6 réponses à ce sujet

[ghostwheel]

I've been playing the PC version (ghostwhee1) since launch with the Archer as the first class I focused on but then I moved across to the other classes since I disliked the lack of defensive abilities.

I've come back to the Archer and didnt like the ranged glass cannon like approach to dealing with just about everything, so I've come up with this build instead which I don't see many players use online - that is one that focuses with using Fallback Plan.  I think perhaps many players miss the description about how you retain your health which could be why it's not used very often.

Fallback Plan allows you to take upfront beating and then retreat back healthy, this synergies very well with a Longbow of the Griffin and Easy to Miss, where you can afford to go up close to flank and shotgun down enemy and then quickly activate your Fallback.  Fallback Plan and Easy to Miss makes it possible for you to sneak in to revive team members as well.

The Easy to Miss passive is just right next to Fallback and reduces the odds of having your face painted with a bullseye as is most often the case I find in most matches.

Core Active Skills :
Leaping Shot
Fallback Plan (no upgrade)
Longshot
Mark of Death

Important Passives :
Opportunity Knocks
(other passives will be picked up on the way to the core skills above)

I would recommend the following skill upgrades :

First get Leaping Shot and upgraded Longshot.  I've not upgraded my leaping shot at the early stages so that I'm able to get then go straight for Easy to Miss which should take you to around lvl 11 or 12.  I then head for Opportunity Knocks and then Mark of Death.  Later on, I pick up "And Take Them Down" which helps by reducing your cooldowns (making you DPS faster and acticate the Fallback Plan more often)

The damage bonus from Longshot requires that you stay in the back lines for efficient DPS but I've found the above build viable for flexability right up to Perilous.

Hope you guys find the above useful.
 

[haxaw]

Interesting writeup, though I'm curious as to how/why you sneak behind enemy lines in the first place.

 

From what you describe, it seems like you would be better off with a Hunter, who does superior close-range damage and has the true sneak skill in Stealth. He too has access to Fallback Plan. You say "right up to Perilous", which I took to mean "not including Perilous". If so, I can see you surviving to the enemy backline. But on Perilous, my experience tells me you would have a very difficult time making it back there. Even if you did, the amount of time you spend to get there would greatly cut into your DPS.

 

I don't have a problem with grabbing Fallback Plan as a...fallback...plan...for when you're getting rushed by melee. The Archer really only needs Long Shot Knocks to DPS. Leaping Shot is good close-range damage and survivability. The other two slots are up in the air, so having another skill to save your hide is reasonable. But expecting to use it offensively (especially on Perilous) seems a bad idea. Even outside of Perilous, you're probably better off just firing away at distance and spamming Long Shot. That thing you're trying to sneak behind would probably have been dead by the time you got there had you just kept shooting at it.

[Rolenka]

I have only played on routine and haven't promoted Archer, but I like having both improved Evasion and improved Leaping Shot. Just speaking of defensive builds.

Fallback Plan, meh. But if you like it, the other poster is right (can't see the while thread when replying on mobile) -- Hunter starts with it. Archer starts with Caltrops instead. Need I say more?

Is Long Shot really so mandatory? I haven't gotten my fourth ability to replace Caltrops yet. Just those defensive abilities and improved Explosive Shot.

[CelticRanger275]

I have only played on routine and haven't promoted Archer, but I like having both improved Evasion and improved Leaping Shot. Just speaking of defensive builds.

Fallback Plan, meh. But if you like it, the other poster is right (can't see the while thread when replying on mobile) -- Hunter starts with it. Archer starts with Caltrops instead. Need I say more?

Is Long Shot really so mandatory? I haven't gotten my fourth ability to replace Caltrops yet. Just those defensive abilities and improved Explosive Shot.

Upgraded long shot is the archer's defining skill.

[haxaw]

Is Long Shot really so mandatory? I haven't gotten my fourth ability to replace Caltrops yet. Just those defensive abilities and improved Explosive Shot.

 

It's pretty much the quintessential Archer skill at the moment. Give it a...hehe...shot (make sure you have the upgrade, it change everything). The "line" criterion is very generous, the arrow actually bounces at maybe 30 degrees, from target to target. When you use it, just have the enemies roughly lined up, and aim for the one that is closest to you. Then just count your kill medals at the end. Also, Opportunity Knocks makes a good skill amazing. Every crit that your team puts out reduces the remaining cooldown time of your skills. If you have 2 Archers, your Long Shot pretty much resets your teammate's, and vice versa. If you have 3+, now you're just abusing.

 

As with most DPS, gear will play a large factor in your effectiveness. In this particular case, even your teammates' gear (crit chance) will affect your efficiency.

 

Hope this helps your first date with Long Shot.

[ghostwheel]

@haxaw

Agreed on your views, the Archer still performs best in the back lines.  I wouldn't go in close as a primary way to attack but in the heat of battle, you may find yourself surrounded and that's where it shines; especially in PuGs where the groups not as coordinated and you need to go in and revive people.

The reason why Fallback plan is better on the Archer is because of one reason.  Longshot - as already mentioned, that skill is just pure DPS which cant be found with the Hunter.  If you have high crit members like an assassin or alchemist in your group then you may find that the cooldown to longshot is so short that you can fire it almost ike a machine gun as well.

[JRandall0308]

Fallback Plan is a nice skill but it kind of loses out to Heal on Kill rings once you get those.

 

Longshot (with its upgrade Archer's Lance) can net you a killstreak all by itself, giving you back any health you would've saved with Fallback Plan.

 

That said, I agree that after Longshot and Leaping Shot, the Archer's other two abilities are up for grabs. I typically keep Explosive Shot just because I'm too lazy to spec into anything else!