Arcane Archer is a better tree than Dark Hunter
- Thread starter RangerOne
- Start date
Dunspartacus
Well-known member
The time I made a dark hunter it was just a tempest/dws ranger that could trap. The time I made a arcane archer ranger it was just a horizon walker that could shoot paralyzing arrows.
Both trees are incredibly mid but the base ranger/dark hunter class are so good that you can sorta just ignore them.
Both trees are incredibly mid but the base ranger/dark hunter class are so good that you can sorta just ignore them.
Ryiah
Well-known member
Trying to change your mind would require me to like Ranger and TWF.
WielderofGigantus
Well-known member
Rangers don't get trapping unlike Dark Hunters, and as a Dark Hunter you can just go DWS and Horizon Walker, which is working just fine for me as a Dark Hunter archer. I don't see why I would I need Arcane Archer.
Teh_Troll
Master of Baiting
AA is okay for a splash to get an imbue and some extra dice. An AOE shot with a 3 second timer is also really nice, especially at lower levels.
But it's a weak tree overall.
I like Dark Hunter for a second tree for 16 Artificer build, for Artficier if you go T5 BE.
4 DH
Dark Hunter 27
DWS 6
Nets you:
+3 Imbue
+1 SD Dark Hunter
+4 SD DH Tree
+3 SD DWS
+20 Morale to RP (very easy to keep up in quests)
Rapid Shot
Precise Shot
Bleed the Weak (back up imbue for lightning immunes)
4 Rogue for instance would be (Assassin tree):
27 AP Assassin
6 AP Elsewhere to get some small extra benefit
+3 Imbue
+2 SD Rogue
+4 SD Assassin
+20 Morale to Doubleshot (weaker to me on repeater than 20 RP)
Lose shot on the Run can't fit that in
Dark Hunter is stronger than Rogue for Artificer 16 T5 BE.
AA sucks outside of 4 Imbue dice, basically not worth anything other than that.
If you go 15 Artificer then Dark Hunter 3/Rogue 2 nets you (but you lose either reconstruct or deadly):
Assassin 11
DH 17
DWS 6
+3 Imbue Assassin
+3 Imbue Dark Hunter
+1 SD Rogue
+2 SD Assassin
+1 SD DH
+3 SD DH
+3 SD DWS
Lose Free Precise Shot
Lose Shot on the Run swap for Precise Shot
So, you net out with 6 imbue dice, 10 SD, which get you +3 imbue and +2 SD compared to 4 DH, but you lose shot on the Run +6 RP, and the +20 RP from slayer in the dark, and of course you can't take Deadly and Reconstruct.
I think it ends up being a bit of wash with the loss of -26 RP compared to +3 Imbue, +2 SD, and you have to give up either Deadly or Reconstruct.
You were probably talking bows, but for crossbows it makes a nice second tree when Artificer really doesn't have a great option for pure in my opinion.
4 DH
Dark Hunter 27
DWS 6
Nets you:
+3 Imbue
+1 SD Dark Hunter
+4 SD DH Tree
+3 SD DWS
+20 Morale to RP (very easy to keep up in quests)
Rapid Shot
Precise Shot
Bleed the Weak (back up imbue for lightning immunes)
4 Rogue for instance would be (Assassin tree):
27 AP Assassin
6 AP Elsewhere to get some small extra benefit
+3 Imbue
+2 SD Rogue
+4 SD Assassin
+20 Morale to Doubleshot (weaker to me on repeater than 20 RP)
Lose shot on the Run can't fit that in
Dark Hunter is stronger than Rogue for Artificer 16 T5 BE.
AA sucks outside of 4 Imbue dice, basically not worth anything other than that.
If you go 15 Artificer then Dark Hunter 3/Rogue 2 nets you (but you lose either reconstruct or deadly):
Assassin 11
DH 17
DWS 6
+3 Imbue Assassin
+3 Imbue Dark Hunter
+1 SD Rogue
+2 SD Assassin
+1 SD DH
+3 SD DH
+3 SD DWS
Lose Free Precise Shot
Lose Shot on the Run swap for Precise Shot
So, you net out with 6 imbue dice, 10 SD, which get you +3 imbue and +2 SD compared to 4 DH, but you lose shot on the Run +6 RP, and the +20 RP from slayer in the dark, and of course you can't take Deadly and Reconstruct.
