Newbie's Guide to Archer-ism!

sacchin
sacchin Posts: 41 Arc User
edited December 2012 in Archer
Note: Sorry, classes have started for me again and I've been busy for the last couple weeks. I'll get around to updating some more once my schedule has settled down.

The main purpose for this guide is to help new players looking to take the path of the Archer. I haven't really seen an organized one here, so I decided to try and help out some new players! If you have any suggestions or problems, post it here and/or send me a PM, as I'll be more likely to see it. If you want to flame it, feel free to do that as well b:pleased

P.S. I more or less stole the format from a guide on the WR forums b:victory

Note: It won't be finished for a while most likely, so its a continuous WIP!


So, with that finished, on to the guide:

Hello and welcome to my newbie guide! If you're reading this, that means you're most likely looking for information/advice on starting or improving your Archer. This guide should provide you with the basic knowledge to get that done. If you didn't find something you were looking for, reply to the topic or send me a PM and I will try to answer it and add it to the guide if it is a common question.
Basic Archer Description

Archers are of the Elven race and are DDs (damage dealers) that specialize in ranged physical damage. They stand in the back or fly in the air and take out whatever they can quickly and smoothly before being taken down themselves. Due to this nature, Archers are prone to have relatively little HP, high attack power, high critical rate, and high dodge rate.

Archers are given a choice of 3 types of ranged weapons: Bow, Crossbow, Slingshot. Each has certain attributes that make them unique and I will discuss those later in the guide.

Archers are very interesting and versatile! We are one of the top damage dealing classes in the game, alongside Mages. The lower-mid levels can be a little troublesome with low HP and lacking stuns/slows, combined with the fact that we do half damage at close range, but it gets better. However, many upcoming Archers may give up early because they seem weak. Archers don't truly shine until 80+, or at least 70+, when gear, and most importantly, crit rate, starts to get better. So if you're looking for an easy ride all the way through, Archer may not be for you! Archers have the power to take out squishy targets quickly with our excellent range and spike damage. They also have metal-based magical attacks that are very useful for Heavy Armored, low Magical Defense classes (WR and WB). After reading this, if the Archer class interests you, then continue reading!
How to Build Your Archer

Stats

There's really only 1 build I recommend as an Archer, and its "Pure Dex." That means you put enough Strength to wear the latest Light Armor, then the rest into Dex. This means you want (Your Level + 4) Strength, and every other point into Dex. That means you can do 1Str/4Dex every level, or you can pump Dex until you reach the level of a new armor you want, and add the missing Strength. Note: Its never a good idea to buy armor from vendors Also, if you're close to a new critical % marker, it may be worth it to place extra points in Dex as well. Critical is 1% every 20 Dex.

The levels of new armors are:
_0 - Chest
_3 - Leggings
_4 - Arm
_6 - Feet

I don't believe placing points into Vit is worth it. Archers get 13 (I believe) HP for each point. Archers are "glass cannons" of sorts, meaning they are meant to deal as much damage as possible before anyone can hit them. This means you need as much attack power/critical % as possible. You get enough HP to survive from +'ing armor and using HP shards. +'ing armor involves using Mirage Celestones, which you can read about in other guides or find out about in game. HP shards are gems that have stats, in this case +HP, which you can place into equipment.

Equipment can have from 2-4 sockets each. You armor can also have a little glow, color is dependent on the shard you use, if you fill it with the exact same type of shards of average quality or better.

NEVER add points into Mag however. It will not be worth it at all.
Weapons

In the early levels, you'll generally use whatever weapon you can find until level 19/20 when you can complete and equip the FB19 Crossbow. This bow should last you into your 30s. Once you get higher up however, you get some choices between Bows, Crossbows, and Slingshots. To me personally, the Bow is the most aesthetically pleasing.

Bows: Bows are basically the middle of the pack. Moderate average damage, moderate attack speed, moderate low-end and high-end damage. Bows use Arrow type ammunition. i.e. Phoenix Tail Arrow
Crossbows: Crossbows have the highest top-end, lowest low-end, and slowest attack speed. Note: Attack speed doesn't matter when using skills, so that's something to keep in mind. Crossbows use Bolt type ammunition. i.e. Bone Bolt
Slingshots: Slingshots have the highest low-end damage, lowest high-end damage, and fastest attack speed. I don't like the look of them, but they are very good for every day grinding. Slingshots use Shot type ammunition. i.e. Pulse Shot

So whatever weapon you use is up to you. I find Slingshots are the best choice for PvE grinding, simply because of the fast attack speed and consistent good damage. PvP choice will depend on how you choose to play your Archer.

Another note on ammunition: I just use the level 1 type for ammunition when grinding. I really didn't think the massive increase in cost was worth the benefit in damage increase. In PvP, that may be another issue however. But for starters, I'd recommend sticking with level 1 and whatever you get as a drop.

