RB Gamma: An Archer's perspective

RB Gamma
An Archer’s perspective

Author's note: this guide isn't complete yet. I have been a bit discouraged to continue because of the FC mania that made gamma kind of useless. It is also important to note I wrote this guide before the Raging Tide Expansion, so the roles were distributed to only 6 classes back then :P I did not mean to "forget" anyone.

Requirements | The Basics | What to do on waves | What to do on Flashing Thunder
Be prepared on the different Bosses | Be prepared for Double Waves | The End

1: Requirements
This is where people will judge you most. What makes you a “successful” Archer in RB?

I went on my first run I was around level 77. It did not go as well as I wish it would, and the simple reason for that was that my HP was too low.

I personally think level 77-78 is a good level to start RB Gamma, you may not finish all runs, but you gain experience, and that is highly valuable. As soon as you will hit level 80, it will be a lot easier to enter Gamma squads.

Suggested HP for an Archer in RB is ANYTHING above 3K.
When Barb will buff you, you should have more than 4K HP, which you will need.

It might be frustrating to be turned down a run because of HP, but think about it:
You bought a charm for this, having higher HP means less HP charm ticking ;)!

Next thing you want to make sure of: your defense.
Be prepared for high damage, both physical and magical, so your best bet will be gear that has a good balance of physical and magical resistance.

Oh, and yes, you need TIME! A run can last up to 4 hours, but generally, 2.30-3.00 hours is what it takes. If you have some very important thing to do in 2.30 hours, maybe best decision is to RB later.

Skills you need:
Barrage of Arrows – Level 6

Why level 6 and not 4 or 7? or 5? Why not 9?
Because you do enough damage at level 6 for what you have to kill in Gamma, AND if you go past level 6, the mana cost of BoA skill may not be covered by the Mana Aura level 2.
You want level 6, because below that, the damage will not be enough to go through all the stages.

Keeping your BoA at level 6 SAVES YOU MONEY! And makes your squad happy.

A LOT of people will tell you you have to have it MAXED (with obviously very little knowledge of the fact BoA cannot be level 10 until level 86, and also of the damage done versus Mana cost and so on), but you be a bright, and perhaps a poor archer too, and you will keep it level 6, or level 7, if you already past 6.

Sharpened Tooth Arrow – Max according to your level and capacity

At 77 – level 8
At 81 – level 9
At 85 – level 10

It isn’t necessary to have it maxed to level 10 right away, but whatever people say they know about STA, doesn’t matter, what matters is that you should know you have to do it on every boss. It is just so you can make things go smoother and quicker. It is up to you, you may spend 4 hours in RB, or, when you lower each boss Max HP with STA, 2.30-3 hours!

STA is getting very expensive (600K+ for level 9 T.T), and people shouldn’t kick you out of a squad if you say yours is not maxed. It is just a good thing to have.

In general, any skill that you consider susceptible of making great damage on Second Boss (Metal Boss), level it.

[Optional] Genie Skills

You will be spending a long, long, long time casting BoA. You might get bored... or want to seriously help those mobs dies faster.
Genie skills, I believe is a matter of personal preferences.
If you can find AoE Genie skills that DO NOT KNOCKBACK mobs, feel free to use them.
I use Tangling Mire, to reduce Physical Defense and Slow mobs down.
I have see Bramble Rage used on Earth and Water waves, and it seemed to work well and deal great damage.
When I see a mob attacking one of the DDs or Cleric, (and I have so much stamina I don’t mind spending it xD) I do Extreme Poison on that mob, so it dies faster, and leave my DD and Cleric partner alone. Extreme Poison + Tangling Mire is also a nice combo on Second Boss, which Archer tanks.

If you tried some other good skills, feel free to let me know and add them to the list!

Important note: You are a DD, you DO NOT want aggro. No matter the conditions, never use a skill that could turn aggro towards you. It is Barb and BM’s job, if they are not doing it well, just don’t run with them.

Ammo - Arrows, bolts or shots

On my first run I have been told I needed about 10-15K arrows, bolts or shots (whatever it is that you use!).
In my opinion, as long as you have over 7K, you should be doing fine.
What I do though, I buy the +20 Phys. Atk. arrows, bolts or shots (the ones at 10 coins/each at Blacksmith. Make sure to check AH if there are good deals too! That can save you a bit) to use on the first waves, then I keep about 7K higher arrows, bolts or shots (the +45, +75 or Elites) to use on Second Boss, and more difficult waves.
I always check AH for Elites shots, in case there is some for cheap, if not, I generally use the higher shot I have got for Second Boss. Just a matter of killing faster, totally optional. :)

Better Ammo = greater damage, faster run

High Ammo is NOT NEEDED on waves. Honestly, save your coins. :) The Attack Aura will do its job and make your BoA deadly.

