Merits and Att/STR build

[Omgwtfbbqkitten]

OK, beat Maat Saturday evening. Well, its more accurate to there was a rematch and it was short and brutal.

I choked on the first try because i was pulling my actions from the menu and not my macros. On the rematch I played all the right notes. Slept up to 100 TP with my Hellfire in hand, used a blink band and had a nice bowl of yellow curry. I ran in and Slugged, he replied with an EES and blink ate it. After that - Shadowbind, Barrage, Slugshot, Eagle Eye Shot and knocked Maat down to 0 HP. Done deal. 2400+ damage in about 20 seconds. Never even got to pop a hi-pot or Icarus wing.

71 now and most likely I'll have hit 75 within the week. Its time to upgrade again. Really, I'm still trying to figure out how to go about it and with mobs turning VT soon, I'm not really worried about my gear as it stands currently, but I'd like to improve it over time.

Right now its as follows:

Selene Bow
O Bow
Hellfire
Fransica
Trailer's Kukri
Optical Hat
Hunter's Jerkin
Deadeye Gloves/Hunter's Bracers
War Brais +1/Hunter's Bracce
War Boots
Peacock Charm
Vision Earring
Drone Earring
Scorpion Rings x2

I'm trying to figure out the best way to go about a Attack/STR build as a mithra. I don't yet feel the need to upgrade my accuracy build because I hit rather constantly now even with no food. So I'm looking for a starting point on Ranged Accuracy and STR build. I don't need the obvious god gear and dyna drops pointed out.

As for merits, I'm trying to figure out just where to put them all. I have to keep COR and NIN in mind as well. I'm leaning toward fully merits on Marksmanship since endgame RNG and a career COR would both directly benefit. But I wonder how much I'll be losing out on improving my skills with a bow. This also would elminate meriting throwing for NIN later on, would it not?

STR, critical hit rate are a given, too, but I'm curious where merits would best be placed on the RNG specific category as well. I figure the sooner I get things done on RNG, the better it will make things for COR.

So yeah, overall, just looking where to go on att/STR.

[eva00r]

Re: Merits and Att/STR build

Bows are not needed. Indeed, as a shincloverls member, we don't need a bow ftw. lol joke.

IF you really want to go ATT/STR, you have to buy yourself a crow set. Big number always generate a lot more enmity.

[VZX]

Re: Merits and Att/STR build

I used my crossbow 80% of the time, but I still did 7 archery and only 5 marksmanship.

the reason is simple:
most of the time the usage of crossbow is the monster ranging from IT (not IT+ or ++) and lower, I won't need that much racc for that case.

The time I'll have to fight something really high level, Acid bolt / holy bolt proc becomes less and less effective, the racc bonus from arrows and bows is getting more beneficial. and Selene's bow, if the prediction is correct, has really insane racc. Having all of that combined, hopefully, you won't use any racc 90%+ of the time

[Caspian]

Re: Merits and Att/STR build

Like VZX said, are you planning on doing meripo parties with your rng until you get COR high enough for Gods and such? Or is RNG your main and just taking COR up as a secondary job? If the latter, I'd say merit bow as VZX suggested for the same reasons. But if you never plan to use your RNG on HNM's, then meriting marksmenship would probably work better, since xbow is used more in meripo parties.
As far as gear goes:
Kriegsbiel if you can get your hands on one
Wyvern Helm
You could probably drop the p.charm and use ranger's necklace again for the extra ranged attack
Triumph earrings, or suppa if you sub NIN and melee while you shoot
Str rings (Flame if you can afford them) Behe rings are nice too for the xtra ranged accuracy to give you more flexibility elsewhere.

I'd also look into a MND build as well. Nice for tp'ing with holies.
As far as meriting RNG specific stuff goes, maybe Snapshot if you're looking at meripo'ing a lot, or Flashy shot if you want to fight HNM's. Not sure if snapshot is still considered to be the best choice for meriting parties, so may have to ask someone else, or look at KI. Some of the RNG's there seem to know what they're talking about.

[Omgwtfbbqkitten]

Re: Merits and Att/STR build

MND build is in the works, but i'm gonna take care of STR/ATT ahead of it.

Did some digging on some other options.

Rutter Sabatons or Savage Gaiters for feet, probably Rutter for more DEF.
Pahluwan, Barbossa's or just stick with Deadeyes before Kote and Crim hands.
Pahluwan, Barbossa's for legs, otherwise War Brais/Braccae til Haidate.
Pahluwan and Hunter's jerking til Osode.
Flame Rings, Kreigsbeil and Wyvern Helm I had already considered.
Jungle Sash for waist, swift belt for TP, Hurling or Precise Belt otherwise.

