My Hevy Archer build, for Order of the Dawn.

[PerLindstrom]

This is my Heavy Archer build and level plan for Order of the dawn, you need latest beta patch to get auto attack.
I'm about to enter Whisper and soon at level 20, working like a charm so far.

I spread stats evenly between strength stamina and dexterity, starting with 35 for each stat.
Halting dexterity at 70, to reach 80 with strength and stamina, Then spreading evenly again.

There are limited models of Crossbows, only level 1 6 9 and 12, all of them are sold in Greyfell, except level one, to get one when you start the game, start with that skill.

Armors in The Order of Dawn:
https://spellforce.fandom.com/wiki/Armors/The_Order_of_Dawn

Weapons in The Order of Dawn
https://spellforce.fandom.com/wiki/Weapons/The_Order_of_Dawn

Leveling.

Abbreviations.
RC = Range Combat.
HC = Heavy Combat.
CB = Crossbow.
Spare = Saved ability, to be used later.

Level
1 RC 1, CB 1.
2 HC 1, Blades 1.
3 HC 2, Armor 1.
4 RC 2, CB 2.
5 RC 3, CB 3.
6 HC 3, Blades 2.
7 HC 4, Blades 3.
8 RC 4 Blades 4.
9 CB 4, Spare.
10 RC 5, CB 5, HC 5.
11 Blades 5, Spare.
12 RC 6, CB 6, HC 6.
13 Blades 6, Armor 2.
14 Armor 3 & 4.
15 Armor 5 & 6.
16 HC 7, Armor 7.
17 HC 8, Armor 8.
18 RC 7, CB 7.
19 RC 8, CB 8.
20 RC 9, CB 9.
21 HC 9, Armor 9.
22 HC 10, Armor 10.
23 Blades 7 & 8.
24 Blades 9 & 10.
25 HC 11, Armor 11.
26 RC 10, CB 10.
27 RC 11, CB 11.
28 RC 12, CB 12.
29 HC 12, Armor 12.
30 Blades 11 & 12.

[Bezixx]

Level 27 is incorrect tho, should be swapped with 28. You get level 12 skills starting from level 28. And Bows are actually better, since they have better effects and shoot faster ( which helps applying said effects ). Generally range from crossbows doesn't matter much and there are some bows match that range anyway.

[PerLindstrom]

Thanks! I change that.

[Holy Fool Sehrael]

I think you can save some points in OoD because if you aim for the Shadow Armor (Best Armor in the game, I believe even in SotP) you only need any Light or Heavy Combat Arts up to point 8 (And no points in armour) if I remember correctly^^ The only thing you'll miss out on if you omit spending points in Armour I think are helmets and rings related to heavy armour, but I believe there are good enough ones that you can use either way like rings that increase attackspeed and nice stuff like that. I think Snakeband and Frozen World are the names for the rings I'd use? Maybe that helps ^^

[PerLindstrom]

Yes you are right.
All you need to use Amra's armor is Heavy Combat Arts 9.
No point in armor for that.
Shadow Pulse needs Heavy Combat Arts 6, or any other Combat Art 8.
No need for armor to use Ancient Ringmail, Iriidian Chestplate or Steelclad Plate, Heavy Combat Art 2, 4 and 6 will suffice.

[PerLindstrom]

Let's check out som armor combos.
--------------------------------------------------------------
Armor you can use in late game, with Heavy Combat Armor.

Adamantinum Chestplate, requires Heavy Armor 11.
140 Armor, +20 Strength, +10 Stamina, +25 Fire and Ice Resistance, +5% Fighting Speed.

Fine Steelclad Greaves, requires Heavy Armor rank 11, or Light Armor rank 12.
90 Armor, +10 Strength, +10 Stamina,, +15 Fire and Ice Resistance.

Helmet of Battle, requires Heavy Armors rank 11.
50 Armor, +20 Stamina, +10 Fire, Ice, Mind and Black Resistance.
---
Combine them and you get.
280 Armor, + 30 Strength, +40 Stamina, +50 Fire and Ice Resistance, +10 Mind and Black resistance, +5% Fighting Speed.
---
Fire and Ice Resistance is very good, use Udwins Ring and you have 100% Fire Resistance.
--------------------------------------------------------------
Ok, lets add Shadowpulse with a good headpeace.

