Putrescine's Hybrid Dryad build

[Putrescine 11]

Putrescine's hybrid hunter Dryad.

 

"When the shadows fall upon the lands of Ancaria. and the T-Energy floats freely around mutating everything in sight,

There's few who can resist it's tempting power. But there are those who can, and she is one of them. Living as one with the

nature. She is no more only a skilled ranged fighter, but she has also learned to communicate with the forest spirits.

Leaving their protective powers at her command."

 

 

Alrighty folks! Let's begin.

First of all I want to say that this is the first guide that I've written 100% by myself. So it might not be of top

quality, but I'm going to try and keep it as clean and easily understandable as possible.

 

This is a guide and build to the ultimate killing speed, killing power and survivability of the dryad.

 

 

#1: Atributes and Skills.

#2: Combat Arts and Modifications

#3: Weapons and Armor

#4: Playstyle

#5: FAQ

 

Note: This build is: Built, tested and meant for HC

 

 

#1: Atributes and Skills.

 

Let's begin with the atributes shall we?

The number's I'm listing up is what I've decided would be the best way to go

  - Strength: 0

  - Stamina: 0 

  - Vitality: 50 

  - Dexterity: 300

  - Intelligence: 0

  - Willpower: 0

 

This leaves us with some Atribute points left. You can decide for yourself where you want to distribute them.

 

Now... Time for the Skills.

  - Tactics Lore 100

  - Concentration 1

  - Capricious Hunter Focus 110

  - Nature Weaver Focus 110

  - Combat Reflexes 5

  - Ranged Weapons 1

  - Armor Lore 75

  - Constitution 75

  - Combat Discipline 75

  - Nature Weaver Lore 75

 

Now. The ammount of points I listed there, is far from the actual ammount of skill points you get throughout the game,

I know. But it's what I feel is a minimum each skill needs. 

I want people to learn a thing or two from this build guide aswell. and not just copy paste everything that's been done.

 

 

#2: Combat Arts and Modifications.

 

This is propably the hardest part when it comes to building your character. because you never know what will actually

benefit you the most. So... For this build. There will be no room for error whatsoever in the modifications we choose.

 

 

 

The Capricious Hunter tree:

 

  - Darting Assault. "This is the CA we'll be using the most. this is our pride and joy." Read only 1 rune

  *Bronze: Reload

  *Silver: Throwback

  *Gold: Rotate

 

 

  - Ravaged Impact. "This is our boss killer, and shall be modded for that purpose alone" Read only 1 rune

  *Bronze: Perforate

  *Silver: Breach

  *Gold: Double Shot

 

 

  - Forest Flight. "This is our shortcut friend. Roots nearby enemies" here you can read all you want later on

  *Bronze: Roots

  *Silver: Expert

  *Gold: Escape

 

 

  - Dust Devil "This is what we'll use in area's with alot of mages, or against spellcasting bosses" Read all you want later on

  *Bronze: Recondition

  *Silver: Spell Shield

  *Gold: Spread

 

 

  - Sinister Predator "This is Alpha" PUMP IT HARD (keep runes read at 5 more than on Ancient Bark, at all times)

  *Bronze: Eagle Eye

  *Silver: Marked Shot

  *Gold: Hunting Focus

 

 

 

The Nature Weaver tree:

 

  - Tangled Vines "We use this on bosses." Keep recharge at 1sec below duration

  *Bronze: Sprawl

  *Silver: Impair

  *Gold: Encroach

 

 

  - Goldenglade Touch "We use this whenever we are, or think we are in danger" Keep regen at 2 secs below duration

  *Bronze: Flow

  *Silver: Persevere

  *Gold: Diligence

 

 

  - Ancient Bark "This is Omega" PUMP IT HARD

  *Bronze: Rugged

  *Silver: Divert

  *Gold: Invigorate

 

 

 

#3: Weapons and Armor.

 

Yeah... This is a highly discussed subject about what is good. and what is better.

But the truth is... They all have their Advantages and Disadvantages. And we're going to use 3 types of weapons.

 

Blowpipe as main weapon. Due to it's instant hit, it makes an excellent weapon for both Darting Assault and

Ravaged Impact. Altho it's damage is slightly lower than on bows. It's speed makes up for it.

