mobs go down WAY faster. But on greens or weak blues, I don't tend to need them.</P> <P>Hope this helps. I know some of the tools I'm using aren't available at earlier levels, but the overall strategy should still apply. Keep in mind that this is very aggressive approach, and not applicable to all situations. Void where prohibited. Results may vary; use only as directed. In case of rash, night sweats, or nausea, contact a physician.</P>

[Halade]

<DIV>Another tactic I have employed is to use my snares against an add that i'm not attacking.  If I pull with a bow CA I hit another add with a slow/snare and try and keep that up while i'm killing one.  This can work on 3-4 mobs to because one is typically dead by the time the mob gets to me.  I think Jay made the suggestion in another post to pull with the surveil line, then hit with a stealth bow ca, etc.  The extra distance lets you get off a few extra bow CA's/auto attack and make a big difference.  Switching stances as necessary.  </DIV>

[Chyad]

<P>For Jay42</P> <P>I noticed you said that you prefer not to use defensive stance on green/blue down-arrows. I did some testing the other night to find out how well the stances worked with leather and chain (the armor switching was to see the effect lighter armor had on defence). This was on a 35 ranger btw.</P> <P>My non-scientific observations were that defensive stance was even less help in white/yellow down arrows, even level even cons, and green/blue one ups. The loss of offensive ability made me miss/get blocked/not proc poison (etc) so much that even though they missed more I still ended the fight with low health.Conversely, with offensive stance running I generally had no problem in any of these situations unless I was just unlucky with my attacks in which case on the higher mobs the lack of defense usually meant I had to high-tail it outa there.</P> <P>So my question is, have you noticed this or is it just a feature of only being level 35?</P> <P>For the record, all my skills are adept 1 or higher, the armor was pristine feyiron chain or pristine etched leather. And in case anyone was wondering, the difference between full chain and full leather in defensive mode was only ~4%</P>

[gossi]

For multiple mob encounters this is what I do: Prep: poison(s)*, archery offensive stance, any proc`able weapons/gear 1. get just in range of the targets 2. Target the center mob or in certain circumstances, the mob nearest to the most other mobs 3. Natural Instinct 4. Storm of Arrows (Most mobs should be dead or yellow/red by now) 5. You should still have time to tab through, select the closest mob 6. Leg shot that mob 7. Next tab to next closest 8. Foresters noose 9. Ranged CA's 10. auto attack ranged if they are at a distance, melee if....well if close to you.... (for most instances steps 5-9 are not needed, mostly because solo groups dont hit hard enough or are dead before it comes into play) You will also have to do some maneuvering at times, you can figure that out on your own. Once you get it down you can do it in your sleep.  For the occational time that a mob or friend will get to you, click twice on your defensive stance (first to cancel offensive stance, second to cast defensive stance) to try and lessen the blows on you.  This works great for soloing heroic encounters in the various open air zones. Linyen Ranger Fires of Heaven *high DD, low DoT poisons are the best for rangers and soloing due to the proc rates <div></div>