Archery and Dodging

[Lokrin]

Hey everyone, have a couple questions for the number experts in here. I dusted off my bard recently, and have been playing around with archery. Pre-gs4 I was a stick and board kind of guy, but I am really enjoying the archery path right now. My biggest concern is with my defense strength. I've been reading through the forums and the general advice seems to be that of doubling in perception, and also training in dodge. I was curious how much training in dodge actually adds to your defense strength? What is recommended as a bard? At least 1 X Dodge? Does dodge add +1 DS per rank, or does it not work like that?

Any advice you could provide would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

[BriarFox]

Hey everyone, have a couple questions for the number experts in here. I dusted off my bard recently, and have been playing around with archery. Pre-gs4 I was a stick and board kind of guy, but I am really enjoying the archery path right now. My biggest concern is with my defense strength. I've been reading through the forums and the general advice seems to be that of doubling in perception, and also training in dodge. I was curious how much training in dodge actually adds to your defense strength? What is recommended as a bard? At least 1 X Dodge? Does dodge add +1 DS per rank, or does it not work like that?

Any advice you could provide would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

About .75 DS per rank, or thereabouts. It's your main DS skill. Bards also get Song of Mirrors, which grants a "phantom" number of dodge ranks. Though I don't recall exactly, I believe you can enhance that boost by training in the bard circle.

[Lokrin]

I didn't realize it was that much, is that .75 DS per rank in offensive, or just overall DS? It seems like it gets pretty expensive to 2 X Dodge, is that still recommended? Thanks for the quick response Briar!

[BriarFox]

I didn't realize it was that much, is that .75 DS per rank in offensive, or just overall DS? It seems like it gets pretty expensive to 2 X Dodge, is that still recommended? Thanks for the quick response Briar!

That should be in offensive. 2x dodge is very expensive, but you get good benefits from it. I don't recommend it unless you're post-cap, though. An easy way to boost your ranged DS is also to get a higher enchant bow. Bow enchant adds directly to DS for an archer.

[Lokrin]

Wow it sounds like I stand to gain a lot if I train the ranks up to just my level, I think I'm like 45 ranks below my level right now (ducking). And, I didn't know that about the bow enchant either, great advice. Thanks again Briar, I owe you one.

[Drakefang]

If you do not use a shield, regardless of weapon type, you should be 1x dodge as a bard. You can then add blurs and song of mirrors to increase your ranks in dodge. Going less than 1x is not wise. Going over 1x before cap is just expensive because of diminishing returns versus other skills. You should never be suffering for DS as a bard between base skills and MIU/AS. You can employ outside spells for pretty cheap, generally, both in skill cost and item cost.

[DaCapn]

I had my bard at 0x dodge and was fine until about level 30 when he hunted something that cast bolt spells. I raised it up to 0.5x and it was quite a bit better. Not sure I would have the points for full 1x until much later. But yeah, without dodge, the bolts had like a d100+100 endroll when I was in stance defensive. Granted, the character was also a giant.

Anyway, your bolt and ranged DS probably suffer the most from a lack of dodge training so just consider that.

[Lokrin]

Thanks for the information guys, I really appreciate it. I've been hunting in the stronghold and haven't had too much of a problem with DS, I usually walk around in advanced or offensive stance. Granted, my brother plays a wizard so I have his spells. I'm just concerned about some of the hunting areas i'll be going to next, like possibly the rift where spells outside of your circles get removed. Anyways, thanks again for the help!

[Lokrin]

I was also curious as to what the lowest RT can be with archery as a bard using song of tonis/haste? If you have a 3 sec RT can you get it down to 1?

Any information you could provide would be greatly appreciated. Thanks for all the advice you guys have given me!

[BriarFox]

I was also curious as to what the lowest RT can be with archery as a bard using song of tonis/haste? If you have a 3 sec RT can you get it down to 1?

Any information you could provide would be greatly appreciated. Thanks for all the advice you guys have given me!

1 sec, yep.

[Lokrin]

As soon as you posted your answer, I saw your post in the "Official: Ongoing Landing Invasions" thread. And, sure enough you posted an excerpt of you attacking a "spiky mottled black abyran'ra!" with a 1 sec RT. Thanks for the reply Briar, I appreciate the info.