[RED] Archer Skill Builds

Blizzard doesn't crit in GMS yet as far as I can tell, unless Evasion Boost counts.

It most certainly does hit criticals. It's by far one of my favorite skills now. Kills just as fast as using Iron Arrow, but gives the added freeze bonus.

I don't see why you would not want to max it. It's a free bonus attack without actually attacking. I'm sure every archer hated FA before but now things are different.

I did read that, but I just don't feel good about having always been FA-less to suddenly being forced to max it

If you want to be weaker than quite literally every other bowman, then by all means, go for it.

I'm still unsure of my builds for my nub bowman/xbowman. So the consensus is to get Arrow Blow instead of Double Shot now?

I'm still unsure of my builds for my nub bowman/xbowman. So the consensus is to get Arrow Blow instead of Double Shot now?

Yes. You can get Double Shot if you want, but it's really useless. You'll most likely end up using Level 1 Arrow Blow more often than maxed Double Shot.

As for Final Attack, there's no reason to not get it.

I maxed DS simply because Arrow Blow will never be useful again once you get Iron Arrow/Arrow Bomb, but yeah I used Lv. 1 Arrow Blow pretty often. Lv. 1 Iron Arrow replaces both skills, dunno if the same holds true for Arrow Bomb.

I maxed DS simply because Arrow Blow will never be useful again once you get Iron Arrow/Arrow Bomb, but yeah I used Lv. 1 Arrow Blow pretty often. Lv. 1 Iron Arrow replaces both skills, dunno if the same holds true for Arrow Bomb.

I found that a lot of the good training maps had some sections where you needed Arrow Blow's curving to hit because there wasn't room or time to position a good Iron Arrow.

I found that a lot of the good training maps had some sections where you needed Arrow Blow's curving to hit because there wasn't room or time to position a good Iron Arrow.

- CPQ
- CDs
- Drakes

Dunno about after that but all of those maps are completely flat. And monster EXP, because Iron Arrow is so freaking strong.

Would DS be better to get if I am already lv 50 and can max IA/AB straight away after I reset my SP? As I dont need to use either of 2nd jobs skills to level anymore.

First job is quick and easy, and level 1 arrow blow will do the job fine. There is always the tiny chance that the balrog fight will change so that it isn't a giant waste of time, and then you'll be sorry you didn't max double shot lol.

edit to above: If you're already in second job, yes double shot definitely. There's no excuse for adding arrow blow at 50.

I'm confused.

Two questions:
1. I'm level 37 with mastery already maxed. Is it because I maxed arrow blow and got double shot to 16? I also completely skipped Focus.

2. Should I use my SP reset? If so, what do I change?

Thanks.

EDIT: I read the entire thread. I should use my SP reset, max DS and skip arrow blow completely, shouldn't I?
Since I'm already past first job.

I went with max DS just in case i ever felt like fighting boss balrog.

just reach 137, headed to newt and skele to test touch damage and snipe...
now I am considering use the last reset and max snipe first instead, since it ignore accuracy

should I?

just reach 137, headed to newt and skele to test touch damage and snipe...
now I am considering use the last reset and max snipe first instead, since it ignore accuracy

should I?

Even IF it does fully ignore accuracy, unless you're a devoted odd-ball like myself, the payoff for the skillpoints invested in it aren't worth it until you have many other skills maxed. You only gain 5 seconds cooldown per 10 points.

On top of that, the way exp distribution has been set-up post BB, killing 3 monsters of a lower level fast is far better than any 1 end game monster per 5 seconds that isn't a boss. Mobbing is the new system.

As for what you should do instead, listen to the mainstream view.

- CPQ
- CDs
- Drakes

Dunno about after that but all of those maps are completely flat. And monster EXP, because Iron Arrow is so freaking strong.

I never trained at Drakes, didn't like any of their maps very much. I skipped out on CDs because it was always packed; there was always two people a channel splitting, and/or a Wild Hunter OHKOing with better mobility than me etc when I was at that level range. I went to Cellions and if you don't party there, you can stand on the bottom right under neath the steppes and use Arrow Blow to hit upwards. It has a decent circulation. Any area with any kind of a curvature or platforming would require you to use Arrow Blow to some degree, sadly, such as Luster Pixies, though I wouldn't say they are a particularly great training spot, it is very inducive of an Arrow Blow-oriented training.

If you can completely avoid maps with curvature though, or are a Hunter, more power to you to max Double Shot. I just don't see it being a significant difference using Iron Arrow/Arrow Bomb to single target when training anyways though, or Blizzard/Inferno/Eruption/Rain when you have them maxed. The only difference between those and Double Shot is Final Attack, which should not be relied on to pick off stragglers because the amount of time to know when it has activated is not fast enough to know to not shoot again to guarantee the death.
i.e. Double Shot + Wait & See if FA activated to kill is slower than Double Shot x2, and if you don't wait, then the monster may still live etc.

