Carraway's Guide to the New Archer: 1.18 and Beyond

[carraway]

My point is doing a fully buffed light shot, with or without BR is always going to be better than trying to get in a few more unbuffed light shots. So doing that twice as much as you are doing now(according to your guide at least) seems like the better thing to focus on.

1. Always keep Trifurcate on cooldown.
- If Trifurcating, always use at least Raging Strike II, Hawk's Eye, and all other buffs if possible.
2. Always keep Multishot on cooldown.
- If Multishotting, always use at least Raging Strike II.
3. Always keep Light Shot on cooldown.

So, yeah, I actually did state the importance of buffing your 2-arrow shots.

[Murugan]

So, yeah, I actually did state the importance of buffing your 2-arrow shots.

When I say 2x multishot I mean 3 arrow shots as in I use multishot twice when I have all buffs available. Sorry I thought that was clear.

[Murugan]

1. Always keep all of your AoE WSs on cooldown, prioritizing Leg Sweep against non-flying targets then Wide Volley II then Brandish II/Heavy Trammel/etc.

I used Brandish II for a while, but I find that Arrow Helix actually does better damage (however it has a blindspot close to the archer so you have to step away before using it if you have aggro).

[carraway]

I used Brandish II for a while, but I find that Arrow Helix actually does better damage (however it has a blindspot close to the archer so you have to step away before using it if you have aggro).

I do need to edit that part of the guide, as I've also found Brandish II to be a waste. So far our archers are pushing the most damage on Batraal while putting the least burden on healers by rotating 2-arrow Light Shot / Heavy Trammel / Wide Volley II / Leg Sweep. We save our fully buffed Trifurcates / 3-arrow Multishots for Batraal himself.

As for this 2-arrow buffed Multishot vs. 3-arrow buffed Multishot discussion, let's consider a hypothetical 1-minute section cut out from an ogre fight ending with a Trifurcate, not counting WSs which can be slotted wherever:

2-arrow buffed Multishots
0s: Light Shot
0.5s: Ferocity II
1s: Multishot
3.5s: 2-arrow Light Shot
7.0s: Light Shot
10.5s: Light Shot
14s: Light Shot
16s: Multishot
17s: Raging Strike II
17.5s: 2-arrow Light Shot
21s: Light Shot
24.5s: Light Shot
28s: Light Shot
31s: Multishot
31.5s: 2-arrow Light Shot
35s: Light Shot
38.5s: Light Shot
42s: Light Shot
45.5s: Light Shot
46s: Multishot
(Hold Raging Strike II for Trifurcate CD)
49s: 2-arrow Light Shot
52.5s: Light Shot
56s: Light Shot
58.5s: Raging Strike II
59s: Trifurcate
59.5s: 3-arrow Light Shot

3-arrow buffed Multishots
0s: Light Shot
1s: Multishot
3.5s: x
7.0s: x
10.5s: x
14s: x
16s: Multishot
17s: Raging Strike II
17.5s: 3-arrow Light Shot
21s: Light Shot
24.5s: Light Shot
28s: Light Shot
31s: Multishot
31.5s: x
35s: x
38.5s: x
42s: x
45.5s: x
46s: Multishot
46.5s: Raging Strike II
49s: 3-arrow Light Shot
52.5s: Light Shot
56s: Light Shot
58.5s: Ferocity II
59s: Trifurcate
59.5s: 3-arrow Light Shot

Again, just an illustrative example. In a real-world situation, you're firing off WSs in place of Light Shots every once in a while, but what I'm trying to show is that if you're consistently holding Light Shot, you have to rely entirely on Heavy Shot (which does less damage) and WSs -- but if you're just using Heavy Shot, you're not generating enough net positive TP to fuel non-stop WSs every other 15-second period. Feel free to provide your own math, but consider that, in addition to trading 9 regular Light Shots (~60 damage x 9 = 540, not counting crits) for 2 fully buffed Light Shots (~250 non-crit x 2 = 500 or ~280 crit x2 = 560 or ~265 avg x 2 = 530), you're also sacrificing the TP gains from continuous Light Shot usage.

