Bow Bear Guide

[Physiologic]

Awesome stuff , a couple of questions cause I am going to make a bow bear: How should skill/stat allocation be like as you level? My bear is currently lv 11 and has all its points into STR. Should I just pump it all to STR until 55? Or am I able to get away with using bows early on? I have a clear understanding on how my bear should be like at 50-55 but not sure what to do before then...

[Sky../]

So let's see if i understand this bow bear thing.

In general gameplay, i will be playing archer style except with no range skill and all "screams"(melee range). So most damage will be coming from regular attacks.

[MITSUISUN]

Phys i thought u are not gonna play other toons hehe p

[TheLaw]

Nice thread Elly! Theres actually really no purpose in making a int Bear, since Fury gives almost the same regen as the Enchanted Mage gear now. Int Bears, i believe were created for their extreme Regen and a little range help.

[Ellyidol]

Awesome stuff , a couple of questions cause I am going to make a bow bear: How should skill/stat allocation be like as you level? My bear is currently lv 11 and has all its points into STR. Should I just pump it all to STR until 55? Or am I able to get away with using bows early on? I have a clear understanding on how my bear should be like at 50-55 but not sure what to do before then...

Wow, Phys on another character! :P

I actually like/recommend going dex early on. Dex and your range is so much easier to level up with, especially in the lower levels.

Since dual spec-ing every few levels in the lower levels is just a waste of time, I'd recommend just going as much dex as equipment, then the rest into strength.

As for skills, I'd recommend maxing Rage as soon as possible, stomp, at least 1 in each slash, then I'd try to save points for Beckon.

If you have spare points, I'd think putting them into buffs (Evade/Iron Blood) would be good - Iron Blood most probably.

So let's see if i understand this bow bear thing.

In general gameplay, i will be playing archer style except with no range skill and all "screams"(melee range). So most damage will be coming from regular attacks.

Archer's generally want to keep their range all the time, and swoop in for the Cruel Blast combo.

For clearing, a bow bear should still lead the group, but just do your skills as quick as possible, to kill as quick as possible - less rounding up as possible, beckon as soon as you can, and rotate buffs if ever needed. I like using Hell Scream to mini-stun the mobs too.

It's mostly during the boss fights that you really are like an archer.

Nice thread Elly! Theres actually really no purpose in making a int Bear, since Fury gives almost the same regen as the Enchanted Mage gear now. Int Bears, i believe were created for their extreme Regen and a little range help.

I'd say an int bear is fun though, maybe not the most practical, but fun

[Sky../]

Ah. So it's more like -lead group>beckon mobs to corner>step behind mob>stomp>unleash all slashes>snipe stragglers while running to next mob

[Ellyidol]

Ah. So it's more like -lead group>beckon mobs to corner>step behind mob>stomp>unleash all slashes>snipe stragglers while running to next mob

Yup! And in between all those things you can keep shooting with no problem since you're ranged.

It's generally the same as a melee bear, except the melee bear can actually afford to setup and wait for the group, while the bow bear has little room for it since you're pretty soft.

A melee + bow bear tandem is realllllyyy good.

[Sky../]

Now i'm tempted. I'm a sucker for interesting/fun builds. Pfft and i just vowed to myself i'd get my pally to 56 before i play my other char.

[Ellyidol]

Now i'm tempted. I'm a sucker for interesting/fun builds. Pfft and i just vowed to myself i'd get my pally to 56 before i play my other char.

You can go dual spec if your unsure. That way you can go from str/dex gear whenever you feel like it

[kiitz]

Quick question Ellyidol -- Are dual spec bears with talents in the right places and the right gear still tanky enough?

I think it would be cool to dual spec. I already have like 120 or so points in dex, but I know I just pretty much want to tank besides the one off, "hey there is another bear who is a better tank than me in the group, so i'll just DPS" situation.

Basically, I want to dual spec since it seems fun, but i don't want to hurt my tanking ability.

[Ellyidol]

Quick question Ellyidol -- Are dual spec bears with talents in the right places and the right gear still tanky enough?

I think it would be cool to dual spec. I already have like 120 or so points in dex, but I know I just pretty much want to tank besides the one off, "hey there is another bear who is a better tank than me in the group, so i'll just DPS" situation.

Basically, I want to dual spec since it seems fun, but i don't want to hurt my tanking ability.

I'm certain that dual spec bears are still tanky enough.

The majority of armour, dodge, and HS, you gain from armour anyway. A pure str bear would definitely be more tanky than a dual spec, but I don't really see a point in being too tanky.

A dual spec also allows you to have higher hit rate, which means you'd be hitting your "tanking spells" a lot more - Hell Scream, Crushing Blow, Beckon + Stomp.

I've been a dual spec the entire time, or at least 50/50 str/dex, and I'm still able to tank fine.

[kiitz]

Got it, thanks

I think i'll give it a go then. I've actually been meaning to since I read your dual spec guide, but I've been lazy.

[Ellyidol]

Got it, thanks

I think i'll give it a go then. I've actually been meaning to since I read your dual spec guide, but I've been lazy.

Good luck

Shouldn't be too hard. IMO, bears are better meant to be dual spec or at least close to 50/50 str/dex.

Until there is gear/a set bonus that will increase your hit/crit, dual spec would be better than a pure str even in pve.

[Ellyidol]

Added a new section, "Weapon of Choice":

Weapon of Choice:

There's much debate between which weapons to use (end-game at least):

Recurve Bows vs Auto-Bows (Longbows vs Crossbows/Guns)

I've been trying both back and forth, and a quick summary is :

Recurves (DPS and a bit of base damage) or Auto-Bows (Range and more armour)

In my opinion, a Bow Bear would use the following:

• Bosses - Recurve. You'd want to be dealing as much DPS and damage as possible, regardless of range/armour.

• Clearing mobs - Either. This is debatable and would lie on user preference. Some prefer to clear with a Recurve, some with an Auto-bow. I use an Auto-bow since I think it does enough, and prefer the armour and range.

• PvP - Auto-bow. The auto-bow is the only way you can match or outmatch a bird's range (depends if bird is on an auto-bow too). The extra range is very useful, as well as the extra armour. The DPS isn't necessarily a huge issue since most PvP kills come from skills and not normal attacks.

[Conradin]

You forgot about shiva/daggers. Btw I'm making an inter guide.

[Physiologic]

What's the cookie-cutter format for bear skills atm?

[Ellyidol]

You forgot about shiva/daggers. Btw I'm making an inter guide.

True. Not a big fan of daggers/dual wields for bears though, since we're the only ones that have no armor reducing skill. In a complete group, maybe

What's the cookie-cutter format for bear skills atm?

What do you mean? the skills to put in as you level up?

[Physiologic]

Yeah like is there a difference between a full str skill build versus dual spec skill build? Currently following Anthony_s guide for skills and not sure if its any different for bow bear to follow.

[Ellyidol]

Yeah like is there a difference between a full str skill build versus dual spec skill build? Currently following Anthony_s guide for skills and not sure if its any different for bow bear to follow.

The end result, I wouldn't say there's a difference since I'm pretty happy with my skills for both a str/bow bear.

Probably different if your levelling as a str/bow bear first though.

As a bow bear, I'd want to max rage first, then beckon and stomp. Afterwards you'd want to max your buffs, then debuffs.

In detail I'd probably go:

6 Rage
1 Stomp
6 Beckon
6 Stomp
6 Buffs
6 Debuffs
1 Slashes

You can also opt to put the slashes earlier if you want

[Conradin]

Before the nerf- shiv bears owned ao2