Master II Path suggestions....

[Snipe]

<p>Hi all,</p><p>I found this list on a sticky and was hoping to ask some of the more experienced (higher level) Rangers what they recommend based on their experience. I realize that some of these may seem a good idea to choose, but are not very practical.</p><p><b><u>Master Choices</u></b> Level 14 Master IIShadow BladeBleedHunter's InstinctImpale Level 24 Master IIWounding ArrowMakeshift ArrowsShadowflameShadow Lunge Level 34 Master IIMiracle ShotPouncing AttackSalvage ArrowsCrippling Arrow Level 44 Master IIHidden FireTriple FireBlazing ThrustLeg Shot Level 54 Master IIBackup QuiverDire BladeFatal ReminderStealthy Fire Level 64 Master IILongbladeDevitalizing ArrowFocus AimSelection</p>

[Crowe]

I'd be curious to see this as well. One thing I can actually provide decent advice on myself is a few to AVOID!<span class="postbody">Makeshift Arrows</span><span class="postbody">Salvage Arrows</span><span class="postbody">Backup QuiverCompared to the Apprentice/Adept versions, all they do is increase the number of crappy arrows you have. </span><img src="/eq2/images/smilies/283a16da79f3aa23fe1025c96295f04f.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" width="15" height="15" />

[Turtle]

<p>I would go</p><p>Lvl 14 - Hunter's Instinct or Shadow Blade</p><p>Lvl 24 - Wounding Arrow</p><p>Lvl 34 - Crippling Arrow</p><p>Lvl 44 - Which ever RANGED one cost the most to get Master I (probably Leg Shot or Hidden Fire)</p><p>Lvl 54 - Stealthy Fire</p><p>Lvl 64 - Devitalizing Arrow or Focus Aim...Please note I know roughly what the CAs do just havnt looked in a long time and never achived this level to pick.</p>

[Ranja]

<cite>Snipe wrote:</cite><blockquote><p>Hi all,</p><p>I found this list on a sticky and was hoping to ask some of the more experienced (higher level) Rangers what they recommend based on their experience. I realize that some of these may seem a good idea to choose, but are not very practical.</p><p><b><u>Master Choices</u></b> Level 14 Master II<b>Shadow Blade </b>- Highest damage CA - good if you group all the timeBleed<i>Hunter's Instinct</i> - nice buff at this level which will help your solo gameImpale Level 24 Master II<b>Wounding Arrow</b>Makeshift ArrowsShadowflameShadow Lunge Level 34 Master IIMiracle ShotPouncing AttackSalvage Arrows<b>Crippling Arrow</b> Level 44 Master IIHidden Fire<b>Triple Fire - </b>One of our best CAs. The faster recast time than hidden makes this my choice b.c you will use it way more.Blazing ThrustLeg Shot Level 54 Master IIBackup QuiverDire BladeFatal Reminder<b>Stealthy Fire</b> Highest damage CA. The rest of your choices are not that good in this tier. Level 64 Master IILongbladeDevitalizing Arrow<b>Focus Aim</b> - Our best DPS buff. I chose Devit arrrow because the M1 of Focus on my server is really cheap. and M1 of devit is expensive. Selection</p></blockquote>It is really dependent on your playstyle. But I have highlighted what I would choose and the reasons why. I was all about grouping and DPS so I went with the high damage CAs and I am sort of a min/maxer as well. Again, if you solo you might choose differently. In all, dont worry too much about your first choice b/c you will outgrow it so fast.

[Vatec]

