OK folks this is my first guide so go easy on me.
*Mumbles* Im not an American so you'll have to pardon me if my english is less than perfect at times....
When I'm a blaster, I like to sit back, have a drink, and watch the mayhem...
And with a Range Fanatic you can, not having to keep you eye on the health bar is a lovely thing.
This guide is a combination of several guides through my point of view, nothing more nothing less. I Take no credit for other peoples ideas.
Index
Part 1: Introduction
Part 2: Secondary power set
Part 3: Pool Powers
Part 4: Ancillary Powers.
Part 5: Primary Power selection
Part 6: Combos
Part 7: Thanks....
Part 1: Introduction
Now before I start a few things:
- This is strictly a PvE guide, I don't know PvP well enough for me to give out advice, I know there are allot of folks who know way better than me so I'll leave that job to them...
though there will times in this guide where I will mention PvP possibles (mostly used in PvP zones and not in the arena) ...
- This guide while being able to solo in the higher levels works best in a team,
-. This guide is not a recipe on how to make a Range Fanatic, but more of How to, meaning i recommend that certain powers be taken at certain levels, feel free to change that.
- It is recommend to Respec around level 35 but it is strictly optional.
- I will also recommend cheap IO sets that still make you a formidable force, due to the simple fact that enhancement itself it what makes the magic not the bonuses although they smooth things out.
-I will also list recommended Combo moves that i use frequently...
Now one more matter, though many power sets offer amazing powers that can deal massive amounts of damage I will be focusing on 2 Primary sets with the same secondary, Archery and Assault rifle, which in later level bloom and become amazing... Due to 4 Simple reasons....
1.Recharge time of the "Nukes" is considerably shorter than all other power sets, I checked the lowest recharge I could achieve was 129.76 seconds with inferno (both one of the most commonly used sets and the fact that I could get 4 types of Purple sets in there) while by default both Rain of Arrows and Full Auto have a mere 60 second recharge time (Approximately 20 seconds for both powers when maxed). So you have the pleasure of Mowing down every mob with a nuke.
2.NO Endurance drop,while other powers deal more damage (twice or more) they leave you staggering on the battle field helpless like a clown in a funeral.
3.Fire, Sonic and Energy are Melee AoE meaning you have to be inside the mob... Which kinda contradicts the whole point of this guide.
4.There is a good reason why Energy manipulation is the most commonly used secondary set for blasters,and those are 4 major powers (not including build up): Conserve power, Power Boost, Range boost and Total Focus. These powers provide an edge for ranged attacks which no other set can provide.
Now before many of you start cursing my name and taking out your torches, pitchforks and crosses, I will mention the major downside of Assault rifle and Archery, they both deal lethal damage which some enemies such as Crey or Malta have high resistance. A secondary Downside is the animation time for both these powers (Though personally I wouldn't give those animations up for anything, They are just so Freakin' Cool!!!).
Part 2: Secondary power set
I'm writing this part first because it is the same for both power sets so its fairly simple.
1. Power Thrust
Endurance Cost: 6.936 pts.
Recharge Time: 6 sec.
Activation Time: 1 sec.
Range: 5
Features: Knockback
Recommended Slotting: 1 Acc
A default Power but rather effective when there is a very annoyed enemy Chargers after you shot him and he is certainly not happy about it, you simple say Talk to the hand!,after which you take out you Bow/Assault rife and reward him for intentions. Part of the Wham-Bam-Thank you Ma'am which I will explain later.
2.Build Up
Recommended Level: 4/6 depending on perference
Endurance Cost: 5.202 pts.
Recharge Time: 90 sec.
Activation Time: 1 sec.
Duration: 10 secs
Features: 62.5% to hit buff, 100% damage buff
Recommended Slotting: Depending on the amount of free slots you have but no less than 3
Recharge (with optional Set IOs)
Not much to say but OH YA!!!, when you get your nukes You will love this power even more.
3.Conserve Power
Recommended Level 16
Endurance Cost: 7.803 pts.
