Annor's Archer Basics (guide)

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  • Elenacostel - Heavens Tear
    Elenacostel - Heavens Tear Posts: 2,822 Arc User
    edited November 2010
    vivica wrote: »
    thank you. so would it be better to manufacture protection necklesses or elemental? in other words do i go for physical resistants or elemental resistant

    It is easier to obtain "acceptable" physical resistant ornaments than elemental resistant ornaments because the number of elemental resistances can range from 1 through 5. That is, it is possible to have only Wood protection, but none of the other resistances. So, for higher chance of "success", protection ornaments are best.

    That being said, you should be spending most of your crafting attempts on the ornaments you need for the next crafting level quest.
  • RaviKrishna - Heavens Tear
    RaviKrishna - Heavens Tear Posts: 6 Arc User
    edited November 2010
    It is really helpful for nubs like me b:surrender
    [SIGPIC]I ROCK[/SIGPIC]

    Thanks to silvy for this nice sigb:cute
  • Annor - Heavens Tear
    Annor - Heavens Tear Posts: 330 Arc User
    edited November 2010
    Thank you to all who have contributed (special mention: Elena), and all who have read. It makes me smile to know that this piece written all those months ago is still here helping people :)

    -Sorry I'm not around,

    Annor
    Meek with words, abrupt with arrows.
  • Aesthor - Heavens Tear
    Aesthor - Heavens Tear Posts: 3,845 Arc User
    edited November 2010
    Thank you to all who have contributed (special mention: Elena), and all who have read. It makes me smile to know that this piece written all those months ago is still here helping people :)

    -Sorry I'm not around,

    Annor

    *Nom nom*
    [SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
    ಥ_ಥ MOAR.
    SkyKoC - How long is yours?
  • BerryLove - Raging Tide
    BerryLove - Raging Tide Posts: 1 Arc User
    edited November 2010
    Ty for the guide
    b:thanks
  • Aiden_Glass - Lost City
    Aiden_Glass - Lost City Posts: 4 Arc User
    edited December 2010
    I recently made an archer just to mess around and see what their like, and after reading all the forums Ive been wondering why no mag points should be used, since I am ALWAYS running out of mp with my archer and have to buy pots hand over fist. Is it still no worth it to use any mag points?
  • Elenacostel - Heavens Tear
    Elenacostel - Heavens Tear Posts: 2,822 Arc User
    edited December 2010
    I recently made an archer just to mess around and see what their like, and after reading all the forums Ive been wondering why no mag points should be used, since I am ALWAYS running out of mp with my archer and have to buy pots hand over fist. Is it still no worth it to use any mag points?

    Correct.

    Most likely, you are doing something incorrectly, which is resulting in the usage of too much mana. Your goal is to use the least amount of skills possible. If you are using more mana potions than you are finding as drops (during 1x), then you are skill spamming too much.

    - What level are you?
    - What weapon are you using?
    - Are you moving to max distance before you begin attacking a target? If not, do so.
    - What combo do you use to grind? If you have not already, try this one:
    Frost -> Normal -> Normal -> Knockback -> Normal the rest
    - Keep Knockback at level 1.
    - What are your skills that you have so far, and what levels are they?
  • Aiden_Glass - Lost City
    Aiden_Glass - Lost City Posts: 4 Arc User
    edited December 2010
    Correct.

    Most likely, you are doing something incorrectly, which is resulting in the usage of too much mana. Your goal is to use the least amount of skills possible. If you are using more mana potions than you are finding as drops (during 1x), then you are skill spamming too much.

    - What level are you?
    - What weapon are you using?
    - Are you moving to max distance before you begin attacking a target? If not, do so.
    - What combo do you use to grind? If you have not already, try this one:
    Frost -> Normal -> Normal -> Knockback -> Normal the rest
    - Keep Knockback at level 1.
    - What are your skills that you have so far, and what levels are they?

    lvl23
    the crossbow I got in fb19
    yes i try to always be at max distance.
    i typically open with take aim > frost or lightning > quickshot > knockback
    (i think my problem now that you say it is skill spamming. my main is a wiz so im used to just skills)

