Baby ranger weapons/shield question

[Chinetter]

Newbie ranger here, just hit level 17. That's when we get dual wield and I have trained that skill at the trainer.

I've acquired two magic 1H slash weapons, one is 24delay 7dmg, other is 22delay 6dmg. [One of them has a proc but not until lvl25 so that part is irrelevant to my considerations right now.] I also have a Shiny Brass Shield.

Am I better off wielding the best weapon plus the shield, or both weapons? Is my ideal setup different depending on whether I am soloing or grouping? Some other variable?

If the best answer is the two weapons, then which weapon logically goes into which slot?

All experienced comments are very welcome. And no need to assume that I know even the basics about rangering...

[Jimjam]

I'd use weapon and shield. For some reason you can get duel wield skill ups while you have a shield in your secondary slot. Test using an offhand weapon occasionally to see if it is producing a satisfactory number of swings for you. It isn't until like 150 skill you can duelwield/double attack with the offhand anyway.

[Keebz]

Another option is to get a decent 2h. A Gigantic Zweihander will do you good till your late 30's when dual wield gets reasonable. A Bone Bladed Claymore isn't a bad option if you need to save up for the GZ.

[Lartanin63]

Use shortsword of Morin in main hand and the ebony blade in off hand till it starts procing. I assume those are the two weapons you are talking about based off delay. You have waited 17 level to look cool using two weapons. Screw the shield, go go fashion quest.

[Kich867]

Newbie ranger here, just hit level 17. That's when we get dual wield and I have trained that skill at the trainer.

I've acquired two magic 1H slash weapons, one is 24delay 7dmg, other is 22delay 6dmg. [One of them has a proc but not until lvl25 so that part is irrelevant to my considerations right now.] I also have a Shiny Brass Shield.

Am I better off wielding the best weapon plus the shield, or both weapons? Is my ideal setup different depending on whether I am soloing or grouping? Some other variable?

If the best answer is the two weapons, then which weapon logically goes into which slot?

All experienced comments are very welcome. And no need to assume that I know even the basics about rangering...

In regards to which weapon you want in your main-hand, the highest DPS weapon. So in this case the 7/24 weapon.

Divide the damage by the delay to get a weapon's ratio:
7/24 = 0.291 <-- Better
6/22 = 0.272

Your offhand will only attack every so often, your main-hand will attack every chance it gets, so maximize your damage output.

[YendorLootmonkey]

In regards to which weapon you want in your main-hand, the highest DPS weapon. So in this case the 7/24 weapon.

Divide the damage by the delay to get a weapon's ratio:
7/24 = 0.291 <-- Better
6/22 = 0.272

Your offhand will only attack every so often, your main-hand will attack every chance it gets, so maximize your damage output.

In addition, at level 28, there’s a main-hand damage bonus you want applied as often as possible, so at level 28 and beyond I would roll with the 6/22 (which will effectively be 7/22) in MH and 7/24 in OH.


{Main hand bonus} is always 0 for non-melee characters, and weapons wielded in the off-hand.
{Main hand bonus} for one handed weapons is: ({Player Level} - 25) / 3 (rounded down)

[Keebz]

In addition, at level 28, there’s a main-hand damage bonus you want applied as often as possible, so at level 28 and beyond I would roll with the 6/22 (which will effectively be 7/22) in MH and 7/24 in OH.

8/24 is better than 7/22 tho? Also after 25 with ebony bladed sword main hand you will get more root procs, which is something to consider.

[formallydickman]

I've recently leveled a Ranger to 30 and here's my opinion fwiw. Kiss the shield goodbye and embrace Dual Wield and Two-Handers. The best option for you is a two-hander until your off-hand is striking enough in a fight.. usually around 130~ skill it starts really being noticeable and 150+ you can dual attack on your OH attacks. I used a Shiny Brass Halberd and it blew any of my dual wield combos out of the water until lvl 26 or so. And correct me if I'm wrong, but the basic calculation when comparing weapons is (bonus dmg + (wep dmg*2)) / delay right? So the melee bonus isn't actually making it a 7/22 more like a 6.5/22. At every level 1-50 the SSoMorin is inferior to the Ebony Bladed Sword and should be relegated to the OH slot to be replaced with another Ebony Bladed Sword, Sharkjaw Cutlass, or (eventually) Electrum Bladed Wakizashi.

Ebony Bladed Sword 0 7 24 0.5833333333
Short Sword of Morin 0 6 22 0.5454545455

Ebony Bladed Sword 1 7 24 0.625
Short Sword of Morin 1 6 22 0.5909090909

Ebony Bladed Sword 8 7 24 0.9166666667
Short Sword of Morin 8 6 22 0.9090909091

[YendorLootmonkey]

I stand corrected, I did not play out the entire formula.

