Give archers some of their melee power back!

[Torost]

just make a 0slot weapon that is not totally useless and archers will risk the meleefight.
Most archers suck at meleefighting, poor blockingskills, low armour, and no points in PS or 1 hand wpf.  The current weapons do practically no damage to opponent unless they are facing peasants. Low range is fine, low speed is fine, but the shitty damage makes them only good for blocking while fleeing.

[Bobthehero]

A new 0 slot weapon would not change shit, most archer using a hammer will just block a hit or two and then run away.

[Gurnisson]

No thanks. Having been an archer/xbow for most of my warband career (native and crpg), I know that I prefer low risk/high reward over high risk/high reward, and most of the good ranged my old friends feel the same. The ones who run to shoot now, would still do it, at least the majority. If you couldn't run with rus bow or long bow you would see even more mw horn bow + mw bodkin guys. They would machine gun as much as they could with the run-and-shoot tactic, even though they would be a tad slower, before you could reach them. When you reach them they would pull out one of the better melee weapons in the game, which would be a tad more annoying than the hammer/langes etc.

I don't think this would fix it, because it's more of a mentality problem.

[Bobthehero]

Low risk high reward is wrong IMO.

[owens]

ask an australian player about the melle skills of geoff_the_clever


1 IF 3 PS  and he reps fine

[Bobthehero]

Autralia is irrelevant.

[LordRichrich]

Templar_Parre...
Me when I was an archer
... All the Templars with archer alts
I mean really, the whole point of 0 slot weaps is to block not fight. Archers have low PS but can move pretty fast, take a military sickle with 70 2h wpf. If you're good and have atleast 4 PS you can take the langes messer. alteratively, pick up a weapon from the battle field. Drop your bow, kill the guy in melee then go pick your shit back up
Archers are ranged, they shouldn't have higher melee capability than they already do

[Black Wind]

I agree with increasing the running deceleration whilst drawing an arrow, or making bows hinder movement speed. This is the only way to go about this issue.

If you make archers better in melee, they will often still run away and kite you, in a sense. This is because archery is their strong point. They hit harder with arrows than they do with a sword, so why not maximize that advamtage? It's common sense to avoid melee if you're specialized for archery.

However, archers should not be able to run away, and pick off slower pursuers because their build allows it. Therefore, I believe it's a sensible idea that bows slow down movement speed.


It would throw the balance out the window if you made them decent at melee. Even still, if you're good, even the 0 slot hammer will be enough to bring the beat down on a lesser player, I do it on my archer very often.

I use:
1x Rus Bow
2x Bodkin Arrows
1x Hammer


And I do fine at shooting, and better in melee.

[Bulzur]

I'll still continue to fight in melee, if the guy managed to catch up with me, he deserves a melee fight.

And sometimes, this black dildo is just overpowered with 4 PS and 60 wpf...

Why you ask ? Nothing rewarding in shooting down a cav, archers and 2h, cause... it's your prupose you know. But when you manage to win in melee as an archer, it just feels so good. Of course, pew-pew spammer wouldn't know what i mean...

Equipment :
Mw horn bow
Mw Tatar arrows
Black didlo (or... mace)
Construction Material.

(click to show/hide)

I have 13 crafting skill in CM, beat that ! No, it's not useless ! It's... specific and original !

Low ammo, low range : choose your targets more wisely
Tatar arrows : You're not here to shoot down Tanks, but cav and archers, mainly.
Melee weapon + common blocking skills : Surprise the melee users, and spam with your footwork.
CM : Keep it, and with it's 12 weight, it also hinders a bit your movement.


With this equipment, every day is a challenge, and it's very rewarding when you do good.

Of course, some people can't have this mentality, since the only thing making them move forward is... the k/d ratio. I look at all thoses hungry bastards, using every possible mean to get easy kills, sometimes even taking pleasure in Tking at the end of the round, since it actually adds to your kill number. Thoses are the ones ruining newcomer's experience. But they're also adding to the joy, when you actually defeat them.

[Kafein]

If you make archers better in melee, they will often still run away and kite you, in a sense. This is because archery is their strong point. They hit harder with arrows than they do with a sword, so why not maximize that advamtage?

Well that's exactly what needs to be changed. For example, if PD becomes a 4 str requirement skill (possible with WSE), then the average PS of archers will hopefully increase due to the skill points spared. Archery wpf should also be similar to melee wpf in the sense of being highly degressive. Currently, most archers try to maximise their archery wpf at all costs, which means they are not that good in melee (although you don't need wpf at all to use the OP mace).

Definetly nerf the archery part (accuracy and damage mostly, especially the pierce vs armor thing) and buff the melee part.

[Tears of Destiny]

No it would not increase the PS, I would first murder you for ruining my level 33 character, and secondly I would just convert more skill points into str for a high PD, then dump any spare skills in Athletics first,then Iron Flesh second.

[Kafein]

No it would not increase the PS, I would first murder you for ruining my level 33 character, and secondly I would just convert more skill points into str for a high PD, then dump any spare skills in Athletics first,then Iron Flesh second.

Well ofc. everyone would get a free respec. It would either decrease the amount of PD you got, or decrease your athletics. No matter how you look at it, with the same amount of attribute points you'll have more free skill points. Sure, You can convert them, but at that point investing in PS is probably a better idea (8 skill points needed for 4 STR -> 1 more PD level unlocked).

[Tears of Destiny]

Actually to my total amusement it allows me to still pew pew but even better kiting abilities. 2 less powerdraw meant increasing athletics from 5 to 7.

(click to show/hide)

Level 33 (35 569 612 xp)

Strength: 24
Agility: 21
Hit points: 59
Skills to attributes: 14
Ironflesh: 0
Power Strike: 0
Shield: 0
Athletics: 7
Riding: 0
Horse Archery: 0
Power Draw: 6
Power Throw: 0
Weapon Master: 7
One Handed: 1
Two Handed: 1
Polearm: 1
Archery: 166
Crossbow: 1
Throwing: 1

I understand what you are trying to do though.

[Rumblood]

Well ofc. everyone would get a free respec. It would either decrease the amount of PD you got, or decrease your athletics. No matter how you look at it, with the same amount of attribute points you'll have more free skill points. Sure, You can convert them, but at that point investing in PS is probably a better idea (8 skill points needed for 4 STR -> 1 more PD level unlocked).

You do realize that there has been ENTIRE PATCHES designed specifically to REDUCE hybridization?? Why would they then put in crappy mechanics to then encourage it??

[Adalwulf]

This is my favorite archer build for a close support role. Good for getting in close and getting back fast enough.

Strength: 15
Agility: 21
Hit points: 60
Skills to attributes: 2
Ironflesh: 5
Power Strike: 5
Athletics: 7
Power Draw: 5
Weapon Master: 7
Archery: 163

There you go hybrid build that I use and many others do. stop useless buff archers we are fine.