I saw this thread on reddit but I don't think I replied there so here are my thoughts.

Thief -- You'll get great stealth abilities that will help you have that aim time to strike with the crossbow. You'll get to snipe and use sniper's crossbows (which give a small bonus I hear). You'll only have to train 2 weapons to circle. However, you will have to train some masochistic skills such as Thievery, and you'll be locked out of the magic system, which you shouldn't underestimate. Many Thieves are killer in PVP but I've also heard many be pretty sad about lack of magic.

Barbarian -- You'll be flat out the best, skill-wise, with Crossbows, due to being weapons primary plus having Eagle Form, which boosts Crossbows. Plus you'll be pretty beastly in other regards in combat, and probably great in PVP. However, you'll have to train 4 weapons total (and probably want more to take advantage of your primary skillset), you won't be as good at stealth as Thief or Ranger, and you'll again be locked out of magic.

Ranger -- You'll get decent stealth abilities, though not as good as Thief. You'll be able to snipe and use stealth to build up your shots. You will have access to magic and all that entails (which can be a lot if you're willing to try sorcery), including a spell that will boost your Crossbow skill. Like Thief, only 2 weapons required to circle so you can focus on Crossbow. You won't be as good in PVP as Thief or Barbarian.

If you want to get really crazy with it, you could also try Warrior Mage or Bard, as they are both weapons secondary and have access to Tailwind, a ranged weapons booster. However both would be magic heavy and are not great at stealth.


- Navesi

A lot of people who post here also frequent the reddit page, so it may be that they've already weighed in.

That or everybody just agrees with me. ;)


- Navesi

That's insigte no-one on reddit shared! Someone did suggest going Paladin for the shield.

My suggestion is choose the guild and race that best suits your personality/play style and not the one with the best mechanics. If you build a character solely based on mechanical benefits it will ultimately be unfulfilling. Almost any race/guild combination (barring empaths) could be successful as a crossbow user...its the other aspects that will make or break the experience for you.

Barbarian is the way to go. Racial selection is actually more important than guild (though the Thief, Barb, Ranger suggestions hit the top three). If you are all about weapons and don't care about magic or other tertiary stuff then barbarian is the easiest to circle and gain weapon skills in. Paladin has easier circling requirements but many are out of combat. Ranger and thief survival requirements are painful if you just want to be the best at crossbow too. So, barbarian and go with a race that has pumped up agility. For me, I chose a Gnome to go with. Heck you can always train bow, light thrown, small blunt/edged etc. which is what you'd probably do as a Ranger or thief.

Rhadyn da Dwarb - Blood for fire!

Barbarian Guild Suggestions
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1h4L5hAxR1-VLDegDNZBIhGdo5bMgnCtm84Icm2E0utU/edit#gid=0

I read this post when it was fresh but it did make me think it would be fun to do.

I've narrowed my personal choices down to thief or barbarian for a flavor build like this. I know a bit about thieves (but not as much as I should) but almost nothing about barbarians.

Seems like barb is a poor choice because they're significantly better off using a stick bow and dual loading; plus lack of snipe. Other than that I'd say they wash pretty close. Barb has a lot more stand and fight power, thief is basically 'I hid and snipe'.

> Sure you cant snipe, but you can poach. What you do get, however, are disables that make you hit much harder (IP, Sick). WM also comes with a ranged buff spell (Tailwind)


+ the removal of SOI. In fact, I'd say that a warrior mage or bard could be the best at crossbows now.

Imobilize/stun + shove + tailwind + rage + pulsing balance hits. Unfortunately, you can't resonance the crossbow or bolts, so I'd guess you can't ignite them either. Still, it's a potent suite.

I would suggest Thief or WM/Bard (with TW + Rage) personally. If you care at all about min/maxing and playing to a guild's strengths then you are gimping yourself using a xbow over a stick bow on a Barb. Knowing your character history a bit I would suggest going the WM/Bard route for something new and access to magic.


>>Yes only downside would be TW's outdoor only limitation. Indoor hunting would be without the 20% buff.

It's castable indoors now. I believe it's just more difficult, or results in a lower potency. I haven't really tested that part.

> obser sky
That's a bit hard to do while inside.

> prep tw
Since you're not feeding enough power into the spell pattern to make it coherent, you quickly work your way to the minimum required.

You trace an angular sigil in the air, shaping the pattern of the Tailwind spell.

> cast
You gesture.
Controlling the wind in such a tight space seems to be far more difficult.
The wind begins to shift until it blows gently from behind your back.

>>with a little sorcery your war mage can cast that ranger spell that buffs ranged weapons too.

Why on earth would you?

Samsaren

Hey abs! aka car crash graham.

I dunno, do they not stack?

-Munch-

thats a good reason not to then.
-Munch-