Ammunition can be purchased from any Blacksmith in town. It can also be crafted with the Craft skill at a Craftsman, but I don't recommend this as the cost far outweighs the benefits.
Post edited by sacchin on
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Comments

  • sacchin
    sacchin Posts: 41 Arc User
    edited December 2008
    SKILLS

    Here I will explain some of the skills that Archers can learn. I'll only explain the more basic ones, up to 59 or so, as that's all you should need to know about to get your Archer started.

    To find out more detailed information, I suggest checking out: http://www.ecatomb.net/skillpwi.php

    Added some progression charts for the skills. I got them from this thread http://pwi-forum.perfectworld.com/showthread.php?t=153901
    which was originally taken from this site
    http://asiapworld.com/pw/index.php?

    Feel free to check that out also for a different opinion on skills.

    Also, adding my opinion on priorities for upgrading skills. Priority 1 = Highest Priority, so keep upgrading it as soon as you reach the next required level. Priority 0 = leave it at level 1.

    Level 1

    Take Aim

    b179895438.jpg

    This is one of the first skills you start with as an Archer. You can reach level 10 by level 45. At level 1, it is a 5 second maximum charge and dealing base physical plus 165% weapon damage. At level 10, this becomes a 3.2 second charge dealing base physical plus 300% weapon damage, improving at -.2s and +15% weapon damage each level.

    At the early levels, this skill is quite useless. The big usefulness of it comes from the weapon damage bonus. However, at low levels, your weapon is, well, garbage. That makes the damage garbage. Combine this with the relatively long charge time and issues with KSing in this game, its not good at the beginning. However, later on when you get high powered weapons, this spell becomes very strong. I'd recommend leaving this at level 1 until at least level 60 when you can get a TT60 weapon.

    Priority: 4 - Not necessary to level until at least 60

    TL;DR Things to Note


    Useless in early levels. Leave it at level 1 until around 60+, then max it when you can. You can charge it and shoot it earlier if you need.

    Quickshot


    http://x30.xanga.com/428f34f466435228464325/b179896544.jpg

    The other skill that your Archer starts with. Able to be maxed at level 43. This skill looks like two arrows shooting. Deals base physical plus 12 damage at level 1, becoming base physical plus 908.4. In the lower levels, this should deal more damage than Take Aim. However, it really loses its usefulness early on. I'd recommend leaving it at level 1 for good and moving on to more useful abilities.


    Priority: 0 - not useful at all unless you reach level 89 and choose Demon Path

    TL;DR Things to Note


    Leave it at level 1

    Level 6

    Blazing Arrow

    http://x25.xanga.com/bdcf44ea10336228464687/b179896829.jpg

    The first new skill you are able to train. At level 1, it adds 13% of weapon damage as Fire damage to your normal shots. You can max it at level 51, adding an extra 3% per level. It gives your weapon a red glow too!

    I recommend maxing this skill whenever you have the SP to spare. At lower levels, its not quite as noticeable due to low weapon power, but as you get higher up, its very useful. Definitely a good skill to have and worth maxing as soon as you can.

    Priority: 1 - Keep this leveled

    TL;DR Things to Note


    Good skill, max it when you can

    Level 9


    Congratulations! You've reached level 9 and have received your first Cultivation quest. After you complete this quest, you are able to learn some new abilities.
    Frost Arrow

    http://x60.xanga.com/e73f35f076235228464731/b179896844.jpg

    One of these new abilities is Frost Arrow. At level 1, it inflicts damage equal to base physical damage plus 150.8 as well as a 50% speed reduction for 3.2 seconds. It can be maxed at level 54, where it will become base physical plus 1381.1 and 50% slow for 5 seconds, with an extra .2s slow and some extra damage for each level. It requires 25 Chi per shot.

    This skill is very useful for the early levels. Its the first skill in the slow/stun category of your arsenal, and is quite helpful for keeping your target away from you for a longer amount of time, allowing you to deal more damage more quickly. Due to low weapon damage resulting in little use for Take Aim, I recommend using this as your opening. Frost Arrow -> Normal attacks until death. As for leveling it...you should level it as you feel necessary. The damage isn't necessary later on, so keeping it at level 1 is fine. If you want to level it to help out early on however, getting it to level 3 or 4 is no problem. The SP cost is negligible so you shouldn't worry about it. Note: Its probably worth maxing for an Archer who chose Sage path. But even then, I wouldn't recommend maxing it until you actually get there.

    Priority: 3 - Good skill to have, best PvE opener in the lower levels, but not necessary to have it maxed later on unless you choose Sage path.

