The Prepared Needle Ranger uses Read the Wind and Prepared Shot to increase damage per hit as well as supply an endless flow of energy for Needling Shot.
Attributes and Skills
| Ranger / Any | Attribute Rank |
| Marksmanship | 12 + 1 + 3 |
| Wilderness Survival | 10 + 1 |
| Expertise | 8 + 1 |
| Prepared Shot | Needling Shot | Marauder's Shot | Distracting Shot | Read the Wind | Natural Stride | Troll Unguent | Generic resurrect |
Equipment
Armor with Radiant Insignias and a max health rune and a Rune of Attunement.
Vampiric Recurve Bow of Fortitude and/or Vampiric Longbow of Fortitude.
Usage
Activate Read the Wind and keep it on at all times.
Use attacks in the following order for maximum benefit: Needling Shot, Marauder's Shot, (Distracting Shot), Prepared Shot, Needling Shot
When target is below 50% health, use Needling Shot until it is dead.
Use Natural Stride and throw Troll Unguent in case of melee attacks.
Counters
Blind, if you can't see you can't hit.
Variants
Take Monk secondary if Rebirth is needed.
Replace Read the Wind with Apply Poison for added pressure, or Kindle Arrows if elemental damage is preferred.
Replace Marauder's Shot with Keen Arrow if a Paragon in your party has "Go for the Eyes!".
Notes
A Vampiric bow is ideal for the increased damage per hit, but a Sundering Bow is also sufficient.
This build works well with a supporting Necromancer who uses Order of the Vampire, or a Paragon using "Go for the Eyes!". If GFTE is on you, be sure to use Marauder's Shot or Keen Arrow as your next shot.
All skills in this build have low energy costs after the effects of Expertise, and have fairly short recharge times; this allows for no energy problems as well as increased effectiveness.
In PvE, this build can be extremely effective against bosses with high health counts, as they often will not be able to heal above 50% when they get to that point, allowing the Prepared Needler to Needling Shot the boss to death.