Aurach's Two Weapon Combat Guide: A Ranger's Perspective

This article is a work in progress!

Why two weapons?

Most ambushing rangers and archers can kill with one well placed strike. So too can the two weapon ranger, but the world has creatures that cannot be critical struck and massive raw damage inflicted in an overpowering manner will only suffice.

No, that is not our Two Weapon wielding Ranger, our Ranger stands toe to toe and rains down strikes from all angles and directions (see MOC multi opponent combat) (put a link to MOC here) or leaps from hiding and causes a devastating hamstring maneuver (see CMAN hamstring bonus for two weapons)(link to Cman skills hamstring here) and then beats our prone opponent to death.

For me the style has always been about using your magics and blades together. This is really not a stand in the open and get beat on type of style. The use of good timing, and a rather large variety of spells to maneuver your opponents into situations favorable to you. Your greatest strength is your variety of magics, combat maneuver skills, and weapons combined. 'Aurach Moonshadew'

From the skills and stats a Ranger can be a very good two weapon user. Great spirit warding, good variety of spells, low costs to train a variety of skills, some of the best attack spells for a semi, great defensive spells all make for a really versatile and easily adjustable character.

Ranger Spells

The ranger spell list provides some unique benefits for TWC rangers, both directly and indirectly.

Phoen's strength (606) gives a phantom increase of +10 to strength bonus. Strength is incredibly important to keep RT down (encumbrance really affects the left hand weapon).

Mobility (618) offers a large bonus to Dodge, a twc rangers primary defense besides brass balls, good armor, and luck.

Camouflage (608) a +30 AS bonus from camouflage for multiple attacks. Yes both weapons get the bonus from a ranger leaping to ambush or 'plain attacking' from a camo 608 position, so this can be used by non ambusher for the boost if your quick, so you at least get the +30 AS bonus.

Wall of Thorns (640) of great assistance to a TWC ranger, the best defense is having the trees block for you and not getting hit at all.

Assume aspect (650) is custom made for a TWC ranger, allowing you to tweak your form to meet the current threat or boost a weakness.

All Rangers also benefit from a plethora of set up spells that can complement any weapon style, such as Sounds (607), Tangle weed (610) , Call Swarm (615) and Sunburst (609) (note the effects vs undead)

TWC rangers will find great use in the Minor Spiritual spell circle, especially Spirit Barrier (102) and Spirit fog (106), to provide added defenses. Note that 102 gives a penalty to AS so you could STOP 102, which removes the spell so you can attack without the penalty making for a creative low mana Shield/stance dance option, also breeze will eliminate 106, however that is mana intensive.

Two Weapon Combat Training

Two Weapon Combat Ranger Core Training

This is your base training that every two weapon ranger should have each level.

• 2x (6/4) Combat Maneuvers:
• 2x (3/2) Two Weapon Combat: Note: If you miss a few ranks it will work out, catch up when they become available, I told you, this is a crazy costing training point ranger to do from birth.
• 2x (3/1) Edged Weapons
• 1x (4/0) Physical Fitness: (2x as soon as points are available, no shield, you will be getting hit, you need this)
• 1x (7/5) Dodge
• 1x (0/5) Harness Power
• 1x (0/17) Spell Research: (May have to skip spells a few levels until training points work out)
• 1x (0/3) Perception: take higher at cap (if you can single, go for it, I think you will be strapped for points: You can skip this when you need to)

Total of (35/43)

TWC Ranger Discreet Training

These values are plateaus you should strive to reach at some point in your career.