    TL;DR Things to Note


    Good opener for the lower levels. Limited usefulness later on, so level as you feel needed.
    Winged Shell

    http://x94.xanga.com/60af35eb14435228462832/b179895439.jpg

    A shield that absorbs some damage and regenerates some MP for you. Its on a 30 second cooldown and requires 45 Chi to cast. It can be maxed at level 54. At level 1, it absorbs 135 damage, lasts up to 20 seconds, and recovers 10 MP every 3 seconds up to 6 times (60 MP max). Each additional level adds 65 damage absorbed and 6 MP per tick, ending up at absorbing 810 damage and 64 MP per tick at max level.

    A very useful skill. In PvE, it can keep you alive long enough to fly up and lose aggro, or stay alive long enough to get in the last hit you need. In PvP, it can be situationally useful. I recommend maxing this skill when you have the spare SP.

    Priority: 4 - Just level it casually, it can save you but its better to level your attack skills first if you don't have enough SP

    TL;DR Things to Note


    Another useful skill, max it when you have the SP to spare.
    Flight Mastery

    http://x73.xanga.com/03bf2aebc3d34228462827/b179895437.jpg

    A unique skill for Elves. It increases your flight speed by .2 m/s for each level, ending up at 2.0 m/s at level 10. Note: This only affects the ORIGINAL wings you have. Cash shop items/Eagle wings, everything else is unaffected. Its not essential to level now, or ever if you want. The starter wings do consume 2 mp/s, so its uses can be limited. However, this is a nice way for Elves to get faster flying early without buying different mounts. The choice is yours to level it or not.

    Priority: N/A - Completely up to you, you can choose not level it at all if you wish

    TL;DR Things to Note


    Only affects original wings. Makes you fly faster, level it or not, your choice.
    Winged Blessing

    http://x13.xanga.com/caff27f611634228465285/b179897252.jpg

    Able to be maxed at level 54. It increases your maximum range by 1 meter for each level.

    Very useful! More range means more time for full damage attacks. Definitely max it.

    Priority: 1 - Keep this maxed

    TL;DR Things to Note


    If you're too lazy to read that, then you probably haven't gotten this far anyway b:thanks

    Level 13

    Lightning Strike

    http://x5f.xanga.com/c56f54ea32337228465537/b179897459.jpg

    This is the first skill in your Metal-based damage tree. It can be maxed at level 58. At level 1, it deals Metal damage equal to base physical damage plus 330.3 with a 6 second cooldown. At level 10, it deals base physical damage plus 2214.9

    This is another useful skill for Archers. This tree is part of what makes Archers a versatile and dangerous class for anyone to deal with. Since Archers focus on phsyical damage, high HP/high defense targets can be difficult. However, this tree deals metal-based damage, meaning its magical! If you're on Lost City and intend to PK/PvP often, this is very useful, as it deals full damage at close range. If you're on a PvE server, it is still useful to have when grinding on Wood element mobs, and for PvP later on if you're interested in it.

    Priority: 2 or 3 - Good skill for PvP. If you're on Lost City, I'd keep this leveled fairly high as it will be very useful. If you're on PvE server, it is a useful skill to have for grinding, but not too high of priority.

    TL;DR Things to Note


    Deals full damage at close range. Metal-based damage, so strong against Wood element mobs and Heavy Armor player targets.

    PvP Server - Definitely good to level it when you can to deal with Heavy Armor targets and for anything that gets into melee range.

    PvE Server - Still useful, I recommend leveling it if you have SP to spare.

    Level 19


    Hooray! You're level 19 now. You get another Cultivation quest, and when you complete that, the ever wonderful FB19 quest, or the Call to Duty quest. After you complete the Cultivation quest, you are able to learn some new abilities again. After you complete the FB19 quest, you get a wonderful 3 star Crossbow that you can equip at level 20 (assuming you have used your stat points correctly). You'll likely use this weapon well into your 30s.
    Vicious Arrow

    http://x08.xanga.com/018f27f674c34228464733/b179896864.jpg

    Able to be maxed at level 64. It has an 8 second cooldown and at level 1, deals base physical damage, then 628.7 Wood damage over 15 seconds. At level 10, the Wood damage becomes 3109.1 over 15 seconds.

    Not a very useful skill. I recommend just leaving it at level 1 as a requirement to continue down the tree. This is very low priority however. Really, the last 3 abilities in this tree I don't find so useful. The final one, Sharpened Tooth Arrow, is useful on bosses later on, but it isn't much of a priority for now. So if you don't have the SP to spare, don't worry about this skill or any of the following ones until later.

    Priority: 0 - Leave it at level 1
    Knockback Arrow

    http://x79.xanga.com/595f03f366533228464321/b179896541.jpg

    Able to be maxed at level 64. It has a 12 second cooldown and at level 1, deals base physical damage plus 376.0 and knocks the target back 12 meters. At max level, the damage bonus becomes 1864.6.

