Ranged DPM Advice
Introduction
In RuneScape PvM, the meta at the time of writing is about pushing out as much damage in as little time as possible. It is important to understand that good and efficient PvM, especially at the higher tiers, is about squeezing out as much damage as possible in between mechanics.
This channel will go over general damage output lessons, ability prioritisations, crafting a rotation, a learning path, common mistakes, and tips and tricks.
Related Channels
For further information and reading, you can refer to the following resources.
Note: If you have any difficulties in using the tools or understanding what the information means, you can always ask in #pvm-help.
Revolution Bars and General Background Knowledge
For general PvM terminology, DPS tips, and revolution bars, check out their respective sections in #General DPM FAQ.
Ability Information
Note: If you have any difficulties in using the tools or understanding what the information means, you can always ask in #pvm-help.
Ability Prioritisation
⬥ Generally, high damaging abilities should be prioritised and used more often than low damaging abilities.
⬥ To compare abilities, use RS Analysis' Rangedy Page, and add your gear.
Note: This does not give an ability rotation, only a damage comparison chart. It does not consider Ability Cooldowns, Adrenaline, or any specific PvM encounter.
Dual Wield vs 2H Bow Camp
Note: This compares strictly camping dual-wield vs. camping 2H bows. For more information, see the What Ammo To Use section.
Crossbows used to be the meta, due to Bakriminel bolts. However with more and more arrow choices available to players, the gap has narrowed, and bows have become the current recommended weapons of choice.
Certain types of ammunition like Jas or Ful make camping 2H stronger than camping comparable dual-wield setups using ammo like Ruby Bakriminel bolts. Others like Wen or Bik can be situationally stronger as well, where there is time to build and use their effects. Lastly, arrows like Deathspore and Black stone arrows provide great utility at certain fights like Nex and Vorago that dual-wield camping cannot.
One point of concern when it comes to ammo is adrenaline - Hydrix Bakriminel bolts provide incredible adrenaline gain, and Ranged is a style that heavily benefits from excess adrenaline.
• It is possible to get around this by briefly using a dual-wield/2H crossbow switch with and abilities like Greater Ricochet or Rapid Fire to get multiple bolt procs quickly, and then switching back to 2H camping with arrows again.
Dual Wield Camp Benefits +
⬥ Access to Needle Strike
• A relatively strong basic that be used every 3 abilities to add a small damage buff to the following ability.
⬥ Easier to use switches.
• Can use shields or off-hand switches like Flanking and Caroming easier.
⬥ Can use Mechanical Chinchompas which provide extremely strong AoE damage when paired with a suitable off-hand weapon.
⬥ Access to Bakriminel bolts while still being able to use switches.
• Explained further in the What Ammo To Use section.
Bow Camp Benefits
⬥ Access to Greater Dazing Shot
• Upgraded version of Dazing Shot that applies a small bleed, that can trigger poison effects and help in phasing bosses.
⬥ Access to 2H Autos, which are much stronger than dual-wield autos.
• When 2H camping this can let you make use of Defensive Autos to replace weaker abilities like Tuska's Wrath .
⬥ Typically longer attack range than dual-wield weapons.
⬥ Access to Incendiary Shot which can be used to set up some fights where you teleport to War's Retreat after each encounter, like Kerapac or Raksha or Telos.
• The extra adrenaline can lend itself to stronger rotations.
⬥ Access to Elder God arrows as well as other strong ammo.
• Explained further in the What Ammo To Use section.
⬥ The end-game bow, Bow of the Last Guardian has a special attack that only works when it's equipped.
Note: Some 2H range weapons like the Wyvern Crossbow and the ECB can also use Bakriminel bolts.
Building a Ranged Rotation
Here we'll cover some of the points to keep in mind to build a successful ranged DPS rotation. For more information on how these rotations are affected by certain items or switches, see the Important Items section.
Note 1: In the current meta, camping 2H > camping dual-wield, but it can be used as a switch or under certain circumstances.
Note 2: If you don't have Greater Dazing Shot replace it with Dazing Shot but try to get it unlocked quickly.
Managing Cooldowns
⬥ High damaging abilities often come with long cooldowns - when building a rotation, ability prioritisations and cooldowns should be on your mind.
⬥ If you use all of the high damaging abilities at once, their cooldowns will force you to use multiple weak abilities in succession while waiting to use them again.
⬥ To avoid this problem, you want to use filler abilities to space out your high damage abilities, to pace yourself and manage cooldowns.
⬥ The primary ranged filler abilities are Greater (Dazing Shot) / Needle Strike
• Both have decent damage (157% maximum damage) and short cooldowns (9t/5.4s or 3 GCDs)
• They do not share cooldowns - if using 2H/DW switches, you can use both.
