Touch ranger
From Guild Wars Wiki
A Touch ranger (also known as "Touchie" or "Toucher") is a Ranger build for PvE and some PvP usage. It centers on using the energy reduction of Expertise to allow Vampiric Touch and Vampiric Bite (usual energy cost 15) to be spammed with greater effectiveness. It requires level 16 Expertise (achieved through use of a Rune) and level 12 Blood Magic.
The touch ranger's main advantages are the armour-ignoring health drain and the ability to focus damage on a single target. This means that its main uses are against PvE bosses (especially those with very high armor), and in Alliance Battles/Competitive Missions. Due to the availability of counters - discussed below - the build is almost never used in HA or GvG because the organised teams make it much more likely that such counters will be present.
[edit] Equipment
The most basic requirement for this build to work is a Rune of Superior Expertise attached to a headpiece. (for a total of +4 Expertise, allowing the maximum 16) As the build's primary weakness is energy, the three 'spare' slots (i.e. those left over after the Expertise rune and a Vigor rune) are usually filled with Runes of Attunement for extra energy. Additionally, an Insightful Blood Magic attribute-linked staff is normally used - although some users prefer a Staff Wrapping of blood magic for extra damage.
[edit] Skills
Aside from the previously stated touch damage skills, a touch ranger will always equip Offering of Blood to counteract the build's still-significant energy usage. The rest of the skillbar is largely optional - the build revolves around casting the Vampiric touches as often as possible, and using Offering of Blood to regain energy. The other skills used are the usual Ranger passive skills - Whirling Defense, Throw Dirt and so on. Given the high rank in Blood Magic, other skills from that attribute line can also be used - such as Strip Enchantment or Blood Renewal.
[edit] Counters
This build relies on two things - a large supply of energy, and the ability to spam its core skills. The most effective counters are typically found in the Mesmer profession - energy denial is very effective, and the 3/4 second casting time of the touch skills makes them difficult, though not impossible, to interrupt. Diversion may also hurt it in multiple ways by shutting down e-management and by disabling the damage skills. Also Atrophy and Wail of Doom will cause the skills to cost 15 energy temporarily quickly draining the rangers energy.
It should also be remembered that this build relies on constantly being within touch range (the same as melee range) of the target. Snares can prevent a touch ranger from reaching his target, and the fact that a Touch Ranger does not have any snares of his own (unlike, for example, a Warrior who may have Hamstring) means that the target can often simply run away.
The Paragon skill "Can't Touch This!" is an obvious counter. However, since the touch skills are spammed very quickly, its effect will not last long. It is able to buy the target some valuable time. It is also not viable as the recharge and lack of touch skills make it ineffective in most places.
The simplest counter, however, is to simply ignore the touch ranger. They do not do that much damage and provide no utility or disruption, and by not attacking them you deprive their team of the healing effect of the life-stealing skills. Simply kill the rest of the team first.