    This is also a pretty useful ability, knocking back your target, allowing you to get in a couple more full damage attacks. The damage is halved at close range though, as with normal attacks. The main usefulness of this skill is the knockback, so level it casually as you see fit. At low levels, the order I used was Frost Arrow -> Normal attack twice -> Knockback -> Normal until dead. That allows you to get full damage on the Knockback Arrow while keeping your target in range so you don't have to move forward to continue attacking. Note: The knockback doesn't work in PvP.

    Priority: 3 - Knockback distance doesn't increase with levels, so only thing that increases is damage. For PvE, I'd recommend leaving it at 1 for low mana cost. However, the damage can still be useful in PvP even if the knockback doesn't work.

    Level 23

    Wings of Protection

    http://x6d.xanga.com/0c0f30f3c7632228462833/b179895440.jpg

    This skill can be maxed at level 68. At level 1, it increases squad members' evasion by 8% as well as a 15% movement speed increase for 60 seconds. At level 10, it increases evasion by 35% and movement speed for 600 seconds, improving at 3% and 60 seconds per level.

    A somewhat useful skill to have. The difference it makes...well it will vary from one experience to the next. I personally find it nice to have, but not essential. The movement speed is nice as well. The choice is yours to make. Early it, probably best to focus on passives/damage skills first.

    Priority: 4 - Useful skill, but not important to max it early on. Level it as you see fit.
    Winged Pledge

    http://xb8.xanga.com/2f0f41f308d37228468249/b179899609.jpg

    The first "melee" attack you get. It can be maxed at level 68. At level 1, it deals base physical plus 490 with a 2 second cooldown. At level 10, the bonus damage becomes 2098.3.

    This is a useful spell for PvP and is a pre-requisite for Wingspan which is very nice to have. If you plan on doing low-mid level PvP, I'd recommend getting a couple levels of this. It can be useful for when Lightning Strike/Thunder Shock is on cooldown. If you're strictly PvE, I'd probably recommend leaving it at level 1 as a pre-requisite since it is a bit mana inefficient and you shouldn't really need it.

    Priority: 5 - For PvE, leave it at level 1 as pre-requisite. For PvP, it might be worth it to get a few levels. Up to you however.

    Level 29


    Congratulations on another 10 levels! If you haven't figured out the pattern yet, you'll get another Cultivation quest here. Well, you should have been getting various Cultivation Quests along the way, but the final one comes at 29. This one is a little more troublesome than the others, having to kill an elite type and everything, but still relatively easy. After you finish it, you get your first spark and, you guessed it, more skills!
    Thunder Shock

    http://x6f.xanga.com/866f26ea52335228465534/b179897456.jpg

    The second skill in your Metal-based tree. Can be maxed at level 74. At level 1, it deals Metal damage equal to base physical damage plus 330.3 and reduces Metal resistance by 23% for 15 seconds. At level 10, it deals base physical plus 2214.9 and reduces Metal resistance by 50% for 15 seconds. Each level adds some damage and increases the amount of resistance reduced by 3%. Requires 30 Chi to cast.

    Great skill! This will be the opening for your "Lightning Combo" since it decreases the target's Metal resistance. Like Lightning Strike, it will deal full damage at close range. Also like Lightning Strike, this is a definite must for PvP enthusiasts. For PvE focused players, again, its still useful for Wood element mobs or finishing close range mobs, but not necessary for now, so level it as you feel necessary.

    Priority: 2 or 3 - Same as Lightning Strike. Great skill for PvP, and still useful for PvE.
    Aim Low

    http://x54.xanga.com/7fef43ea01237228464737/b179896868.jpg

    Now that you have a spark, you get your first ability that takes a spark! Aim Low can be maxed at level 74. At level 1, it deals base physical damage plus 953.1 and stuns the target for 5.3 seconds on a 15 second cooldown. At level 10, it deals base physical damage plus 3469.5 and stuns the target for 8.0 seconds. Each additional level adds .3 seconds to the stun and some extra damage.

    This is definitely a great skill. In PvE, its a good opener for when you have a spark. The damage is good and the mana cost is pretty reasonable. For PvP, well I think its uses are very obvious. Good for opening as well as stopping runners. Very good against Robe users. For PvP, definitely max this as soon as you can. For PvE, max it as you see fit. I used it a good amount in the lower levels until Deadly Shot/Take Aim became useful.

    Priority: 2 - Great skill, good damage and a stun.
    Bow Mastery

    http://x2d.xanga.com/beaf23f011635228465284/b179897251.jpg

    Can be maxed at level 74. Increases ranged weapon attack damage by 6% every level, becoming a 60% increase at level 10.

