Heavy Archer

Silvershroud

So, I really want to play a heavy armored archer (5 heavy / 2 light) because I really like the look of it. Am I going to just get laughed out of existence for using heavy on anything that isn't a tank?

Phantorang

Nobody is laughing

GeeYouWhy

It would provide good protection but Medium Armor boost stamina based abilities which would help with a bow.

stevenpotter321b14_ESO

Medium also will increase your crit chance with a bow. And allow you to stealth past things. Don't get me wrong, 1-50 with a bow and heavy wont be much of an issue. Even VR 12 you can do it, its just a matter of how much work do you really want to put into it, and for how much reward.

Silvershroud

GeeYouWhy wrote: »

It would provide good protection but Medium Armor boost stamina based abilities which would help with a bow.

I know. I have a medium armored sorcerer archer right now. I'll probably be leaning more towards spell use on the new one, hence the 2 light.

Silvershroud

stevenpotter321b14_ESO wrote: »

Medium also will increase your crit chance with a bow. And allow you to stealth past things. Don't get me wrong, 1-50 with a bow and heavy wont be much of an issue. Even VR 12 you can do it, its just a matter of how much work do you really want to put into it, and for how much reward.

Yeah, I assumed it would be doable for questing at the very least. I'm a bit more concerned about whether most groups would refuse to accept me for dungeons.

Tarwin

Currently trying a DK Archer in medium right now after playing a Templar (Paladin build) to Vet 1

Struggling at level 11, but that's on multi mobs and I'm still not used to playing with "finesse"

Still ... it's fun

murklor007neb18_ESO

When I had built my NB for tanking I used a bow as secondary (heavy armor of course) and I can tell you... its ***. Complete and utter ***. You dont do enough damage and the crappy bow firing animations which fail 50% of the time doesnt exactly help either.

Even if you're not going to be a tank, it still wont change the fact that you'll pretty much only have tanking traits available in the 5/2 heavy setup.

So sure, its works. No one is going to laugh at you for wearing 5/2 heavy, they're going to laugh at you for using a bow. And you will most likely find that the bow will behave like a little peashooter that merely annoy the mobs as they promptly proceed to kill you.

daneyulebub17_ESO

What's worse--NB archer using heavy, or DK archer with medium?

Sihnfahl

Not to mention that without medium, you're not getting a stamina regen boost, which is a heavy killer to DPS. You'll peter out, then be stuck with autoattacks until stam regens. You can counter with enchants and talents, but those enchants could have boosted you in other ways.

Silvershroud

Sihnfahl wrote: »

Not to mention that without medium, you're not getting a stamina regen boost, which is a heavy killer to DPS. You'll peter out, then be stuck with autoattacks until stam regens. You can counter with enchants and talents, but those enchants could have boosted you in other ways.

As I said above, I'm intending for a more magic based caster, not a heavy stamina user.

wafcatb14_ESO

well most ablities as fas as class ones go are based off magic , so really you only need venom arror, magnum shot and maybe silver shards or scorched volley morph , if you run a mix of bow and ranged class ablities or even mage guild .

then you won`t really nerf yourself too much , like cripple morph from say nb and enthropy etc from mage guild both do good damage are ranged and 1 gives you a speed run buff to help with kiting other a heal over time dot

throw in the spider ranged ablity from undaunted the web snare for laughs lol .

i`m playing with a old EQ shadow knight type build atm using nb life drains, siphons and impalle as a harm touch , with snares, shadow cloak etc . cripple, swallow soul, enthropy etc .

also the apprentice mundus stone adds spell pent which will help your damage too .you could try 5 heavy, 2 light, place stam on say 3 items and the rest + magic . then see which set , warlock, cowl, neck ring maybe , seducer or tempest etc see what gives the best set up . eat + magik + stam food .
.

ipkonfigcub18_ESO

Heavy Archer?

Picturing a heavy armored guy trying to range a bear but can't kite (move) fast enough because his armor holds him down.

It just doesn't make sense even in real life.

darkopale

Playing something else than a staff in this game doesn t make sense dude. Just play a staff you ll do 3x more damages.

