If archers aren't able to use as much ath then they should be given more melee capabilities so they can stand and fight when the time comes. Not just a 0 slot hammer. And no, sacrificing a bag of arrows for a 1 slot weapon isn't particularly viable either unless the arrow count increases.
I somehow agree here but there are more melee capabilities. If you do not invest in ATH, which is the reason why you cannot run away you might put the points in PS and use a 1 slot weapon. As usual, specialising in 1 area makes you weak in others, same as a balanced build is pretty good in more areas but not supercool in anyone. Take longspear/pike, arbalest, heavy lancer + shield. They all have their main weapon which takes 3 slots and can take a backup weapon if they choose so.
Only one of the above mentioned builds/classes uses ammo which is the arbalest and the rest can be used without limit, which at the same time makes my whole post a good and a bad example - depending on your point of view.
Anyway, as an archer you specialise in ranged combat and are free to fill up 4 slots as you like, as all other players. You want a powerfull bow and many arrows, then you have 0 slots for melee. You want to be able to use a good melee weapon you have to keep at least 1 slot free of bow/arrows.
A hoplite that takes a board shield and a spear has 4 slots occupied, he is not able to use throwing weapons, maybe he would like to use them - but he only has 4 slots. He can take another shield which only uses 1 slot, but maybe thats not the shield he would like to use - gotta make a decision then.
I'm not saying its fair that many builds are useless now without possibility of free respec, but archers are not useless now.