    More damage! Definitely good. Max it as soon as you can.

    Priority: 1 - Keep it maxed.

    Level 34

    Serrated Arrow

    http://xc7.xanga.com/5c8f45ea17d36228464978/b179897048.jpg

    Able to be maxed at level 79. At level 1, it deals base physical damage and adds a bleed effect. The bleed deals 1398.9 physical damage over 15 seconds. At level 10, the bleed damage becomes 4571.4 over 15 seconds.

    I've never found any use for this skill really. Archers aren't about steady damage like Serrated Arrow or Vicious Arrow, they're about heavy spike damage. I've seen some people say they like this spell for robe users, but personally I don't think its worth it at all. I'd recommend leaving it at level 1. See the explanation I gave for Vicious Arrow also, this skill is low priority if you're short on SP for skills you will actually use.

    Priority: 0 - Leave it at level 1

    Level 39

    Stunning Arrow

    http://x86.xanga.com/61af25ea12234228464318/b179896539.jpg

    Able to be maxed at level 75. At level 1, it deals base physical damage plus 697.5 with a 45% chance to stun for 3 seconds. At level, it deals base physical plus 1761.3 and a 90% chance to stun for 3 seconds, adding 5% chance to stun and some damage for every additional level.

    A great skill for PvP! Stun that doesn't take any Sparks/Vigor! Definitely level this as soon as you can if you plan on PvPing. Even for PvE, it can be very useful. If you're on Lost City, I'd recommend making this a high priority spell. For PvE, still very useful so keep it leveled if you can afford it.

    Priority: 2 or 3 - For PvP, definitely important to level. For PvE, level it if you can afford it, but not over more important skills
    Wing Span

    http://x89.xanga.com/618f34f252735228468252/b179899610.jpg

    Able to be maxed at level 75. This is an AoE spell, affecting all enemies in an 8-yard radius of you. At level 1, it deals base physical plus 1128.5 and knocks enemies back 6.3 meters. At level 10, it deals base physical plus 2844.8 and knocks back 9 meters, adding some damage an .3 meters with each level.

    Like Knockback Arrow, the knockback does not work in PvP, but it deals full damage at close range. This is a useful ability to have in PvE. In PvP, the usefulness can vary. It is an AoE attack, but that means you have to be in the middle of a group - a place no archer wants to be. However, many times Mages will try to Distance Shrink into your "dead zone" so this can be useful for those moments. It depends on your playstyle on whether you want to level this or not.

    Priority: 4 - Level it as you see fit, it does have its uses. Your experience and how you play your Archer should determine how much you level this.

    Level 44

    Thunderous Blast

    http://x61.xanga.com/ed2f2aea72334228465535/b179897457.jpg

    Able to be maxed at level 80. At level 1, it deals Metal damage equal to base physical plus 1420.3 to your target and all enemies within a 4.4 meter radius. Each new level increases the damage and also increases the radius by .4 meters. At level 10, the bonus damage becomes 3354.4 with a radius of 8 meters.

    The next skill in our metal damage tree. As with the others in this tree, I think its worth leveling for PvP. The AoE damage can be useful in TWs, so if you are interested in getting involved with that, this skill is worth upgrading. However, unlike the others, it isn't so important to level this until 60-70+ when you start doing TWs. You generally won't use this at all in PvE due to the high mana cost, and Lightning Strike + Thunder Shock should be enough for you in PKing/normal PvP at these levels, so you won't need a third spell for now.

    Priority: 4 - Not necessary to level until you start participating in TWs

    Level 49

    Sharpened Tooth Arrow

    http://xae.xanga.com/090f24f101534228464982/b179897052.jpg

    Able to be maxed at level 85. At level 1, it deals base physical plus 1299.5 and reduces maximum HP by 2.5% for 30 seconds and affects all enemies within a 6 meter radius of your target. Each additional level increases the % of HP reduced by 1.5% and increases the damage dealt. At level 10, it deals base phsyical plus 2901.5 and reduces maximum HP by 16.0% for 30 seconds.

    The only use for this ability is against Boss monsters really. It has limited usefulness in TWs, but its up to you whether you like using it there. There's no other situation that its particularly useful. Due to this, this spell is not at all important to max until later if you start running a lot of high level dungeons. If you didn't get Vicious Arrow or Serrated Arrow yet, there's no rush to get this skill yet either.

    Priority: 5 - Leave it for later

    Deadly Shot

    http://xfd.xanga.com/77cf5bea28537228465279/b179897247.jpg

    Able to be maxed at level 85. At level 1, it deals base physical plus 55% of weapon damage plus 2235.3. Each level increases the damage bonus as well as increasing the weapon damage bonus by 5%. At level 10, it deals base physical plus 100% of weapon damage plus 4986.6.

