Archers - New Tips and Tricks

I know there has been a lot of negativity surrounding archer after 1.18 patch; however I want to flip the coin on this thread and would like to ask players that are still playing the archer class to post here any kinds of tips and tricks regarding the archer class. Like many, I was disappointed when I first heard a couple of weeks back that archers are getting nerfed, but I don’t think all is lost, its all about finding new ways to play the class. I mean yes there were very evident downsides that came up like multishot nerf, but really when you think about it, by adding delay on multishot, archers are forced to pace themselves when doing damage; sure you can’t spam multishot as much as you used to but in some ways it forces you not to rely on it too much. You can still alt it with Trifurcate as an example.

Again the purpose of this thread is for players that have passion for Archers like myself to post any new tips and tricks on playing this class after the 1.18 patch. I would like to see what kind of new skill combos you guys come up with vs NMs, solo play or grind party setup.

Right now I found that Multishot (2 arrows) + Raging Strike (I or II) + Bloodbath + Foeseeker is awesome for soloing R40 levequests at 3 stars

Yeah the nerf is no big deal, along with new hate calculations damage will have to be placed accrodingly. Also with growing challenges and harder mobs you don't want to go all out and get yourself killed. Multishot recast is not the end of the world and also the auto-attack punch is a good amount of damage as well. Here is the new damage burst for finishing off a mob: lock target > multishot > run in punch > run out light shot > bloodletter > trifurcate > light shot > barrage (depending on if you use ferocity or raging strike on trifurcate) or even if you didn't get 1500TP use multishot > foeseeker. Basically utilize all abilities now, rather then multishot and quick knock. Bloodletter still owns and now owns even more.

I have a feeling a single Multishot + Light Shot macro will be essential to use every 15 seconds in a fight now.

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Originally Posted by Capita

I have a feeling a single Multishot + Light Shot macro will be essential to use every 15 seconds in a fight now.

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I was thinking about tryong exactly this. Using only one multishot with raging strike...and the 2 multishots only when i happen to have time. With the acc increase i barely miss shots now so 2 arrows with raging might offer an overall better DPS then the 2 multishots + raging from before.

if you use macro's on archers your just garbage this is my setup for the dungeon this is in order of the my actions
i hope this comes out looking good

Action Bar11Lightshot 2multishot 3secondwind 4trammel 5heavytrammel 6puncture 7doomspike 8bloodletter 9ragingstrike 0ferocity

Bar2 1Heavyshot 2Trifurcate 3sacrifice/2 4cure2 5refill -_-' 6siphon-to 7invigorate 8foeseeker 9quickstride 0hawkseye

Bar31Closeshot 2raise/resurect 4gravity 6flashfreeze 7wideshot 8barrage 0punishing barbs

now i have some stuff mixed up here but the key is to have simlar archer actions under that way u get speed in the action bar also using heavy shot is just a icing for an extra attack every 30secs an as well as closeshot anything that can boost alittle bit of TP is good for archers now trifurcate is in bar 2 under multishot since it will only be used every 120secs when i dont have everything setup in proper spots just those are the actions u need to have good TP an attack i also have lancer 500tp moves they do great piercing damage which is an added effect to the attacks with an arrow its really good an also causes heavy on some mobs heavy effects what moves the mob can use like uraeus no body slam moves umm yea just learn to cycle those moves an you will be very happy as an archer :)

I've still been running with Multi x2 buffed shots. Raging is 30 seconds, 2 Multis are (more or less) 30 seconds. It's worth saving for.

Bloodletter as first WS, Barrage if you have buffs for it, Twisting Vice/filler damage WS otherwise or save TP.
Though I spend time between steps casting Siphon spells or topping off HP. Try to get Second Wind2 from PGL, will probably be worth using.

I have been using Skull Sunder II as my "filler" WS lately if waiting on Bloodletter or Barrage. Very low TP usage and nice to be able to put up 2 DoTs using WS on Archer. But, if I see someone else has put Skull Sunder up already, I usually will fire off a Twisting Vice.

SW2 is a very good idea. Boosted my self heals by about 200+

Would like to add that 1-Multi Foeseeker isn't too bad between Bloodletters.

