Does this get any better? >.<

Nucky - Sanctuary
Nucky - Sanctuary Posts: 3 Arc User
edited January 2011 in Archer
My archer is ****. Dies fast, guzzles both MP and HP pots after every kill, I'm always running out. Always out of projectiles even though I horde all that drop. Magic attacks hurt and so do physical attacks. Even though I am doing a pure dex build, at 25 I am rarely seeing critical hits, and WAY too often am I missing my target completely. In instances where I really need to make contact, because a mob a level under me has just ***** me because I suck, I fire an arrow and see the red word MISS! come up and take a huge hit that puts me on my ***. WTF?!? Thought this class was about ACCURACY.

Does this get fun any time soon?
Post edited by Nucky - Sanctuary on
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Comments

  • Kaste - Sanctuary
    Kaste - Sanctuary Posts: 1,353 Arc User
    edited November 2010
    "Fun" is relative. Also, your class is meant to be a hard hitting, but squishy class.

    About the hitting, having 100 dex does not make you hit everything. At higher levels (namely 77+) you will have access to rings that give you +50% accuracy, have fun xD. Also at your level you have like what? 5% crit? Of course you will not crit a lot.

    About the pot and almost die stuff. You do not have any good skills yet, you will get all the regular skills when you reach level 59. Use the skills you have to your advantage, buff up, knock them back, use slow and stun them. It is a thing of experience to learn what skill rotation works for you.
    Feel free to PM me for help.
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  • Nucky - Sanctuary
    Nucky - Sanctuary Posts: 3 Arc User
    edited November 2010
    Alright. Looks like I need to wait for some useful skills then. I like knockback but often I MISS my target when I go to use it, so it becomes quite useless.

    I know the 20s aren't really easy for any class. But having played all the classes to at least 30, (aside from Archer thus far) this is the first time I ever worried I would not finish the Angler's Ingredients quest in time, with a 1 hour limit. I managed, but it took a long time and I was down to the wire.
  • Miugre - Heavens Tear
    Miugre - Heavens Tear Posts: 2,390 Arc User
    edited November 2010
    Particularly around 60, the archer starts to get really good. Some say we "peak" in the 70s and then experience a slow decline. But as far as normal mob-kililng goes, you'll be just fine by the 50s-60s.

    In the meantime, try the following things:
    • Open with a Frost Arrow to delay the mob from reaching you.
    • When a mob does reach you, use your metal skills (e.g. Lightning Strike), because these are not affected by the damage penalty. Winged Pledge can work well at your level also.
    • If all else fails, kite (run and continue to shoot) or buy a set of fists/claws. I started using a claw weapon in the late 20s for when the mobs got too close to me. This will become unnecessary beginning in the 60s, but they can still be good to have for certain situations.

    And then the biggest one IMO: use the Apothecary skill to make Life Powder and Focus Powder. This will massively reduce your dependence on potions. Here's what I did at your level, if you don't know these things already.

    Life Powder (50 HP regen/second for 10 minutes) is easy to make using only Nectar and Golden Herb (the formula being 15 Nectar + 10 Golden Herb = 5 Life Powder). There are several areas where you can farm these herbs with little or no resistance from the mobs. I would recommend Dragon's Breath Valley (just east of Lost City), although Vibrant Cliffs is a good area as well and will be more familiar to you. Just spend an hour or two gathering up herbs - you will thank yourself for it later.

    After you make 10 sets of life powder, you can upgrade your apothecary skill to lv2. Then start collecting Crane Herb, which can be combined with Salvia Root to make Focus Powder (50 MP regen/second for 10 minutes). You will want to gather as much Crane Herb as possible so you have a good stack of Focus Powder at level 30 (which is when you can first use it). Crane Herb is most prominent around the Shattered Jade Shore - just watch out for the mobs around there as they are in the high 30's.

    I'd also recommend Jade Powder (3000 MP over 30 seconds; 10 Realgar / 5 Golden Herb; usable at lv30).

