Longbow / Staff PvP Build Guide
Last Updated:March 10, 2025|Changelog
Welcome to the Liberator Longbow / Staff PvP Build Guide! In PvP, your role is to deal huge AoE damage at long range. Typically, in MMOs, this type of playstyle resembles a "Glass Cannon," where you're extremely squishy, and any mistake in positioning can lead to your doom. In Throne and Liberty, bad positioning definitely gets you killed, but Longbow / Staff users stack a good amount of survivability with Endurance and Distorted Sanctuary. This makes you much more sturdy, even if you do get caught.
Longbow / Staff players build for as much Range as possible to maximize their Passive Buff from Sniper's Sense. In T2, there are so many sources of Range that you can easily get above 25% and close to 30% without Archboss weapons.
In addition to all the AoE abilities you get from Staff, Longbow users have access to Flash Wave and Limit Break, allowing you to do even more AoE damage. This makes Longbow / Staff particularly strong in Castle Sieges.
If you're interested in PvE, check out our Longbow / Staff PvE Build Guide!
PvP Gear Progression
Acquiring Gear pieces and upgrading them is incredibly expensive and time-consuming. If you enjoy both PvE and PvP content, use these sets for PvE.
If you're interested in PvE Gear Progression, check out our Longbow / Staff PvE Build Guide here!
- Critical Damage Reduction, Attack Speed or Shield Block Chance Pierce
- Critical Damage Reduction counters the Critical Damage Increase from Death Set and other sources.
- Shield Block Chance Pierce counters Sword and Shield Block Chance.
- Attack Speed is self-explanatory.
Going Shield Block Chance Pierce is best if you want more overall damage to players, including tanks. Use the Attack Speed Rune Synergy if you want more overall damage to everyone who is not a tank. Critical Damage Reduction will reduce the damage taken when an enemy Crits. This is great for defense. You can go for any Rune Synergy that best fits your situation. EVERY SERVER META IS DIFFERENT.
- STR, PER, DEX, or WIS
- + PER should also help you hit 70 Perception if you desire. You also have the option of using Ancient Saurodoma Bracers or Skillful Oppress Bracelet instead if you have extra Perception.
- + DEX is purely an offensive Rune Synergy effect.
- + STR is helpful to hit 50 Strength or 60 Strength if needed.
Usually, players take runes depending on the stat they need to hit the necessary breakpoints.
Consider the defensive and offensive breakpoints other classes can reach when building your gear.
- Melee
- Fully built Sword and Shield users reach 3000+ base Ranged and Magic Endurance.
- The amount varies depending on Trait Resonances and Runes.
- With the Palace Guard's Plate Armor item set, they will take even less damage. If you are targeting Sword and Shields, use the Shield Block Penetration Chance Rune Synergy.
- Fully built Sword and Shield users reach 3000+ base Ranged and Magic Endurance.
- Ranged
- Bow / Daggers and Staff / Daggers can reach 2000+ base Ranged and Magic Evasion pre-buffed without sacrificing damage. The specific numbers depend on the Runes the player slots and the Trait Resonance they use.
- Support
- If Bow / Wands follow the builds on this site, they can reach 2500+ Ranged and Magic Endurance with 500+ Heavy Attack Evasion. As mentioned above, these numbers differ depending on the Runes and Trait Resonance.
Considering the above, it's hard to find a one-size-fits-all solution. How you gear will entirely depend on the meta of your server.
- Is your server full of high Evasion users? Do you usually target those players? If so, build more Hit Chance.
- You might also need to spec Icebound Tomb for Evasion shred.
- Is your server more Endurance-focused? Are you trying to kill those Endurance users? If so, build more Critical Hit Chance. Sniper's Sense will help against opponents Endurance as well.
- At some point, it might be wise to go 4-Piece Vanguard Leader Set if you notice you never Crit.
Active Skill Choices
- Hateful Demonic Beast: Solar Stone is used for countering high Evasion users.
- Use Chaotic Weapon of Murder: Solar Stone instead if you need more Critical Hit Chance.
