[Archery] Archery Training Troubles

[Obsidian]

I'm reinvigorating a character I last really played in 2001. He was 6 x GM Warrior-Lumbjerjack. As that template now is worthless I am revamping him into a mod to the ABC Archer. His current skills (with template goal in parenthesis) are the following:

59.7 Archery (120)
100.6 Bushido (120)
100.4 Tactics (120)
115.0 Resisting Spells (120)
100.0 Necromancy (100.0)
80.0 Chivalry (80.0)
38.0 Anatomy (60.0)

I know there could be template discussion here, but let's put that aside for a moment. I moved this guys skills around via soulstone (removed 100 swords, 100 anatomy, 100 LJ; added necro and bush; trained resist) to get him to this point. But I am having a very difficult time gaining in archery.

I think my problem is that I'm challenging monster's too tough to actually gain in the archery. Because this guy has a good set of support skills, I've had him killing Ettins, and then Earth Els, and Even a bunch of Arctic Ogre Lords. He succeeded in killing all of those. But frankly, I'm not gaining in archery. The Ettins worked ok, but the Earth Els and AOLs did nothing for my skill even though I killed them. My lightning strike, consecrate weapon, enemy of one, and life leech are keeping me alive no problem.

So what do you all recommend to get my archery out of this low area so I can gain while adventuring in areas like Doom and other dungeons? I probably need to back off and head back to the Ettins and other lower level spawn to start. Recommended monsters/animals and locations are appreciated. I've just never had a weapon skill gain this slow in the sub-80 range.

Thanks for your thoughts!

-OBSIDIAN-

 

[Farsight]

I'm going to assume that you aren't skill capped and you have every skill you don't want marked down.

At this point, your best bet for skill gains is ettins or lizardmen. There are locations where you can find all of those you want with little movement.

Your second best bet is to jewel up your archery (ring/brace/hunters head dress) and head to earth elementals (I find Ilshenar or Tokuno EE spawns much better than Shame FYI). When you get up about 10 points, then take off the jewels and continue with the EEs. When your skill is a natural 80, you can either jewel up your skill and hunt the big things or just go with what's working.

Make sure you're using a fast bow that does little damage. Killing things too quickly while training means more wait for the next to spawn.

Another thing that works lately for archery at or above 80 is to go to the Ilshenar Oaks spawn. Keeping away from the paragons, you should be able to gain nicely from wisps, centaur and serpentine dragons. And it keeps you in the arrows and makes good gold.

 

[Lynk]

Throw on a hunters headdress, get a 100% poison bow, and shoot at a golem or arctic ogre lords.

 

[Farsight]

Throw on a hunters headdress, get a 100% poison bow, and shoot at a golem or arctic ogre lords.

Oh sure, if you want to do it the quickest and easiest way...

 

[Storm]

dungeon despise thats were i gmed my archer just start at the top lizerdman level and when gains stop or slow way down hit the next level all the way to ogre lords and titans
the is one of the best places to train any fighter type

 

[Diomedes Artega]

Alternatively, provided that you have A LOT of arrows on your person already, aside from Farsight's good suggestion, you can work the Tokuno spawn. Same concept, use a lousy but fast bow that does little damage. There are enough enemies there that you won't have to wait for respawns. You can alternate between those and then work on the beetles and gain pretty well.

Additionally you can always jewel up when your skills slow up and then fight the next tier. This is the method that I did when I GM'ed archery a LONG time ago.
Farsight has the most practical method.

There is also the golem wacking method...which I find drab on an archer since it's not even interesting animation lol.

When you get around 115 to 120 (I'm supposing you are going this high), you can train in Doom if you wanted. That's where I got most of my last gains and got an a couple arties while I was there (frostbringer and Hunter's headdress).

Me personally, I always liked doing something while training. 115 to 120 is just gravy anyways.

 

[Farsight]

Heh, I gained from 110-115 in Tokuno spawn, lesser and regular hiryu. It took about 3 spawns I believe. I was surprised when the same day I got the 115 scroll, I had 115 skill.