Basic Pattern
⬥ Greater Dazing Shot should form the foundation of your rotation early on.
⬥ The basic pattern uses often, in 'blocks' of 3 abilities:
• [ → Ability → Ability ] → Repeat
⬥ If camping dual-wield, replace it with Needle Strike instead:
• [ → Ability → Ability ] → Repeat
⬥ If Greater Ricochet is owned, prioritise as often as possible, and use the earlier pattern in-between.
⬥ When building adrenaline, fill the empty slots with strong basics like the following, prioritising those that can crit:
• Greater Ricochet
• Snipe
• Binding Shot (Flanking)
• Piercing Shot (Bound) - hits for boosted damage.
• Corruption Shot
• Frag Shot (Walked)
• Needle Strike / Greater Dazing Shot - if weapon switching.
Note: and cannot crit but are still strong abilities.
⬥ Once your rotation gets going, you can start using abilities like thresholds or better to fill in the blanks.
Building The Rotation
Note: It is assumed that Death's Swiftness lasts for at least 38.4 seconds. You can do this by using Planted Feet or by unlocking Greater Death's Swiftness (which lasts 1 tick longer) - both alternatives work. Examples of full Death's Swiftness rotations can be found at the bottom of this guide in the General Death's Swiftness Rotations section.
⬥ Death's Swiftness lasts 38.4 seconds, but only has a 60 second cooldown. We want to prioritise building to 100% adrenaline and using it often, as it boosts damage by 50%.
• The exception to this is when the fight would end too quickly, or mechanics occur, and you can't benefit from the full duration.
• Ideally, enter boss fights with 100% adrenaline so you can activate it immediately at the start.
⬥ You can think of your overall rotation as two repeating sections:
• [38.4s inside ] → [21.6s outside] → Repeat
⬥ Both in and out of Death's Swiftness , you will want to prioritise your strong thresholds, special attacks, and modified ultimates.
• Snapshot
• Rapid Fire
• Shadow Tendrils
• Tight Bindings (Flanking)
• Igneous Deadshot
• Dark Bow (EoF)
• SGB
• etc.
⬥ The goal is to fit as many of these strong abilities within the duration of as you can to maximise your damage output.
• You spend the majority of time inside - take full advantage of this.
• Continue using the basic 3-ability pattern to space your cooldowns.
⬥ While waiting for cooldown, you can use a few more thresholds/etc.
• You do not want to needlessly camp 100% adrenaline.
• You can start building to 100% adrenaline when is nearly ready to use again.
Note: To see examples of how to maximise your damage inside see the section at the bottom called General Death's Swiftness Rotations.
Tips
⬥ Any basic ability with damage lower than / is considered a weak ability and should be avoided when possible. Sometimes you may be forced to use them. Don't sweat it too much.
• Piercing Shot
• Sacrifice
• Ricochet
• Tuska's Wrath
• Binding Shot (no Flank)
• Frag Shot (no Walking)
⬥ The damage buff gained through is wasted if the follow-up ability is a damage-over-time ability / but sometimes it may be unavoidable.
⬥ Juggling both DW and 2H weapons may be beneficial at times.
• Gives to both and as filler abilities.
• This may provide you with more flexibility when improvising rotations.
⬥ If Greater Ricochet is unlocked, it is your strongest basic - prioritise it highly.
What Ammo to Use
Note 1: These are just general guidelines, not rules set in stone.
Note 2: Keep in mind that dual-wield range was not nerfed - 2H range was simply buffed.
Ranged weapons can use multiple types of ammo - bows consume arrows, and crossbows use bolts. While the choice of weapon (bow vs. crossbow) can be affected by the gear available, your DPS can significantly improve if proper ammo is used.
Crossbows used to be the meta, due to Bakriminel bolts, however with more and more arrow choices available to players, bows have become the current recommended weapons of choice. In this section, we cover some of the available options to players as well as how to use them properly.
For a full list of what ammo to use at what bosses, use the !ammo
command.
Elder God Arrows
⬥ Elder god arrows are T95 ammunition made by charging dinarrows with resonant anima from GWD3, providing effects based on what anima was used to charge them.
⬥ All Elder God arrows have a 33% of being consumed per ability (even if the ability does not benefit from them, e.g. Ful arrows on Frag Shot).
⬥ Jas arrows
• Provides +30% damage and +20% hitchance against dragons.
• Straight up best-in-slot ammunition for susceptible content such as Queen Black Dragon, ED2 dragons + bosses, etc.
