TAKE AIM: Is it valuable at the higher levels?

Captain_Fury - Sanctuary
Captain_Fury - Sanctuary Posts: 22 Arc User
edited January 2010 in Archer
I've always heard from other Archers that Take Aim is a waste of Spirit Points. However, I recently examined in via the PWI Skills Calculator and it looks damn impressive as a level 10 skill. 3.2 sec in channeling and up to 300% of weapon damage. Sounds good to me. What do others think? I especially want to hear from a high level Archer who has used it.
Post edited by Captain_Fury - Sanctuary on
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Comments

  • Legerity - Sanctuary
    Legerity - Sanctuary Posts: 1,072 Arc User
    edited January 2010
    Captain_Fury - Sanctuary wrote: »
    I've always heard from other Archers that Take Aim is a waste of Spirit Points. However, I recently examined in via the PWI Skills Calculator and it looks damn impressive as a level 10 skill. 3.2 sec in channeling and up to 300% of weapon damage. Sounds good to me. What do others think? I especially want to hear from a high level Archer who has used it.

    300% of **** damage = **** damage

    Take aim doesn't shine until you have a decent weapon at 8x. It shines even more when you get sage/demon take aim.

    You shouldn't be using TA in PvE at your level so why bother leveling it when you can spend the spirit elsewhere?

    If you're persistent in TA, atleast get a TT60 before leveling it to 10. TA acts as a poorman's Deadly Shot.
  • Captain_Fury - Sanctuary
    Captain_Fury - Sanctuary Posts: 22 Arc User
    edited January 2010
    Excellent analysis. That's the kind of data I needed. So, per your experience, it is indeed valuable. But only in the highest levels of the character. Thank you.
  • AngleSnipe - Heavens Tear
    AngleSnipe - Heavens Tear Posts: 178 Arc User
    edited January 2010
    Take Aim = **** below lv 85 (because your base weapon damage isn't high enough)
    Upwards until then deadly shot outshines it, but once you reach the level, take aim > deadly shot in every aspect. Sage take aim gives more % damage, and demon = less time channeling.
  • Legerity - Sanctuary
    Legerity - Sanctuary Posts: 1,072 Arc User
    edited January 2010
    Captain_Fury - Sanctuary wrote: »
    Excellent analysis. That's the kind of data I needed. So, per your experience, it is indeed valuable. But only in the highest levels of the character. Thank you.

    Here's the numbers if you are interested.
    Level	TA	DS	TA %	DS %	DS_c	TA=DS
49	10	1	300	55	2235.3	912.4
53	10	2	300	60	2494.6	1039.4
57	10	3	300	65	2765.5	1176.8
61	10	4	300	70	3048.0	1325.2
65	10	5	300	75	3342.1	1485.4
69	10	6	300	80	3647.8	1658.1
73	10	7	300	85	3965.1	1844.2
77	10	8	300	90	4294.0	2044.8
81	10	9	300	95	4634.5	2260.7
85	10	10	300	100	4986.6	2493.3

89	d 11	10	400	100	4986.6	1662.2
89	s 11	10	500	100	4986.6	1246.7

99	d 11	s 11	400	100	5800.0	1933.3
99	d 11	d 11	400	100	6300.0	2100.0

99	s 11	s 11	500	100	5800.0	1450.0
99	s 11	d 11	500	100	6300.0	1575.0

    Last column shows when Take Aim is the same as DS on average. This value is your average weapon damage.
  • Olba - Sanctuary
    Olba - Sanctuary Posts: 1,776 Arc User
    edited January 2010
    Legerity - Sanctuary wrote: »
    Here's the numbers if you are interested.
    Level	TA	DS	TA %	DS %	DS_c	TA=DS
49	10	1	300	55	2235.3	912.4
53	10	2	300	60	2494.6	1039.4
57	10	3	300	65	2765.5	1176.8
61	10	4	300	70	3048.0	1325.2
65	10	5	300	75	3342.1	1485.4
69	10	6	300	80	3647.8	1658.1
73	10	7	300	85	3965.1	1844.2
77	10	8	300	90	4294.0	2044.8
81	10	9	300	95	4634.5	2260.7
85	10	10	300	100	4986.6	2493.3

89	d 11	10	400	100	4986.6	1662.2
89	s 11	10	500	100	4986.6	1246.7

99	d 11	s 11	400	100	5800.0	1933.3
99	d 11	d 11	400	100	6300.0	2100.0

99	s 11	s 11	500	100	5800.0	1450.0
99	s 11	d 11	500	100	6300.0	1575.0

    Last column shows when Take Aim is the same as DS on average. This value is your average weapon damage.

