Is Archer viable?

I tried an archer build but quickly found that there just isn't enough ammo. Was not finding materials fast enough to tinker them into bolts.

Anyone have any luck with an archer? Do you basically just need a backup weapon skill to use when you're out of bolts and save them for the bigger baddies?

 

It is rough at the start but if you find some bolt vending machines and a good high damage crossbow so you use less to kill individual enemies it gets easier.

 

Yea you pretty much need a backup. I took thrown and archery Also kept having to splurge at Bolt and Thrown weapon dispensers. Either take another melee weapon skill, an offensive magic or a pet summon skill.

 

I feel the level 3 crossbow skill does not return your bolts enough.

 

I agree. I didn't really see much of an increase when I got it level 3.

 

If you want to be a crossbowman/Archer, I recommend you also take unarmed combat.
The unarmed skills add damage bonuses both to melee and ranged attacks,especially the last level adds a lot of damage. And you can use the knockback abilities so you can fire more arrows,before enemies reach you again.

 

Thrown weapons uses the same stats as melee though, where as crossbows don't.

You basically have to get lucky and find a room that has lots of arrows or a vending machine early on. Level 5 tinkering gets you 20 arrows per attempt I believe.

Like its been said, they need to up the % of arrows that don't get destroyed on impact. I would also like to see some skills like a triple shot or a piercing shot that hits multiple enemies in a straight line.

 

Unarmed skills add both to the melee(Melee+Thrown) and Ranged(Crossbows) attacks.

I have to agree though, for an archer,there is too much hassle and not enough arrows .
They should add a conjurer skill or something, or simply greatly increase the % of ammunition not destroyed on impact.

Thrown and Crossbow skills, both say they reduce the destruction of ammunition on impact, do they share the same % value or they have different ones?
If they share,then having both of them when creating a class would be ideal I suppose.

 

I'm having fun with a crossbow rogue with Swords, you pretty much just need a backup so you don't waste ammo on single mobs, I'm doing decent my current run (perma-death Dwarf) knightly leap lets you get an extra two shots on just about any boss. The level 4 Steelcrossbow is pretty sick... Btw the craftable Powerfist is that for unarmed?

 

An AOE skill for archery would also be great for those who want to roll pure archers.

 

An archer is easily feasible. Mine is currently on dungeon level 8 and it's so easy it's almost boring. Take tinkering and spend your first 4 levels maxing it, rely on a different weapon until you can get an ammo supply going.

At level 5 tinkering each ore will yield 3 or 4 ingots, each ingot will yield 12 or 13 bolts, and they'll be very good bolts courtesy of your high crafting skill. You should be able to get a steel ratcheted crossbow by the end of level 1, that will more than cover for your slow offensive skill development. To put it in perspective, I recently found one malachite (copper ore) and one of whatever the ore that yields tin is called in a room. That turned into 3 copper and 3 tin, which turned into 12 bronze, which turned into 144 cruelly barbed bronze arrows. Even a single plastic ore gives me 39 bolts.

Don't try killing everything with bolts, kill weak enemies with your alternate weapon type (I took swords, but it's just preference). Weaken strong enemies for a one hit kill with your sword. Basically use your sword to lessen the ammo drain and you'll have plenty.

 

Unarmed Level 2 is a great skill for an Archer. It knocks back two squares and is completely free. It also increases your dodge and reduces enemy dodge chance a little bit. Additionally, if you enchant a ring instead of the weapon the bonus damage will apply to both methods of attack.

 

Thanks for the advice DarkFenix! I hadn't realized that higher craft skills result in more raw mat creation until recently. That makes sense cranking it up for steady ammo.

I'll have to give a more archery oriented character a go sometime!

 

Im loving my archery on my axe warrior/rogue/mage (don't ask.) I usually don't use alot of bolts so have no need for tinkering, so archery is even viable for supplementing your build if you have room for it.

 

Wait, tinkering increases the number of ingots smelted from ore? Smithing also does that.

Do they stack?

 

Test it out and let us know mwoody! But that means you'd have to dedicate many levels to just crafting skills...

 

That makes sense, given the importance of ingots to both. Thanks!

 

Starting to see that one big problem I had was that I needed to wait to tinker ore/metals until I'd upped my tinkering skill. Probably best to hold on to what you need to and use secondary skills to take out enemies until you can maximize return on components. I tried several times and kept running out of bolts in levels 2/3. So waiting to tinker the bolts would probably have prevented this.

 

Unarmed level 2 (the kick-away skill) and dual-wielding shields is an excellent way to stay alive long enough to get that tinkering skill up. Then it's bolt-city.