 

Bows will be our "kill buggy mobs" weapon. Seeing as per this patch. 2.40, We can still not hit mounted enemies

nor traps with blowpipes. and therefore. bows are our second best alternantive. and is what we will use as backup.

 

Throwing Stars will be our emergency boss killer weapon. I know this sounds extremely funny and weird since their

damage is lower than that of the bow, and it's range is shorter. But they do come with 2 advantages. which is 2 fairly

common mods aswell.

 

-% Opponent's chance to reflect ranged.

and

% based Lifeleech.

 

This is a prefered weapon on Snappers (with ranged reflect) and Bosses with either high hp(in the later levels),

Ranged reflect or both.

 

 

For armor we'll be using Chestplate of Time. The rest will be Detheya's.

What you socket in your gear is up to you.

 

But. If you want my opinion I'd say: atleast 1 +all skills ammy in your gear. 2 on you. and have atleast 4 damage rings socketed.

 

 

 

 

 

#4 Playstyle.

 

No tricky stuff here. just select Darting Assault, equip your blowpipe... Find yourself a pack of mobs and press both

mouse buttons

For bosses we cast vines so they can't do anything but cast spells...

they usually have spells so that's why we have Vines AND Goldenglade Touch in a Combo. As described below

 

Usefull Combo's

 

Boss neutralizing: Vines + Goldenglade Touch

Boss Escape: Forest Flight + Goldenglade Touch

Spellcasters/Spellcasting Boss: Dust Devil+(Vines, if boss)+Goldenglade Touch

 

Since we're using Combat Discipline. Put Darting Assault and Ravaged Impact in single CA combo's. So we can benefit from that -10% regen time (-20% with 75 hard points)

 

 

 

 

#5 FAQ.

 

Now for a little FAQ before we finish.

 

Q: WHY DON'T YOU TAKE DAMAGE LORE!?!?!?!

A: It's because we hit so often that it would not benefit us at all. Unless we were using magic damage.

  But that's not enough to be worth it.

 

Q: Tell me... Why take Combat Reflexes and not Spell Resistance? Dryads have such low willpower that not taking it

  is suicide!

A: No, It is not. We choose Combat Reflexes because Melee hit's harder in general. and we want to eliminate the 

  possibilities of recieving a critical hit. If there are mages nearby. We simply just keep Goldenglade Touch up 

  and running, not only for the godly HP regen. But also since we have modded it for Willpower

 

Q: How long have you been working on this build?

A: Since October 08

 

Q: Why do you like the Dryad so much?

A: Because she has no useless Combat Arts in neither of the aspects I'm using. + she looks cool, has an awesome killing speed

 

Q: Why take Nature Weaver Lore in a Hunter/self healing build?

A: Because the +damage you get from Nature Weaver Lore actually acts as if it were a bonus, rather than damage. 

  giving you plus to the armor and healing on Ancient Bark and a bonus to the healing on Goldenglade Touch

Edited April 29, 2009 by Putrescine

[Dobri 55]

I like it. Great mass killing, fast exping build. I'd love to give it a try I just wonder - what is the meaning of nature lore (since I'm a complete noob with the dryad)? Does it affect GGT, Bark or Vines?

[Putrescine 11]

Increases the Phys & Poison resist of Ancient Bark by the %damage the lore gives

Also increases Healing from Bark and Goldenglade Touch.

 

 

Meaning you can easily have 50k armor at level 77 (to take my current dryad as an example)

 

Compared to my previous version who has 70k armor at level 142.

[Dobri 55]

Thanks for the reply, Put

 

I've been pondering about making a dryad someday (the only char I haven't played at all), so I may as well take your guide as an example, since it looks like a really solid build Thanks for taking the time to share your findings with the community - and me as a part of it

[gogoblender 3,206]

Detailed, and well-written. You've finally outed the ranged dryad's super powers... only took you half a year

 

This is probably the best/first ranged dryad guide I've yet to read on our favorite little girl, and you did a great job of summing up in easy steps what a player has to put together to create a no-nonsense uberpowered killer that can level any field in the game quickly, at almost no real danger to the Dryad.

 

I can see how both of the mods regarding direction of firing can help...if someone's just clearing screens while walking across them, then forward firing works great. And if someone is wanting to create mobbing to increase the rate of drops, then mobbing becomes important, and having the darts fly out from all sides helps with the kill speed instead of spinning her around.

