Hey fellas,

I KNOW THIS IS GONNA GET DOWNVOTED, but I genuinely think that many of the proposed changes are not too crazy when you really look at the skills and the issues. A lot of people seem to be focused on how Archer used to play, but making slight adjustments for small-scale improvement isn't unreasonable.

PART OF THE REASON THIS POST WAS MADE IS YES I KNOW DR IS VERY OVERTUNED RN BUT THE ARCHER DIRECT CHANGES ARE IF THEY DON'T SIMPLY WANT TO MAKE AP ARTIFACTS/NERF DR CURRENTLY! I DONT THINK I NEED AP ARTIFACTS AND BUFFS OR DR NERF AND BUFFS THATS SILLY.

My name is Czane, and I’ve been playing Archer at a high level for about a year and a half. Right now, Archer feels pretty weak in open world AOS small-scale and is not rewarding to play, especially given how tanky most other classes are. While I understand that devs don’t want classes to die instantly, the current state of Archer, where it struggles to deal damage and dies to almost every class in just a few skills, feels out of balance.

Disclaimer: These changes are mostly focused on small-scale PvP, but some suggestions could improve large-scale gameplay as well.

Current Issues:

- Low damage and survivability: After the nerfs to Marked Bloom, Spear, Shade, the DR patch, and the introduction of DR artifacts and DR crystals, Archer’s damage output feels weak, especially compared to how fast we die in most engagements.

- Class identity: Archer still shines in large-scale (thanks to its kit), but its performance in non-large-scale content feels almost unplayable.

- Meta imbalance: Archer is struggling against classes like Maegu and Ranger, who are currently much stronger in small-scale fights.

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I DONT WANT ALL THE CHANGES BTW ANY OF THESE WOULD BE AWESOME

Proposed Changes

1. Earth Shatter (Forward Guard)

- Change: Add Forward Guard to Earth Shatter.

- Reason: Helps Archer engage with less risk of being interrupted during key moments, which is important for both small-scale survivability and flexibility.

2. Gaping Darkness (SA + Linger)

- Change: Swap Gaping Darkness to Super Armor (SA) with a slight linger at the end.

- Reason: This would significantly help in small-scale fights, providing protection during key moments while still being able to reposition or attack.

3. Crit Buff from Gaping Darkness to Ensnare

- Change: Move the crit buff from Gaping Darkness to Ensnare.

- Reason: Ensnare is often used for movement, so adding the crit buff to this skill makes it more useful without forcing players to play with the crit buff when it's not needed.

4. Revert Damage Nerfs (Marked Bloom, Spear, Shade)

- Change: Revert the damage nerfs to Marked Bloom, Spear, and Shade.

- Reason: The original nerfs were too harsh. These skills need some of their previous power back, especially Marked Bloom, which was particularly impacted by split damage changes. Additionally, if the E buff remains too strong, reduce it rather than nerfing the skills themselves.

5. Uproot and Radiant Gaps

- Change: Fix the gap on Uproot Core and Radiant.

- Reason: Even after making Uproot SA, there’s still a gap at the start. This gap makes no sense and hurts Archer’s overall mobility and ability to escape or engage quickly.

6. Shade Transition Speed

- Change: Increase the speed of the transition into stealth with Shade.

- Reason: Faster transitions into stealth would make it much more useful in tight situations, allowing for better repositioning and escape. If the damage nerf to Shade stays, at least increase the walking speed to help make the skill feel more rewarding.

7. Spear of Sylvia (SA Compensation)

- Change: Make Spear of Sylvia have SA or adjust it in some way to compensate for the damage nerfs post-DR patch.

- Reason: This skill is currently too high-risk and offers little reward, especially with the damage nerf. Adding SA would help make it safer to use without drastically increasing its damage.

8. Old Melee Full Bloom Damage

- Change: Return to the old melee Full Bloom damage, where the arrow counts as one tick of damage.

- Reason: This change would significantly help Archer in small-scale PvP, as it restores a key part of Archer’s toolkit for close combat.

9. Covering Fire (Stamina Consumption Removal)

- Change: Remove stamina consumption from Covering Fire, making it recover stamina instead.

- Reason: This change would improve Archer’s ability to kite, making it more effective in both large and small-scale content by allowing for better stamina management during combat.

10. Double Tap Animation Speed Up

- Change: Speed up the animation of Double Tap.

Reason: Currently, the skill is too slow and unprotected, leaving Archer vulnerable for too long. Increasing the speed would help reduce risk and make it more viable in combat.

Core Issues with Archer in Small-Scale:

1. Low damage under pressure: Archer struggles to apply damage consistently when under attack, especially against tanky classes that can outlast its damage output.

2. Difficulty handling multiple flankers: Archer has trouble dealing with more than one flanker, even with skilled play, which is a major weakness in small-scale PvP, where mobility and positioning are key.

3. Maegu and Ranger dominance: These classes are currently overperforming in small-scale content, making it harder for Archer to compete.

Conclusion:

The proposed changes aim to address Archer’s primary issues in small-scale PvP, focusing on improving its survivability, damage output, and mobility. Many of these changes would give Archer more flexibility in combat, making it more rewarding to play while retaining its core identity. Hopefully, the devs take note of these suggestions and consider implementing adjustments that will bring Archer back to a more balanced state in all forms of PvP.

Thanks for reading and for considering these ideas!

Nah archer does too much dmg :'(

Ngl I think some of the small scale buff suggestions are reasonable but the point about reverting the damage nerfs especially on Marked 

should've probably been left out because it makes a lot of people (me included lol) see red

I agree if you just simply give the buffs it may be a lot but there is also if you read about giving those damage buffs back but nerfing out e buff is very reasonable

Please reduce tac roll cd. Such a short i-frame, but the cd is 10 seconds. Knock three seconds off. Everything else in the post is goated.

As an archer main, let me upvote you so that I can be OP again!