Shadowpulse Armor, requires Heavy Combat Arts 6 or any combat art rank 8
200 Armor, +20 of each attribute, +20 of each resistance.

Helmet of the Guard, requires character level 25, Heavy Combat Arts rank 8,, or Light Combat Arts Rank 10.
42 Armor, +5 Strength, +5 Stamina, +5 Intelligence, +10 Charisma,
+20 Fire and Ice Resistance.
---
Combine them and you get.
242 Armor, +25 Strength, Stamina and Intelligence; + 30 Charisma; +20 rest in of attributes. +40 Fire and Ice resistance, +20 in Mind and Black Resistance.
---
Not that bad eh? And you get Shadowpulse much earlier.
--------------------------------------------------------------
We cant ommit Amra's armor.

Amra's Chestplate, requires Heavy Combat Arts 9.
150 Armor, +10 Strength and Stamina, +20 Dexterity and Agility,
+20 Black Resistance, +10 Mind Resistance, +5% Fighting Speed

Amra's Greaves requires Heavy Combat Arts rank 9.
100 Armor, +5 Strength and Stamina, +10 Dexterity and Agility,
+10 Black Resistance, +5 Mind Resistance

Helmet of the Guard, requires character level 25, Heavy Combat Arts rank 8,, or Light Combat Arts Rank 10.
42 Armor, +5 Strength, +5 Stamina, +5 Intelligence, +10 Charisma,
+20 Fire and Ice Resistance.
---
Combine them and you get.
292 Armor, +20 Strength and Stamina, +30 Dexterity and Agility,, +5 Intelligence, +10 Charisma, +30 Black Resistance, +15 Mind Resistance, +20 Fire and Ice Resistance. +5% Fighting Speed.
---
Strong Armor but Resistances are weaker.

[PerLindstrom]

Originally posted by Bezixx:

Level 27 is incorrect tho, should be swapped with 28. You get level 12 skills starting from level 28. And Bows are actually better, since they have better effects and shoot faster ( which helps applying said effects ). Generally range from crossbows doesn't matter much and there are some bows match that range anyway.

I changed my leveling plan, once again thank you.
Yes bows are probably better.
I choose Crossbows mainly due to roleplay, they feel more "heavy".
One circumstance when range matters, is if a crossbow enemy start to shoot at my avatar, he then have the range to shoot back.

[Holy Fool Sehrael]

Have you considered the archery set from BoW? I don't know if it proccs *reliably* but with multishot this could potentially destroy a lot pretty fast ô.o Iirc it only needs Ranged 9? Maybe that's more of a rune hero set, dunno.

[Bezixx]

Originally posted by Holy Fool Sehrael:

Have you considered the archery set from BoW? I don't know if it proccs *reliably* but with multishot this could potentially destroy a lot pretty fast ô.o Iirc it only needs Ranged 9? Maybe that's more of a rune hero set, dunno.

The set is very viable, even throughout most of SotP. Heavy armor is likely going to give you better attributes and resistances later on, but it still gives tons of armor by itself and the chance to do quadruple damage is too hard to pass up.

[Holy Fool Sehrael]

Originally posted by Bezixx:

Originally posted by Holy Fool Sehrael:

Have you considered the archery set from BoW? I don't know if it proccs *reliably* but with multishot this could potentially destroy a lot pretty fast ô.o Iirc it only needs Ranged 9? Maybe that's more of a rune hero set, dunno.

The set is very viable, even throughout most of SotP. Heavy armor is likely going to give you better attributes and resistances later on, but it still gives tons of armor by itself and the chance to do quadruple damage is too hard to pass up.

Correct me if I'm wrong but I think SotP even has it's own version of the ranged armour ^^

[PerLindstrom]

Originally posted by Holy Fool Sehrael:

Have you considered the archery set from BoW? I don't know if it proccs *reliably* but with multishot this could potentially destroy a lot pretty fast ô.o Iirc it only needs Ranged 9? Maybe that's more of a rune hero set, dunno.

No not yet, a couple of years since I did Bow of Winter, therefore any plans for that campaign will be very dim.
To be honest my plans for The Order of Dawn, was rather dim to, I had to do some changes in level plan on the fly.