• Jas arrows come in two variants - dragonbane and demonbane, that apply to the monsters implied by their names.
⬥ Ful arrows
• All non-bleed abilities deal 15% more damage but have -10% accuracy.
• The most commonly camped arrow, providing consistent damage bonuses with minor accuracy issues.
• Accuracy issues are usually solved using an aura or other buffs like black stone arrows or affinity debuffs like .
⬥ Wen arrows
• Basic abilities add stacks of Icy Chill (capping at 15 stacks) that can be consumed by the next threshold or ultimate used to provide +2% damage and accuracy per stack for all threshold abilities, with the effect lasting 0.6s per consumed stack.
• Stacks vanish after 30 seconds if not re-applied.
• Useful where there's time to build stacks (timegates) and other ammunition like Ful or Jas are not usable, such as Vorago, Nex, etc.
⬥ Bik arrows
• All abilities add a stack of Evolving Toxin, increasing poison damage taken by 2% per stack, capping at 200 stacks (400% increased damage).
• Stacks vanish after 30 seconds if not re-applied.
• Very strong in sustained, poisonable encounters.
⬩ Examples include Solak, high enrage Arch-Glacor, Kerapac, etc.
Other Arrows
⬥ Black stone arrows
• T92 arrows with a passive effect where each ability used with lowers the target's defence by 0.75% (up to 22 armour), capping at 15% (454 armour).
⬩ Arrows are not consumed past max stacks.
⬩ Abilities that hit multiple times (like Greater Ricochet will apply one stack per hitsplat).
• This is an easy way for rangers to increase hitchance at encounters like Nex, Vorago (P5/10/11), Telos, etc.
⬥ Deathspore Arrows
• T95 arrows that have the following effects:
⬩ +3% critical hit chance.
⬩ Critical hits give 1 stack of Feasting Spores.
⬩ At 5 stacks, the next ranged ability that would cost adrenaline is free (9s window to use it). You must still have the required adrenaline to use the ability.
⬩ This effect has a cooldown of 100t/60s, but each critical hit lowers it by 3t/1.8s.
• When stacking multiple crit chance buffs, these arrows can be strong.
• They can be used to guarantee a free ultimate at the start of some fights from War's Retreat, such as at Raksha or Kerapac, or give free special attacks like .
Bakriminel Bolts
⬥ Ruby Bakriminel bolts
• Has a chance to trigger its effect that deals large amounts of damage (capped at the critical hit cap) to the enemy at the expense of some life, with a 6s cooldown tied to the target.
• The effect weakens as the target drops to lower health.
• Strong at most boss encounters, however it becomes weaker in group encounters with more than one ranger using it.
⬥ Onyx Bakriminel bolts
• Has a chance to heal 25% of damage dealt in a hit, with no cooldown on the proc.
• Can give a reasonable amount of sustain in encounters, lowering the requirement for food.
⬥ Hydrix Bakriminel bolts
• These bolts have a 10% chance of granting 10% adrenaline instantly and refreshing a buff that makes basics give +1% adrenaline for 15 seconds.
• The proc has no cooldown.
⬩ This makes them incredibly good for building adrenaline.
• Often used as a bolt switch when camping dual-wield, or can be brought as a switch, along with a 2H/DW crossbow, to use with Greater Ricochet when camping 2H bows.
Cancelling Channels
Why Channelled Abilities are Important
⬥ It is important to properly cancel abilities in order to not lose any ticks, or damage potential.
• Animations can be unreliable, and longer than the actual hit duration of the ability.
• It can be higher damage-per-tick, or net you more adrenaline, to cancel long channels early.
• Abilities like can suffer delays when using revolution. For example:
When to Cancel Channels
Reminder: 1.8s = 3t = 1 GCD
⬥ Snipe
• Cancel slightly after GCD ends, or when the bar flashes (4t/2.4s).
⬥ Rapid fire
• Cancelled after its full 8 hits (8t/4.8s).
Important Ranged Abilities
Certain Ranged abilities are worth noting in particular, due to their behaviour and how they can be used. Here, we cover some of these abilities.
Greater Ricochet
Note: Use !grico
for a summary on how it works.
How It Works
⬥ Greater Ricochet is an upgraded version of regular Ricochet , unlocked by reading a Greater Ricochet ability codex costing 703,708,273.
⬥ It hits the target, as well 2 additional targets within a 6 tile radius. Any hits not dealt to an additional target are instead dealt to the primary target at reduced effect.
• With Caroming 4 , the number of additional hits on the main target from can be increased up to 6, for a total of 7 hits on the primary target.
• On a single target, the initial hit deals 20-100% damage, followed by two hits of 10-50%, and any extra hits from deal 5-15% damage each.
