Beginner's guide to the Sharpshooter class

[tsuki]

Tips&Tricks:

Ranged combat:

• The sharpshooter is essentially a Nord Ranger anti-class. He seems vulnerable with his slow and stationary reload, but when using cover, the class is deadly. The key to success lies in readying the crossbow when covered, quick peeking and sending the bolt flying before the ranger has a chance of even touching his bowstring. Combine this technique with the Sharpshooter's incredible accuracy and  the fact that Nord Rangers usually stay still, and you get an endless stream of headshot announcements in the game log. Snipers usually follow the same tactic, but their accuracy has a “sweet spot” when they need to shoot for maximum effectiveness. Because of this, they usually move and pull their bowstring at the same time. Recovering their accuracy after movement takes more time and leaves them with a smaller window for aiming before the enemy fires his projectile. Sharpshooters have their crossbows ready from the beginning and accuracy is less prone to movement so it is safer to do pop-up shooting as this class.
  
• Never try to engage Nord Rangers from distance without cover. It's the fastest way to die for a crossbowman.
  
• Low levels are good for practicing distance adjustments, as enemies usually die from a single torso hit. Use this opportunity to learn how the crossbow works and how to use it's full potential.
  
• On low levels your crosshair isn't small enough to hit targets over large distances. Bolts however, tend to stay in the middle of it, so it is best to aim with its center, rather than count on lucky shots.
  
• Once you become the Sharpshooter, it becomes apparent that the crosshair is not aligned properly in Warband. Bolts are a little off to the right so you need to make adjustments in order to be accurate. Mountain pass is a good map to practice this as it has snow which makes observing the flying bolt easy.
  
• I highly recommend the first person view for shooting. Third person obstructs some of your view with your character and makes aiming more difficult.
  
• You are the most vulnerable when reloading your crossbow. Use that time to make a quick 360 turnaround and look for threats. Moving is better than panning ("~" key) because it makes it harder for ranged units to hit your head.
  
• You don't need to stay still the whole time you reload your crossbow. Once the character has a bolt in his hand, you're free to move and it will not interrupt the process. This takes some practice, but is very useful.
  
• When mobs move as a pack you can take two approaches depending on the situation. You can either shoot at the pack, or shoot at the first mob to reach his target. The first option has a better hit chance, and the second one gives the targeted teammate more space to operate. When you are the target of a pack, always shoot at the closest enemy. This gives you more time before they reach you and possibly allow you to kill more enemies before going melee.
  
• When you are shooting at the enemy who's targeting you, it is usually better to leave the last bolt in the crossbow before he reaches you. The extra punch the crossbow gives is invaluable if you need to finish off an enemy quickly.
  
• Don't be afraid to use the crossbow when moving. On higher levels you are able to score a hit up to 10-20 meters.
  
• When an enemy touches you, aiming and reloading is interrupted.
  
• It is not considered honorable to steal a kill from a melee fighter when he clearly can handle the fight. It's very tempting to finish off wounded nords, but consider the fact that the assist exp goes to everyone in proximity of the killer, not the killed enemy. If you finish off the enemy from distance, the melee fighter gets no experience, even though he could get killed in the fight, probably is wounded and his shield took some damage.
  
• For a detailed guide refer to this link: http://forums.taleworlds.com/index.php?t...123.0.html

Melee combat:

• Do not underestimate your melee skills. It is usually better to go melee than try to kite with your crossbow which is simply not fit for this kind of combat.
  
• Do not overestimate your melee skills. You are not a Commando. Diving into a pack of mobs usually ends in your ass being handed to you.
  
• First person view is most effective when playing aggressive. Nothing obstructs your view of the enemy, it is easier to feel the length of the weapon and to time your blows. It is also effective when manual blocking because it's easier to read enemy's movement.
  
• Third person view is best suited for defensive combat when outnumbered. Peripheral vision allows you to react better to incoming threats, shield does not obstruct your view when used, and it's easier to keep track of your enemies.
  
• Do not get stuck at one view, change them as the situation changes. It is usually better to go first person when you're fighting 1 vs 1 or 1 vs 2. It really does help to feel the fight and helps to exploit the enemy's mistakes. The third person view is better when you're defending yourself against many mobs as it helps you to stop them from encircling you.
  
• When heavily outnumbered, make the enemies get in each other's way by keeping them aligned in a single line. This also makes you face one opponent at a time which makes their number advantage useless.
  
• Axes have bonus against shields. Pierced damage has bonus against armor. Blunt damage has bonus against armor and a chance of knockdown. Unbalanced weapons have a high chance to crush trough your block when struck from overhead, even if you have a shield. Adjust your tactics to opponent's equipment. Learn to dodge the blows, not only to block them.
  
• Use different attacks depending on the situation. Is your opponent not wearing a helmet? Chop him, or even better: slash his head for more damage. Does he wear a thick armor? Stab him with your sword, pierced damage has bonus against it!
  
• Different attacks have different speeds and require a different distance. Do not try to thrust up close, or when moving backwards. Do not use a two handed axe when your opponent is right next to you. When the enemy is to your side, use the slash that is closer to him.
  
• Right side slash has a better reach than the other. Thrusts have the greatest reach of all attacks.
  
• Don't forget about the speed damage multipliers. Hitting when moving forward deals more damage than when moving backwards. You will definitely not do any damage with a thrust when backpedalling.
  
• You can stop your blows in mid air when you press the “block” key. This technique is called a feint. It is very effective against mobs that use shields as they immediately try to land their blow after you stop yours. When they await your blow with their shield up, you feint, and once the enemy lowers his shield to start his attack, you attack again and land a free hit.
  
• Learn your weapon's length and use it to your advantage. More reach means more safety.
  
• When you are a part of a shield wall as a Sharpshooter, prepare to pick a shield from fallen enemies laying around you. Find an appropriate item on the ground and wait to press “F” in case your shield breaks.
  
• For detailed guides on melee combat refer to these links:
  http://forums.taleworlds.com/index.php?t...7133.0.htm
  http://forums.taleworlds.com/index.php?t...526.0.html

This concludes the Sharpshooter guide. I hope you find this knowledge useful and hopefully we will see more awesome crossbow users in game. Feel free to add comments, tips, tricks, or simply declare this whole guide bullshit .