    Skills
    quickshot 4
    take aim 5
    lightning 2
    frost 3
    vicious and knockback 1

    blaze 3
    winged shell 3
    just got wings of protection
  • Falcondance - Heavens Tear
    Falcondance - Heavens Tear Posts: 699 Arc User
    edited December 2010
    Elena probably has a master plan for you, but I can tell you right now: Stop levelling Quickshot and Take Aim until you are level 89. Frost Arrow and Blazing Arrow are essential to get to Level 10, and Vicious should be left at 1.
    [SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]

    "I always thought I'd be the only one doing crazy things for people who would never care enough to do it back or to act like idiots or be entirely vulnerable, and making someone fall in love with you is easy, and flying 3000 miles on four days notice because you can't just sit there and do nothing and breathe into telephones is not everyone's idea of love, but it is the way I can recognize it because that is what I do."
    Sig pic by Nowitsawn
  • Elenacostel - Heavens Tear
    Elenacostel - Heavens Tear Posts: 2,822 Arc User
    edited December 2010
    The 20s are a bit annoying, but you can get some pots from Tideborn quests, I believe, to help out. Or maybe your supply stash. I forget which. Or maybe it's level 30.

    But in essence, your combo has too many skills in it. Archer's main damage comes from normal attacks, when it comes to PvE.

    Also, you can throw in a Winged Shell every so often (and only use Knockback for that particular mob) to regenerate some MP.
  • Aiden_Glass - Lost City
    Aiden_Glass - Lost City Posts: 4 Arc User
    edited December 2010
    thx, ive been using less skills and its getting better.
  • Sulvain - Dreamweaver
    Sulvain - Dreamweaver Posts: 41 Arc User
    edited December 2010
    Just curious about take aim. I read to not level it until level 89. I'd like to know why. As you level that attack for me is my big opener. I use it, frost arrow then just regular until they die. If they still have a bit of health I turn on my wing shell skill to get back some mana.

    But as an opener wouldn't it be good to level it every chance you get. I've level 18 now and mine is only level 2. But when I open with it. The damage isn't that good. >< So I'm forced to spam skills to kill it. Lightning strike takes a big chunk of my mana. Maybe I'm doing something wrong. b:victory
  • Delsedora - Archosaur
    Delsedora - Archosaur Posts: 86 Arc User
    edited December 2010
    i'm using this skill combo, which cost me less than 1/4 mp bar

    Stuning Shot + Vicious Arrow + Serrated Arrow + Knockback and sometimes Aim Low too

    when i finish the mob i use Winged Shell to recover some mp...
    [SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
  • Fleuri - Sanctuary
    Fleuri - Sanctuary Posts: 1,763 Arc User
    edited December 2010
    Just curious about take aim. I read to not level it until level 89. I'd like to know why.

    Each use of take aim gives you 15 chi, and if you hold down the key you use to fire it, it's an "instant use" skill. And, your spark skill gives you a comparable damage boost on every shot you take.

    If you use take aim every third shot, that would be 12 shots until you can single spark.

    This involves something of a tradeoff:

    First, do you want the precision control of being able to open battle with a fully charged and leveled take aim, or do you want the overall increase in total damage delivered that you get from your spark skills?

    And, you can have both, but if you level take aim you have higher mana cost. Take aim uses 10 mana per skill level (except that that would make sage/demon take aim a level 12 skill).

    So the advice was advice for saving on your mana costs.
  • Elenacostel - Heavens Tear
    Elenacostel - Heavens Tear Posts: 2,822 Arc User
    edited December 2010
    i'm using this skill combo, which cost me less than 1/4 mp bar

    Stuning Shot + Vicious Arrow + Serrated Arrow + Knockback and sometimes Aim Low too

    when i finish the mob i use Winged Shell to recover some mp...

    That's too many skills in your combo.

    Try Frost -> Normal -> Normal -> Knockback -> Normal the rest.

    This should significantly lower your MP usage. Keep Knockback at level 1, by the way.
  • LenieClarke - Heavens Tear
    LenieClarke - Heavens Tear Posts: 3,275 Arc User
    edited December 2010
    when i finish the mob i use Winged Shell to recover some mp...

    why wait until you finish the mob? throw that on at the start, or immediately after your opener if you open with something that'll slow the mob down for long enough to let winged shell channel. let it lower your damage some and it'll recover MP just the same.
    [SIGPIC][/SIGPIC] Heaven's Tear alts: KenLubin, Sou_Hon, JudyCaraco --- level 5x chars.
  • Falcondance - Heavens Tear
    Falcondance - Heavens Tear Posts: 699 Arc User
    edited December 2010
    why wait until you finish the mob? throw that on at the start, or immediately after your opener if you open with something that'll slow the mob down for long enough to let winged shell channel. let it lower your damage some and it'll recover MP just the same.