Passive Skill Choices
- Greedy Mind's Eye: Lunar Stone is in my opinion the best Artifact Passive. Increasing your Skill Damage Resistance by up to 210 when you're CC'd is invaluable.
- Hateful Demonic Beast: Lunar Stone is an alternative.
Artifact Set Choices
- The 2-Piece Greedy Mind's Eye is used only for the extra Endurance. There is no point in going higher than that.
- The 2-Piece Hateful Demonic Beast offers more Hit Chance. This is mainly used when fighting Evasion users.
- You can use up to 2 or 4 Pieces from the Murderous Chaos set. You can drop Hateful Demonic Beast for the 4-Piece.
- The 2-Piece Ancient King's Armor is an uncommon option if you genuinely need the extra health.
Important
- All pre-Talandre builds will be revamped once it releases.
- They will use T2 Blue gear instead.
- The ideal build to choose is heavily dependent on your server meta.
- Talandre Gear offers many different gear pieces from which you can choose.
- Use these builds as a base and swap different pieces depending on your need.
- AGS GLOBAL LOOT TABLES HAVE CHANGED. BUILDS ARE PENDING TO BE CHANGED.
T2 End Game
Triple Endurance
Triple Endurance
T2 End Game
4-Pc Transcendent
4-Pc Transcendent
T2 End Game
2-Pc Nether
2-Pc Nether
T2 End Game
Castle Siege + GvG
Castle Siege + GvG
T1 End Game
Archived Builds
Archived Builds
T2 End Game
Nebula (soon)
Nebula (soon)
T2 End Game
Archboss (soon)
Archboss (soon)
Triple Endurance V1 Longbow / Staff PvP Build
Triple Endurance V2 Longbow / Staff PvP Build
Stats and Gearing Logic
- This build assumes that your opponents have such high Endurance that you will not Crit often AND you face no Evasion users.
- If you don't Crit, there is no point in using 4-Piece Wing Gale Set or 2-Piece Spectral Overseer Set.
- Instead, you aim to Heavy Attack as much as possible.
- Bercant's Steelstring Bow offers more damage but has lower Range than Arc of Lunar Radiance.
- With 50 Fortitude and Distorted Sanctuary, you reach ~2400 Melee, Ranged Endurance, and ~1800 Magic Endurance.
- No one will be able to Crit against you without first buffing themselves or debuffing you.
- With Blessed Barrier, you will have even more Endurance.
- With Gentle Breeze, you gain even more Melee Endurance.
- Depending on your Trait Resonance and Rune choices, these values can be higher or lower. Constantly adjust these based on your server.
- With the 4-Piece Vanguard Leader Set item set effect, you reach 600+ Max Damage on Longbow before Quality Stellarite.
- You rely on raw damage output with Blessing of the Waves, Omniscience, and Tidal Fury.
- To increase your survivability, you HAVE to use Nature's Blessing and Inner Peace to increase your Defense with Mana Shield. This will increase your Defense to 5000+.
- Your Mana Regen is supplemented with Mana Spring.
- Bind Chance traits are taken for Binding Hand.
- Swap pieces in and out to match the server meta you are playing against.
Gear Sources
- AGS has changed many drop source locations. Builds subject to change.
High Hit Chance Longbow / Staff PvP Build
Alt: Bloody Shadow Contract's Gloves
High HAC + Atk Speed Longbow / Staff PvP Build
No Field Boss Longbow / Staff PvP Build
- All pieces here do not require Field Boss drops.
Stats and Gearing Logic
- These two builds focus on being a long-range glass cannon with 4-Piece Wing Gale Set.
- This build offers virtually no Endurance, reaching ~1500 Ranged and Magic Endurance when accounting for Distorted Sanctuary.
- You must always have Blessed Barrier or Blood Devotion from your teammates to survive.
- To increase your survivability, you HAVE to use Nature's Blessing and Inner Peace to increase your Defense with Mana Shield. This will increase your Defense to 5000+.
- Your Mana Regen is supplemented with Mana Spring.
- The high Hit Chance build aims to counter high Evasion builds with 2000+ Hit Chance.
- The high Heavy Attack build features much higher Attack Speed and 200 more Heavy Attack Chance.
