Pure, Archer Mage, & Warmage Information

[Dayko]

I love this thread, it helped me out quite a bit. Good job, Whirlin. I give ya major props for this

[Riltus]

Runestaves, how do they work?
Runestaves grant DS equal to being 1x in THW if the user has 8 trains per level in magical stuff category highlighted in the first pots. I believe the requirement is not discrete, so if you train 7/level, it'll be less than 1x, but it will be more than 0x. It also can go slightly further, but with unknown diminishing returns. So 16/level will not yield DS as though you were 2x in THW.

Also 99% certain that training in THW doesn't help runestaff DS... but may be awesome if it does... Unnecessary, but awesome.

The Core training for a wizard already grants 4 Magic trains, plus 4 in the additional Pure Core training, and you're all set.

Runestaff parry DS receives 10 bonus weapon ranks in addition to the 'magic ranks per level' converted to weapon ranks. This is not insignicant, particularly at lower levels. With 8 magic ranks per level a runestaff user has weapon ranks equal to level + the 10 bonus ranks.

6 magic ranks per level converts to the following number of weapon ranks including the 10 bonus ranks:

Level 20 = 26 weapon ranks or the equivalent of 1.3x per level weapon training
Level 50 = 50 weapon ranks (1x trained)
Level 100 = 90 weapon ranks (0.9x trained)
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8 magic ranks per level converts to exactly (level + 10) weapon ranks.

Level 20 = 30 weapon ranks (1.5x trained)
Level 50 = 60 weapon ranks (1.2x trained)
Level 100 = 110 weapon ranks (1.1x trained)
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11 ranks per level:

Level 20 = 36 weapon ranks (1.8x trained)
Level 50 = 75 weapon ranks (1.5x trained)
Level 100 = 140 weapon ranks (1.4x trained)
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15 ranks per level:

Level 20 = 40 weapon ranks (2x trained)
Level 50 = 85 weapon ranks (1.7x trained)
Level 100 = 160 weapon ranks (1.6x trained)
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THW skill does not add to runestaff DS. Parry DS activation is based on the weapon held in the primary hand and the appropriate parry DS formula for that weapon base. It will add to melee AS when attacking with the runestaff.

Mega props for this guide. Great job!

Mark

[Methais]

I didn't see this in the ranged guide, but I was wondering what the best weapon type is to use. Is the +30 AS from kneeling with a crossbow worth it, and am I still able to get 1 second RTs with it (1 second with each step that is, I realize crossbows have the extra steps of loading and cocking or whatever it is)? Or should I just go with a longbow and use it as a machine gun?

Also are wizards able to snipe from hiding and stay hidden with enough stalking & hiding? I'm guessing it would require 1x, but I don't know much in general about archery.

[SHAFT]

Roll with a longbow methais.

You'll likely have a 1 sec rt, you don't need hiding.

[Methais]

Roll with a longbow methais.

You'll likely have a 1 sec rt, you don't need hiding.

The hiding part was more just for fun later on, like if I wanted to pwn someone in the face or something. Is 1x enough to remain hidden?

[Whirlin]

I didn't see this in the ranged guide, but I was wondering what the best weapon type is to use. Is the +30 AS from kneeling with a crossbow worth it, and am I still able to get 1 second RTs with it (1 second with each step that is, I realize crossbows have the extra steps of loading and cocking or whatever it is)? Or should I just go with a longbow and use it as a machine gun?

Also are wizards able to snipe from hiding and stay hidden with enough stalking & hiding? I'm guessing it would require 1x, but I don't know much in general about archery.

Yeah... I didn't dive too much more in there, cause of the Art of the Bow guide filling in some info.

Cocking a crossbow, from what I remember, was like, 10 seconds to do. It may be possible with 101 MjE and 100 Air lore to get that down to 1 second, but you'll still be firing it at half speed (assuming no time for actions of loading/kneeling/standing) as a longbow. And heavy crossbows only have superior DFs against Cloth and Scale.

The latest information out of the Archery Guide thread showed that you'll have 3% lower DS with a crossbow than a bow (in offensive). Since we're not spamming spells in guarded/defensive, it could be kinda material. Plus then the DS reduction of kneeling. While feasible, it would require a lot of ranks out of MjE into Wiz for 913 and 905 DS bonuses, and would likely break your immolation build. Don't know if you wanted an 'all-in' change or not though.

As far as bows, Longbows are the best across the board. Being wizards, we cheat! 509's +15 STR bonus means that we only need a 5 STR bonus, 24 air lores, and 51 MjE to fire a longbow in 1 second.