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2: The Basics

So, you have never been in Gamma before? You feeling like a newbie, and people you ask simple questions about gamma are being meanies <.

What is RB Gamma?

So RB GAMMA, stands for Rebirth Gamma, I believe it is also called ‘Zhen’, but cannot say with 100% certainty why. It is an instance that rewards you high EXP + spirit points, but that solely work if you have a good, and organised squad. People refer to it as RB, RB Gamma, or just Gamma. In order to enter a RB Gamma, you need a full squad (6 members)from 71-85 and 6 Rebirth Gamma Orders.

Where do I get a Rebirth Order?

In order to get the orders :P, you will need to talk to the Khatru Pup (in case you did not notice him by now, he’s the HUGE doggie in every main cities, he also serves to teleport into the cube, or to go back to Archosaur :P ) and accept the quest “Duty Badge” (first one). You will then receive a Duty Badge, which allows you to do many things, most of them which I have NO IDEA what they are, but one of them is to get a Rebirth Gamma Order from any Spiritual Disciple (131 857 (38); 572 646 (22); 662 375 (26)) the main one beside Archosaur Elder. Talk to him and pick the only quest he should have for you, then you Duty Badge will become a Rebirth Gamma Order. :) Simple. Can be done everyday.

I have heard that it is better to exchange your duty badge for gamma orders only when you need them. A lot of high levels get stuck with Gamma orders, since once you past 85, you have no use for them. Unless you mail them to an alt!

How do I see if a squad is good or not?

Ok, as an archer this part matters for you because:

Bad squad = lost of money (arrows, charm ticking, repair), lost of time.

In General, I think the best squads are perfect squads. Let me briefly explain this:
Everyone has their own job, their own type of damage, and that is needed to kill a whole bunch of different type of mobs.

Usually you look for a squad with 1 Experienced BM. I do not say don’t teach new BMs, but if you want to have a complete run, you might want think of the BM’s training for another time. BM has to be asked if he has “Alpha Male” skill on his genie. As a side note, DO TRAIN BMS sometimes, whenever you are free, train a BM XD!

1 Experienced Barb. Again, a barb that you know has never done it, but you do not doubt he could make the job is fine. As long as he can keep aggro, lock mobs into the AoE area and is alert to what mobs are hitting DDs and Cleric, he should be fine.

Good Barb and BM usually work together. Share aggro. :P

1 Cleric that can use BB on waves efficiently (if it drops, cleric is able to set back up as soon as possible) and to tank 1st boss. Cleric needs, for you especially, to be able to Heal you at FULL RANGE healing on second boss. I am not shy and always ask how cleric feels about 2nd boss. Cleric must also be able to heal efficiently on All bosses in order to save the Barb’s charm from ticking uselessly.

2 DDs. Preferable 1 Archer (yourself :D) and 1 Wizard. Why? Physical and Magical damage!!! Wizard must be able to use Dragon’s Breath (DB) and Archer have level 6 Barrage of Arrows (BoA). It is possible to have a squad of 2 wizards, or 2 archers, but the fire damage of a wizard on fire mobs, or your damage on physical mobs, might not kill as fast. When you enter a squad, look at the other DD’s level, equipment and such. Some wizards will sound like an automatic fail, so do some 2nd archers. But in any case, let them try, you have been the same at once, be fair to new people. Best is to give them tips, and avoid telling them they suck. xD

And ultimately 1 good and fast Veno. You want to make sure they can collect the beans in a record time xD. But that is not the most important thing. Your Veno should actually DO something on waves. Even though it is not needed to kill the waves, Veno AoEs are a very good plus, that is, if they use them at all. You want a Veno to take care of left over mobs, or mobs that are attacking DDs or Cleric when Barb and BM are too busy controlling the wave. A good Veno pays attention to the health of their squad members. :)

Ever since the expansion, the Veno role has been often replaced by a 3rd DD (Archer in most cases or Wizard), who has to farm the chests and kills the mobs. In my opinion, any Veno that is not just a lazy one can make the whole thing go as fast (if not faster) than a 3rd DD would. Of course on waves, second BoA or DB does make high damage, but you will be missing on Veno’s AoEs and pet assistance.

So:
1 BM
1 Barb
1 Cleric
1 Archer + 1 Wizard
1 Archer + 1 Wizard or 2 Archers or
2 Wizards
1 Veno or second Archer/Wizard

I have never tried 2 wizards xD Since, obviously that meant I was not in the squad!
And I always had 1 Barb 1 BM, so I cannot tell how 2 Barbs or 2 BMs would work.

As long as you are “training” yourself, I think you should try anything, and learn from everyone’s mistakes and such. Once you are past a certain level and have been successful a few times... and are looking for completed gammas and not “attempts” I suggest you go with people you know can do it. Gamma can be VERY frustrating if you don’t go with people you know how they work and all.