And if you're suggesting on slipping on single-buffs to fully, completely, wholly buff every 3-arrow shot with Cadence, Ferocity II, Hawk's Eye, Blindside II, Raging Strike II, etc., that's an insane amount of DPS uptime lost to buff animations.

---

That being said, Murderous Intent is a pretty awesome buff, especially with Axemanship for higher uptime. The crit gains are definitely noticeable over time.

[NoctisUmbra]

As far as Murderous Intent goes, I'll give it another look and see how it works for me.

Buffs however, as I listed them, do not take 6 seconds. I listed 4 buffs which I have in a macro with a wait time of 1 second between each buff in the macro. 3 '/wait 1' commands between 4 buffs accounts for 3 seconds. The animations themselves are cancelled by the following buff, and the final buff's animation cancelled by the actual shot. Throw in the actual Trifurcate buff for maybe another second or 2 depending on how you have your macros set and unless you have exceptional server lag it should take 4-5 seconds tops. You would have to have a buff in the macro not go through due to lag or something, requiring you to hit the macro again, to cause you 2-3 more seconds of downtime tops. Worst case scenario you're looking at 9 seconds to buff. Worst case scenario. Multishot is 15 seconds cooldown. Still not worth it holding out for it.

Also Murugan, 15s/4.5s is wrong. Verdant is 3.5s. Crab is 4s. Heck the slow one, Uldahn Longbow, is 4.2s. With Crab and Verdant, the 2 most widely used bows, you'll get closer to 4 shots in each time. Based on you saying the extra buffed shot doing up to 300 damage on Ogre, 300/4 = 75. 70+ is perhaps an argument, not 90+. When damage is that close, I prefer the route of more shots and buffed shots as they become available. Greater TP gain and crit chance.

[Murugan]

I do need to edit that part of the guide, as I've also found Brandish II to be a waste. So far our archers are pushing the most damage on Batraal while putting the least burden on healers by rotating 2-arrow Light Shot / Heavy Trammel / Wide Volley II / Leg Sweep. We save our fully buffed Trifurcates / 3-arrow Multishots for Batraal himself.

As for this 2-arrow buffed Multishot vs. 3-arrow buffed Multishot discussion, let's consider a hypothetical 1-minute section cut out from an ogre fight ending with a Trifurcate, not counting WSs which can be slotted wherever:

2-arrow buffed Multishots
0s: Light Shot
0.5s: Ferocity II
1s: Multishot
3.5s: 2-arrow Light Shot
7.0s: Light Shot
10.5s: Light Shot
14s: Light Shot
16s: Multishot
17s: Raging Strike II
17.5s: 2-arrow Light Shot
21s: Light Shot
24.5s: Light Shot
28s: Light Shot
31s: Multishot
31.5s: 2-arrow Light Shot
35s: Light Shot
38.5s: Light Shot
42s: Light Shot
45.5s: Light Shot
46s: Multishot
(Hold Raging Strike II for Trifurcate CD)
49s: 2-arrow Light Shot
52.5s: Light Shot
56s: Light Shot
58.5s: Raging Strike II
59s: Trifurcate
59.5s: 3-arrow Light Shot

3-arrow buffed Multishots
0s: Light Shot
1s: Multishot
3.5s: x
7.0s: x
10.5s: x
14s: x
16s: Multishot
17s: Raging Strike II
17.5s: 3-arrow Light Shot
21s: Light Shot
24.5s: Light Shot
28s: Light Shot
31s: Multishot
31.5s: x
35s: x
38.5s: x
42s: x
45.5s: x
46s: Multishot
46.5s: Raging Strike II
49s: 3-arrow Light Shot
52.5s: Light Shot
56s: Light Shot
58.5s: Ferocity II
59s: Trifurcate
59.5s: 3-arrow Light Shot