    So basically, what we have here is:
    Deadly Shot is always better until 89
    Between 89 and 99, Take Aim is always better
    At 99, exclusively for Demon Archers, Deadly Shot can be better depending on your refines. For Sages, Take Aim is much better.

    Also, as a note: The average damages are the thresholds, after which Take Aim is better. Below those values, Deadly Shot wins.
    If you disregard what I say because of who I am or because of the contents of what I said, you are a fool.

    Everyone wants to be different, but when you're different you wish you were normal.
  • Endrnz - Dreamweaver
    Endrnz - Dreamweaver Posts: 33 Arc User
    edited January 2010
    Yeah, I know everyone is saying Take Aim is ****...but at 31 and using a **** bow (lvl 19 x-bow) it actually does more damage then my frost arrow or most of my other skills. So I love to use it as an opener.

    But if it fits in your playing style, use it...if it dosen't don't b:victory

    This is how I use Take Aim

    Here is my combo

    Take Aim -> Frost Arrow -> QuickShot -> Knockback Arrow -> Normal shot (till death)...Mind you this combo can get very MP intensive, but I find it easy to kill things with it so...yeah.
  • Captain_Fury - Sanctuary
    Captain_Fury - Sanctuary Posts: 22 Arc User
    edited January 2010
    Thanks. Good to hear a viewpoint from a 31st level user, too. All the data has been very useful.
  • wnight
    wnight Posts: 0 Arc User
    edited January 2010
    Always used Take Aim and always maxed out everytime possible since it's very good opener at low levels as well Must have for infinite mana combo. On other hand NEVER used Frost arrow :
    A. Due to fact of very low damage while i can use regular attacks and kill enemy even without crit.
    B.Slow effect very low chance kicking off
    C. There is slight pause which accuring between spamming skill so i rather to shoot x2 or even x3 times since sometimes that pause long.
    D.Most important Frost arrow breaks Infinite Mana combo due to high chi usage.

    b:surrender
  • Elenacostel - Heavens Tear
    Elenacostel - Heavens Tear Posts: 2,822 Arc User
    edited January 2010
    One other thing to recognize is the near-instant chi-gain trick with Take Aim. You can press the Take Aim hotkey repeatedly and "instantly" cast Take Aim. It will do damage equal to your normal attack (essentially), and furthermore you will gain 15 chi.

    If you constantly do this, say at bosses or such, it makes sense to keep it at level 1 to preserve mana.
  • AngleSnipe - Heavens Tear
    AngleSnipe - Heavens Tear Posts: 178 Arc User
    edited January 2010
    Did I mention deadly shot is a mana sucker? :p
  • Brigid - Harshlands
    Brigid - Harshlands Posts: 1,332 Arc User
    edited January 2010
    wnight wrote: »
    Always used Take Aim and always maxed out everytime possible since it's very good opener at low levels as well Must have for infinite mana combo. On other hand NEVER used Frost arrow :
    A. Due to fact of very low damage while i can use regular attacks and kill enemy even without crit. You don't use it for the damage. You use it for the slow effect. 5 seconds of 50% speed reduction (L10 Frost Arrow) essentially gives you 2.5 extra seconds before they reach you, which is 2 more shots.
    B.Slow effect very low chance kicking off 100% chance is too low for you? It's a guaranteed slow if it hits.
    C. There is slight pause which accuring between spamming skill so i rather to shoot x2 or even x3 times since sometimes that pause long.
    D.Most important Frost arrow breaks Infinite Mana combo due to high chi usage. It only takes 5 normal shots, or fewer skill shots, to regain the 25 chi.

    My comments in red.
  • AngleSnipe - Heavens Tear
    AngleSnipe - Heavens Tear Posts: 178 Arc User
    edited January 2010
    Also demon frost arrows has a nice proc that doesn't use chi and instead gives u 35 chi
  • Shandelzare - Sanctuary
    Shandelzare - Sanctuary Posts: 732 Arc User
    edited January 2010
    You know... you guys could have just given him the easy answer and said: "Hold off on it till 85 then max for PvP."
    [SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
  • AndyNagato - Lost City
    AndyNagato - Lost City Posts: 185 Arc User
    edited January 2010
    at higher levels, it also works in cunjunction for the easy one shotting of robes after a stun. take aim also is a nice chi opener at higher levels. just my little 2 cents, it doesnt take much spirit to level it anyways, might as well.
  • Giodia - Heavens Tear
    Giodia - Heavens Tear Posts: 475 Arc User
    edited January 2010
    To me: Take aim (at lvl 1) is a cheap chi spamming skill.