- Bind Chance traits are taken for Binding Hand.
- Swap pieces in and out to match the server meta you are playing against.
Gear Alternatives
The great thing about Tier 2 gear is that you can swap many pieces depending on your wants.
- Attack Speed
- Bloody Shadow Contract's Gloves (let's you hit 70 PER easily)
- Hit Chance
- Big Leaf Tree's Ring
- Pure Light Elemental Spirit Ring
- Challenging Champion's Cloak
- Critical Hit Chance
- Ring of Eternal Flames
- Range
- Spineflower Royal Guards Cloak
- Ancient's Blood Ring
- Endurance
- Song of the Night Sky Bracelet
- Lord's Necklace
- Ice Queen's Bracelet (Archboss)
- Archboss Items
- Stone Cold Heart Cloak
- Fell Tree Belt
Gear Sources
- AGS has changed many drop source locations. Builds subject to change.
High Heavy Attack Longbow / Staff PvP Build
High Endurance Longbow / Staff PvP Build
Stats and Gearing Logic
- These two builds also focus on being a long-range glass cannon with 2-Piece Spectral Overseer Set instead of 4-Piece Wing Gale Set.
- The high Heavy Attack build aims to reach 1000+ Heavy Attack Chance, which translates to 50%+ proc chance, assuming your enemy does not build any Heavy Attack Evasion.
- The high Endurance build features the 2-Piece Vanguard Leader Set, which grants 45 extra Endurance for every 10 Perception you have. With Distorted Sanctuary, you reach as high as 1800 Ranged and Magic Endurance.
- To increase your survivability, you HAVE to use Nature's Blessing and Inner Peace to increase your Defense with Mana Shield. This will increase your Defense to 5000+.
- Your Mana Regen is supplemented with Mana Spring.
- Bind Chance traits are taken for Binding Hand.
- Swap pieces in and out to match the server meta you are playing against.
Transcendent vs Nether
Critical Hit Damage
- The 4-Pc Wing Gale Set gives you unconditional 40% Critical Hit Damage at 25-meter range, whereas the 2-Pc Spectral Overseer Set maxes out at 25% Critical Hit Damage. But the Spectral Overseer Set effect is conditional upon no enemies standing within 5 meters of you.
- In Castle Siege, it can be extremely easy to avoid having an enemy within 5 meters. But it takes good positional awareness not to have an enemy within a 5-meter range of yourself in other forms of PvP.
- Many players prefer 2-Pc Spectral Overseer Set when they can play safely from Range and because they can equip other 2-Pc set effects.
Heavy Attack Chance
- With Runes, the 2-Pc Spectral Overseer Set can reach ~1000 Heavy Attack Chance, translating to ~50% Heavy Attack Chance.
- In contrast, the 4-Pc Wing Gale Set can reach around ~730 Heavy Attack Chance, which is ~42%.
- Both statements above go on the assumption that the enemy doesn't have any Heavy Attack Evasion.
Endurance
- The 2-Pc Spectral Overseer Set allows you to use the 2-Pc Vanguard Leader Set for more Endurance. You gain 45 Endurance for every 10 Perception.
Gear Alternatives
- Read the section in the 4-Pc Transcendent tab.
- Florification Curse Uniform is a possible chest replacement for 2-Pc Vanguard Leader Set only.
Gear Sources
- AGS has changed many drop source locations. Builds subject to change.
Ebonwind Longbow / Staff PvP Build
Stats and Gearing Logic
- This build uses Ebon Soulwind Archstaff with the Apply Designated Ground Targeting Specialization on Frost Smokescreen. The mass Bind effectively locks down chokes in conjunction with other users. It's especially effective on Sandworm Lair Boonstone and Castle Sieges.
- You can use whatever build you want with Ebon Soulwind Archstaff.
4Pc Evasion Longbow / Staff PvP Build
2Pc Evasion Longbow / Staff PvP Build
4Pc Endurance Longbow / Staff PvP Build
2Pc Endurance Longbow / Staff PvP Build
Arena Longbow / Staff PvP Build
End Game
Toublek/Talus
Toublek/Talus
End Game
RM Evasion
RM Evasion
End Game
Arena PvP
Arena PvP
End Game
Archboss
Archboss
Budget Longbow / Staff PvP Build
- This is a decent budget version.