 

The ranged Dryad is a great first build for anyone wanting to see what the game has to offer for action and fast killing speed... my only addition...

 

Life Leech looks beautiful on this build.

 

Good work, here Put!

 

 

gogo

[Viper007 0]

Great build and write up put!

 

TreeHugger1.0 was the exact same except she used ancient magic instead of combat discipline. Very fast killing with da+ri combo. This is very solid and fun dryad to play in HC.

[Dobri 55]

Now this is an interesting debate over what to pick... CD or Ancient magic

[Viper007 0]

Now this is an interesting debate over what to pick... CD or Ancient magic

 

Very interesting.

 

Put are you able to 1 shot bosses with acute mind + vines/thorns?

 

If so the regen from CD would probably be better than the extra power from AM.

[Putrescine 11]

It can.

 

The build wasn't intended for the offensive Nature spells tho.

Edited April 28, 2009 by Putrescine

[Spyrus 0]

Q: Why take Nature Weaver Lore in a Hunter/self healing build?

A: Because the +damage you get from Nature Weaver Lore actually acts as if it were a bonus, rather than damage.

giving you plus to the armor and healing on Ancient Bark and a bonus to the healing on Goldenglade Touch

 

This is the more interest part I was aware of ... I am at level 45 so I might took the lore,

but for now, I use the Tangled Vine alone and Goldenglade Touch (in a combo after Forest Flight)

and are only boosted by runes.

Edited April 28, 2009 by Spyrus

[Dobri 55]

I have another question, designed to clear things up about the dryad in my head before I finally start one.

 

I didn't see acute mind. Does acute mind boost the Combat Arts from the Hunter aspect or just the ones from voodoo/nature? It boosts intelligence, which means spell intensity and spell damage, but I'm not sure whether the offensive Combat Arts Hunter aspect count as spells

[Putrescine 11]

I've not added Acute Mind into this build because I do not see the need for it.

 

Seeing as it boosts intelligence.. it will only increase the damage of the Nature and Voodoo aspects.

And neither of them is our primary offense aspects.

 

The only thing I see it being usefull for here is the decrease in regen times. but that is not a problem at all with this girl.

You'd might get a use for it if you accendently read too many runes in either Vines or Goldenglade Touch tho.

 

And there, 1 cast should do as not even the last guardian lasted more than 7 seconds with 4 people on the server

Edited April 28, 2009 by Putrescine

[Dobri 55]

Thanks, Put I just needed to clear this up... As I said, the only char I haven't played yet is the dryad

[Dusty 0]

nice piece of guide putres Feralfox here

[bob1313 0]

In what order should the skills be taken?

[gogoblender 3,206]

That's an excellent question.

 

Put?

 

 

gogo

[Putrescine 11]

In the order they're listed in the build ^^,

[bob1313 0]

Where can I get a good blowgun?

[gogoblender 3,206]

I usually buy all mine with a high leveled bargainer. If you're starting at first level, create a level two he and then spec it with full Bargaining plus Relics with bargaining on it. With just six bargaining points that HE will be able to buy Rare blowpipes in the store. You can get a blowpipe with two sockets PLUS Death blow ^^

 

Or just go to the jungle... I've found the jungle to have pretty decent chance of dropping pipes from the amazons there.

 

 

gogo

[bob1313 0]

only problem is I'm on the xbox 360 version and I don't know anyone on xbox live to transfer items...

[gogoblender 3,206]

You have to make another toon, and then use shared stash to have that other toon which would be a bargainer give the stuff to which ever toon needs items.

 

 

gogo

[bob1313 0]

You have to make another toon, and then use shared stash to have that other toon which would be a bargainer give the stuff to which ever toon needs items.

 

 

gogo

 

 

Are the chests in towns shared between toons:)

[gogoblender 3,206]

The Shared Chest part of chests in town is indeed shared.

 

:0

 

gogo

[bob1313 0]

The Shared Chest part of chests in town is indeed shared.

 

:0

 

gogo

 

Is the "heroes chest" the shared part? because on xbox theres only hero and heroes chest

[Putrescine 11]

in your "Heroes Chest" which is the same thing as we PC gamers call "Shared Chest"

There's suposed to be 2 pages of items. One which is shared, and one which is personal.