Ranged recommendations?

[Dorega]

<DIV>A level 28 pally here and have never had anything in ranged.  Tradeskiller with over 80G in bank (some for level 30 upgrades) but want to know what to buy.  I see a bunch of hex dolls for 50G with a slow.  Is this the way to go?  I am assuming I will wait until the level 30 doll.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Thanks for any advice in advance.</DIV>

[Cedri]

Unfortunately, crusaders cannot use any ranged slot items at all, at least yet (I've heard they are working on adding in something for us). Hex dolls are equipped in your 'Activatable' slots, so you can have 2 equipped at once.

[Paintball33]

<DIV>i personally would like to have more activable slots instead of a ranged wep. In your 40s you get long range spells (not there yet, so dont know how "long" range it is), so that MIGHT replace a ranged wep. Also, I feel like we need more activable slots, right now i have a +10 str doll, and manastone. I'd really like to add a +10-12 Sta doll and a horse whistle if i ever make enough money. Also there's those nice things from the lines that go to activable slot.</DIV>

[SanJ]

<DIV>The slots under your character portrait in inventory view are as follows:</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>from left to right (activateable slot 1, activateable slot 2, primary weapon, secondary weapon (shield or both primary and secondary used when wielding a 2-hander), ranged weapon, ammo for ranged weapon.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>We can use the first 4 slots as a crusader class, but are restricted at the moment on slots 5-6 (ranged).  It will be nice to eventually have a ranged slot filler primarily to increase our stats similar to the stat increases other tank classes receive from bows, etc.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>A few do not know that you can drag and drop activateable slots 1 and 2 onto your hotkey bars and treat them just like attacks.  In the case of a hex doll, equipping the item will automatically grant the +ATTR like STR, AGI, STA, WIS, etc.  Selecting the hotkey placed on your bar will cast the rune effect on a mob.  If you have a horse whistle equipped for example, you may press the hotkey button on the hotkey bar (after you drag from inventory view to a hotkey bar) and it will "whistle" for your horse without have to go into inventory view and right click the whistle and "use/call."  </DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>I tend to keep two STA hex dolls in activateable slots 1 and 2 for the stat modifier bonuses.  When I need a horse, I hit "i" for inventory, drag and drop my whistle, call my horse and then immediately switch back to the hex doll.  The whistle doesn't need to remain in the slot to keep the horse active.  If I'm in a situation that requires the manastone, I either swap out a doll for the stone as require, and switch back after a cast, or I just keep the manastone equipped and suffer the loss of the +12 STA if I'm using the manastone frequently.  It's very helpful to drag and drop the activateable slot to your hotkeys.  Using the manastone is as simple as pressing a button in the middle of combat without having to dig through UI windows!</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>On that same note, one may drag and drop the jewelry slots to hotkey bars for fast casts.  I have both my rings on a hotkey bar and I just push the appropriate buttons to cast my imbues.  Since you can't have two of the same stat modifer on rings and receive benefits, I have 4 total rings, STA, STR, WIS, AGI.  I equip them in pairs, cast both stat buffs, swap out the two rings and cast again (all through hotkeys).  Once the timer runs out, I cast the current 2 equipped, and swap 2 again and continue to rinse and repeat.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>I hope this helps!</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Thanks,</DIV> <DIV>Kalen</DIV>

[Paintball33]

yes i did know about that and I currently use the hotbar for my jewelry/activable. I use my manastone often because i can't get a screaming mace yet. i tend to not use my STR hex doll effect, because of it's 12sec casting and small effect, so i just keep it for the str. I'd really like to replace it for sta soon, but im in no situation to do that yet. as for the horse whistle, i didn't know you could unequip it once your on ur horse, that definately helps.

[SanJ]

<DIV>I use the hex when I'm out of mana and there's nothing else to do to help the group <img src="/smilies/3b63d1616c5dfcf29f8a7a031aaa7cad.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" />  The hex does not cost power and according to the description would/should contine to benefit the party to some degree.  My STA versions lower the mobs melee mitigation I believe which is good since I'm just swinging away with no power in melee mode <img src="/smilies/3b63d1616c5dfcf29f8a7a031aaa7cad.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" /></DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>One aspect I dread is with a soon replacement to my now Shiny Brass Shield, having enough light without changing torch intensity or gamma on my PC (love the contract currently on screen).  The SBS works like 1+ torches and loosing it will require me to either make contrast changes or tinker in dark places with a torch.  Anyone know if other tier 5 uber shields have a light effect like SBS?</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>I could use a batman utility belt for my activateables to reduce all the swapping of items which I believe was the original intent of the first post--wanting more activateable slots <img src="/smilies/3b63d1616c5dfcf29f8a7a031aaa7cad.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" />  Of course if they made slots 5-6 nonranged and activateable we'd not use torches or whistels anyway but two more hex dolls or one hex doll and the manastone so go figure <img src="/smilies/69934afc394145350659cd7add244ca9.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" /></DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Thanks,<BR>Kalen</DIV>

[Auron]

<DIV>honestly the reason we dont have a ranged weapon is because all of our nukes we can cast on the run, from a kiting standpoint that gives us to much promise im thinkin, but as someone said i hear they gona hook us up with something in the coming update.... i would love a bow for nothing more then the procs.</DIV>

[Dorega]

<P>Reply posts have been very helpful - thanks a ton.  Guess I will put some hex in the activatables.</P> <P>What does a manastone do?  Any other major classes of activatables I should be looking at?</P> <P> </P>

[Cedri]

<blockquote><hr>Paintball3325 wrote:<DIV>i personally would like to have more activable slots instead of a ranged wep. </DIV><hr></blockquote>The main issue crusaders have with the lack of any ranged weapon isnt for the weapon itself, you're correct, we have a very nice lineup of long range attaks taht can be used while moving. The big issue is the stats that the ranged weapons get are not simple like hex dolls. The best hex dolls you can get in the game atm are rare crafted (+12 to one stat). This afternoon Darathar dropped a Valian bow (+12 str +10 agi +11 int +12 wis +68 health +68 power). Please tell me if you'd rather be able to use a bow, or be able to use one more hex doll. (Yea its a fabled drop, but still the +12 hex dolls are the best end-game doll you can get... i dont pay attention to bows, but that is probably the best... and if its not, then all the more reason to want to be able to use something in ranged slot.)And to answer your question, the manastone is a heritage quest item that will convert 690hp into 202 power (or around there)... you can start it about 25 i think, great item to have around, since we can heal, you can often use manastone, heal the damage it did to you, and come out with more MP then you did before.<p>Message Edited by Cedrian on <span class=date_text>06-23-2005</span> <span class=time_text>11:08 PM</span>

[githnaur]

/agree Cedrian <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Unfortunately the Crusader archetype really gets the shaft due to not being able to load any further boosts into that ranged slot, that other fighter classes get.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Irritated me from day 1 has that =/</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Anyone who thinks that the use of a bow is "un-paladin-like" needs to read up on accepted knightly pursuits, archery was one of them, including hunting with hawks and dogs.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>I don't want a hawk, I don't want a dog, I just want the benefit that can be gained with the ranged slot that guardians/zerks/etc are getting <img src="/smilies/3b63d1616c5dfcf29f8a7a031aaa7cad.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" /></DIV> <DIV> </DIV><p>Message Edited by githnaur on <span class=date_text>06-28-2005</span> <span class=time_text>04:30 PM</span>