I dont c anyone use macro here. Here is what i do to act effeectly and fast in battle.
Put most of usefull skill which have CD on bar 1, so u can monitor it, use right after it's rdy, like multi, triff, RS , qua-s, cham( with new enmity system u will use them a lot).
Set macro for WS, heal, buff.... Like ctl1 mult, ctl2 heal myself , alt1 bloodletter, alt2 bl bath.
Those r the example, bar1 to check CD of skill macro to use it, u will never need to scroll down to bar2 and u can act faster too

Has anyone tried equiping Close Shot and rotating it with Light Shot? On paper, should be able to attack every 2 seconds or so right?

Believe someone was saying they share their cooldown now.

ah, makes sense. Was actually hoping they did so I wouldn't have to mess with it :)

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Originally Posted by Scape

Has anyone tried equiping Close Shot and rotating it with Light Shot? On paper, should be able to attack every 2 seconds or so right?

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I have, they share the same timer.

One tip I've noticed. If you do multishot you can fire a heavy shot without shooting the stacked arrow. So I do Multishot , heavy shot, multishot, light shot. That way you still get 3 arrows stacked and dont waste as much time waiting.

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Originally Posted by Ruri

One tip I've noticed. If you do multishot you can fire a heavy shot without shooting the stacked arrow. So I do Multishot , heavy shot, multishot, light shot. That way you still get 3 arrows stacked and dont waste as much time waiting.

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It takes only one second to fire heavy shot, multishot is still on 15 second CD, what are you doing for 14 seconds?????

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Originally Posted by Nemo5990

if you use macro's on archers your just garbage

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^ All aboard the fail train! Choo-choo!

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Originally Posted by Belial

It takes only one second to fire heavy shot, multishot is still on 15 second CD, what are you doing for 14 seconds?????

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Buffing self, debuffing mob with spells/abilities.

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Quote Originally Posted by Nemo5990 View Post
if you use macro's on archers your just garbage

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^ All aboard the fail train! Choo-choo!

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Really? I use a handful of macros on a regular basis.

Using a controller means that it's very easy to trigger the macro bars and pick something.

I can understand the need being reduced if you're keyb + mouse as you can navigate pretty well, but to call ARC's that use macro's "garbage" or "fail" suggests you're quite inflexible in how your job can be played. As they say, "there's more than one way to skin a cat". None of those methods are necessarily better than another, just different.

I never have 3 nocked arrows unless I saved them prior to engaging or I used Trifurcate mid-battle. It's not worth nocking 3 arrows if you have to wait 30 seconds.

Fire off double shots after each multishot cooldown buffed with raging strike. Fire off buffed triple shots after each Trifurcate cooldown.

Other than that mainly use Bloodletter whenever it is not up to ensure the DoT stays up as much as possible and the final 500 dmg is dealt without the DoT being refreshed. Open a long, boss fight with this WS buffed with Quelling Strike II.

Stick on a Skull Sunder II DoT as well if a MRD is not present.

Use Invigorate II and Siphon TP every cooldown to supplement TP building.

Generally buff Barrage with Ferocity II + Hawk's Eye when you have saved up a large quantity of TP. Try to always use Quelling Strike II for this.

Occasionally use Foeseeker, most of the time following a Multishot nock for extra effectivity if Bloodletter DoT is still in effect.

Wide Volley II as AOE for multiple enemy mobs.

Accomplice + Chameleon to assist in lowering the hate generated by your mages and your own.


A different approach, if you do not like using multishot solely for double shots, is to fight as Archer at mid-range and use Close Shot as your main basic attack instead of Light Shot as you nock arrows. I have not tried this personally, however it apparently does not remove nocked arrows, thus allowing you to save them for a buffed triple shot every 30 seconds.

DO NOT attempt to use Multishot to nock 3 arrows while fighting at full range and simply waiting to nock them. The damage is not worth waiting for.


P.S. Archer was NOT nerfed at all with 1.18. It was simply changed, which is no big deal as every other class went through much greater changes. Overall Archer's utility as a DD has increased even more with the exclusivity of Bloodletter and the lack of stamina costs for skills like Invigorate and Trifurcate.