Are there any abilities that you actually try and avoid using?

[LoreLady]

I try and avoid using snaring shot and precise shot - I would much rather use the shocker than precise shot due to much higher minimum damage.

[Fennir]

i use snaring all the time when i solo and i use precise often in grps cuz i have high critand i use them both on raids, esp. on AE mobs, in between autoattacks of course<div></div>

[USAFJeeper]

<DIV>I use snare alla time.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Precise shot, like the above poster,  I have high crit chance so its worthwhile to pop it off.  Normally I will see I am between autoatacks and nothing else is up so I pop it off for more damage.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>So yes, I use em.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <P>Message Edited by USAFJeeper on <SPAN class=date_text>04-12-2006</SPAN> <SPAN class=time_text>01:16 AM</SPAN></P><p>Message Edited by USAFJeeper on <span class=date_text>04-12-2006</span> <span class=time_text>01:16 AM</span>

[Blarth]

Only skill i really avoid is Confounding Arrow. Its too much work imo to coordinate it so that the tank gets the second attack off. If i am in dire need of dps I might throw it in but that hate gain can be deadly sometimes. I use snaring shot and precise shot all the time. With a 12sec recast on snaring and a 20sec recast on precise they are great to throw in when ever I have a dip in what skills i can use. Also snaring shot is a great way to start fighting when in group or raid. It has a low damage so as not to attract to much attention to yourself, then start building up your dps. On raid mobs, there shouldnt be a time where you are sitting on auto-fire for more than 5 seconds at the most. You can try to do it on heroic mobs but the will go down too fast sometimes. <div></div>

[LoreLady]

I find myself using confounding arrow over precise shot - I only use snaring shot when I am soloing. In groups I try and avoid snaring shot compleatly unless there are no other abilities to use.I find I get much better DPS using confounding arrow over snaring shot, and jumping in melee with longblade/emberstrike instead of precise shot. - Give it a try sometime you would be schocked at the jump you get when you avoid using some abilities.

[jarlaxle8]

<DIV> <BLOCKQUOTE> <HR> LoreLady wrote:<BR>I try and avoid using snaring shot and precise shot - I would much rather use the shocker than precise shot due to much higher minimum damage.<BR> <HR> </BLOCKQUOTE></DIV> <DIV>why would you avoid using those 2 CAs, or even any other CA? it's damage, and any damage is welcome.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>i usually use every CA if possible. except perhaps the selection line, which may pull adds.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>---------------------------<BR><A href="http://eq2players.station.sony.com/en/pplayer.vm?characterId=383113204" target=_self>Ryilan Nightbreeze </A><BR>---------------------------</DIV><p>Message Edited by jarlaxle888 on <span class=date_text>04-12-2006</span> <span class=time_text>04:11 PM</span>

[Dirtgirl]

The only 2 I DON'T use are the Hawk and Bounty   LOL<BR>Sad they were both the little extras to make t7 appealing.

[jarlaxle8]

<BR> <BLOCKQUOTE> <HR> Blarth wrote:<BR>Only skill i really avoid is Confounding Arrow. Its too much work imo to coordinate it so that the tank gets the second attack off. If i am in dire need of dps I might throw it in but that hate gain can be deadly sometimes.<BR> <HR> </BLOCKQUOTE> <P>the tank doesn't need to get the second attack off. the next person who gets hit from the mob will get the agro gain. at least it's like that if they didn't change it recently.</P> <P>---------------------------<BR><A href="http://eq2players.station.sony.com/en/pplayer.vm?characterId=383113204" target=_self>Ryilan Nightbreeze </A><BR>---------------------------<BR></P>

[TaleraRis]

<DIV>I'm careful about where I use NS, due to adds. But besides that, I try to use all the CAs I can. As another poster said, it's damage and any damage is good.</DIV>

[Deml]

<DIV>The only skill I have that I try not to use is defensive stance.  Aside from that, I use all the others whenever I possibly can.</DIV>

[Jay]

<P>I use most all of them... I don't think *avoiding* CAs helps your damage at all, it will lower DPS. Altering the order you use them is one thing, but dropping ranged arts from your routine isn't going to increase anything. </P> <P>Generally I don't bother with the Rip line, with def. stance, or with Bounty. Hawk is getting used a little more often but not all that frequently. But I will find some use for pretty much every damage-doing art we have. </P>

