Greetings glorious adventurer! Welcome to our guide on mastering the Ranger archetype in Ashes of Creation!
The guilde covers the unique decisions, which the Rangers has to make, as well as suggestions on weapons and equipment and stats priority.
Skills
Choosing Imbued Ammo
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The decision every player has to make based on the situation is which type of ammo they need most.
You can choose between Bleed, Snare or Daze.
Imbue Ammo: Barbed – Bleed is overall more damage and adds Cooldown reduction on Barrage. Snipe can turn the bleed into Hemorraging, which results in more damage. However, the bleed effect is accessable through other sources. For example – your weapons. Both of them can add Bleed with auto attacks. Furthermore, you can count on either Fighter or Tank from your party for stacking Bleed as well. Ranger can use Thorns on the Tank.
Imbue Ammo: Weighted – reducing movement speed. It is useful in combination with Bear Trap and Air Strike. The Snare effect can be found on your Ranged weapon as well as on your Melee weapon. A Tank can provide AOE snare if Tremoring Bellow is used.
Imbue Ammo: Concussive – increasing the magical cast time. Headshot will have more penetration (25%) against Dazed targets. If you add Thundering Shot before the Headshot, the physical penetration will become 50%. So far, there is 1 other source of Daze debuff – auto attacks from One hand mace.
The value of Imbue Ammo: Concussive seems to be higher based on how rare you can get this debuff on, as well as the 50% physical penetration increase for Headshot.
Choosing Hunt
Hunt of the Bear – adds physical mitigation. Might be useful in scenarios in which you are solo pulling many mobs for farming or in PVP scenarios in which you are facing noticeable more Tanks, Fighters or other Rangers.
Hunt of the Raven – adds physical penetration. Could prove valuable against bosses or other targets with high physical mitigation.
Hunt of the Tiger – increases the critical damage. Provides best (overall) damage output increase.
Choosing Mark
Mark of the Bear – marked target will have their mitigation reduced.
Mark of the Raven – marked target will recieve additional damage based on health points missing.
Mark of the Tiger – increases the critical chance against the marked target.
The combination of Mark of the Tiger and Hunt of the Tiger are the overall winners. Mark of the Bear will be beneficial only against heavy armored targets and Mark of the Raven against targets with high amount of health points, but on the lower side of defenses.
Vine Field
Vine Field is one of the best skills, currently available in the game, regardless if you play solo or in group and regardless if you are in PVE or PVP scenario. The area, which you can deny from the enemies is huge and because of the Rooted and Snared you will have time to prepare Concentrated Scatter Shot, Snipe the target, follow up with Thundering Shot and Headshot.
Stamina Skill Tree
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Rangers are one of the most mobile archetypes in the game. Specializing in dodge roll early on will further boost this mobility. Rolling away will be your way to get out of trouble, both in PVE and PVP scenarios.
Spending points in to boost up your sprint can help you get to places quicker and recuperate stamina faster.
Blocking without a shield is not recommended.
Melee Weapon
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Currently there is access only to Two Hand Swords. Use them for more raw damage increase.
First choice – Deadly Finisher: Bleed. Overall, more damage is done and Ranger’s Barrage benefits from it. With Snipe, 1 stack of Bleeding is transformed to Hemorraging.
Second choice – Refreshing Followthrough. Helps restore mana while attacking with your weapon.
Third choice – Deadly Finisher: Wound. Reducing the healing against some mobs in PVE is needed in order to make the fight easier.
Weapon Training: Critical Damage and Weapon Training: Penetration – both of them are important. Critical damage will provide more output against light armored targets. Penetration will be beneficial against heavy armored targets. One point in each should provide a balanced build.
Range Weapon
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Use Longbows if you prefer more burst type of damage.
Use Shortbows for quicker attacks, but lower damage done.
First choice – Deadly Finisher: Bleed. Overall, more damage is done and Ranger’s Barrage benefits from it. With Snipe, 1 stack of Bleeding is transformed to Hemorraging.
Second choice – Refreshing Followthrough. Helps restore mana while attacking with your weapon. If the mana is not an issue – Keen Edge(especially for PVP).
Third choice – Deadly Finisher: Snare. Helps with kiting enemies and the Rangers benefit from already snared targets – Bear Trap, Air Strike.
Weapon Training: Critical Damage and Weapon Training: Penetration – both of them are important. Critical damage will provide more output against light armored targets. Penetration will be beneficial against heavy armored targets. One point in each should provide a balanced build.
Equipment
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Disclaimer: The process is slow! All items which are displayed below are obtainable. Armor and weapons mainly drop in various POIs. Recipes are dropping as well, therefor you can obtain higher rarity if you get high enough crafting skill and have the necessary materials.
Medium gear is a good option for both PVE and PVP scenarios. There is other gear pieces besides “Sanctus Skulker, which can be considered as well – Howling Wolf (Howling Wolf Garb).
As for level 20 gear – Bloodrunner from Tower of Carphin. Leatherworking can provide gear such as Gryphon Tunic.
Stats
What kind of stats should you be looking for if you are a Fighter and you want to perform well?
- Strength – increases physical power rating, physical accuracy rating, physical penetration rating
- Dexterity – increases physical critical chance rating, physical attack speed, physical evasion rating
- Constitution – increases the maximum health points, armor, physical critical avoidance rating
- Mentality – increases magical resis, magical critical avoidance rating, max mana
Side note: Wisdom provides Magical Evasion Rating. However, the current stats and values are too low and it is hard to tell if Evasion (for both Physical and Magical damage) can be considered as a viable defense option.
In situations where you an get an upgrade with higher level or rarity item, focus on these stats, preferably in that order:
- Strength and Dexterity will improve your damage output.
- Constitution will help you against physical damage and will increase your health pool.
- Mentality will help you with the mana pool and will reduce the incoming magical damage from PVE and PVP.
Final Thoughts
The Ranger archetype in Ashes of Creation excels at controlling battlefield distance, scouting, and executing high-damage strikes. Ideal for players who enjoy tactical movement, stealth, and lethal long-range combat finesse.
