General

Bowmaster

Skills build guide

Hey everybody, this is ReldWolf again
This time I wanted to bring you a possible skills build according to my thoughts during your whole Bowman life (Archer, Hunter, Ranger, Bow Master)

[header]Archer[/header] As we all know, many skills have been removed from our Skill lists, others were modified, others got new max level, and some were added.
For the first job, in which you recive 61 SPs from Lv.10 to 30, I am building like this:

[b]Critical Shot[/b] -> 20/20
[b]The Eye of Amazon[/b] (aka [b]Amazon's Eye[/b]) -> 5/5
[b]Focus[/b] -> 15/15
[b]Arrow Blow[/b] -> 2/20 [i](in a while I'll explain why 2 SPs and not 1)[/i]
[b]Double Shot[/b] -> 20/20

Why leaving [b]Arrow Blow[/b] in 1~2? When you become a Hunter you get [b]Arrow Bomb[/b], and you don't really have to wait too much, it's at Lv.30 lol ; so training it would be a *COUGH* (THE WORST MISTAKE EVER) *COUGH* waste of SPs. And [b]rrow Bomb[/b] is the very first skill you rise as a Hunter (well, so it was before BigBang. After I don't know if it would be better to first max [b]Enhanced Basics[/b]) .

[header]Hunter[/header] For the second job, in which you recive 121 SPs, I'm building like this:

[b]Bow Mastery[/b] -> 20/20
[b]Final Attack[/b] ->20/20
[b]Bow Booster[/b] -> 20/20
[b]Soul Arrow[/b] -> 10/10
[b]Arrow Bomb[/b] -> 20/20
[b]Enhanced Basics[/b] -> 10/10
[b]Power Knock-back[/b] -> 20/20

If you notice, you need 120 SPs to max all the skills (I didn't really have to write down anything, did I?), and you recive 121, so that last SP left can go to [b]Arrow Blow[/b] (You have no other option)

[header]Ranger[/header] Here is where there are more changes, since some skills got highly boosted *COUGH* ([b]Inferno[/b]) *COUGH*
Since you recive 151 SPs, this is how I'm doing my build:

[b]Thrust[/b] -> 10/10
[b]Puppet[/b] -> 20/20
[b]Inferno[/b] -> 20/20
[b]Silver Hawk[/b] -> 20/20
[b]Strafe[/b] -> 21/30
[b]Evasion Boost[/b] -> 10/10
[b]Mortal Blow[/b] -> 20/20
[b]Arrow Rain[/b] -> 30/30

Now, why I decided not to max [b]Strafe[/b]? There is only one word for this: [b]Hurricane[/b]
[b]Strafe[/b] at max level has 150% damage per arrow, and since [b]Hurricane[/b] will have 200%, [b]Strafe[/b] will completely get replaced.
Now, many people say "But [b]Strafe[/b] counts as one single damage", which is true, but there is an important factor to think about: the knock-back.
In the case of [b]Strafe[/b], the arrow with the highest damage is the one that counts for the knock-back, not the whole damage, which means, if your are fighting, for example, a monster that requires 5'000 damage for getting knock-backed, it doesn't matter how big is your whole damage (let's imagin you do around 4'000 per arrow, in total that would be 16'000 approximately), if the strongest arrow doesn't meet 5'000 damage, the monster won't get knock-backed; so if we think of knock-back, [b]Hurricane[/b] is way better. Though, it's faster

If [b][i]you[/i][/b] want to have [b]Strafe[/b] maxed, I'd advice to leave [b]Thrust[/b] at 1 and get the speed from other equips (which eliminates the option of adding [i]other stats[/i] to your equips), but some people just don't care about speed.

