Every
hero must choose their own path in Champions Online. To that end,
each hero has access to multiple power sets, concentrating their
abilities on one specific type of power. The power set they choose will
determine their play style and their role in any group. To that end,
we’ll examine the Archery power set in this article,
describing every power, and discussing some other power sets that are
complementary to it.
The Archery power set is extremely versatile. It relies primarily upon
ranged attacks based upon the hero’s incredible dexterity.
The archer hero is a magician with the bow, using many different types
of arrows to bring justice to evildoers everywhere. The various arrows
can stun, immobilize, or damage a foe, or even make the archer
themselves more efficient and deadly.
The two main stats associated with Archery are Dexterity and
Intelligence. Dexterity is insanely important in that it increases the
chance of a critical hit, which inflicts more damage. Dexterity also
increases a hero’s dodge and avoidance. On the flipside,
Intelligence reduces the cooldown time of powers and the energy cost of
powers. That means that you can get more shots off at the bad guys
without wearing yourself out. Combined with your awesome Dexterity,
this makes for a lethal combination. More shots, an increased
likelihood of crits, and reduced cooldown means that you’ll
be dropping the bad guys like flies.
Archery is one of the most versatile power sets in CO; however, there
are other power sets that can be useful used in conjunction with
Archery. First, you want to pick up abilities from other
power sets that share the same stats as Archery (Dexterity and
Intelligence). Two useful powers are Lightning Reflexes and Bountiful
Chi Resurgence which are from the Martial Arts power set. The Munitions
power set has some useful powers, such as Lead Tempest or Breakaway
Shot, which can be deadly when mixed with Archery.
For the overview, we’ll list each power along with any
pertinent information. In addition, any advantages that can be
purchased for the power will be listed. The tier of the power will also
be listed. Newer players may be confused by the term
‘tier’ for the powers. What tier means is what
requirements are needed to take the power. The tier levels are
summarized below.
Starter – no
requirement needed.
Tier 1 – requires
one Archery power or two non energy building powers from any framework
Tier 2 – requires
three Archery powers or five non energy building powers from any
framework
Tier 3 – requires
five Archery powers or eight non energy building powers from any
framework
style="font-weight: bold;">Archery Power Set
alt="" src="http://www.tentonhammer.com/image/view/81446"
style="width: 80px; height: 104px;">
style="font-weight: bold;">Strafe
Tier: Starter
Type: Energy Builder
Description: Strafe fires off a series of arrows at your target.
Method: Maintain
Single target piercing damage
Generates energy
Advantages:
Accelerated Metabolism -
Every time you use this ability you have a chance to return a small
amount of energy.
Aversion - Strafe has a
chance to increase your Dodge ability.
alt="" src="http://www.tentonhammer.com/image/view/81444"
style="width: 80px; height: 104px;">
style="font-weight: bold;">
Sonic Arrow
Tier: Starter
Type: Ranged Attack
Description: Sonic Arrow fires a specialized arrow at your target
emitting a concentrated blast of noise when it strikes the target.
Method: Tap
Single target sonic damage
Method: Charge
Increases the damage Tap
action.
Dazes target if fully
charged.
Advantages:
Accelerated Metabolism -
Every time you use this ability you have a chance to return a small
amount of energy.
Deadly Dissonance - Sonic
Arrow deals AoE damage to enemies around your initial target and will
daze all targets on a full charge. The damage dealt to the additional
targets is less than the damage dealt to the primary target.
Crippling Challenge
Increases the threat
caused by this attack, making enemies more likely to attack
you.
Places a 20% damage debuff
on the target that persists for 15 seconds. If the affected enemy
attacks the taunter, it will quickly reduce this debuff's strength.
Conversely, damage the taunter inflicts on the taunted enemy restores
the debuff's strength.
This advantage Taunts an
AI controlled enemy, forcing them to attack you for 4 seconds. All
taunts share a 10 second cooldown, and an enemy that has been taunted
by any source cannot be taunted again for 10 seconds.
Crippling Challenge breaks
through blocking and disables it for 10 seconds.
alt="" src="http://www.tentonhammer.com/image/view/81440"
style="width: 80px; height: 104px;">
style="font-weight: bold;">
Evasive Maneuvers
Tier: 1
Type: Buff Self
Description: Evasive Maneuvers causes you to lunge backwards to put
distance between you and your foe.
Method: Click
Lunges you away from the
target
Increases dodge chance for a
short time
Advantages:
Sleight of Mind - Evasive
Maneuvers has a 50% chance to wipe all Threat from you and places you
in Stealth for 3 seconds
alt="" src="http://www.tentonhammer.com/image/view/81447"
style="width: 80px; height: 104px;">
style="font-weight: bold;">
Taser Arrow
Tier: 1
Type: Ranged Attack
Description: Taser Arrow fits your arrow with an electrically charged
tip delivering a powerful jolt when it strikes your target.
Method: Tap
Single target electrical
damage
Chance to apply hold to the
target. This chance is determined by your target's current
Energy
Drains energy from the
target.
Method: Charge
Increases damage of the Tap
action.
Advantages:
Accelerated Metabolism -
Every time you use this ability you have a chance to return a small
amount of energy.
Aftershock - For 12 seconds
any additional electrical damage will trigger an energy draining effect
on your target. This can occur up to two times before the debuff wears
off.
alt="" src="http://www.tentonhammer.com/image/view/81443"
style="width: 80px; height: 104px;">
style="font-weight: bold;">
Quarry
Tier: 1
Type: Buff Self
Description: Nothing escapes your notice and once you target something,
running it down is only a matter of time.
