The Rogue Build has been one of the most popular classes in Bioware’s Dragon Age Origins. Inquisition makes it possible to develop an archer build, which has evolved with quite a significant DPS character. If perhaps you’ve had problems progressing levels, you need to rebuild your game. What are the weapons and armor to use? Which are the upsides and downsides of this game? Read on this article to know all about this Rogue archer build.
Since already you have decided to go by the Archer build, a common mistake by most players is trying to merge the dual-wielder into their game. This game majors on your skill points, and trying to pursue both makes your character less effective.
Just select a single skill tree and master it inside out. An archer builds primarily uses skills in the Archery tree. Nevertheless, additional abilities from the Subterfuge trees and Sabotage can also come in handy.
Playing the Rogue class allows for explosive arrow shots, long-range attacking, striking multiple enemies, striking from above, first blood, and pincushion. All these abilities come from the archery tree. On the other hand, the Sabotage tree offers poisoned weapons (you can damage your enemies for a lifetime). The Subterfuge tree allows for easy-to-miss and stealth ability, making you kind of ‘invisible’ to your enemies.
Building a Successful Archer Build
Avoid building up high strength and save up those points to equip your character with the best type of armor. Light armor is the best for the rogues, discussion for later, and so dexterity is a significant stat. High endurance serves you in the best interest of avoiding being hit. Excellent willpower should be 15-20. Do not invest too much in magic (15 or less).
Instead, maximize on cunning (up to 20) to achieve more successful backstabs. The following steps will help you make a high DPS character, rarely hit by opponents, and use the best equipment available. Now that you have a brief idea of what you should do to develop a good Archer build in Dragon Age Origins, what are the specific armor and weapons one should use?
Armor and Weapons
Armor
There are four different types of body armor. These include heavy, light, massive, and medium. Each armor is made in different materials, and the tiers for each increase as one progresses through the game. Regardless of the skillset you choose, light armor works best with this build’s character. Additional protection from the heavier armors is unnecessary as it only slows you down during attacks and reduces stamina quickly. Note that having matching armor gives you a bonus.
The armor to use include; Red Jenny Seeker Gloves (fund the after the Trial of Crows battle), Cadash Stompers for the feet (from the personal quest at Shales), and The Ring 1 and 2 (found at Orzammar and Greater Shade respectively). The Felons and Mercenary coat are perfect for this build, the latter having a +5% ranged defense. Essentially, armors having a high ranged defense work best for this Archer build.
Furthermore, they add to willpower and strength. The Longsight+Longbowman’s belt (found at camp, for a price) gives you a higher striking accuracy.
Weapons
Since the Archer Build works well in the lower levels (1-10), the weapons need to be less complicated. The Far Song is a vital weapon, far much better than the Mages’s Eye. It has a +3% critical chance, +10% attack and backstabs damage, and +2% rapid aim. This weapon helps with cunning, willpower, combat, and endurance. Other weapons used include the
The Inquisition Longbow. found in level 10, has a +6% Strength/Dexterity and +3% attack. The Fereldan Officer Longbow was found in level 6 and has a +35% Dexterity and +2% Critical chance. It is suitable for its striking accuracy. Besides, it boosts stamina up to 15. These bows flanking, attack and dexterity bonuses help you with accuracy, positioning, and power.
More: Best Mage Build in Dragon Age Origins
Pros and Cons
The Archer Build has its advantages, but cannot lack in some downsides. Here are some of those pros and cons.
Pros
- The character’s long shot ability, having a plus 600% damage bonus (max 15 meters) and works well during long-range combat.
- The Sabotage tree’s poisoned weapons and the archer tree’s pincushion give characters +25% weapon damage and +5% bonus, respectively, which progressively wears down enemies.
- The archery tree’s full drawn ability helps in higher damage on the first strike to uninjured enemies.
- When shooting from a higher point, death adds a max damage bonus (25 %). Besides, it helps defensively by missing/avoiding enemy attacks- it provides an outflanking strategy opening.
- On a brighter note, outflanking’s enemy evading ability adds 100% flanking and 25% threat reduction. By staying high and keeping your enemy’s side, the Archer builds character is advantaged.
Cons
- Various abilities of the Archery Tree have quite a long recovery time. For instance, this Long-range striking ability’s cool-down time is 8 seconds, the explosive shot being 12 seconds, and the full drawn is 24 seconds. This factor might be detrimental, especially when your objectives need a short cool down.
- Similarly, the recovery times of the Subterfuge and Sabotage are quite long. Its stealth abilities and poisoned weapons require an extensive recovery time of up to 24 seconds.
- The significant abilities of the Archer build come at a stamina cost. For instance, Explosive shot ability goes for 35, Long Shot for 50, stealth/Poisoned weapon for 20, and Full Draw for 65 points. A low stamina/dexterity reflects significant character wear during an attack.
- The Archer build will work efficiently when the character is well-positioned. For instance, the ‘Easy to miss’ and ‘Death from Above’ will work if you are positioned, either on the side or higher ground from your enemy.
- The Archer build only works best during the Dragon Age’s Nightmare or Inquisition stages. As you progress, you need to develop your game once again.