• 1x (5/0) Armor Use: (goal is 110 ranks for a chain hauberk and 170 ranks post cap to reduce maneuver penalties)
• 5 ranks of Multi Opponent Combat (10/4) as soon as you can fit it in. (55 ranks allows you to focus mstrike 3 times per weapon on a single target)
• 50 Ranks in Climbing (2/0) by level 100, train this as needed to make climb checks prior to that.
• 50 Ranks in Swimming (2/0) by level 100, train this as needed to make swim checks prior to that.
• Spiritual Lore, Blessings (0/10) 1 rank as soon as you can fit it in
• Spiritual Lore, Summoning (0/10) 1 rank as soon as you can fit it in

(your 1 rank of these two lores gives increases in many of your spells, low training point cost boosts)

Spell Research

My preferred training order: for a two weapon build 601, 101-103, 602-618, 104-107, 619-640, 108-130, Ranger ranks for life 'Aurach Moonshadew'

(other rangers prefer minor spirit 140 and ranger 162 which provides the best CS)

I prefer to get hues, then 101-103, I like having the low mana shield of 102 with this type of character. After that Mobility is the goal. Then getting deep blues. This is simply my preference and worked for Aurach.

Optional Additional Training

A list of the most common skills to use your additional training points on.

• 1x Ambush when you can fit the ranks in, 1x at cap (more as you feel the need) (I am singled at cap currently and do very well ambushing)
• 2x Stalking and Hiding – If you plan to ambush at cap you will want to 2x this, post cap
• 1x-2x Survival – This will aid in skinning and foraging
• 1x-2x First Aid – This will aid in skinning and reduce herb eating RT
• Spiritual Lore: Blessing and Summoning ranger preference, I think it should be gained after ranger spells are maxed
• Magic Item Use I regret not having this 1x earlier. I did it post cap and love it.
• Arcane Symbols I regret not having this 1x earlier (immediately after MIU).
• 15 ranks Spiritual Mana Control as soon as you learn it is fun to share and play well with others. 15 ranks is enough to share with most Older Spirit mana using folks (25 ranks post cap if you like).

Post Cap Goals

• 2x Physical Fitness (immediately at cap or earlier)
• 2x Combat Maneuvers (At cap or earlier)
• 2x Dodge (after maxing ranger spells)
• 55 ranks Multi-Opponent Combat for 6 strikes focused on a single target

Thrown Weapons may be a very interesting post cap goal, since you will throw both weapons and you already have the required support skill (TWC, Perception, Combat Maneuvers)

Combat Maneuver skills (mine at cap at moment) Post Cap goals:

Skill	Mnemonic	Ranks
Cunning Defense	cdefense	5
Combat Movement	cmovement	5
Hamstring	hamstring	5
Disarm Weapon	disarm	5
Shadow Mastery	smastery	5
Sweep	sweep	1
Garrote	garrote	1
Subdual Strike	sstrike	1

• TWC rangers will find these useful (order of preference for me was Cdefense, Cmovement, Hamstring, Disarm, Smastery)

This is simply how Aurach trained Combat maneuver skills.

What weapons to use?

The two weapon's speed, damage, ability to aim a strike all play a part.  

Twin ensorcelled weapons or those with any of the various flares are rather enjoyable to utilize. Even a couple feras dagger's can wreck havoc when used by a two weapon user.

What Armor to use?

Good armor you will need it.

My advice is Double leather, then Brigandine, then hauberk, for Full body coverage. I like the full body coverage as it allows me to wear arm/leg greaves, helm, and aventails, if I choose with no added penalties. I kept my eye out for enhancives on the added armor pieces. Padding crit or damage is always a good choice if you can afford it.

My cap armor is a chain hauberk, with added helm, arm and leg greaves and aventail, it has 11% hinderance. I find the failure acceptable to my style. Some will not. A paladin for fluidity would be fantastic. I also kept training armor to reduce maneuver penalties. Armor skill is also a secondary skill for redux so serves some double duty.

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(own section) Keeping you RT manageable Discuss RT, AGI/Dex, Strength, weapon weights offhand main hand etc

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(Own section) A discussion on stances No really there are stances other than OFF and DEF (short comments)

See Also

• Ranger (main article)
• A beginner's guide to playing a ranger
• Player Guide Contest

References

• Ranger profession on Play.net

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