Is it viable to be an archer?

[Jerjuanamon]

This is the first time I’ve ever played this game. I’m an Elf Ranger at lvl 7. I’m curious about how to fill out a party if I’m the ranger. I only have Allistar, Morrigan, Leliana, and Sten atm. Would this be a good party?

Warrior: Allistar
Mage: Morrigan
Healer: Wynne
Support: Me (Ranger)

Thanks in advance!

[LilG]

Archer/Rangers are a viable class,your setup is what I've used while playing.
I tended to use bard as a secondary class with songs as support along with their buffs/debuffs like reducing the targets stats. Summoning pets are useful but each pet has their own strengths & weaknesses.
They are pretty squishy so you'll need to keep back & keep the targets attention on your tank like Alistair.

[neil]

I like archers
Often I set them up as Snipers
Killing off enemies a REALLY long range long before they get to you
Archer fires a shot or two (Usually a special option or two say Pinning, cripling or Slaying
Mages chime in with staff fire when targets close enough
And tank cleans up if any get close enough for that

Particularly obvious in open and long range encounters
Look at the mini map
Move up slowly
Snipe a single target. 90% of the time, only 1 enemy will activate
Kill it
wait till cool downs end and repeat


MOST important Order your troops to STAND STILL
Don't let them stupidly charge forward - Stratgeically take out one single enemy at a time


And in my case I TURN OFF tactics. Manage you game yourself (Who the hell wants to play a game by watching all the action - do it yourself)
People swear by this...... I don't.
Hit the space bar, and do it yourself
I'm playing the game, and I do a better job than a poor AI.

This is my opinion
What you (and others ) do in this matter is entirely your (and their) choice

[MTV]

I would swap Allistair out for Shale, He can buff your shot speed and crit chance with rock mastery. Plus Allistair kinda sucks, I like the character but he's kinda weak.

To get shale look for schuclher pass or something named like that on the map. it's yellow colored it will start a questline.

[Paladin Rasputin]

Are you telling the truth, M'aiq? Are you in danger of becoming a good man?

[Kevin Flemming]

Originally posted by M'aiq:

Plus Allistair kinda sucks, I like the character but he's kinda weak.

Alistair was a beastly 'sword-and-board tank' last time I played DA:O back on the Xbox, mainly due to regular micromanagement during battle combined with a viable strong build, with good equipment (I can't remember what I did, as it was bloody years ago now).

I too played an Archer, with Alistair tanking, Morrigan and Wynne as heavy plate battlemages (Morrigan offensive, Wynne support). It was the most fun I have probably ever had playing a game like this.

[dwarfpcfan]

Early game archers are the weakest non-casters, late game they are insane once they get scattershot and arrow of death

[Jerjuanamon]

Thank you everyone for all the information. I really appreciate it. The playthrough has been going great!

[Beast]

You should also know that if any of your mages take Blood Mage, your Ranger pet is a valid target for their Blood Sacrifice ability. On my archer rogue I used enough str and dex to wear gear and use abilities and then lethality with cunning, this works well if you pick bard as your second spec since cunning increases their songs a bit. If you go into Awakening after the main game, you'll get an ability called Accuracy that massively benefits from dexterity, so I'd respec to a dexterity focus for the expansion (you'll get several opportunities and items to do this in the xpac, don't worry).

Also, if you enjoy your archer and want to do it again, warrior archers are different but also entirely viable.

[K00lex]

Originally posted by BakedTorbjorn420:

I’m an Elf Ranger at lvl 7. I’m curious about how to fill out a party if I’m the ranger.

If you are new to the game, your setup is optimal. As others suggested, Shale is useful. Swap out either a tank or mage.

And, if you are comfortable with one ranger, try 3!!!

I specialized Leliana & Zevran into ranger archers, and played thru without warriors or mages, except pre-Lothering & certain quests with a forced companion (Wynne in Circle Tower, Oghren in Orzammar). It consisted of my ranger-bard Warden, ranger-bard Leliana, ranger-assassin Zevran, and Shale. Summoned pets (bear, wolf, or spider) are buffed by Shale & 2 Songs of Courage and readily charged ahead, while the archers shoot with high crit chance & high crit dmg.

Just have to be quick to click on the '+ tactic slot added' notification when a summon appears to set up its tactics. Allowed access to more talents than shown on the bottom bar and less micro-management in combat. Sometimes, I'd replace Shale with Dog, to get a wolfpack. Those quick takedowns with Overwhelm were effective and fun to watch.

Oh, here's a snippet of my old post on setting up an archer:

For Leliana or archer rogue/Zevran, get Melee Archer and Aim, then switch tree to get Scattershot (for auto-hit and wide-area stun effect). Pinning shot is good opening attack against mages & archers (but don't duplicate with Morrigan's Winter's Grasp, so set up one's Tactics to target mages and the other's for archers). Shattering Shot has a knockdown effect against critter & normal rank enemies, so set it up accordingly. Or, just set it to use against Medium or heavier armored targets. I don't sustain Rapid Fire, since it negates critical hits. Nor Defensive Fire; set up her Tactics to use Dirty Fighting when attacked by melee and her Behavior to Ranged, so she moves away. I don't bother with Arrow of Slaying, since it takes too long to set up, unless she is in Stealth and shooting it as a focused opening attack. I would only get Crippling Shot and Critcal Shot after getting Lethality, Song of Courage, and necessary Deft Hands tree to complement her Cunning score (each rank in Deft Hands talent equals 10 points of CUN for lockpicking & disarming traps; you'd need 70 to open the toughest locked chest). Leliana's skills should focus on Combat Training, then, trap-making or stealing. Zevran can handle poison-making. As for attributes, raise enough DEX to be able to get rogue & archery talents, then, bump up CUN (to get higher damage via Lethality, for passive Armor Penetration, and to get increased benefits from Song of Valor/Courage). Raise STR to able to wear leather & dalish armor, and WIL to be able to sustain Aim & Song of Courage and use Pinning Shot & Shattering Shot. CUN is more useful than DEX in DAO, but secondary in Awakening.

[Arnie Rimsy BSc.SSc.]

Originally posted by BakedTorbjorn420:

This is the first time I’ve ever played this game. I’m an Elf Ranger at lvl 7. I’m curious about how to fill out a party if I’m the ranger. I only have Allistar, Morrigan, Leliana, and Sten atm. Would this be a good party?

Warrior: Allistar
Mage: Morrigan
Healer: Wynne
Support: Me (Ranger)

Thanks in advance!

I played through the game as a warrior and mostly used Morrigan and Zevran as back ups. Have long forgotten my fourth member. I recall besting the dragon with Zevran and his dagger as all my other team died and so I would say yes, it worked back to front to me and should do vice versa.

Another example is I had to fall back to the Morrigan at the landsmeet due to my melee character being trash haha so it depends.

Conclusion;
Some times will really challenge you, especially if you only use your main. Practice using the team.