Why It's Good
⬥ This is the strongest ranged basic ability available.
⬥ It synergises well with multiple other items:
• Can greatly increase chance of Bakriminel bolt procs and is often used to fish for adrenaline.
• Can build stacks faster when using arrows etc.
• Creates far more hitsplats when using weapon poison (and cinderbanes) due to increased hits per minute.
• Does great damage under an ECB spec due to how Soul Split healing works.
⬥ The range camp perk meta has revolved around and now has Caroming 4 (Eruptive 2) on your main weapons.
Greater Dazing Shot (GDS)
How It Works
⬥ GDS is a 2H range ability that unlocks the Salt The Wound threshold as well when it is purchased at the Shattered Worlds shop.
⬥ It modifies Dazing Shot to do the same damage but also apply a Puncture stack.
• Puncture deals bleed damage every 1.8s for 9s (4 times), with damage increasing per stack (caps at 10 stacks).
• Using or refreshes this duration.
• Splintering arrows can be used to maintain stacks and increase the cap from 10 to 13 stacks.
⬥ Salt the Wound deals damage based on the number of Puncture stacks.
• The damage caps at 73.6-368% damage at 10 stacks, or 84.4%-422% at 13 stacks with Splintering arrows.
Why It's Good
⬥ The extra hits from Puncture stacks can trigger poison and so synergises well with poison-stacking methods.
• It can also help phase bosses, saving time by not having to use an extra ability, a prominent example of this is Nex.
• Note that the poison damage is not based on the Puncture bleed damage, but simply more poison procs occur due to more hitsplats.
⬥ Salt the Wound can be a strong threshold early on, especially paired with Splintering arrows .
• For example, it would be stronger than Bombardment when trying to plan out your rotations.
• The usefulness of this begins to drop once you get access to more weapons' special attacks and abilities ( / / ), as adrenaline management and ability cooldowns become more of an issue.
• At some point between using stronger ammo and ammo switching, usage of decreases - it is not very often used at the endgame meta.
Shadow Tendrils
How It Works
⬥ Shadow Tendrils is a threshold ability that hits you multiple times, then hits the target for twice the damage.
• Deals a total of 33-250% ability damage to the player → results in 66-500% ability damage on target.
⬥ The self-damage can activate effects like Penance .
⬥ The attack is guaranteed to crit.
Why It's Good
⬥ Despite the large damage variance, it is extremely strong.
⬥ Despite being a damaging ability, it incurs a later auto-attack cooldown than usual - you can use this to get a strong 2H auto attack with .
• To do this: non-channelled DW Ability → (equip 2H) +
⬩ Note that Shadow Glaives do not work this way.
• This can pair very well with the Bow of the Last Guardian to line up procs.
⬥ The guaranteed crit can be used to get adrenaline if used after or or any other critical hit adrenaline buff.
⬥ The self-damage is not too significant, as it can be healed back with Soul Split very quickly.
Incendiary Shot
How It Works
⬥ Incendiary Shot fires an arrow that explodes after 3 seconds, dealing 250-350% weapon damage to all targets in a 3x3 area.
• If the main target dies before triggers, the effect will be lost.
⬥ It also grants a critical hit adrenaline gain buff - all critical hits for 30s afterwards will give +10% adrenaline.
Why It's Good
⬥ It can be used to setup pre-fight to execute stronger rotations.
• e.g. Use War's Retreat adrenaline crystals and Invention combat dummies to before the start of a fight like Raksha or Kerapac to have plenty of adrenaline in your opening ultimate rotation .
• This is great for scenarios where you have the adrenaline and time to execute it properly, such as the 'chinner' role at AoD, or at high-enrage (2.5k+) Arch-Glacor.
⬥ The high adrenaline cost can make it a little difficult to use at times, but some situational mechanics can make it more easy to use, such as:
• Kerapac's Timewarp
• Using Deathspore arrows to get a free Incendiary Shot.
Note: See Deathspore Arrows in the What Ammo to Use section for more info.
Greater Death's Swiftness
How It Works
⬥ Greater Death's Swiftness is an upgraded version of regular Death's Swiftness , unlocked by reading a Greater Death's Swiftness ability codex costing 215,766,019.
⬥ It increases the duration from 52t/31.2s to 65t/39s, and retains the damage-over-time effect that regular Death's Swiftness has.
• This effect may be replicated using the Planted Feet perk however this loses the damage-over-time component.
Why It's Good
⬥ It removes the need for a switch, potentially freeing up one inventory slot or making certain perks like Caroming 4 Planted Feet no longer needing to be combo'd.
