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Earth is an excellent set at maintaining range, probably the best set at it in the game along with Trick arrows.
An earth/ranged dom is anything but gimped.
As for earth contributing damage, well a proc'd out VG is about the best "ranged" damage any dom gets from their primary on top of the usual proc'd aoe immobs. And earthquake take the -res proc, which in a team can add more damage than any dom primary. Especially from range.
Oh and even at 90ft propel is still lame. Cool looking, but lame.
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I wouldn't consider VG part of my regular attack chain, but I get what your getting at. 
I agree toatally that Earth is one of if not the best CC primaries out there in terms of ease of conrolling and keeping foes at bay. Perhaps with stalagmites and VG one could do some pretty good AoE damage in an all ranged build. Remember however you are often sacrificing lots of your primary's control in exchange for damage.... by damage I mean enhancing it, not adding procs. All primaries have AoE holds/suns/etc to add procs to. If your AoE stun and AoE hold aren't as effective in doing what they're admittingly meant to do, well then you are left relying on your ST hold and immobile more often which after being slotted for damage aren't as effective either. Then you are back to relyng on your secondary to to defeat these mobs before they reach you and wishing you had something more than just ranged attacks...
It seemed pretty clear to me that I was not labeling an all ranged Earth/ dom as gimped, but stating that would likely be an all ranged build that many would criticize in saying "a melee/mixed playstyle would do so much better." Don't get me wrong, I'd be the first to say that it's possible to build an effective all-ranged Earth/ Dom, but that doesn't mean it will be as easy to pull of as others primaries may. I don't think its any secret that Earth/ ranks near the bottom in terms of damage dealt from a CC primary... perhaps that changed when they fixed Stoney, not sure but I doubt it. I'm sure the controller boards would reveal wich primary alone deals what compared to what.
and Yeah, Propel... because 2 shotting mobs went out of style... just like the long activting melee powers that no one gets...
"Situational power? Sure. Although in a sense... all powers are situational. It's just that some situations occur more than others." Understand the situation needed in order for the power to be most effective... and make that situation happen.
heh, I saw the words: gimp, ranged, earth, and dom and didn't come out of the blackout until about 10 mins ago.
Just a bit of info for fun. When MagicJ tested all the troller primaries earth actually did ok at st damage. I can't recall just how well, but nowhere near the bottom for a decent build.
Stoney is a monster, easily the second most damaging dom pet and not all that far behind 3 imps amazingly enough.
For damage stalags are useless, it is proc'd stone cages, proc'd sand, proc'd VG and the -res proc in quake.
It's honestly pretty decent, not as good as fire with hotfeet, but nothing is (then again hotfeet doesn't do squat when you are 80ft from the enemy ). I haven't played a perma creepers plant before but I have a feeling earth is right there with that set for damage.
I've found the snipe is pretty good for when enemies are incapable of attacking, but my powers still need time to recharge. Because I've got no recharge slotting in anything and no Hasten...
Of course, that's also a sign that the build sucks, and you shouldn't listen to my advice... 
All that is planned fails. All that is born dies.
All that is built crumbles. This will always be true.
But memories remain, And that is beautiful.
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I think an all-ranged Earth/ Dom would be the stereotyped gimp dom that some are unsure about. A dom who appears to be playing controller. From my experience, the trick about building an all ranged isn't just about taking just ranged powers from the secondary... but turning your primary into damage. (not just adding procs) I don't see Earth/ as having enough damage to pull it off.
P.S. Before anyone says it... Propel from 90ft away completely loses it's slow activating feel. I promise.
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/fire from range puts out about 90% as much damage as it does from melee.
/eng looks like it puts out as much or more damage from range as it does when including melee attacks. Way more if you use powerpush and have to chase after them to melee
Earth is an excellent set at maintaining range, probably the best set at it in the game along with Trick arrows.
An earth/ranged dom is anything but gimped.
As for earth contributing damage, well a proc'd out VG is about the best "ranged" damage any dom gets from their primary on top of the usual proc'd aoe immobs. And earthquake take the -res proc, which in a team can add more damage than any dom primary. Especially from range.
Oh and even at 90ft propel is still lame. Cool looking, but lame.