    A pretty nice ability. It is similar to Take Aim but still deals a lot of damage even before getting a very good weapon. The mana cost is a little high, but depending on how much you leveled Frost Arrow/Knockback Arrow, it can be a great opener. It is definitely worth leveling in my opinion, but how often you use it will depend on your playstyle.

    Priority: 3 - Useful spell to have, worth maxing as it deals a good amount of damage.

    That's all for now b:surrender I'll continue working on the guide another time, but for now I have to go b:bye
  • sacchin
    sacchin Posts: 41 Arc User
    edited December 2008
    Space holder in case I need more room
  • Envy - Lost City
    Envy - Lost City Posts: 540 Arc User
    edited December 2008
    the description on frost arrow is a typo

    it does no elemental damage until you get the heaven book for it.
  • sacchin
    sacchin Posts: 41 Arc User
    edited December 2008
    the description on frost arrow is a typo

    it does no elemental damage until you get the heaven book for it.

    Fixed, thanks b:victory
  • Rea - Heavens Tear
    Rea - Heavens Tear Posts: 56 Arc User
    edited December 2008
    And frost arrow is very useful. Afaik, most archers use it as their starting skill when grinding, as it only consumes 84 MP, and decreases the target's mov speed. The stun arrow isn't great mp-wise.
  • Vindictus - Heavens Tear
    Vindictus - Heavens Tear Posts: 4 Arc User
    edited December 2008
    Im sorry to say but most of this archer info is way off. Please read the link here on learning archer templates.
    (Note:The vocabulary is different, but the skills and stats are the exact same as the Malaysian version of this game which is about 2 years old.)
    -Edited-
  • sacchin
    sacchin Posts: 41 Arc User
    edited December 2008
    Im sorry to say but most of this archer info is way off. Please read the link here on learning archer templates.
    (Note:The vocabulary is different, but the skills and stats are the exact same as the Malaysian version of this game which is about 2 years old.)
    -Edited-

    What exactly is way off? The site you linked even has a heavy Vit build? Just enough Dex and Str for Light Armor and the rest into Vit...what exactly are you attacking with? Your hands? To equip the best bow, you need 3 Dex every level, and 1 Str every level for armor. That leaves 1 Vit per level if you choose to pump it. Archers gain 13 HP per Vit, and lose the crit, damage, accuracy, and evasion from the Dex. There are countless discussions about it already, and I think most will agree Pure Dex is the best way to go. +'d armors and HP shards give you all the HP you need. Archers aren't tanks, and they aren't meant to be tanks. They are meant to do as much damage as they can as quickly as they can.

    Whether you want a PvE or PvP build, Pure Dex gives the most benefit. In PvE, obviously you want to do as much damage as possible. In PvP, PKing is about spike damage, and you will rarely have solo PKs except in the early levels. You shouldn't need to be a tank at all. Similar for TWs, you aren't supposed to be tanking. If you are, then you are probably doing something wrong.
  • xapollo
    xapollo Posts: 1 Arc User
    edited January 2009
    Sticky this plz

    Very usefull guide for newbie archers like me :-)

    Ty sacchin for the hard work you put into it.
  • fyirefly
    fyirefly Posts: 1 Arc User
    edited January 2009
    I am one of those noobs who have just went thru the game trial by error. I am now a level 28 and am having a hard time killing mosters lower lvl than I am.....so I came to this forum and see that I have been misplacing my build pts the entire time. I was distributing them evenly the 1rst 20 lvls....then realizing I couldn't upgrade my weapons without dex and str....i have been focusing on them.

    I only have quick shot and take aim.....how to I get the training for and where do I go to get blazing arrow.....frost arrow...and winged shell?

    Should I reset my points and if I do....what are the reprecussions?

    Thanks for your help.

    Fyire
  • TheMusician - Heavens Tear
    TheMusician - Heavens Tear Posts: 10 Arc User
    edited January 2009
    Hello Fiyre! : D
    Instead of reseting your stats id rather say that you just create an entirely new archer. Its no problem getting to level 28 if you have the right stat build! Saves the cash ;D

    I am a noob too though so its your choice entirely.
  • sacchin
    sacchin Posts: 41 Arc User
    edited January 2009
    fyirefly wrote: »
    I am one of those noobs who have just went thru the game trial by error. I am now a level 28 and am having a hard time killing mosters lower lvl than I am.....so I came to this forum and see that I have been misplacing my build pts the entire time. I was distributing them evenly the 1rst 20 lvls....then realizing I couldn't upgrade my weapons without dex and str....i have been focusing on them.

    I only have quick shot and take aim.....how to I get the training for and where do I go to get blazing arrow.....frost arrow...and winged shell?

    Should I reset my points and if I do....what are the reprecussions?