THE HARDEST THING IN GAMMA IS TO FIND AN EFFECTIVE AND FRIENDLY SQUAD YOU CAN RUN WITH WENEVER AND COMPLETE IT.

I suggest you befriend people with whom it went well, and try again.

What do I need to do before going in a Gamma?

★BE CHARMED!!! (not charming; charmED)
★Repair all your gear.
★Make sure you have enough Ammo.
★Enough HP/MP pots/foods/Apoth stuff.

Through my bunch of different runs I have learn, at the cost of it, that a BRONZE HP Charm was more than enough for an Archer. If your Bronze HP charm ticks the whole run, you are not in a good squad. You do not need a MP charm, unless you really want to, but until Mana Aura level 2 is up, you can hold BoA with MP stuff. Just as you probably do it for other things. If you opt for no MP charm, I suggest you make sure to have enough to maintain BoA for about 10-15 minutes (depending on the squad).

Apothecary MP helpers are good, or simply MP food, or a good use of MP pots and such.

More info

Auras:They are the said “permanent buffs” the instance gives to the squad. When BM set an aura, you will see blue spheres appearing near the God’s Eye where everybody sets their AoEs to welcome the mobs. Auras are “bought” by the BM with Celebeans, which is why it is so important to farm them x3!!! There are 5 types of Auras:

Health Aura
Mana Aura
Chi Aura
Attack Aura
Defense Aura

IN GENERAL, Mana Aura level 1 and 2 are the first to be set. Level 2 gives about 300 MP + per 3 seconds, which allows your Archer to stop spending your MP stuff. Once Mana Aura level 2 is on, IF YOU HAVE BoA level 6, you should be fine to go on with the instance and barely care about MP.

You may want to have Chi Aura at least level 1 for 2nd boss, depending if you are a big Sparker or not! :P

BM might ask what the squad wants to upgrade, or do it himself, according to his perception of what is needed.

Celebeans : They are what the Veno will farm through first bosses and what BM and Barb will also farm through Happy Valley Tickets. You will also farm celebeans, from chests in the last room, or from killing the non-agressive mobs in that room too. More beans = faster Aura setting = faster run and higher protection and damage. Celebeans appear as blue balls in your inventory, and need to be handed in to BM (or person setting the Auras).

God’s Eye: The God’s Eye is a kind of transparent bubble that allows you and your teammate to center their AoEs. It is Immune to Damage and deals 1 damage every or so seconds, thus Archer and Wizard can use their AoE without their skill stopping (since the skills stop when the target dies). The God’s Eye also serves to be attacked when you need Chi. I suggest you use Take Aim and Quickshot (level don’t matter) to build Chi since they are low channelling and give lot of chi. When you set up your AoE, always aim the God’s Eye.

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3: What to do on waves?

Ok, so after everyone is ready, and standing beside the Spiritual Disciple, that BM got lead and all 6 orders, and nobody is embracing or meditating, Rebirth Gamma can be started. When BM will trade the orders to enter, you will be teleported into the Gamma Instance, and might have a slight lag. If you have a bad feeling about lags inside the instance, put your graphics down now, to prevent your game from crashing. Some people buff and get chi before entering Gamma, others do it inside. In any ways, your job is to make sure Barb and Veno are buffed with Wings of Protection, so that they can farm beans faster. Do not forget to put your blessing on. ;)

So RB Gamma is starting. There will be what is called the “Fake eye” (use the TAB key to target it as soon as quest is taken by BM). The Fake Eye is a bit tricky, since you cannot see it at all, though it should target the Cleric at one point. Once team has found the Fake Eye, they can reset BB and AoEs around it so that it does not stop. As soon as 1st boss is over, BM should set the first Auras and God’s Eye will be available for you to use as a target.

Setting

If it is your first Gamma, do not be shy to ask to be shown around. It is better that you know what you are doing and where to go.

In a general way, this is the way to place ourselves that I have been used to. Archers can be moved around A LOT, but I have seen most this setting:

Wizard : On or very close to the God’s Eye.
Cleric: A little bit behind Wizard and the God’s Eye.
Archer: A little off to the Right, behind Cleric.

Technically, your BoA should cover the area around the Wizard (front, back, left and right), which is also covered by Wizard’s DB = Deadly AoE Zone where you do Physical Damage and Wizard does Magical Damage. BM and Barb will attract the waves of mobs (a LOT of mobs at once) to lock them into the AoE zone, and should work with their skill and own AoEs to keep the aggro off DDs and Cleric.

There are always 5 waves per stage, then a boss. Waves come in the same order, namely Metal, Wood, Earth, Water then Fire. Boss will always follow Fire Wave, as soon as the fire wave is dead, you should drop AoEs and prepare for boss.