[PerLindstrom]

The set Critical long-distance hits
When wearing all three parts of the sets, the following effect is applied.
1) 10% chance to all physical ranged attacks to deal four times the original damage.
2) The total armor provided by the parts of the set and the attribute bonuses provided by every particular item of the set are also increased by 25% (rounded down).

Elite Marksman Helmet, requires Ranged Combat Arts rank 9
40 Armor, +9 Stamina, +9 Dexterity

Elite Marksman Armor requires Ranged Combat Arts 9
110 Armor, +7 Strength, +7 Agility, +7 Dexterity

Elite Marksman Greaves requires Ranged Combat Arts rank 9
65 Armor, +10 Stamina, +10 Dexterity

Combine the parts.
215 Armor, +19 Stamina, +26 Dexterity, +7 Strength and Agility.

Add the 25% bonus.
268 Armor, +23 Stamina, +32 Dexterity, +8 Strength and Agility.

Nice, I miss resistances, but yes, four time original damage in 10% of hits.

Link.
https://spellforce.fandom.com/wiki/Armors/The_Breath_of_Winter

[Gilver Redgrave]

I am not really sure right now but i believe Bows and Crossbows follow the same rules Cutting and Blunt weapons do. Aka Crossbows are better against Armored,Undead etc while Bows are better against Flesh.

So saying Bows are better in General is kinda wrong given how many Undead there are. Not even including enemys with Shields and Heavy Armor.

I could be wrong tho.

[PerLindstrom]

Originally posted by Gilver Redgrave:

I am not really sure right now but i believe Bows and Crossbows follow the same rules Cutting and Blunt weapons do. Aka Crossbows are better against Armored,Undead etc while Bows are better against Flesh.

So saying Bows are better in General is kinda wrong given how many Undead there are. Not even including enemys with Shields and Heavy Armor.

I could be wrong tho.

My impression is that crossbows are hampered against skeletons too.
Bows and Crossbows have almost same DPS, bows are faster but do less damage per hit.
The attack range for Crossbows are howeever superior, so in my opinion Crossbows are the better choise.

https://spellforce.fandom.com/wiki/Weapons/The_Order_of_Dawn

Damage type for bows and crossbows should be piercing, but I have yet to find out about what damage types, do in this game.
Blunt weapon usually do more damage against skeleton though.
Maybe piercing weapons are better aginst armor and blades against flesh?

[Bezixx]

Originally posted by PerLindstrom:

Originally posted by Gilver Redgrave:

I am not really sure right now but i believe Bows and Crossbows follow the same rules Cutting and Blunt weapons do. Aka Crossbows are better against Armored,Undead etc while Bows are better against Flesh.

So saying Bows are better in General is kinda wrong given how many Undead there are. Not even including enemys with Shields and Heavy Armor.

I could be wrong tho.

My impression is that crossbows are hampered against skeletons too.
Bows and Crossbows have almost same DPS, bows are faster but do less damage per hit.
The attack range for Crossbows are howeever superior, so in my opinion Crossbows are the better choise.

https://spellforce.fandom.com/wiki/Weapons/The_Order_of_Dawn

Damage type for bows and crossbows should be piercing, but I have yet to find out about what damage types, do in this game.
Blunt weapon usually do more damage against skeleton though.
Maybe piercing weapons are better aginst armor and blades against flesh?

Range varies between weapons, there are bows that outclass crossbows with range and there are crossbows with lower range. Imo range doesn't matter that much, as long as it's at least 16 to keep you away from being in range for spells and put you behind elf archers ( Windarcher and Wanderer have 15 range ) if you play elves. Anything above can actually screw your Salvo and doesn't do much really, unless you really tend to get your units blocked in narrow passageways.
As for damage types, crossbows actually tend to have partially blunt damage, so they might deal more damage. But bows tend to have better effects, which scale with dexterity and most often shoot noticeably faster, so that attack speed translates into more effects.

[Gilver Redgrave]

Originally posted by Bezixx:

But bows tend to have better effects,

There are some really fine Crossbows in BoW tho.
In fact BoW is superior for Ranged builds over TooD in every aspect. I mean just look at the Weapon table its not even a contest. TooD only has the advantage of Amras and Shadow Armor