Headshot doesn't work at lower levels any more

The devs adjusted the ranger headshot AA in an effort to balance it out. But it's gone too far in the other direction. At level 65 and 70 (and probably all the way into the 90's) with max ranks in the AA and full raid gear you don't see more than 1 proc an hour. With group gear you can go up to 3 hours without a single proc. (Yes, this is on humanoid mobs of the appropriate level).

I'm lead to believe the proc rate is based on heroic dex which you don't get much of until high levels. Is there anything you can do with this AA so it has function at lower levels again? I DON'T want it to be ridiculously op, I just want it to do something. It was always such a fun AA but now it basically doesn't function until levels 100+

I understand this doesn't impact the live game so much but there are a lot of us on TLP servers that would love our archery class to be able to do a headshot! Please consider it!

you just now realizing HS chance is based off of Hdex ? its been that way for a long time ..

get that Hdex up ..

Did you read his post?

At the initial levels where you get HS, there aren't many ways to really raise HDex. I think he makes a good point. Though, mostly a TLP related point, so possibly better posted there.

You got to do better reading the topics. It's a valid complaint, not just for TLPs but Live too.

Yes I did ..

Hmm the OP speaks of having tested this on a toon with full raid gear and max AA for the lvl .. he doesnt actually say what lvl that was but im guessing its around 65 to 75ish ..

TBM gear scales from lvl 75 iirc ..
Defiant gear from flawed on up has Heroic stats , granted a small amount but still available from lvl 37 on up ..
I'm sure there is other armor .. what about the glowing armor that is lvl 71ish.

also iirc CoTF in ETWK has venders for either gear or augs for lvl 75+ ..

im not saying the OP or anyone who is 65 to 75 is gonna have a ton of Heroic stats but I do feel like the OP is exaggerating the proc rate of his HS .. its working as intended ..

where's the logs ?

go to PoFire and HS around there for about an hour .. and post your logs ..
no logs it didnt happen

If you're in doubt, just go parse it.

here is a site that might help in regards to the lvls of HS .. it is prolly outdated sense it was made in 2013 or 2014 .. however alot of the info there is good still ..

https://www.mmorpgtips.com/everquest-ranger-headshot-guide/#:~:text=Ranger with the Headshot AA,rank 1 in archery master).


Rank
Max Mob Lvl
LvL Req
01 46 60
02 48 61
03 50 63
04 52 65
05 54 67
06 56 69
07 58 71
08 60 73
09 62 75
10 64 77
11 66 79
12 68 81
13 70 83
14 72 85
15 74 87
16 76 89
17 78 90
18 80 90
19 82 90
20 84 91
21 86 93
22 88 95
Tips:

• Dexterity and Mod2 combat effects will increase the proc rate of headshot.
• A fast bow is best, as they fire more arrows, increasing the chance of one being a headshot.
• Get high damage arrows like CLASS 8 Steel Braxihorn Arrow. Along with Endless Quiver you will only need one arrow.
• Get haste / dex buffs. Shaman Buffs works best and will increase proc rate.

Other AA’s to get that will help you grinding with Headshot:

• Endless Quiver , This AA will use the same arrow as you currently have equipped but won’t consume the arrow. So just get one high damage arrow and that’s all you need.
• Archery Mastery
• Bow Mastery
• Ranged Finesse
• Trick Shot, gives you the chance to fire more than one arrow.

also are you using a quiver ? if your a ranger and your not using one , you have a bigger problem than just your HSing

here is another site with some valuable info and some repetitive stuff :

https://www.knightsofinfinity.org/mobile/forum/viewthread/m/34987556/id/25717440-ranger-hs-info

It's true that HS isn't what it used to be but, it's quicker than some alternatives.
I'll edit this as I get better info, If anyone wants something added, toss a comment below.