    When chi starts to run low, I will do Stun arrow and spam take aim to build chi back on normal PVE grinds.
  • Shadowvzs - Lost City
    Shadowvzs - Lost City Posts: 877 Arc User
    edited January 2010
    Endrnz - Dreamweaver wrote: »
    Yeah, I know everyone is saying Take Aim is ****...but at 31 and using a **** bow (lvl 19 x-bow) it actually does more damage then my frost arrow or most of my other skills. So I love to use it as an opener.

    But if it fits in your playing style, use it...if it dosen't don't b:victory

    This is how I use Take Aim

    Here is my combo

    Take Aim -> Frost Arrow -> QuickShot -> Knockback Arrow -> Normal shot (till death)...Mind you this combo can get very MP intensive, but I find it easy to kill things with it so...yeah.

    i dont really lved the deadly till 8x (when i leveled the reason was the many spirit).

    I was pretty well with take aim like opener or in pvp against arcane after stun and yes its lucky depend the dmg, could be **** and nice too.
    Reason why i lv take aim instead deadly shot is the gold and spirit difference in lower lv, when i dont got few milion spirit what i dont know where i can waste.
  • Keirslyana - Heavens Tear
    Keirslyana - Heavens Tear Posts: 17 Arc User
    edited January 2010
    i find take aim to be very valuable in the following situations:

    when soloing it is a good first shot because of channeling time. mobs don't know you attacking them because you are at a distance. i follow with normal, normal, knockback and mob is dead before it finally reaches me. even magic attack mobs. if i crit with any of first two shots no need for knockback either.

    in party situations, you can shoot first at new mob and good timing (LOVE the hp bar on the mobs that expansion update gave us so you know when it is about to die!) will bring the mob towards you and good tank will catch it before it reaches you. saves time in the long run.

    i also use other combos that would not answer your question but this is my two cents. if you can spare the spark and aim low works (on some mobs it never works) you don' t need ANY other skills to kill the mob and save mana. also can help you kill two mobs without dying when that situation arises.

    i agree that deadly shot is a horrible mana sucker, even though i farm and make pots like crazy. and another point brought up earlier about frost arrow is also correct. i didn't think it had value at first but it is good in parties because of its low damage so you don't draw aggro and slows the mob a little saving gear damage for tank and allowing others to get a couple extra hits on mobs, especially handy with the aoe ones.

    i can't speak for sage/demon or high level pvp, but think that situations above should still apply for pve.
  • Quilue - Sanctuary
    Quilue - Sanctuary Posts: 5,787 Arc User
    edited January 2010
    i just normal and knockback...
    Elena Costel: I wash my hands of this affair.
    Legerity: *drags you back* *stains your hands with said affair*
    Elena Costel: Noooo... I don't want to have a dirty affair with Lady Legerity...
    Qui: b:dirty
  • AngleSnipe - Heavens Tear
    AngleSnipe - Heavens Tear Posts: 178 Arc User
    edited January 2010
    Or normal for all using proper interval gear lols b:pleased
  • DrkLordZ - Sanctuary
    DrkLordZ - Sanctuary Posts: 297 Arc User
    edited January 2010
    i think Sage Take Aim is equal to Demon Take Aim.

    500% hurts badly, 400% is a bit off, but charge is faster
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  • Elenacostel - Heavens Tear
    Elenacostel - Heavens Tear Posts: 2,822 Arc User
    edited January 2010
    You can fire off Take Aim whenever; you do not have to wait the full charge. Furthermore, the damage is proportional to how long you charge it.

    Thus, with Sage Take Aim, you can simply fire it off such that it is at the same charge time as Demon Take Aim.
  • Shadowvzs - Lost City
    Shadowvzs - Lost City Posts: 877 Arc User
    edited January 2010
    DrkLordZ - Sanctuary wrote: »
    i think Sage Take Aim is equal to Demon Take Aim.