<cite>Snipe wrote:</cite><blockquote><p>Hi all,</p><p>I found this list on a sticky and was hoping to ask some of the more experienced (higher level) Rangers what they recommend based on their experience. I realize that some of these may seem a good idea to choose, but are not very practical.</p><p><b><u>Master Choices</u></b> Level 14 Master IIShadow BladeBleed--  Hunter's Instinct  --  I took this at 14 and am still using it at 49; the 8.3% in-combat speed increase I get from Master II of this is worth more to me when I solo than any amount of extra Agility I would get from the "appropriate" level version of the spell.Impale Level 24 Master II--  Wounding Arrow  --  I took this at 24 and used it for a long time.  I'm a Ranger, I'm going improve my bow attacks in preference to melee attacks since I'll use the bow attacks a lot more often.  And Makeshift Arrows would be a total waste of a Master II slot.Makeshift ArrowsShadowflameShadow Lunge Level 34 Master IIMiracle ShotPouncing AttackSalvage Arrows--  Crippling Arrow  --  I took this because it's not only a hard-hitting attack but also a nice debuff that makes it easier to continue hitting the monster.  I can see Miracle Shot also being worthwhile, though I wouldn't consider it quite as good a choice unless you can get Crippling Arrow Master I really cheap somehow. Level 44 Master IIHidden FireTriple FireBlazing Thrust--  Leg Shot  --  I took this because I solo a lot and having a Master II snare is really helpful.  This was, however, the toughest choice yet because both Hidden Fire and Triple Fire are also great choices.  I don't regret my choice though:  I use Leg Shot at least two or three times per fight when kiting green ^^^ monsters. Level 54 Master IIBackup QuiverDire Blade??  Fatal Reminder  ????  Stealthy Fire  ??  I'm planning on choosing one of these:  one is a nice debuff, the other is a hard-hitting starting move for a fight.  Either would be worthwhile.  Dire Blade wouldn't be a total waste, but I can't see using it anywhere near as often as the other two.  And Backup Quiver would be ... silly. Level 64 Master IILongblade??  Devitalizing Arrow  ????  Focus Aim  ????  Selection  ??  Haven't decide yet, but almost certainly one of these three.  Currently leaning toward Devitalizing Arrow unless something changes between now and level 64 (which should be in about two weeks at my current leveling rate).</p></blockquote>

[Thavek]

<b>"<span class="postbody">the 8.3% in-combat speed"</span></b><span class="postbody">Does this increase in combat Run speed or melee attack speed?</span>

[Deterre]

My choices are in green<span class="postbody"><p>Level 14 Master IIShadow BladeBleed<span style="color: #33ff33;">Hunter's Instinct</span>Impale Level 24 Master II<span style="color: #33ff00;">Wounding Arrow</span>Makeshift ArrowsShadowflameShadow Lunge Level 34 Master IIMiracle Shot<span style="color: #33ff33;">Pouncing Attack</span>Salvage ArrowsCrippling Arrow Level 44 Master IIHidden fireTriple FireBlazing Thrust<span style="color: #33ff33;">Leg Shot</span> Level 54 Master IIBackup QuiverDire BladeFatal Reminder<span style="color: #33ff33;">Stealthy fire</span></p><p> Level 64 Master IILongbladeDevitalizing Arrow<span style="color: #33ff33;">Focus Aim</span>Selection</p></span> <div align="right"> </div>

[Snipe]

<p>Thank you everyone for the feedback!</p><p>Two questions:</p><p>1- Can these be changed by any means (quest, NPC, etc)....after you have selected them?</p><p>2- All Master II's are dropped from Epic mobs right? So it is possible to get one of the CA's on the list of choices to Master II level if you get the drop?</p><p>Thanks for the help.</p>

[Lukoi66]

<p>You get M2's when you hit a certain gateway level, like 64 you get a choice of those last four listed for example.</p><p>Not sure on changing them.</p>

[Kaldrin]

I think if you betray it resets all your spells, does it not?

[Gareorn]

<cite>Deterrent wrote:</cite><span class="postbody"> <blockquote><p>Level 64 Master IILongbladeDevitalizing Arrow<span style="color: #33ff33;">Focus Aim</span>Selection</p><div align="right"></div></blockquote></span>This would be the prefered way to go.  However, I ended up with Selection because, at the time, Dev arrow and Focus was on the broker for a couple plat each and Selection was not available.  That was a long time ago, but I'd still check the broker prices at a minimum before deciding. If you are a low enough level, you can check the broker regularly and do a trend analysis on prices.

[Beldin_]

<cite>Crowe wrote:</cite><blockquote>I'd be curious to see this as well. One thing I can actually provide decent advice on myself is a few to AVOID!<span class="postbody">Makeshift Arrows</span><span class="postbody">Salvage Arrows</span><span class="postbody">Backup QuiverCompared to the Apprentice/Adept versions, all they do is increase the number of crappy arrows you have. </span><img src="/eq2/images/smilies/283a16da79f3aa23fe1025c96295f04f.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" width="15" height="15" /></blockquote><p>Hey .. i took them all <img src="/eq2/images/smilies/283a16da79f3aa23fe1025c96295f04f.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY<img src="/smilies/283a16da79f3aa23fe1025c96295f04f.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" />" width="15" height="15" /></p><p>Back in the days when poison/procs were 50-60% of our damage and autoattack just 10% .. lol <img src="/eq2/images/smilies/8a80c6485cd926be453217d59a84a888.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY<img src="/smilies/8a80c6485cd926be453217d59a84a888.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" />" width="15" height="15" /></p><p>Not to mentioned that i ran out of arrows after 4-5 hours in SoS even with using it all the time, and having 1600 arrows in the quiver <img src="http://forums.station.sony.com/eq2/images/smilies/2786c5c8e1a8be796fb2f726cca5a0fe.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" width="15" height="15" /></p>

