Archer Build - Bushido vs. Focus

[spamspamspamspam]

Converting my old, unused swords paladin into an a pvm / event archer. I Currently have the following skills:

Anatomy - 120
Healing - 100
Tactics - 120
Chivalry - 70
Resist - 120

Started training Archery and ate a 120, I will have 120 points to fill yet (with jewelry) and had planned on going to 120 Bushido, but truthfully on a couple of other ABCs, I only use Bushido for the occasional Lightning Strike and Confidence. That's not to say that I'm not underutilizing the skill. But it got me to thinking, should I go Focus instead of Bushido? Or maybe 100 Focus and jam the other 20 points into Chivalry?

Any thoughts? I saw the mana savings of Bushido, but since I'm an archer without Ninjitsu, I would only be at 240 skill points and qualify for the lesser, five-point special move savings.

 

[Merlin]

If this is going to be a character used mainly from EM events and occasional hunts, I would think Bushido is not worth the 120 skill points. Especially if you're only using it for two abilities. You have Close Wounds from Chivalry and Bandages with Healing and Anatomy, so that make Confidence a bit redundant. Lightning Strike... personally I don't find it a very good use of mana. You should have enough Hit Chance Increase that you don't need a boost from this ability in order to hit targets..

Having said that, you should spend the 120 points elsewhere. Maybe put a few more points into Chivalry and rest in Focus, as you suggested. Another possibility would be if you considered a Wraith Archer. If you're Human, you get enough Necromancy from JOAT to be able to go into and maintain Wraith form. You could then put those skill points into Spirit Speak, which would allow you to leach back a very significant amount of mana. SS also acts as another healing ability. Just an idea if you wanted some variation in your build.

Good luck!

 

[James [W^H]]

For PVM and EM events, I have Archery, Tactics, Anatomy, Healing, Resist, and Chivalry at 120. I don't have Focus and have never seen a need for if you have the proper suit and weapons. If you want to use Bushido, then build you character around that skill, so you can utilize all of the benefits.

 

[PlayerSkillFTW]

Bushido for Archers is mainly used for Honor and Confidence healing on the run. The Double Shot and Armor Pierce specials of the Yumi also require 50.0+ Bushido skill, and under the right circumstances (resist debuffs), can out damage AI. Bushido also lets an Archer use Momentum Strike, allowing them to hit a distant enemy and an enemy right next to them at the same time (the only way an Archer can hit more than one enemy at a time, asides from crappy Lightning Arrow and Hit Area on wep). 90.0+ Bushido also lets you control a Lesser Hiryu, which is another damage source if something else is tanking (the Grasping Claw debuff they apply helps bring down bosses faster). Bushido also counts towards the Special Move Mana Cost Reduction, making your Special Moves cheaper to use.

Lightning Strike hasn't been worth using ever since they nerfed it by doubling it's Mana Cost (120 Bushido only gives 20% Critical Chance), especially now that chaining AI non-stop is possible through a combination of high HML (most SSI on suit) along with 300% damage cap.