[Tethler]

100% ditch the shield. Spend the 50p and get a second ebony bladed sword at 25 and/or grab a gigantic zweihander (4-500p) and use that until mid-upper 30s. On my ranger, zweihander outperformed dual wield until around level 36-37. From mid-30s transition to full-time dual wield, but maybe keep a 2h bagged for killing mobs with damage shields.

[Chinetter]

Thanks for all these comments folks, that's exactly the sort of feedback I was hoping for.

To clarify, yes my 24/7 weapon is an Ebony Bladed Sword. The other, the 22/6 one is a Silverish Scimitar. For late-teens/early 20s it seems to be an effective combo even though I'm not getting the first one's proc yet.

I'm a bit surprised that a 2HB which I could plausibly afford would out-damage that combo, I must be misunderstanding the math there. But I'll keep an eye out for one and will try it if the opportunity arises.

When soloing I've been experimenting with using both weapons versus using the Shiny Brass Shield. E.g. I cleared a couple sets of the Nybright Sisters each way, did some Crushbone Legos each way, etc. The outcomes thus far are not hugely different though it does seem as if I do maybe a bit better using the two weapons. My dual wield skill is now in the 80s and yes I did notice the thing where I got skill-ups even when using the shield, heh.

The fact that the shield is a decent light source factors in a bit. Wood elf vision is just okay and I personally find game-nighttime EQing to be more pleasant with the shield on. The little light-source spell that rangers get at lvl 15 is lame.

For grouping, at these levels my role in the group varies. Sometimes I'm asked to tank, other times to DPS/off-tank. (Which is fine, variety of experiences is one reason I'm enjoying playing a ranger and I'm more of an EQ tourist than an aspiring endgame raider.) Seems obvious that in groups I should use the shield when face tanking and the two weapons when not....what makes it viable to be carrying them all is that a few levels ago I lucked into a Box of Abu Kar. (Some high level folks were going around Faydwer killing guards and left a box to rot and called it out in /ooc.)

====
Spotswood, level 17 Ranger on Green

[Chinetter]

And correct me if I'm wrong, but the basic calculation when comparing weapons is (bonus dmg + (wep dmg*2)) / delay right? So the melee bonus isn't actually making it a 7/22 more like a 6.5/22.

A followup question: which bonus damage is that referring to? What is the source or cause of the bonus damage that is referenced there in that formula?

[YendorLootmonkey]

A followup question: which bonus damage is that referring to? What is the source or cause of the bonus damage that is referenced there in that formula?

Main hand damage bonus. It's 1 pt at level 28 and adds a point every 3 levels.

[gherron]

A followup question: which bonus damage is that referring to? What is the source or cause of the bonus damage that is referenced there in that formula?

https://wiki.project1999.com/Game_Mechanics#Melee_damage

here you go. this will be handy to have.

[Chinetter]

Very nice, thanks.

What's driving me nuts right now is trying to farm the micro servers for the Trueshot quest. Have killed dozens of rogue clockworks in Steamfont without getting a single micro server drop. Is there anyplace else in the game to get that component??

[YendorLootmonkey]

Very nice, thanks.

What's driving me nuts right now is trying to farm the micro servers for the Trueshot quest. Have killed dozens of rogue clockworks in Steamfont without getting a single micro server drop. Is there anyplace else in the game to get that component??

That's the only place. And this is the easy part. Getting fletching high enough to have a reasonable chance at succeeding the Trueshot combine is the tedious/expensive part.

Spoiler: Unless you have a hard-on for doing the Trueshot quest on your own, buying one is probably a lot cheaper than levelling up fletching.

[aspomwell]

Haven't seen anybody mention keeping your weapons skills up. I would put a 1hb or pierce in the offhand just to keep those skills leveled up to. Keeps your options open.

[Lartanin63]

Runaways drop the servos as well. Maybe kill some of those too. One seems to drop them more than the other from my experience.

[Tethler]

I'm a bit surprised that a 2HB which I could plausibly afford would out-damage that combo, I must be misunderstanding the math there. But I'll keep an eye out for one and will try it if the opportunity arises.



The 2h does well in that range compared to dual wield because at low dual wield skill the offhand attack doesnt happen very often. So just getting meaty 2h swings will do more until that offhand starts landing more regularly.

Also, there is a nodrop 2h with 6 str from the undead in Kithicor that you can get for free as a rot if people are there killing during the night cycle. 0 plat is a nice price.

[Tethler]

That's the only place. And this is the easy part. Getting fletching high enough to have a reasonable chance at succeeding the Trueshot combine is the tedious/expensive part.

Spoiler: Unless you have a hard-on for doing the Trueshot quest on your own, buying one is probably a lot cheaper than levelling up fletching.

This is true. ive seen trueshot bows in EC for 150-200p.