[Vatec]

<cite>Thavek wrote:</cite><blockquote><b>"<span class="postbody">the 8.3% in-combat speed"</span></b><span class="postbody">Does this increase in combat Run speed or melee attack speed?</span></blockquote>Supposedly it's in-combat run speed.  I'm taking it on faith that I'm 2.3% faster than I would be using Master I of one of the later buffs, but I can't think of any way to test it that wouldn't be painfully laborious.And to the other poster's question:  you can reset these choices using /respec, but you have to be careful when reselecting to make sure you don't accidentally choose to overwrite a Master I you paid for or looted with a Master II....  And, of course, you only get one free respec unless you claim your card from the Achievement Counselor in the Mage Tower.  That gives you more respecs in case you're indecisive (or the game changes in some drastic fashion).

[Versan]

I don't remember getting anything at 14, but I was 19 when I came back to the game and may not have been paying attention when I clicked through all of the stuff that was backlogged on my character from past updates. At 24, I took Shadow Lunge, though apparently, Wounding Arrow would have been the right decision. I chose SL for it's place in my stun-flank attack-stealth attack combo, currently cheapshot-sneak attack-shadow lunge. Going M2 let me make this a nasty finisher and with luck and some good poison hits, I can drop an even from about 40% health at 27. Did I whiff on choosing SL over WA? I'm also way behind on AA pts because I was already 19 when I started playing again and 24 or 25 before I got the expansions that allowed me to use them. Right now I've got 10pts, 1 in bounty, 8 in AGI, 1 in point blank shot.

[Vatec]

<cite>Versan@Antonia Bayle wrote:</cite><blockquote>I don't remember getting anything at 14, but I was 19 when I came back to the game and may not have been paying attention when I clicked through all of the stuff that was backlogged on my character from past updates. At 24, I took Shadow Lunge, though apparently, Wounding Arrow would have been the right decision. I chose SL for it's place in my stun-flank attack-stealth attack combo, currently cheapshot-sneak attack-shadow lunge. Going M2 let me make this a nasty finisher and with luck and some good poison hits, I can drop an even from about 40% health at 27. Did I whiff on choosing SL over WA? I'm also way behind on AA pts because I was already 19 when I started playing again and 24 or 25 before I got the expansions that allowed me to use them. Right now I've got 10pts, 1 in bounty, 8 in AGI, 1 in point blank shot.</blockquote>Shadow Lunge probably isn't "optimal" but at your level, you're still meleeing a lot anyway, so I doubt it's a major issue.  As for AAs, you should catch up pretty quick.  Just do quests and make sure you kill every named mob you run across.  On the AGI line, you should probably stop at 4 in AGI.  That's all you need in order to move on to Point Blank Shot.  I went 4-4-6-8-1 in the AGI tree and I believe that's fairly standard, since it maximizes your ranged critical chance and gets you to the end ability fastest.  Again, I doubt it will hurt much to put 8 in the first ability, but I suspect that, if you're like most Rangers, you're already getting enough AGI from your equipment and buffs....

[FiveFootStep]

<cite>Snipe wrote:</cite><blockquote><p>Hi all,</p><p>I found this list on a sticky and was hoping to ask some of the more experienced (higher level) Rangers what they recommend based on their experience. I realize that some of these may seem a good idea to choose, but are not very practical.</p><p><b><u>Master Choices</u></b> Level 14 Master IIShadow BladeBleedHunter's Instinct<span style="color: #ff0000;">Impale</span> Level 24 Master IIWounding ArrowMakeshift ArrowsShadowflame<span style="color: #ff0000;">Shadow Lunge</span> Level 34 Master IIMiracle ShotPouncing AttackSalvage Arrows<span style="color: #ff0000;">Crippling Arrow</span> Level 44 Master IIHidden FireTriple FireBlazing Thrust<span style="color: #ff0000;">Leg Shot <--- this is the second most important master 2 you can get as a ranger who solo's... this is the biggest snare in the game for us at the moment.</span> Level 54 Master IIBackup QuiverDire BladeFatal Reminder<span style="color: #ff0000;">Stealthy Fire</span> Level 64 Master IILongbladeDevitalizing Arrow<span style="color: #ff0000;">Focus Aim</span>Selection</p></blockquote>