Method: Slotted Passive
Can be slotted in an
Offensive or Balanced passive power slot.
Every time you hit an enemy
you receive a stack (3 stacks max) of Quarry and refresh the duration
of all stacks of Quarry on you. Quarry is a short duration buff which
reduces the energy cost of all of your powers and increases your
Intelligence by a percentage.
Quarry cannot be triggered
with energy builder or area effect attacks.
Increasing the rank of
Quarry increases the amount that the Quarry buff reduces the energy
cost of all your powers by and the percentage gain of Intelligence.
Advantages:
Fair Game - When the target
of your Quarry is defeated, you gain a small amount of health. The
amount of health you gain scales with your Constitution.
alt="" src="http://www.tentonhammer.com/image/view/81445"
style="width: 80px; height: 104px;">
style="font-weight: bold;">
Storm of Arrows
Tier: 2
Type: Ranged Area Attack
Description: Storm of Arrows fires a continuous volley of arrows at
your target, striking them and any other targets around them.
Method: Maintain
Deals continuous piercing
damage to targets near the primary target.
Advantages:
Accelerated Metabolism -
Every time you use this ability you have a chance to return a small
amount of energy.
Achilles’ Heel -
Storm of Arrows pins all enemies in the area under attack to the
ground, rooting them in place.
Challenging Strikes
This advantage increases the
threat caused by this attack against all affected targets, making them
more likely to attack you.
If this advantage is applied
to a power that has a recharge time, it will additionally add a
moderate amount of threat over time to all affected targets, for the
duration of the recharge.
This advantage inflicts a 5%
damage debuff against all affected targets. If an affected enemy
attacks you, it will quickly reduce this debuff's strength. Conversely,
any damage you inflict restores the debuff's strength.
alt="" src="http://www.tentonhammer.com/image/view/81448"
style="width: 80px; height: 104px;">
style="font-weight: bold;">
Torrent of Arrows
Tier: 2
Type: Close Area Attack
Description: Torrent of Arrows uses your archery skills to fire off
multiple arrows in a cone in front of you in a single shot.
Method: Tap
Deals piercing damage to
targets in a cone in front of you.
Method: Charge
Increases damage of the tap
action.
Advantages:
Accelerated Metabolism -
Every time you use this ability you have a chance to return a small
amount of energy.
Relentless Recurve - Torrent
of Arrows knocks back all opponents hit by it.
Challenging Strikes
This advantage increases the
threat caused by this attack against all affected targets, making them
more likely to attack you.
If this advantage is applied
to a power that has a recharge time, it will additionally add a
moderate amount of threat over time to all affected targets, for the
duration of the recharge.
This advantage inflicts a 5%
damage debuff against all affected targets. If an affected enemy
attacks you, it will quickly reduce this debuff's strength. Conversely,
any damage you inflict restores the debuff's strength.
alt="" src="http://www.tentonhammer.com/image/view/81449"
style="width: 80px; height: 106px;">
style="font-weight: bold;">
Snap Shot
Tier: 2
Type: Ranged Attack
Description: A quick shot designed to take advantage of any opening
your target gives you.
Method: Tap
Single target piercing
damage.
Advantages:
Accelerated Metabolism -
Every time you use this ability you have a chance to return a small
amount of energy.
Finish Him - Your Snap Shot
now does an additional 35% damage to targets below 25% health.
Crippling Challenge
Increases the threat
caused by this attack, making enemies more likely to attack
you.
Places a 20% damage debuff
on the target that persists for 15 seconds. If the affected enemy
attacks the taunter, it will quickly reduce this debuff's strength.
Conversely, damage the taunter inflicts on the taunted enemy restores
the debuff's strength.
This advantage Taunts an
AI controlled enemy, forcing them to attack you for 4 seconds. All
taunts share a 10 second cooldown, and an enemy that has been taunted
by any source cannot be taunted again for 10 seconds.
Crippling Challenge breaks
through blocking and disables it for 10 seconds.
alt="" src="http://www.tentonhammer.com/image/view/81442"
style="width: 80px; height: 104px;">
style="font-weight: bold;">
Focused Shot
Tier: 3
Type: Ranged Attack
Description: Focused Shot allows you to carefully aim your next shot
and land your attack precisely where you intend.
Method: Charge
High single target piercing
damage
Must be fully
charged
Any damage taken will
interrupt the charge
Advantages:
Accelerated Metabolism -
Every time you use this ability you have
a chance to return a small amount of energy.
Ballista Bolt - Focused Shot
will pierce through enemies hitting
any additional enemies in line with your initial target.
alt="" src="http://www.tentonhammer.com/image/view/81441"
style="width: 80px; height: 104px;">
style="font-weight: bold;">
Explosive Arrow
Tier: 3
Type: Ranged Area Attack
Description: Explosive Arrow fits one of your arrows with an explosive
tip, causing the arrow to explode when it strikes your target.
Method: Tap
Deals area effect fire
damage to targets around your primary
target.
Method: Charge
Increases the fire damage of
the tap action.
Advantages:
Accelerated Metabolism -
Every time you use this ability you have
a chance to return a small amount of energy.
Where’s the
Kaboom? - Explosive Arrow deals an initial
amount of piercing damage and delays the explosive effect for three
seconds.
Thus ends our overview of the Archery power set. It is designed to hit
hard, fast, and often! Adding some utility powers from other sets will
make bad guys quake in their flared boots when they hear the sound of
your arrows whizzing through the air!