Complete Lv 55 Archer Gear List

[Riccits]

as a balanced set for clearing i would purpose:
Bow: Sewers Scarab + Drainers cap + Underlings Leather.
Talon: Drainers Cap + Underlings leather + Underlings Talon + Underlings Wing

For Bosses switch to RR-set or a cheap Henchman-set for dps

[Physiologic]

As a cheap alternative to RR, I'm curious how Gutter would compare to Drain set, with respect to survivability and pot usage.
DPS vs Armor...
If you have the time, a comparison like the one you did for AO would come in quite handy.

The AO runs with the level 50 equips took a lot of tiime since each run took ~12 minutes, so I probably wouldn't have the patience to do that again But no worries - I can safely say that Drainer's is definitely better than Gutter's in terms of survivability and pot usage.

Let's consider the defensive aspects of the two sets since you only mentioned survivability and pot usage. I'll use the auto-bows (since they add +5 armor).

Gutters: 5 dodge, 3 h/s, 81 armor
Drainers: 23 dodge, 21 h/s, 105 armor

Let's say a Hideout run takes 5 minutes to complete from start to finish (boss is killed).

Evasion is a 10 second buff that gives +30 dodge with a 30 second cool-down between casting. In 5 minutes you will cast a max total of 10 Evasions, for a total of 100 seconds of that +30 dodge buff.

For 100 seconds in that run, you get a whopping 53 dodge with the Drainer's set compared to 35 dodge with the Gutter's set - enemies will miss half the time when you have Drainer's equipped + Evasion casted.

Now in regards to h/s, in a 5 minute run you will have auto-healed a maximum 900 health (3 h/s x 300 seconds) with Gutter's set - note that you cannot possibly get healed a total of 900 health because you'll be at full health at random intervals during the round. With the Drainer's set, you will get auto-healed a maximum 6,300 health (21 h/s x 300 seconds). One potion heals ~150 health for archers, so that's a max 42 pots saved using Drainer's and a max 6 pots saved using Gutter's. Drainer's sounds pretty good to mean in terms of pot usage.

A difference of 24 armor lies between Gutter's and Drainer's, and IMO that's pretty significant. Let's say 3 enemies attack you at 100 damage each using the Gutter's set for a total of 300 damage. Using Drainer's, that damage is reduced to 228 damage. And for an archer, damage dealt to you does count.

Hope that clears up the difference without the trouble of runs The Void/Sentinel/Sunblessed runs were created because of the similarities in those sets, but in regards to Drainer's and Gutter's, I think the difference is very clear.

In regards to damage/DPS...The huge crit bonus and damage difference in the Gutter's set gives it a huge offensive advantage over the Drainer's. Regarding Crit especially, you have 29 crit with Gutter's and adding Focus gives it an extra 30 crit (59 crit total). It's all a matter of preference ultimately though, if you're good at surviving dungeons you should go along with Gutter's. If not - stick to Drainer's. You aren't limited to just sticking with these sets - you can mix/match like Riccit's example (and they're very balanced too).

[Yvonnel]

Awesome as always.

[adwin]

That last part was the one that was interesting me.
Gutter offers more crit and dps, and how would that compare to drainer's.
To sum it up, how many more pots would be used with Gutter set (but potentially clearing the board faster) with respect to saving pots (and dodging etc) with Drainer.
Well, I'll have to do a few test runs.
Drainer with a talon and wing offer huge armor but dps is way too low.
A more balanced solution would be to use the gutter recurve instead of the drainer one, in the set.

[Moogerfooger]

It's all a matter of preference ultimately though

I think a lot of people are missing the point (not meaning necessarily anyone in this post...just in general) What Phys said above is 10000000% true. There is no best set; some offer great dodge and h/s, but damage-dealing capability drops a lot. Some offer much higher damage/crit, but other stats like dodge and h/s drop a lot.

We can sit here all day, for many days, debating and testing the literally hundreds of combinations that are now possible with all the gear (thanks, devs) but at the end of the day, it is personal preference to fit your playing style. Do you not mind jamming pots and are good at staying alive in mobs? Go with a damage set. Do you not mind not dealing supermax damage (but still decent) but have the peace of mind not to have to worry about pots and have better survivability? Go with one of the other 55 sets or the Sentinel/Void sets. Do you want to have a balance of both? Mix and match to your taste Do you have a mob clearing set and switch to a different for bosses? Awesome.

BTW, Riccits, I do the same sort of thing...use a mob-clearing set for better survivability (because no matter how good we are as archers - and there are some good ones in this thread - you will die if you make a mistake for a split second), then switch to pure Raid for the bosses...love seeing the 500-1000 crit hits from Cruel Blast.

[adwin]

/me nods in approval.
Dual gear setups (mob/boss) work out best in the long run.
That's the conclusion I came to. I was doing single-setups until AO, then I switched, but it also depends on the party you're playing with.
If you have a good mage, you can keep your dps setup for mobs as well.

[Moogerfooger]

If you have a good mage, you can keep your dps setup for mobs as well.

True and I do this if certain mages that I know are terrific are around, but they still haven't found the spell that replenishes my mana, 'cuz pure Raid is a big fat 0 in that department I'll throw on the Sent Helm just to have some extra dodge and regen, and the tradeoff in damage is not a ton.

[adwin]

A bit OT maybe, but wanted to share my last drop:
^^



In any case, I wonder if the additional regen is worth the decrease in crit (2% is quite a bit...).