Protips:
1. Don't have a direct damage proc on bow, it breaks root.
2. Flusterbolt, Blusterbolt, Grasp of Sylvan Spririts (AA), and Vinelash don't share recast timers.
3. Strafing is faster than regular running.
4. Ancient Arrows is the best arrow I am aware of at this time.
5. Use a fast bow, some argue that a 23 delay bow like Proculias is as good as a 17 delay Bow of the Destroyer but, I'm not 100% sure either way because /autofire adds a small delay in shots either way.
6. You can only HS the thing you have targeted, even with AE hits.
7. Any physical damage archery spell seems to have the capability to trigger HS.
8. Keep a heal memorized, sometimes they hit you.
9. Make sure you have haste of some sort, haste clickies (Eyepatch of Plunder, Dark Cloak of the Sky, Lizardscale Plated Girdle, and more listed in link below) will save you from running out of potions or relying on SHM / ENC buffs.
10. Try and get or borrow the highest overhaste click possible for your level, you only need it once.
11. Use a quiver with the same arrow as what you have equipped inside. They have a hidden haste, the best one currently is Prescient Fleeting Quiver.

AAs - Not particularly in order...
1. Headshot (obviously)
2. Dexterity
3. Proc chance (mod 2 combat effects)
4. Endless quiver
5. Archery mastery
6. Trickshot
7. Bow mastery
8. Grasp of Sylvan Spritis (Sometimes you just really need stuff to stay still)
9. Entrap (really long snare)

Incomplete list of some places to Headshot:

HS Rank 2 – Mines of Nurga (Goblins)
HS Rank 3 – Torgiran Mines
HS Rank 4 – Crypt of Nadox Mob (near Entrance)
HS Rank 5 – Temple of Droga (Upper)
HS Rank 7 – Temple of Droga (Lower)
HS Rank 7 – Blackfeather Roost (Second Level)
HS Rank 7 – Plane of Nightmare (Mephits and Gargoyles)
HS Rank 8 – Crypt of Decay (Puslings and rats)
HS Rank 8 – Goru`kar Mesa (Green Legion Phalanxes)
HS Rank 9 – The Barren Coast
HS Rank 9 – Halls of Honor
HS Rank 9 – Plane of Valor (Arachnaes and Crawlers)
HS Rank 10 – The Barren Coast (Blacksail Swashbucklers and Stormguard Knights)
HS Rank 11 -Children of Gimblax (Non Named Goblins)
HS Rank 11 – Calling Emoush (Goblins)
HS Rank 11 – Plane of Fire C1
HS Rank 12 – Plane of Fire C2
HS Rank 12 – The Steppes (Gnolls)
HS Rank 12 – Snarlstone Dens: Confronting a Traitor
HS Rank 13 – Freeing an Elder
HS Rank 13 – Stoneroot Falls (Drachnids and Orcs)
HS Rank 13 / 15 – Dragonscale Hills (Minotaurs and Nymphs)
HS Rank 14 – The Lost Gnomes
HS Rank 15 – Dreadspire Keep (Orcs and Humans)
HS Rank 15 – The Lost Gnomes (Hard)
HS Rank 16 – Old Blackburrow
HS Rank 16 – Bloody Kithicor
HS Rank 18 – Commonlands - Obliteration Mobs
HS Rank 18 – Bloody Kithicor - Obliteration Mobs
HS Rank 19 – Field of Scale (Iksar and sarnak)
HS Rank 19 – Feerott (Some Lizards)
HS Rank 19 – Cooling Chambers
HS Rank 19 – Kurn’s Stronghold
HS Rank 20/21 – Kaesora Library
HS Rank 21 – Toskirakk
HS Rank 21 – Korascian Warrens
HS Rank 22 – Kaesora Library
HS Rank low 20s? - Valley of Lunanyn
HS Rank mid 20s? - East Wastes, Zeixshi-Kar's Awakening (Orc Camp)
HS Rank mid / high 20s? - City of Bronze
HS Rank 28 - Neriak 4th Gate


Pulled info from:
1. http://www.eq.freemmorpgguides.com/everquest-ranger-headshot-guide/
2. http://almarsguides.com/eq/leveling/headshot/
3. http://everquest.allakhazam.com/wiki/eq:headshot
4. http://everquest.allakhazam.com/wiki/eq:Items_Clicky_Buffs_Haste - Not completely up-to-date.
5. My noodle!

