Forum Link Code:[url=]E-R Thunderbow[/url]
Thunderbow is an elementalist/ranger intended for use by
Kurzicks in Fort Aspenwood. It makes use of the skill
Thunderclap to trap groups of enemies in a pattern of repeated
knockdowns. This serves to:
- Stall - You keep 1-10 enemies out of the battle for 20
or more seconds, and cost them additional time as they recoup to
recast lost enchantments and heal.
- Kill - This build can kill by virtue of degeneration.
This is useful when holding off groups of Luxon Warriors
- Shutdown - Troublesome enemies like minion masters and
monks can be kept out of the battle for the full duration of the
hex, preventing them from swinging the battle for their team.
Attributes and Skills
Equipment
Usage
The lockdown is achieved with Thunderclap and a steady, uninterrupted stream of
attacks from the Shortbow. The gap between the time it takes your
enemy to stand up and the time it takes the next shot to hit is a
fraction of a second, meaning the enemy will not have a chance to
use a skill longer than 1/4 cast time or move before being knocked
down again. To add sustained damage, have Brambles deal 5 damage + bleeding on each hit,
and use Apply
Poison to add an additional 4 pips of degeneration.
As battle begins, move with the rest of your team to claim a
mine. If there is no major enemy group approaching, clear the Luxon Longbows
with Lightning
Orb and Lightning Strike. If you do see a large mob
approaching, set up Brambles and lock down the threats - this should
enable your allies to break away and get amber safely to the Gatekeepers.
Do not be afraid to die. When you are resurrected, you will have
full energy. Dying is energy management. If you resurrect and your
base is under attack, set yourself on the cliff overlooking the
purple or orange gates, and target any convenient foes with the
lockdown. Since these areas are often filled with enemies, you can
often lock down 4 or more Luxon Warriors, Rangers with Pets,
Minion Masters with their minions or foolhardy W/Mos and 'sins.
If your base is well under control, you can attempt to solo the
Command Points. Take out the priests first, then the commanders. It
is hard but not impossible to solo the Green Amber Mine.
If enemies get past your gates, then you can take three
actions.
- The First is to rely on your team to hold down the fort and
simply try to run amber or take command posts.
- The Second is to resurrect, and activate Apply Poison before
you step into the portal - simply target the most threatening enemy
(or possibly a group of enemies, such as a mob of Luxon Warriors) and
attempt to take them out of commission. Often, preventing a monk
from healing may give your teammates the chance they need to retake
your base. You may die quickly, but just repeat your efforts.
- The Third option is what you will probably wind up doing when
the enemy breaks through the green gate. Set up brambles and
attempt to lock down any foes that mob Master Architect Gunther. Sometimes
just buying time will help your team pull things out of the
hole.
Counters
- You cannot knock down a Siege Turtle. To dispose of turtles, poison
them, then use alternating casts of Lightning Orb and Lightning
Strike. You are not strong against turtles - do not focus on
them if there are other targets.
- Evasion Stances. Target the guy closest to them.
- Hex Removal. Thunderclap them or the guy next to them.
Variants
Notes
- It is sometimes better to keep a target knocked down than to
kill them. A killed foe will be back in 30 seconds, ready and able
with his group at his back. A knocked down foe will be frustrated,
bewildered and will be largely defenseless once the hex (or your
energy) expires.
- Higher energy is ideal, as it means more shots while Thunderclap is up.
Attunement runes and "I Have the Power!" inscription on your bow
help a good deal.
- Beware of the natural weaknesses of Thunderclap. If you have teammates that do
air damage, then they will drain your energy if they target enemies
with your Thunderclap on them. As such, try to target
enemies away from Ritualist, Paragon or Air Elementalist allies.
- It sounds cruel, but it is sometimes worth going out of your
way to target players who are immature or talkative. They are the
most likely to Ragequit when they are knocked down 10 or so times
in a row.
- This build is of poor quality for the Luxon side. It will be too slow in disposing of
NPCs at the gates, and stalling or wasting the enemy's time does
not really help your team win.
- Kite well. Many melee players will follow you without thinking
if you annoy them with a few KDs. This is the perfect time to kite
them over to their monk or a group of other foes, thus affecting
multiple foes.
- On a similar note, tell your team to kite foes to the hexed
target - if your monk is pursued by angry dervishes or warriors he
simply has to kite them to your hexed target to get away from
them.
Elementalist / Ranger 
