Ranger spell review

[jevansau]

Trying out a ranger on build 194, and seems pretty good.
My impressions may have been altered by finding 2 great launchers though.
A Buckland sling x4, +12 dam, +9 shots, +5 dex at DL13 (feeling 6)
A Lothlorian long bow x5 +22 dam at DL31 (feeling 6)

Still trying to get a feel for how Decoy works now, but the spells do feel like a good progression now.
Given how rare launchers are (usually) not being restricted to bows really helps.

[ewert]

[*]Pebbles/shots never break

My new character's first weapon find of note is a sling of extra might x3 with mid 10s on both hit and dmg.

Needless to say, DLs 10-20 have never been this easy. XD

[Estie]

I started a ranger on live...and black breath cures stuff. Since that was topic to get changed, I wonder if the nightly on live is the newest one ?

Edit: finally got my hands on a non-bow launcher and it says 1,5 shots/round with the sling, so I guess its the right one.

[Pete Mack]

@Voovus
I've been assuming the spell just calls create object at the given dungeon level. Most of the time, you dont get good stuff.

Tge benefit of the spell is that with so many arrows to choose from, at least some will be good.

[Voovus]

Staff power seems to be the problem. I only used the spell about 20 times or so (wasn't actively using a bow), all around clv 45-50, and among these had:
Magi -> basic arrows +5,+4,
Speed -> basic arrows +2,+5,
Destruction -> basic arrows +0,+0,
Holiness -> basic arrows +5,+3,
Slow Monsters -> mithril arrows of demon slaying +7,+11.

[wobbly]

My experience is staff power makes little difference and that it is very easy to get good arrows from bad staves just by using multiple staves. By the time you have this spell buying out the magic shop isn't hard and even darkness staves off the ground have reasonable chances of producing something usable at high clvl.

[Nick]

Effective depth is player level. Staff level is used to roll for automatically good (enchanted) and then automatically great (ego).

Maybe a good buff would be to make it twice player level.

[Pete Mack]

What mrfy said. How is effective depth calculated for created ammo?

[mrfy]

Does the dungeon level you're at affect the results of Create Arrows? Or just the quality of staff and your player level.

[Nick]

Possible problem: my @'s ranged weapons, in chronological order, were sling, crossbow, crossbow, crossbow, sling, bow - with the bow only used in the final fight against M. I think the issue is that the Create Arrows spell doesn't create strong enough ammunition. (Possible solution - increase break chance on arrows, but improve the Create Arrows spell. Maybe also put it in the first spellbook, in which case you could push the break chance to 100% if so minded... This is likely to mess with non-rangers, though.)

I'm inclined to leave the ammo breakage where it is, but maybe improve what comes out of Create arrows.

Which reminds me: is Create Arrows functioning correctly? I've got plenty of rubbish arrows from top quality staves, and some excellent ones from Slow Monsters (at 4950', admittedly).

It is quite random, but I can look at that too.

Finally, Brand Ammunition can be made cheaper and with no fail rate. It's not like you will be casting it in a battle.

True, but I want it to feel like a high level spell

[Voovus]

Just played through with a Hobbit Ranger to test the new rules. They seem to me to be a significant improvement.

1. My @ was genuinely a ranged character from start to finish.
2. The new sling is wonderful.
3. Bows/crossbows/slings have a slightly different feel to each other, although this could probably be strengthened. (The way I imagine it is: (i) for bows, ammo is average, but easily obtainable, (ii) crossbows have very strong ammo, but it's limited, (iii) sling ammo is like equipment - if you find good ammo then great, and getting those mithril shots of holy might can feel like finding the one ring.)

Possible problem: my @'s ranged weapons, in chronological order, were sling, crossbow, crossbow, crossbow, sling, bow - with the bow only used in the final fight against M. I think the issue is that the Create Arrows spell doesn't create strong enough ammunition. (Possible solution - increase break chance on arrows, but improve the Create Arrows spell. Maybe also put it in the first spellbook, in which case you could push the break chance to 100% if so minded... This is likely to mess with non-rangers, though.)

Which reminds me: is Create Arrows functioning correctly? I've got plenty of rubbish arrows from top quality staves, and some excellent ones from Slow Monsters (at 4950', admittedly).

Finally, Brand Ammunition can be made cheaper and with no fail rate. It's not like you will be casting it in a battle.

[Pete Mack]

Now all i need is a "create longbow" spell. I'm still using the +15 shortbow i bought around DL 12. So at DL 43 i mostly use melee and am stalled out.

Yes, indeed - this is just throwing a bone to sling and crossbow rangers.

[Hounded]

YES! Dwarf Ranger with crossbow here I come!

(insert early fluke drop of Long Bow of Bard here just to taunt me... you know you want to, RNG)

[Nick]

The create arrows spell is already pretty darn strong. I just convert every staff I see--at DL 40 I always manage to have some branded ammo, and not just F/C/P.

Yes, indeed - this is just throwing a bone to sling and crossbow rangers.

[Pete Mack]

The create arrows spell is already pretty darn strong. I just convert every staff I see--at DL 40 I always manage to have some branded ammo, and not just F/C/P.