    Finally, for some quick HP regeneration, look into the Second Wind skill for your genie.
    [SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
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  • Kaste - Sanctuary
    Kaste - Sanctuary Posts: 1,353 Arc User
    edited November 2010
    From personal experience levels 20-30 are the hardest. At 29 you get better skills and some sweet rank equip. Then it just gets easier till 80. at 80+ you hyper till 90.
    Feel free to PM me for help.
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  • MrSnipe - Raging Tide
    MrSnipe - Raging Tide Posts: 59 Arc User
    edited November 2010
    remember to use winged shell b:bye
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    a sniping CAT! b:shocked
    Run for your lives!
  • grimreaperhc
    grimreaperhc Posts: 0 Arc User
    edited November 2010
    Here's what I`m doing when attacking a mob :

    1. Frost Arrow - everytime, absolutely every time. Even if you don't have the chi, just buff yourself a few times.
    2. Normal Attack - mob is slowed down, so no need to waste the time in skills.
    3. If mob gets really close and his hp is still higher than your dmg - Knockback Arrow. Deals pretty good damage around your level and might be a closing skill.
    4. If not - Normal attack.
    5. If the mob doesn't die until this point ( whoa that's a tuff mob ) I start running from it. If it's slow enough I stop and do a normal attack, then keep on running until my knockback arrow is back online, then knockbacking and repeating from point 3.

    About the dying - I`m not dying so often, mobs die before they have the chance to hit me. But if I go afk, or I`m just flying/walking to somewhere and some mob attack me I die pretty quickly b:surrender
  • Innamorata - Harshlands
    Innamorata - Harshlands Posts: 129 Arc User
    edited November 2010
    What others said above. For archers PvE and PvP takes loads of skills to do, not Shadow and Attack like sins or whatever. Just practice.
  • Fleuri - Sanctuary
    Fleuri - Sanctuary Posts: 1,763 Arc User
    edited November 2010
    winged shell helps a lot with mana (like Mr_Snipe was saying), and apothecary can be wonderful (for level 26, life powder and focus powder would help you a LOT, if you feel like taking the time to make them, like Miugre was saying).
  • Siuki - Dreamweaver
    Siuki - Dreamweaver Posts: 61 Arc User
    edited November 2010
    just start making good macros and make sure u r at max range of mob
    accuracity and evasion in this game is kinda broken, works only in pvp. at lvl 60 i managed to miss mob 5 times in a row lol
    buy mag def and p.def belt and necklace and change them depending which mobs u fight, it will help a bit, barbs have buff to increase p.att so if u see any kitty ask him buff u :3
  • Nucky - Sanctuary
    Nucky - Sanctuary Posts: 3 Arc User
    edited November 2010
    Big thanks to all for being level-headed and sharing your tips. Very helpful data here indeed which I can draw on as I level this toon. b:thanks
  • angellicdeity
    angellicdeity Posts: 641 Arc User
    edited November 2010
    It really doesn't get better until 60.


    Once you get your first hh-crossbow (at 60) or your level 79 slingshot PvE becomes rediculously easy (killing monsers) untill your 9x levels when monsters have a lot more hp.


    It will be soo easy in fact - that you will never get hit unless you aggro more than one monster.



    But easy does not mean its fun. It becomes too easy you'll fall asleep.
  • Loltank - Harshlands
    Loltank - Harshlands Posts: 747 Arc User
    edited November 2010
    I think Sinister Shooter is the real turning point for Archers. Once I got mine I was fine and got to 60 in no time.

    Then it was 6x crossbow-present. 2 more levels to WatC. :)
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  • Darth_Puggy - Archosaur
    Darth_Puggy - Archosaur Posts: 176 Arc User
    edited November 2010
    On any ranged character I play (archer, cleric), I will have Earthquake on my genie for an extra knockback.
    [SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
  • Aquilez - Sanctuary
    Aquilez - Sanctuary Posts: 240 Arc User
    edited November 2010
    usualy there is a macro that works very good against mobs and dont take much mp to use

    frost arrow > shot > shot > knockback > shot until it die

    for normal mobs that works very well, also you can use your shell to recover the mp so it makes a low cost on mp pots, and when you have the shell mobs wont hurt, so save hp pots too
  • ImReallyWhyt - Heavens Tear
    ImReallyWhyt - Heavens Tear Posts: 113 Arc User
    edited November 2010
    macros..lol macros..i love my hotkeysb:chuckle
  • Viva - Heavens Tear18
    Viva - Heavens Tear18 Posts: 3 Arc User
    edited November 2010
    Archers get better after lvl40-ish. My Archer is lvl78 but almost never needs potions anymore and is a good survivor - Second Wind genie heal and Winged shell help a lot. Many people give up Archers at low lvls, before they become good... sadly. :(
  • grimreaperhc
    grimreaperhc Posts: 0 Arc User
    edited November 2010
    Another good tactic I found after learning the stun arrow is this :