Offensive Max Damage Longbow / Staff PvP Build
Defensive High Hit Longbow / Staff PvP Build
- Toublek's Shattering Quarterstaff and Talus's Crystalline Staff are interchangeable.
- Toublek's Shattering Quarterstaff will give you more CDR, whereas Talus's Crystalline Staff is a great defensive option.
- You should run the high Hit Chance build on servers with extremely high Evasion.
- The offensive build is for long-range casting with high CDR for uptime.
Defensive and Support Runes
You will see that Max Health is taken for most Defensive Runes slotted in these builds. This is interchangeable depending on what you need and your server meta.
- Use Ranged Endurance Runes if your server is heavy on Longbow users.
- Use Magic Endurance Runes if your server is heavy on Staff users.
- Melee Endurance is not as helpful since you don't have a high base already with traits. If you find that there are a lot of greatsword users, use Max Health.
When you get a Rare Chaos Rune: Ring with a good stat, replace the Support Rune in your Rings.
PvP Stats and Traits
- Hit Chance, Critical Hit Chance, Heavy Attack Chance, Skill Damage Resistance, Skill Damage Boost, and Endurance are your most important traits.
- Buff Duration will extend the duration of buffs, the most important of which is High Focus and Victorious Energy.
- You have two options for the 3rd trait of your accessories: Collision Resistance and Debuff Duration.
- Collision Resistance helps against enemy Collision skills.
- Use Debuff Duration helps against debuffs.
- 50%+ Buff Duration allows High Focus to last 6+ seconds longer.
- Your high Endurance with Distorted Sanctuary is enough to mitigate most unbuffed Ranged and Magic attacks from being Crits.
- Be careful about your low Mana Regen.
- Unbuffed, you reach ~1000 Hit Chance with full purple gear.
- If you specced Victorious Energy for Victorious Energy, you will hit 1400+ Hit Chance.
- Your Critical Hit Chance is compensated by Sniper's Sense.
- You have plenty of options for chest pieces. There is no "best" because, ultimately, it depends on what you're trying to do. You have to make the decision yourself.
- Swirling Essence Robe offers more damage. 398 versus 320 Heavy Attack Chance is around a 28% vs 24% proc rate. This is great for more DPS.
- Heroic Garb of the Resistance offers more Max Health. This is great for survivability.
- Heroic Tunic of the Resistance offers more Hit Chance. Great against Evasion stackers.
- With Shadow Harvester Boots, you have many more options for your gloves. You mainly choose between 3 gloves that all give Attack Speed traits.
- Swirling Essence Gloves offers more Max Health, Range and Magic Endurance trait.
- Gauntlets of the Field General offers Max Health and Attack Speed.
- Feathered Drakeskin Gloves offers Range and Attack Speed.
- I swap between these cloaks depending on what I'm trying to do. Always adapt to your PvP goals.
- Deadeye's Cloak is amazing as no other Purple cloak gives Hit Chance.
- Forsaken Embrace offers 1.3k more Max Health when fully traited.
- Relentless Assault offers more Attack Range.
Armor Sources
- Shadow Harvester Boots
- Carmine Rage Island
- Avolos Tracker in Sanctum of Desire
- Reaper's Interring Pants
- Junobote
- Torture Chamber of Secrets (Dec. 5)
- Swirling Essence Robe
- Island of Terror
- Special Resistance Hawk Hood
- Crown Blessed by Moonlight
- Black Boar in Purelight Hill
- Precious Blessing Pouch
- Craft Recipe: Precious Lithograph: Heroic Hood of the Resistance.
Accessory Sources
- Necklace of Cold Strength
- Arena Merchant for 9 Arena Coin
- Etched Alabaster Band
- Demonhoof Tracker in Syleus's Abyss 5F-6F
- Precious Epic Equipment Chest: Abyss
- Belt of Bloodlust
- Aridus
- Clasp of the Conqueror is an alternative.