[AziBam]

<BR> <BLOCKQUOTE> <HR> jarlaxle888 wrote:<BR> <BR> <BLOCKQUOTE> <HR> Blarth wrote:<BR>Only skill i really avoid is Confounding Arrow. Its too much work imo to coordinate it so that the tank gets the second attack off. If i am in dire need of dps I might throw it in but that hate gain can be deadly sometimes.<BR> <HR> </BLOCKQUOTE> <P>the tank doesn't need to get the second attack off. the next person who gets hit from the mob will get the agro gain. at least it's like that if they didn't change it recently.</P> <P>---------------------------<BR><A href="http://eq2players.station.sony.com/en/pplayer.vm?characterId=383113204" target=_self>Ryilan Nightbreeze </A><BR>---------------------------<BR></P><BR> <HR> </BLOCKQUOTE><BR>OMG!  Nothing like 61 (almost 62) levels of reading it wrong.  After seeing your post I had to log in and read the description again.  I always thought it was what Blarth mentioned...that it is the next person to hit the mob that gains aggro...not the next person that the mob hits.  Huge difference.  That is fricking awesome.  One of my other toons is a tank and I had come to really value the Swashy and Assassin skills that dump hate onto the tank.  While ours isn't as good as that for aggro, it still makes it a valuable addition to the arsenal.  Plus, it's like a whole new CA to me now for causing damage.  Woohoo.  I honestly think I could count on my hands the number of times I have used this line of CAs in a group setting.  I already moved it up to the top hotbar and upgraded it since reading your post.  <img src="/smilies/3b63d1616c5dfcf29f8a7a031aaa7cad.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" />  TYVM   

[jarlaxle8]

<P>@Dkel</P> <P>you're welcome :smileyvery-happy: don't worry, your not the only ranger that read it wrong. it's probably because it WAS like that. it changed some time ago, i think at LU13.</P> <P>---------------------------<BR><A href="http://eq2players.station.sony.com/en/pplayer.vm?characterId=383113204" target=_self>Ryilan Nightbreeze </A><BR>---------------------------</P>

[Faelen]

Don't avoid using CA's if the alternative is doing nothing.  You should be able to go through all of your CA's.  Snaring Shot is one of the least useful for getting high dps, but I'll still use it if I've spammed all my ranged skills and its the only one left before coming in for melee CA's.<div></div>However, you should always use your snare melee art because of the heat debuff.  It helps 2 or 3 of your CA's do more damage, and if you're grouped with other classes that do heat damage, it will help the group as a whole.Anyone noticed they fixed bounty?  I actually use it now.  It puts the buff on the mob instead of on you, and when the mob dies, you get the bounty, even if you arent the last person to kill it.I use hawk mostly on raids to know when AE's go off and to help reduce aggro from my group.

[LoreLady]

<div></div><blockquote><hr>Jay42 wrote:<div></div> <p>I use most all of them... I don't think *avoiding* CAs helps your damage at all, it will lower DPS. Altering the order you use them is one thing, but dropping ranged arts from your routine isn't going to increase anything. </p> <p>Generally I don't bother with the Rip line, with def. stance, or with Bounty. Hawk is getting used a little more often but not all that frequently. But I will find some use for pretty much every damage-doing art we have. </p><hr></blockquote>I use the riplike ALOT - instead of using snaring shot or precise shot I find it MUCH more effective to use arrowrip/shockingthrust/lunging blade Instead of snaring shot or precise shot. I find that the dps values increase ALOT when you substitude these abilities in (short recasts to).If you use snare/snipe on pull it helps start out your DPS alot better IMO - espessally if you have a pally as a tank.I just see precise shot and snaring shot actually lowers my dps to t3 DPS so I avoid using them unless I am using focus aim at the time.Shocking thrust/arrowrip/lunging blade will hold 1k dps plus for you - snaring shot, holds about 625 dps (mastered), precise shot holds about 700-800 dps<p>Message Edited by LoreLady on <span class=date_text>04-13-2006</span> <span class=time_text>08:17 AM</span>

[A]