    1- Frost arrow
    2- 2 normal attacks
    3- Stun arrow
    4- 1 normal attack
    5- Knockback
    6- Normal attack
    7- If the mob is still alive I`m running away from it and waiting for my knockback or stun arrow to cool down, then repeating until the mob is dead.
  • Elenacostel - Heavens Tear
    Elenacostel - Heavens Tear Posts: 2,822 Arc User
    edited November 2010
    Stunning arrow should be unnecessary.

    The combo and Sir Aquilez suggested is the standard attack pattern for most archers, and works in most cases.

    Angellicdeity is incorrect; you do not have to wait until level 60 for things to "get better". By following the simple advice located in the Archer Starter Mini, you should be able to grind very easily.

    If you are using more potions than you are acquiring via drops, than you are inherently doing something incorrectly.

    As a side note, the Tideborn quest chain also gives plenty of potions for you to use.
  • Fleuri - Sanctuary
    Fleuri - Sanctuary Posts: 1,763 Arc User
    edited November 2010
    I have not seen anyone post a combination that I remember using a lot:

    winged shell, take aim (fully charged), two or three normal attacks, optional knockback arrow, normal attacks...

    Or skip the take aim bit, depending...

    The exact details of this approach depend on the monster you are fighting. If knockback arrow would have you running forward afterwards, you should use another normal shot before knockback arrow on that kind of monster. If you are getting a good set of critical hits and high damage hits, you do not need the knockback arrow.

    The disadvantage of this approach is that winged shell has a 30 second cooldown. So another variation has winged shell being used after knockback arrow, and you start on your next monster immediately before the shell wears off.

    But for some kinds of monsters this works better than frost arrow. (You will have to use your judgement there.)

    Meanwhile, I find I mostly use stunning arrow to defend squad mates in bad situations. If you are fighting in a squad, things become very different (and the things that mark a good archer tend to be rather different) from solo play. But that would be fuel for another set of threads...
  • angelkataru
    angelkataru Posts: 0 Arc User
    edited November 2010
    my old combo was: take aim-frost arrow-normal-knockback-normal till dead. i would use shell anywhere in that combo if the mobs HP was too high for comfort.
  • Mirko - Raging Tide
    Mirko - Raging Tide Posts: 220 Arc User
    edited November 2010
    endgame (if you go demon) you will use this combo:

    demon quickshot
    mob dead

    b:laugh

    i used before:
    frost - 2x normals - knockback - normals
  • Fleuri - Sanctuary
    Fleuri - Sanctuary Posts: 1,763 Arc User
    edited November 2010
    If I remember correctly, my Winged Shell was mostly for when you fight archer monsters and slowing them down did not mean very much. It was also nice, though for any monsters you needed to use mana on (because of the mana regen). I used to love it when I had only my starter wings, and I was fighting flying monsters. But I did not like using winged shell with frost arrow because I felt I was using chi too quickly.

    Meanwhile, I still have my starter wings... I know you can get a replacement set really cheaply, but I held onto my original set anyways, because they were mine and I liked how they looked. I just wish they were not so slow -- even fully upgraded they are only 7m/s. I keep hoping they release the "winged god" wing set, so I can have something that looks sort of like my starter wings that is also reasonably fast.
  • Miugre - Heavens Tear
    Miugre - Heavens Tear Posts: 2,390 Arc User
    edited November 2010
    Stunning arrow should be unnecessary.

    The combo and Sir Aquilez suggested is the standard attack pattern for most archers, and works in most cases.

    If you are using more potions than you are acquiring via drops, than you are inherently doing something incorrectly.
    Maybe it's just the fact that I play on a west coast server when I'm east coast, but... to me, general lag principles tend to make knockback arrow less than effective on its own. Specifically, the mob will "jump forward" almost as much distance as it was knocked back, making the knockback effect almost negligible. Stun arrow, therefore, has become my staple by making knockback more reliable in a combo that includes it.

