What Situations Need A Bow?

FuryV

I've just unlocked my weapon swap ability on my Nightblade, and was considering using Dual Wield + Bow. Although I can't really figure out any good times to use the bow, so I'm just melee'ing everything.  Up until now I've not had any reason to get out of melee and use ranged abilities

Does the bow become more useful towards higher levels/endgame, and in what kind of situations would it be more optimal to use the bow as opposed to dual wield? Perhaps something like dual wield for single target and bow for aoe?

I've been using dual wield in both weapon slots up until now. I was using my first weapon slot as dual wield single target, and my second weapon slot as dual wield AoE + buffs, but I figured the bow may perform better at AoE or be more useful in other ways.

Thanks.

xpsync

Your current setup sounds fine to me. My sorc i used Destruction Staff and Restoration Staff, i go heal when i can to continue to level it or when the situation could use a healer, when i want to plow though mobs i keep it on Destruction with pets.

The bow can come in handy to start a fight from a distance to get some damage in before the mob gets to you, and good for range mobs too, you can kite in and out. There are some nice aoe and knock back  abilities too which can be useful at times as well.

Ridelynn

Just a different playstyle option. I don't know that the game absolutely forces you into any particular weapon/style right now. If you like dual wield, stick with it, and use that option for different effects/poisons. If you want to branch out to a different style, feel free.

Entris38

FuryV said:

I've just unlocked my weapon swap ability on my Nightblade, and was considering using Dual Wield + Bow. Although I can't really figure out any good times to use the bow, so I'm just melee'ing everything.  Up until now I've not had any reason to get out of melee and use ranged abilities

Does the bow become more useful towards higher levels/endgame, and in what kind of situations would it be more optimal to use the bow as opposed to dual wield? Perhaps something like dual wield for single target and bow for aoe?

I've been using dual wield in both weapon slots up until now. I was using my first weapon slot as dual wield single target, and my second weapon slot as dual wield AoE + buffs, but I figured the bow may perform better at AoE or be more useful in other ways.

Thanks.

There will be plenty of points to go around and be able to spec that bow also. Mainly I only ever use the bow for pvp, I don't find it very useful in my playstyle for pve purpose. Keep it leveled up so you don't have to level it up later would be my only suggestion.

Iselin

The very best Bow ability, Poison Arrow morphed to Poison Injection, used to be the very first ability you unlocked but as of this latest Homestead patch it is now the last bow ability that unlocks. I had a feeling this change would make new players scratch their heads about the bow

Poison Injection is a very hard hitting DOT that deals double damage to mobs under 50% health. It's part of all stamina metas for that reason for boss fights.

The other bow ability that all stamina  builds use is Volley morphed to Endless Hail. It is also good enough to use on single targets, not just AOE. When you're soloing you open with this on the spot where you want to melee and the arrows will continue to fall while you fight on that spot. Still useful for AOE or single target that way. When you shoot this one the mobs don't react until the arrows start to come down a second or so later. This gives you plenty of time to move in to the AOE spot.

Snipe and its morphs used to be the 5th unlock and it's now the first. Not many people use this outside of PVP.

Likewise with Scatter shot and morphs. In PVP it's somewhat useful for knocking people down from walls. A while ago they added a self heal to one of the morphs so it can also be used for that purpose in PVP or PVE.

Arrow spray is a second AOE, a cone AOE, that can be morphed to add extra damage with a DOT or as a 2 second root. The root morph is useful if you don't want to melee and just want to keep a pack of mobs pinned to the spot where your hail of arrows is falling.

In end game play using the DW + Bow meta you do spend 90% of the time on your DW bar and only go to the bow bar to refresh Poison Injection and Hail of Arrows when needed... or to use any of your other buffs that you keep on the other 3 slots of that bar.

But like others said, if you're not trying to min max you can use the bow as much or as little as you want. You could even actually solo just fine with nothing but bow and class abilities if that's how you want to play.

Isarii

Iselin said:

In end game play using the DW + Bow meta you do spend 90% of the time on your DW bar and only go to the bow bar to refresh Poison Injection and Hail of Arrows when needed... or to use any of your other buffs that you keep on the other 3 slots of that bar.

If you're trying to be optimal - particularly for something like trials - this is the definitive answer. Bow is vastly subpar in sustained damage as a primary weapon, but handy to have for its DoTs as an off-bar.

If you're mostly just questing and doing solo stuff, than you'll be fine. Do what makes you happy. Just level up either DW (or possibly 2H) on the side so you have the option ready to go if you decide to try to min/max further down the road (this can be as simple as just swapping weapons before dropping off quests once you're done leveling bow). 

TyranusPrime

What situations need a bow? I am so glad you asked.. Formal occasions like job interviews, proms, weddings, guest of honor in a parade, etc.. Bow ties are an under-appreciated addition to any wardrobe..

Or perhaps you meant a bow? In which case, I find them essential when wrapping presents for Christmas, birthdays, Valentine's Day, etc.. Can't go wrong with a nice bow to add some flair..

FuryV

TyranusPrime said:

What situations need a bow? I am so glad you asked.. Formal occasions like job interviews, proms, weddings, guest of honor in a parade, etc.. Bow ties are an under-appreciated addition to any wardrobe..

Or perhaps you meant a bow? In which case, I find them essential when wrapping presents for Christmas, birthdays, Valentine's Day, etc.. Can't go wrong with a nice bow to add some flair..

I bow to you sir.

Thanks all

goboygo

For PVE dungeons when you have heals its good to have in your rotation for poison injection and Hail, for solo play PVE I drop Hail then just grab a two hander and AOE everything down with brawler, the protection buff keeps me alive no matter how many mobs are pounding on me while they slowly all melt away.

In Cyrodiil its a good opener as a from stealth heavy attack draw and hold that's launched using poison injection.  Its also good to get the runners.

I don't know, it's really just a utility weapon in my opinion ZEN made sure you couldn't be a dedicated archer long ago.

Kajidourden

It's the definitive DPS support weapon.  So to answer your question more directly, any time you are building a stamina DPS.
Your current setup is already optimal for all content, so unless you're finding it hard to stay alive just keep trucking  

Shadanwolf

I love using a bow in the mmorpg's I have played. Playing with a bow in ESO has been one of the most frustrating experiences I have ever had. Bow abilities simply don't come close to mage casting...or night blade skills. I built my character around the bow and repeatedly failed at required quests. repeatedly. I still have flashbacks of some of those frustrating situations. I returned to the game after a 2 year absence. 2 weeks ago........even subscribed.....just cancelled my subscription.. Bow is still gimped...the flashbacks and anger returned..

So back to practicing guitar  and using my wood burning  tool  and skill to make my wife a valentines present.
My wait for Camelot Unchained continues.

SaunZ

I 2nd bar my bow and use it for snipe while defending keeps and resources and stuff... I find it fun to stand out on the edge of the keep walls, especially inner keep, or Sej, etc... and hitting peepz at LONG range using snipe.  Often I can kill them before they realize they are dying/dead in the chaos of big battles.  I spec into all the LONG range stuff and use beautiful latency to help me hit smelly AD & DC targets about a mile away.


Sz  )