cRPG

cRPG => Beginner's Help and Guides => Topic started by: Screaming Idiot on July 10, 2014, 04:53:59 am

Title: Is XBow finally viable again?
Post by: Screaming Idiot on July 10, 2014, 04:53:59 am
Been seeing a lot of Xbow users on NA1. Is it finally viable again? If so, can anyone suggest some builds they have seen in use or think would work?
Archery is nice and all, but you can only get so much shooty shooty pew pew before you begin craving that true marksmanship again. XBow/Shield hybrids also welcome.
Title: Re: Is XBow finally viable again?
Post by: WITCHCRAFT on July 10, 2014, 06:24:47 am
Xbow has higher requirements than it used to, but it is still more viable as a hybrid class than archer. No PD skill points to invest, and WPF doesn't increase damage so splitting WPF doesn't gimp you as much. My current (level 30) xbow gen is:

12 Strength
27 Agility

4 Power Strike
1 Ironflesh
9 Athletics
9 Weapons Master

115 1H
170 Crossbow

I use the regular xbow. Arbalest at 18 strength limits your build beyond crossbow skills, but heavy xbow and regular xbow allow a lot of melee hybridization. I could have gone 12/24 with plenty of points to use in IF and shield. I prefer a little extra wpf and lots of movespeed so you can seek cover to reload. A regular crossbow will never have the long-range accuracy a bow can achieve, but you are trading that for melee skills. No matter your build you will always face melee eventually so I feel that the dip into those skills helps you a lot. You can also grab decent armor and 1H weapons if you have a crossbow instead of an arbalest. Lower repair cost is a great perk.
Title: Re: Is XBow finally viable again?
Post by: Huscarlton_Banks on July 10, 2014, 10:11:32 am
I'd recommend figuring out which xbow you like to use before building one out.

All of the builds below have max accuracy if you have 0 armor penalty and stick with the WPF guidelines.

These are just 31/32 -> retire builds, builds planned on going 34 or above require a bit more min-max planning since they can actually use arbs at max accuracy + melee decently.
(click to show/hide)
(click to show/hide)
(click to show/hide)
(click to show/hide)
(click to show/hide)