Recharge Time: 600 sec.
Activation Time: 1 sec.
Duration: 90 secs
Features: 50% endurance discount
Recommended Slotting: 3 Recharge
Quite effective when you are running low on endurance, gives your endurance time to recharge while still blasting away, even before Stamina.
4.Power Boost
Recommended Level: 28
Endurance Cost: 7.803 pts.
Recharge Time: 60 sec.
Activation Time: 1 sec.
Duration: 15 secs
Features :100% Boost to the following effects: Disorient Duration, Sleep Duration, Confuse Duration, Fear Duration, Immobilize Duration, Hold Duration, Knockback (Knock-Up) distance, Repel strength, Run speed, Fly speed, Defense Buffs, Heal Accuracy Buffs, and Endurance Drain.
Recommended Slotting: 3 Recharge
This power is sort of a wild card because it depends great on what type of pool and ancillary powers you take, but still its quite a good power.
5.Boost Range
Recommended level: 35
Endurance Cost: 13.005 pts.
Recharge Time: 60 sec.
Activation Time: 1 sec.
Duration: 30 secs
Recommended Slotting: 3 Recharge
Features: 75% Boost to the range of all powers
For Archery this power in no more than fun addition, to put you in a safe distance. On the other hand this power for Assault Rifle is what makes this set shine, simply because it is Cone based (as Captain IcyHot defined it by his guide The Cone Master) and it will allow your cone attacks to make those bad guys wish they had never been born.
*I recommend to simply put it on auto cruise , and let the bullet/Arrows take flight.
Total Focus
Recommended level: 38
Endurance Cost: 18.6405 pts.
Recharge Time: 20 sec.
Activation Time: 3 sec.
Range: 5
Features: Disorient (100% Mag 3, ~80% Mag 4)
This is the only melee power you will take by choice, it is used for that nasty/lucky enemy that manges to get close to you, this is your is your gift for making thus far. Also it is part of Wham-Bam-Thank you Ma'am combo. Total Focus + Power thrust + Sniper Shot/Ranged shot (or what ever you feel like) = one person who should have stayed away...
*Also handy for PvP for that pesky melee fighter that gets a little too close
Part 3: Pool Powers
ok for a Range Fanatic, there is no magic formula to tell you what to choose, The first two are must have but there rest is up to you.
Must have:
Fitness- Although you will have Power conserve it is no replacement for Stamina.
Swift/Hurdle --> Health --> Stamina
Now... I don't slot stamina with more than 3 slots simply because after 3 Endurance mods the effectiveness drops dramatically and it is better to spend them elsewhere.
Speed- The impotent part of this pool is the Hasten which does wonders for you recharge rate, Super speed is a great travel power but if you don't have the temp powers you get stuck/need to take another route too often. Personally I have never take Whirlwind so I cant advise for/against it.
Slotting: 3 Recharge
Optional (Slotting is up to you)
Flight- A Range Fanatic's best friend, simply because it allows you to position yourself for maximal effectiveness for the best shot and keeps you out of melee range.
Hover -> Flight
Concealment- I recommended taking this set, it allow you to position yourself with your travel power without attracting too much attention, also the defense buff is nice..
Stealth -> Invisiblity
Fighting- I highly do not recommend this power, both because it is expensive by the amount of powers and needs, and the buffs aren't all that great.
Leadership- Nice buffs, but we are blasters our business is annihilate not buffing... But good for team player (Multiple buffs = A very happy team)
Assault -> Tactics
Leaping- A solid travel power, Combat jump's Immobilize resistance is a good idea when on the run when a mob has been arrgoed by the team's local idiot, and acrobatics resistance to hold and Knockback is also a very fine addition (Never take Jump kick).
Combat Jump -> Super Jump -> Acrobatics
Medicine- Now this is highly disputed, but In my opinion this power should be taken, honestly how many times were you stuck with a team had a kinetic Def/Controller and you got hit by an AoE? This is why I recommended it for Range fanatics, along with Power boost it is very effective
Stimulate/Aid Other -> Aid Self
Presence- Another power of the pool power which i highly DO NOT recommended simply because it is too costly on powers and you have so much else that can aid you more.
