Nightmare Ranger Spike build for HA and GvG

This build is focused around the new and improved Nightmare Weapon skill

4 x R/Rt

12 channeling
13 expertise 9+4
10 marksmanship 9+1

Armor - more on defensive side as insignias go - you only need 2 attribute runes anyway.
Weapons

1. Vampiric Recurve bow +5 energy
2. Vampiric Longbow +5 energy
3. Any bow for switch.



(keep the skills in this order - it should help the spike process)

1. Practiced Stance (Elite) Elite Stance. For 33 seconds, your preparations recharge 50% faster and last 134% longer. Expertise. 5e cost 15 sec recharge

2. Seeking arrows - Preparation. For 10 seconds, your arrows cannot be "blocked". Seeking Arrows ends if you fail to hit. Marksmanship. 15e cost 2 sec cast 20 sec recharge

3.Nigtmare weapon - Weapon Spell. For 12 seconds, target ally has a Nightmare Weapon. Target ally's next 3 successful attacks are reduced by 42 damage and steals up to 42 Health. Channeling. 5e cost 1s cast 10 s recharge

4. Dual shot - Bow Attack. Shoot two arrows simultaneously at target foe. These arrows deal 25% less damage - No attribute. 10e cost 10 sec recharge

5. Distracting shot - Bow Attack. If Distracting Shot hits, it interrupts target foe's action but deals only 13 damage. If the interrupted action was a skill, that skill is disabled for an additional 20 seconds. Expertise. 5e .5s cast 10 s recharge

6. Sight beyond sight - Enchantment. For 8 sec you cannot be Blinded. 5e .25s cast 20s recharge

or Antidote signet - Signet. Cleanse yourself of Poison, Disease, and Blindness 1s cast 8s recharge


7. (optional defensive skill - whirling defense, throw dirt, dodge etc.)

8. Resurrection signet / Flesh of my flesh


Lets talk damage first.

One spike chain (dual + dist) under a level 12 Order of the vampire does 3*(42 +5 +13) = 180 life stealing. x 4 rangers = 720. That should be enough. Even with one ranger disabled, you still have 540 life stealing.

Energy wise the build is perfectly sustainable at a rate of two spikes per 30 secs in average (2+7+2*(5+5+2))=33 energy for 2 spikes with seeking arrows on.


Second - the main counters:

a) Blinds - 6th skill sould be used to counter
Blocks - the Practiced stance / seeking arrows fits the build perfectly, since RtW is not needed.
c) Disabling one ranger - 3 can still kill effectively.


Spike support characters would include first an Order of Vampire spammer. The added damage from OoV on 4 spikers is 4*3*13= 156. In theory you could replace him with another spiker (does 141 dam without orders) but the OoV caster can do other stuff at the same time (and a 4 person spike is easier to get than a 5 person one). My favorite setup here is a Dervish/Necro with 12 blood, 9-12 mysticism and rest to Earth, using faithful intervention, vital boon and mystic regeneration, and healing others with imbue health and Signet of pious light.He also can make a good relic runner with Pious Haste and all the survival stuff on him.

This leaves 1 extra slot in HA and 3 in GvG - for GvG its the obvious 2 monks + runner.

For HA - my suggestion would be a LoD/Aegis Spammer monk. I see the two support chars (D/N and Mo/E) sitting in the backline and suporting the main 4 attackers with radar range spells. I'll even put a blood renewal on the D/N to support the Monk.

Support remote monk:

Mo/E

16 healing
13-15 Protection


Light of Deliverance
GoLE
Heal party
Aegis
Protective spirit
Shield of absorbtion
Dismiss condition
Holy veil

Support order spammer

D/N

12 Blood
12 Mysticism
11 earth

Order of the vampire
Faithful intervention
Vital boon
Mystic regeneration
Imbue health
Signet of pious light
Blood renewal
Resurection signet





Waiting for comments. http://www.theamazonbasin.com/gw/forums/index.php?showtopic=7476