[header]Bow Master[/header] Here comes the build for the last job, in which you recive 241 SPs:

[b]Bow Expert[/b] -> 30/30
[b]Concentrate[/b] -> 30/30
[b]Dragon's Breath[/b] -> 21/30
[b]Hamstring[/b] -> 16/30
[b]Hero's Will[/b] -> 5/5
[b]Hurricane[/b] -> 30/30
[b]Maple Warrior[/b] -> 29/30
[b]Marksmenship[/b] -> 10/10
[b]Phoenix[/b] -> 30/30
[b]Sharp Eyes[/b] -> 30/30
[b]Vengeance[/b] -> 10/10

Difference between [b]Maple Warrior[/b] Lv.29 and Lv.30 is 30 seconds only, the rest is just the same: [i]+15% to all stats, -60 MP[/i].
[b]Dragon Breath[/b] doesn't really matter if you let it on Lv.21, 'cause from 21 to 30 it hits 6 monsters, and, as a buddy told me, «not that you will kill a mob with [b]Dragon's Breath[/b]».
"But why adding any SP to [b]Dragon's Breath[/b] if you have [b]Power Knock-back[/b]?" Experience speaks: Sometimes the mob is too big that you get hit even when you [b]Power Knock-back[/b] it. The idea is avoiding getting hit as much as possible, so you can prevent this by knock-backing them from far with [b]Dragon's Breath[/b].
[b]Hamstring[/b] is a [i]kind of[/i] useless skill. Lowering enemies's speed sounds helpful, but almost all mobs are already slow, and the bad part of this skill is that it doesn't work on bosses. Though, you already have +30 speed [i](if you maxed [b]Thrust[/b], and it would be +40 actually since some bows Lv.70+ give around 10 of speed (the Lv.110 and 120 ones do); if not, you have +10 speed)[/i]. By the way, [b]Hamstring[/b] at Lv.16 is -32 speed, which is already a lot! [i](Speed -32 for 8 seconds with a 26% slow chance)[/i]
Other people just don't give a shoot about [b]Hamstring[/b] and prefer to add more SPs to other skills, that would leave you only 6 SPs for [b]Hamstring[/b] [i](Speed -12 for 3 seconds with a 16% slow chance)[/i].

[header]Conclusion[/header] So this was my skills build guide for Bow Masters. As I said at the beginning, it is according to [b]my[/b] thoughts, [b]it's not official[/b]. I yet know there are gonna be many disagreements (specially on 3rd job), but it's ok, I'd like to discuss
I'd have liked to make a build for Marksmen, but I don't really know how do they think, so I prefered not to enter in unknown zone yet.

In order to finally close this guide, I'd like to thank you for reading it and I hope it may be of help to build your skills or at least to serve like a base to make your own builds.
Good luck out there Bow Masters!

[header][/header][b][i]Update 1[/i][/b][header][/header] Well many people is asking me to write down the order to rise skills for the third job. I will do so, but, once again, I'd like to mention all this is according to [b]my[/b] thoughts, [b]this is [i]not[/i] official[/b]; you can raise your skills as [b]you want[/b] if you disagree with this guide.
People also asked for 4th job skills, but I still have to work on that.

Lv.70~76 ---> Infero +19
Lv.77 --------> Inferno +1 (MAX) ; Thrust +2
Lv.78~79 ---> Thrust +6
Lv.80 --------> Thrust +2 (MAX) ; Strafe +1
Lv.81~86 ---> Strafe +18
Lv.87 --------> Strafe +2 (Lv.21) ; Mortal Blow +1
Lv.88 --------> Mortal Blow +3
Lv.89 --------> Mortal Blow +1 ; Arrow Rain +2
Lv.90~98 ---> Arrow Rain +27
Lv.99 --------> Arrow Rain +1 (MAX) ; Evasion Boost +2
Lv.100~101 > Evasion Boost +6
Lv.102 ------> Evasion Boost +2 (MAX) ; Puppet +1
Lv.103 ------> Puppet +3
Lv.104 ------> Puppet +1 ; Silver Hawk +2
Lv.105~110 > Silver Hawk +18 (MAX)
Lv.111~115 > Puppet +15 (MAX)
Lv.116~120 > Mortal Blow +15 (MAX)

If you wish, you can change the order between [b]Strafe[/b] and [b]Thrust[/b].

