Class choice for a pure archer character?

Lynx7386

Just curious what everyone would choose for a character focusing heavily on bow use, and why.

Draehl

Depends on what type of archer.

-Nightblade. You strike harder in your opening stealth attack and are generally very slippery/elusive. Great for PvP but probably the squishiest option.
-Sorceror. You'll do the most overall damage due to the Surge Weapon buff. You also have pets and solid CC. Probably the most well rounded pick IMO.
-Dragonknight: If you want to be more of a brute force archer that can take some hits. Don't shoot them and run, shoot them until they get to you and keep shooting.
-Templar: I know some will disagree, but probably the worst option. They can make solid off-healers while doing damage. They do have some amazing stamina regen if skilled correctly, but not enough overall synergy with archery IMO.

Cody

Nightblades for the stealthy, elusive, dodgy types. Dragonknights for the "take a lot of hits" types, Sorcerers for the best overall damage, and Templars..... no. do not make a Templar archer. Trust me, this is coming from one of the longest lived archers in ESO

Khivas_Carrick

Templar archers can do archery, but the have a dire lack of class skills to make them as deadly as other classes. They do however get supportive skills and can shoddy act like a bard class of sorts, although personally I think NB's are best for archery/pure Archer types

WatchYourSixx

I'm a templar archer myself, and I find it to be very fun. Sure, I might not be v14 and I really have no clue how much damage I do, but at v3 I can kill things pretty fast. I usually run venom arrow, focused aim, piercing javelin/magnum shot, sunfire and breath of life for a heal. I do use dual wield on the second set. One thing I would note though is that bow dps seems to be more single target oriented. Especially so if you add in the ranged templar abilities. I use dualwield for AoE. When I run dungeons or I am killing something such as a world boss, i usually run venom, focused aim, purifying light, sunfire, and breath of life. Ive been experimenting with which ultimates to use and I've enjoyed using soul strike.

TL;DR: You can be whatever class you like. If you want a min/max build then they are probably right as posted above because I do not know what I do dps wise and im not v14. I think you should play how you want, because that is what you will enjoy the most.

Khivas_Carrick

Foundry Tactical Combat is a DPS meter. I highly suggest it. Combat Log Statistics too. As for skills, once you reach end game or even group vet content, ditch magnum shot and javelin for scorched earth and bol for blazing spear.

Pmarsico9

Templar Archer work very well. It's the only viable ranged option for Templars. They can spam Snipe forever with Heavy Weaving and Restoring Aura usage.

But they aren't burst. They are sustained.

I easily hold 850-900 on my Templar with 6 Medium, 1 Heavy, and proper set coordination on the gear.

Here's the kicker about Archer Templars that nobody brings up:

You run Resto staff (even in Medium Armor fully set up for stam) in your second bar and between Ritual of Purification and Breath of Life, you are 2/3rds of a 4 man dungeon healer. That's the flexibility they bring.

But pure damage wise, NB's and DK's are (as in any other DPS discussion) higher. And Sorcs are probably the worst imo, since they have zero synergy with stamina based abilities.

The first comment says they have strong DPS, but it's almost entirely burst. They have to chain chug pots to sustain any sort of damage.

Lynx7386

Wasnt really considering templar but now that I think about it, it does seem to be a decent fit. They've got radiant aura for stamina regeneration, and scorched earth/blazing spear seem like a good aoe matchup together.

I wonder how well the new ranged execute that templars are getting would work for a medium armor bow wielder. The one thing bow lacks is a good execute, and that seems to be getting filled for templars, despite being a magicka based ability.

I have a v1 templar right now that's dual resto staff / 7/7 light armor, but I've been getting extremely bored with that playstyle, maybe switching to a bow will give the character new life.

Pmarsico9

Lynx7386 wrote: »

Wasnt really considering templar but now that I think about it, it does seem to be a decent fit. They've got radiant aura for stamina regeneration, and scorched earth/blazing spear seem like a good aoe matchup together.

I wonder how well the new ranged execute that templars are getting would work for a medium armor bow wielder. The one thing bow lacks is a good execute, and that seems to be getting filled for templars, despite being a magicka based ability.

I have a v1 templar right now that's dual resto staff / 7/7 light armor, but I've been getting extremely bored with that playstyle, maybe switching to a bow will give the character new life.

