Lightning Arrow (LA) Ranger Guide – From Beginning to End Game

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Skywalkerfx wrote:

My build is Ice Shot for bosses, LA for everything else, Auras of Hatred and Vitality, and I run with a big frigging statue all the time curtousy of Raise Spectre.

I use Point Blank and a Chin Sol but that's optional.

I'm going to keep the guide more open-ended for whatever gear people find/use and not have any specific Unique item requirements.

This is my tree at Lvl 78

Spoiler

http://www.pathofexile.com/passive-skill-tree/AAAAAgIAAdEILhUgGbQZ_hsBIXYj9iSdJKUlPypNLOkx-jKUNZI6sz8nR35KfUrITeNW-lpIWz1iWmVNZ6BsFm5pbqpyw3RBdvd31311fwJ_K4Lkg9uE2YdBh3aI8YqvkAqQEZUFm42hIqJApMKmV6bgp9SrC6vFrFmvp6_rtBq18rfiu-O-p8APxKLEuMqpytPMBs2YznHSTdN-1fjZxtqN3BXdDd7G35jiy-pi7g7veu_w9Pj2o_qx_Ev8xf6P_rr-yA==.

Thought I would recommend something similar or at least explain what and why I did it.

I find your build confusing.

You have almost no critical, but use lightning arrow as main attack.
You have no acrobatics + Ondar or Iron reflexes.
You use ice shot as single target? (puncture, frenzy, burning arrow are all better for single target)
You spend so many talent points on accuracy. I can tell for sure, that it is not worth it. Getting accuracy on gear is far superior.
You use mana with really mana expensive attacks. I guess it's maybe doable, but have you considered blood magic?
You stack a lot of resistance which is okay to begin with, but really far easier to just get from gear.

same amount of points.

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Asidra wrote:

Not sure if it matters because it's your guide - but I totally disagree about Ice Shot. Burning Arrow is a better single target DPS - it hits harder and costs less mana. Ice Shot is better used as an AOE skill due to the fact it makes an AOE behind the target (totally watsed in 1v1 combat).

Like the guide - the game can be confusing and early choices can have impact for a while. This could help.

Ice Shot can chill though which fire can't. Although Burning Arrow can be more of a life steal and DPS aid, I like the stopping power of Ice Shot. Ice Shot will slow or chill monsters making it especially useful when things are charging you or against bosses. Ice Shot is poor at AoE unless the monsters are lined up in a hallway or choke point.

You certainly are entitled to your opinion. I don't claim to have all the answers for everyone and we all have different skills we like to use. I am just writing about what has worked for me. I am hoping to help others make choices, not be clones of my build.

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Frankenberry wrote:

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Skywalkerfx wrote:

My build is Ice Shot for bosses, LA for everything else, Auras of Hatred and Vitality, and I run with a big frigging statue all the time curtousy of Raise Spectre.

I use Point Blank and a Chin Sol but that's optional.

I'm going to keep the guide more open-ended for whatever gear people find/use and not have any specific Unique item requirements.

This is my tree at Lvl 78

Spoiler

http://www.pathofexile.com/passive-skill-tree/AAAAAgIAAdEILhUgGbQZ_hsBIXYj9iSdJKUlPypNLOkx-jKUNZI6sz8nR35KfUrITeNW-lpIWz1iWmVNZ6BsFm5pbqpyw3RBdvd31311fwJ_K4Lkg9uE2YdBh3aI8YqvkAqQEZUFm42hIqJApMKmV6bgp9SrC6vFrFmvp6_rtBq18rfiu-O-p8APxKLEuMqpytPMBs2YznHSTdN-1fjZxtqN3BXdDd7G35jiy-pi7g7veu_w9Pj2o_qx_Ev8xf6P_rr-yA==.

Thought I would recommend something similar or at least explain what and why I did it.

I find your build confusing.

You have almost no critical, but use lightning arrow as main attack.
You have no acrobatics + Ondar or Iron reflexes.
You use ice shot as single target? (puncture, frenzy, burning arrow are all better for single target)
You spend so many talent points on accuracy. I can tell for sure, that it is not worth it. Getting accuracy on gear is far superior.
You use mana with really mana expensive attacks. I guess it's maybe doable, but have you considered blood magic?
You stack a lot of resistance which is okay to begin with, but really far easier to just get from gear.

Spoiler

http://www.pathofexile.com/passive-skill-tree/AAAAAgIBAdEB3AHnBH4V8BrbG_ohdiP2JP0l3ymlMHwxnjH6MgkylDWSNug51DpYRmlHfkp9SshN404qVvpYr1pIW69lTWegapNsRm5pbqpv8nJsdEF293fXeA1_An8rhNmHGYd2iPGQCpUFm42fy6CfoSKhpKJApBmmV6bgp9SpbqvFrFmv67XytkG-ir6nwA_EosqpzZjSTdUA1e3ZxtwV3Q3exuHb51TqYu4O7_D0-Plj_MX-j_7I

same amount of points.

Well your comments are interesting given the fact that you can't see my gear. So you are looking at half of my build - the passive tree - and making assumptions.

I could answer your comments one by one, but again you looked at part of what I am doing. I posted my tree to show where I am generally going with the guide.

The purpose of the guide is not to have others clone my build or be a gear show for my character. I am basically making suggestions and trying to explain choices.

Let's discuss your points when the rest of the guide is up.

I like the layout personally, as it explains things I haven't learned yet. I had a level 74 Bow Ranger from another build, but the guy never finished it. It is my hope that you'll get part 2 up quickly however, as I am a bit of a leveling monster....lol

I am curious though, why SA over RoA?

Thanks for taking the time to do this!

