coup de grace as an archer

[Anothi]

How will this skill work as an archer. The skill reads training in the weapon is recommended. If anybody has tried it, I would appreciate it if I could get some insight on it. Thank you!

[Gelston]

It is a melee skill, so likely it would do the brawling version if your hand is empty, if not it'd probably use your arrow as a rapier(or whatever base it is they are when swung)

[Anothi]

I suppose what I'm trying to ask is that will I need to train in a melee weapon for it to be effective?

[Fallen]

Not to my knowledge. You will smash with your bow if empty-handed, or stab with the arrow Legolas style. I don't believe weapon skill plays a role in the equation, just normal CMAN factors like level, CM ranks/skill, stance, and enemy HP.

[Anothi]

Thank you, sir. Appreciate the input.

[Sam]

Don't forget to come back and show us how it goes.

[Middian]

I have rank 5 coup as an archer. A weapon plays no role (that i have found) other than to switch a kill scene up. If I have nothing in my hands, I snap their neck. If I purposely leave a bolt in my hand, I slash their face off. If I just have my crossbow, I hit them in the guts til they puke their lungs out. I have also used my knife, which i have 0 ranks of OHE in, and it kills them as well. Whether I use my crossbow or a knife I have the same penalties/bonus. Also the bonus granted by the kill adds to archer's AS as well as people in the group.

[Middian]

I also would like to add, that coup plays a nice role in those critters that wont die when I aim for the eye. Instead of whittling them down, I get them half life, stunned and walla!, their face is on the ground and dead. Plus you get the AS bonus.

[m444w]

I also would like to add, that coup plays a nice role in those critters that wont die when I aim for the eye. Instead of whittling them down, I get them half life, stunned and walla!, their face is on the ground and dead. Plus you get the AS bonus.

Awesome hunting tactic right here... I've done this myself in several areas.

[Gelston]

The description of the CMan says if you are trained in the weapon in your hand you have a better chance of success. I've never tested this for truth.

[Anothi]

Roll result: 187 (open d100: 94) Bonus: 10]
You lunge towards Macryte, intending to finish him off!
You stiffen your fingers and drive them into Macryte's chest, pushing broken ribs into heart and lungs! Eyes glaze over and blood leaks from mouth and nose.

* Macryte drops dead at your feet!

The very powerful look leaves Macryte.
The white light leaves Macryte.
The air calms down around Macryte.
The deep blue glow leaves Macryte.
The silvery luminescence fades from around Macryte.
Macryte glances around, looking a bit less confident.
The powerful look leaves Macryte.
A shadow seems to detach itself from Macryte's body, swiftly dissipating into the air.
The light blue glow leaves Macryte.
The bright luminescence fades from around Macryte.
The brilliant luminescence fades from around Macryte.
The tingling sensation and sense of security leaves Macryte.
Macryte loses some awareness.
The dull golden nimbus fades from around Macryte.

A nearby goodwife screams, "Murder!"


The heady flush of your spectacular kill makes you feel invigorated!
Roundtime: 8 sec.

Well! It works. Thanks guys! I was dying for someone to start something with me so I could test it out. Appreciate it!

[Middian]

I guess that is one way to test it out! =p. It is a show stopper, I bet that guy was like...WTF hit me!?

[JDDZ]

Out of curiosity, what other cmans do you use that you will be able to afford points on coup? Seems like so many other ones that would be better for an archer. I'm guessing your archer is capped.

EDIT: Nevermind, I just read how that works. This is very much so worth it.

[HermieTheDentist]

Out of curiosity, what other cmans do you use that you will be able to afford points on coup? Seems like so many other ones that would be better for an archer. I'm guessing your archer is capped.

EDIT: Nevermind, I just read how that works. This is very much so worth it.

That...

And did you ever train in brawling to "increase" the efficacy of the coup?

[Anothi]

I do not train in brawling. My archer is not capped, and I'm sure he was going WTF?!

Pissed him off enough that he felt the need to major e-wave the entire small park while I was stalking him. Pretty foolish if you ask me.

[Middian]

I actually just cleared my rank 5 coup to see if I like the rank 5, +10 TD (I think it's combat focus) better than coup. I found as an archer I would only use coup in groups or when a creature could not be critted. We ll see which one I like better.

[Anothi]

I was thinking of doing the same, but since I plan to be hidden 85% of the time I don't find it worth it. I find that Vanish works out well in it's place.

[Fallen]

Stamina cost aside, wouldn't it be fairly easy to keep the bonus up relatively easily by aiming for a leg then couping once you've a sense of how many HP a mob in your hunting ground has?

[Donquix]

if you don't use too many other active cmans, it should be pretty easy to keep up. i use it on my warrior and keep the bonus up about 70% of the time in my 50's but that's with also twin hammerfisting and feinting a lot. If you're trying to also run surge or shadow mastery with it, it would get difficult to keep up.

One thing to note, coup refreshes the highest bonus for the duration if you use it while the bonus is active. so if you get a really good roll and get the full +40 AS, if you coup again before it expires regardless of the endroll it will keep +40 AS going.

[Archigeek]

Stamina cost aside, wouldn't it be fairly easy to keep the bonus up relatively easily by aiming for a leg then couping once you've a sense of how many HP a mob in your hunting ground has?

This is kind of how I do it. I think you'll find that it works better on some critters you're hunting than others. Bandits for example are very good coup fodder. They have legs, they're generally pretty easy to hit with a melee weapon... so two shots to the legs then a coup and there you go. The biggest downside of coup to me is that the benefit only lasts 60 seconds, so if you kill the first bandit, then two more, search them and grab gems, you've probably got closer to 30 seconds left to find another bandit.

Also, there seems to be a bug with duration replenishing. Sometimes it replenishes, sometimes it doesn't.

Those are minor things though. Coup is good fun, and I wish I could figure out how to squeeze in rank 5.

[Anothi]

If you're trying to also run surge or shadow mastery with it, it would get difficult to keep up.
.

This. My hunts are relatively quick as it is. I find that I have enough stamina to get in two coups before having to turn in. Surge is an absolute must have for speed and efficiency. I don't really need shadow mastery up, but it does help with staying within the shadows. I have to ration my stamina use just in case I need to vanish away in emergency situations.

[Archigeek]

This. My hunts are relatively quick as it is. I find that I have enough stamina to get in two coups before having to turn in. Surge is an absolute must have for speed and efficiency. I don't really need shadow mastery up, but it does help with staying within the shadows. I have to ration my stamina use just in case I need to vanish away in emergency situations.

Strength enhancives solved that problem for me. They are fairly plentiful; if you work at it, you can find enough to ditch surge completely and spend the points on... coup!

[Anothi]

Heh. I'm already maxed in coup. Strength enhancives are plentiful, but also fairly expensive. If I had the means to have the enhancives to match my RT now, I would do so, but unfortunately, I'm not able to. I'll keep on the lookout to fulfill that need then I'll drop surge, but until then, it stays. Thanks for the advice though.