[header][/header][b][i]Update 2[/i][/b][header][/header] Well, I was told that you recive 3 SPs when you reach the 4th job, so I'm modifying the build like this:
[b]Bow Expert[/b] -> 30/30
[b]Concentrate[/b] -> 30/30
[b]Dragon's Breath[/b] -> 21/30
[b]Hamstring[/b] -> 19/30
[b]Hero's Will[/b] -> 5/5
[b]Hurricane[/b] -> 30/30
[b]Maple Warrior[/b] -> 29/30
[b]Marksmenship[/b] -> 10/10
[b]Phoenix[/b] -> 30/30
[b]Sharp Eyes[/b] -> 30/30
[b]Vengeance[/b] -> 10/10

It's just the same as before, but +3 SPs on [b]Hamstring[/b]. But well, I still say: If you want, just ignore [b]Hamstring[/b] and max the rest

December 11, 2010

14 Comments • Newest first

ReldWolf

[quote=nicco]can you give an order in which we should max 3rd job skills[/quote] there it is, check the [b][i]Update 1[/i][/b] right after the [b][i]Conclusion[/i][/b]

Reply December 25, 2010
ReldWolf

[quote=mystittraven]What's the point of maxing mortal blow?
Didn't they get rid of "bow-whacking" ?
And What's the point of maxing silver hawk?
Doesn't phoenix stun now?[/quote] Now every arrow carries an instant-kill chance, imagine that on Hurricane
Phoenix at max has 95% stun chance, and it sometimes doesn't work if it doesn't knock-back the enemy. Silver Hawk at max has 99% stun chance, which means yes or yes the enemy gets stunned. That 1% is actually for bosses.

[quote=Lamchops]Lol dude... you get 3 SP when you advance to 4th job...[/quote] :O
didn't know that (I've never reached 120)

[quote=battleon456r]Where are you getting your sources from?[/quote] these are all my deductions, that's why I said this guide is not official.

[quote=SmartAlec13]Just wanted to say, Arrow Blow > Double Arrow, as far as I can tell. It isnt included in the description, but Arrow Blow can hit 3 targets (starting at lvl 1, may go up to 4, idk).

Thats 600% total, vs the like 280%. I dont know if Double Arrow helps out later, I have never made an archer except my new lvl 20. But I read this guide, put points into Double Arrow, and then saw that Arrow blow hit 3, so I put into that and it can already outdamage it.[/quote] well, [b]Arrow Blow[/b] gets replaced at second job by [b]Arrow Bomb[/b], [b]Double Shot[/b] gets replaced at third yet AND once your [b]Strafe[/b] gets Lv.6 , so you stay with [b]Double Shot[/b] a looooong while
though, idk y u say it's 600% dmg? ._.
it's 190% for EACH monster, you don't add damages like that O_o

Reply December 24, 2010 - edited
fatpig

[quote=mystittraven]What's the point of maxing mortal blow?
Didn't they get rid of "bow-whacking" ?
And What's the point of maxing silver hawk?
Doesn't phoenix stun now?[/quote]

it works with hurricane now and it has no delay
bow whacking is gone
hawk has 99% stun rate
it stuns but rarely at a low level

Reply December 20, 2010 - edited
ReldWolf

[quote=jjlily]first of all i screwed up all my skills because of the the bigbang, now my 120 BM has maxed 1st and 2nd ALL skills..screw u nexon..because i didn't know how to allocate the SPs for 3rd, that ( you lack of 1st and 2nd level skills ) bla bla bla..
so in 3rd job, i maxed everything except for :
inferno - 10
strafe - 28
MB - 5
but anyways..i think we have 243 SP for BM right ?
121-200 we have 240 plus the 3 at 120..so its 243..
i'm not planning to put any SP in hamstring though..[/quote] didn't you recive the Full-SP-Reset? o.o
And why do you say "3 SPs at 120"? Isn't it 1 SP given each time you do a Job Advancement?

Reply December 15, 2010 - edited
jjlily

first of all i screwed up all my skills because of the the bigbang, now my 120 BM has maxed 1st and 2nd ALL skills..screw u nexon..because i didn't know how to allocate the SPs for 3rd, that ( you lack of 1st and 2nd level skills ) bla bla bla..
so in 3rd job, i maxed everything except for :
inferno - 10
strafe - 28
MB - 5
but anyways..i think we have 243 SP for BM right ?
121-200 we have 240 plus the 3 at 120..so its 243..
i'm not planning to put any SP in hamstring though..

