[1]

Stealth shot is very useful for what you are looking for.

I have Stealth Shot at level 3, (equals -30 enmity every 5 minutes), it is probably the best merit investment for Ranger. Many will debate this but there is practicality to its function that doesn't require macro sets, a subjob specifically for hate reset or an investment in a Relic. You can use it in soooooooo many different scenarios to keep hate off you. You can combine with a WS like slugwinder and the mob will not even look in your direction. You can intentionally weapon skill to bounce the mob off the tank, (if it is ever needed) and then use immediately to return the attention back to sender. For very long fights or in situations where you know its going to be 10-30 minutes on a mob, open your first shot with Stealth Shot activated.

Now in terms of effective strategies in fights that are more than 10 minutes:

let the tank establish hate, if its a Pld let them go through their enmity cycle before tping, if its a DD tank, let the tank and the primary DD establish their respective hate first and never be the first the DD to use a weaponskill.

Double shot is your new friend if you are worried about fast TP gain, especially with Guns.

Barrage really shouldn't always be used as Slugwinder > Barrage > Slugwinder to chuck up the damage trifecta, outside of trying to zerg in which case: SW>BRG> EES> SW is recommended.
Its actually more useful as a last ditch move to jack up TP incase a critical slugwinder missed.

[Banter]

The only major spots where RNG gets a lot of MND where you can't get a lot of INT is the feet (albeit, it is a large amount).

[Spider-Dan]

pathwriter, on 28 July 2010 - 08:18 PM, said:

At issue for me, Lambtor, would be the modifier on them. Ranger gets a positive glut of MND gear that frankly leaves my White Mage feeling just a bit jealous, but INT gear is pretty hard to come by.

I have not been able to find a modifying stat for darkling bolts' add'l effect; I checked INT and AGI and got no increase from either.

This post has been edited by Spider-Dan: 29 July 2010 - 12:48 AM

[Banter]

CCHHHHHHHHHHHHHHRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR

[Taint]

1, on 28 July 2010 - 11:14 PM, said:

Stealth shot is very useful for what you are looking for.

I have Stealth Shot at level 3, (equals -30 enmity every 5 minutes), it is probably the best merit investment for Ranger. Many will debate this but there is practicality to its function that doesn't require macro sets, a subjob specifically for hate reset or an investment in a Relic. You can use it in soooooooo many different scenarios to keep hate off you. You can combine with a WS like slugwinder and the mob will not even look in your direction. You can intentionally weapon skill to bounce the mob off the tank, (if it is ever needed) and then use immediately to return the attention back to sender. For very long fights or in situations where you know its going to be 10-30 minutes on a mob, open your first shot with Stealth Shot activated.

Now in terms of effective strategies in fights that are more than 10 minutes:

let the tank establish hate, if its a Pld let them go through their enmity cycle before tping, if its a DD tank, let the tank and the primary DD establish their respective hate first and never be the first the DD to use a weaponskill.

Double shot is your new friend if you are worried about fast TP gain, especially with Guns.

Barrage really shouldn't always be used as Slugwinder > Barrage > Slugwinder to chuck up the damage trifecta, outside of trying to zerg in which case: SW>BRG> EES> SW is recommended.
Its actually more useful as a last ditch move to jack up TP incase a critical slugwinder missed.

I'm probably getting whooshed but doesn't stealth shot only work for the next RA?

[Aleera]

Taint, on 29 July 2010 - 12:45 PM, said:

I'm probably getting whooshed but doesn't stealth shot only work for the next RA?

It does. But using it prior to a WS will drastically reduce the amount of hate you're going to get from it, which has a possibility of saving your ass once in a while.

[Deo2]

Too bad camouflage is not a fulltime form of -enm. Random duration coupled with %chance /ra will remove it probably best used as a secondary stealth shot. Only gear that boosts camo is the AF1 body, but it most likely only works on the duration half, not the %chance.

So... stealth shot > WS > camo > Barrage > WS.

This post has been edited by Deo2: 29 July 2010 - 06:18 PM

[Banter]

Pretty sure anything that isn't a /ra gets rid of Camo, including WS. Would be good to use right before Barrage though.

[Banter]

Well, right after you use the JA, but before you fire it off.

[Lambtor]

Banter, on 29 July 2010 - 09:11 PM, said:

Pretty sure anything that isn't a /ra gets rid of Camo, including WS. Would be good to use right before Barrage though.

you can WS and keep camo up but you have to be behind the mob, and even then it's a % chance.

[Banter]

Lambtor, on 29 July 2010 - 10:13 PM, said:

you can WS and keep camo up but you have to be behind the mob, and even then it's a % chance.

Well that's kind of stupid, but good to know. Thanks.

[Spider-Dan]

Lambtor, on 29 July 2010 - 10:13 PM, said:

you can WS and keep camo up but you have to be behind the mob, and even then it's a % chance.

POIDH

[Taint]

Spider-Dan, on 30 July 2010 - 04:30 PM, said:

POIDH

^this, WSs and JAs cancel it.