<DIV>I still stay away from any melee arts in raid.</DIV> <DIV>Main reason is that bow auto-attack averages 1500 to 1700 damage for me in raid and I do not want to disrupt that flow to get a 400 dmg melee skill in.........</DIV> <DIV> </DIV>

[LoreLady]

You have to stray away from thinking that 500 damage in a 0.5 second span is little damage - you have to take into account that you can use arrow/rip and shocking thrust to easilly get 1k damage. And even if your in a raid you can still jump in do about 1.8k with melee attack, jump out do those 1.4k hits you were talking about and continue using them..I also try and stray away from talking about raid DPS simply because its to dicy when you are only using ranged. On a typical mob grouped your going to use a good chunk of your ranged abilities for one fight, then use a mix for the next - its just the way it works.. What your talking about is "im staying away from AE's, so this is the only damage im going to do" type of thing.

[A]

<BR> <BLOCKQUOTE> <HR> LoreLady wrote:<BR>You have to stray away from thinking that 500 damage in a 0.5 second span is little damage - you have to take into account that you can use arrow/rip and shocking thrust to easilly get 1k damage. And even if your in a raid you can still jump in do about 1.8k with melee attack, jump out do those 1.4k hits you were talking about and continue using them..<BR><BR>I also try and stray away from talking about raid DPS simply because its to dicy when you are only using ranged. On a typical mob grouped your going to use a good chunk of your ranged abilities for one fight, then use a mix for the next - its just the way it works.. What your talking about is "im staying away from AE's, so this is the only damage im going to do" type of thing.<BR><BR><BR> <HR> </BLOCKQUOTE> <P><BR>It's not only that.</P> <P>When you jump into melee you disrupt the attack flow and your auto attack switch back to melee, when you back off to ranged it still is in melee and you get out of range message until you do a bow CA or think to click bow auto-attack button. Due to that you loose a lot of the increased dps you just got usign your melee CA. But yeah it's a question of choice. I specifically maxed ranged crit and did not get melee crit so I stay in ranged distance to maximise what benefit I can get out of my bow attacks.</P> <P> </P><p>Message Edited by Ail on <span class=date_text>04-13-2006</span> <span class=time_text>09:12 AM</span>

[LoreLady]

"It's not only that. <p>When you jump into melee you disrupt the attack flow and your auto attack switch back to melee, when you back off to ranged it still is in melee and you get out of range message until you do a bow CA or think to click bow auto-attack button. Due to that you loose a lot of the increased dps you just got usign your melee CA. But yeah it's a question of choice. I specifically maxed ranged crit and did not get melee crit so I stay in ranged distance to maximise what benefit I can get out of my bow attacks."- Ali</p><p>I have ranged expertise 4 - and dont have enough AA's yet for  poise or maxing ranged. But, if you time it right you dont stay in melee long enough to worry about that. I can jump in 5 min range, use longblade, emberstrike(or rangers blade whatever is up), arrow rip, shocking thrust, lunging blade, and mortal reminder and be out in time for my next attack. Although it is difficult finding that "sweet spot" it does make a huge diffrence. </p>And if you take it a step further - ask yourself. Why are all these rangers complaining about DPS? It is because our attacks that lap the times between our recast timers on melee are taking a large dip in our DPS. Thus precise shot and snaring shot.. Now keep in mind emberstrike/longblade are AMAZING for keeping up to t1 dps.Also - on a side note, I rarely raid. So I dont like to use figures for raids or go ahead and say whats wrong with DPS at raiding. I am going by my dps in groups, and what others are parsing around me. And I look at what is wrong or right in those situations, rather than go ahead and say something that is constant and goes for 3 minutes or so. Because some classes run out of abilities faster than others on raids, some classes are geared for longterm fights than others (necros forinstance). When you are talking raids a necro or any dot class will be on the high end than they should be - however they are WAY overpowering now though.<p></p><div></div>

[A]

<P>Different fighting style that are both good <img src="/smilies/3b63d1616c5dfcf29f8a7a031aaa7cad.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" /></P> <P>I do melee in group but it's more based on my stash of arrows or my mood of the moment....( if I'm low on arrows, and we fighting greenies, darn right I'm gonna melee...).</P> <P> </P> <P> </P>