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Light Crossbow Open World PvP Build

Overview

Weapon: Crossbow
Focus: Range DPS

Strengths

  • High Burst Damage
  • Good Sustain

Weaknesses

  • Difficult to pull off correctly
  • Low Mobility
This build is up to date for the November 6, 2024 Horizons Patch #1.

Overview

This Light Crossbow build is perfect for kiting and controlling fights using the superior range of the Light Crossbow paired with great utility and defensive abilities from Elder's Guardian HelmetElder's Guardian Helmet and Everlasting SpiritEverlasting Spirit for great staying power. While the build isn't easy to play, once mastered it can take on and beat many of the top picks for open world PVP.


Equipment

Elder's Light Crossbow
Main Hand Weapon
Elder's Light Crossbow
Explosive Bolt
Caltrops
Exploding Shot
Well-Prepared
Elder's Mistcaller
Off Hand Weapon
Elder's Mistcaller
Elder's Guardian Helmet
Head
Elder's Guardian Helmet
Emergency Shield
Toughness
Elder's Martlock Cape
Cape
Elder's Martlock Cape
Shield of Protection
Elder's Cleric Robe
Armor
Elder's Cleric Robe
Everlasting Spirit
Aggression
Elder's Soldier Boots
Shoes
Elder's Soldier Boots
Wanderlust
Toughness
Major Resistance Potion
Potion
Major Resistance Potion
Beef Stew
Food
Beef Stew
Keep in mind: Gear shown in this build is meant as a reference. Choosing the correct tier of gear is very tricky as there are many variables. Some of them being your budget, your spec and minimum Item Power requirements of your guild if used for ZvZ.


You should always check prices based on IP of the items. For example, a masterpiece quality 4.3 Elder's CryptcandleElder's Cryptcandle could be cheaper while providing roughly the same IP as an 8.0.


Usage

Elder's Light CrossbowElder's Light Crossbow

Explosive BoltExplosive Bolt — This is your main damaging ability with a nice medium range that delivers high AOE damage to anyone hit by it. Through the use of Well-PreparedWell-Prepared, it is constantly reset every 4th time you use this or another ability. Make sure to use Explosive BoltExplosive Bolt as your 4th ability so it resets its own cooldown and you can use it twice in a row to deliver a nice burst damage and surprise your enemies with it.

CaltropsCaltrops — Use this ability to slow down your targets, always pop it under their feet so they cannot dodge or ahead of them in order to have them walk over it while they kite. This is your only ability that allows you to control range and should be used as much as possible to keep targets slowed and in your range.

Exploding ShotExploding Shot — This is your main burst damage, planting an explosive bomb onto a target that blows up after a few seconds and does high AOE damage to the target and anyone around it. With its low cooldown, it allows you to spam it on cooldown and it should be your priority.

Well-PreparedWell-Prepared — Due to the low cooldowns on Explosive BoltExplosive Bolt and CaltropsCaltrops, you get to use abilities often which procs this passive very often and makes it an obvious choice for the build.


Elder's Cleric RobeElder's Cleric Robe

Everlasting SpiritEverlasting Spirit — While it takes good timing, Everlasting SpiritEverlasting Spirit is a great defensive ability to help you mitigate a lot of burst damage. Use this against auto-attacks or dot damage in order to activate the shield granting you immunity for a few seconds. It is perfect to use against skills like Death CurseDeath Curse and even Exploding ShotExploding Shot or other abilities you can anticipate.

AggressionAggression — This is your only good choice as it increases your flat damage and is perfect for the build.


Elder's Guardian HelmetElder's Guardian Helmet

Emergency ShieldEmergency Shield — Use this ability to provide yourself with a shield depending on your current HP. You get a bigger shield when your HP is under 40% so it's preferred to use this when you passed that threshold. Keep in mind that this also clears all the debuffs from yourself and it should always be used against Vile CurseVile Curse stacks or other dot effects.

ToughnessToughness — This defensive option is preferred over AuthorityAuthority as the 5% CC duration increase doesn't do much for CaltropsCaltrops.


Elder's Soldier BootsElder's Soldier Boots

WanderlustWanderlust — While it takes a while for this run to stack up, once it does it can take you very far and outperforms other runs. It is perfect as you keep using Explosive BoltExplosive Bolt while the run is stacking up.

ToughnessToughness — This defensive option is preferred over AuthorityAuthority as the 5% CC duration increase doesn't do much for CaltropsCaltrops.


Elder's Martlock CapeElder's Martlock Cape

Shield of ProtectionShield of Protection — We want to use Martlock Cape for it's defense increase whenever your HP drops below 25%. Using this cape is great for baiting enemies into thinking that they can finish you off but the defense increase coupled with Major Resistance PotionMajor Resistance Potion helps a lot with your staying power in a fight.


Rotations

Damage Combo ↴
Explosive Bolt
Arrow right.webp
Caltrops
Arrow right.webp
Exploding Shot
  • While the rotation is easy in theory, the compexity of the build comes from the correct use of defensive abilities while out-trading them. Use Explosive BoltExplosive Bolt on cooldown along side CaltropsCaltrops in order to proc Well-PreparedWell-Prepared that resets your Explosive BoltExplosive Bolt so you can keep burning down the enemy as you kite.

Use WanderlustWanderlust to stay ahead of other enemies that use runs with shorter duration. This makes it easier for you to kite and keep enemies at range.


Consumables

Major Resistance PotionMajor Resistance Potion — Use this potion as a general damage reduction ability before enemy burst damage to lower the received damage and force out their CDs.

Beef StewBeef Stew — This is the best food to use as it improves your overall damage. Always try to use an 8.2 or 8.1 version as it as it offers great value for minimum price.


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