Earrings I'm torn on could go with Suppanomimi, could go with Bushanomimi (went with Beastly on my Taru). Probably Suppa considering NIN will follow COR and RNG. AGI is good for all three. Triumph or Fenrir for the other. But I got lots of cabbages to trade and avatars to face before Fenny.

[Omni]

Re: Merits and Att/STR build

archers jupon.
if you dont have your hands on an osode, imo, this is the best dd piece for rng.

5str 10rng atk -10rng acc
you wont notice the -10rng acc once you have other pieces in hand.

also, if u havent already, get purple pants! the 20000 pt leg piece from mamool ja assaults. 3 str 4acc 4rng acc!

and a fire staff. ^^

[Caspian]

Re: Merits and Att/STR build

archers jupon.
if you dont have your hands on an osode, imo, this is the best dd piece for rng.
5str 10rng atk -10rng acc
you wont notice the -10rng acc once you have other pieces in hand.

I know, but it just turns my stomach to look at that stat though. That and I don't like the typical green jupon, just looks dumb.
Dusk trousers are also an option if you don't mind the minus movement speed, or don't mind macroing out on pulls and basically all other times except for standing still. I'll probably just end up not getting these, and get scout's braccae instead. Same lvl and in Dyna-Sandy, so you'd be atleast a little more likely to get them sooner rather than later.
Haven't looked too much at KI lately. Are most people going back to shooting w/in melee range for tp, then dropping back a cpl steps for barrage and ws? That's what I've been doing since my axe and dagger are slowly starting to catch back up again. Not to mention meleeing with Fransisca is a very nice little free bonus to damage in between shots. B/c of all this, I think the fire staff would still have its uses here and there (especially with mobs where you REALLY don't want to be in close range at all), but I'm not sure about how useful it would be day to day. I do still use mine on some assaults where I don't build TP any slower than my sc partner and just feel like standing in the back firing away.

[Omgwtfbbqkitten]

Re: Merits and Att/STR build

OK 75 now, talked with the moogle and after some extreme EXP buffering, i'm gonna get started with merits soon.

Group 1

Camoflage - um.... whatever, so skipping this one.
Scavange - See above.
Sharpshot Recast - might not be too bad with the STR/Att build.
Unlimited Shot Recast - the time reduction is signifigant, but recast was already pretty short.
Rapid Shot Activation Rate - Very much skewing to this one. Pulling for Mire PTs is pissing me off, I need any edge I can get. Probably good for gods too.

Wish there was a Barrage Recast choice - -;

Group 2

Snap Shot - Follows the logic of Rapid Shot merits.
Sneaky Shot - Five minute recast to start, Merit it once at least once.
Flashy Shot - Must Have. Be a pre-nerf RNG for one shot every 20 mins.
Recycle - Really only seems worth it if I bothered with Unlimited Shot.

Combat Skills

Marksmanship gets priority, it will give COR an edge and make RNG Xbow and Gun all the more better. Question is, what endgame scenarios would a bow be more viable for RNG?

HP/MP

Half and Half - HP Boost nice for NIN down the road, MP good for the situations COR and RNG would sub /WHM.

Attributes

STR all the WAY, I'm mithra, so DEX and AGI aren't a problem.

Other

Criticial Hit Rate all the way.

[Caspian]

Re: Merits and Att/STR build

Just some opinions of mine and advice i've gleaned from other rng's.
I don't plan on meriting Sharpshot, simply b/c you can't merit recast on Barrage. I can't remember ever not using them both at the same time, atleast on purpose, so meriting sharpshot and still leaving Barrage at 5 mins wouldn't do me any good.
Snapshot and Rapidshot, great for merit parties. Snapshot moreso, rapidshot if you have nothing else you want to merit since it apparently still doesn't activate much. Snapshot I belive will have more of an impact.
Sneaky shot, probably pretty nice for meripos. Fire off a slugwinder at the beginning of a fight for less hate, though I can't recall if the reduced enmity is very significant.
Flashy shot: godsend. Hoping they eventually increase the number of merits you can put into group 2. Really want to get that as short of a recast timer as possible. Fantastic for things like Kirin.
Recycle: I've already stated my opinion on these types of merits on another thread. My personal opinion is you play a job to be of greatest benefit to your party and ls, not to your wallet. (If you must though, I've heard when combined with the relic hat, its procs quite a bit. I'll have to take other's word for it since I will never merit this unless they make absolutely everything meritable to maximum.)
I'll personally be doing bow myself, but I don't plan on lvl'ing COR anytime soon. Marksmenship would be good for meripo's, Fafhogg, a few other HNM's here and there and dynamis, but Ebow is more effective in most cases.
HP/MP go for it, I don't plan on doing many mage jobs, but they would certainly be nice in certain situations.
STR all the way ftw.
Crit up is nice and does help with more crits, even better when you take other melee jobs up too.
In addition, I don't plan on doing any enmity merits simply b/c I'm probably going to be lvl'ing NIN next and I'll want all the enmity I can get. If you don't have plans to lvl a tanking job, though, you may want to look into these as I've heard Enmity- merits are rather potent.