    Thanks for your help.
    http://pwi-forum.perfectworld.com/showthread.php?t=5321
    Fyire

    There are trainers in any of the major cities, for EA that's Archosaur and City of Plume. In Plume, they are right by the pool with the Elder. In Archosaur, you can find some in the walled area right next to where the General is in the SW area. Have you been doing your Cultivation quests? They are orange/gold colored in your quest log. If you've done those, then you can train your skills.

    Reset scrolls can be rather expensive for new players at your level. You've unfortunately wasted quite a few points so far, so its up to you really. Seeing as you seem to have gotten to level 28 with nothing but your level 1 starting skills, it would be considerably easier once you got all your skill upgrades. However, whether its worth continuing to level with your character until you can easily afford a restat scroll is up to you. If you play a decent amount, 1-28 could be done in 2-3 days. If that doesn't seem like something you want to do, you can still level and farm yourself a restat scroll.

    If you do end up rerolling, I recommend following this nice quest guide: http://pwi-forum.perfectworld.com/showthread.php?t=5321
  • delightfullytwisted
    delightfullytwisted Posts: 1 Arc User
    edited January 2009
    Shame you won't be finishing this guide, I find it really helpful and I'm a complete noob b:chuckle

    But thanks anyways for what you have done, it's a great starter for my Archer and I should be able to figure things out after this guide leaves off. Your commentary is very helpful, too; much better than the usual "Just get these skills, don't ask question," type guide.

    In short: Thanks for your hard work b:thanks
  • sacchin
    sacchin Posts: 41 Arc User
    edited January 2009
    I may end up continuing with it if some people are getting use out of it b:chuckle Just seems to me, after seeing the countless posts on this and the other class forums, most people would rather make a new thread and wait for hours to get a response than to use the search function or read stickies and find their answers in 5 minutes b:shocked But like I said, if some people are getting a bit of use out of this I might keep going with it b:victory
  • sinistervii
    sinistervii Posts: 1 Arc User
    edited January 2009
    I found it very useful, im just struggling whether to choose to level frost arrow to max or just wait for stun skills x_X
  • sacchin
    sacchin Posts: 41 Arc User
    edited January 2009
    Nice to know that you found it useful b:victory As for leveling Frost Arrow, you shouldn't be worried about it really. Maybe my wording made it seem worse than it is. For grinding, you can basically use nothing but Frost Arrow and Knockback Arrow + normal attacks. What I meant was in the later levels when your damage becomes better, the additional levels of it aren't really necessary, and you can lead with Take Aim/Deadly Shot and follow with a Frost Arrow just to slow, and you'll have no problems killing stuff. So if you want to level it now to help out, that's nothing to be concerned with. The SP cost won't set you back much in the long run. Just don't make it a priority over anything like Bow Mastery or Winged Blessing.

    EDIT: I'll probably re-word my description so it isn't so confusing.
  • sinistervii
    sinistervii Posts: 1 Arc User
    edited January 2009
    Thank you very much! That cleared things up! :3 Didnt really get that part if you tried saying that Frost arrow was a bad thing to put points in or something good to put points in so yeah it was sort of confusing x_x Ill make sure to follow the guide as far it gets me :D

    EDIT:
    Tip: I think you should set up some sort of Q & A. Could be useful for players that wants to ask the frequently asked questions but doesnt have to because the awnsers is here. :D
  • KaimerasPain - Heavens Tear
    KaimerasPain - Heavens Tear Posts: 35 Arc User
    edited January 2009
    WoW sacchin, I gotta say, dont stop!!! :) I literally just started up with an archer and ppl in-game are not much help at all. I am really enjoyin ur info- way more character specific. Dont blame the noobs (although i am one at the moment) for posts, they just dont have the research skillz that some of us do. I always try to find the info before adding another thread... its just good forum edicate. Anyways, many thanks to you for taking the time; most wouldnt, and I look forward to more info as you have the time to post it!

    KaimerasPain-
    [SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
    MysticAve- What the Deuce?! Pwnt again.....
  • gusch
    gusch Posts: 1 Arc User
    edited January 2009
    This is a great guide and will help a lot of new archers! Wish I would have read this when I started. I am only at lv. 20 but fortunately I did kinda the right thing with my points. I had the weapon choice decide what I needed. If the new level allowed me to get a certain bow, I applied the points needed to get it and put the rest on the armour requirements.
    Thanks for the guide Sacchin, hope you have time to continue. As with every board there are the lazy ones asking questions rather then looking for the answers..
  • KaimerasPain - Heavens Tear
    KaimerasPain - Heavens Tear Posts: 35 Arc User
    edited January 2009
    After lookin through pages on Archers, ur right; there are a ton of ppl on here that dont search... kinda mind numbing...
    [SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
    MysticAve- What the Deuce?! Pwnt again.....
  • Alrydian - Sanctuary
    Alrydian - Sanctuary Posts: 20 Arc User
    edited January 2009
    After lookin through pages on Archers, ur right; there are a ton of ppl on here that dont search... kinda mind numbing...