⬥ The damage-over-time component can deal a moderate amount of damage, but it can also trigger other on-hit effects such as weapon poison making it stronger than it appears.
Important Items
This section will examine equipment that is useful for Ranged , and should be incorporated where relevant as you get comfortable with handling them. Not all items are applicable in all scenarios, so use your best judgement.
Planted Feet Switch
How It Works
Note: If you own Greater Death's Swiftness this switch is not required.
at the cost of its damage-over-time component. It is one of the strongest switches you can have, assuming you do not have Greater Death's Swiftness.
• The duration of is extended from 52t/31.2s total (t0→51) to 64t/38.4s total (t0→t63).
⬥ Generally, always use with your Planted Feet switch, except when the encounter would end in 30 seconds or less.
⬥ Common choices for the switch include defenders and the Enhanced Excalibur
• Placing on can potentially save one inventory space, as it doubles up both as a shield and a switch.
• Placing on could also save an inventory space wherever you would normally bring it.
⬩ Many bosses do not require a shield at all, in which case can save another extra inventory space.
⬩ It also means you can use the same switch for both Ranged and Magic
⬩ Placing it on makes it slightly more involved to use, as you have to click on the floor to not be dragged into melee distance.
• You can also put it on a cheaper mainhand like , though this is not generally recommended for the above reasons.
Flanking Switch
How It Works
Note: To learn more about how flanking angles work, check out #mechanics.
⬥ This is a simple, easy-to-get, relatively inexpensive and strong switch, especially for group-based content.
⬥ When standing 'behind' bosses, turns Binding Shot and Tight Bindings into far stronger abilities at the cost of their stun. At it's maximum rank of Flanking 4:
• The damage range of is increased from 20-100% up to 52-260%, making it one of the strongest basics.
• The damage range of is increased from 40-200% up to 64-320%, making it much stronger.
⬥ Flanking is usually an off-hand switch when using dual-wield, otherwise a separate bow perked with will have to be used.
⬥ The usefulness of can decrease once more weapons and abilities are unlocked, as there may be stronger abilities.
Note: (Flanking) Tight Bindings is still not heavily prioritised due to the availability of stronger thresholds, however it can help salvage a rotation in a pinch.
Sliver Enchantments
How It Works
⬥ With the release of Zamorak and ED4, slivers were added to the game.
⬥ Slivers can be consumed with some other items to create enchantments.
• Enchantments are one-off consumables that permanently unlock certain effects.
⬥ There are 3 enchantments relevant to Ranged :
• Enchantment of Shadows , costing 87,591,075.
⬩ Stalker's Ring gains an additional +1% critical hit chance when using a bow.
⬩ It also gains +3% critical hit damage when using a bow.
• Enchantment of Dread , costing 40,052,758.
⬩ Enhanced Nightmare gauntlets will now also make Snipe fire an additional shot dealing 50% damage, when used on targets not facing you (i.e. in Flanking position).
⬩ This is primarily used at flankable, non-poisonable bosses.
• Enchantment of Dispelling , costing 71,077,531.
⬩ Increases the damage-boosting effect of the Hexhunter Bow by a further 5%.
Mechanical Chinchompas
How It Works
⬥ Mech Chins are unlocked with Invention and require 75 to use.
⬥ They convert most abilities to do AoE damage instead, applying on each target (up to 9) within a 3x3 region.
⬥ Abilities that don't benefit from include:
• Greater Ricochet
• Tuska's Wrath
• Sacrifice
• Bombardment
• Incendiary Shot
Why It's Strong
⬥ Gives massive AoE damage.
⬥ Despite being T75, their actual ability damage and accuracy is slightly higher.
⬥ Used anywhere AoE damage matters:
• Rise of the Six.
• Nex: AoD (as the 'chinner' role).
• ED1/2/3 (to clear trash mobs).
• Arch-Glacor (for the minions)
• Telos (on P4).
• Non-AFK Ranged Slayer tasks.
• etc.
⬥ It is possible to 'chin-sgb' by using while equipping for massive AoE damage.
⬥ It is possible to 'chincend' by stalling and releasing it with equipped to apply to all hit targets, for massive AoE damage.
• It takes some setup to do, but has use at some places, such as Nex: AoD and high-enrage Arch-Glacor to clear minions faster, as well as some speedkill setups.
⬥ will hit every target for a guaranteed crit, and can be a good way to build adrenaline while under adrenaline-boosting effects like .
Notes
⬥ Chins get consumed on auto-attacks, so it may not be very revo-friendly.
⬥ Using Corruption Shot with will apply the initial hit to all monsters.
⬥ Do not use Onslaught with as it will lead to a very fast death.
