Silkroad Online Forums

Jay, my first forum post.

OK, here's the deal
I wanna try something different, and since I've never played with a bow before, I want to try it (playing SRO for a month atm).
But, I've read a lot of posts saying "bow s_cks, die real fast, low HP, need many SP". Aight

Anyway, I still want a bow char, but on the other hand, I don't want to find out on level 30 that the build is too bad to be true. So I need some good advices, not posts saying "Do w/e you want, it's your char"

First, I was thinking about hybrid 2:1 (str:int).
Pure INT seems terrible to me as a bow char, but I'd like to know YOUR opinion about this (cause else I wouldn't post here -__- )

Also, I was thinking about lightning as the main tree, with nukes.
Well, I've never played with lightning before, neither with nukes, so could anyone of you explain me some things about lightning nukes (which skills).

Finally, I need some advices about which skills to use, which to max , etc.

Please drop your opinion, suggestions, flames, whatever

yeah i would like some info about this too

1. Bows rely on crit to kill. Taking away str and giving int makes crit less powerful.

2. Bows suck at nuking, especially a 2:1 str hybrid.

3. You have less hp, and for bows, it really matters.

4. Skills to use: None, because I wouldn't recommend this build.

Hm I see..
Any other suggestions for a good bow build?

hey dude what kind of advice was that. not even close to positive. stay off the forum if your not going to help people next time. anyways i think that you should get all skills in pacheon except autumn wind. The rest are pretty good. and dont get nukes, they arent worth it, you wont do high damage and its pretty much useless since you have range already.

I haven't spent much time on the Bow, but Cold and Fire are probably two important masteries to get. The Cold will slow down enemies before they get to you, while the Fire will improve your damage. The Bow can go either way where it comes to Int or Str, IMO. An Int-based bow will rely on magic attacks to increase damage before your opponent can even get to you. Nukes are icing on the cake because they just give you another way to kill them. The Str-based bow takes advantage of crit, as mentioned above, and the additional HP to tank (because you won't be able to kill them as quickly as Int can). I would go for a pure Str or 90% Str Hybrid for the bow. Then use Fire and Cold with Pacheon abilities.

Well if you plan to pvp, use fire as your main and cold as a side mastery. IMO lightning is a must for any archer who plans to pvp. Grasswalk is our only saving grace from the other builds.

It's been said that 2:1 str hybrid sucks, and I have to agree with them.

Pure STR is really the way to go.

Mainly because the extra int that you get is sideswiped from the use of a bow, because why use bow skills at a distance when your nukes can do 3xs as much. Also, bow attacks are mainly physical, so thats why pure str is the way to go. And since hybrid str doesn't give as much hp as pure, and int dmg as pure int, your left in mediocracy.

Lightning would be great main for archers, its aoe can lure mobs around you, and finish off with berzerker/demon arrow.

BTW, I can kill 64+ glaivers, and own ints. But bladers, are just a waste of time, they can't kill me but I can't kill them. And I only have +5 bow.

Those who say archers suck. Learn how to pvp with them first. You don't use an archer the way you would use a glaiver.

The word "Hybrid" and "Bow" do not belong in the same sentence. Period.


I supose people assume that bow range moves would work well with nukers... at least thats where im guessing this thought comes from. But believe me - A hybrid bow of equal level will never kill my character unless there are 3 or 4 of them. The other day i was thieving, found 2 lvl 70 bow characters and panicked a little bit, but hell i was on a blader lvl 70 so I went for it... They died Over and Over and OVER again (double teaming me and falling right back down) they wasted so many res scrolls and reverse return scrolls that i had 8k wanted status.

Every bow move is STR based. Bows do not have high magic damage compared to a spear or a sword. They do not have a shield to prevent getting killed as a nuker. So please don't make me rant further, just put on a bloody sword and shield if you have a bow-ker that you do not want to delete.

Actually the base magic damage on a bow is higher than on a sword.

Look here ... http://sro.mmosite.com/database/items_weapon.shtml <---
Unless that is wrong of course.

Anyways are you sure the 2 level 70 bow chars you beat over and over were Int or hybrids? Almost all bow chars are pure str.

hey wasup I just looked at the link and you're right magic attack is higher for a bow, so they do people say pure str is better for a bowman? I know of crit and all but the magic attack power is higher, I'm thinking that the crit compensates for the lower phy attack. does anyone agree??

I'll let you know how it goes when im done farming. I am having a lot of fun with this build, that must be said. The PvP aspect isnt the greatest but i care less about that for the time being cause i never farmed until now, so my skills need quite a bit of work, but i almost have enough to fully farm my bow skills to 69 so once i get there, i will see whats up.

EDIT: What server are you on?

ok... hybrid is good for bows, because you need a bit of str and another one for int...

now... bows with nukes are bad, so ir ecomend you fire or ice... better fire, so you make more damage before some1 hits you.

the ones that cries because of low HP are gays... if you want to tank, choose a blader, archers are made to deal damage, not to take it, its like puting str on a wizard...

so, good luck with your build, i wish you days of pwnage and ownage =9

i think light would be good cause it lowers you're opponets parry ratio and and sine bows charaters have high hitting ratio the white or blue hawks hepls a lot this lets you hit ur higher end damage won't this be the same or higher then the fire damage?