As for Ranged Mob vs Eruption/Rain, I feel Ranged Mobbing favours a stronger character where more mobility favours your ability to kill monsters and cycle faster, whereas Eruption/Rain favours characters that take more hits to kill, thus skew towards an inherent luring style involved with jump-Eruption/Raining. This is completely negated after Chaos though if they intend to keep the Eruption/Rain delay, and all builds should follow Inferno/Blizzard first, and I'm questioning whether characters even need Eruption/Rain immediately after, though Strafe is still low-priority unless you exclusively boss/PQ/Dojo or they release an 8x single target area somehow.


I also believe I have mixed up some numbers with Marksmanship earlier comparing the damage increase vs Zakum, as well as the Sharp Eyes increase:

Zakum has 40 PDR. With maxed Marksmanship, he has 32 PDR.
Thus, maxing Marksmanship increases your damage by 1.13x, not the 1.07x I had stated earlier. Thus, comparing level 20 Hurricane to level 30 Hurricane or 0 Marksmanship vs 10 Marksmanship, Marksmanship is slightly favoured, but still heavily unfavoured for monsters with anywhere less than 35PDR.

Level 20 Sharp Eyes adds 15% Rate, and 20% maximum Critical; with no other sources of Critical Rate other than Critical Shot, this gives an Archer a 60% chance to critical between 1.2x and 1.7x damage; averages out to 1.27x critical.
With maxed Expertise, this is a 1.315x critical.
Level 30 Sharp Eyes adds 20% Rate, and 30% maximum Critical; with no other sources of Critical Rate other than Critical Shot, this gives an Archer a 65% chance to critical between 1.2x and 1.8x damage; averages out to 1.325x critical.
With maxed Expertise, this is a 1.37375x critical.
The net increase in damage is only 1.04x (1.045x with maxed Expertise), which is why Sharp Eyes is not has highly prioritsed compared to Expertise unless you have an obscene amount of weapon attack. (200+ before potential%)

For people wondering about Vengeance: I put 7 points in it and it's not that usefull, since when you jump into a mob you plan to move them all to one side with a PKB/DB combo, but if vengeance procs they suddenly are divided to the left and right making 2 mobs. So it's just annoing and lowers mob control.

Might as well post this here.

Code:

120: 1 Hurricane, 1 Phoenix, 1 Dragon Breath
121: 3 Bow Expert (3)
122: 3 Bow Expert (6)
123: 3 Bow Expert (9)
124: 3 Bow Expert (12)
125: 3 Bow Expert (15)
126: 3 Bow Expert (18)
127: 3 Bow Expert (21)
128: 3 Bow Expert (24)
129: 3 Bow Expert (27)
130: 2 Bow Expert (29), 1 Hurricane (2)
131: 3 Hurricane (5)
132: 3 Hurricane (8)
133: 3 Hurricane (11)
134: 3 Hurricane (14)
135: 3 Hurricane
136: 3 Hurricane
137: 3 Hurricane
138: 3 Hurricane
139: 3 Hurricane (30)
140-150: 30 Sharp Eyes
151: 3 Marksmanship
152: 3 Marksmanship
153: 3 Marksmanship
154: 1 Marksmanship (10) , 2 Concentrate
155: 3 Concentrate (5)
156-163: 26 Concentrate
164+: 20 MW (Save points for 30), Phoenix 30.

Might as well post this here.

Code:

120: 1 Hurricane, 1 Phoenix, 1 Dragon Breath
121: 3 Bow Expert (3)
122: 3 Bow Expert (6)
123: 3 Bow Expert (9)
124: 3 Bow Expert (12)
125: 3 Bow Expert (15)
126: 3 Bow Expert (18)
127: 3 Bow Expert (21)
128: 3 Bow Expert (24)
129: 3 Bow Expert (27)
130: 2 Bow Expert (29), 1 Hurricane (2)
131: 3 Hurricane (5)
132: 3 Hurricane (8)
133: 3 Hurricane (11)
134: 3 Hurricane (14)
135: 3 Hurricane
136: 3 Hurricane
137: 3 Hurricane
138: 3 Hurricane
139: 3 Hurricane (30)
140-150: 30 Sharp Eyes
151: 3 Marksmanship
152: 3 Marksmanship
153: 3 Marksmanship
154: 1 Marksmanship (10) , 2 Concentrate
155: 3 Concentrate (5)
156-163: 26 Concentrate
164+: 20 MW (Save points for 30), Phoenix 30.

I would try for some small timer for Sharp Eyes earlier personally. Fairly sure that's more beneficial, especially if you party train.

I would try for some small timer for Sharp Eyes earlier personally. Fairly sure that's more beneficial, especially if you party train.

My crits and my noncrits are identical.

You can't push Sharp Eyes earlier than it is in that build. Hurricane (maxed compared to Lv. 1) and Bow Expert both boost your total damage by about 40%, while Sharp Eyes before BE adds less than 15% damage.