    500% hurts badly, 400% is a bit off, but charge is faster

    i use take aim when i want bigger skill dmg not when i want higher dps.
  • Quilue - Sanctuary
    Quilue - Sanctuary Posts: 5,787 Arc User
    edited January 2010
    i use take aim as a starter when im in tw and can get away with channeling stuff while no one's looking.

    my happiest crit with take aim is 7.5k on a 10x wiz after a bm amped.
    Elena Costel: I wash my hands of this affair.
    Legerity: *drags you back* *stains your hands with said affair*
    Elena Costel: Noooo... I don't want to have a dirty affair with Lady Legerity...
    Qui: b:dirty
  • FitHitDShan - Sanctuary
    FitHitDShan - Sanctuary Posts: 276 Arc User
    edited January 2010
    Quilue - Sanctuary wrote: »
    i use take aim as a starter when im in tw and can get away with channeling stuff while no one's looking.

    my happiest crit with take aim is 7.5k on a 10x wiz after a bm amped.

    Have you tried Stun->Take Aim to bypass charms?
    "?" IS my avatar.
  • Quilue - Sanctuary
    Quilue - Sanctuary Posts: 5,787 Arc User
    edited January 2010
    i dont expect it to work on 9x when normals fire for 500-700 on fully buffed robes because stun might not do enough for a take aim crit to bypass. (especially not on Decep x.x)

    on lower levels it really doesn't matter what you do. take aim more often than not just 1 shots if it crits. because i can't see people's gear (or people at all, max performance turned on lol) i just go with take aim -> stun -> quickshot
    Elena Costel: I wash my hands of this affair.
    Legerity: *drags you back* *stains your hands with said affair*
    Elena Costel: Noooo... I don't want to have a dirty affair with Lady Legerity...
    Qui: b:dirty
  • AngleSnipe - Heavens Tear
    AngleSnipe - Heavens Tear Posts: 178 Arc User
    edited January 2010
    Take Aim in normal everyday basis = a nice opener for a high damaging hit
    Take Aim in pvp = sniping purposes (for 1 shotting unsuspecting robe classes with a crit)
    Take Aim in bosses = chi spammer
    But for highest DPS i find take aim to be too inferior to just using normal shots
  • Devoted - Lost City
    Devoted - Lost City Posts: 3,634 Arc User
    edited January 2010
    endgame take aim is only useful for initiating an unexpected attack. take aim is great pre 99 because if you crit when they are at 55% hp you will more than likely bypass that persons charm but when everyone's pdef is high and so is their hp we shift to a more dps role. take aim isn't useful anymore as it won't bypass someones charm unless the conditions are perfect (see: rarely - so it's still useful the odd time) and that long casting can be used for much better purposes.
  • Shadowvzs - Lost City
    Shadowvzs - Lost City Posts: 877 Arc User
    edited January 2010
    Devoted - Lost City wrote: »
    endgame take aim is only useful for initiating an unexpected attack. take aim is great pre 99 because if you crit when they are at 55% hp you will more than likely bypass that persons charm but when everyone's pdef is high and so is their hp we shift to a more dps role. take aim isn't useful anymore as it won't bypass someones charm unless the conditions are perfect (see: rarely - so it's still useful the odd time) and that long casting can be used for much better purposes.

    i use often and its a lucky depend thing, with stun+4m advanyage i got enough time for put down the hp to near 50% (situation depend because if cleric got barrier then i spam with metal).

    later take aim need few help from genie like amplify and pdef debuff if target is closer or with 3rd spark its okey (yes i build fast 3 spark in my lv really in group pk).
  • Mercinary - Heavens Tear
    Mercinary - Heavens Tear Posts: 44 Arc User
    edited January 2010
    I've been testing the damages between Deadly Shot and Take Aim, both are maxed for me and still Deadly Shot does more damage than Take Aim. I've hit about 10k with Take Aim but 15k with Deadly Shot (non crit) on the same boss. Don't know if Take Aim just hates me or not though.
  • Shadowvzs - Lost City
    Shadowvzs - Lost City Posts: 877 Arc User
    edited January 2010
    Mercinary - Heavens Tear wrote: »
    I've been testing the damages between Deadly Shot and Take Aim, both are maxed for me and still Deadly Shot does more damage than Take Aim. I've hit about 10k with Take Aim but 15k with Deadly Shot (non crit) on the same boss. Don't know if Take Aim just hates me or not though.

    take aim with xbow can will sht or nice(cause for me 5x eq dmg and between xbow min-max dmg have difference) until deadly shot make a more accurated dmg cause dont have a huge eq dmg rate in skill.

    Sometimes take aim deal ~double on mob cause this 500%eq dmg than other time.

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