Suggestion [Class] Ranger Barrage

[leftovers5]

Hello, everyone. I just wanted to post about some things I noticed when having the chance to use @Digger360 as a fully plated 55 DK test dummy (thanks!). One of the main things I noticed was how weak barrage was. In comparison to how many arrows it takes, generally around 24, it only did 2 damage to Digger. While other skills, like arrowstorm, did 38 (11 arrows per 2.0 seconds), and poison arrow, which did 8 total, are generally effectively used in pvp, barrage seems like a wasteful skill. Granted, when I do back off from melee in a fight to get better ground/farther away from an enemy, barrage MAY have its use in getting a quick 2 damage poison arrow in, it would still only do 2 damage with a 8 DoT. So, this has basically led me to suggest an improvement for the arrows shot from barrage. Would it be possible to make them arrows shot at full power (6 damage to a fully plated DK), rather than from seemingly little power? For any other rangers that are into pvp, please post your ideas about this here. I'd be interested to see what the rest of you (as well as the balance team and others) think of this. I think improving barrage from its current status as wasteful would be a great step in improving the ranger class.

 

[agentjwall]

Ranger's Barrage used to be a lot more powerful. The problem is that the Ranger class is the hardest to balance because it is so unique. Most herocraft classes are CQC based (at least partially) while rangers are designed to be high-powered ranged fighters. Because of their strong ranged offensive capacity and very weak defense, balancing results in the following:

• Attacks are too to powerful and rangers defeat most opponents before they reach them.
• Attacks are too weak and rangers are defeated once engaged in CQC combat.

Because of this rangers almost always are too powerful in combat, or too weak; there is very little middle ground.

 

[Keache]

I agree, but for a level 55 skill it only qualifies as a quick way of discardin your arrows

 

[leftovers5]

From my experience, I don't think upping the ranger's 2 dmg to a fully plated DK barrage by 4 would tip them over the edge one way or the other. Currently, there really isn't much of a use and it just ends up wasting precious arrows.

 

[agentjwall]

It may have little effect on DKs, but it would have a drastic effect on many other classes.

 

[leftovers5]

Yeah, that's understandable. I really should do more testing into this - but you have to admit that 2 damage, even for a DK, is negligible.

 

[RagingDragon5]

Barrage isn't a skill that I would prefer. Actually I think it's one of the most useless skills for me. Even though it is an AOE, it is very hard to hit anything.

 

[eagles90809]

Barrage should be used as an escape skill when you are being chased... toggle ice arrow and barrage to slow an enemy that is behind u. take a few seconds to run away then turn, and poison arrow the fuck out of them.

 

[leftovers5]

Barrage should be used as an escape skill when you are being chased... toggle ice arrow and barrage to slow an enemy that is behind u. take a few seconds to run away then turn, and poison arrow the fuck out of them.

From my experience, ice arrow doesn't have the longest/most helpful slow - I'm more game for just barraging my enemies with poison arrows.. haha. that being said, sneaking in a barrage with poison arrow activated can come in handy.

 

[eagles90809]

in a sticky situation (TWSS) you would be better off hitting them with an ice arrow.

 

[Vongard]

I think Barrage is a waste of mana. i use arrowstorm only when someone has me at close combat to knock them back and deal some damage so i have time to recuperate... i don't even have barrage bound though.

I think barrage should be taken out and Ice arrow needs to be fixed because it seemingly doesn't slow people at all.

If i were on the balance team i would argue for the following changes:

No mana cost to changing stances and no cooldown by stances i mean poison arrow > firearrow >icearrow so on so a ranger can use more than one arrow type in a fight.

I would make fire/poison arrow cost 15 mana per shot rather than 10 mana

And finally i would make icearrow have a significant slow with a either 20 or 25 mana cost.

Rangers should also gain mana as they level because they are a hybrid. not much but some.

Finally barrage would be removed

That's my two bits do with it what you will.