QL137 Arbalest Ideas

[Hatty]

Hello all. I have recently discovered that I have a QL137 Arbalest lying around, and I know it is a very, very cool weapon (no pun intended). The problem is, I am having trouble thinking of a viable setup in which this weapon can be put to good use. Therefore, I would like to ask you guys for ideas and thoughts on what I could possibly do with this weapon. Please keep in mind that I like twinking more for pvp-related purposes.

I am probably missing a lot of information in this post, so if you want to know anything, feel more than welcome to ask.

[Zomg]

Seems like it would be particularly good for a sub-50 twink.. Traders can get really good results with the Arbalest (and with a 137, a ~35 twink would do really well), but (and I'm just randomly spitballing here) maybe a doc, NT, or MP could make it useful too. Agents obviously have better options. I'm not sure how well it will hold up against all the panther/howlet enfos and such that you run into in the 60 range, but I actually just realized that a 75 NT might be able to make a good use of it. AS would guarantee a solid hit on GA fixers, and the GA nuke would finish them off nicely... But I know that's a rather specialized example, and according to your signature, you've already got a twink in that range.

Keep in mind, all of this is off the top of my head, so maybe the levels you can equip it at are off. I'm completely guessing, but I'm assuming that non-trader profs are going to be able to keep it out of OE around 50 without OB's.

It'd be nice damage for a 50-60ish doc twink. DoT's aren't much use at that level, and the doc nukes aren't great so having decent, fast damage with a quick, reliable special would be helpful.. As far as the actual build goes, though, I don't know if you could get high enough evades without parry sticks, and IIRC there are cluster conflicts between either bow and NR or rifle and NR so defensively, the setup might be entirely dependant upon heals. Still, if you do team PvP, I think a doc with one of these would be a fantastic support toon.

A trader with this would be the best use, IMO, but also the most vanilla. Root the other person, drain, and pew pew. Zzz.

I think that a(n?) MP with this would be good at towers.. with OB's, high pets can be summoned, Agent buffs can be utilized, etc. The issue of defense is even worse than the doc though, I think. Since you can't use the shield+parry stick combo, evades might not be enough, and the healpet might not be able to keep up with healing you. However, between your attack pet and the damage from this weapon + nukes, you might be able to get away with a bit of a glass cannon approach.

A bit more outside the box would be a 50-60 soldier using OMHH, possibly with an evade setup but I dunno how effective that will be against the high AR of other twinks.. Between reflects, evades, and OMHH, you'd be pretty durable I think, but the obvious problem is that because of OMHH's high reqs at that level range, all it would take to disable you would be the generic BM incompetence nano unless you're running around with MP buffs.

Engi and crat would have a lot of trouble with staying alive, I think, but possibly at higher levels since there still isn't much of a selection of AS weapons even after TL4. It could maybe be a good PvP weapon for a fixer in the levels before you can equip a blackbird+craphander, if you want to make the IP and cluster sacrifices that come with straying from SMG... so a generic GA fixer could be good with this, I suppose.

There's definitely a use for it.. It's arguably the best froob non-profession locked AS weapon for quite a large level range (with maybe some competition from the Zastaba Velocity due to 100% rifle req or a Sapphistic Bow for the rollability) so the potential is huge. My PvP experience is mostly limited to lvl 14-25, but I have seen (and been killed by) 15 and 25 traders with Arbalests that are really good. Whatever you choose, good luck!

-Z

[Hatty]

Seems like it would be particularly good for a sub-50 twink.. Traders can get really good results with the Arbalest (and with a 137, a ~35 twink would do really well), but (and I'm just randomly spitballing here) maybe a doc, NT, or MP could make it useful too. Agents obviously have better options. I'm not sure how well it will hold up against all the panther/howlet enfos and such that you run into in the 60 range, but I actually just realized that a 75 NT might be able to make a good use of it. AS would guarantee a solid hit on GA fixers, and the GA nuke would finish them off nicely... But I know that's a rather specialized example, and according to your signature, you've already got a twink in that range.