Again, just an illustrative example. In a real-world situation, you're firing off WSs in place of Light Shots every once in a while, but what I'm trying to show is that if you're consistently holding Light Shot, you have to rely entirely on Heavy Shot (which does less damage) and WSs -- but if you're just using Heavy Shot, you're not generating enough net positive TP to fuel non-stop WSs every other 15-second period. Feel free to provide your own math, but consider that, in addition to trading 9 regular Light Shots (~60 damage x 9 = 540, not counting crits) for 2 fully buffed Light Shots (~250 non-crit x 2 = 500 or ~280 crit x2 = 560 or ~265 avg x 2 = 530), you're also sacrificing the TP gains from continuous Light Shot usage.

And if you're suggesting on slipping on single-buffs to fully, completely, wholly buff every 3-arrow shot with Cadence, Ferocity II, Hawk's Eye, Blindside II, Raging Strike II, etc., that's an insane amount of DPS uptime lost to buff animations.

---

That being said, Murderous Intent is a pretty awesome buff, especially with Axemanship for higher uptime. The crit gains are definitely noticeable over time.

You aren't understanding me at all let me show you my aproximate solo breakdown for Ogre keeping track of how much more damage total I am doing by doing it this way:

End Cutscene
0:00Multi Shot
0:01Heavy Shot
0:02Invigorate
0:08Quelling Strike+Raging Strike
0:15:Multi Shot
0:15Light Shot
0:16Bloodletter
0:17Chameleon
0:19Light Shot
0:22 Skull Sunder
0:24 Light Shot
0:28 Light Shot
0:30 Multi Shot
0:33 Light Shot
0:34 Trifurcate
0:35-0:38 Ferocity+Cadence+Murderous Intent+Keen Flurry+Blind Side II
0:39 enter BR/Light Shot/Fire BR 270-300 dmgx3
0:42Heavy Shot
0:43Light Shot
0:44Bloodletter
0:45Skull Sunder
0:47Light Shot
0:52 Light shot
0:56 Light Shot
1:00 Multishot
1:01 Light Shot
1:03 Invigorate
1:05 Light Shot
1:10 Light Shot
1:12 Heavy Shot
1:13 Bloodletter
1:15 Light Shot
1:16 Multishot
1:18 Skull Sunder
1:19 Raging Strikes
1:20 Light Shot
1:25 Light Shot
1:29 Light Shot
1:33 Light Shot
1:34 Multi Shot
1:36 Bloodletter
1:38 ***MISSED LIGHT SHOT OH NO AHHHHHH!!!! -50 Damage for me!**
1:42 Heavy Shot
1:43 ****Missed Light Shot Oh NO AHHHH!!!! (-100 Damage Total)
1:44-48 Ferocity+Cadence+Murderous Intent+Keen Flurry+Blind Side II
1:47 **** MIssed Light Shot AHHHHH (-150 Damage Total)
1:49 Multishot
1:49 enter br/light shot/Fire BR 270-300 dmgx3 (+150 Damage Total)
etc. etc.
2:34 Multi Shot
2:36 Bloodletter
2:37 Heavy Shot
2:38 Skull Sunder
2:39 Missed Light AHHHHHH**** (+100 Damage Total)
2:42-48 Ferocity+Cadence+Murderous Intent+Keen Flurry+Blind Side II
2:43 Missed Light AHHHHH *** (+50 Damage Total)
2:48 Missed Light Shot AHHHH **** (+0 Damage Total)
2:49 Multishot
2:49 enter/light shot/Fire BR 270-300 dmgx3 (+300 Damage Total)
etc.
2:54 Trifurcate+ Raging Strike= an extra ~150 you are missing (+450 Damage Total)
3:30 (this is where your fights end) Total Damage gained by doing an extra burst over 450 Damage

In a fight lasting longer than 3:56 minutes it would be (~+500-700) Damage depending on the exact time it ended.