[Jimjam]

Fletching ain’t such a ball ache to raise, grinding the skill ups actually results in useful items. If you’re going to use a trueshot you want a stash of arrows, right?!

The other thing to consider is you have a baseline success chance of 1/20, so 0.5>1-(0.95^14) tells us you are odds on to succeed on at least one combine if you farm enough pieces for 14 combines - even with 0 skill - are you feeling lucky?

[Tethler]

Fletching ain’t such a ball ache to raise, grinding the skill ups actually results in useful items. If you’re going to use a trueshot you want a stash of arrows, right?!

The other thing to consider is you have a baseline success chance of 1/20, so 0.5>1-(0.95^14) tells us you are odds on to succeed on at least one combine if you farm enough pieces for 14 combines - even with 0 skill - are you feeling lucky?

I yolo'd mine at 115 skill and got lucky first try. Talked to a mid level ranger with 145 skill and said they have somewhere betwewn 10-15 fails and no bow yet. #justeverquestthings

One thing a lot of people dont realize about it is that trueshot isnt even magical, so it wont do damage to certain mobs. Its only worth getting if:
1. Nostalgia completion
2. You plan to quest Raincaller

If neither of those apply, buy the superior runed oak bow for 100p and call it a day.

[kaev]

Another option is to get a decent 2h. A Gigantic Zweihander will do you good till your late 30's when dual wield gets reasonable. A Bone Bladed Claymore isn't a bad option if you need to save up for the GZ.

For my green ranger, at L40 the Tainted Steel Bastard Sword (20/42) still outdamages Electrum Bladed Wakazashi (7/21) + Orc Impaler (7/23) but it's pretty close now. The TSBS is free if you have some 35+ friends or a half adequate guild, and it is only marginally inferior to the GZ (20/42 +6str vs 19/39) and the GZ sells for 400-ish

[Kich867]

One thing a lot of people dont realize about it is that trueshot isnt even magical, so it wont do damage to certain mobs.

On green, for some reason with non-magical arrows and non-magical bows I could still hit wisps. Might not matter.

[kaev]

On green, for some reason with non-magical arrows and non-magical bows I could still hit wisps. Might not matter.

Have you ever hit for more than 1dmg without magic? Think that's a workaround for some problem or other that allows non-magic range attack to aggro/pull invuln mob.

[Jimjam]

I’m sure on live the only thing that mattered was whether the arrow was magic. That would turn the whole hit (both bow and arrow dmg) magic.

[Lartanin63]

Yeah there is something odd with it. On live you needed magic arrows or it didn't work. I don't think the bow being magic mattered if I remember correctly. Trueshot will hit wisp and other undead. It's a min dmg it seems like 6. I don't know if that's calculation is based off the arrow damage or what. I'll have to look into that a bit more now that I have a raincaller.

[kaev]

I’m sure on live the only thing that mattered was whether the arrow was magic. That would turn the whole hit (both bow and arrow dmg) magic.

That's my recollection as well. But it's easiest to just go with the p99 flow these days.

[gherron]

For my green ranger, at L40 the Tainted Steel Bastard Sword (20/42) still outdamages Electrum Bladed Wakazashi (7/21) + Orc Impaler (7/23) but it's pretty close now. The TSBS is free if you have some 35+ friends or a half adequate guild, and it is only marginally inferior to the GZ (20/42 +6str vs 19/39) and the GZ sells for 400-ish

Can you clarify this for me?

TSBS 20/42: .476

GZ 18/39: .462

Lamentation Blade 25/54: .463

wouldn't the TSBS be the best option out of the 3?

[formallydickman]

Can you clarify this for me?

TSBS 20/42: .476

GZ 18/39: .462

Lamentation Blade 25/54: .463

wouldn't the TSBS be the best option out of the 3?

Yes, 1-50 TSBS is higher dmg potential even without considering the stats. Use (bonus dmg + (wep dmg*2)) / delay once you have melee damage bonuses:

below 29 (assuming no dmg caps)
Tainted Steel Bastard Sword 0 20 42 0.952
Lamentation Blade 0 25 54 0.926
Gigantic Zweihander 0 18 39 0.923

at 34
Tainted Steel Bastard Sword 3 20 42 1.024
Lamentation Blade 3 25 54 0.981
Gigantic Zweihander 3 18 39 1.000

at 49
Tainted Steel Bastard Sword 8 20 42 1.143
Lamentation Blade 8 25 54 1.074
Gigantic Zweihander 8 18 39 1.128

[kaev]

Can you clarify this for me?

TSBS 20/42: .476

GZ 18/39: .462

Lamentation Blade 25/54: .463

wouldn't the TSBS be the best option out of the 3?

lol yes, somehow was figuring damage output as if GZ was 19/39, thanks for correcting me. formallydickman's #s for the modal dmg ((base * 2) + bonus) vs delay ratio look correct.