Yes, im 100% on that. one of those bows now nukes with a sword and shield (about time).

NO SHIT the dmg on bow is higher than sword, but you find me a bow that can block.(spear >bow anyways)

the problem is, you will hit your highest damage more often, yet your highest damage will be Lower than if you had fire, its a trade off

sorry guys I have been their done that. If you wanna be any good in pvp... don't be hybrid bower. Go pure str for the crits. crits. crits. Tried JadeKiss guide and it bored me. I was sad that I deleted my str bower. Oh well, doesn't matter anymore spear pwns. Oh and heres a lil story for you guys. I was pvping with a level 25 str bower who I knew. He had a 24+3 sos bow and I had a 24 +3 spear. It seemed to be about 50:50 if he crit.. he could win. If not, well lets just say that even with all his hp I could 2 hit him. I wish I could find a low level hybrid bower to pvp with it would be great when the crits do less and I can 1 hit em.. haha.

WTF! That is a great advice. He said everything what is reality about a hybrid bow. The build is bad in many ways!!! I would give a +1 to this comment, because a bow is worth only with a pure str character!!!

I always talk when I see this comments. First about the skills:

* antidevil max

* multi arrow combos max

* hawk training go for white and blue instead of black

* autum wind will only help only at the beginning when you havnt berzerk (lvl 14 to 24) so you have 2 strong arrows

* demon soul first book (with 47 SP at lvl 19 you get half that a lvl 69 gets)

* berzerk max

* Strong bow depend on how much SP you are thinking to farm. At the end is better Berzerk

* Passive max (obvious)

NOTE: Nukes only for fun with low levels, your arrows will be better with any other bow builds different from pure int.


About which tree you have to use. If you want to do some PVP you will need the phantom walk of the light. To grind on an archer there is nothing better than cold imbue (there is no monster inmune to ice) and every people say that the best is fire beccause its true that it is the one that make more damage. I would recommend you use something like Im doing, imbue Ice (has less damage than fire but its not true that the difference is so big) with light and fire buffs. You will grind fast and you will have to learn how to PVP because its not easy but, like on every single game, you can do it really well if you know how to do it (please, dont just stay sending combos or you will be pawned).


About pure str, pure int, hybrid: I dont recommend pure int mainly because for pure int its better go with spear or sword. Pure str its the most accepted build but even the high HP it is not a great tank (basically, the glavier and blader are better for that). I think that the best for a bow it is hybrid to make use of the non-negligible magical attack and at same time have good crits. You always have to know that best weapon for an archer is distance and with 1:1 or 2:1 (str:int) you will have enough HP to resist at least 1, 2 or 3 nukes of someone of your own level, but the nuker will not be able to resist the arrows you will launch on that time. To PVP with a tank you will have to learn to manage the distance.

Many people say that the only way that a bowmen can kill is with crits, but that is only valid for a pure str.

shame you dont play in oasis. could probably kill you with my lvl 35 char LOL

You know in the old days when an enemy got too close the archers put away their bows and started beating/stabbing/impaling them with knives, blades, mallets, pikes, etc.

Take a cue from your ancestors and invest in either bicheon for KD to regain distance or just get stabby, or Heuksal for either ghost spear or soul spear.

Now ofcourse someone can chime in and say "why not just go with heuksal or bicheon" and I say you can eff-off because being an archer is be pretty friggin' fun and I like to roleplay dammit <_<.

dude just got full str bow and get the skills listed above and youll be fine. Ive seen many bow pwnzz0rs around and you could be one too, just dont go hybrid, and dont try to nuke because you cant crit with nukes.

full str bow, thats basically it.

Lol, he asks for advice. This is advice from his point. Youre advise is pretty useless, considering anybody can give advise on wich weapon skills to take and wich not..
The other dude has a point, a str bow has more advantages in my opinion then any other bow build..

You seriously have kd/stab? and youre a bow user?

Yes.

Well I think it's good to expeirment with things, I have several experimental characters one of which right now is a Lighting/bow. One of the things to pay attention to is MP consumption, not a huge thing if your a STR build but when playing a hybrid it's important to watch that. Once your MP goes then your just left firing sticks. So you can go the route you want to go, I would just stock up on MP pots. Also lighting is good for speed and increasing your parry ratio, which for bows is nice 'cause hey no shield

As far as damage goes your going to want to bring your target down to half health before they reach you, unless your playing an armor character prepare for some hurt. The spreading effect of lighting can also backfire badly so its really a game of waiting for your target to be clear for a good shot or not, if you think you are that good. Also as a side note archers needless HP pots than most simply if played right the target dosen't get to you. Agian if played right so bring some spares just in case, I always carry about 200 hp and mp pots.

Think thats about it, if you plan to go hybrid there is a hybrid guide somewhere in the guide forum I would suggest you take a look at very helpful.

Remember it's just a game have fun

Haha kd/stab with a bower, very funny.