I can imagine a NT making quite good use of it as well. However, as you said, I already have a twink in that range and it will be a long time before I make anything better than him

Keep in mind, all of this is off the top of my head, so maybe the levels you can equip it at are off. I'm completely guessing, but I'm assuming that non-trader profs are going to be able to keep it out of OE around 50 without OB's.

It'd be nice damage for a 50-60ish doc twink. DoT's aren't much use at that level, and the doc nukes aren't great so having decent, fast damage with a quick, reliable special would be helpful.. As far as the actual build goes, though, I don't know if you could get high enough evades without parry sticks, and IIRC there are cluster conflicts between either bow and NR or rifle and NR so defensively, the setup might be entirely dependant upon heals. Still, if you do team PvP, I think a doc with one of these would be a fantastic support toon.

I had thought about this, but I wasn't sure whether it was possible to keep a QL137 at 100% on a doc at 50-60. If I remember correctly, docs are only allowed to put 3 points into bow, rifle and AS, which is obviously a massive pain. However, if it could be done, do you think at 50-60, I would be able to outheal the damage from the panther/howlet enfos?

A trader with this would be the best use, IMO, but also the most vanilla. Root the other person, drain, and pew pew. Zzz.

Indeed.

I think that a(n?) MP with this would be good at towers.. with OB's, high pets can be summoned, Agent buffs can be utilized, etc. The issue of defense is even worse than the doc though, I think. Since you can't use the shield+parry stick combo, evades might not be enough, and the healpet might not be able to keep up with healing you. However, between your attack pet and the damage from this weapon + nukes, you might be able to get away with a bit of a glass cannon approach.

Glass cannon sounds interesting, because there is potential for massive damage (high attackpet+AS+Kizzers+Nukes+Normal attack(s)). However, MPs lack some form of CC, such as a root or snare. If the MP was high enough, he could use the 4s stun, but most toons at that level range would not be able to be killed within that 4s anyway. So this setup has potential, but there is a very serious con in the survivability compartment as well.

A bit more outside the box would be a 50-60 soldier using OMHH, possibly with an evade setup but I dunno how effective that will be against the high AR of other twinks.. Between reflects, evades, and OMHH, you'd be pretty durable I think, but the obvious problem is that because of OMHH's high reqs at that level range, all it would take to disable you would be the generic BM incompetence nano unless you're running around with MP buffs.

Hey, I had thought of exactly the same thing . I can see this setup working out. A soldier has a decent time with IP with the arbalest, due to their naturally cheap ranged skills. However, even with that bonus, I think the IP will be tight when adding BM and evades to the equation. With some careful planning, this setup could be very viable.

Engi and crat would have a lot of trouble with staying alive, I think, but possibly at higher levels since there still isn't much of a selection of AS weapons even after TL4. It could maybe be a good PvP weapon for a fixer in the levels before you can equip a blackbird+craphander, if you want to make the IP and cluster sacrifices that come with straying from SMG... so a generic GA fixer could be good with this, I suppose.

I don't think I have enough time or creds to make any twinks above TL4 for now.

There's definitely a use for it.. It's arguably the best froob non-profession locked AS weapon for quite a large level range (with maybe some competition from the Zastaba Velocity due to 100% rifle req or a Sapphistic Bow for the rollability) so the potential is huge. My PvP experience is mostly limited to lvl 14-25, but I have seen (and been killed by) 15 and 25 traders with Arbalests that are really good. Whatever you choose, good luck!

Thank you for sharing your ideas! I have heard very good things about this weapon, which is why I want to use it to the best of its capabilities. Hopefully I can find the perfect way to use it

[Goldberg]

You want to have a great idea for a twink and then find the weapon, not the other way around...imo.

[Hatty]

Usually, I'd agree with you, but this is a very potent weapon, and I'd like to see what I can do with it.

[Technium]

go for a ql 150 ;D

[meraimon]

Double edit: i really like the evade soldier idea, however i believe what you're looking for is a 60ish GA2 fixer with Arbalest. with that setup you've got awesome evades, good healing from short and long HoTs, and amazing fixer cc. on top of that, it would be an incredibly effective BS twink because of runspeed buffs. I would advise to go 57 though, to dodge all those 74-76 twinks. I don't think a fixer would have a great time with IP however. IDK though just a hypothesis