Maximum Rank: Bow Rank 50
Maximum Investment: 22 Skill Points
The Bow skill line allows any character to utilize Stamina-based ranged abilities. In terms of DPS, Bow abilities fall a bit short of most weapon skill lines, but they can add a lot of versatility to a build.
Sometimes, you need a ranged attack. Whether you’re trying to finish off a fleeing enemy or avoiding area-of-effect damage, a bit of range can make all the difference.
Unlike staves, bows can be fired from stealth. This allows for long-range, high-damage sneak attacks that aren’t otherwise possible.
The Bow skill line features several options for Poison Damage. They’re great damage-over-time options for general use, and they’re particularly good for dealing with enemy Werewolves in PvP. In some cases, it’s worth swapping to a bow in the middle of melee combat—just long enough to reapply a fading damage-over-time effect.
At any rate, if you’re interested in bow use, plan to place at least a few of these abilities on the appropriate Action Bar. If you want to increase the effectiveness of your Bow abilities, prioritize Maximum Stamina, Stamina Recovery, Weapon Damage, and Weapon Critical.
Ultimate Ability
Rapid Fire
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Rapid Fire is a hard-hitting channeled attack that doesn’t hinder your movement speed. The damage over time has a short duration, allowing for massive damage within just a few seconds. |
Available Morphs
| Icon | Name | New Effect |
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Toxic Barrage |
Deals Poison Damage. After the barrage ends, you poison the enemy, dealing additional damage over time. |
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Ballista |
Summon a turret to channel the attack for you. |
Active Abilities
Snipe
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When it comes to Bow abilities, Snipe is the most straightforward option for direct damage. Its casting time means a proper attack rotation is essential, but the available morphs make Snipe a good option for reliable bow damage. |
Available Morphs
| Icon | Name | New Effect |
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Lethal Arrow |
Deals Poison Damage and always applies the Poisoned status effect. Also applies Major Defile, reducing an enemy’s healing received. |
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Focused Aim |
Marks the enemy hit, allowing you to hit them from farther away and afflicting them with Minor Fracture, reducing their Physical Resistance. |
Volley
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Volley produces a shower of arrows for a combined AoE/DOT attack. It has a good range but a fairly small radius—and because it takes a while for the attack to resolve, it’s often best used on enemies that are immobilized, distracted, or otherwise likely to stay put. It synergizes well with Arrow Spray to snare enemies. |
Available Morphs
| Icon | Name | New Effect |
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Endless Hail |
Increases the duration and reduces the cost. |
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Arrow Barrage |
Increases the range and radius. |
Scatter Shot
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Scatter Shot combines direct damage with a Knockback and a Disorient effect. It has a much shorter range than most Bow abilities, but it’s a good option for single-target crowd control. |
Available Morphs
| Icon | Name | New Effect |
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Magnum Shot |
Increases the damage and knocks you away from the target. |
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Draining Shot |
Heals you after the Disorient effect ends. |
Arrow Spray
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Arrow Spray is an instant attack with a nice spread, but its Snare effect is the ability’s real selling point. If your Action Bar could benefit from some area-of-effect crowd control, Arrow Spray is an excellent option. |
Available Morphs
| Icon | Name | New Effect |
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Bombard |
Also immobilizes enemies hit. |
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Acid Spray |
Deals Poison Damage and adds additional damage over time. |
Passive Abilities
The Bow skill line features five Passive Abilities, each of which has two ranks.
None of the available Passives are tied to specific abilities. If you opt to use a bow, consider investing in all Bow Passive Abilities.
Bow Passive Abilities
| Name | Effect |
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| Long Shots | Bow abilities do more damage to enemies at longer range. |
| Accuracy | Increases Weapon Critical rating. |
| Ranger | Reduces the Stamina cost of Bow abilities. |
| Hawk Eye | Dealing damage with a light or heavy attack temporarily increases the damage of your Bow abilities. |
| Hasty Retreat | Using Dodge Roll grants you a Major Expedition, temporarily increasing your movement speed by 30%. |