Raid DPS vs. Ranger help

[Baelor_xev]

I need some help re: my raid dps, or maybe a possible explanation.  There is a ranger in my guild that within the last 2 weeks has gone from just making the parse to beating me 50% of the time.  Its been a drastic change, yet I haven't seen any change in his gear (Mine is better by a bit) and I have more aa's.The top 5 are usually Necro, Conj, necro, zerker tank, and me (depending on the fight) with me and the conjurors  fighting it out for the top 3.  From time to time our Swashie will beat me as well.  Quite suddenly, the ranger is now beating me half the time and we are now within 2 spots on the parse.  This is great for the raid's success, but bad for my ego.  I'm wondering if I am doing something wrong or can better optimize.Baseline: All melee CAs are ad3 or master.  I use master's caustic and I have been playing around with master's hemo (I find that the cost/performance between master and grandmaster leans toward the former.  This is something that I apparently need to reconsider).My normal sequence goes like this:Start encounter in stealthPuncture blade followed by malignant mark (m2)concealment->crippling->eviscerate->jugular->(slaughtersault + cloaked assault) or (killing blade + puncture blade)flowing wound->scraping blow->deadly wound->freezing strike(masked attack + punture blade) or Malignant mark depending on which is up firstReapply the above as they come upI try to time exacting to be in affect when I use finishing blowI left debuff stuff out since that doesn't effect the difference between the ranger and me.There is a small amount of time when no melee CAs are up...is it worth dropping back into ranged even though those CAs have such long cast timers?Other than getting grandmaster poisons, [Removed for Content] am I doing wrong?  Should I be doing the DOTs before the concealment chain?  Should I be pausing more between CAs to allow for autoattack?Thanks,-bae<div></div>

[Wolfvi]

<P>Something you didn't mention which I'm curious is your group make up. Do you have a melee dps group? Or are you just put any were?</P> <P>For me I sit in the melee dps group consisting of a Ranger, Assassin (me), Brigand, Illusionist, Inquisitor, Dirge. The dirges blade chim and Illusionist buffs make us a dps machine but thats just me two cents. </P>

[t0gar]

With your order it seems to me like your CA's would be down a lot of the time. I tend to hit the faster refreshers first so they're back up when i'm done using the longer timers. And yes, use ranged attacks! A quick 6k dmg is easy to accomplish with even a crappy bow. And you might want to consider using that seemingly useless makeshift ability when charging back in from ranged, it'll put you back into auto attack and kill some time between that nasty 7 sec delay from your bow. Did the ranger recently get more masters? Has he been getting better groups and/or you worse? Has he gotten a better bow or arrows? All those will drastically effect DPS, but if you're better equiped you should still be beating him right now. Stick with GM poison if you can afford it, it's usually cheaper to have an alchy friend make it. I personally can't afford it, but all the other raiding scouts do buy them and they still can't match my DPS(except the swashy) so it's not really that important if you're broke. The rangers, from what I understand, also get better AA's than us this time around so that may be the cause. They should be on par with us anyways, but it's always better to be ahead. <div></div>

[Baelor_xev]

Thanks for the replies.Yeah, I forgot to mention a few things.  I was in the same group with the Ranger last night with the same results, so the group makeup was the same for us both.  Our guild has a serious shortage of bards and chanters.I think I'm going to start doing my dots after the initial puncture and mark.  That way I can make sure I have proper position for the concealment chain.  nothing pisses me off more than kicking conceal off and losing the mobs back.puncture, mask, dots, concealment chain, dots, mask, bow attacks Rinse and repeat will be my experiment tonight.-bae<div></div>

[Jayad]

<P>I do it this way:  start in stealth, the dot aoe, then I debuff.  Optionally start temporary buffs at this point.  Then I hit all the dots, one after another.  If there's a brigand in the raid, usually right about them he lands dispatch and I run all the stealth attacks in a row.  Then it's pretty much hitting stuff as it comes up.  </P> <P>It's important to give a few seconds for debuffs to hit.  Not having the right group buffs will seriously hurt your dps.  </P> <P>Couple of questions:</P> <OL> <LI>What weapons are you using?</LI> <LI>Is there any way you can get some better group buffs?  Like getting an inquis or something, or a bruiser in the group, even if you don't have bards/chanters?</LI> <LI>What is your STR at?  </LI></OL>

[Defianc3]

I like MT Grps when i'm raiding but thats just me, our set up for MT Grp is.GuardianAssassin (Me)DirgeFury (Agitate/Vim)Defiler (Str Grp Buff)TemplarKick [expletive haxx0red by Raijinn] MT Grp, im giving direct hate to our tank and i can withstand the big AOE's because of extra miti/resists and Grp Heals.Should try to get a Grp set up that will compliment you most, it really does make a big difference, but still even without buffs Rangers can't really touch me unless their packin t8 arrows with either T's Bow or Ancestral Sarnak Warbow, and my cooldowns have to be going.<div></div>

[khufure]

<div><blockquote><hr>Xney wrote:<div></div> <p>I do it this way:  start in stealth, the dot aoe, then I debuff.  Optionally start temporary buffs at this point.  Then I hit all the dots, one after another.  If there's a brigand in the raid, usually right about them he lands dispatch and I run all the stealth attacks in a row.  Then it's pretty much hitting stuff as it comes up.  </p> <p>It's important to give a few seconds for debuffs to hit.  Not having the right group buffs will seriously hurt your dps.  </p> <p>Couple of questions:</p> <ol> <li>What weapons are you using?</li> <li>Is there any way you can get some better group buffs?  Like getting an inquis or something, or a bruiser in the group, even if you don't have bards/chanters?</li> <li>What is your STR at?  </li></ol><hr></blockquote>Put your temp buffs on before the pull if you can.  Well, the haste + dps increase anyway.  Leading in with cloaked assault (AOE DOT) is optimal.  The rest of the DOTs next is also best.  The brigand with dispatch (etc.) is important to have in place before you unload concealment + friends.  If you don't have a brigand, scout classes and some priest classes have quite a lot of debuffs they land that can make a big difference in your dps.  Give it 10-15s before you unload.Your gear & group can make a huge difference.  Make sure to have +dps and +haste gear as much as you can.  This is even more important than str, or at least str past ~600.This has been discussed way too much but the buffs that are good for assassins..Tier 1:dirge (blade chime, str, DKTM, etc)illusionist (haste, int, power, etc)Tier 2:troubador (DKTM, jester, pwer, de-aggro, etc).berserker (STR, berserk)Fury (Agitate, VIM, great healing to avoid having to joust, and more)Inquisitor (DPS, melee proc, faster cast times, heals)Tier 3:Wizard (STR, INT, Phoenix blade melee proc)Warlock (+ melee skills (!!), melee proc) - should warllock be in tier 2 now?Conjuror (Ember seed, resist buffs)Bruiser (Dps buff, str buff)Crusader (STR, melee proc, amends)I'm sure I'm forgetting a few.</div>