Radiant Aura isn't worth the skill point. Restoring is fine. Repentance is good for PVP.

I personally respecced after fighting it for a long time and went medium/heavy/light/two hander (for execute)/bow while holding onto both my tanking and healing setups and it worked very well.

Tankqull

with the hordes of other archers around currently anything but a DK is at a severe disadvantage.

JamilaRaj

Silly thread. Archers, those sneaky snipe spamming cowards who can't fight like men, lack any character whatsoever. Let alone pure.

Lynx7386

JamilaRaj wrote: »

Silly thread. Archers, those sneaky snipe spamming cowards who can't fight like men, lack any character whatsoever. Let alone pure.

And what, the million and one harry potters are just overflowing with "character" arent they?

Lynx7386

Back on topic, for a templar archer do you think a 7/7 medium or a 5 medium/2 light would work best?

Stannum

Sorcs, cause of critical surge, incase and negate and you can use endless fury for finishing (it strikes hard even with stamina build and has disintegrate chance)

Animal_Mother

I really like my Templar as an archer. I normally complement bow skills with Puncturing Sweep (when mobs get too close) and Unstable Core (anti-magic) for PVE/Questing and Purifying Ritual for PVP. Sometimes, I keep Unstable Core in PVP to be annoying.

Since it came up earlier, I usually wear 7 Medium as an archer.

Khivas_Carrick

5/1/1 with the Undaunted passives is my go to choice.

Pmarsico9

Khivas_Carrick wrote: »

5/1/1 with the Undaunted passives is my go to choice.

Agreed, provided your neck and rings don't require a second piece.

Personally, due to how many DoTs bows can put up, I'd shoot for 2 piece Valkyn. But, OP, I will also say this:

If you have two piece, say, Dreugh Slayer at V14 available (neck and any armor piece) that extra weapon damage may surpass 2% stamina.

I am still trying to get Valkyn's head and max out undaunted. So I likely will go 2 1 piece heavy, 2 piece light, 4 piece medium. My current Valkyn shoulders are light, so I'd shoot for a light head so it's flexible enough for if/when Templar caster DPS is viable.

My bow setup would retain 2 piece Dreugh for the added weapon damage, then keep 5 piece hunding's (weapon and 4 other slots with medium), two piece Pact (my rings blow) and two piece Valkyn while 2/2 in the Undaunted passive.

Stannum

Pmarsico9 wrote: »

So I likely will go 2 1 piece heavy, 2 piece light, 4 piece medium.

So you will lose medium 5 weapon damage bonus. 1h-1l-5m is the best combination.

Lynx7386

What's the point of the 1 heavy piece? I figured it would be better to go 2 light to maximize magicka resource management for non weapon skills

Septimus_Magna

NB archers can do 1.6k dps single target (which is currently about max) so that would be my advice. They also have have a finisher which is better than mages fury. Currently you get to the weapon damage softcap fairly easily so sorc is less effective imo.

This may chance after update 6 when the softcap is removed bur we'll have to wait and see.

Lynx7386

True, softcap is getting removed, but nightblades are also getting a damage boost with the new replacement skill for haste, similar to surge.

At any rate, I'm pretty well set on just respeccing my templar to a bowman at this point (though, I'll just test it with spare points for now and wait on the free respec coming with 1.6). I just hope that new execute spell meshes with the build well.

ryanmjmcevoy_ESO

Still slowly leveling my NB archer, but I'd suspect they'll have highest bow burst dmg.

My DK archer was awesome (have since specced him into tanking). Sets + igneous weapons = very high weapon damage. From stealth I used to be able to hit for 2.2k (non-pvp). Then when in open combat, I had reflective scales and poison arrow, or I would use Magma Armor ultimate + immovable to take very very little damage and throw bombard on groups for a nice ranged immobilize. Was a lot of fun.

Stannum

Lynx7386 wrote: »

What's the point of the 1 heavy piece? I figured it would be better to go 2 light to maximize magicka resource management for non weapon skills

Survival. With heavy torso you have much more armour and mitigation. And also you have better undawnted bonus for resourse pools.

Dekkameron

I've tried all of the different combos both nightblade and dragonknight imo are the best.

Nightblade for obvious ambush style tactics and DK for the best overall damage out of stealth as well as a decent self heal plus reflective scales.

