Bow vs. Dual wield for main weapon, stamblade

Daemons_Bane

Title basically Which one would you pick for pve, and why

rikimm16_ESO

Daemons_Bane wrote: »

Title basically Which one would you pick, and why

Title is lacking... PvP or PvE?

mavfin

Yes. Depends on the situation.

Bucky_13

Depends on situation and PvP or PvE. If I were to answer purely based on title, then that answer would be "Yes".

Daemons_Bane

Sorry, pve

Bradyfjord

Range gives you the luxury of being away from melee. And most pve is melee. The trade off is less overall dps.

Myyth

Bradyfjord wrote: »

Range gives you the luxury of being away from melee. And most pve is melee. The trade off is less overall dps.

So Bow is still not a viable main weapon? It has to be dual blade for the best dps?

TheShadowScout

Daemons_Bane wrote: »

Bow vs. Dual wield for main weapon, stamblade

Yes.


The obvious answer of course would be "both" - some fights are better at close range, others at long range, and having both on your bars lets you switch as needed. Tho with DW as primary, as bow is a little "niche" I suppose... as has been said, its great when you can pick your range, not quite so great in general fights where the opponents come to you anyhow.

Another option for stamblades might be 2H - which is a good all-rounder weapon for PvE, better then DW in some regards, worse in others... though that might depend on how you envision your stamblade. Raider-type? Go for 2H. Assassin-type? Go with DW.

Oreyn_Bearclaw

Myyth wrote: »

Bradyfjord wrote: »

Range gives you the luxury of being away from melee. And most pve is melee. The trade off is less overall dps.

So Bow is still not a viable main weapon? It has to be dual blade for the best dps?

You will find that Viable is a relative term. Bow/bow is absolutely viable damage, but, a person of the same skill will likely pull more with DW/Bow. That is generally true in this game. The closer you can get to the boss, the more damage you are going to pull.

I just took a Bow/Bow NB for the first time through VMA recently. Very easy to get Flawless as you can kill enemies at range. Damage wasnt remotely an issue. I was able to run all the burn strats for bosses (other than 5 cuz I am a wimp, haha).

Another thing, nothing stops you from slotting Surprise Attack (your main melee class spammable), on a bow. You just need to get closer to use it on bosses. And of course, nothing stops you from being able to do both. Your back bow bar really wont change much at all, and your front bar would probably change 2 skills at most. If you need to play ranged, go bow bow. If the fight favors a stack and burn, grab some daggers.

Sylvermynx

I tend to use DW on stam characters as front bar, with 2 hand as back bar - that's mostly due to "spin to win" being a very much better alternative for me with mega satellite ping. Bow.... is just too laggy with my connection - by the time I get a bow skill off, I can already be in extremis....

Steel tornado works for me almost all the time. So yeah, that's what I go with - I do have to work around 750+ ping. I love 2 hand, but it's not quite as optimal with high ping.

Everest_Lionheart

DW is definitely the most fun to play. It’s fast, it’s furious, it’s in your face. It can be chaotic at times it can be risky if you jump in the middle of a mob and half of them wind up a skill at the same time, but most of the time you can win that DPS race.

Aesthetically I prefer it to 2H. I prefer S&B to 2H but sadly no viability for DPS except as a defensive bar for PvP.

I run a bow on my back bar when I need to bail out of certain situations and slot single target bow skills for certain bosses. Focused aim + Lethal injection are a potent single target combo, but I still prefer my DW!

Daemons_Bane

I find that my bow deals well with single target damage.. but I think it suffers against hordes..

mavfin

Daemons_Bane wrote: »

I find that my bow deals well with single target damage.. but I think it suffers against hordes..

But, I can poison the whole horde, and dump a volley on the group to start softening them up, then jump in with my DW weapons.

Doesn't have to be all or none on the bow, imo. I like having the mix. I end up killing singles with my melee weapons, because I can, especially if I can sneak up on them, but, when I can't, or don't want to bother, the bow will be fine, too.

Banana

2H

majulook

Run Dual-Wield on on bar, and Bow on the other. See which one you use more.

I personally use Dual-Wield front, and Bow on back bar.

daemonios

There is little advantage to being ranged in ESO PvE, and there are serious drawbacks, like possibly not getting certain buffs. You'll see that unless there is a mechanic that requires people to spread out, most end-game PvE content will have DDs stacked on the boss, moving when needed, then returning to position. Ranged DDs are mostly good for breaking up groups of trash and making them harder for the tank to taunt/chain/CC. As for raw damage on a bow bar vs. dual wield, you'd have to ask someone who does stamina DD

Bradyfjord

Myyth wrote: »

Bradyfjord wrote: »

Range gives you the luxury of being away from melee. And most pve is melee. The trade off is less overall dps.

