Build:R/any Together as One Bow Spam

This build is in the testing phase. Please join the discussion and rate this build if you have experience with this or closely related builds. This build has been designed for the following use: PvE general

Utilize sources of bonus damage and Expertise to spam bow attack skills, all while buffing your team's damage and survivability.

Attributes and Skills

Ranger / Any 12 + 1 + 2 Expertise 12 + 2 Marksmanship The energy cost of attack skills, rituals, touch skills and all Ranger skills is reduced by 60%. Expert Focus EotNRanger. Expertise 15Expert FocusPreparationFor 24 seconds, your bow attacks cost 2 less Energy and deal 10 extra damage.4212 Sundering Attack FactionsRanger. Marksmanship 14Sundering AttackBow AttackIf Sundering Attack hits, you strike for +24 damage and this attack has 10% armor penetration.4¾4 Penetrating Attack PropheciesRanger. Marksmanship 14Penetrating AttackBow AttackIf Penetrating Attack hits, you strike for +24 damage and this attack has 10% armor penetration.4¾4 Needling Shot FactionsRanger. Marksmanship 14Needling ShotBow AttackNeedling Shot strikes for only 29 damage and moves faster than normal. If Needling Shot strikes a foe below 50% Health, Needling Shot recharges instantly. Your other attack skills are disabled for 2 seconds.2¾4 "Together as One!" CoreRanger. Expertise 15"Together as One!"Elite ShoutFor 15 seconds, all party members near you or near your pet deal +15 additional damage with attacks and gain +7 Health regeneration. PvE only.415 Optional CoreNo Profession. UnlinkedOptionalOptionalOptional. Optional CoreNo Profession. UnlinkedOptionalOptionalOptional. Optional CoreNo Profession. UnlinkedOptionalOptionalOptional.   Template code

Variable skill slots

• "I Am the Strongest!"EotNNo Profession. Norn rank "I Am the Strongest!"ShoutYour next 5..8 attacks do an additional +14..20 damage.
  PvE only.520 – prepare before combat. Lasts indefinitely.
• Never Rampage AloneNightfallRanger. Sunspear rank Never Rampage AloneSkillFor 18..25 seconds, you and your pet attack 25% faster and have 1..3 Health regeneration.
  PvE only.1520 – combine with comfort animal. Source of increased attack speed.
• Comfort AnimalCoreRanger. Beast Mastery Comfort AnimalSkillYou heal your animal companion for 20..87..110 Health. If your companion is dead, it is resurrected with 10..48..61% Health. If you have Comfort Animal equipped, your animal companion will travel with you.511 – allows to use never rampage alone as source of increased attack speed. Second center for "Together as One!"'s effects.
• Ebon Battle Standard of HonorEotNNo Profession. Ebon Vanguard rank Ebon Battle Standard of HonorWard SpellYou plant an Ebon Battle Standard of Honor at your current location. For 14..20 seconds, non-Spirit allies in this area strike for +8..15 damage and an additional +7..10 vs. Charr.
  PvE only.10120 – heavy on energy, use tactically instead of permanently. Works particularly well with needling shot.
• Drunken MasterEotNNo Profession. Deldrimor rank Drunken MasterStanceFor 72..90 seconds, your movement and attack speeds are increased by 10..15%. If you are drunk while activating this Skill, your movement and attack speeds are increased by 25..33% instead.
  PvE only.560 – use with alcohol. Source of increased attack speed if playing without pet.
• Whirling DefenseCoreRanger. Expertise Whirling DefenseStanceFor 8..18..21 seconds, you have 75% chance to block attacks. Whenever you block a projectile in this way, adjacent foes take 5..10..11 damage.1060 – further increased survivability. Allows to perform as a tank for a short while.
• Asuran ScanEotNNo Profession. Asura rank Asuran ScanHex SpellFor 9..12 seconds your attacks cannot miss target foe. Killing a foe hexed with Asuran scan removes 5% death penalty.
  PvE only.55 – hard on energy, but a worthwhile tradeoff in areas where you expect to be missing frequently.

Equipment

• Zealous bow with Strength and Honor.
  • Zealous keeps your energy high through the attack skill spam and it is not likely you will dip below 50% HP with your constant passive healing.
• Rune of superior vigor.
• Radiant Insignias.
• Attunement runes,
  • Starting the fight by using all your buffs can take around 25 energy depending on which skills you use. You need to have enough energy to buff, then go right into your attack skills.

Usage

Before any sizable encounter, use Expert Focus. Activate every damage buff you have, making sure your allies are in range of "TaO!" and/or Ebon Battle Standard of Honor. Start auto attacking a target, weave Sundering/Penetrating Attack in between auto attacks to get your target below half health at which point, spam Needling Shot while constantly maintaining "TaO!" and Expert Focus.

Needling Shot is the work horse for this build when stacked with all the supplemental damage from your other skills. When combined with high Expertise and Expert Focus, the cost of the skill is completely offset by the energy gain from your zealous bow. This makes most all your other skills more or less maintainable.

Counters

• Heavy energy denial.
• Dodge stances/blinds etc which can be remedied by Asuran Scan but is hard on your energy pool.

Variants

With a form of battery, or 18+ Expertise, trade Expert Focus for Ignite Arrows and maintain Ebon Battle Standard of Honor during fights. Ebsoh will apply to your attack, and to the preparation. Coupled with Needling Shot spam, you can pump out incredible single target and AoE damage.

See also

• Build:R/A Together as One Daggers
• Build:R/W Anniversary Beastmaster
• Build:R/W Barrage