The
Marksman

The
sound of wind whistling through an arrows fletching is often the first
indication a foe has that a Marksman has them in their sights. Notching
another shot with lightning speed, the second shot is in the air before
the first has made its devastating impact. This fear instilling barrage
of a ranged assault is the hallmark of one of the most powerful DPS
souls in the game. style="font-style: italic;">  

 

Pros

Excellent mobility One of the best DPS souls in
the game Capable of  burst
or sustained damage King of kiting foes Works well in both PvE and
PvP

Cons

Not as strong against
multiple foes Weak melee is a liabilty
when cornered
Offers no utility other than
DPS

Overview

Featuring exceptional DPS and mobility, the Marksman is the
quintessential non-spell based ranged DPS soul. Like Rangers from EQ
and LotRO, the Marksman specializes in bow and gun based attacks and
keeping their foes at a distance. The Marksman lends itself well to
players who enjoy a strict DPS role and has several good pairing
options in the calling.  Marksman, in raid or group
situations, will usually settle into a set rotation that maximizes
their damage throughput. The rotation is more dynamic in solo or PvP
settings, but can feel repetitive at times.

Solo Play

Solo play as a Marksman can be a little tedious at lower levels, but
given the relative ease and speed of leveling, this period is minimal.
Once more souls are unlocked and the Ranger is added to the mix, the
solo prowess of the Marksman becomes hard to match as many foes are
dead well before they reach the player.  The main
consideration for the soloing Marksman is ensuring their foes are
properly slowed and that they maintain an optimal speed increase, which
is a core component of their abilities.

Group Play

Often tedious at times, group play for a Marksman is a single minded
pursuit of maximum damage output. Shooting, shooting, and shooting some
more accurately defines their role in groups and raids. The upside is
that the damage output of this soul is immense and players who enjoy
measuring their contribution in sheer DPS will thoroughly enjoy playing
a Marksman. Maximizing their rotation and analyzing gear choices are
major concerns for Marksman who want to remain near the top of damage
parses.  

Pairs
Best With

Ranger

Marksman and Rangers are well suited to each other as both utilize
similar attacks.  Adding the Ranger as the first additional
soul is a wise move for the free pet and an instant boost to leveling
speed. Throughout the leveling process players can maintain a fairly
even point distribution among the two souls, but at max level its best
to switch the lion’s share of your points back into the
Marksman tree. 10 points are optimal at level 50; granting 2 pets,
enhanced survivability and an increase in overall damage.

Assassin

Many guides will rank the Saboteur as the best tertiary soul. For pure
group oriented DPS they may be correct, however for the best well
rounded and versatile build, the Assassin offers the most upside for
the least investment. At a mere 5 points the Marksman gains
some much needed melee enhancements as well as the ability to stealth.
The 5 points spent should be restricted to Ruthlessness, which
increases critical hit chance by 5%.