User : Vallen Frostweaver/Build Archive/General Barrager

Equipment[edit]

Any armor can be used though Druid's is best if energy is lacking. Scout's is a poor choice as preparations will not be used in a Barrage build.
A Flatbow is commonly used in a barrage build provided Favorable Winds is brought as well to lessen the large arrow arc from a Flatbow and to help speed the arrows to their targets. Otherwise, each bow has it's own ups and downs but can be used as preffered.
Vampiric or Zealous bow strings are used a lot in Barrage builds as you get multiple hits per shot (provided the build doesn't call for an elemental string) though a Sundering string is a good stand by if you don't want to worry about the degen or makes a good switch out weapon.

Usage[edit]

The function of a barrage build varies slightly but the overall effect is to do damage to a group of foes with each use. Therefore, attacking the central most target in a group is desired for the best effect rather than the closest.
Placement of any spirits before hand is key as they usually increase the damage and speed the arrows fly at. Be sure to place them where they will be effective yet not attacked by enemies.
Often, interrupt skills are brought along to take out any big skills or those that might hurt you like Meteor Shower or Resurrect as examples of big skills or Empathy and Spiteful Spirit as examples of skills that can seriously hinder or hurt you. Be aware that you will have to wait for the barrage animation to finish before the interrupt will fire.
Some sort of self heal, condition removal (primarily for blindness), or defensive stance is popular as well though not required.

Counters[edit]

Any standard melee/ranger counters such as blindness, on attack/hit hexes, and/or blocking.
Energy denial.

Variants[edit]

Support or damage enhancing skills often brought from the ranger skill line may include but are not limited to:

Throw Dirt as an emergency skill to blind foes attacking you or your allies.
Winnowing to add 4 damage to each arrow.
Conflagration to change your bow's damage type to fire damage.
Winter to change any elemental damage to cold damage.

Barrage/Pet Variant

Adding a pet to the build with then turn you into what is referred to as a B/P ranger. Pet attacks will not slow your rate of fire as they are all shouts. Often, a team will consist mostly of these creating a pet wall and multiple barragers, or just have one around. Multiple variants can be used and are most commonly found at the Tomb Ruins.

Variants with Secondary Professions[edit]

R/Warrior[edit]

Attributes levels usually are in Tactics and at around 8-9 ranks should do it in most cases.
Shouts can be used without interrupting the fire rate flow thus making them useful and often charged with the high adrenaline gain from barrage if they are adrenaline based.

"Watch Yourself!" charges quickly and can increase the party's AL without any cast time. This also combines well with Soldier's Defense.
"Fear Me!" can be used repeatedly to reduce the enemy's energy levels though this typically has a minor effect if any on an enemy's seemingly limitless energy pool.
"Shields Up!" can be used to reduce the damage your party members take from projectiles.

Healing Signet can be used as an alternate, energy free, though risky heal.
Protector's Defense can be used to help those near you as you often will not move while barraging.

R/Monk[edit]

Solo Vigorous Barrager

Use: Cast and maintain Live Vicariously. Before battle put up Symbiosis to gain the extra health it offers from enchantments. When entering a battle, cast Vigorous Spirit. When enemies start to pile up, use Barrage to take full advantage of the healing provided by a vampiric bow, Live Vicariously, and Vigorous Spirit.

Other skills:

Attributes levels usually are in Healing Prayers, Smiting Prayers, Protection Prayers, or none at all depending on what is taken/used and typically at around 8-9 ranks in only one of those areas should do it in most cases. Ranks in Wilderness Survival are usually sacrificed as healing from Trolls Unguent is often replaced with other skills. If Symbiosis is used just use whatever remaining ranks are left but no more than 8-9 ranks in Beastmastery at most.
Live Vicariously will return health to you for every creature hit which can be up to 6 per Barrage. Commonly used for soloing areas.
Vigorous Spirit will behave similar to Live Vicariously but without the drain on energy regen.
Single target heal spells or healing enchantments can replace Troll Unguent as a self heal that can also be used on others. Healing Touch is an example skill that can be used as it's cost is reduced with ranks of expertise though it gains no benefit from Divine Favor with a Ranger primary.
Judge's Insight to add Armor penetration to each arrow and typically defeat masses of the undead or others weak to holy damage.
Mending Touch to remove blindness or other conditions.
Watchful Spirit will sap your energy regen but provide +2 health regen with no needed attribute points spent.
Renew Life and Restore Life's costs are reduced by ranks in expertise making them decent resurrects to exchange for the Resurrect Signet. Otherwise, there are plenty of reusable resurrection skills in the monks repertoire.
Balthazar's Spirit or Essence Bond are usually used when soloing as you will be the sole recipient of damage and will often return massive amounts of energy.
Hex removal skills like Smite Hex or Holy Veil can help eliminate damage from on attack/hit hexes like Spiteful Spirit, Empathy, or others.
Symbiosis can be useful if using multiple enchants on yourself or others in your party.

R/Necromancer[edit]

Attribute level of Death Magic, Blood Magic, or Curses is usually at around 8-9 ranks in most cases if at all.
Many skills can be used to replace a self heal that either give you health, steal health, or exploit a corpse for health.
Order of Pain will help add damage to every attack but for a very limited time. This is best left to another party member (who can also use Order of the Vampire) that can achieve higher attribute levels as it will slow your rate of fire and eat up your energy if you cast it.
Mark of Pain may cause scatter but can be most useful in narrow passages.
Plague Touch's cost is reduced with ranks of expertise and can be used to transfer any conditions from yourself with limited success as it is restricted to touch range.
Many Necromancer skills can benefit a Barrager but usually they need to be cast by another party member that is dedicated to that role.