⬥ Trying to use Flanking with will check each hit target for flanking angle separately.
Seren Godbow (SGB)
Note: See !sgb
command for a list of boss sizes. For a full breakdown on how SGB special attack calculations work, and boss sizes, also see #mechanics.
Note 2: It is recommended to not put this weapon in an EoF until a Bow of the Last Guardian is obtained . See the section on SGB EoF for more.
How It Works
⬥ The SGB is a T92 chargebow that can also fire arrows - gets the benefits of all strong arrow-based ammo.
⬥ This weapon is primarily used for its strong special attack.
⬥ The damage calculation for how works can be summarised into the following scenarios:
• Camping ranged: use it on 3x3 or bigger targets.
• Off-style switch: use it on 5x5 or bigger targets.
⬥ has a 30s cooldown, but if the attack completely splashes, it can be used again immediately.
Why It's Strong
⬥ It's special attack is hits up to 5 times for large damage (making hitcaps less of an issue).
⬥ If using it as an EoF special attack then the special attack can benefit from Bakriminel bolts.
• This may be used in some speed-kill strategies (e.g. with Ruby bolts ) but Ful Arrows can be better on average.
Key Considerations
⬥ On 5x5 or bigger targets, prioritise getting 2x under where possible.
• On 3x3 targets, it may be beneficial to only use it once and adjust rotation accordingly.
⬥ is 5 individual hits - synergises well with the ECB .
⬥ Using → will apply the ECB effect to the SGB damage, as the hits are slightly delayed.
• This can be used to save ticks inside .
Eldritch Crossbow (ECB)
Note 1: For a full breakdown on Soul Split healing works, see #mechanics.
Note 2: It is recommended to EoF the weapon once it is obtained if other ranged weapons are available. See the section on ECB EoF for more.
How It Works
⬥ The ECB is a T92 2H crossbow that uses bolts (the minimum recommended ammo is enchanted Bakriminel bolts).
⬥ The special attack, Split Soul, costs 25% adrenaline and has the following effect:
• For 15 seconds, all Soul Split healing instead damages the target for 4 times the amount it would have healed.
• During this period, will not heal.
⬥ The effect is tied to your mainhand weapon - if you change weapons, the effect is lost.
⬥ An Amulet of Souls or EoF will boost the damage from Split Soul.
Why It's Strong
⬥ It's special attack is extremely strong but takes practice to use.
⬥ adds a significant amount of 'free' damage that scales well with strong ability rotations.
⬥ Prioritise abilities that hit for many (smaller) hits in :
• Rapid Fire
• Greater Ricochet (can fit twice within 15s).
• Frag Shot (Walked)
• Corruption Shot
• SGB special attack
⬥ The Bow of the Last Guardian benefits from as it adds a lot of frequent extra hits.
Key Considerations
⬥ It is normal to do less damage when first learning to use the special attack. It takes time and practice to get it going well.
⬥ The goal is to have active as much as possible, without losing out on the use other strong thresholds and special attacks.
• The increased damage results in shorter fights, meaning less damage taken.
• You can add a little downtime between to heal back.
⬥ Using → will apply the ECB effect to the SGB damage, as the hits are slightly delayed.
• This can be used to save ticks inside .
• This applies to the hits from Arrows 2-5 as they are delayed, but not Arrow 1.
Bow of the Last Guardian (BoLG)
Note: For a summary, use the !bolg
command.
How It Works
⬥ The BoLG is a T95 bow and the current best-in-slot ranged weapon. It's passive effect has the following effects:
• Every ability hit (except damage-over-time hits like ) grants a stack of Perfect Equilibrium.
• The ability that applies the 8th stack fires an extra attack dealing a percentage of its damage, resetting the stacks.
⬥ Its special attack has two effects:
• Consumes 30% adrenaline and deals 175-375% damage (like a mini Dark Bow).
• For 30s, the passive effect triggers every 4 stacks instead of 8.
Why It's Strong
⬥ Prioritise using high-hitting abilities to trigger the passive effect to increase damage output.
⬥ Good abilities to trigger the effect, in descending order of strength:
• Shadow Tendrils
• BolG special attack
• Dark Bow special attack
• Salt the Wound (with high Puncture stacks, using Splintering arrows)
• Snapshot (the second, bigger hit)
• Snipe
• SGB special attack
⬥ The extra passive hits can trigger on-hit effects like poison, and help build stacks with ammo like or faster.
⬥ The extra passive hits can 'double-dip' on ammo effects.
• e.g. using Ful arrows to boost the ability that triggers the proc, and the proc itself gets boosted again by the arrows.