[VZX]

Re: Merits and Att/STR build

Combat Skills
Marksmanship gets priority, it will give COR an edge and make RNG Xbow and Gun all the more better. Question is, what endgame scenarios would a bow be more viable for RNG?

In Sky you need raw damage (gun/bow)
In Limbus, especially temenos, your obow/acid/mnd setup will become incredibly helpful. (xbow)
In dynamis, you can throw some acid bolt, but probably you can have other people do the same thing too. (xbow)
In 3 kings (except aspi maybe..), you want raw damage (bow/gun)

no comment on sea jailers, I have 0 experience for that.
other Wyrm than fafhogg? so dreamy..... just skip the event lol

In merit PT maybe 50/50 for raw damage / xbow setup

[Omgwtfbbqkitten]

Re: Merits and Att/STR build

Dumped my first seven merits into Rapid Shot, Stealth Shot and Flashy Shot.

Also reconsidered NIN as another main. COR and RNG are expensive enough, thanks. So SAM instead.

With SAM now in the picture, I'll probably go upgrade Archery 6 times and Marksmanship 6 times as well. seems the best way to maximize ranged weapons on all three since SAM will never wield a gun and COR will never use a Bow.

With SAM and WAR subs in mind, I'm thinking I'll merit Sneaky shot a second time. I sub WAR in merit with my friends and its generally my preference, so lowering my enmity from a zerked/warcried Slugwinder would be pretty nice. I have noticed a fair difference when its used but with a NIN its still easy to pull hate. So Sneaky Shot once more for good measure.

Flashy Shot Is where I'll put the other four easily, I want that down to ten minute recast at the very least. With SAM now in the picture, there doesn't seem to be much of a point in Snap Shot or Recycle. Since /SAM would grant more TP and the ability to use that TP more often, I'm using ammo more efficiently and wouldn't need an artificial haste to build TP faster. At least, that's how I see it.

[Omgwtfbbqkitten]

Re: Merits and Att/STR build

guess while this topic is about builds, I'll go ahead and ask about INT and MND builds. I definately don't question the value of Holy Bolt's added damage and how good they are for DoT, but I'm curious how much I should could be could for here on MND.

INT bulid I feel a bit more wary about, the added damage of elemental arrows never seems to peak beyond the teens, perhaps just because the base damage of bows and arrows are calculated a little differently from that xbow and bolts.

I'd think MND would be worth working on first, but just wondering if INT is worth touching at all?

Got a satisfactory STR build for now, still needs work, but the meantime I'm working on AGI build for COR.

[Caspian]

Re: Merits and Att/STR build

I wouldn't bother with INT build. I don't know if any rangers that use it for anything other than testing.

For MND build, the basics you'll be looking at are Osode, AF1 pants, and Suzaku's sune-ate. You could probably get snow rings too (i believe those are the mnd rings iirc), since you'll mainly be using it in meripo and possibly dynamis and limubs parties. Nothing is too incredibly high for you and your natural accuracy should take care of most of it.
I'm not for sure what head, back, and handspiece you'll want to use, though.

[Spider-Dan]

Re: Merits and Att/STR build

Scout's Beret: +4
Faith Torque: +5
Osode: +10
Devotee's Mitts: +5 (probably should go with kote/w.hands though)
Aqua Rings x2: +10
RK Belt: +2
AF pants: +5
Suzy boots: +10

[Omgwtfbbqkitten]

Re: Merits and Att/STR build

Er... kinda just talking about a starting point here, folks. You know, craftables, basic NMs and stuff I can get from the AH. Osode is not a casual AH pick-up.

Sky is totally not on my agenda until SE decides to fix sky and remove the RMT. Ground HNM are not on my agenda until SE decides to fix ground HNMs and remove the RMT. I'm game for anything else, but my LS ain't touching the clearly broken parts of endgame.