Don't take my word for it, try it and parse it. You'll see an improvement in your Light Shot Damage proportion of Total Damage (which as you pointed out generally means that you are doing more damage overall). This is also an approximate break down I play by feel more than actually breaking down my "rotation" down so much, but in order to explain to you I thought this would be the best way.


Also I am being generous as I don't think everyone, including myself is hitting every single light shot anyways at exactly its refresh 100% of the time (especially when buffs are involved), and I'm also not counting all the damage you are missing in your example above by only buffing with Raging Strike and neglecting Ferocity/Murderous Intent/Cadence/Keen Flurry/Blind Side II for 1:15 of every Trifurcate refresh.

Of course I try and do BR's while they are still in the game (because I enjoy them more than anything) in which case it is a much larger difference in Damage. It is also makes for a much more pronounced difference on mobs not as physically tough as Ogre.

To recap when buffing multix2:

-I do light shot right before the first multi shot
-I only miss 3 Light Shots (missing 150 damage)
-I use at least 2 Weapon Skills while waiting for multi to refresh
-I gain 250-300 Damage from an extra buffed Shot
-I gain an extra Raging Strike buffed shot with 2nd+ Trifurcate giving me another extra 90-150 Damage


I'll take burst focus over sustained DD method for Archer any day with or without BR (though with BR it is an absolute necessity for good damage capable of creating at least 1,000+ extra damage)

• It is more versatile (easier to control where and when your damage goes, and less susceptible to mob buffs)
• It is always capable of more overall damage(except for a very small window in fights w/o BR lasting less than 2:30 seconds where it is "maybe" similar but never worse)

[Penguin]

Since you are 100% certain Murugan can you parse a non BR ogre or fraps it as i asked earlier, make sure you know when the group 1st engaged the ogre and when he died and calculate the dps.

As i said i tried the same way you are doing it and after switching my rotation to a more lightshot focused rotation my damage increased alot although i would like to test a more perfected version of buffing trifurcate fully to see the difference in my current rotation.

[carraway]

If you're not doing BRs, buffing a 2-arrow Multishot is better than waiting for another Multishot cooldown unless you have enough TP to WS for 15 seconds straight.

[Murugan]

If you're not doing BRs, buffing a 2-arrow Multishot is better than waiting for another Multishot cooldown unless you have enough TP to WS for 15 seconds straight.

How do you buff 6 times in 0 seconds? I broke down exactly what I do in my post above.

Also during Ogre I get 300 max per shot outside of BR when fully buffed, if your 3 unbuffed light shots=300 damage then I want to know what you are doing differently than me.

[NoctisUmbra]

I buff my Trifurcate with Raging2, Blindside2, Ferocity2 and Hawk's Eye. This entire buffing process takes no more than 3-4 seconds as I run a macro for it.

Light Shot CD is 4 seconds on a Crab Bow.

I'd prefer to nick off a second or 2 tops from my Light Shot cooldown due to buffing taking so long rather than give myself a forced 15 second window to get my buffs straight by preferring to buff 2x Multishots.

I hit Multishot on cooldown to nock an arrow and I buff it with Raging every other cycle (MS: 15s, Raging: 30s). The other buffs are primarily on a 1 min timer, and thus I save them for Trifurcates.

This way I am firing off single buffed double shots at each available time, as well as fully buffed triple shots as they become available.

From what I understand, Carraway is trying to say most of Archer's DPS comes from Light Shot as opposed to Weaponskills.

Bloodletter is all about the 500 end damage. The DoT is not something to write home about. It's a bonus. 1-2 Light Shots do more damage than it does total. Weaponskills in general, with their cooldowns and TP requirements, will not outdamage keeping Light Shot firing every cooldown.

Let's also not forget you are typically not alone in a team. If there's another Archer, you can't take sole credit for Bloodletter. Bloodletter is a skill that needs to be managed by all Archers in the party either by selecting a designated user or by coordinated use. Skull Sunder II is spammed like no other by DoW DPS in any competent party. Also not something an Archer takes credit for.