⬥ can be used instead of if adrenaline is a concern.
Key Considerations
⬥ Prioritise keeping active constantly.
⬥ Greater Ricochet (with Caroming 4) and can be used to line up stacks for stronger abilities.
⬥ and don't give stacks, so can be used to line up cooldowns on stronger abilities to proc the passive.
⬥ Using when stacks are ≥ 3 instantly triggers the proc and resets stacks.
⬥ can give 2 stacks if you get the 2H auto with it correctly.
⬥ The first hit of Deadshot will apply 1 stack.
Important EoFs
This section covers weapons that are worth placing into an Essence of Finality amulet for access to their special attacks.
Dark Bow EoF
How It Works
⬥ Placing a Dark Bow in an EoF makes the special attack strong enough to use for how much adrenaline it consumes.
⬥ It's attack, Descent of Darkness, costs 65% adrenaline and hits twice for 148-338% ability damage, for a total of 296-676%.
⬥ This makes it good for dumping excess adrenaline, and quickly bursting out large amounts of damage at the expense of lots of adrenaline.
ECB EoF
Note: See !ecbeof
for a summary.
How It Works
⬥ When in an EoF, the ECB's special attack can be used with other weapons.
⬥ This makes it possible to benefit from the ECB effect while using:
• Dual-wield range weapons and off-hand switches (like Flanking ).
• Able to use Bow of the Last Guardian while still benefitting from .
• Able to use under for more AoE damage.
⬥ It is recommended to EoF your first ECB if you have access to strong arrow-based ammo (with a Noxious Longbow or SGB or similar weapon).
SGB EoF
Note: See !sgbeof
for a summary.
How It Works
⬥ The SGB special attack in an EoF is similar to the physical weapon.
⬥ The difference is that it can also be affected by bolt ammo as well if used with crossbows.
• Typically this is done with Ruby Bakriminel bolts to try and trigger a large proc.
⬥ It makes it possible to 'chin-sgb'.
• fires once for each target present (up to 9) if used with Mechanical Chinchompas .
• This has uses in some places, such as ranged Telos.
⬥ It is recommended to EoF your SGB after you obtain a Bow of the Last Guardian .
• Note that it is easier to use off-style with a physical weapon instead, due to 1 less switch required.
• If you are an ironman, you may prefer to use a physical for easier ammo upkeep, and use instead.
Weapon Overrides
*Note: See !override
for a summary.
tl;dr - use Dart overrides for DW, blowpipe override for 2H.*
How It Works
⬥ Weapon overrides are when you use a different weapon animation than the default one for your equipped weapon.
• This can be done by keepsaking a different weapon type, or by using certain cosmetic overrides.
⬥ Certain weapon overrides for Ranged can cause some abilities to hit 1 tick faster, depending on 3 factors:
• The distance between you and your target's NPC coordinate (also called 'true centre'). For targets ≥ 3x3 in size, this is their SW tile.
• What weapon type you use to override.
• What abilities are affected by that override.
⬥ This is not a general DPS increase, but can be used to get in an extra hit where otherwise not possible, due to mechanics.
• It can make Soul Split flicking easier to time.
List of Overrides
Note 1: The convention used here is that MD
= 1 tile from target's true centre
, and MD → X
means from MD to X tiles from target's true centre
(e.g. MD → 2
= from MD to 2 tiles from target's true centre
)
Note 2: Greater Ricochet and Ricochet behave the same.
⬥ Javelins (only mainhand required):
• Unload hits fast at MD → 3.
• Piercing Shot and Ricochet hit fast at MD → 2.
• Rapid Fire and Snapshot hit fast at MD.
⬥ Darts (only mainhand required):
• Unload hits fast at MD → 3.
• Piercing Shot and Ricochet hit fast at MD → 5.
• Rapid Fire and Snapshot hit fast at MD → 4.
⬥ Knives (only mainhand required):
• Unload hits fast at MD → 3.
• Piercing Shot and Ricochet hit fast at MD.
⬥ Blowpipe (2H override):
• Dazing Shot and first hit of Deadshot hits fast at MD → 2.
• Piercing Shot and Ricochet hit fast at MD → 5.
• Rapid Fire and Snapshot hit fast at MD → 4.
Poison Build Rotation Guidance
As mentioned in the Ammo section, Bik Arrows are extremely strong against poisonable targets with large HP pools (Solo Kerapac Solak 1-4k Arch-Glacor ). At 200 stacks of Evolving Toxin (400%), poison hit splats can output massive damage. This section covers tips and strategies to maximise the potential poison damage when using Bik Arrows
Preset and Synergy Considerations
⬥ Cinderbane Gloves , Weapon Poison (+++) , and Kwuarm Incense Sticks should all be used as standard poison damage buffs.