- Precious Epic Equipment Chest: Abyss
4-Pc Offensive Longbow / Staff PvP Build
2-Pc Heavy Attack Longbow / Staff PvP Build
- This build focuses on reaching 70 Dexterity for the extra Evasion with Aelon's Rejuvenating Longbow.
Defensive and Support Runes
- Use Ranged Evasion Runes if your server is heavy on Longbow users.
- Use Magic Evasion Runes if your server is heavy on Staff users.
When you get a Rare Chaos Rune: Ring with a good stat, replace the Support Rune in your Rings.
PvP Stats and Traits
- With the 4-Pc build, you see that you reach 1600+ Ranged and Magic Evasion. With Victorious Energy, you will reach 2000+, which is a great breakpoint to reach.
- You can discard the 4-Pc bonus for Phantom Wolf Gloves which will give you even more Ranged Evasion.
- The 2-PC build offers more Heavy Attack Chance but lower Range and max Base Damage.
Budget Longbow / Staff PvP Build
- This is a decent budget version.
Umbra Longbow / Staff PvP Build
Talus Longbow / Staff PvP Build
- It is incredibly tough to play Longbow/Staff in high MMR arena. You are the first target people focus and if you don't have enough Melee Evasion, you are essentially griefing your other 2 teammates.
- You reach 2000+ Melee Evasion with Victorious Energy.
- Then field general pieces are solely for stats and not the set bonus.
Double Archboss Longbow / Staff PvP Build
Bellandir Longbow / Staff PvP Build
Bellandir Burning Build
Tevent Longbow / Staff PvP Build
Evasion Longbow / Staff PvP Build
Skill Builds and Rotation
Masteries
- Click the 200/200 icon for Masteries or go to the section below skill builds.
Large Scale PvP
Dominion
Arena PvP
Mana Shield 8000+ Triple Defense Build
Lv. 5 Limit Break Freeze
Bellandir Burning Smokescreen
- When Nature's Blessing and Inner Peace are used together in conjunction with Mana Shield, you gain an incredible amount of Melee, Ranged, and Magic Defense.
- Combined with Mana Spring, it can go even higher.
- At Level 5 with the Cooldown â–¼ Specialization, Limit Break's Cooldown becomes 45 seconds. This matches Flash Wave's Cooldown.
- If your Limit Break is not Level 5, just put points elsewhere instead of using it on Cooldown â–¼.
- Consider using Infernal Meteor with the Heal Cut Specialization for more coordinated GvGs with setup.
- For example, if you have a SnS with Queen Bellandir's Languishing Blade to clump targets for you.
- Tornado and Icebound Tomb are interchangeable.
- Icebound Tomb without its Specializations, can be used as a hard Freeze on key targets to interrupt cappers or remove healers from the fight.
- Replace a skill for this for smaller scale fights.
- Flame Condensation is a required Passive now, for the Flame Detonation mastery, especially with Wave Boost Formula.
- This makes Burning Smokescreen somewhat viable without requiring you to have Queen Bellandir's Hivemind Staff.
- You can consider using Master of Thunder instead of Master of Thunder for masteries.
- Remember to replace Roxie's Arrowhead with Frost Master.
- This assumes you use Icebound Tomb too.
Defensive Combo
This combo should be used when you're getting focused. Your bonus Defense from Mana Shield will skyrocket to 8000+ depending on your base Mana Regen.
- Nature's Blessing
- Inner Peace
Healing Touch Upkeep
- Constantly use Healing Touch to upkeep the Max Damage buff from Blessing of the Waves, Omniscience, and Tidal Fury.
Instant Cast AoE Skills
Sometimes, getting instant damage out as fast as possible is better than casting Flash Wave.
- Icebound Tomb
- Chain Lightning
- Judgment Lightning
Flash Wave Combo
This is your bread-and-butter combo.
- High Focus
- Flash Wave
- Limit Break
- Flash Wave
Freeze into Burning
This combo roots players in place.
- Icebound Tomb
- Burning Smokescreen
Heal Cut Skills
- Focused Fire Bombs
- Infernal Meteor
Utility Skills
- Tornado
- Tornado can be used to peel off Melee or as an engage tool.