Brasseurfb16_ESO

Having 3 archers,
- I like the Sorcerer because you can use Daedric Mines to cover and Bolt Escape to be become a very Mobile and CC oriented archer. The high crit chance on bows also helps Critical Surge for heal and Negate Magic is an overall an awesome ultimate.
- For the Nightblade, it's all about the damage numbers and the mobility. You are squishy but those crits... Those crits are awesome! And dodge + shadow cloak is a good way to reposition yourself.
- DK archers get a good synergy with Scorched Earth and they actualy got a couple of tools to prevent ennemies from killing the DK from range (like Dragon Scale).

My favoured pick stays the NB, since my Khajiit takes advantage out of most of the NB skills but a Sorcerer is definitly a good compromise between damage, control, sustain and mobility.

Pmarsico9

dancing.in.the.webeb17_ESO wrote: »

Pmarsico9 wrote: »

So I likely will go 2 1 piece heavy, 2 piece light, 4 piece medium.

So you will lose medium 5 weapon damage bonus. 1h-1l-5m is the best combination.

Yeah this is correct. I forgot about 5 piece medium. I guess I need medium armor Valkyn...........D:

Septimus_Magna

dancing.in.the.webeb17_ESO wrote: »

Survival. With heavy torso you have much more armour and mitigation. And also you have better undawnted bonus for resourse pools.

A common misconception, let me explain why:
-you only get 200 more armor rating with heavy chest compared to light robe.
-passives from heavy armor are under-powered.
-you need skill points in both armor lines.
-undaunted gives you 3% bonus in health, magicka, stamina while light/medium armor gives you far greater benefits (cost reduction, increased damage etc).

If you need armor rating use a jewelry enchant, it can give max 630 armor rating per VR10-VR14 jewelry item. Now you still benefit from all the light/medium armor passives and have all the armor rating you need.

Stannum

Septimus_Magna wrote: »

dancing.in.the.webeb17_ESO wrote: »

Survival. With heavy torso you have much more armour and mitigation. And also you have better undawnted bonus for resourse pools.

-undaunted gives you 3% bonus in health, magicka, stamina while light/medium armor gives you far greater benefits (cost reduction, increased damage etc).

What? what increased damage gives me 1 light or 1 medium with bow build? The only thing i loose is 3% stamina cost reduction and 3% crit (as stamina regen will be already at caps), if i use 6m+1l instead of 1h+5m+1l, and if i use 5m+2l i don't loose anything as i don't need high magika regen, spell penetration and magika cost reduction with bow build.

Khivas_Carrick

Septimus_Magna wrote: »

dancing.in.the.webeb17_ESO wrote: »

Survival. With heavy torso you have much more armour and mitigation. And also you have better undawnted bonus for resourse pools.

A common misconception, let me explain why:
-you only get 200 more armor rating with heavy chest compared to light robe.
-passives from heavy armor are under-powered.
-you need skill points in both armor lines.
-undaunted gives you 3% bonus in health, magicka, stamina while light/medium armor gives you far greater benefits (cost reduction, increased damage etc).

If you need armor rating use a jewelry enchant, it can give max 630 armor rating per VR10-VR14 jewelry item. Now you still benefit from all the light/medium armor passives and have all the armor rating you need.

Undaunted gives you 3% at rank 1, 6% at rank two. 6% of 2500 is quite hefty. Second, you only need 5 pieces of either to make the 5pc bonus, that's why it's called the 5pc bonus you twit. This is why people wear the 6/1 or 5/1/1, get the pc, lose out slightly on something (Medium missing the most if they love Crit Chance a lot) and other such stuff.

I mean you're not far off, as the game stands for now rings and necks with armor can give you just enough while wearing light armor to rock face as a tank or simply survive, etc etc, but don't knock the 6/1 or 5/1/1 without actually knowing what it's all about.

Lynx7386

I'm still thinking 5 medium and 2 light with bow + resto staff maybe

Cody

JamilaRaj wrote: »

Silly thread. Archers, those sneaky snipe spamming cowards who can't fight like men, lack any character whatsoever. Let alone pure.

Come on over to haderus: ill come back to it for a quick duel if it means dispelling the negative stereotype that archers are all weak and helpless cowards:D