The Shadow Archer (And Holy Archer)?

[syztem]

I don't think this is diablo 2 where you can make up random class builds that dont work.

[xKoopa]

Originally Posted by syztem [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]

I don't think this is diablo 2 where you can make up random class builds that dont work.

You must be that guy who doesnt believe in the zeal sorc

[Jimjam]

Bows can be very powerful at low level, but I'm surprised they carried you so far on a shadowknight to be honest.

[Ivory]

Originally Posted by Jimjam [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]

Bows can be very powerful at low level, but I'm surprised they carried you so far on a shadowknight to be honest.

With pet + dots....I think the bow could carry me to mid 40's at least with just a decent velium bow (sure there is also fear kiting with melee, but I think a bow outshines it in terms of efficiency ....since you are using far less mana and not really sacrificing a ton of damage). Beyond that, if I want to specialize in a bow, I'll probably need an upgrade (and there aren't too many of SKs / Paladins).

[Vandil]

Whenever I roll a SK, I usually do a little fletching and have him pull mobs with a bow an arrow until lv9. Then the bow goes in the bank because pulling with spells is more fun.

Fear kiting with a 2-hander is pretty darn effective over anything an SK could do with a bow.

[Danth]

You'll run into two and a half problems. First, your accuracy isn't exactly going to be great as you level due to the low Archery skill cap. Second, the mid-level Shadow Knight pets are garbage. The level 30 and especially the level 39 pets are terrible. The half problem is that Shadow Knights can't use the Summon Arrow bracer, so as the miss rate piles up keeping sufficient arrows on you starts to gobble up excessive amounts of bag space.

Long story short, Archery is mainly used to carry the class to 22 when the Shadow Knight gets Engulfing Darkness and fear-kiting becomes truly useful. Using archery past then serves little point except to say you did or possibly to whittle down that rare outdoor named. You can solo most any non-summoning and non-casting creature via that type of method just like most any kiting class can, but it's slow and uses a great many arrows. Ordinary fear-kiting will typically grant you faster experience per hour unless by some odd happenstance you wind up with a godly bow while using some awful melee weapon.

Get Blood Ember gauntlets; they click a snare at level 45. It's a big help when you're kiting something for a long time and don't have time to meditate much. Shadow Knight snare doesn't last terribly long, so even if you happen to wind up with a Skydarkener, trying to quad would mean constantly running from full-speed packs. It's possible, hypothetically, but doesn't strike me as a fun time.

You REAAALLY want to stick with this? Get to 60 then try to solo Ice Burrowers in West Wastes. They're yellow /con to 60 and have a lot of hit points, but they move slow, can be snared, and don't summon or cast--their AE effect is a melee proc. I've duo'd those before with a Monk and it might be possible to solo them (not sure if you'd out-damage their regen or not) but I don't have the patience.

Danth

[georgie]

I just read the op. But seriously came up with Bow kiting instead of fear kiting? Sounds like serious xp loss

[Trungep99]

Paladins have flash of light and root to help keep the mobs away.

SK pets are useless until you get your level 49 one.

Knights lack a high level archery skill. So don't be surprised if they start missing once it stops going up. The dots take a bunch of mana too, so the downtime would suck unless you used the manaless snare gloves at level 45 .

[teai]

anything is possible with enough platinum ;3

[koros]

Originally Posted by Ivory [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]

So, after getting to 55 with a ranger and archery....I've decided to up things and try out my theorized shadow archer.

The idea is by using the pet + agro + a bow ....the shadow archer would be a kiting king! Even outdamaging and out-pacing a ranger in the soloing category!

It's a pretty obvious advantage when an SK is taking reds at 20 easily (or a sand giant at level 10).

The real question is how it maintains this advantage as it ages. Bow cap is 75 for each of them (ouch) ....but at least SK get a couple things that make up for it a little bit (AC drain and STR drain). I theorize it will be a strong soloer till mid 50's (but since they have fear, perhaps even after 50 against summoning mobs?).

Basically, with a decent bow and large enough mana pool...it seems viable.

...........

The next issue is the holy archer....a paladin archer.

Now, this one I have a harder time with. Against undead, sure their nukes would help supplement damage (and they can root, which makes shooting and medding much more possible).

BUT, without the pet or dots or other DD spells....they just don't seem to match a shadow archers potential.

Perhaps if they were to focus very heavily on mana pool and act as a stronger supplemental healer in groups? They suffer from the same lack low skill as a shadow archer....so trying to rely solely on the bow seems more troublesome (especially into 30s-40s...unless they get a skydarkener, then they can hold out till 50's).

But, overall, it just doesn't seem like they have enough damage potential to really be that strong. The healing is nice....but is it enough to make up for the damage issues?

Anyhow....would be curious if anyone else has been focusing on archery as a knight? Shadow archer or holy archer? So far (20) my experience with a shadow archer with a decent bow is they are the strongest soloers in the game as long as they have room to move.....which is pretty interesting.

What exactly are you high on with all these garbage posts?