    True, but for melee mobs Winged Shell at the beginning is unnecessary, and it only regenerates MP if it's active, so if a mob breaks your shell, it won't regenerate any more MP. I agree that it's useful on ranged mobs, but for melee mobs afterward is best in order to recover MP.
    [SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]

    "I always thought I'd be the only one doing crazy things for people who would never care enough to do it back or to act like idiots or be entirely vulnerable, and making someone fall in love with you is easy, and flying 3000 miles on four days notice because you can't just sit there and do nothing and breathe into telephones is not everyone's idea of love, but it is the way I can recognize it because that is what I do."
    Sig pic by Nowitsawn
  • Sulvain - Dreamweaver
    Sulvain - Dreamweaver Posts: 41 Arc User
    edited January 2011
    Well I don't have most of those shots yet. I do have frost arrow which I use very randomly(For right now). But my attack so far is this and I usually end with full or very little mana used. I see how our normal attacks do more damage. I turn on blaze arrow. Before I get to the mob(Depending on the level of the mob) I cast winged shell, Take Aim to build chi back and normal until they die. Seems to kill them with crits and I end with full mana. I currently have Blaze Arrow-Level 2, Blaze Arrow-Level 2, Take Aim- Level 3 and Lightning Strike-Level 1.

    So I'll leave take aim at level 3 for now and concentrate on maxing Frost arrow, Blaze arrow asap. But while I'm waiting on my cool down for winged shell I'll use frost arrow then take aim to build chi and normal until they die. That sound about right? If there is a better way please let me know. I want to be the best archer I can be. I don't want to waist any spirit on skills I don't need to max. I don't pvp much if at all. I'm mostly pve.

    Do I max winged shell? I've read not to and I've read max it. I do use it quite a bit. Thanks to those whome reply.b:victory
  • Elenacostel - Heavens Tear
    Elenacostel - Heavens Tear Posts: 2,822 Arc User
    edited January 2011
    Well I don't have most of those shots yet. I do have frost arrow which I use very randomly(For right now). But my attack so far is this and I usually end with full or very little mana used. I see how our normal attacks do more damage. I turn on blaze arrow. Before I get to the mob(Depending on the level of the mob) I cast winged shell, Take Aim to build chi back and normal until they die. Seems to kill them with crits and I end with full mana. I currently have Blaze Arrow-Level 2, Blaze Arrow-Level 2, Take Aim- Level 3 and Lightning Strike-Level 1.

    So I'll leave take aim at level 3 for now and concentrate on maxing Frost arrow, Blaze arrow asap. But while I'm waiting on my cool down for winged shell I'll use frost arrow then take aim to build chi and normal until they die. That sound about right? If there is a better way please let me know. I want to be the best archer I can be. I don't want to waist any spirit on skills I don't need to max. I don't pvp much if at all. I'm mostly pve.

    Do I max winged shell? I've read not to and I've read max it. I do use it quite a bit. Thanks to those whome reply.b:victory

    - If you kill it before it reaches you, and you minimize MP usage, then you are playing correctly. How to do that is up to you, though there are some common combos that has been repeated over and over in this thread (Frost -> Normal -> Normal -> Knockback -> Normal).

    - Yes, max Winged Shell.

    - The guide answered both of these questions =)
  • RauI - Archosaur
    RauI - Archosaur Posts: 92 Arc User
    edited January 2011
    So this Difficult opponents: Stunning Arrow / Aim Low where in macros would it be placed?
  • Elenacostel - Heavens Tear
    Elenacostel - Heavens Tear Posts: 2,822 Arc User
    edited January 2011
    So this Difficult opponents: Stunning Arrow / Aim Low where in macros would it be placed?