[Moogerfooger]

Nice, congrats! But I would roll with that Hi-tech Blaster of Fortune, it's a MONSTER

[adwin]

Nice, congrats! But I would roll with that Hi-tech Blaster of Fortune, it's a MONSTER

I wonder... I've used blasters and I don't like them. The additional range doesn't justify the loss in all other sectors (damage, dps, other stats, and last but not least, speed)
Crit suffers considerably; 4% !
Furthermore, all the stats are worse than my current setup:




I use Gutter with a good team and drain talon + wing of void if I have to play conservatively.

[superglut2]

Im happy with sent talon set for mobs and henchman set for boss. Seems the fastest for me (dont wanna spend gold on the new pinks yet since they dobt seem too good yet)

[davidis57]

It helps to discuss different sets and what they do for you. Finding a good set that fits your style of play. I just turned 55 and I am using drainers based on the info in this thread. One tangible that makes archers valued is our root skills. Used properly we can help others like images clear the field. I always use both root skills when killing mobs its has saved my own butt on many occasion. So whatever set you decide on don't forget your root skills.

[adwin]

It helps to discuss different sets and what they do for you. Finding a good set that fits your style of play. I just turned 55 and I am using drainers based on the info in this thread. One tangible that makes archers valued is our root skills. Used properly we can help others like images clear the field. I always use both root skills when killing mobs its has saved my own butt on many occasion. So whatever set you decide on don't forget your root skills.

archer + mage -> thorn wall -> lightning
bear + archer -> bekon -> shattering scream -> blast shot
bear + archer + mage -> bekon -> shattering scream -> lightning -> blastshot
or you can super (requires excellent timing)
bekon -> lightning -> thorn wall -> shattering scream -> blast shot

I've not seen any common mob resisting the latter in a properly formed party. It's basically 1 hit kill. Or 1 combo kill, if you'd prefer calling it that.

[Moogerfooger]

I wonder... I've used blasters and I don't like them. The additional range doesn't justify the loss in all other sectors (damage, dps, other stats, and last but not least, speed)
Crit suffers considerably; 4% !

Lol....I was 100% totally kidding about the Hi-Tech blaster.

I use a Shotgun setup for mobs sometime, with a crit/dmg ring I think my crit is in the high 20s, good dodge and regen, and I like the range to soften up enemies as the party approaches, which to me is a tradeoff for lower dmg output....then switch to something higher DPS via loudout at the end. But I totally get if someone disagrees with using the Shotgun set in mobs...just works well for me.

[Physiologic]

I feel a little bit safer sniping with Sentinel's (12m) compared to the lv 55 Recurves (10m) when I'm charging towards mobs - 2m is a pretty decent range, but in the end, despite what I'm using, I still have to be within the 8m AoE range of Shattering Scream or 10m AoE range of Thorn Wall.

[davidis57]

I did a mix match of sets. I am using underling helm and drainers leather. This does two things adds more critical and adds some 3/Ms which helps against MP pot usage. I only lose a small amount of Dodge which is compensated by using evasion. I am using drainers recurve. I add a ring for Dodge and armor. My armor is 101 without focus. I have tested this combo in the stronghold and swill pit and it holds up well. Most deaths happen by fire traps. I always carry extra pots just in case.

[Xavrod]

Hmm... You know what I hate the most in this guide? Its that greens squares are not all(or almost) in raid roach or costumized column.

Pinks are supose to be rare, legendary and PO- WER -FUL

[Physiologic]

I am a full advocate of mixing and matching these gears as well

And Xavrod - the devs boosted up the stats on the "trash" loot because people complained that they were way too worthless (since you'd most likely end up liquidating them anyway). After all, I don't think the devs would have any incentive developing trash loot in the first place if every player ended up not using them and just liquidating them.

[adwin]

@Xavrod: I wasn't lucky enough to get the lvl 51-53 RR, which is why I used "trash drops (gutter, drainer, underling, henchman)" all the way from 51-55.
Even then, these were excellent upgrades compared to most lvl 50 sets.

[Tengotengo]

I'll add my two cents, even though I haven't graduated my archer to sewer gear from Sentinel yet, and it's the same problem I had on first inspection of the new stuff. Where's that m/s? In all the runs I do, and all killing I perpetrate, the last thing on my mind anymore is h/s, though it is a nice thing. I repsec'd to half STR a while ago, and found only moderate survivability, even in Guardian armor. I'm in Sentinel now, and I use the Talon/shield alot, and still drop dead all the time.

So, what am I getting at? I want more m/s to blow before I get killed. The mage will rev me. If the other are doing their jobs and I'm doing mine, I'm not pulling aggro too much, so I'm spammmmmmmmmin' scream/armor/vine/blast/that other single-target attack/vineS as fast as they cool down, as well as dodge and focus. In boss fights when the bear has done it's job correctly, I'm also adding the push shot.

The way I see it, I'll get...what...a couple rounds of that in before I'm totally tapped. A few mana potions later, a couple more rounds, and tapped again. With the Sentinel Talon/shield, I can't really get my mana bar under half before I'm running to another fight and recoup most, if not all, the spent mana. Every bad-guy I meet gets a face-full of skill spam.

Now, mages...there's a nice couple of sets. I'm outfitted in a yellow set with 24h/s and 20m/s, AND more DPS and armor than one-handed Cosmos.