⬥ Blood Reaver is the best familiar to use with poison builds due to the passive effect which applies additional hits for each healing method active (up to 4). These hits have the usual chance to proc poison which accumulates lots of damage when affected by Cinderbane Gloves and Bik Arrows' Evolving Toxin effect
• Vampyrism Aura is considered BIS for poisonable bosses where you don't have hit chance issues, as this provides additional Blood Reaver hits.
• Black Crystal will reduce healing and delay you reaching max HP, giving the Blood Reaver passive more opportunity to hit the target.
⬥ Wyvern Crossbow with Emerald Bakriminel bolts performs very well when the target has 200 Evolving Toxin stacks. It is slightly worse than using a Bow of the Last Guardian , but is much less expensive. This can be paired with a Noxious Longbow or a Seren Godbow to form a very strong poison build.
⬥ Hitsplats of Split Soul, the Eldritch Crossbow special attack , can also proc poison. This negates the loss of procs from no healing.
⬥ Scripture of Wen hits can proc poison and is considered the best pocket slot item for poison builds.
Ability Prioritisation
⬥ At the start of a fight or when the target has low Evolving Toxin stacks, the priority is to apply Bik Arrows as often as possible to build to 200 stacks (400%) quickly. General rotations listed below can be used, but should prioritise abilities with multiple hits:
• / / / are all multi-hit abilities that should be ideally used when they are off cooldown throughout the fight.
• Bleeds and damage-over-time abilities only apply 1 stack of Evolving Toxin and should not be prioritised when building stacks.
• Seren Godbow special attack only applies 1 stack despite hitting up to 5 times.
⬥ To upkeep Evolving Toxin stacks and prevent the effect from timing out, you must land an ability with Bik Arrows equipped on the target at least once every 30 seconds.
⬥ Once around 100 Evolving Toxin stacks (200%) are reached:
• Shift focus to applying more hit splats for maximum proc chances.
⬩ / / / / / / are all high priority abilities for maximising hitsplat quantity, even during Death's Swiftness
⬩ Abilities like Snipe are lower priority in hitsplat generating rotations.
⬥ Once maximum (200) Evolving Toxin stacks (400%) are reached:
• Switch to an alternative ammo, only switching back to to upkeep stacks.
⬩ If continuing to camp a bow , are generally used after max stacks.
⬩ If utilising the Wyvern Crossbow , switch to Emerald Bakriminel Bolts
General Death's Swiftness Rotations
This section will cover usage of strong abilities (thresholds or better) within your Death's Swiftness under different scenarios.
The following unlocks are assumed:
⬥ Ring of Vigour or its passive effect after Extinction quest.
⬥ Planted Feet or Greater Death's Swiftness unlocked.
⬥ Igneous Kal-Xil
Keep in mind the following:
⬥ These are only suggestions work from, and will not necessarily be applicable at all bosses or all scenarios.
• For boss-specific rotations, see their respective guides.
⬥ Conservation of Energy relic is recommended for adrenaline refunds from and other ultimates in order to execute a stronger rotation.
⬥ Replace Tight Bindings (Flanking) with Bombardment if no other good abilities are available.
⬥ A number of factors will impact your rotations, including:
• Whether or not Hydrix bolts are used (affects adrenaline management, especially if Greater Ricochet is owned).
• Whether or not Inspiration aura is used (affects adrenaline management).
• Whether you intend to dump all your adrenaline, or conserve it for post-ultimate abilities.
• If you get any relentless procs.
• If Incendiary Shot is used to setup.
⬥ Therefore adjust your use of thresholds in your rotations based on your situation.
• If you have large amounts of excess adrenaline, you can use or to dump it for damage.
Death's Swiftness w/ Adren Renewal OR Limitless /
⬥ 2x Rapid Fire
⬥ 2x Snapshot
⬥ 1x Shadow Tendrils
⬥ 1x Tight Bindings (Flanking)
Death's Swiftness w/ SGB ^^**
⬥ 1x SGB
⬥ 2x Rapid Fire
⬥ 2x Snapshot
⬥ 1x Shadow Tendrils
Death's Swiftness w/ SGB + Adren Renewal OR Limitless + /
⬥ 2x SGB
⬥ 2x Rapid Fire
⬥ 2x Snapshot
⬥ 1x Shadow Tendrils
Death's Swiftness w/ SGB + ECB + Adren Renewal + Limitless + + +
⬥ 2x ECB
⬥ 2x SGB
⬥ 2x Rapid Fire
⬥ 1x Snapshot