Bows: Lethal Arrow vs Focused Aim

Lynx7386 · December 2014

Having a hard time deciding which of these is the better all-around option. Focused aim gives a boost to ranged attack power for 10 seconds, but lethal arrow has a healing debuff and does poison damage (which, if I'm not mistaken, should allow it to bypass 100% of armor, correct?).

Some advice on this would be much appreciated. I'm playing a 7/7 medium armor 2h nightblade right now, and considering replacing my second 2hander (using one on both bars right now) with a bow for some ranged damage and utility.

kijima · December 2014

I might be able to help you with this one.

I've been bow since beta, used snipe heavily and both morphs are at IV, although I did stick with Lethal arrow for most of my game time, of which I'm about 60 days of game time in.

(Only recently found out you can type /played in chat and it will give you the exact amount of time you've wasted... err played ESO. Maybe you are better off not knowing...)

Anyway, have always been happy with Lethal arrow, I've been able to solo resources in PvP with Lethal, all round it's the better morph for both PvE and PvP I believe.

Very recently I changed over to focused aim to give it another whirl, I was going for a super long sniper build, using a legendary dominion bow and rings, that and reapers mark. This was great for Sorc's that I could light up, and if they used Bolt Escape, the range was that good they could bolt and I'd still get them post BE.

On a side note

my favorite movies include:

Forrest Gump
The Green Mile
Saving Private Ryan
The Da Vinci Code

See what I did ^ there

While I didn't notice any real difference in DPS, perhaps a bigger opener to a small degree, but what I did notice was that healers were able to heal through the damage, and I could no longer solo a resource.

Just switched back to the Lethal morph last night, and grabbed my trusty befowled bow, I can solo resources again. It just melts them.

Lethal all the way, no contest.

Lynx7386 · December 2014

Thank you. On paper focused aim looks better, but I know that in practice sometimes it works out differently.

Stannum · December 2014

I don't like focused aim as enemy sees light column and quickly evades with roll dodge to the rear. And when you hit him with lethal arrow he may not realize what's happening and you can hit him several times.

Workerdroid7 · December 2014

Thanks for this thread! I'm playing a Bow stamina build and was toying with the idea of spending the money to respect my morphs... I am going to change to Lethal Arrow after reading all this.

morvegil · December 2014

Does the light show on them before the bow hits or after?

Pmarsico9 · December 2014

Is Focused Aim better for PVE?

Hypertionb14_ESO · December 2014

Pmarsico9 wrote: »

Is Focused Aim better for PVE?

yes..

almost nothing in PvE will require or even have any benefit to the single target Heal Debuff from lethal. on the other hand the extreme range can be massively beneficial in some situations (like sniping the lamia during the serpant fight)

simply put, not enough actually does healing in PvE... no tough bosses, not anything really...

the only healers in this game are generally trash mobs or mobs that you can just interrupt to prevent the healing entirely.

Pmarsico9 · December 2014

Hypertionb14_ESO wrote: »

Pmarsico9 wrote: »

Is Focused Aim better for PVE?

yes..

almost nothing in PvE will require or even have any benefit to the single target Heal Debuff from lethal. on the other hand the extreme range can be massively beneficial in some situations (like sniping the lamia during the serpant fight)

simply put, not enough actually does healing in PvE... no tough bosses, not anything really...

the only healers in this game are generally trash mobs or mobs that you can just interrupt to prevent the healing entirely.

Yes, but isn't Lethal Arrow unaffected by Armor and Focused Aim is?

It's rare to get access to abilities that aren't affected by armor as a Stamina DPS, isn't it?

Palidon · December 2014

I have played both Focus Aim and Lethal Arrow. I prefer Lethal Arrow. No matter which one you use it is essential that you use Animation Cancelling in PvP or PvE for that matter. It will do two to three times the damage. What I mean by that is I start off with Reapers Mark. Then start the Lethal Arrow Animation as it launches I cancel the animation by hitting the left mouse button to start a light attack then quickly hit my venom arrow key for a skill shot. You now have three arrows in flight to the target at the same time all doing their own damage. If the target is not down I repeat the sequence. It takes practice to get the sequence timing down. I do my practicing in The Rift against the Elephants and Giants. My DPS output depending if I get the timing just right can be between 2875 to 3460 verses 1650 with just a combo of Reapers Mark and Lethal Arrow.

kijima · December 2014

Is Focused Aim is better in PvE than it is in PvP? Yes it's better, but it's still not as good as Lethal Arrow.

Focused aim sucks hard in PvP fwiw.

Pmarsico9 · December 2014

kijima wrote: »

Is Focused Aim is better in PvE than it is in PvP? Yes it's better, but it's still not as good as Lethal Arrow.

Focused aim sucks hard in PvP fwiw.

Honestly, I'm sticking with Lethal Arrow, even for PVE, which is what I mainly do. The buff from FA isn't as massive a bonus for PVE because Lethal Arrow ignores armor. So the margins are tighter than you think.