R/Mesmer[edit]

Attribute level of Inspiration Magic, Domination Magic, or Illusion Magic is usually at around 8-9 ranks in most cases if at all.
Interrupts like Leech Signet can be used to add to or replace bow interrupts.
Hex removal skills are available like Hex Breaker or Inspired Hex.
Distortion can be used with limited results as a temporary defensive stance.
Energy management skills are available mostly from the Inspiration Magic line.
Ether Feast can be used as a self heal.
Elemental Resistance, Physical Resistance, or any of the mantras can be used as a replacement for a defensive stance depending on the areas you may be in.
Arcane Mimicry can be used to make use of another party member's Elite skill in combination with yours without spending any attribute points in a Mesmer attribute line.

R/Elementalist[edit]

Fiery Barrager

Glyph of Lesser Energy

Use: Use the Glyph to reduce spell costs and cast Conjure Flame on yourself and Mark of Rodgort on your central most target. Fire a fiery bow using Barrage and you can keep the hexed targets burning. Some may prefer to use Fire Attunement instead of the Glyph to reduce energy costs.

Other Skills:

Attribute level of Fire Magic, Water Magic, or Earth Magic usually start at around 8 to as high as 12 ranks in most cases if at all.
Any Conjure skill with the appropriate bow string can add damage to each barrage.
Stone Striker can be used for added defense (as all ranger armor is better against elemental damage) or offense to convert your bow's damage into earth damage.
Multiple Earth Magic or Water Magic skills can be used for defensive options such as Stoneflesh Aura, Armor of Frost, or many of the different Wards.
Though less popular and very energy intensive, Glyph of Lesser Energy and Meteor Shower (which causes exhaustion) can be used together to add repeated damage and knock downs on your targets, preventing them from escaping your Barrage area.
Similar to the Meteor Shower combo, Deep Freeze can be used for a large slow down effect on your foes and no exhaustion though this is uncommon as well.
If using 2 or more enchantments on yourself Symbiosis becomes a viable option as listed under R/Mo above.

R/Assassin[edit]

Attribute level of Deadly Arts or Shadow Arts is usually at around 8-9 ranks in most cases if at all.
Caltrops can be used to slow your targets though it requires a closer range.
Shadow Refuge makes a good self heal.
Viper's Defense and other stances can be used for defensive options.
Way of Perfection can add healing with high ranks in Marksmanship and a lot of targets with minimal energy spent (similar to Vigorous Spirit as seen above but relies on criticals for health return) though it performs best if there is a Paragon in your party using "Go for the Eyes!" to drastically increase chances of critical hits.

R/Ritualist[edit]

Splinter Barrager

Use: Same as the usual barrage build but cast Splinter Weapon on yourself (or allies as time allows) and be sure to target a group of foes. Recast as needed and as foes are available. Especially good in tight passages.

Other Skills:

Attribute level of Channeling Magic, Restoration Magic, or Communing is usually at around 8 to as high as 12 ranks in most cases if at all and often means the reduction of ranks in Marksmanship though only slightly.
Nightmare Weapon can be useful for stealing health on up to 3 enemies hit per casting.
Wailing Weapon can add interruption to a mass of attacking foes for the entire duration.
Warmonger's Weapon can add interruption to a mass of non-attacking foes for the entire duration.
Brutal Weapon can add damage to every arrow provided they aren't enchanted. This can be very tricky as many healers will enchant the entire group or those damaged and may ruin this weapon spell unintentionally.
Guided Weapon can make your Barrages unblockable.
Vital Weapon can add to your maximum health and others in the party.
Wielder's Boon can be a useful self heal if under a Weapon Spell effect.
Spirit Rift can be used as a spiking skill add-on if timed properly and especially effective when combined with Splinter Weapon. Cast Splinter Weapon, Spirit Rift, then Barrage and it all hits about the same time. Drawbacks include energy cost, casting time, and the enemy may move from where the Spirit Rift appears.

Spirits: Often a R/Rt may also bring a spirit to add more damage or healing as the case may allow (also taking advantage of the cost reduction Expertise allows) though this rarely will enhance Barrage in any way but simply takes advantage of the party make-up. Expendable spirits (like Life or Destruction that give an effect when they expire) tend to make a good defensive "shield" of sorts to hide behind should you come under attack as well. The most commonly brought are:

Recuperation to add health regen in spirit range to all things friendly - especially good for groups with multiple pets, minions, and/or large groups of players and/or friendly NPC's.
Life to add cheap healing in spirit range to all things friendly and a "shield".
Destruction to add cheap damage in spirit range to all things unfriendly and a "shield".
Bloodsong to add a cheap attacker and possible "shield" that can steal health though less common.
Pain to add a cheap attacker and possible "shield" that does a little more damage than Bloodsong but can't heal itself though also less common.

R/Paragon[edit]

"Go for the Eyes!" Barrager

Distracting Shot

Savage Shot

"Go for the Eyes!"

"Find Their Weakness!"

Favorable Winds

Whirling Defense