Teleportation:Always nice to have Recall Friend, but I don't recommended Teleport Foe simply we are Range Fanatics our jobs is to shoot from afar. Teleport as travel power is highly ill advised simple because it is heavy on the endurance and is annoying to travel with. I have only seen 1 person use team teleport in an effective way, when dragging a group of Perma Fire/Kin controllers into a mob, but there is no reason for you to get it.
Recall Friend -> Teleport
Part 4: Ancillary Powers.
This is part also relates to Power boost ,and also very flexible.
Cold mastery Snow storm is quite good at slowing your foes down, so you have plenty of time to mow them down. Frozen armor provides decent defense and with hover it can help out. Hibernate, I personally don't recommend this power simply because you role is to attack and not use a bunker tactic.
Electric mastery Static discharge is a nice addition for a cone attack for both Arch and AR (as recommended by Captain IcyHot,I realized this power had potential). I also would take Charged armor simply because it has good resistance. Emp is more of the emergency power that is also against the whole idea of a Range Fanatic,I do not advise taking it.
Fire Mastery I advise against because simply it has no real advantage for a Range Fanatic
Force Mastery This Power set is more for the solo blaster, though you can still you it in a team, it offers good resistance to lethal and smashing. Force of Nature/Personal forcefield helps you survive things would normally put you 5 and a half feet under.and Hail Merry combo.
Munitions Mastery: To be perfectly honest I haven't tried this mastery yet so I can't advise on it personally the resistance by body armor is poor, and you don't really need sleep grenade and I don't believe you need more ranged damage from the LRM Rocket simply because you have all the damage you need and a fast recharge to do with with.
Part 5 (Now the hard part): Primary Power selection
OK this is the part you have been waiting for and the one I have dreaded the most... allot of this depends on you form of playing so this what i recommend personally for a blaster that teams (but it works rather well for a solo too). Now because I'm doing this a split power selection both for Archery and Assault rifle I will not list the specs on them but rather at the end will list 1 guide on each power, these guides which I found very useful and have helped me allot to understand better these powers.
If have the Inf to buy better sets go for it, these are for people who either don't have other toons to support them or don't wanna use their inf from other toons or just plain cheap....
Also this build is a long term build at first it will feel very narrow and very weak but it blooms at the later levels (normally at 25 you will really notice the difference) since you are free to choose what ever power you want since you knocked it down right from the start.
*Note- In Archery several powers such as Aimed Shot and Blazing arrow have faster recharge time then their AR counterparts, recommended to read the guides i will mention
Level 1: Burst/Snap shot
A decent attack on both sides with reasonable damage and attack speed, good for the beginning, I later on Speced it out, to make room for other things. Burst makes the better opening shot due to its defense debuff.
Recommended IO set: Thunderstrike, you'll see this set a lot for 1 good reason IT'S CHEAP (all the parts and the recipes even at lvl 50 never pass the 1 million mark...)
Level 2 Slug/Aimed Shot
Like Burst/Snap shot these both have reasonable damage,recharge rates for their levels, this attack I recommend keeping due to their long range and high damage.
Recommended IO set: Thunderstrike
Level 4: Buckshot/Fistful of arrows
This is a split between the 2 sets, Buckshot has a lower ranger and therefor not yet suited for the beginning, so you can not take early on, but in later levels combined with Range boost its quiet good and is part of the Major Wedgy
Level 6: Build up
As previously explained it is a vital part in all of your attack combos.
Level 8: M30 Grenade/Blazing arrow
Ok these 2 attacks are quite different from each other. Blazing Arrow is a MUST have attack it does amazing damage almost as much as the sniper attack... The M30 grenade on the other hand is an AoE attack, before you get full auto, Flaming Football combo is a good thing but later on its better to switch it out with buckshot due to its Knockback,since you mainly use cone attacks you want them to bunch up as much as possible
Recommended IO Set: Thunderstrike/Detention, like Thunderstrike is a cheap targeted AoE set and it gets the work job done...