    I use take aim -> normals -> stun -> knockback -> frost if necessary -> normals until dead. MP use? Honestly, who cares? This can easily be countered by gathering a few herbs and making Jade Powder or Focus Powder. MP is not a terribly precious resource unless you're barraging, and ever since we started having event pots, even that has become fairly cheap.

    Just my two cents. *shrug*
    [SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
    Yes, I'm still a stubborn holdout in favor of the old game. Haters gonna hate. ;]

    Other Active Characters:
    LigerKing (Barb), Girasole (BM), Shamsheer (Sin), ArborSoul (Mystic).
  • Keliska - Raging Tide
    Keliska - Raging Tide Posts: 768 Arc User
    edited November 2010
    My archer is ****. Dies fast, guzzles both MP and HP pots after every kill, I'm always running out. Always out of projectiles even though I horde all that drop. Magic attacks hurt and so do physical attacks. Even though I am doing a pure dex build, at 25 I am rarely seeing critical hits, and WAY too often am I missing my target completely. In instances where I really need to make contact, because a mob a level under me has just ***** me because I suck, I fire an arrow and see the red word MISS! come up and take a huge hit that puts me on my ***. WTF?!? Thought this class was about ACCURACY.

    Does this get fun any time soon?

    I use 1 Vit 2 Str 7 Dex hybrid build. Personally I don't need the 1 Vit. Level 12 and over I haven't been touched cept for boss fights. :\

    I use just need Jade Powder to keep from MP drain. If I don't have one I seldomely pop a Life Powder and mow them down with lvl 1 Quills. (Need to upgrade from Trial Crossbow.) If you hate grinding then get genie skill, Second Chance.

    >.> If you think Archers are bad, never try a Sin. Need to use a Life Powder to survive the early 20s. I still use them just to keep moving.
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  • Lady_Dyanna - Dreamweaver
    Lady_Dyanna - Dreamweaver Posts: 25 Arc User
    edited December 2010
    winged shell helps a lot with mana (like Mr_Snipe was saying), and apothecary can be wonderful (for level 26, life powder and focus powder would help you a LOT, if you feel like taking the time to make them, like Miugre was saying).

    I just discovered how useful winged shell is when grinding mobs. It regenerates mana aaannd absorbs come damage. It kept me from draining pots. Also, i use skill combos and normal attack for a specific mob. Very rarely I miss after a knockback but I still have to run or die if i'm being teamed afk or not.

    Anyways keep going @ it, don't give up. It's a worthy class. b:victory
  • Lady_Dyanna - Dreamweaver
    Lady_Dyanna - Dreamweaver Posts: 25 Arc User
    edited December 2010
    I have not seen anyone post a combination that I remember using a lot:

    winged shell, take aim (fully charged), two or three normal attacks, optional knockback arrow, normal attacks...

    Or skip the take aim bit, depending...

    funny, thats EXACTLY what i'm using now. b:victory
  • Teppeii - Dreamweaver
    Teppeii - Dreamweaver Posts: 1,206 Arc User
    edited December 2010
    Epic necro double post ccccombooooo!!!!!
    On indefinite hiatus :3
  • ArchSaber - Sanctuary
    ArchSaber - Sanctuary Posts: 1,440 Arc User
    edited December 2010
    Ugh I had like 5.(something)k accuracy at level 77 on my archer. I missed about 6 times dueling 1 BM.

    Yah not really a good necro when it was only made a month ago.
    AP classes are a real butt pounding...
  • Teppeii - Dreamweaver
    Teppeii - Dreamweaver Posts: 1,206 Arc User
    edited December 2010
    Ugh I had like 5.(something)k accuracy at level 77 on my archer. I missed about 6 times dueling 1 BM.

    Yah not really a good necro when it was only made a month ago.

    But it's a whole entire day passed the cut off date! D:

    omgwtfbbq
    On indefinite hiatus :3
  • KageYingZi - Heavens Tear
    KageYingZi - Heavens Tear Posts: 823 Arc User
    edited December 2010
    Oh noes,necro baii 1days.

    We're doomedb:cry
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