Archer melee weapons

[Shingyboy]

So I been playing this on and off and now I am wondering the viability of melee weapons, which ones to use 1h or 2h and how many skill points should I be putting into melee skills and such.

Also the cost and requirements of the melee weapons would be nice, I am 23 at the moment with nothing in melee.

[Tears of Destiny]

So I been playing this on and off and now I am wondering the viability of melee weapons, which ones to use 1h or 2h and how many skill points should I be putting into melee skills and such.

Also the cost and requirements of the melee weapons would be nice, I am 23 at the moment with nothing in melee.

Cost and requirements (including STR and how many slots) is on the shop page.

For a warbow or longbow user;
I suggest a stick if you only want to block cav or such (though I am scoring kills with it amusingly enough), a hatchet if you mainly fight lightly armoured guys, or a hammer if you want to defend yourself against anyone else. This is because these all are 0 slot weapons, which you need since the warbow is 2 slots plus two quivers are one slot each leaves a 0 slot weapon left for melee.

If you are using any other bow though then it is really up for you to decide. Spiked Mace is popular for some strongbow users I know, though others prefer the Arabian Cavalry Sword if they are a horse archer.

What bow are you planning on using?

[Shingyboy]

At the moment I am using the Strong Bow but not sure about the other bows, I have not been able to afford to buy them yet, so what would you suggest? buy them first and see if I like them or just buy a melee weapon now?

Also I saw a build where the guy put all of his wpf into 2 Handed weapons, I assume there are some builds for that are those viable at all?

[Keshian]

Another possibility is to use longbow with 1 set of normal arrows and a 1-slot 2her or 1her  OR a strongbow with 1 set of normal arrows and a 2-slot 2her or polearm.  Going 1her allows the most diversity in your choices as there are only a few 2hers/polearms less than 2 slots.

[Malaclypse]

I love the Khergit Bow paired with Iberian Mace or Sarranid Cavalry Sword and two quivers. Proficiency isn't as important as having a bit of power strike of you're looking to do any real damage against enemies in melee, and the blunt damage of a mace + power strike will help a lot against heavier armor wearers, as will the knockdown chance.

[Adamar]

I recomend using the Fighting axe or the Spiked mace as 2 handed weapons. Both cost 1 slot each.

[karasu]

There are two options on this subject you might want to take into consideration, taking in account that you intend to use 2 quivers, as any normal archer does (kinda makes sense...):

1 - Using a 1 slot bow, which the higher requirement one is Strong Bow:

With this option, you can be a decent hybrid archer, which means more survivability, with the option of either getting a 1 handed weapon of your choice, or even a 1 slot 2 handed weapon.

To help you further on the choice of the type of damage you should go to, if you invest low Power Strike, a piercing or blunt weapon is the way to go, in order to avoid glancing all the time. With 4 or more PS you can risk and get a cut damage weapon.

The range on 1 handed weapons within this choice can only be influenced by your own personal taste.
If you chose a 1 slot 2 handed weapon, there are two best options:

a) Spiked Mace: a fast weapon with 30 blunt damage, with the almighty Knockdown effect, which saves lives more often than you can imagine, as an archer. Optimal for low Power Strike investors.

b) Langes Messer: this is actually a 1 handed weapon which has a Secondary mode that turns it into a 2 Handed weapon with high cut damage, with better overall stats than a pure 2 handed like Katana. Optimal for 5+ Power Strike investors.


2 - Using either a Long Bow or a War Bow:

With these two bows you end up with 0 slots left in your equipment. Thinking about this the developers were "kind" enough to give the archer some melee options with 0 slot cost.

The best option in this sector (and to be honest, the only reasonable one) is to get the almighty-over-extremely-powered-op-omg-nerf-it 1 handed Hammer.
Costs 0 slots, has only 21 blunt damage, but has the upside of the Knockdown effect.


At the moment I run around with 6 PS on my main (archer) and a Hammer since I've been using lately a War Bow, and it's amusing the amount of times I've killed enemies (even tincans for my surprise) on melee encounter. Just trying to say that this little toy is more than enough if you know how to manual block or even risk some chambering.


Hope this little tips help you, and other archers around,
Cheers!

[MrShine]

^ +1, that's really all you need to know.   I can't stress enough that if you aren't putting points into power strike a blunt or pierce weapon is almost a necessity because they will bounce less on armored targets.  The military sickle is another option - a 1H that can turn into 2H with pierce damage.

[Shingyboy]

Thanks a lot for great advice, on the Langes Messer you said it can turn into a 2H weapon, now does that mean it gets effected by 2H WPF or if I put points into 1H WPF it still effects it? Is it worth putting points into 2H WPF just for the Langes Messer?

[Keshian]

The fighting axe is a worthy consideration for good 2hers to use.  Since the people who find it easiest to get close to you as an archer are shielders, its really nice to pull out an axe and break their shield with 35 cut and 96 speed its a beautiful weapon to use.

[Maciver]

On my archer alt, I went str and put all my wpf into archery. 24/12.  8 PS and PD

I change my equip on my mood.   Default is strong bow, highland claymore, 1 slot for bodkins.  This build is for getting in there with the melee and doing work close range.  I like this alot.  Even with 1 wpf in 2h its still fun and effective to use the claymore.  Just need get used to the slower style melee, and you can get some good kills.  This is also plenty of arrows for this style.  Build wears light chain.

If im bored, i will switch to long or war bow and that 0 slot hammer.   Throw on some peasant garb and snipe.

He also has 4 riding and 2 HA, if you feel like horsing around.  2HA seems low, but i usually use a long sword on the horse anyways, unless other cav are bothering me.  When i retire I will probably ditch HA, and just use sword if i want to ride the horse.

Just an effective archery build in which you can use whatever weapon you like.  Hope that helps.  I like it so much im thinking of retiring main and building this. 

[Atticus226]

I'm currently at level 24 with my longbow archer and I only got one quiver of 20 barbed arrows because I'm using the shortened spear for melee.
My build will be 18/21 in level 30 to have 6 PD (that I already have yet) and 7 WM.
I will spend about 150 in archery and 90 in polearms.

Allthough I need 6 more level-ups to get my final build I'm really happy with my choice of the longbow plus my melee weapon.
The shortened spear doesn't do a lot of damage, especially in swinging (blunt damage), but it's very fast and effective in my opinion and I really enjoy playing with this set of weapons.

[Casimir]

Militairy Sickle is also a 1h with a secondary 2h mode. It does pierce damage which scales well against armour and with some ps investment can be very effective. Also cheaper than the Langes Messer

[zagibu]

May I suggest the long maul. It makes you unable to shoot and inefficient in melee, just how i like them archers...

[Okkam]

http://forum.c-rpg.net/index.php/topic,8683.0.html

with pics even.