Community Build - Great Crossbow User

[FlaviusMaximus]

First off, no, I cannot see a Great Xbow user actually being viable, but I am curious to see how close they can come with the new changes on Lamannia (probably not that close).

This is likely just theorycrafting for sh**s and giggles, but I'm bored with my monkcher and need an excuse to put my ranger past lives to other use. Hopefully a build can be achieved that wouldn't be utterly gimpy and I will have an excuse to TR my character.

AA is about to get their capstone upped to 20% doubleshot (for a total of 25% doubleshot with the lvl 18 core ability). This, along with the fact that Great Xbows will be able to get up to 4(2d8) in the new weapon crafting system means that they can potentially be much better than they currently are. How close will a Great Xbow user be able to come to respectability? That's what I would like to find out.

At present, I would lean towards an Elf, Helf, or Morninglord, Ranger/Rogue/Arti combo with a maxed Elf AA tree - like a weaksauce version of a FOTW sniper shot/adrenaline shot character, but I think the character would fall short of being viable. There's also the possibility of going pure rogue for the soon to be updated Mechanic capstone.

How would you design a Great Xbow user? What could you get your doubleshot up to, what would your race and class split be, and what destiny would you use?

[unbongwah]

My first thought was to combine Mechanic gt xbow bonuses w/AA, but there's not enough APs: you'd want at least 31 in Mechanic for Expert Builder (+1 crit multiplier), 41 in AA for capstone (+20% doubleshot), and 14 into elf to unlock AA tree - 6 APs shy.

[FestusHood]

How many of the arcane archer abilities work with great crossbows? Does slayer arrow work with it?

You can get 10% double shot from tier 5 mechanic. Maybe combined with the extra multiplier that would be better than 20% doubleshot.

Since the main draw of the great crossbow is the large base damage, i would probably incorporate as many +[w] type attacks as i could. Deepwood stalkers sniper shot seems a natural to start with.

Maybe 6 ranger for sniper shot, 6 rogue for intelligence to damage, and 8 fighter? Take tier 5 from fighter to increase the threat range, making it as likely as possible for the sniper shots to be crits.

[FlaviusMaximus]

My first thought was to combine Mechanic gt xbow bonuses w/AA, but there's not enough APs: you'd want at least 31 in Mechanic for Expert Builder (+1 crit multiplier), 41 in AA for capstone (+20% doubleshot), and 14 into elf to unlock AA tree - 6 APs shy.

I was looking at that too! So close to being a great option. In my opinion, Great xbow should get a x3 crit multiplier naturally.

[Munkenmo]

I think possibly a bladeforged 10rogue/6ranger/4arti.

10 Rogue = Int for damage, sneak dice.
6 Ranger = Sniper Shot + feats.
4 arti = Rune Arms + insightful strikes, Endless Fusillade

Squeezing in 8Fighter levels for the critical threat range seems like a good idea, but I'm not sure how it would compare to endless fusillade + runearms.

I guess I could drop to 8rogue/8fighter/4arti, but I think sniper shot alone outshines the kensai threat boost (given our crappy rate of fire).




Looking at the enhancements, I think I'd have to ditch bladeforged, from a damage standpoint the AP isn't worth the investment. I need 12more ap in Mechanic to get 10% doubleshot. 7AP in bladeforged would still net reconstruct, but it could also get me 2 sneak attack dice from Assassin.

[Vellrad]

You mean great crossbow 24/7 user?
If not, you can just play repeater arti and swap great crosbow when you fussilade.

Knockdown on 20 is a nice thing after all.

[FlaviusMaximus]

How many of the arcane archer abilities work with great crossbows? Does slayer arrow work with it?

Slaying arrow works with all ranged attacks. IIRC, it only works with the first arrow fired from a repeating crossbow. It's likely that the toggles can be used as well, but I'm less concerned about them.

You can get 10% double shot from tier 5 mechanic. Maybe combined with the extra multiplier that would be better than 20% doubleshot.

It is certainly worth considering.

You mean great crossbow 24/7 user?
If not, you can just play repeater arti and swap great crosbow when you fussilade.

Knockdown on 20 is a nice thing after all.

Yeah - 24/7 Great xbow. I know it's not optimal. Just want to see how close it can get.

[Munkenmo]

Take 2.

Human, 10rogue, 6ranger, 4arti.

Human = 3d6 sneak dice enhancements, damage boost enhancement
rogue = 5d6 sneak dice
Arti = insightful Strikes + runearms
Ranger = feats


Battle Engineer = +4 damage with Xbows, +1 enhancement bonus, +3 actionboosts, Endless Fusilade.
Mechanic = +4 damage with Xbows, +10% double strike, Intelligence mod applied to damage, all shots apply bleed.
Deepwood Stalker = +4d6 sneak attack, Sniper Shot.

[unbongwah]

Maybe 6 ranger for sniper shot, 6 rogue for intelligence to damage, and 8 fighter? Take tier 5 from fighter to increase the threat range, making it as likely as possible for the sniper shots to be crits.

If you take Keen Edge, you can't also take Mechanic Rapid Fire (+10% Doubleshot). Whereas if you go rog 18+ and take Expert Builder, you get +1 crit multiplier; is that worth more than +1 crit range?

For this idea, what I wish is that there was a way to pick up Endless Fusilade and Expert Builder, but...no dice.

[FestusHood]

If you take Keen Edge, you can't also take Mechanic Rapid Fire (+10% Doubleshot). Whereas if you go rog 18+ and take Expert Builder, you get +1 crit multiplier; is that worth more than +1 crit range?

For this idea, what I wish is that there was a way to pick up Endless Fusilade and Expert Builder, but...no dice.

I really like the sniper shot, but i'm not sure it is better than having x3 multiplier all the time. I guess it would depend on how many shots you typically fire in 6 seconds, the cooldown of the sniper shot.

The kensei threat range probably isn't better than x3 multiplier, but it allows you to have both it and the sniper shot at the same time.