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Hey^^ I'm TT and its my first topic here, even tho im not a noob, forum-wise.

Alright this topic is moslty only applicable for the first part of the game.

The first gunner you will come across will probably be Mustadio, so was it for me. In my first game i was still hesitating between using the unique characters or keeping the same team all along the game. After many battles, the second options sure is the best but at that time I took the time to look at the many good and bad points of both sides.Cause, of course, a good team needs a long range fighter.so what to choose? My old friend and faithful archer or the young Mustadio? I came to that deduction:

For Mustadio:
-At first, guns inflict way more damages than bows
- Guns have a better range
-Useful Mech ability such as Dont Act
Against Mustadio:
-Will soon get weaker than the other fighters; only 3 guns in the game
-Not many abilities

For the archers:
-can eventually change to mediator to use guns
Against the archer:
- bows are weak
-range is not that good
-weak accuracy
-charge ability useless due to charge time

So my real question is: what is the utility of archers since you can use longe-range attacks with other jobs?

I don't generally use Archers except as a means to gain access to other job classes.

As for your dilemma, I would go with Mustadio from a purely game-mechanical standpoint (Don't Move and Don't Act are excellent status effects, especially early on). Plus his gunshots are at 100% to hit.

Charge is rather crappy. The only real saving grace is that Bows can arc over obstacles.

You've got it wrong

Crossbows:
- 1 handed (can equip shield)
- Damage isn't fix
- Not even worth mentionning

Bows:
- Reasonable range, and increases the higher you climb, yet on the opposite side, the range decreases if you climb down.
- Damage isn't fix
- If you are going for all-out range, you'll possibly have a low chance to hit the target since it's almost impossible that your target won't "face" you, taking every physical evasion rate in consideration
- The terrain is geographically not considered (I can hit you even if I don't see you , Yet you can easely evade it not knowing the arrow is coming towards you )
- Damage increase SLOWLY

Guns:
- Fixed damage for non casting guns
- Magic guns will rarely cast a level 2 spell and even less a level 3 spell.
- When Faith is maxed, damage is maxed
- Magic guns have elemental damage that cannot be changed unless you equip "equip change" (Not a problem SOMETIMES, other than that, it's hard to kill a bomb with a gun that casts Fire), also can vary the damage sightly
- Very Long range
- 1 Handed (can equip shield)

Personally, I prefer using the best bow with my Agrias for about 350 damage, or using a chemist/mediator with equip change to use the Stone Gun (I hate recovering myself, I'm more preventive: i.e. Ribbon, Black costume, Grand Helmet, etc. (But I'm not a bit preventive IRL ])

Since the Stone Gun guarantees damage of 256 without Zodiac compability afectation, and also because it's non-elemental, it,s my favorite weapon for Bows/Guns. I would lve the magic guns if Bolt 3 was coming out more often of that friginn' pistol.

Edit

What are you saying only 3 guns in the game???
-1 Romanda Gun (6 WP -- 36 Damage)
-2 Mythril Gun (8 WP -- 64 Damage)
-3 Stone Gun (16 WP - 256 Damage) [Always pertify no matter what at the begining of the battle, that's why I use equip change: doesn't petrify that way ]
-4 Blaze Gun (Ice Bullets)
-5 Glacier Gun (Fire Bullets)
-6 Blast Gun (Lightning Bullets)
http://www.cavesofnarshe.com/fft/weapons.php?type=guns

This post has been edited by Zodiac on 15th February 2006 00:07

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Sayonara

Mustadio is the only one that gets class skills specifically made for the gun, though you can use the Snipe skills with other weapons.

Chemists and mediators can use guns, but they don't really align well with their class skillsets like they do with Mustadio.

Long story short: keep archers out of your team, and the only gunner should be Mustadio, in the chemist class with Snipe as his secondary skillset.

This post has been edited by Hamedo on 15th February 2006 19:50

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Join the Army, see the world, meet interesting people - and kill them.

~Pacifist Badge, 1978

Certainly one of the great things about FFT is you can organize your characters and your party any way you want. There are a million effective combinations.

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"That Light has bestowed upon me the greatest black magic!"

I like Mustadio for Snipe, but I like putting Equip Gun on other characters (like mages, knights, or others) for that long-range distance attack that is usually 100% and a fixed amount. Archers' abilites like Speed Save and Concentrate I find very useful. Speed Save for theives gives an increase in % chance to steal equipment and Concentrate for your knights, ninjas, and other physical guys is useful as well. More often than not, I give Mustadio Battle Skill because with a gun, it has a higher success rate than most other jobs, but to each his own.

This post has been edited by FabulousFreebird on 15th February 2006 18:42

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"Thought I was dead, eh? Not until I fulfill my dream!"
Seifer Almasy


"The most important part of the story is the ending."
Secret Window


"Peace is but a shadow of death."
Kuja

Quote

So my real question is: what is the utility of archers since you can use longe-range attacks with other jobs?

