Defensive Skills and Characteristics

Archers have moderate hp, which some claim is too low, since most monsters past level 80 can kill an Archer in two hits or less. Some people quit once they reach this level, as they find it unfair and difficult to adjust. Most adapt to the changes as they slowly learn how to use multiple skills to increase their survivability.

Every other class has some attribute that requires the usage of one or no skills to defend themselves in a critical situation. Warriors have pure hp, which allows them to take multiple hits on 80+ monsters. Thieves have skills like high passive avoid, Meso Guard and Fake, which reduces the chances of getting hit by a LARGE amount or allows the user to take multiple hits on 80+ monsters. Magic Users also like Warriors and Bandits can take multiple hits with Magic Guard and even have passive resistance skills. Again each of these classes only requires one or no actions by the player themselves.

To fully understand what is trying to be conveyed, imagine a Skelegon right on top of a player. A warrior could stand there and take many hits, same for Chief Bandits and Magic Users. Assassins and Bandits would have a very HIGH chance of receiving a MISS and a Hermit would be able to Flash Jump out of the way after getting hit once. The Archer…would have to walk out of the way, or use an active attack skill, while every other class has a passive or support skill to get them out of the situation. An Archer would have to use PKB, or move quickly and use Dragon Pulse, which are active attack skills and both won’t guarantee the Archer won’t get hit more than once.

That is the MAJOR WEAKNESS of the bowmen class; moderate hp and poor mobility when being attacked head on. Usually a situation like the Skelegon example would be solved by the Archer spamming pots and walking out the way, which overtime can become costly.

EVERY CLASS HAS DEFENSIVE SKILLS, BUT Archer’s skills tend to be more player involved as the archer has to use multiple skills to keep monsters away in different situations to reduce this weakness from happening, that’s where defensive skills come into play.

Note: You can only reduce the weakness, not get rid of it.

Defensive skills define Archers as one of the most strategic and tactical class in the game.

To best describe the uses of defensive skills it will be talked about through one overall general concept that has officially been named Archer Seikûken, which can also be called an Archer’s Defense Shield. Seikûken is a defensive technique where one is controlling the entire radius within one’s arm length, almost creating an impenetrable shield around oneself. Basically a defensive sphere is developed around the player, which I will discuss later.

The list below will show all skills and characteristics of the Archer class used in the Archer Seikûken / Defense Shield.

*Note that Defensive skills means to prevent or hinder damage intake, so skills like Arrow Rain and Arrow Eruption are not shown.

Characteristics:
Range
Knock Back Capability
Speed (For Bow users. Has a higher potential to put a monster in a constant KB state)
Power (For Crossbow users. Increases the probability of KB)

Skills:

Arrow Bomb
Blind/Hamstring
Blizzard
Dragon Pulse
Eye of the Amazon
Final Attack (currently only proven for bow-users)
Focus
Freezer
Hawk/Eagle
Mortal Blow
Power KnockBack
Puppet

As you can see a large portion of the Archer Skills are dedicated in some form or way in reducing the potential damage intake of the archer. The more levels an Archer obtains, the more skills he/she needs to survive.

Archer Seikûken is basically an invisible defense shield that is around an Archer when they are ATTACKING, where very little attacks pass through and in some cases none at all if the Archer is playing conservatively. The more defensive skills that are used together, the harder is is for a monster’s attack to pass through. To describe this concept better, two varying examples,of the Seikûken in Low Shield form and one in High Shield form will be used.

Ranger Low Shield Example at Squids:

Rangers use Puppet more than Snipers, mainly due to pickup speed and they can set up puppet and begin attacking faster than a Sniper. At Squids a Ranger could agro a monster or mob, place Puppet and quickly begin attacking. Because the Squid(s) are distracted by Puppet it reduces the damage potential surrounding the Archer. The problem is an unpupetized monster can interfere; Puppet has a time limit and can die from excessive damage intake, among other things. Although the Shield is weaker than it can potentially be, the Archer Seikûken still effectively reduces the potential damage a Ranger would receive.

Sniper Low Shield Example at Squids:

Snipers use Blizzard more than Rangers because Rangers don’t have Blizzard. At Squids a Sniper would use Blizzard on the Squid(s) and then attack, and if need be, use Blizzard again and then attack. Because the monster is constantly being frozen, the damage done to a Sniper is reduced. However because the Squid is only frozen for a few seconds it has a high potential of attacking when it defrosts. Also a Squid could potentially come up from behind. Nevertheless, the defense shield still reduces a large portion of damage intake done to a Sniper when attacking.

Rangers and Sniper High Shield Example at Himes:

Himes is a very good example where the Archer Seikûken is put into effect. On this map if an Archer sets up his/her defenses up correctly and maintains them, there is a VERY HIGH POTENTIAL that they will take very little damage while attacking, and at certain times none at all, until the monster is dead. On this map, an Archer has the potential to be safe on all sides.

Below describes each skill or characteristic that is potentially active or should be active in the Archer Seikûken at Himes:

• Focus and Eye of the Amazon- The avoid and range allow Archers to stay a safe distance form Himes and give Archers a chance to receive a MISS.

• Arrow Bomb and Arrow Bomb + Final Attack- Arrow Bomb is constantly stunning the mass mob at a 60% rate as well as Kbing the mob. Final Attack allows for better mob control, knocking unstunned/stunned stray Himes back into the clustered mob and also keeping the Hime at a safe distance from the Archer.

• Blizzard- Freezes the mass mob for a few seconds at a 100% rate and Kbing the mob.

• Hawk/Eagle- Stuns any new or stray Hime from attacking the user, and even protects the Archer form any monster that tries to come from behind. Hawk/Eagle always have their Master’s back.

• Mortal Blow- If a Hime lukily gets close to the Archer, there is a percentage chance that Mortal Blow will activate, and either knock back or kill the monster.

• Puppet- A certain portion of the mob, if not all will be completely distracted by puppet while it is active.

• Dragon Pulse- Will be used when a Hime seems to be closing in and knocked back at the furthest distance away while still being within the Archer’s shooting range.

• Blind- Will cause Himes to become Blind and have a difficult time hitting a Crossbowmaster.

• Hamstring- Will slow the fast speed of Himes, considerably reducing their chances of coming near the Bowmaster.

• Freezer- Freezes mobs of Himes at 100% rate for Crossbowmasters.

• Fast Speed- With skills like Hurricane, Bowmasters fast speed characteristics have a higher potential of putting monsters in a constant KB state.

Every skill that was mentioned has HIGH POTENTIAL of being used in just one mob killing. On average, approximately 5 or more will be used defensively while killing the mob (assuming the Archer is killing efficiently). That’s 5+ defensive skills that increase the probability of an Archer killing a mob of Himes with little damamge done to them, and in some cases none at all. That is the power of the Archer Seikûken.

Because of this, Archers tend to train by themselves, as they have all of the tools to do so. They prefer to rely on their skills more than other people to get the job done.

“ wonder why the lone wolf don’t run with a klan
only trust instincts and be one with the plan”- Nujabes