Each boss has a 15 minutes time limit, one member of your squad needs to keep track of time and give a warning when there is 10, 5 and 2 minutes remaining. Usually you only have to keep time on first and second bosses.

1st Stage’s Waves:

Since there is no Auras until 1st boss is dead, you will need to find the Fake Eye as soon as possible using your TAB key should make it easy. If you can’t find it, try using assist attack on a squad member who has it.

I personally hate wasting MP food (mostly since it went up in price so bad), what I usually do BETWEEN waves is to drop BoA and build Chi with Take Aim and Quickshot on the Eye as fast as I can. When I see BM / Barb come back with the waves, I start BoA again and so on onto each wave.

If ever your BoA falls, for some odd reason or just because you clicked something wrong, do no panic! Do not let others panic! You are an Archer right? You have at least 2 other AoE skills, namely Sharpened Tooth Arrow and Thunderous Blast. DO NOT use Wingspan no matter how tempting it is (unless situation is critical, no mobs should be pushed back from AoE zone). Keep building Chi until BoA can be set up again.

Boss #1: Element Summoner


What’s annoying about him?
He puts to sleep and slows you down.

Cleric tanks this boss. As soon as Cleric had their first shot on the boss, you can use STA on boss, then follow Wizard and BM to last room using the Teleporter at Harpy Wraith’s left.

There you will be introduced to the Veno’s job xD! In the room the teleporter brings you, there will be a bunch of chests and lamps (non-aggressive unless you bother them). Your job for the next 12 or so minutes is to... farm chests! Wizard and BM should be helping you, but it is possible that BM runs off to do tickets before. So you farm and you farm, cheer up your Cleric and so on. At around 10 minutes remaining, Cleric should be asked how much HP is left on the boss. If that amount is around 50%, they should be fine. If not, they might ask for help when there will be 5 minutes left. Help means Archer or Wizard go back using the “Return to Battle” pillar (select 3rd option, level 71-85 = Gamma) and help Cleric get boss’ HP down. Do not forget to give all the Celebeans to the BM. When time is running out, BM, Archer and Wizard need to go back (if they were still in the chest room) and finish boss before time is out. Then what I call the “mushroom guy,” since I don’t know exactly what it is supposed to be xD, will appear and you can kill it if nobody did it already. Pick up the loot, then everyone sets up the same, rebuffs and you start BoA on God’s Eye again.

Mana Aura level 2 SHOULD BE set up, so now you can sit back and watch the show.
You can help BM know what mobs are not in the AoE range, if you are all on vent, that is easy, if not, just make sure you tell him “this mob to the left is not in” and so on. It is not necessary, but a plus to efficient teamwork.

Use the AoE Genie skills you want, even if you cast them on the God’s Eye they will have an effect on the surrounding mobs.

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4: What to do on Flashing Thunder?

Boss #2: Flashing Thunder


Metal debuff with metal damage over time; long range AoE.

Now it’s time to prove yourself. People will judge your capacities as an Archer in RB when you tank second boss. If you fail to finish him within the 15 minutes limit, you might not be considered as efficient for RB Gamma.

My personal survey of Archers proves that in most cases people HATE this boss. But he’s all yours, and you have to deal with it.

I believe the best way to “catch” him is that as soon as Fire Wave is over, you drop BoA, and place yourself before your squad (who should be running the hell out of here, except your faithful cleric, of course). Make sure your Blazing Arrow buff is on, extra damage ;). I always ask the Cleric to run BACK, and catch me with Iron Heart as soon as we are both full ranged. YOU NEED TO DO THIS BOSS FULL RANGED!!! If your cleric is getting hit by AoE, they will most likely die, and you will be the next one to die = not efficient. You need to be as far as you possibly can be, and cleric should be full ranged healing you. DO NOT run around with boss.


Once you gave boss first shot, the timer will start
. You have now 15 minutes to finish him. I suggest that if at 10 minutes remaining you are not close AT ALL to 50% HP left on boss, that you ask for help
. Someone should come and help you at 5 minutes remaining. Like for the cleric on first boss, you’ll be asked to give HP and time left. Make sure you are timing if nobody else is doing it for you.

So... Flashing Thunder? He is metal, so forget the metal skills, they are rather useless on him. You can use skills, the ones you believed are effective, though I personally like normal attacks and double spark attacks. If you managed to find the perfect spot to use Genie skill Extreme Poison on him (without your cleric being hit by AoE), do so. I usually do normal shots, and while I double spark, I use Extreme Poison, then do normal shots again. In any case, do not move once you are in place.

You might want to have higher ammo, or better weapon, whichever works for you. I use the best I have on second boss, anything to get him knocked out faster.

If you are curious: the rest of squad should be farming the left over chests, finishing tickets and killing the lamp mobs in last room. Nothing too exciting that you’re missing. ;)