Foreword: Due to my spasms, which I suffer from if I play any game extensively, I can’t play “piano builds”. I do play gunners / riflers and one AAR char. The aim is to have from 4 to 6 skills. LMB, RMB and +4 skills max.
The main topic: Let’s talk about skills, which are friendly towards dual wielding gun play and rifle play. Those are mostly (but not only) Default Attack Replacers, I believe. I don’t take any damage conversion into consideration as a main focus.
Edit: OP updated on 26/09/15.
1a) Cadence (natively for Physical builds)
1b) Cadence is comfortably usable for DW ranged and 2H ranged builds
1c) Cadence is a DAR, so WPS work with it, during the time of the duration of the Deadly Momentum node, any attack is enriched. Cadence is composed of three hits, where 1st and 2nd hit are standard hits (which can trigger WPS) and the 3rd hit is the big “BOOM”, but the 3rd hit can’t activate WPS. Best way to understand the skill is a waltz “rhythm”… one-two-THREE-one-two-THREE…
1d) If you want to convert Cadence, just look at the modifier or skill modifier, but these conversions won’t convert Deadly Momentum, which is a secondary effect of the parent skill. If you want to convert not only Cadence, but Deadly Momentum enriched hits as well, look for global (or aura / temp buff) conversions, e.g. conversion for Flame Touched, Blood of Dreeg, etc.)
2a) Fire Strike (natively for Fire and Physical builds)
2b) Fire Strike is comfortably usable for DW ranged and 2H ranged builds
2c) Fire Strike is point hungry though, and has two secondary effects (Explosive Strike and Brimstone), Static Strike is a booster. Fire Strike is a DAR, so WPS work with it.
2d) If you want to convert Fire Strike, just look at the modifier or skill modifier, but these conversions won’t convert Explosive Strike and Brimstone, those are secondary effects of the parent skill. If you want to convert not only Fire Strike, but Explosive Strike and Brimstone as well, look for global (or aura / temp buff) conversions, e.g. conversion for Flame Touched, Blood of Dreeg, etc.)
3a) Amarasta’s Blade Burst (natively for Cold and Acid builds)
3b) Amarasta’s Blade Burst is comfortably usable for 2H ranged builds, for DW ranged builds the skill is usable, but I would say less recommened, because ABB will use only main hand, so most of the time (if ABB cooldown = 0 all the time), the second gun never will be used. It is literally better to have a strong offhand in the second arm, and the DW Ranged playstyle is not meeting the general mechanics of the Amarasta’s Blade Burst
3c) Amarasta’s Blade Burst is not a DAR, so WPS don’t work with it, but WPS do work if the ABB has cooldown and the “in-between” shots are basic attacks
3d) If you want to convert Amarasta’s Blade Burst, just look at the modifier or skill modifier, but these conversions won’t convert Lethal Assault, which is a secondary effect of the parent skill. If you want to convert not only Amarasta, but Lethal Assault enriched hits as well, look for global (or aura / temp buff) conversions, e.g. conversion for Flame Touched, Blood of Dreeg, etc.)
4a1) Savagery (natively for Lightning builds)
4b1) Savagery is comfortably usable for DW ranged and 2H ranged bulids
4c1) Savagery is a DAR, so WPS work with it. Savagery is a self-charging skill, so the best utilization of the skill is in a continuous fight. The charges vanish, if you don’t attack (with the skill)
4d1) If you want to convert Savagery, just look at the modifier or skill modifier, there is no catch / issue converting this DAR
4a2) Primal Strike (natively for Lightning builds)
4b2) Primal Strike is usable ONLY with 2H ranged builds! It is the skill usage condition
4c2) Primal Strike is not a DAR, so WPS don’t work with it. Primal Strike is considered one of the best levelling skills in the game
4d2) If you want to convert Primal Strike, just look at the modifier or skill modifier, but these conversions won’t convert Torrent, which is a secondary effect of the skill. If you want to convert not only Primal Strike, but Torrent hits as well, look for global (or aura / temp buff) conversions, e.g. conversion for Flame Touched, Blood of Dreeg, etc.)
