This is a rough draft thread which will be made invalid once the concept is deemed good enough to throw into the Suggestions thread. Though I have not topped the tree myself, I've researched it extensively and have also heard testimonials. I am using those to come up with some basic features.
Here are some ideas to start it off:
1) AoE is bad. While this is not always the case, the idea that a Ranger should be taking on multiple mobs at once just doesn't stick. That's what AoE spells are for. Rangers SHOULD have AoE attacks, but those attacks should never rely on the use of multiple arrows at long distances - not only does this not make sense due to the accuracy and strength requirements (which do not exist in practice in the game), it also facilitates aggroing multiple mobs (which any archer outside of Eld knows is BAD).
2) No one wants a bunch of Beastmaster talents taking up space on the Talent Tree. If you want to implement that, make a new Talent Tree for it. We're archers, not tamers. There's a difference.
3) Rangers focus too much on damage and too little on status effects. If we were using bullets it would make sense, but we're not - we're using arrows, which technically should not be piercing metal armor. Rangers should focus on disabling an opponent, granting bleed damage on chance, and firing at rapid speeds - not sending five arrows into trees just because they're guaranteed to headshot the person right next to those trees.
4) Bows need to be main weapons, not subs. They aren't made to be assists. They should not go into the assist slot.
5) Assists need to grant and depend upon two types of damage. Essence does this for offensive and defensive magic (which technically should have separate DPS because I swear that's just ***** ********* ********** ***...), so throwing weapons should do this with Melee and Range. This will allow throwing weapons to actually have a place on the Ranged tree.
With the implementation of the following, Ranged DPS power is HALVED OVERALL PERMANENTLY. Ranged will now be a strategic class, not an instant-hit class. In return, these skills and talents will focus on side effects, mostly debuffs, that balance out the power loss when in the hands of a capable Ranger.
- For the sake of making things easier to understand, all Skills are the Active Abilities. They may or may not require activation from the tree.
Skills
Blinding Tip
The light of the sun/moon reflects off of the arrow (1s point upward animation), all enemies in a very large radius are blinded (does not generate hostility), and the enemy selected is pierced by a burning arrow (single-target). Only works when in an area open to the sky. Replaces Blazing Arrow. Napalm covers this, same effect.
Crystal Blast
Without Concussion, stun time is now 3s and the enemy is slowed by 50% instead of 25%.
Haemorrhage
50% chance of activating Haemorrhaging. Haemorrhaging now makes enemies bleed for 30% every 1s and receive 25% more damage from Ranged attacks.
Envenom
Now deals 180% Ranged DPS instead of 80%. Makes target unable to attack and use potions for the duration but DOES NOT affect movement.
Torrent
Now increase crit damage instead of crit chance, same amount.
Storm
9 yard radius. 75% DPS every 1s for 5s. 50% chance to hit per enemy (once enemy is tagged, it cannot be untagged).
Tornado
Requires Storm to activate. 6 yard radius. 500% damage. 2s animation. (When you see a Ranger activate Storm, just get out of the way. This is mainly for PvE, as the mobs won't be smart enough to move.)
Detonate
Increased to 4 yards. 25% of stunning all enemies for 3s. Instead of activating around oneself automatically, you can now move a circle to where you want Detonate to hit. If you are in range of the circle (4 yards), you jump back 3 yards instantaneously.
Celestial Recall & Moonsoon
Deleted.
Call of the Wild
Deleted.
Blood Fang
Unchanged.
Fleetfoot
10% speed increase instead of 5%. Removes any slowing effects. Self-only. Lasts 2 minutes. Half energy cost.
Chekhov's Gun [The irony of this skill's name is astounding.]
Single-target. Can attack any enemy regardless of distance. Target must be selected the entire time. Animation lasts 10s. Relies on one's critical chance. Deals 5,000% damage plus guaranteed crit added to total damage amount (it's just one hit afterall). Affected by all crit damage talents and adds 200% crit damage. Hour-long cooldown. If interrupted, you are stunned for 15s and cooldown still activates. If successful, you die. Replaces Spectral Barrage. Cannot be selected if Sylph's Hands has been selected.
Creeping Vines
Deleted.
Talents
Cruel Barb & Quick Draw
The former now increases crit damage instead of chance, same amount; the latter's effect is doubled.
Concussion
Now has three points instead of two (with last point, 1.5s and 30% DPS).
Exit Wound & Barbed Tip
The former is unchanged; the latter increases by 2s/4s instead of 4s/8s.
Predatory
Deleted.
Rapid Fire
Unchanged.
Blot Out The Sun & Gale Force
Replaced. See Sylph's Hands.
Sylph's Hands
Increases damage of Storm by 10/20/30% and increases chance to hit per enemy by 5/15/25%. Tornado has a 20% chance of dealing double damage and saps 10% of all enemies' remaining energy, replenishing one's own energy. Replaces Spectral Barrage. Cannot be selected if Chekhov's Gun has been selected. Passive.
Wild Fire, Explosive, & Shocked
First stays the same, other two are deleted.
Recall
Deleted.
At One With Nature, Strength Of The Wild, & Wild Bond
Deleted.
Blood Link & Blood Trail
Former now grants 5/10/15% life steal; latter is unchanged.
Steady Aim & Thrill of the Hunt
Both now grant crit damage increases instead. Former has no extra change; latter's effect is changed to 5/10%.
Stealth Shots
10/20/30/40/50/60/70/80/90/100% instead. (You really shouldn't use this if you're focusing on AoEs since Tornado needs you to aggro the mobs hit by Storm. This also doesn't work in PvP, obviously.)
Wild Instincts
This makes no sense and is useless. Deleted.
Dexterous
Ranged haste and general ranged attack speed. 5/10/15/20% instead.
Volley
Old version deleted. Now, every third auto ranged attack regenerates 5% mana. (This is mainly for when you've run out.)
Marksman
Unchanged.
Steady Aim
10/20/30%. Crit damage instead of accuracy.
Eagle Eye
25/50/75%. One's own shots only. Hidden cooldown of 2 minutes. Crit on auto attack required to activate. Cannot use skills for duration.
Achilles' Heel
Every auto attack decreases enemy speed by 5% per hit, can stack up to 5 times. Refreshes every 5 seconds.
Okay, so let me explain: If this sounds like it's anti-melee, it's meant to be. In my other thread, I'm going to try to implement the Nightwalker talent which is meant to be anti-magic. It's for melee users primarily. This means I'm trying to create a Reverse Combat Triangle where Ranged > Melee > Magic > Ranged.
Every arrow counts. This is the new mentality for Rangers. If Rangers cannot aim in time, they die. If they cannot time their skills right, they die. If they stand in the same place, they die. If they move in the wrong direction, they die. This is the case in both PvP and PvE areas where most mobs are on aggro as a default. Rangers have to know the field - they have to know where they enemies are, where they will be, and how using guerrilla tactics can work to defeat them.
I remade this build being a Ranger myself. The current build is just way too OP. This is made in the interest of class balance...for every class. I know where Rangers are in the midst of the imbalance; while this will not solve all balance issues, it will work towards those issues on the Ranger side.
Certain skills and talents that may be implemented are the Throwing Weapon based ones. I'm not a Throwing Weapon kind of girl, so I won't mess with those. Know that they should be at the beginning of the tree and not too OP, as they are support weapons.
The skills and talents listed are not in order. Please use your comprehension skills to see where they are meant to be placed.
Thank you for participating in the Pre-Suggestion Discussion Thread for the Ranger Skills, Talents, etc Rewrite.