I didn't mention the Tokuno spawn, even though it was my old favorite, because it seems that once you start it these days, people always want to help you finish it. It used to be that with 50 in any weapon skill, by the time you got the spawn up to level 2 alone (couldn't use any help from others for it to work out this way), you had 70 skill or more. From that point, you could go straight to the big stuff.

 

[Obsidian]

Thanks for all the tips! I spent last evening in Despise fighting lizardmen. And yes, that did the trick. I went from 59 to 70 in about 2 hours. I most certainly was fighting monsters outside my skill-gain envelope due to my buffs.

The responses to the thread, however, created some follow-up questions. I took a hiatus from UO from 2002 to 2008 so there are still many parts of the landmasses I've never ventured into.

1) Farsight recommended the Ilshenar or Tokuno Earth Elemental spawns. I've was using Shame when I quit in 2002 and have used it again since I came back. Where exactly in Ils and Tok are these spawns (moongates and general directions or UOAM coords would be awesome).

2) Same thing for the centaurs and serpentine dragons. I think those are through the Juka city after you pop out of the Honesty moongate in Ilsh. Am I right?

I've been occasionally working Tokuno Champ spawn with my necro-mage. I'll try my archer once I get him into the 90-100 range.

Now that I'm gaining, any comments on my template? I've read the threads detailing the general consensus from Connor and Lynk on the Sampire/Wammy. What do you all think of necro on an ABC archer instead of healing? So far I am liking the life leech a lot.

-OBSIDIAN-

 

[Storm]

Like I said despise is one of the best places to train any fighting skill lots of critters for verying levels good respawn rate not bad loot for that level and critters are not the fastest around makes for easy getaway if needed

 

[Storm]

Like I said despise is one of the best places to train any fighting skill lots of critters for verying levels good respawn rate not bad loot for that level and critters are not the fastest around makes for easy getaway if needed

oh and forgot also good chance of getting arti drop also

 

[Diomedes Artega]

2) Same thing for the centaurs and serpentine dragons. I think those are through the Juka city after you pop out of the Honesty moongate in Ilsh. Am I right?

I've been occasionally working Tokuno Champ spawn with my necro-mage. I'll try my archer once I get him into the 90-100 range.

Now that I'm gaining, any comments on my template? I've read the threads detailing the general consensus from Connor and Lynk on the Sampire/Wammy. What do you all think of necro on an ABC archer instead of healing? So far I am liking the life leech a lot.

-OBSIDIAN-

I will let Farsight answer number one since it was his suggestion. I can help you with number 2 though. Yes you are correct as far as the location of Juka City. Going out of Honesty gate, keep going straight (NOT the first right) and take the second right. There is a gypsy camp there. Proceed...not sure the direction on the map...I just believe easterly. Sounds like you've been there so no sweat. Go straight a ways and hook a left and then you will follow a path way along a mountain.

As far as necro on an archer. I like it a lot and use kind of a similar, albeit not an exact same idea as what you have. I find it very fun and very effective. Nice for PvP since the necro spells throw people off. Can also create some nasty combos using necro + bows.

 

[Farsight]

Yomotsu mines near the entrance. Take the third Tokuno gate (forget the name, but there's a gaman spawn right outside the gate) and head south along the road and through the Yomotsu. Follow the mountain and you'll run into a cave less than a minute after leaving the gate. Inside the cave (the Yomotsu mines), right past the unattended pet trainer (always a tamer training a pet on a shadow elemental) is a spawn of an earth elemental and a dull copper elemental. The new one spawns the instant the old one dies which means you can stay put and maximize your training time. Don't go too far in since Yomotsu warriors have 100-110 wrestling and throws things at you if you attack them from range.

Or from the Ilshenar Sacrifice gate, follow the mountains northwest until you get to the rat-cave. In the south and north sections of the cave are spawns of 4 earth elementals which respawn by the time you can kill the next one. Stay on level one and you'll avoid being killed by a skeletal dragon.

Those are the two spawns that I use frequently, but in Ilshenar, it's hard to take two steps without running into earth elementals anywhere.