Bhakura

Imho, it doesnt matter what other people think, its totally not the point. Be what you wanna be and screw everyone else if they dont agree. Point of a game is to have fun, if you enjoy running around in a metal box shooting arrows go for it, who cares if it isnt the best.
Im rolling a templar medium armor stamina build, worst dps class with worst dps resource

Silvershroud

Bhakura wrote: »

Imho, it doesnt matter what other people think, its totally not the point. Be what you wanna be and screw everyone else if they dont agree. Point of a game is to have fun, if you enjoy running around in a metal box shooting arrows go for it, who cares if it isnt the best.
Im rolling a templar medium armor stamina build, worst dps class with worst dps resource

True enough. Personally, I'd never kick someone from a group because I didn't like their setup. But I don't like feeling useless when I'm in a group either. I ended up deciding to roll a Templar healer this time instead, but I'll probably still use this idea later.

ipkonfigcub18_ESO wrote: »

Heavy Archer?

Picturing a heavy armored guy trying to range a bear but can't kite (move) fast enough because his armor holds him down.

It just doesn't make sense even in real life.

In real life, running circles around a bear while trying to turn it into a pincushion is going to end badly no matter what you are wearing. Well, unless you are wearing a jetpack or something...

Sindala

Enchants will be your friend in Heavy armour. Just throw Stamina boost gliphs on all your armour and your set to go

nb, they really should add the Crossbow for those that want to Heavy Archer like the Dawnguard.

Quaesivi

I am using 7 Heavy Armor pieces, and a Bow, on a full stamina build Dragonknight for ranged damage. Bombardment and Volcanic Rune are your keys to endless kiting. It is not bad as I enjoy it.

zgrssd

Silvershroud wrote: »

So, I really want to play a heavy armored archer (5 heavy / 2 light) because I really like the look of it. Am I going to just get laughed out of existence for using heavy on anything that isn't a tank?

In theory Stamina DPS need medium armor. It gives them the bonuses they need. It favours mobility, stealth and non-staff/non-class DPS.

Solo view:
Heavy can be quite usefull for Solo adventuring even as DPS. Running around in my tank has been the least difficulty so far.
The health regen actualyl makes a difference here and with the armor usually means I can outlast the enemy.

Group view:
In group content you should not focus on survivability as DPS. The job of DPS in this game is to kill the right foes fast, so they stop dealing damage/healing the enemies. Your job is also not to eat to much damage from AoE/random aggro powers and rez anyone that dies (healer and tank are usually busy).
For that you need Stamina and Critical chance - medium armor bonuses.


So much for the theory. In practice it is so that Magica DPS builds are superior to Stam DPS builds.
They are working to fix that by nerfing the magica abilities and then rebalance the mobs, but this can easily take 1-2 months.
For PvP and lategame (VR) content you are currently forced to use a mana build to be effective. Also note that in VR content your caps do not increase, so it is quite possible to reach armor cap with medium and even light armor.

Silvershroud

zgrssd wrote: »

So much for the theory. In practice it is so that Magica DPS builds are superior to Stam DPS builds.
They are working to fix that by nerfing the magica abilities and then rebalance the mobs, but this can easily take 1-2 months.

Seriously? Their answer to "stamina build suck because you use to much for blocking/dodging to have much leftover for powers" is nerf the magic?

zgrssd wrote: »

Your job is also not to eat to much damage from AoE/random aggro powers and rez anyone that dies (healer and tank are usually busy).

Someone needs to tell the DPS my tank has grouped with about that! (So far I've only run one each of Banished Cells, Spindleclutch and Fungal Grotto with the tank yet) Both of them just stood there in the middle of every AOE completely oblivious. Including the essentially one-shot-kill one that the final bosses on spindle and FG have. I've never done dungeons on ESO before, but when a big red circle pops up on the ground, my first instinct is "MOVE!"

Anyway, as for the rest of your post. Yes, I know heavy armor archer (and stamina builds in general) aren't ideal number-crunching wise. I was wanting to know if it was viable.