    I don't think you need both. Winged Shell -> Take Aim -> Stunning Arrow -> Normal -> Knockback -> Normal should be sufficient. Use the close combat skills if it gets too close.
  • Arxiia - Lost City
    Arxiia - Lost City Posts: 11 Arc User
    edited January 2011
    this guide is very nice. i do find it a bit on the conserving of mana side, which is great if you dont have the extra resources available lol but i always roll charmed and + pots so i can skill spam. for me, all that matters is being able to hit harder and kill faster so if it costs a lil extra its nbd. i always open in pve w take aim and let it charge. also, for pve, i lvl'd knockback to 3 and found it works great, better than it did before..
    aside from that, i'd highly recommend this guide to anyone starting and i will.
  • SiennaBlayze - Sanctuary
    SiennaBlayze - Sanctuary Posts: 2 Arc User
    edited January 2011
    I love this guide, have it shortcut on my desktop for easy info access lol, I do have one question though:
    Wings of Grace - Stun and slow immunity, damage reduced, movement speed increased

    You didnt mention what you think we should do about this skill, do we level it up too or is it relatively useless?

    I was also told that archers need to use arcane headgear instead of lower lvl helms? Thought on this anyone? Ive been playing with the helms so far, but figured i would ask here too lol

    Keep up the good work! b:victory




    *** sorry for necro'ing this post >_< ***
  • MrSnipe - Raging Tide
    MrSnipe - Raging Tide Posts: 59 Arc User
    edited January 2011
    Get wings of grace its a good skill use hp helms instead of mp ones and btw that wasnt a necro necro is on 30 days older posts and your post is just 7 days after. Also necro dosnt count in stickies
    [SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]


    a sniping CAT! b:shocked
    Run for your lives!
  • Elenacostel - Heavens Tear
    Elenacostel - Heavens Tear Posts: 2,822 Arc User
    edited January 2011
    You didnt mention what you think we should do about this skill, do we level it up too or is it relatively useless?

    Wings of Grace can only be obtained at level 1. You cannot level it.

    You use it to avoid getting killed when you accidentally (or intentionally) steal aggro.
    I was also told that archers need to use arcane headgear instead of lower lvl helms? Thought on this anyone? Ive been playing with the helms so far, but figured i would ask here too lol

    I believe most archers prefer Helms, as extra HP is better than extra MP.
  • SiennaBlayze - Sanctuary
    SiennaBlayze - Sanctuary Posts: 2 Arc User
    edited January 2011
    Oh ok didnt know Wings of Grace was a lvl one skill only xD shows u how pro newb i am lol

    Thanks for the help on the head gear, should i be pumping up my str for it or just keep lower lvl helms?

    Cause the guide says to go 1 str 4 dex every lvl.. but if i follow that path, then i dont have enough str for the helm, any thoughts?

    Thanks for letting me know what a necro post is too xD
  • Brigid - Harshlands
    Brigid - Harshlands Posts: 1,332 Arc User
    edited January 2011
    I'd recommend sticking to 1 str 4 dex, and wearing a lower level helm.

    As you reach the 90s though, there's a couple of exceptions. The Warsoul of Earth is typically considered well worth the extra 20ish points of strength. Also, if you choose to restat to use fist weapons for a high attack rate, the extra strength can also be used to wear a higher helmet. That's really not something to think about any time soon though, and when you do get there you should be able to decide for yourself.
  • choyy95
    choyy95 Posts: 3 Arc User
    edited March 2011
    :O tysm for the guide :D
  • craistinovici
    craistinovici Posts: 6 Arc User
    edited March 2011
    I got a few questions:

    1.I am 74 archer what armors are missing.I have 69 dark shinguards of hades 70swfitting chest,normal boots(+3 str)and a very usefull help got from pking in sp(+7 vit)
    2.I am looking to buy my 80 weapon i searched a lot but dotn found a legendary oen so i want a tt one which oen to chose,i am a hybrid archer with a little to much magic
    3.I gor enought dex to equip my 99 tt armors so i stopped building on dex and satrt building for pk on vit and str ,is this a wrong chose?i saw my dex building doesnt help me to do more dmg just evasion,crit and the others,does the str build increase enought to build till lvl 80-90 or to build again on dex more(4 dex,1str each lvl)
  • freezman13
    freezman13 Posts: 0 Arc User
    edited March 2011
    Great guide . Ill build my archer exactly by your guide .
    BTW what is the key for Wings of Grace ?