Welcome to the Longbow / Staff Leveling Build Guide! This is one of the comfiest weapon combinations to level with. Not only can you self-heal with Healing Touch, but you also do high DPS with Longbow skills like Strafing. Staff complements Longbow well with incredibly strong AoE potential once you unlock Skill Specializations at Level 15. Staff skills like Chain Lightning and Judgment Lightning with their Guaranteed Damage Transfer Specializations makes your leveling journey incredibly easy.
Your biggest problem is figuring out the best skills to put on your bar as you level. But don't worry, we've got you covered. This guide lets you know exactly how to progress through your leveling journey.
Fresh 50 Longbow / Staff Leveling Build
If you're looking for End Game guides, check out our Longbow/Staff PvE Guide and our Longbow/Staff PvP Guide.
- Self-Sustain
- Ranged DPS
- High AoE Damage
- High Single Target DPS
Stat Priorities
Use the following stat priorities when following the Longbow / Staff Leveling build:
- Level 1 - 21
- 20 Dexterity
- Level 22 - 33
- 12 Wisdom
- Level 34 - 50
- 17 Perception
You have 49 Stat Points you can freely allocate to any of the 4 primary Stats. Once you put 20 points into an individual Stat, it takes 2 points to increase the Stat by 1. Do not put more than 20 points into a Stat unless absolutely necessary.
Dexterity not only adds maximum Weapon Damage but also increases your Crit Chance, Evasion, and Attack Speed. Increasing Dexterity is your best method of increasing your damage output. Wisdom is the next best stat for improving your maximum Weapon Damage. Each added point into Wisdom also provides extra Cooldown Speed and Mana Regen.
Key Leveling Notes
- Focus on the Main Story Quest as you level to 50.
- If you're unable to continue the MSQ, complete Exploration Codex Quests for EXP until you can.
- Before leaving Kastleton during Chapter 3, craft as much Green Gear as possible!
- When your story quests introduce you to Resistance Contracts, be sure to choose ones that give Quality Lithograph: Accessories first!
- Complete Rustic Mother Nature Rings Lithograph Book entry early for Lethal Fortune Ring.
Gear Progression
What gear you craft doesn't impact Leveling difficulty too much. The most important thing is that you upgrade it.
Towards Chapter 3 you start to get quests to craft items. Before heading to Urstella Fields, make sure to craft all the Green Items possible. You should have 2 Green Weapons, 3 Green Armor pieces, and at least 2 Green Accessories. After Chapter 4, you have enough to craft the rest and have a full set of Green Gear. Here are the recommended Items to craft.
Longbow / Staff Leveling Build
Weapon Crafting Priority
- Prophet's Staff
- You get Slayer Longbow from completing the Chapter 1 story codex.
Armor Crafting Priority
- Shock Trooper's Plate Gloves
- Marksman's Leather Pants
- Overwatcher's Resistance Armor
- Combat Soldier's Cloak
- Avenger's Hat
- Supplicant's Ritual Boots
Accessory Crafting Priority
- Crude Wave Necklace
- Crude Wind Band
- Crude Vigor Belt
- Crude Conquest Bracelet
- Crude Flame Band
- Rustic Mother Nature Rings (Replace Crude Flame Band)
Codex Chapter Rewards
If PvE is the only thing you care about, transfer over your +6 Greens to the Blue Gear from Codex Rewards. Only do that when your Greens are fully upgraded. If you intend to PvP, stick with your +6 Green Armor and Accessories until you reach level 50. Transfer your Green weapon over to Elite Resistance Staff once you get it.
For more information on how to transfer over your gear, visit our Gear Upgrade Guide.
Ch. 1 - Slayer Longbow
Ch. 2 - Quality Marind Ore
Ch. 3 - Rare Marind Ore
Ch. 4 - Sophia's Ring
Ch. 5 - Elite Resistance Staff
Ch. 6 - Elite Resistance Mask
Ch. 7 - Moonlight Wind Bracer
Ch. 8 - Elite Resistance Leather Pants
Ch. 9 - Moonlight Grace Leather Boots
Ch. 10 - Special Resistance Ancient Dragon Armor
Skill Slot Prioritization
Active Skills
Levels 1-15: Take everything as you unlock it. Use Overtaker as your Block.
Level 18: Replace Brutal Arrow with Ice Spear.
Level 24: Replace Frost Smokescreen with Healing Touch.
Level 30: Replace Nature's Blessing with High Focus.
Level 36: Replace Fireball Barrage with Judgment Lightning.
Passive Skills
Level 3: Slot in both passives.
Level 6:
- Add Steady Aim.
- Replace Manaball Eruption with Asceticism.
Level 12: Replace Rapidfire Stance with Sniper's Sense.
Level 20: Add Rapidfire Stance.
Level 25: Add Flame Condensation.
Level 33: Add Earth's Blessing.
Level 39: Add Forbidden Sanctuary.
Level 40: Add Mana Amp.
Skill Specialization Order
Once you hit level 15, you acquire 10 Skill Specialization points to use, which modify your skills. Press "K" and access them in the 2nd tab. Every level from 16 to 30 gives you 2 Skill Specialization points, and every level from 31 to 50 gives 3. Mouse over the skill below to see where to spend your points as you level.
- Ensnaring Arrow
- Cooldown Resets
- Strafing
- Gale
- Zephyr's Nock
- Damage ▲
- Chain Thunder
- Guaranteed Damage Transfer
- Chain Damage
- Serial Fire Bombs
- Able to Move
- Focused Fire Bombs
- Range ▲
- Projectile Speed ▲
- Inferno Wave
- Consecutive Use
- Cooldown ▼
- High Focus
- Base Damage Boost
- Judgment Lightning
- Guaranteed Damage Transfer
- Chain Damage
- Ice Spear
- Ice Spear Bombardment
- Damage ▲
- Ensnaring Arrow
- Hit Rate ▲
- Decisive Sniping
- Damage ▲
- Able to Move
- Strafing
- Consecutive Use
Skill Rotation
Here are some examples of skills you should use when following the Longbow / Staff leveling build:
- Against high-health mobs, lead with Ensnaring Arrow into any skill to proc Steady Aim. You can pair it with Decisive Sniping.
- Your spammable single target DPS burst is Strafing into Zephyr's Nock.
- Your AoE combo is basically Serial Fire Bombs or Focused Fire Bombs into Inferno Wave into Chain Lightning.
- Use Healing Touch to heal yourself.
Skill Priority Upgrade
- Use Quality Marind Ore to craft Quality Passive Skill Growth Book and Quality Active Skill Growth Book
- Use Rare Marind Ore to craft Rare Passive Skill Growth Book and Rare Active Skill Growth Book.
- Prioritize getting all these skills to blue first before getting them to purple. These are universal skills you always use.
- Upgrade the rest of your skills as you play the game.
Active Skills
Passive Skills
Summary
- The Longbow / Staff build gives you one of the most comfortable leveling experiences.
- Focus on Dexterity and Wisdom for stats.
- As you progress through the game, make sure to craft green and blue gear using Quality Lithographs.
- Keep your Green Gear if you plan on PvPing later in the game. They are easier to trait than Blue Gear early on.
Credits
Written by Yaen
Reviewed by Nymphellas