Well, they're long-range units whose range can change depending on how high up they are, and longbows can shoot shafts over obstacles, unlike bowguns. Compared to a gunman, though, with a range that's always in effect but can't arch over things in the way, it's still not that good. To use an archer right, you need to have the height advantage, and Charge is pretty dang worthless as far as a powerhouse skillset goes; at least with Mustadio, he can Don't Act/Move people. I'd probably get more use out of Seal Evil than I ever will with anything higher than Charge +5.

I'll take guns over bows anyday just because they're never disadvantaged as far as range goes...longbow ranges wane on level ground, and aren't very good for shooting upwards. Plus, that's just who I am -- rather a good gun in the hand with consistant damage than a sketchy two-hander.

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It's gonna be a glorious day
I feel my luck can change

Now, if only they had made the game so that you could duel-wield guns and bowguns.... eh, Shotgunn? *drool*

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Join the Army, see the world, meet interesting people - and kill them.

~Pacifist Badge, 1978

I never use archers...when i started playing i dumped my archers for lancers and monks. i admit that they can be useful in some battles but I dont think an archer is worth training.

I didn't think about what Shotgunnova talked about when I made my official decision. Though I still prefer guns, Archers aren't that bad later in the game, but I do use them in the first Chapter and half of the second.

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"Thought I was dead, eh? Not until I fulfill my dream!"
Seifer Almasy


"The most important part of the story is the ending."
Secret Window


"Peace is but a shadow of death."
Kuja

I know, I was just being analytical. Fact is, you win against any enemy with any class, given the right setups. I mean, who wants to use an archer in their own class? There has to be a mix of some other skills in there, too, as their long range can definitely give the upper hand. Battle Skill, for one, makes Archers great; it makes gunners even better.

Quote

Now, if only they had made the game so that you could duel-wield guns and bowguns.... eh, Shotgunn? *drool*

Man, the soldiers-for-hire offices would be packed with archers then.

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It's gonna be a glorious day
I feel my luck can change

Mustadio's cool, but I was 20 levels higher then him when I got him. So I opted to go for archers.

I was ticked off righteously when I realized no dualing crossbows. Curses! However I had fun with my archer. Battle Skill is fun on an archer, break the enemies speed to nothing and toy with him with Charge. Keep the archer mobile, agile, hostile with boots and good longbows! Pick off strays and runaways with a good shot from crazy heights!

Problem is you can use the same tactics with guns even better. But you can't Acculamate with guns. You have less style when using perfect accuracy guns. The Longbow's a classy man's ranged weapon. Possible exception: The Stick or maybe Throw Rock.

Archers, thankfully, are much better in FFTA, but that's a diffrent story.

This post has been edited by Kylerocks on 4th March 2006 22:58

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Really Random Quote of the Day: "Short of changing human nature, therefore, the only way to achieve a practical, livable peace in a world of competing nations is to take the profit out of war." - Richard M. Nixon

So if you're done reading this, you know I have nothing to say and you've wasted your time. Thank you come again.

Archers hit their peak about halfway through Chapter One, and after that they decline pretty rapidly. With all the other ways of dealing Long-Range damage such as Guns, Spells, and Agrias, they just lack in damage.

That being said, I would recommend Mustadio. He can disable and has a high HP Base. Also, after you master the Sniper class, you can move him into the Chemist Class so he can equip guns to still disable from afar but be able to throw it4ems.

Just picked the game back up yesterday. I played in when it first came out and have been yearning to start playing again.

Talking about archer builds, is it possible set them up with the thief skill set as secondary and steal from long range with a bow?

That would be sweet, but no... it's not possible. Remote-stealing cannot be done.

Congrads, btw, on delving into FFT for the firs ttime. I can almsot guarantee that you'll love it.

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Join the Army, see the world, meet interesting people - and kill them.

~Pacifist Badge, 1978

It's not the first time, just the first time in a few years. the memory card I'm using actually had 3 old save files on it with ramza anywhere from lvls 60-90

I prefer Archers. For one, I just didn't like Mustadio. For two, I never had the patience to work with a character until they could wield a gun. Third- Getting a good gun is actually a giant pain in the ass, because I never actually gave a crap enough to steal. Are you sensing the pattern of lazy?

I did however discover at one point that I had a female knight with all her battleskills maxed. I proceeded to hook her up with the Archer class and the Concentrate skill. It totally kicked the crap out of the bad guys. It also adds a bit of flavor to the game, not knowing if 33% is going to cut it and actually hit. It's rather fun. I also liked Longbows better, considering they could arc their shots and things wouldn't get in the way. Positioning your archer at a good vantage point is cool too. I always keep an archer in my party now.

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If you've been mod-o-fied,
It's an illusion, and you're in-between.
Don't you be tarot-fied,
It's just alot of nothing, so what can it mean?
~Frank Zappa

Sins exist only for people who are on the Way or approaching the Way

i like archers for they can use break skills long range