If anyone wants a bit of training with some mass HS roundup, I'm sure we can schedule something. I hold no responsibility for dead rangers when engaging in said activity.
some of this stuff is outdated or inaccurate ..

The OP is talking about TLP headshotting. It suffered a huge nerf when the changes to live went into effect. They even had to patch the ranks to actually work again at some point. Headshot is completely tied to hdex, hdex increases your chance to proc HS and your ppm on it. Years ago there was someone that parsed the actual % and ppm at some point which may have been somewhere around 200. Whether or not that has changed since then I'm not sure because I have mained a ranger on Live. This topic comes up fairly often from players returning and not realizing the changes.

headshot at lower levels was never changed from the original timed version until Phinny came along thats why it used to be so good at lower levels.

Someone noticed how badly it dropped off once you progressed past the Luclin levels and complained to Devs about the rate of proc drop off... they said we can fix that! and promptly nurfed the Luclin level aa's as well

but saying that and playing a ranger on phinny from classic to (almost) live I never had to wait a hour for a proc, would get at least one every minute or so, at present with 1200+ HDex it goes off several times a fight.

I parsed this out in late ROS iirc
Me BIS Raid Ranger HDex build Max Everything
SoulBow VS Bow of the Destroyer
On the headshottable combat dummy
The Soulbow Only slightly edged out the BOD in DPS.
Just something worth considering.

Thanks for all the feedback on the issue. I think some people completely missed my point. I'm not really looking for knowledge on how the AA works or when it starts to work. My point is that no AA should be tied to a stat the doesn't exist at the point in the game when you can get the AA.

I get it that they tied the AA to the HDex. But doing that made the AA not work for a pretty long span of levels. It should be adjusted in a manner that gives it some kind of relevance at all the levels in which you can purchase the AA. That's my point =)

(Edit: Again, I'm not asking for it to be OP. I just want it to go off more than once an hour).

I messed around on Coirnav last year during TSS and had 11 procs on 57 mobs. I was in a mix of past expansions/defiant gear. It is what it is.

But it doesn't have to be.

They removed several old stats that we're on gear and augs years back, and replaced them with heroics too, which in effect nerfed a lot of stuff that existed before the change(heroics AND those stats did coexist for a time though, not sure the full changeover) I'm referring to accuracy and avoidance etc, and in this thread the conversion of accuracy that was available in that level range when those aas were created, to heroic stats and higher level aas that aren't available, could be frustrating. I'd never even noticed this change until recently since I'd stopped worrying about those stats long before they were removed from gear as they were easily maxed in the gear I was getting. When I went digging in my bank this past November or so, for the very items that used to have said stats, I discovered even directly on the items it was replaced with heroics...but certainly NOT equivalent ones. 10 or 15 accuracy certainly is far better than 4 hdex lol.

That is so out of date and incorrect that you should honestly delete the entire post, almost everything in it is completely wrong in 2021. I'd say nothing is helpful in it at all, but there are a few things that are still relevant.

well then there is something still helpful isn't there ..
but thanks for your comment .. im glad i wasted about 5min out of your day

Don't sell yourself short, you've wasted WAY more than that!

if my post helps just 1 person then its not wasted .. and lets just say even for arguments sake that the post doesn't help anyone I've intrigued a few peeps to post about it , which means you've read the post and thought it necessary to comment . so who wasted time you or I ?
I'm done bantering back and forth about a post that supposedly is not useful .. I was trying to be of some help , more than I can say for some of you !! so feel free to continue on your way ..

Holy poo-poo, dude, are you that incapable of seeing a tongue-in-cheek comment? I even put the winking smiley face on it! Plus it's a tangential reference to a line from Caddyshack!

You s h a t on my trifecta!

Time to lighten up on the caffeine, methinks.

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lol sorry I just woke up when i read your post , which i apparently did not read well and totally missed the winky face .. my bad and I love that movie .. now im gonna have to watch it again .