If you are an archer and want to also be able to 1v1/join in the battles head on, make your secondary weapon a melee weapon. I for example use DW axes when people get close, and I do rather well(and this is against enemies from level 10 all the way to VR14)

Many players also use perma block builds. These types of players make heavy use of the block and cast mechanic, giving them both high offense and high defense. Your disorients, stuns, and whatever else, may not be working due to perma block builds, as blocking keeps you from getting stunned. Now, with the snares, idk why your snares would not be working. I seem to recall being snared whether I am blocking or not.

What is your build exactly? what class? I may be able to help, as I have extensive experience as an archer in ESO(played one since beta)

Sadly as lvl 29 you will be getting one-shotted most of the time, if not you will run out or resources to do anything in no time. Your best chance is as you mentioned sit on siege, and try to lvl up. You'll start getting competitive around vet7-8.

• As ppl above me mentioned NB archer is supposed to stay behind front lines, or gank ppl on horses, those types of builds don't have much survivabilty.
• And perma block means holding right mouse button all the time, since you can block-cast, which means use your abilities while blocking. It reduces dmg you take, and makes you immune to most ccs. Except for NB fear, consider lvling this skill (it's shadow skill line if I recall correctly)
• next thing is impenetrable trait on your armor, it reduces chance you will be critcally hit, which is huge part of staying alive in cyro (I know some ppl run without it, but it helps).
• If you want to stay alive for longer in face-to-face ecnounters try run magic NB build. But sniper is viable choice too.

Kumagoro wrote: »

Thank for replies guys!
@Lukeh
Hmm I am used to more soloish and less supportish archers in other rpgs and mmos I played. I still have a hope that ESO char build system may let me find something more survivable than what I have at the moment.

@Cody
1) Does 'perma block' mean anything but keeping right mouse button pressed whenever possible? Does that work without shield (with a bow, for example)?
2) I thought my build was pretty much described in the last paragraph of first post. Does it miss any info you need to give more detailed advice?
3) Yeah I considered lvling dual wield or 1h+shield as a close combat secondary but wanted to lvlup bow enough for snipe hoping that it will make my PvP life easier somehow. Well it did not.

1. Perma block is holding down block the entire battle while using your abilities. This is possible because of block casting, which allows players to use certain abilities while blocking. It's best done with a shield. Staves can do it with crushing shock, bows... not so well. Mainly due to the fact the main damage ability, snipe, is a channeled ability, and is therefore not able to be block casted.

2. Yes your build is described in the last paragraph. I just did not read it for whatever stupid reason I had in my head at the time. Path of darkness is pure garbage: do not use it, same with cripple. I know many NBs use it, but it is not very helpful overall. Instead, use Aspect of fear, which is one of the best CCs in the game. Another ability you should look into using is mark target if you are a ganker, as it allows you to do major damage against your enemies. combined with snipe, you will do MASSIVE amounts of damage.

3. As for your secondary: if you choose to go Shield or DW for your secondary, then there will be no need to use draining shot, as you will switch to a melee weapon when enemies get close. So if you go the above mentioned route, replace draining shot with another ability. My build is:

Bar1: Siphoning strikes, shades, mark target, focused aim, venom arrow. This is my bow line.
Bar2: Impale, siphoning strikes(morph I use is siphoning attacks) aspect of fear, rapid strikes, and Sparks. This is my DW line.

Attributes: 0 points into magicka, 20 points into health, 42 points into stamina.

I do relatively well with this build. I am not saying you should copy this build, this is just something for you to go off of. You could also go all LA with a magicka build, but based on your post, you want to go medium armor stamina build. If that's what you want to do, then do it. You don't have to use a magicka build if you don't want to. you can be successful without one.

Last thing, GET A MELEE WEAPON AS YOUR SECONDARY. you will be better off for it.

At the moment the ultimate choice is ok. For secondary melee bar i would suggest soul harvest. Eventually you should get fighters guild ultimate for bow bar as it increases weapon damage.

Kumagoro wrote: »

And when someone decides to kill me I do not get out of stun till my hp runs out.

Because of all that I can't stop having a feeling that there is something very important about ESO PvP mechanics that I am not aware of

You can use the ability 'break free' at any time to remove the stun(and fear, and knockdown, ans sleep...) from yourself. Default keybind for it is pressing right and left mouse buttons together(same as bashing), but you can map it to any key. It consumes a lot of stamina by default.

Kumagoro wrote: »

Sharee wrote: »

You can use the ability 'break free' at any time to remove the stun(and fear, and knockdown, ans sleep...) from yourself.

Wow, thanks. I was sure that I could only break free when UI shows up hint for doing that. If it works for any disable, that really explains A LOT.

You can break free any time and any cc providing you have enough stamina to do it, and it costs a lot of it. Generally ppl tend to break every cc on them, but sometimes it's worth to wait one that waste stam.