Reply December 15, 2010 - edited
ReldWolf

[quote=giblets]i'd get MW 30 because with combat orders you get level 32 MW. I'm not sure of the difference between MW 31 and 32, but even if its just seconds, hamstring is useless.[/quote] well, observing how does [b]Maple Warrior[/b] grow each skill level I assume it is like this:

[b][i]Level 31[/i][/b]
[i]MP -70, All stats +16%, buff duration 930 seconds[/i]
[b][i]Level 32[/i][/b]
[i]MP -70, All stats +16%, buff duration 960 seconds[/i]

Anyways, the build I made was to [i]somehow save[/i] [b]Hamstring[/b], but (as I said) you can just ignore [b]Hamstring[/b], I too think it's useless

Reply December 13, 2010 - edited
giblets

i'd get MW 30 because with combat orders you get level 32 MW. I'm not sure of the difference between MW 31 and 32, but even if its just seconds, hamstring is useless.

Reply December 13, 2010 - edited
ReldWolf

[quote=Silverangr]I did something similar. I maxed Inferno then AR. Today i maxed thrust for the exact same reason. I still have points left over. I figure i will just get strafe last. It seems almost useless to me. Plus i know that once i reach 120 strafe will not make or brake me. I am level 98 at the moment hitting 30k with inferno and hitting like 20k with ar. (both maxed) I train at vikerolas and this seems to be the best possible choice in build and training so far. I may add to evade next. I have no puppet and no hawk. My REAL problem is i really don't know when things like Hawk puppet and mortal blow will effect my training. When will i NEED to use a distraction? When will my damage not be good enough to not 2-3hit a monster? When will i need to stun a monster so that i can avoid being hit? The new set up on the game has me confused and i feel like a noob all over again LOL. Buuuuuuuut i do like big bang despite the things i miss (including being some what maple educated xD)[/quote] I think well it's up to each player, the really main skills are [b]Inferno[/b] and [b]Strafe[/b] (and [b]Arrow Rain[/b], which is almost the same as [b]Inferno[/b]), the other ones are complements for a better training. You already maxed [b]Thrust[/b], then you can go for [b]Evasion Boost[/b] if you want.

Reply December 13, 2010 - edited
ReldWolf

[quote=Silverangr]I have 17 sp left. Any suggestions as to where i should put it? I have max arrow rain and max inferno. It doesn't bug me that i may have messed up lol. But with the new training would be nice if some one could suggest a place for my remaining sp.[/quote] Before saying anything, let me tell you this is my first Ranger, also my strongest character (actually my first character too); so I don't have any experience on higher levels, so I [i]cannot[/i] say anything official, and I may say something wrong that can harm you, but I can try... Yet, think twice about anything I say, and if you think something's wrong, tell me and we can discuss it I'd like to learn too
Anyway... What I did was: I maxed [b]Inferno[/b], put 10 SPs into [b]Arrow Rain[/b] and before adding any point to [b]Strafe[/b], I maxed [b]Thrust[/b] for a faster training (I use [b]Inferno[/b] to train). I can suggest you to go at once for [b]Strafe[/b] Lv.21 , then you can try maxing [b]Thrust[/b], then [b]Silver Hawk[/b] (of course this means 5 SPs into [b]Puppet[/b]), then [b]Evasion Boost[/b], then [b]Puppet[/b] and at the end [b]Mortal Blow[/b]. Or if you want you can leave [b]Thrust[/b] for the end.

[quote=tommyvu54321]um excuseme what about the improving fundemental skill its a new skill and it seems like it helps alot[/quote] yes, sorry about that, it's the skill called [b]Enhanced Basics[/b]