Infinity

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InfinityCircle wrote:

I like the layout personally, as it explains things I haven't learned yet. I had a level 74 Bow Ranger from another build, but the guy never finished it. It is my hope that you'll get part 2 up quickly however, as I am a bit of a leveling monster....lol

I am curious though, why SA over RoA?

Thanks for taking the time to do this!

Infinity

Why (LA) Lightning Arrow over (RoA) Rain of Arrows?

Because RoA is a 2 second attack, shoot (1 second) - wait 1 second - arrows fall. It is too slow for a solo build. In later stages of the game, every second counts, you could be stun locked or dead before the arrows hit the ground.

LA is very fast, it's shock effect is fast, and it will stop anything except some level bosses if you combine it with chill or knockback.

RoA, Explosive Arrow, Fire Arrow, Bleed, and Poison Arrow are too slow for solo builds - unless you want to kite like crazy.

If you play in groups, you can use whatever skills you want to use, because the Ranger is not the Tank.

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Skywalkerfx wrote:

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InfinityCircle wrote:

I like the layout personally, as it explains things I haven't learned yet. I had a level 74 Bow Ranger from another build, but the guy never finished it. It is my hope that you'll get part 2 up quickly however, as I am a bit of a leveling monster....lol

I am curious though, why SA over RoA?

Thanks for taking the time to do this!

Infinity

Why (LA) Lightning Arrow over (RoA) Rain of Arrows?

Because RoA is a 2 second attack, shoot (1 second) - wait 1 second - arrows fall. It is too slow for a solo build. In later stages of the game, every second counts, you could be stun locked or dead before the arrows hit the ground.

LA is very fast, it's shock effect is fast, and it will stop anything except some level bosses if you combine it with chill or knockback.

RoA, Explosive Arrow, Fire Arrow, Bleed, and Poison Arrow are too slow for solo builds - unless you want to kite like crazy.

If you play in groups, you can use whatever skills you want to use, because the Ranger is not the Tank.

None of these attacks are to slow for solo play. Linkstatics RoA build or Explosive arrow templar builds or 1 of several poisen arrow + fire trap builds show this. Puncture or burning arrow is the go to single target attack if you don't use frenzy.

This is borderline missinformation.

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Frankenberry wrote:

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Skywalkerfx wrote:

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InfinityCircle wrote:

I like the layout personally, as it explains things I haven't learned yet. I had a level 74 Bow Ranger from another build, but the guy never finished it. It is my hope that you'll get part 2 up quickly however, as I am a bit of a leveling monster....lol

I am curious though, why SA over RoA?

Thanks for taking the time to do this!

Infinity

Why (LA) Lightning Arrow over (RoA) Rain of Arrows?

Because RoA is a 2 second attack, shoot (1 second) - wait 1 second - arrows fall. It is too slow for a solo build. In later stages of the game, every second counts, you could be stun locked or dead before the arrows hit the ground.

LA is very fast, it's shock effect is fast, and it will stop anything except some level bosses if you combine it with chill or knockback.

RoA, Explosive Arrow, Fire Arrow, Bleed, and Poison Arrow are too slow for solo builds - unless you want to kite like crazy.

If you play in groups, you can use whatever skills you want to use, because the Ranger is not the Tank.

None of these attacks are to slow for solo play. Linkstatics RoA build or Explosive arrow templar builds or 1 of several poisen arrow + fire trap builds show this. Puncture or burning arrow is the go to single target attack if you don't use frenzy.

This is borderline missinformation.

RoA is slow sorry. Traps are slow. Explosive arrow is slow. There are builds that use these skills sure. They aren't the best builds for solo Ranger players.
If you disagree you can take one of those builds and we can do some PvP. I hope you are using the Iron Reflexes Keystone so I can take you down twice as fast.

I mean you do realize that LA is almost instant hit and shock? All the skills you describe are two-part time wasting support skills. Next you are going to tell me Totem builds are the way to go.

What does PvP have to do with solo play? Nothing. If your guide is for pvp, then I must have misunderstood something.

http://www.pathofexile.com/forum/view-thread/269967 = Explosive arrow. Really solid solo play build for beginners, since its cheap and has insane AoE potential.

http://www.pathofexile.com/forum/view-thread/791798 = Rain of Arrows. Really solid solo play guide. Does lvl 78 dominus with RoA. Projectile speed makes the arrows hit very fast.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B0ELNnmyo3k Puncture 1 shot a boss with bad gear and somewhat bad build.

Burning arrow is pretty solid. It just does a lot of elemental dmg. More than iceshot.

http://www.pathofexile.com/forum/view-thread/706027 Poisen arrow + fire trap tank build.


Also LA is really good attack if you have a high critical chance, since it only shocks on crit. Your build has almost 0 crit, which pretty much makes any other attack better than LA in your build, unless your gear has 200-300% critical chance and base critical chance on your bow of 8%+.

I respect your great effort for making this guide, so I will leave it at that. I just hope your advice won't lead new players down a non-optimal or even wrong path.

Ready for part 2 already....can you give me a hint as to direction in the meantime?...:D

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Frankenberry wrote:

Also LA is really good attack if you have a high critical chance, since it only shocks on crit. Your build has almost 0 crit, which pretty much makes any other attack better than LA in your build, unless your gear has 200-300% critical chance and base critical chance on your bow of 8%+.

I respect your great effort for making this guide, so I will leave it at that. I just hope your advice won't lead new players down a non-optimal or even wrong path.

I have 100% Global Crit chance and 318% Global crit multiplier. I am working on getting more crit, but the shocking is going fine as it is.

I respect your opinions so let's see how it goes. If you have some good suggestions, once the rest is up, I will be happy to listen to them.