- Icebound Tomb can be used to mass root enemy players prior to using Burning Smokescreen.
- Victorious Energy or High Focus
- If using Victorious Energy, always pre-buff before an engagement.
- Consider using Blitz for this skill if you expect a prolonged fight.
- With High Focus, make sure you use your longer Cooldown skills before the buff is over.
Tips
- Stay at maximum Range of targets. You have no easy escapes, so your positioning on the battlefield is paramount to your survival.
- Pre-buff with Victorious Energy for the extra Hit if you specced High Focus for it.
- Use the Large Scale PvP builds for Dominion if there are massive amounts of players.
- This build focuses on your ability to skirmish with single-target skills while using excellent AoE tools.
- This build uses Healing Touch and Nature's Blessing for self-sustain.
- Limit Break can be replaced for another sill if needed.
Defensive Combo
This combo should be used when you're getting focused. Your bonus Defense from Mana Shield will skyrocket to 8000+ depending on your base Mana Regen.
- Nature's Blessing
- Inner Peace
Longbow Single Target Combo
- Strafing 3x
- Zephyr's Nock
- Simple bread and butter single target combo.
Self-Sustain
- Healing Touch
- Nature's Blessing
- This combo gives you great sustain in the absence of a Healer.
- Healing Touch alone grants you great sustain.
Tips
- Stay at maximum Range of targets. You have no easy escapes, so your positioning on the battlefield is paramount to your survival.
- Pre-buff with Victorious Energy for the extra Hit if you specced High Focus for it.
- This build focuses entirely on Arena PvP.
- Icebound Tomb is a fantastic skill to take one person out of the fight.
- Flash Wave is a great tool to damage enemies and heal your teammates.
Longbow Single Target Combo
Always use Ensnaring Arrow with Strafing because they have similar Cooldowns.
- Ensnaring Arrow
- Nature's Blessing (Optional)
- Allows you to stack double the Gale stacks.
- Strafing 3x
- Stacks 24 Gale stacks assuming no misses.
- Zephyr's Nock
- Consumes all stacks for massive damage.
Heal Cut
- Always use Focused Fire Bombs on targets you want to die for the Heal Cut.
Bind Burst
- Ice Spear Bombardment
- Zephyr's Nock
- Judgment Lightning
Self-Sustain Combo
The Vitality Specialization makes this combo a potent healing tool.
- Healing Touch
- Nature's Blessing
Tips
- Always have your Longbow as your main hand weapon so that [tal-weapon-mastery-node id=963747767]Anti-magic Arts[/tal-weapon-mastery-node] is active.
- Stay at maximum Range of targets. You have no easy escapes, so your positioning on the battlefield is paramount to your survival.
- Pre-buff with Victorious Energy for the extra Hit if you specced High Focus for it.
Mastery Specializations
- Your priority unlock is Mana Shield.
- This is key to your survivability as a Liberator.
- Your 2nd priority is Strategic Compromise.
- The rest is just taking more damage.
- Your priority unlock is Omniscience.
- This is key for extra damage.
- Your 2nd priority is Archer's Surge.
- The rest is just taking more damage.
Skill Prioritization
- Use Quality Marind Ore to craft Quality Active Skill Growth Book and Quality Passive Skill Growth Book.
- Use Rare Marind Ore to craft Rare Active Skill Growth Book and Rare Passive Skill Growth Book.
- Prioritize getting all these skills to blue first before getting them to purple.
Guardians
Guardians are special transformations that add offensive or defensive buffs or attacks to your character for 30 seconds. These are the recommended Guardians for this class in both PvE and PvP situations.
- Lady Knight Kamarshea is a useful Guardian for defense.
Summary
- If you prefer a long-range playstyle that bombards enemies with skills, Longbow / Staff is the weapon combination for you.
- Depending on the situation, you have multiple options to customize your skill build.
- With skills like Judgment Lightning and Flash Wave, Longbow / Staff is the king of AoE.
- At End Game, you can reach 50 Strength, 60 Perception, and close to 1000 Hit.
Credits
Written by Yaen
Reviewed by Tenkiei and Nymphellas