Level 10:Swift
Needed for stamina
Level 12: Hover/Combat Jump/Hasten/Recall friend
I recommend taking Hasten and getting the King's Row Jump pack that way you are not bogged down later on. But Hover is also a good choice if you want tactical abilites.
Level 14: Super Speed/Fly/Super Jump/Teleport
Best to be taken early so you don't have to worry about it later on.
Level 16: Power Conserve
A good way to help you our before you get stamina, and also helpful down the road.
Level 18:Health
Needed for Stamina
Level 20:Stamina (Salvation!!!)
Finnally you are not bogged down by your endurance bar. 21 slap on 2 more slots and you are done.
Level 22: Flamethrower/Explosive Arrow
Explosive arrow is pretty much the M30 grenade but in a different package but since Archery doesn't relay only on cone attacks it is a good attack in all senses,Get and slot it. Flamethrower the main part of the Flaming Football Combo, does SLOW but excellent damage and has a wide range.
Recommended IO Set: Detention
Level 24:Hasten (in case you didn't take it as part of your travel power, if you did skip to the next part)
I only take this at 24 because once I get 2 AoE attack i wanna hit them as much as possible... also will come in handy when the nukes come....
Level 26 Sniper Rifle/Ranged Shot
Pretty much the same attack only that Sniper Rifle has Knockback... Part of the Wham-Bam-Thank you Ma'am combo
Recommended IO set: Calibrated Accuracy,Though cheap it has quite a few good traits...
Level 28: Power Boost
As mentioned this supports powers taken later on, also if you feel like it can help you with Stun shot/Bean bag also I speced them out later on the it was nice to use them from time to time
Level 30: Aim/Ignite
I know some people maybe quite pissed that I'm taking Aim only now, but i never felt like i needed it before, although it is very handy fighting higher mobs, build up provides similar effects but you'll want all the damage buffs when you get your nuke. Iginite is quite useful when you have a controller in you team, otherwise it a bit problematic to make the enemies stick..
Recommended Set IO: For Aim 3 recharge (if you have more slots try adjusted targeting). For Ignite: Detention
Level 32: Rain Of Arrows/Full Auto (HOLY CRAD)
Yes this is what you have agonized for, while other sets did better damage or were cool or whatever, This is you payback... Both Nukes have a very rapid recharge rate meaning that you get to nuke just about every mob,while everyone else is afraid to use theirs because of the endurance drop. At this point I have to mention that Rain of Arrows is the better nuke of the 2 since it is area based and can be shot from around corners meaning , that you can nuke by the time the enemies realized they are about to become pin cushions you are safely tucked away behind a corner... Full Auto does do more damage but is still limited due to the fact that it is cone based.
Recommended IO set: This is you baby SPOIL IT, by the time you are 50 you should have enough inf to afford the majority of Positorn's blast, this is you baby Take good care of it, and it will take care of you! (Of course if you have enough Inf for Ragnorock be my guest but remember most of the parts that involve those recipes sell for millions so you better have at least 200 mil)
Level 35:Range Boost
As previously stated a good addition for Archery, CRITICAL for AR!!! this makes you Full Auto have a huge range making it very easy to lay back and start shooting like an out of control postman..
Level 38:Total Focus
This Attack is the warning to anyone who dares disturb you ranged attacks by getting close to you, and it will make him regret ever getting near you. This attack is also part of several combos which will be detailed later.
Recommended IO set: Now this part is a little tricky since you don't often use this attack but you still want it to hurt i suggest Mako's Bite due to the 3% Damage that you get rather quickly and at the end you get 3.75% ranged defense bonus which is always good for Ranged Fanatics
This is the part where you lay back and relax because are now pretty much set, all the powers you get from now on are nothing more but an addition to the killing machine that is YOU. So you can do what ever you please.... I normally don't recommend taking the Ancillary Powers quite yet there are a few secondaries that you can benefit more from like self aid, but hi its your show now... GO WILD!