5a) Righteous Fervor (natively for Physical, Fire and Acid builds)
5b) Righteous Fervor is comfortably usable for DW ranged and 2H ranged bulids
5c) Righteous Fervor is a DAR, so WPS work with it. Righteous Fervor is a self-charging skill, so the best utilization of the skill is in a continuous fight. The charges vanish, if you don’t attack (with the skill)
5d) If you want to convert Righteous Fervor, just look at the modifier or skill modifier, there is no catch / issue converting this DAR
6a) Onslaught (natively for Cold and Chaos builds)
6b) Onslaught is comfortably usable for DW ranged and 2H ranged builds
6c) Onslaught is a DAR, so WPS work with it. Onslaught generates stacks, but not for the skill itself, the Onslaught stacks could be “consumed” with another cooldown based skill, which is not a pet and it is not a debuff. You can’t use another DAR skill to consume Onslaught stacks. You can use full potential of the Onslaught (the skill as a DAR and consuming the stacks), or you can use it purely as a DAR
6d) If you want to convert Onslaught, just look at the modifier or skill modifier, there is no catch / issue converting this DAR
7a) Touch of Chaos (natively for Chaos builds)
70) The whole “Rah’Zin’s Torment” set must be equipped for the skill enablement / usage
7b) Touch of Chaos is comfortably usable for DW ranged and 2H ranged builds
7c) Touch of Chaos is a DAR, so WPS work with it. Every shot is “Touch of Chaos” shot [if energy is not depleted]
7d) It doesn’t make sense to try to convert the native damage type of Touch of Chaos.
8a) Runic Bolts (natively for Cold, Lightning, Fire builds)
80) A “Runebinder’s Spellthrower” item, 2H ranged crossbow must be equipped for the skill enablement / usage
8b) Runic Bolts is usable ONLY with 2H ranged builds, because the skill is present on a 2H crossbow
8c) Runic Bolts is a DAR, so WPS work with it. Runic Bolts is a self-charging skill, so the best utilization of the skill is in a continuous fight. The charges vanish, if you don’t attack (with the skill)
8d) It doesn’t make sense to try to convert the native damage types of Runic Bolts.
9a) Troll Rage (natively for Physical builds)
90) A “Mistborn Talisman” item, a relic must be equipped for the skill enablement / usage
9b) Troll Rage is comfortably usable for DW ranged and 2H ranged builds
9c) Troll Rage is a DAR, so WPS work with it. Troll Rage is a self-charging skill, so the best utilization of the skill is in a continuous fight. The charges vanish, if you don’t attack (with the skill)
9d) It doesn’t make sense to try to convert the native damage type of Troll Rage.
10a) Beronath’s Fury (natively for Physical, Cold, Lightning and Fire builds)
100) A “Shard of Beronath” item, a weapon component must be equipped for the skill enablement / usage
10b) Beronath’s Fury is comfortably usable for DW ranged and 2H ranged builds
10c) Beronath’s Fury is a DAR, so WPS work with it. Beronath’s Fury is a self-charging skill, so the best utilization of the skill is in a continuous fight. The charges vanish, if you don’t attack (with the skill)
10d) It doesn’t make sense to try to convert the native damage types of Beronath’s Fury.
11a) Heathen’s Assault (natively for Aether builds)
110) A “Heathen’s Decree” item, an amulet must be equipped for the skill enablement / usage
11b) Heathen’s Assault is comfortably usable for DW ranged and 2H ranged builds
11c) Heathen’s Assault is a DAR, so WPS work with it. Every shot is “Heathen’s Assault” shot [if energy is not depleted]
11d) It doesn’t make sense to try to convert the native damage type of Heathen’s Assault.
Conclusions:
I do believe there are some skills on items, which can be used with guns and are not part of this post.
Primal Strike can’t and Amarasta’s Blade Burst isn’t designed to be used with DW Ranged builds.
Some masteries (Occultist, Nightblade, Arcanist, Inquisitor and Necromancer) don’t have any DARs (usable with guns).
Many gun and rifle friendly skills support more than one damage type, so if possible, it is recommended to convert the “different” damage type to the “desired” one.
Acid dual wielders and Vitality shooters in general don’t have native DARs or skills, usable with guns. You need to convert damage type globally or specifically for the skill, which will be used with guns / rifle. Or the option is to pick any item-based DAR and “overlook” the native inclinations.
Constellations - picking the Hydra (for all gunners) and Kraken (for 2H riflers), picking the constellation of your damage type, which lowers monster resists. All other constellations are, I would say, dependant on what you are lacking the most.
Questions:
- Would you use Onslaught just as a DAR, completely ommiting the stacks? Does it make a sense to pick up the skill, because it is the “DAR”?
- In a short paragraph, could anyone tell me the “story” behind “nerfing” the ABB, especially for gunners / riflers? I know the skill was awesome, now, it is not that “great”, and maybe not used at all…
- Fire Strike is massive skill for a point investment. What would you max first? The skill itself? Explosive Strike or Brimstone? I noticed nobody put that much points into Static Strike…
- Would you equip an item just for having a WPS, if attacking with DARs? Meaning - in the case you have no WPS in both of your masteries, e.g. Witch Hunter?
- Which DAR to choose, if the mastery combo has the luxury of TWO DARs?
- Having enough life (15 K at least) isn’t that easy for some mastery combos. How do you resolve this? Via items? Constellations? Or via “Ascended bonuses”?
