A player reborn, and in dire need of help

[JessTheRed]

Hello forums! First time posting here.
(I'd like to apologize for my english beforehand. It's not my native language and I'm bound to make mistakes, so please, bear with me.)

First of all my main class is and will always be the LNC/DRG. Recently, though, I switched to ARC/BRD so I could play with a friend who's also returning now. We've been leveling together and are both about level 25 right now. And here is where it gets nasty.

I'm feeling weak as an archer. I feel like I don't do damage or don't contribute enough to dungeon runs or primal runs (even though I've only done one really).
As a LNC/DRG, I can burst stuff right off my first rotation. Now, I understand that ARC/BRD is about sustained damage, but still... Is there anything a poor level 25 archer can do to step her damage up? Be it by getting better equipment or by improving my personal skills (which are kiiiiinda lacking right now, I'll admit)?

Thanks in advance for your help!

[Ryzue]

Bards do some serious dmg at higher levels, your only level 25 too. Get to 50 and get your ilvl 90 gear (at least) with your accessories. You won't be dissappointed.

[Spoekes]

While leveling Archer/Bard, I was always under the impression they do viable damage compared to the other DPS.

Some basic advice:

• Keep your 2 dots up (second dot will come at level 30)
• Keep Straight Shot buff up for buffed crit chance
• Use Bloodletter on CooldDwn (you can macro your offensive actions to also use Bloodletter - but it's by no means nessecary)
  Edit: Try to Weave it between your Skills that invoke the Global Cooldown, as it not on GCD.
  If you choose to macro it, make sure it is beeing executed after the other action to be most efficient.
• Try to stack your offensive Buffs if possible, don't be too sparing with the CoolDowns
• Use Repelling Shot offensive, try to use it on CoolDown
  Edit: Like Bloodletter, try to weave it between your Skills that invoke GCD.

Other than that, have fun

[Maduro]

Spoekes pretty much nailed it.

Once you get Windbite at 30 it will pick up a little bit. Make sure you have Blood for Blood and Internal Release crossed. Unless something is almost dead, use your buffs. There is really no reason to save them.

For low level dungeons just watch out popping all cooldowns right away, because you will pull hate from the tank.

[JessTheRed]

Thanks guys!
I just got home from work and will try these tips right away!
I also put some thought to it and I came to the conclusion that I also need is to separate DRGs from BRD, since they do deal different types of damage.

Oh well, thanks again!

[Camalott]

All jobs really suck at low level when you already have a high level in your back pocket. I mean, they're kind of exciting for the first 15 levels or so when you're leveling fast. Then you hit the 20's and things start to slow down. You have a fraction of your traits and abilities, it's kind of dismal.

Know that it does pick up. I recently took BRD up to 50 while having MNK in my back pocket. It wasn't until around Lvl30 that things started to pick up. Then again around 40.

[whiskeybravo]

Actually BRD and DRG feel pretty similar to me, keep up your normal rotation and use the off-GCD moves like repelling, bloodletter, shadowbind, blunt arrow, flaming arrow in between your action cooldown for max damage. Internal release is a short CD, as is barrage and to a lesser extent blood for blood and Hawk's Eye.

And it's not so much that DRG and BRD deal different types of damage, I think it's actually the same piercing/physical damage. Bard's weapon damage is much lower than the other classes, which I guess is supposed to balance with their mobility. They are mainly sustained damage but don't underestimate their burst

[JessTheRed]

What I meant by different types of damage, whiskeybravo, refered to DRGs being the burst damage dealers and BRDs being the sustained damage dealers. But yes, both do pierce damage.
Also, Camalott, I was comparing the two classes at the same level. I've been leveling a DRG for solo play (a class I have A LOT of experience with) and a BRD (which is new to me) to play with a friend of mine. At the time of my first post, both were at level 25 and the damage I was dealing with the DRG was brutally higher than the damage I was dealing with the BRD. In fact, their levels are DRG 28 \ BRD 26 and the damage still is insanely different.

Now, I'm not saying it's a bad class/job. It's just that it feels strange to me. As many are saying, I'll have to level it up to 50 first. I think that's the best way to come to reasonable conclusions.

[Camalott]

snip

Sorry, I didn't clarify. My original comments were more targeted towards pacing and not damage numbers. When you stated that you had a lot of experience with DRG, I had assumed you meant endgame. My fault.

When I was leveling my DRG for Blood for Blood, I noticed that I was doing a lot more damage than most others around me up until around level 30. It started to shift after that.

Like you, I should go level DRG before I come to any more conclusions or assumptions. I have the BRD component and I can say that things really didn't start picking up for me (in the damage arena) until I hit around the late 30's and got Barrage. That's when I noticed some kind of pickup.

[JessTheRed]

It's much your fault as it's mine, really, since I wasn't really clear either. I played the game before and I do have some endgame experience, although I'd say it counts to almost nothing since I haven't played since march.
BUT! I was indeed comparing both of the classes at level 25. I didn't let my endgame experience cloud my judgement, that would be simply wrong. xD
But yes, let us both level up our classes and compare our experiences after!