Is huntsman a joke ability?

[ZZZZZ]

most skills cost 3ap even if they deal same dmg as the common one for 2.. the class has less skills then any others aswell (like half).. the buff you get is +5% dmg from high ground.. so I ask.. why?? every skill gives +5 and some are even giving extra stats!! and there you only get smt even if you are on highground.. and only 5%!! why dont invest in range and if max out then invest in poly for leveling finesse with the points?

[Energist]

I think huntsman is pretty useful actually. It's more useful than the scoundrel abilities overall atleast.

One thing to take into consideration is range.

[Hobocop]

Huntsman applies to ALL damage from high ground, not just from one damage type, so it'll boost damage from elemental arrows and also spells, making it quite good for mages. It's also a multiplier, not additive like Ranged skill is.

[Sai Kyouji]

lol this guy
Mocking the single highest damage dealing tree in the whole game.
1. 5 skills out of 15 tha cost 3ap are not MOST (already counting Source skills)
2. Casting Elemental Arrowheads before battle adds sweet extra damage to all huntsmen's attacks, normal or skill. Dowse it in blood and you have + physical damage.
First Aid heals more status effects than a lot other magical heals. Ricochet is essentially an physical AOE, 3 targets from far away with 2 AP is a sweet deal.
Ballistic shot adds 5% damage from each 1m distance (adding up to 100% damage for 20m, easy to get on high ground) and also adds high vantage ground damage after (5% each hunstman skill). Probabbly the potentially highest single target damage dealer in the whole game save for bosses's ability
Marksman Fang ignores armor and can pierce as many targets standing in a line (usually can get up to 3)
Tactical Retreat is the best teleport spell in the game for its Haste.
4. Good bows and crossbows also adds 10-15% crit chance and sometimes 10-15% crit damage too)


And for the last time, 5% damage from high ground is NOT exclusive. You can get damage from both this and other weapon skills. Using magic and stabbing with a spear from high ground also gets damage bonus

[Benjaminius]

Huntsmans not bad at all, but usually not my #1 priority. I'll usually put 2 points in Huntsman early to unlock the skills I need, then focus on Ranged. I'd rather have a flat 5% damage boost than a 5% high ground bonus, but those bonuses stack, so it's worth investing in Hunstman later once ranged is maxed. You could also put those points in Warfare (or Poly, like you suggested) to get that damage bonus, but it depends on your build and which combat abilities are going to be most useful to you. Eventually you will start maxing things out and looking for new ways to milk some extra damage out of your build. That's when things like Huntsman become more appealing

[Pyromus]

Well if you're upset about the skillbooks for huntsman, I can't help you there, they are amazing and I don't see how someone could miss that.

But as for low damage from taking more points in huntsman, just take what you need for skills (max of 5) and put the rest in warfare, because it adds to all physical damage, including scoundel and huntsman skillbook abilities. As far as I know, it's the same bonus damage you would get from an equal amount in huntsman, but you do not need the highground.

[ste3e]

If it is the case that huntsman gives +5 for height advantage be it using bows or wands, then this confirms my assumption about huntsman. Better to put 2, maybe 3 levels for glitterdust, and use skills that do not require a bow, (first aid, and tactical retreat), and run with wand, maxing int over finesse.

[Chaoslink]

Originally posted by ste3e:

If it is the case that huntsman gives +5 for height advantage be it using bows or wands, then this confirms my assumption about huntsman. Better to put 2, maybe 3 levels for glitterdust, and use skills that do not require a bow, (first aid, and tactical retreat), and run with wand, maxing int over finesse.

Wand attacks kinda suck though. It isn't worth it to focus them. Best to just cast spells.

[Cooperal]

Originally posted by ste3e:

If it is the case that huntsman gives +5 for height advantage be it using bows or wands, then this confirms my assumption about huntsman. Better to put 2, maybe 3 levels for glitterdust, and use skills that do not require a bow, (first aid, and tactical retreat), and run with wand, maxing int over finesse.

Six years late.