While Mortal Online 2 does allow players to live an entire second life in this fantasy sandbox MMORPG, some players can’t help but miss the usual hack-and-slash action associated with vast fantasy worlds of empires and monsters. And with Mortal Online 2 touting a lack of classes in favor of the player agency, players who want their characters to become long-ranged sharpshooters might find it tricky to create the perfect Archer Build.
Thankfully, the right approach to stats, weapons, and armor may help players create the ideal archer for PVE and PVP. However, with the level of creativity Mortal Online 2 offers players, there are various ways an Archer Build can pave the way for both a decent PVE and PVP character.
Quintessential Dex Footie
- Main Traits: Alvarin, 31yo, Fit
- Stat Priorities: Dexterity, Constitution, Strength
- Skill Priorities: Archery, Combat Manouvering, Heavy Armor Training
Speed is key in Mortal Online 2 combat, where one wrong slice or missed dodge can leave players wide open for a fierce counter. In this regard, it makes sense why most people start gravitating to the Dex Footie archetype - essentially a fast-moving melee fighter - and outpace their foes to victory. The build focuses heavily on a Fit Alvarin fighter, whose age should trigger the Clade that offsets aging penalties. This Quintessential Dex Footie build focuses heavily on Dexterity to take full advantage of Archery and mobility.
Thanks to the secondary Strength focus, this Quintessential Dex Footie build can allow players to do well with a Shortsword and, once they get their distance, whip out their Longbow and hit enemies at an advantage. Given their speed focus, this Quintessential Dex Footie is capable of speedy repositioning and quick retreats, with the occasional headshot finish against escaping foes.
Beast Master
- Main Traits: Alvarin, 31yo, Fit
- Stat Priorities: Dexterity, Intelligence, Constitution
- Skill Priorities: Archery, Daggers, Sprinting, Creature Control, Taming, Combat Maneuvering, Mental Offense, Mental Training
Fans of games such as Dungeons & Dragons looking for a way to get their Ranger dreams in a game may enjoy the Beast Master build in Mortal Online 2 gameplay. The build fits the profile of a 31yo Fit Alvarin that capitalizes the Taming Action Skill, where they’ll be able to tame most of the creatures in the game to become their allies. Given the focus on Dexterity and Intelligence, not much is invested in Strength, meaning the focus of combat ties heavily either in Archery or Magic, with Daggers serving as a last-minute defense.
Being built similar to a traditional Dex Mage, this Beast Master build relies on a Beast Master playstyle that would have them constantly evade foes while at the same time maintaining their distance. Thanks to Pets, the Beast Master can enjoy the comfort of distance and pick off enemies with a traditional Shortbow or one of the more powerful Longbows in the game. This build may also allow players to dip into Elementalism for punchier AOE and even Necromancy for more devastating debuffs to enemies.
Strength Ranger
- Main Traits: Human, 30yo, Stout
- Stat Priorities: Constitution, Strength, Dexterity
- Skill Priorities: Aggressive Stance, Archery, Sprinting, Controlled Riding, Mounted Archery, Weapon Combat
Players will immediately notice in their Mortal Online 2 gameplay that just because their character can be an archer doesn’t necessarily mean they rely solely on Dexterity. In fact, this Strength Ranger proves there are ways to dominate combat with Strength-based bows which, thanks to high-enough Constitution, should get incredible damage bonuses on the get-go. This Strength Ranger playstyle builds upon the inherent stat boosts of the Human on top of traditional Foot Fighter Skills such as Aggressive Stance and Sprinting.
However, where the build deviates is its potential focus on Archery-inclined Skills which, on top of Archery, may include Controlled Riding and Mounted Archery. These give players the speed and height boost of a mount on top of more tactical positioning with long-ranged incursions. However, they do suffer a bit of a loss in Magic Resist, which players should theoretically compensate with proper dodging. In emergencies, the Strength Ranger can whip out a go-to Mortal Online 2 weapon like a sword or their other preferred melee weapon.
Speed Ranger
- Main Traits: Alvarin, 31yo, Stout
- Stat Priorities: Dexterity, Intelligence, Strength, Constitution
- Skill Priorities: Defensive Stance, Archery, Controlled Riding, Ecumenical Spells, Mental Offense, Mental Training
Gameplay for players in Mortal Online 2 often depends on how fast they can catch opponents off-guard and aim for a swift finisher. After all, speed isn’t consistent in the game, which means players need to be careful whether they’re willing to trade mobility for additional firepower. And for the Speed Ranger, players who don’t capitalize on speed are easy pickings. This Speed Ranger build tries to capture some of the best speeds in the game with Gifts such as the Alvarin Warcry and Runner’s High on top of Aerialist and Stalker. That way, players are able to outmaneuver foes at any range while at the same time incentivizing safer jumping and sneaking.
In terms of core Skills, this build encourages players to stay consistent with long-distance combat and to retreat before enemies get dangerously close. Players should have more than enough Mana for essential healing or to devastate the battlefield as a first move before proceeding to the bow for the finisher, quite like other melee-ranged hybrid classes of Black Desert Online.
Kite Fighter
- Main Traits: Alvarin, 31yo, Stout
- Stat Priorities: Dexterity, Constitution, Strength, Psyche
- Skill Priorities: Archery, Melee Combat, Heavy Armor Training, Sprinting, Athletics, Combat Manouvering, Combat Techniques, Ecumenical Spells
With the right approach, players can have their Mortal Online 2 gameplay accommodate an archer wearing heavy armor, and this is precisely what the Kite Fighter does. Thanks to the aging penalty negation of the Alvarin, players don’t have to worry much about micromanaging extreme specifics of their build. Meanwhile, this Kite Fighter build should accommodate a bit of Ecumenical Spells for emergency Cleanses - which their distance specialization should give enough room for them to do.
At its core, the build gives the players a standard Dex Footie format with high-enough Sprinting and decent Combat Maneuvering to adjust for any situation, similar to how most Path of Exile builds are created. Archery takes priority here as kiting enemies has always been an effective approach given the sensitivity of combat in the game. Melee Combat is a plus, especially for enemies who get the jump on players. Either way, the right Heavy Armor should at least be able to mitigate otherwise-lethal damage to an otherwise traditional archer.
Mounted Scout
- Main Traits: Oghmir, 30yo, Stout
- Stat Priorities: Strength, Dexterity, Constitution
- Skill Priorities: Archery, Mounted Archery, Controlled Riding, Combat Maneuvering, Sprinting
Compared to other games with mounts, Mortal Online 2 gameplay highlights the sheer convenience of fighting on horseback due to its sheer emphasis on speed. With the Mounted Scout, players can use the inherent bonuses of the Oghmir to incentivize an Archery-heavy build that specifically excels outpacing foes when riding a horse. Natural boosts to Strength, Dexterity, and Constitution give players more room for building Skills, potentially allowing them to sub-specialize in a secondary weapon.
However, the core of the Mounted Scout build rests in using the Oghmir’s high-enough strength to pummel through foes with some of the game’s more damaging bows. Not only that, it wouldn’t hurt to have Sprinting in case of having to chase enemies in emergencies. However, it’s always ideal for players to capitalize on their bow’s power to tear through enemies and outpace them before they catch the player, similar to Elden Ring playstyles. And in the case of fighting other mounted foes, the speed of the Mounted Scout should hopefully help them dismount their enemies first.
Mortal Online 2 was released on January 25, 2022 for the PC.