Crossbow/Quarterstaff Build

[Mallets]

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Level 30 (4 420 577 xp)

Strength: 12
Agility: 27

Hit points: 49

Skills to attributes: 8

Ironflesh: 1
Power Strike: 4
Athletics: 9
Weapon Master: 9

Polearm: 143
Crossbow: 150

Simply looking for some input on the build above (in the spoiler).  I have an 18/18 Arbalest build.  I also used a 0-slot 1H weapon and a shield.  I really enjoyed 1-shots with the Arby.  But I've been keen to try one of the lesser xbows.  I've also been keen to try a quarter staff.  I've never used one, but it's equally funny, awesome, & annoying to get spammed by one.  So I thought... maybe I should try one out.  Thus I'm looking to respec.

With the build above, I plan on using:  (regular) Crossbow, Steel Bolts, and a Quarter Staff.  Would love to use the Iron Staff, but not enough slots available.


So what advice am I asking for.

1)  Should I go with this build and weapon setup.  Is it a dumb build/setup?  How would you tweak it?

2) If this build is viable... how do the stats/attributes look?  How does the Crossbow WPF look for using the regular crossbow?  I read somewhere 150 wpf will max out reticle.  Is this correct?  I definitely want max accuracy.



I worry that the quarter staff sticking up off my back will get in the way of my xbow aim.  I tested it a bit on my arby build to see.  Was a bit annoying at first, I quickly forgot about it.

Didn't seem to get the quarter staff mechanics down from the few mins using it.  My thought is that the high agi build (with decent WPF) would help spam.  Plus athletics will allow me to run when need be.  And knockdowns will allow extra hits... or for me to escape.

What do you guys think?  I've never played a build that was based on one particular weapon.  I could always switch to a short spear or regular spear.

Should I drop polearm and just go 1-handed?  Quarter staff just seem fun though!

[Ikarus]

I tried a similar build half a year ago, also based on arbalest, quarterstaff and light armor

I worry that the quarter staff sticking up off my back will get in the way of my xbow aim.

yes, it will get in the way and it´s annoying. Great to hear that you could handle it, I couldn´t :I

Imo you should make yourself a skip the fun character and try it out for a longer time, so you can see how the build works out in any situation you might face

But let me warn you: you will have a damn hard time with shielders. The only hope in an encounter with a shielder is that he/she makes mistakes. You won´t be able to break their shields with the staff and if you can live with that, you´ll be fine. I couldn´t ;I

I would stick to 7 WM and 7 ATH for a stf build and spend a bit more points into power strike. Otherwise it will also take you ages to kill a simple guy (and shielders will bugger you even more)
9 ath is great for  "hit and run", but you can´t run away all the time (cav, other ranged); it may get annoying

150 wpf for a normal xbow is fine! I´d even go for 15 str so I could use a heavy xbow (if you wanna do that, you can even go down to 145 or 140 wpf, because the heavy xbow its very accurate), since you´ll still be quite fast with 7 ath (and with lvl 33, 8 ath )

in a nutshell: try it out on a stf build. Play on EU1, play on EU2 and play it for a couple of weeks. If you then still have fun playing it, then you´ll also have found out what build you want. Then you´ll be ready for an alt and a lovely lvl33 endbuild :>

[Huscarlton_Banks]

Don't forget about Mace (2h), Axe (2h), Fighting axe (secondary mode), and Military Sickle.

Langes Messer is also an option if you buff your strength up to use heavy xbow.

[AwesomeHail]

why respec at 18/18 when you want to change class more or less? just retire, and keep/spend the lp,
(if you havent reached the gen cap, ittl be nice to get 1 extra gen , because youll get faster to lvl 33

[WITCHCRAFT]

This is up to you really, but I wouldn't respec if you're level 25 or higher. Unless you cannot stand playing the current class and you will never touch the character again, it's better to just finish up the gen and start fresh with higher xp gain and a loom point.