So Bow is still not a viable main weapon? It has to be dual blade for the best dps?

majulook wrote: »

Run Dual-Wield on on bar, and Bow on the other. See which one you use more.

I personally use Dual-Wield front, and Bow on back bar.

This is what I do. I even backbar bow when I tank dungeons sometimes.

Having a mix of melee/ranged gives you options you don't have if you go one or the other. Yes, you we can shoot a bow in melee range, but then we might as well equip something that does execute damage like dw/2h have.

p.s. I mainly use bow bar for hail of arrows to keep back enchant going.

kichwas

Bradyfjord wrote: »

Range gives you the luxury of being away from melee. And most pve is melee. The trade off is less overall dps.

dual and 2H give the luxury of not being stuck at range.

I think the answer is going to come down a lot to playstyle preference. I can't stand being "out of the action over in the back of the bus" but other people can't stand being "stuck in the middle of a mess".
- And this is the real issue to consider over the long term.

Daemons_Bane

Killers Blade
Steel Tornado
Leeching Strikes
Shrouded Daggers
Incapacitating Strike (U)

This is what I have ended up with so far.. Still looking for the 5th skill.. Currently considering Camouflaged Hunter for Major Savagery and +3% damage

Oreyn_Bearclaw

Daemons_Bane wrote: »

Killers Blade
Steel Tornado
Leeching Strikes
Shrouded Daggers
Incapacitating Strike (U)

This is what I have ended up with so far.. Still looking for the 5th skill.. Currently considering Camouflaged Hunter for Major Savagery and +3% damage

Is that supposed to be your front bar? Relentless focus is the centerpiece of any stamina nightblade rotation. Not even up for a debate, and doesnt matter if you are using a bow, DW, or 2H.

I would not use shrouded daggers on a NB. If you want to play ranged, front bar a bow. If you want to play daggers, use surprise attack for a spammable. Leeching strikes is typically a backbar skll. Important, but no need to be on a front bar. Steel Tornado has lost some of its luster. Most people run the other morph for more execute damage, and power extraction is a NB skill that does about the same thing as ST, but also gives you a weapon power buff if you dont want to always run potions. Incap and KB should certainly both be on your front bar.

Classic DW Front Bar for NB: Killers Blade (execute), Surprise Attack (spam), Relentless Focus (buff and Proc), Trap (DOT, Minor Force, FG passives), Flex Spot (Rending Slashes for single Target, Whirlwind or Sap for AOE), Incap (ultimate).

Daemons_Bane

Oreyn_Bearclaw wrote: »

Daemons_Bane wrote: »

Killers Blade
Steel Tornado
Leeching Strikes
Shrouded Daggers
Incapacitating Strike (U)

This is what I have ended up with so far.. Still looking for the 5th skill.. Currently considering Camouflaged Hunter for Major Savagery and +3% damage

Is that supposed to be your front bar? Relentless focus is the centerpiece of any stamina nightblade rotation. Not even up for a debate, and doesnt matter if you are using a bow, DW, or 2H.

I would not use shrouded daggers on a NB. If you want to play ranged, front bar a bow. If you want to play daggers, use surprise attack for a spammable. Leeching strikes is typically a backbar skll. Important, but no need to be on a front bar. Steel Tornado has lost some of its luster. Most people run the other morph for more execute damage, and power extraction is a NB skill that does about the same thing as ST, but also gives you a weapon power buff if you dont want to always run potions. Incap and KB should certainly both be on your front bar.

Relentles focus could be a thing yeah.. Had forgotten that one.. I don't know if this is front or back bar.. it's for facing mobs? The Leeching Strike is for the heals that it gives.. The Shrouded Daggers are for the +20% damage

Edit: looking it over, it actually seems that Power Extraction, would combine Steel Tornado and Shrouded Daggers into 1 skill?

Bradyfjord

kichwas wrote: »

Bradyfjord wrote: »

Range gives you the luxury of being away from melee. And most pve is melee. The trade off is less overall dps.

dual and 2H give the luxury of not being stuck at range.

I think the answer is going to come down a lot to playstyle preference. I can't stand being "out of the action over in the back of the bus" but other people can't stand being "stuck in the middle of a mess".
- And this is the real issue to consider over the long term.

That's what I was trying to say. I think you said it better though. 👍