[quote=Assist]Is there a specific order we should master these in?[/quote] [quote=snipes]you should add the order in which to max skills.[/quote] well yeah, I'm still working on that, but I can go advancing:
As an Archer, I would first max [b]Amazon's Eye[/b] to prevent firing arrows to nothing (but well, if you got money, you can leave this skill for after maxing [b]Double Shot[/b]), then [b]Double Shot[/b], then [b]Critical Shot[/b], then [b]Focus[/b], and at last 1 SP to [b]Arrow Blow[/b]
As a Hunter, the classic build, add 1 SP to [b]Arrow Bomb[/b] at Lv.30, then trying to get asap [b]Soul Arrow[/b] (which first needs [b]Bow Booster[/b] Lv.5 , which first needs [b]Bow Mastery[/b] Lv.5) and letting it in Lv.2 or 3 (60 or 90 seconds is enough I think), then maxing [b]Arrow Bomb[/b]. Now, after this, I think it would be quite conveniant to max [b]Enhanced Basics[/b], then [b]Power Knock-back[/b], then [b]Bow Mastery[/b], then [b]Final Attack[/b], and at the end [b]Bow Booster[/b] and [b]Soul Arrow[/b] (it's up to you which one first, or both at same time, doesn't really matter)
As a Ranger and Bow Master I don't really know... I'm not sure of how to raise them, I first maxed [b]Inferno[/b], then you can go for [b]Strafe[/b] Lv.21, then the other skills; as I said, I'm still working on it.

[quote=Straverz]I completely approve of this rational build. However, why are you putting 16 in Hamstring instead of 7 and then maxing Dragon Breath?

From my experience DB seems more useful.[/quote] I mentioned it can also be an option, this is a way of [i]somehow saving[/i] [b]Hamstring[/b], but you can just ignore it if you want.

Reply December 12, 2010 - edited
OmegaXz

[quote=ltachifire]What's the point of getting focus?[/quote]

You have to get focus, no point in getting Arrow Blow and Double Shot, you have enough points to get Focus. Focus gives Avoid and Accuracy.

[quote=lillynch45]Is that worth not maxing strafe/thrust/dodge[/quote]

Dodge allows your next attack to be critical if the monster misses. Useless for hurricane but useful for all your other single move attack. e.g Strafe, Ulitimate Strafe, Inferno, and Arrow Rain.

Strafe gets completely replaced with Hurricane. I used Hurricane and strafe... Strafe [Maxed] did 11k-13k max each arrows, but Strafe [21] did 10k-11k... Not much difference on the mobs I was killing.

Thrust is useful as it gives additional speed, don't need mount to be able to run from mobs. Not only that Hurricane + Speed walking is always fun as you walk right through the mobs rapidly tapping the Hurricane skill button.

[quote=infamousoreo]Is Final Attack effective now?[/quote]

Yes it is, it just doesn't have an arrow animation but it has an animation on the mob, it shows up as a red hitting affect on the monsters.

Reply December 12, 2010 - edited
Snipes

you should add the order in which to max skills.

Reply December 12, 2010 - edited
ltachifire

What's the point of getting focus?

Reply December 11, 2010 - edited
ReldWolf

[quote=Caldini]Grammar please.

-Reserves spot- [/quote] i'm sorry, still learning ¬¬

[quote=lilaznmage15]Hmm, I think I'm just going skip the hamstring skill and max everything else.
I've played my friend's bowmaster and Dragon's Breath is really fun to play with and useful for ksing![/quote] lol

[quote=xLightning]Sir! What do you suggest in putting early points of a Bow Master into? I know I'm going to go 21 Strafe, because I accept your reasoning, as it was also what I thought, but all I know is I'm going to get 1 Hurricane, 1 BE, but I don't know where to go after that.. |:[/quote] well sir, i can't really tell ya as I don't know never been a BM before
maybe you can try maxing BE and Concentrate? i don't really know i'm sorry to disappoint you

[quote=mrgrape]Why are you maxing silver hawk? Doesn't the 4th job bird replace that? Hawk should only need 15 points, thus allowing strafe to go up to 26, not 21.[/quote] many Rangers argue: "I really noticed the difference between 95% and 99% when I stopped dying at _______" (I don't remember mob's name, I think it was Gallos or Typhons); though, we Rangers [b][i]need[/i][/b] the stun (Hawk at Lv.15 has 84% stun rate only ¬¬), for Marksmen it's not really a problem since they freeze, but for us... we need it.
yet, it can be another option. But [b]Phoenix[/b] takes a long while before getting it, so it's up tou you I think

Reply December 11, 2010 - edited
lilaznmage15

Hmm, I think I'm just going skip the hamstring skill and max everything else.
I've played my friend's bowmaster and Dragon's Breath is really fun to play with and useful for ksing!

Reply December 11, 2010 - edited