As far as your build, it looks great. I have done 15/24 heavy crossbow with a quarterstaff before, and just finished a gen as 12/27 crossbow/1H with no shield. 150 wpf is enough, but I preferred to go for 170 xbow skill and the rest in my melee weapon because then I could go above the armor weight limit and retain max accuracy/reload time. Arbalest with heavy armor is very expensive, but crossbow (especially with regular bolts instead of steel) can get away with ~15 weight body armors and similar head/leg slots.

My advice for quarterstaff use is to take full advantage of that 9 athletics. It has great reach and all 4 attack directions are equally threatening. Bait someone into a swing then step outside of their attack while starting your swing. Shielders can be difficult, but with 9 athletics you can just give them the finger and run until your find teamates to help. Another important tip is to aim for the head. Knockdown is more likely to occur when your hit the target's head, and you get a (meager) damage boost as well. Most knockdown weapons only have 3 swing directions. Quarterstaff is one of the few with blunt knockdown thrusts. Aim those for the head. You can get a great speed bonus by moving with the thrust, and it is a really wonky movement that many people don't expect. Sometimes you'll trick people into blocking up as you thrust upwards, lol.

If you ever want to duel or practice with that build and you see me on NA 1, let me know. I can show you my playstyle that has served me well over 5 gens with a similar build.

Last but not least, I recommend regular bolts over steel. With an arbalest you are highly unlikely to use all your bolts in a round, even with just 1 stack of steel bolts. The regular crossbow reloads much faster and you can easily pinch off 12+ shots before the end of the round. It's kind of funny that you can get valor with a regular crossbow more easily than a heavy xbow or arbalest. Fire often, aim for horses/ranged/unshielded infantry. Your goal isn't elite sniper headshots. Go for mid to close range targets and fire ASAP. Watch your back and reload behind cover.

[Mallets]

Thanks for all the advice guys... especially Witchcraft!  Great info!

What is the weight limit for xbow usage?  At what weight does penalties start?

[WITCHCRAFT]

The armor penalty for ranged starts when you have 10+ weight after calculations. Gonna try and dig up the formula, hand and head armor count more per weight unit than body or leg armor does.

here it is

Effective armor weight = 2*head armor weight + body armor weight + leg armor weight + 4*hand armor weight - 10

So head armor counts 2x actual weight, hand armor 4x actual weight. Subtract 10 from the total and that is the amount of weight that counts against your wpf. My 12/27 guy was a Chinese crossbowman because China fuckin' loved crossbows and used them for a very long time in their military history. Sometimes I would go really light weight gear to take full advantage of 9 athletics, but he was plenty fast and surprisingly beefy for 12 strength 4 IF wearing his heavy armor setup:

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[Mallets]

Nice.  Never really got into the Eastern Armors, cause I never carried a Katana or Hafted Blade or the like.  But using the crossbow and taking it in the angle of an eastern (Chinese) warrior... does have it's appeal.

And thanks for the ranged formula.  I knew there was a "10" in there some where.  Thought it was 10 weight limit.  But it's a "-10" at the end of that formula.

Thanks again for all your help!


Oh... and I'm mixing in boar spear with the quarter staff.  Never used it before.  But really liking it.  The 24 pierce from side swings is really nice!  It's a little slow, but combined with my athletics, it seems to catch folks out now & then.

[Ikarus]

0.2 x 2
9.1
0.1
0.1 x 4
- 10
_______
0

holy cow my armor stays perfectly under the armor penalty although I never knew about that :DDDD
(yellow hood, mongolian lamellar vest, leather gloves, serbian ankle boots)

[AwesomeHail]

0.2 x 2
9.1
0.1
0.1 x 4
- 10
_______
0

holy cow my armor stays perfectly under the armor penalty although I never knew about that :DDDD
(yellow hood, mongolian lamellar vest, leather gloves, serbian ankle boots)

I have about the same, gotta change my boots and gloves +3 lamellar vests ftw ;D

[WITCHCRAFT]

Lamellar vest and other armors around there are right in the sweet spot for ranged.

[agweber]

Lamellar vest and other armors around there are right in the sweet spot for ranged.

My Ranged character agrees, even if I did just trade my lamellar away for slight profit margins.