Archery Bonus for Rangers in groups

F

Finkk

Dalayan Adventurer
On Live, rangers got double damage with archery after a certain level provided the mob was stationary and not rooted (ie attacking something other than the ranger).

Right now as a lvl 55 I have average melee weapons and a Kedgemetal Crossbow (60/55) that I spent 3k on and I still parse higher with my melee. Even though I have this ridiculously nice bow, I still consistently parse around 20% higher with melee than my bow. I should mention my sight/warding is specialized to 250 and blade/strike is only 170.

This doesn't allow rangers to solo any easier because kited mobs would never see this bonus. Only while in groups would rangers benefit from the change. It also doesn't have to be double either.

I just think it would make sense from a logical point that a ranger would be able to more accurately hit a mob when the mob has its attention directed at someone other than the ranger.

I was encouraged to post this suggestion from a dev. SO what do you think?
 
On Live, they didn't buff archery on naturally stationary targets, they just lowered the damage significantly on moving/rooted mobs so that rangers couldn't solo as well (live was really against any kind of soloing...). So I guess if Wiz doesn't want us to solo with our rangers....
 
Aethyr said:
On Live, they didn't buff archery on naturally stationary targets, they just lowered the damage significantly on moving/rooted mobs so that rangers couldn't solo as well (live was really against any kind of soloing...). So I guess if Wiz doesn't want us to solo with our rangers....
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I don't think that is correct. I have done some research to confirm my suggestion and have found a terrific post regarding Game archery.

The following excerpt is from:
http://64.233.169.104/search?q=cache:ZTpItl6AYwMJ:forums.interealms.com/ranger/showthread.php%3Fp%3D752631+everquest+stationary+archery&hl=en&client=firefox-a&gl=us&strip=1
The link is as long as it is because it is a text-only cache'd version of the original page.

While [Game] has been designed so that rangers do their best DPS with melee weapons, it is nevertheless true that rangers are EQ's best archers. Players have been know to create ranger bots just for their archery DPS, and some rangers persist in thinking of themselves as archers throughout their tour of duty on the battlefields of Norrath.

Up until at least level 51--and ideally level 61--rangers have little or no advantage in archery over any other class, and archery is just not a viable option when DPS is the issue. Archery for young rangers, then, is reserved for special situations. We use it for pulling--so we want a bow and arrow with good range. We use it for bow-kiting or for root-and-shooting, even though these tactics may take a long time. We use it for role-playing. Generally then, the best bow for these early levels is one that gives good stats. [Removed suggested bow as it is not applicable in SoD]

There are several reasons why archery is increasingly effective at higher levels. At 51, rangers get the ability to inflict double damage with bows on non-moving, non-rooted targets (such as mobs engaging a tank). By 59, rangers can earn such AA's as Archery Mastery (a further multiplier on archery damage; you'll need at least AM2 to match melee) and Endless Quiver (making the use of expensive high-damage arrows an affordable option)[somewhat similar AA exists in SoD]. The final element of high-DPS archery at this stage in the ranger's career are easily obtainable bows, notably ...[more suggested bows that don't exist in SoD]; the ranger's archery prowess is all the stronger via raiding once they get their hands on a powerful no-drop bow.

More experienced rangers who rely on their melee weapons for maximum DPS continue to use archery situationally: kiting, ranged battles, pulling, burst DPS using our Trueshot discipline, etc.

Rangers who have pursued archery as their primary form of DPS will eventually return to melee as their AA's increase and as their gear improves. The "best" time to switch back from archery to melee as default DPS is generally when your primary 1H melee weapon approaches a 1:1 ratio. The actual best time to switch depends on such things as your bow, your melee weapons, and your AA's. Melee AA's such as the Ferocity line, Ambidexterity, and Sinister Strikes allow you to reach this point with less efficient melee weapons.
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The content regarding Trueshot and the available bows was irrelevant but, none the less, the quote still discusses the bonus I was referring to as well as the melee-archery relationship that rangers have to take into consideration when engaging mobs. I solo-kite all the time and, while time consuming, I am very accepting of it. However, I don't see the logic behind inflicting the same damage on a mob that is running towards me as a stationary mob who has its eyes, body, defenses, and attention directed at someone else.
 
Finkk said:
On Live, rangers got double damage with archery after a certain level provided the mob was stationary and not rooted (ie attacking something other than the ranger).

Right now as a lvl 55 I have average melee weapons and a Kedgemetal Crossbow (60/55) that I spent 3k on and I still parse higher with my melee. Even though I have this ridiculously nice bow, I still consistently parse around 20% higher with melee than my bow. I should mention my sight/warding is specialized to 250 and blade/strike is only 170.

This doesn't allow rangers to solo any easier because kited mobs would never see this bonus. Only while in groups would rangers benefit from the change. It also doesn't have to be double either.

I just think it would make sense from a logical point that a ranger would be able to more accurately hit a mob when the mob has its attention directed at someone other than the ranger.

I was encouraged to post this suggestion from a dev. SO what do you think?
Click to expand...

What melee weapons were you using for the sake of comparison?

If crappy weapons are better dps than a bow like Kedgemetal in the 50's, maybe bow dps under lvl 60 could use some help.
 
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