    I quite agree, I think it would be nice if there was one thread like this one as a Sticky! at the top of the forum for newbie Archers.b:thanks
    [SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
    In Arduis Fidelis
  • sacchin
    sacchin Posts: 41 Arc User
    edited January 2009
    Yeah, I just don't understand why people would rather wait hours, sometimes days, for a response that they could have found in 5 minutes b:chuckle Stickies don't make much difference either, there are good stickies in the WB/WR forums also, but there are tons of new posts every day asking the same thing b:shocked Anyway, since it seems there is a bit of interest, I decided to keep working on this. Added a few small updates b:victory
  • BloodCountes - Heavens Tear
    BloodCountes - Heavens Tear Posts: 185 Arc User
    edited January 2009
    Somebody should set this thread as "sticky".
    My people, some of them have run away to the hills
    and have no shelter. No food, no one knows where they are,
    hear me my chiefs, I am tired. My heart is sick and sad,
    I will fight no more....
  • WingNoir - Heavens Tear
    WingNoir - Heavens Tear Posts: 3 Arc User
    edited January 2009
    Very helpfull guide. I hope you finish it.
    This should be a sticky thread.
  • aryannamage
    aryannamage Posts: 0 Arc User
    edited January 2009
    As requested by so many people in this thread... Stickied!

    BTW good work! b:pleased
    [SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
  • bobzilla21
    bobzilla21 Posts: 694 Arc User
    edited January 2009
    Wow, a stickied archer guide!b:shocked
    It sure took a while.
    I figured I should do something with my sig, so I made this for fun. My very first (poorly made) animation. b:victory
    [SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
    As for why Luffy is murdering Naruto, I have no idea either, but it looks cool.b:laugh
  • WaterClaw - Heavens Tear
    WaterClaw - Heavens Tear Posts: 14 Arc User
    edited January 2009
    why not level stuff? I mean, if u do many quests u get loads of spirit and money come and go anyway, so what's the problem with leveling skills?

    do you get a limit in skill-ing at some point?

    on the other hand... if u played once an archer class in any mmorpg looks like you don't need to ask anyone about build XD full dex everywhere
  • sacchin
    sacchin Posts: 41 Arc User
    edited January 2009
    It might seem like you have plenty of SP at your level, but its not that simple. If you really want to see what its like, make an EP. You'll find yourself extremely limited on SP as soon as level 15. It simply isn't possible to level everything until 80-90+ when you'll have excess SP. That means while you are leveling, you want to make the best use of what you have.

    As for the build, that's really not true. Every game has different mechanics and different scaling stats. Even here, there are those who argue the need for a hybrid build. Obviously if you're talking PvE, that may not be necessary. But really, this game's PvE is just tank and spank. So, you have to consider PvP. PKing, group PvP, TWs. There are different ways to participate in these, and different opinions on the best way to fulfill your role. If +'ing armors and HP shards weren't available, a Pure Dex build would not be viable because you would die much too quickly. In which case, adding Con would be necessary.

    In the end, its all a matter of opinion, preference, and playstyle. Assuming things is never a good idea in any game. If you look at World of Warcraft, there are huge communities dedicated to "theorycrafting," which is endless calculations, tests, and simulations to determine what really performs best. This game certainly isn't as complicated as that, but you get my point. Testing and experience is the way to determine what is best.

    P.S. Is there anything else that you guys would like to see in this guide? Not sure if there's anything else worth adding to the third post.
  • samoss
    samoss Posts: 1 Arc User
    edited January 2009
    Nice tutorial iam now downloading Patch and then i will first play this game and i will make Archers, I will be following your guide b:thanks
  • KaimerasPain - Heavens Tear
    KaimerasPain - Heavens Tear Posts: 35 Arc User
    edited January 2009
    HAH! stickied! Thats awesome; after going pages and pages back in the archer posts, I find this to have the most direct info, especially regarding skillz for the archer. As for what else could be posted, I'm too new to the game to really say just yet. I have found the information provided very useful thus far, and haven't really come accross any major questions. Thanks Sacchin! :) As I find stuff that pops up, (thats possibly not in a provided guide somewhere else, and is archer specific) I'll let ya know!

    Kaimera-
    [SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
    MysticAve- What the Deuce?! Pwnt again.....
  • sinistervii
    sinistervii Posts: 1 Arc User
    edited January 2009
    YEAHH!! Finally a stickied archer guide! A guide that's easy to understand too! CREDITS TO YOU FOR MAKING THIS!! :D