Honestly, I've never even considered hiding. Most snipers are 2x in it minimum, and I've heard 1xing in it isn't really worth it. Plus, I believe, like foraging, there are hidden class modifiers that make it more difficult for wizards. Additionally, if you're sniping, you use both Perception and Ambushing ranks to determine accuracy. Ambushing is expensive as hell, and is really only worth training post-cap. post-maxing spells. So hey, if you really want an all-in build, you could lose all your fire lore and pick up max ambushing ranks for an additional +15 AS at 100 ranks

[Whirlin]

But... I just sold my 5x fusion longbow last night... So I don't have a good bow to sell you... I don't know how you can swap to archery without buying bows from me!!

[Methais]

Yeah... I didn't dive too much more in there, cause of the Art of the Bow guide filling in some info.

Cocking a crossbow, from what I remember, was like, 10 seconds to do. It may be possible with 101 MjE and 100 Air lore to get that down to 1 second, but you'll still be firing it at half speed (assuming no time for actions of loading/kneeling/standing) as a longbow. And heavy crossbows only have superior DFs against Cloth and Scale.

Damn, that's pretty long. Why would anyone use a crossbow with those times?

The latest information out of the Archery Guide thread showed that you'll have 3% lower DS with a crossbow than a bow (in offensive). Since we're not spamming spells in guarded/defensive, it could be kinda material. Plus then the DS reduction of kneeling. While feasible, it would require a lot of ranks out of MjE into Wiz for 913 and 905 DS bonuses, and would likely break your immolation build. Don't know if you wanted an 'all-in' change or not though.

I'm just looking at adding archery to my build, not replacing immolate with it.

As far as bows, Longbows are the best across the board. Being wizards, we cheat! 509's +15 STR bonus means that we only need a 5 STR bonus, 24 air lores, and 51 MjE to fire a longbow in 1 second.

Hmm...I'm guessing without air lore I'd be firing at 2 seconds? I have 162 MjE ranks, so would that make up for the lack of air lore? If not, I'm guessing it wouldn't make a huge difference with immolate, but does anyone know how much less effective immolate would be with 178 fire lore instead of 202? I never ran the numbers on any of that. I just fixskilled into 202 immolate and went out pwning and was like holy shit.

Honestly, I've never even considered hiding. Most snipers are 2x in it minimum, and I've heard 1xing in it isn't really worth it. Plus, I believe, like foraging, there are hidden class modifiers that make it more difficult for wizards. Additionally, if you're sniping, you use both Perception and Ambushing ranks to determine accuracy. Ambushing is expensive as hell, and is really only worth training post-cap. post-maxing spells. So hey, if you really want an all-in build, you could lose all your fire lore and pick up max ambushing ranks for an additional +15 AS at 100 ranks

I forgot about ambushing being required too. Sniping wasn't something I was seriously considering, just more of a for fun thing on the side.

Thanks for the info.

One other question....is fletching really needed for arrows? Or does it just save money?

[Whirlin]

And that's why NOBODY uses crossbows. They're pretty much just orb fodder. Don't even think you could sell a sephwir crossbow (if they exist) for anything substantial.

I don't have access to Krakii at work, but I think there's another Haste tier at 101 MjE ranks? 51 MjE is -1 sec, 24 Air is -1 sec, and 101 MjE may be another -1 sec? So, with enough MjE, you don't need the Air. Also, that's all assuming you only have a +5 STR bonus. If you have +15 STR, that's an additional -1 to RT, so you wouldn't need as much lores/MjE/haste potency.

Although seriously, Air is fucking awesome for tonis bolt as a single-target disabler. Hands down the best opener. And as far as I can tell, NOBODY knows more about immolate's mechanics than you. So maybe that would be an awesome test to do!

Fletching is to make 5x arrows. If you take a bow to 6x, you can just use store-bought arrows, and e-blade them to get the 10x bonus. The reason you don't see much of a market for 6x bows is because it's not necessary. Due to this, the demand is less... Since the demand is less, the prices are less. Since the prices are less, the incentive is reduced. There's no reason for me to enchant a fusion bow to 6x which I could sell for 10m, when I could do a 5x enchant for 5m in less time.

[Buckwheet]

I found fletching to be a waste of time. However there are several people who will take orders for you and you can but like 100k arrows pretty quickly. With a 6x bow I would just buy arrows and eblade them. You only really want fletched if you shoot undead and your spells should kill them anyways.