Melee Archer Tree
- Defensive fire
The defensive fire skill in the Melee Archer Tree can help a player change stance, thus receiving a bonus to defense in Archer Build. It slows the fire rate, and if you master this skill, you will get the defense bonus increased.
You can achieve a sustained personal range, 40 upkeep, reduces fatigue by 5%, and offers a 15s cooldown. It needs 22 dexterity. The play requires expert combat training to use the skills to their advantage effectively.
- Aim
The aim is a skill of the melee archer tree, which helps place each shot strategically for maximum effect. The aim increases the rate of fire and grants you the bonuses to attack and damage the enemy. Again it protects the armor from heavy enemy blows, thus providing a critical stance.
You can increase the master archer bonuses with the aim skill as it has a sustained personal range, with 35 upkeep, 5% reduced fatigue, 0.5s cooldown. It needs 16 dexterity and improved combat training to utilize it.
Pinning Shot Tree
- The pining shot
The pinning shot skill shoots the target’s legs disabling the foe, thus pinning the target. If the target passes the physical resistance check, the skill slows down the movement speed otherwise.
The pinning shot activation range is very long and needs 15 activations, 15s cooldowns, and 12 dexterity. The gamer should have combat training to apply this skill in the pinning shot tree effortlessly.
- Crippling Shot
The crippling shot skill hampers the target’s ability to fight by reducing the attack and defense. However, the shot only inflicts normal damage, but the master archer talent adds an attack bonus while firing the crippling shot.
When activated, the crippling shot offers a long-range and needs 25 activations, 10s cooldown, 16 dexterity. However, you may need improved combat training to utilize this skill effectively. You could cripple the enemy and gain more points which put you ahead in the game.
Rapid Shot Tree
- The rapid shot
The rapid shot is a skill of the rapid shot tree which allows one to get speed wins out over the power while this mode is activated. The archer can fire more rapidly, inflicting damage on the enemy. Again the master archer increases the fire rate, thus making it possible to hit the enemy when they are least suspecting an attack.
The rapid shot has a sustained personal range with 35 upkeep, 5% reduced fatigue, 0.5s cooldown, and12 dexterity. One might need combat training to use the rapid shot on the enemy effectively. You can effectively apply the rapid shot on the enemy and blow more damage leading to extensive damage.
- Shattering Shot
The shattering shot opens a weak spot in the enemy’s armor. This shot gives damage if it hits and imposes an armor penalty on the enemy. When combined with the master archer, the skill increases the target’s armor penalty.
Its activated range is very long, with 25 activation and 15s cooldown. The skill needs 16 dexterity and improved combat training to shoot at the target’s armor appropriately. Weakened armor will make the enemy exposed, leading to further damage and more points in the game.
Accuracy Tree
- Accuracy
Accuracy is a skill that clears the archer’s mind when activated, and it makes them focus all their attention on the next shot trajectory. If the archer activates it, they gain a bonus to attack and damage the enemy at the ranged critical chance. However, the critical damage will depend on the archer’s dexterity attribute.
The archer archives a personal sustained range with 60 upkeep, and 0% fatigue, 10ss cooldown. Again one may need combat training with 34 dexterity and needs level 20. Accuracy makes it easy to deal with the enemy as you concentrate on ways to damage them.
- Arrow time
The arrow time skill gives the archer intense focus by slowing their perception of time. The slowed perception of time would slow the movement speed for the enemies who come closer to the archer, making it possible to strike them easily. However, the arrow time might not affect the elite rank, and the deep concentration might drain stamina, making the archer weak.
It has a sustained personal range, 40 upkeep, and 10% fatigue, 10s cooldown. You would need to be on level 20 with 34 dexterity and combat training. When you master the use of the arrow time to your advantage, you can subdue the weaker enemies, but you should be careful as you are likely to be weak with this skill leading to more damage.
Crossbow vs. Bows
You will find the crossbows and bows in the archer build, and choosing one over the other can be challenging. For instance, you would come across different crossbows such as imperium crossbow and antique warden crossbow.
You can steal these crossbows in the lothering and the soldier’s peak, respectively. The imperium crossbow has 12.80 damage, 3.20% Crit, 11.0 AP, and a 52 range. On the other hand, the sorrows of Arlathan have a 9.60 damage, 1.80% Crit, 8.80 AP, and a 46 range.
These base stats can increase damage to the enemy but do not offer any special effect in the archer build. They are good for fighters as they are more powerful, but they don’t have strength modifiers that increase efficiency as one gets more stamina in the game. The crossbows fire slowly, but they hit higher, thus damaging the enemy.
The crossbows use ranged weapons with bolts ammunition and have intrinsic damage and the greatest ranges, thus targeting long distances. It is better to use crossbows against armored enemies. You may load the crossbows with special loaded bolts that deal with additional effects like elemental damage and knocking back the opponent.
You can increase the damage with tier exploits related to other weapon material, and you would need to use the equipment with other talents and spells, which increases its speed, critical stance, base damage, and hexes.
Bows fire faster and are suitable for almost all characters in the game; again, with the archer mastery in the build, you would reload it faster and deal with critical hits. You may need higher dexterity to hit the enemy effectively. The bow can damage nearby enemies and those from a distance, and when you increase dexterity, you will damage the enemy completely.
There is everything you need to know about the Archer Build in Dragon Age Origins. We hope this article helps you become an even better player!