Last visit was: It is currently Fri Mar 29, 2024 8:21 am


All times are UTC - 5 hours




Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 7 posts ] 
Author Message
 Post subject: Making archery work
PostPosted: Thu May 01, 2014 9:06 pm 
User avatar

Joined: Wed Nov 06, 2013 7:06 am
Posts: 991
I've re-played a couple of adventures, trying out archery as a concept and its not working to well so far.

The speed cost of archery seems to be too high to be viable. Example (after drawing):
+2 Load Weapon
+5 Fire weapon (shortbow)
+2-4 Precise Aim or other 'useful' technique.

Making it 9+ ticks between attacks. The last couple of fights, I've fired twice...

An heirloom weapon will speed things up by one tick, but its still very slow compared to melee (even a Greatsword wielder makes more attacks; after techniques).

The combination of slow speed, reload and the cost of Precise Aim seems to kill it as being viable. Flintlocks at least have the advantage of 'shoot and dump' getting a couple of shots off before I have even fired my first arrow.

My feeling is that Shortbow and Longbow need their weapon speed lowered by one and Precise Aim needs to also be lowered to +1 (0) to even catch up to melee builds.

_________________
LARG; Astra Tonsoria Ursula val¤Dellanov, Martial Former Tribune, Centurion Sword Sage II, T3.4
LA:5E; Magdelene of Ostermann, Dark-kin Courtesan Rog3(Bard)/HC2 (future twilight warrior)
LRC:OP; Seraphina "Flowerchild" Amakiir, Skill Hero


Top
Offline Profile  
 
 Post subject: Re: Making archery work
PostPosted: Thu May 01, 2014 9:11 pm 
User avatar

Joined: Fri Sep 27, 2013 10:47 am
Posts: 2493
Location: Central Alberta
There are two methods of speeding this up in Codex of Heroes: a talent and a martial technique. Look up Rapid Shot and Quick Reload.

_________________
Cody Bergman
Legends of Arcanis Campaign Staff
Initial Author Contact/Adventure Vetting

Haakon Marcus val'Virdan, Divine Holy Judge of Nier
Ruma val'Vasik, Martial Crusader and Master of the Spear
Jorma Osterman, Arcane Coryani Battlemage


Top
Offline Profile  
 
 Post subject: Re: Making archery work
PostPosted: Fri May 02, 2014 6:19 am 
User avatar

Joined: Fri Sep 27, 2013 1:06 am
Posts: 2109
Location: Portland OR
What Cody said.

The biggest advantage of "archery" is that you'll never waste time moving up to your foe. Your "reach" is extraordinary.

With an heirloom shortbow bow and the right talents you'll be attacking every 4-6 ticks...and the adversaries will generally have to waste time trying to get to you. I believe its viable.

_________________
Eric Gorman

AKA Ambassador Tukufu, man of letters, tomb raider and Master Sword Sage
. . . and Sir Szymon val'Holryn, Order of the Phoenix
Formerly Sir Jaeger val'Holryn. Weilder of the Holy Avenger: Thonanos. Gave his soul to help free King Noen


Top
Offline Profile  
 
 Post subject: Re: Making archery work
PostPosted: Fri May 02, 2014 12:30 pm 
User avatar

Joined: Thu Oct 03, 2013 8:01 am
Posts: 327
I agree with Cody & Eric. My wife plays an archer. And her PC does pretty well in combat (...so long as the bad guys don't find their way into the backfield to mess with her or the casters. Even then, incidental movement still allows the character to hold her own, if just a tick or two slower than usual.) Not only that, but as soon as we enter a combat where the opponent(s) can fly, it's her time to shine. Us melee combatants who carry around a ranged weapon for emergencies lose a lot of effectiveness when we can't use our preferred weapon.

Scott


Top
Offline Profile  
 
 Post subject: Re: Making archery work
PostPosted: Fri May 02, 2014 12:33 pm 
User avatar

Joined: Fri Sep 27, 2013 10:47 am
Posts: 2493
Location: Central Alberta
My fiancee also plays an archer, and I don't think she's ever been accused of being ineffective in that role. Hell, as an Expert-Archer she is only marginally less effective in melee, which means she is merely average there while still being pretty darned good at archery.

Now, if only she could roll above a 12. . . ;)

_________________
Cody Bergman
Legends of Arcanis Campaign Staff
Initial Author Contact/Adventure Vetting

Haakon Marcus val'Virdan, Divine Holy Judge of Nier
Ruma val'Vasik, Martial Crusader and Master of the Spear
Jorma Osterman, Arcane Coryani Battlemage


Top
Offline Profile  
 
 Post subject: Re: Making archery work
PostPosted: Fri May 02, 2014 2:03 pm 

Joined: Sat Oct 05, 2013 12:46 pm
Posts: 1353
My wife also plays an archer as her secondary and it worked out pretty well. The incidental movement can be killer. I'm starting to believe that Lunge is a must have for melee types, especially ones without Quick. Even at a Pace of 20, Lunge gives you 10' of movement for +1 speed and 2 recovery. Often though that's not enough to cover the battlefield. Opponents don't even have to be flying. I've seen enough opponents on balconies, up stairs, around a switch back etc. to see the definite value in ranged combat. My primary just isn't built for it at the moment.

I'm currently toying with a build that would be either bowman or light spear with air rune and gauntlet. Bowman has the advantage of only needing 2 skills to keep up (archery and unarmed) while light spear ends up being 3 (pole-arm, thrown and unarmed). You could even throw in a bit of variation if you added the cestus to the mix on the hand holding the bow.

The Flos de Macto fighting style looks cool as well, but it doesn't leave a free hand and I expect it's well represented at the moment. From my perspective it's one of the nicer fighting styles.

One thing to keep in mind at least for Martial archers is that you can take Rapid Shot as your archetype martial technique without having quick draw and without needing to wait to have 5 ranks in the weapon before gaining. Saving a talent and starting with it could certainly be a boost.

With a sweep of his hat,

Paul


Top
Offline Profile  
 
 Post subject: Re: Making archery work
PostPosted: Fri May 02, 2014 7:35 pm 
User avatar

Joined: Wed Nov 06, 2013 7:06 am
Posts: 991
val Holryn wrote:
With an heirloom shortbow bow and the right talents you'll be attacking every 4-6 ticks...and the adversaries will generally have to waste time trying to get to you. I believe its viable.


I presume you're not shooting into melee then. The +2 from Careful Aim is just murder on the firing rates.

The tick saving from having the talents (which cost a few talents to start) doesn't really help once everyone is in melee.

_________________
LARG; Astra Tonsoria Ursula val¤Dellanov, Martial Former Tribune, Centurion Sword Sage II, T3.4
LA:5E; Magdelene of Ostermann, Dark-kin Courtesan Rog3(Bard)/HC2 (future twilight warrior)
LRC:OP; Seraphina "Flowerchild" Amakiir, Skill Hero


Top
Offline Profile  
 
Display posts from previous:  Sort by  
Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 7 posts ]  Moderators: james.zwiers, PCI Eric

All times are UTC - 5 hours


Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 10 guests


You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot post attachments in this forum

Search for:
Jump to:  
Powered by phpBB © 2000, 2002, 2005, 2007 phpBB Group
Theme created StylerBB.net & kodeki