Range bow damage - dex or str?

[Lartanin63]

Yeah you will want Str. I think the dmg calculation is really based off the bows damage more than strength bonus. Like you are only going to hit so hard with the increased attack rating you get. It obviously changes when you get into 50s for double dmg when it's standing there not rooted. I've done a dex build in the past to see if my crits happened more and it seemed worse with the lost damage of my strength gear being replaced.
I feel bow kiting stuff in classic and in other situational stuff later on in expansions is viable. But you shouldn't be doing it in groups and stuff. That's like a druid meleeing because he has a scimitar.

Root and shoot is viable to put your dots on it and med while you bow

Snare and bow to finish off mobs when your hp/mana gets a bit low during melee.

Make a buttload of arrows and solo a red con mob with sow. This sounds like a waste of time but getting a hero bracers way before you can tank and spank, or a short sword of Morin, orc impaler. 6-30 damage and not getting hit is nothing to laugh about in classic.

Tldr: Go strength, use archery as a tool not to define your class.

[gherron]

Originally Posted by Lartanin63 [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]

Make a buttload of arrows and solo a red con mob with sow. This sounds like a waste of time but getting a hero bracers way before you can tank and spank, or a short sword of Morin, orc impaler. 6-30 damage and not getting hit is nothing to laugh about in classic.
.

Cannot stress this enough. I was able to farm Karg Icebear (level 35/36) solo at level 15 using nothing but vendor arrows and sow pots (couldn’t land any spells on him). It felt like a huge accomplishment to get the gigantic zweihander and his cloak. I’m still using the zweihander and I probably won’t ever sell it because it’s my “trophy”. Big game hunting is very rewarding on the ranger.

Also, thanks Lartanin for your awesome guide.

[Tethler]

Originally Posted by gherron [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]

Cannot stress this enough. I was able to farm Karg Icebear (level 35/36) solo at level 15 using nothing but vendor arrows and sow pots (couldn’t land any spells on him). It felt like a huge accomplishment to get the gigantic zweihander and his cloak. I’m still using the zweihander and I probably won’t ever sell it because it’s my “trophy”. Big game hunting is very rewarding on the ranger.

Also, thanks Lartanin for your awesome guide.

Yeah, I did the same in the low 20s, but without sow/sow pots. Strafe running for 20 mins while snapping back to to shoot without getting caught was pretty tiring on the hands. Bow kited down Quillmane at 30 also, but unfortunately got legs.

Bows are great for targets of opportunity!

I use bow sometimes when I'm soloing xp mobs too. When I need to root and back out to heal, you can weave bow shots during GCD between heals. The extra dmg adds up.

[Sarkhan]

Originally Posted by gherron [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]

Cannot stress this enough. I was able to farm Karg Icebear (level 35/36) solo at level 15 using nothing but vendor arrows and sow pots (couldn’t land any spells on him). It felt like a huge accomplishment to get the gigantic zweihander and his cloak. I’m still using the zweihander and I probably won’t ever sell it because it’s my “trophy”. Big game hunting is very rewarding on the ranger.

Also, thanks Lartanin for your awesome guide.

I did this too at lvl 17 for my Zweihander from Karg and cloak from Matar! Also got my Peggy cloak around 28 I believe and 2 more for my friends. Orc impaler too soloing that shadowman and ghoul boss. I gotta say those single targets are where bow kiting shines and definitely makes you feel accomplished. Died miserably against Coloth though, do not recommend because he bow kites better than a 30 ranger haha

Extra thanks to Lartanin as everything I've read from him seems spot on.

[Lartanin63]

Thanks Gherron.

Talking about the trophy kills:

Ghoul messanger at lvl 12: did get help since my sow ran out and I had to strafe run to qeynos.

Mino Hero at lvl 25

Ghoul Boss at lvl 29

Quillmane at lvl 31- Also legs [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]

Don't think I got anything great besides those.

[Imago]

I've found bow kiting + root/rot to be viable in both Classic and Kunark.

At 35 I parked in SolB at the easy SolA zoneline and would bow kite + root/rot the pathing kobold for basically free xp til 45. Runed Oak Bow + storebought arrows, typical gear for mid 30s.

54-56 I did this for golems in COM. Raincaller + Summoned: Arrows

At 59 I killed Nyzil Bloodforge the same way for the last 50% of the level. Raincaller + Summoned: Arrows

Sure, it takes longer, but it also allows for freedom of playstyle and, when groups invariably dont invite you because they want to min max 110% of the time, it provides a reasonable way to stay productive (P.S. i hate those people, this is Everquest)

[Wrekt]

Originally Posted by Imago [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]

...Sure, it takes longer, but it also allows for freedom of playstyle and, when groups invariably dont invite you because they want to min max 110% of the time, it provides a reasonable way to stay productive (P.S. i hate those people, this is Everquest)

We hate you back. Go solo with all that utility instead of debuffing our experience gain too. Be considerate.

[Ennewi]

Originally Posted by Wrekt [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]

We hate you back. Go solo with all that utility instead of debuffing our experience gain too. Be considerate.

If only it were possible to give individual players xp penalties, not based on their race/class, but instead their serverwide faction.

[Lartanin63]

Yeah that centaur bowing you at sow speed for 44plus a shot my God devs.

[Anxarcule]

Thanks everyone for sharing their knowledge and experience - this has been very insightful and useful, and I think I will (eventually) try a ranger next once my wizard starts to get a bit more dull.