I think it ends up being a bit of wash with the loss of -26 RP compared to +3 Imbue, +2 SD, and you have to give up either Deadly or Reconstruct.
You were probably talking bows, but for crossbows it makes a nice second tree when Artificer really doesn't have a great option for pure in my opinion.
This, AA as a tree is too weak and relies a lot on utility but not exactly good by itself, but elemental inferno as an aoe attack is extremely good for low/mids heroics.
Kancamagus Lightfoot
Well-known member
I've really been enjoying my AA wisdom build coupled with the falcon. Paralyzing with the AOE that hits a mob is kind of fun. Occasionally I look over at DH and HW and never quite make the switch.
RangerOne
Well-known member
I can't get into Horizon Walker, though I have tried. I use Falconry.
I generally do First level rogue and then ranger for the rest.
I can still get trapmaking with some feat arrangement (and other Ranger feats are dull anyway) so that leaves the wolf as the draw and he's just not that great. The mage skeleton knight seems far more powerful. And once you hit 15 you can crack out Shield Guardians and Owlbears for companions.
I generally do First level rogue and then ranger for the rest.
I can still get trapmaking with some feat arrangement (and other Ranger feats are dull anyway) so that leaves the wolf as the draw and he's just not that great. The mage skeleton knight seems far more powerful. And once you hit 15 you can crack out Shield Guardians and Owlbears for companions.
Kancamagus Lightfoot
Well-known member
I know. I wish. At least my bird strikes cause helplessness .
Elves United
Well-known member
My Dark Hunter archer spent 0 dark hunter AP. Darkwood Hunter doesn't really hide that its primarily a melee tree in the upper tiers and AP is better spent elsewhere.
So the real question I think should be:
1) Dark Hunter: Deepwood Stalker capstone + horizon splash
2) Dark Hunter: Horizon Capstone + Deepwood Stalker splash
3) Arcane Archer: Deepwood, Horizon, Falconry splashes
My answer depends on what level and difficulty you are playing.
Arcane is strongest in heroics on elite or reaper 1. But runs into problems with higher reaper.
( unless you have a very strong build )
Horizon Walker falls behind in heroics but gets a lot of power from its capstone.
Deepwood Stalker is probably the DPS leader.
( though I've not run it since the explosive ranged update so I don't know how headshot works out )
So the real question I think should be:
1) Dark Hunter: Deepwood Stalker capstone + horizon splash
2) Dark Hunter: Horizon Capstone + Deepwood Stalker splash
3) Arcane Archer: Deepwood, Horizon, Falconry splashes
My answer depends on what level and difficulty you are playing.
Arcane is strongest in heroics on elite or reaper 1. But runs into problems with higher reaper.
( unless you have a very strong build )
Horizon Walker falls behind in heroics but gets a lot of power from its capstone.
Deepwood Stalker is probably the DPS leader.
( though I've not run it since the explosive ranged update so I don't know how headshot works out )
Try doing dark hunter with some.rouge and fighter mixed in. Go no imbue toggle. Than focus Everything on range power and sneak attack dice.
Elves United
Well-known member
What does 6 levels of Dark Hunter even get you?
Sniper shot from deepwood?
For a heroic life inquisitive burn I'd be more tempted to go rogue for the other 6.
Striga
Well-known member
let's see...
* free ranged feats
* free melee feats = bit more hp
* easy trap skills for less invested characters
* Ram's Might + maybe Jump
* Sniper Shot, possibly Aimed Shot
* 4 sneak attack dice from DWS
* longer PBS/sneak attack range
* 2 sneak attack dice from DHu levels
* 2+ sneak attack dice from DHu enhancements
* 2-3 imbue dice
* sprint boost
Smokewolf
An Excited Member
A big hint is how many people are running cap-stone DH or AA in Epics. Odds are it's no one, as both enh trees suck massively, past Heroics due to poor DPS scaling. Not to forget the lack of synergy with regard to how people actually build ranged toons.
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