- As you will see soon, Silent Night uses the concealment pool and Stun shot/Beanbag at these level chose them without letting go of a vital power.
Part 6: Combos
Now this is the part because of which I wrote this whole damn guide, a friend of mine recommended that I list all my combos... but after a while it because well... This guide... So win or lose here they are, all the names popped into my head and after some feedback from a few friends, my little cousin is responsible for the last one
*Side note- normally you will spend your build up on the ranged attack so I don't write it but its recharged Be my guest...
-Hail Mary" Combo This combo is specifc only if you took self aid. Power Boost + Personal Forcefield + Force of Nature + Self Aid. This combo is panic combo, for example if you are fighting an AV and your tank just died and you a hurt badly this combo will save you, the massive buffs you get will even give an AV problem, both resistance and defense after which you are healed.
-Silent Night- This is less of a combo more of a tactic. This i use in PvP zones, note this will only be effective for Corruptors and Dominators. While using invisible you hide in high location,watching over, once you see a suitble target hit the following combo, Range Boost + Power boost + Stun Shot/Beanbag + Build up + Slug/Blazing Arrow + Sniper Rifle/Ranged Shot + Total Focus. This combo/tactic has done me some good in hunting Corruptors and Dominators since before they aware of what hit them they are stunned, of course this will most likely not work no brutes/Tanks/Scrappers/Stalkers so its more for the squishy types.
- Wham-Bam-Thank you Ma'am melee combo. Total Focus + Power thrust + Sniper Shot/Blazing Arrow +Snap aimed shot. This combo is the my most commonly used melee combo due to its effectiveness against bosses. Because Archery has blazing arrow it doesn't need the attack time of sniper shot which means you can pull off another attack.
- .Bada Bing melee combo. Total Focus + Slug/Aimed shot - this is a shorten version of the previous one in case you are dealing with some cheeky Lt that manged to get by..
- Fried to a Crisp- Ranged and Melee combo. Ignite (placed in a corner or against a wall) + Power thrust to that same spot.
This is combo is rather tricky but i found it very useful against Freakshow Tanks, which the annoying habit of trying to melee you...
- .Flaming Football- Ranged only for AR. Build up + flamethrower + M30 (+Buckshot if you didn't listen to me and still got it).
This is good mid range combo before full auto, The Flamethrower does the damage while the grenade sends them flying making reducing the amount of return fire.
- .Double Whammy Ranged only for Archery. Build up + Aim + Rain of Arrows + Explosive arrow (if there is anything left after that you can use fistful but will normally be bosses better to use single target attacks).This is my an awesome combo which I always use, after you finish firing RoA you have few seconds before it lands in that time you can fire an explosive arrow to send the bosses & strong Lt. that will survive the attack flying through the air. also remember that you are in a team let other people have fun
- Major Wedgy Ranged only for AR. Build up + Range Boost + Full Auto + Flamethrower + Buckshot (if you took Electric mastery, + Static Discharge) Although a very long Combo most enemies don't survive the first 2 attack after which the rest is just cleanup.
Part 7: Thanks....
Well most of the people i Owe my gratitude know it but, there are some mostly people on the forums that I felt kind of uncomfortable to just say thanks, but still deserve credit So, this is for you Ladies and gents... Thank you for being my inspertion while i may not remember all the guide i read i still thank you for helping me.
Last but not least is my little Cousin Ron... Little devil help me out when i was stuck on the last name, i wanted something to mention a cone or a wedge shape, and he saw this stupid cartoon that name Major Wedgy was mentioned... i realized that this was the perfect name!
Guides
Master of Cones (tm)! The I6 AR/NRG Blaster Guide by Captain IcyHot
Cone Master
The Archery Codex by Luminara
The Archery Codex
Both excellent guides...
If you have any thoughs,Ideas,Remarks, Curses, Violent statements that you wanna say feel free to do so...
