Stoneshard | 2023 Complete Beginner's Guide | Episode 11: Trying a Ranged Character!

This series features a complete beginner's guide to Stoneshard, which I started in 2022 and am continuing into 2023. I am now starting the guide over to explain how to play a new character, so if you want the basics of the game--go to the beginning of the playlist! (linked below) From episode 9 forward, we are playing a Sorceress!
Stoneshard is a fantastic open-world roguelike fantasy RPG with involved survival and injury mechanics. The game has a very punishing difficulty curve and with this guide I intend to help you start a new character and build up enough to complete the early quests, get a strong character, and move onto the next town. This is aimed at brand new players or returning Stoneshard players, as much has changed since it's first release in early access. It will be a multi-episode series as I thoroughly explain all aspects of the game and my decision making as I start from the very beginning make progress with our character.
Come learn to get better at Stoneshard so you can enjoy it even more, as I feel the game gets better as you go!
🔀Full Stoneshard Guide Playlist Here: • Stoneshard: Complete B...
Full Let's Play of Stoneshard Playlist HERE: • STONESHARD Let's Play
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[@sereksusvictar7888]

Not bad, you learned rather quick. Yes, at least in the beginning, it is take aim then shoot, take aim then shoot. Same for the crossbow, though there is another turn dedicated to reloading. When your accuracy stat gets higher, you will be able to fire a shot every turn, every third turn will get you a free take aim with a later ranged skill. It makes bow better for dedicated ranged builds. As for starting a playthrough, you can get a free set of regular arrows from the lazy guard on the ground floor of the mayor's office. The guard also gives you a bow you can sell to the Carpenter for extra coin. Or you can opt for a melee weapon to replace your dagger, just in case. You can also decline the offer for a small reputation boost, though there are much better reputation gathering methods. I find it best to do the easy herbalist and blacksmith quest done while patrolling all the roads looking to trigger an ambush. Loot anything you can, be it weapon or plant, in order to sell and afford better armor. Do not go into any dungeons, as the ones not linked to town quests are much harder and will demolish low leveled characters. Once you get a level, or if you feel confident from the start, the best use of time is truly doing contracts. The first one fighting the Bandit fort should be fairly easy so long as you dont let them surround you. Don't forget that you can right click your toon and select shout in order to draw enemies to you, even causing them to bust down doors to get you if they are strong enough. Contracts are the best use of time because you get Loot from the dungeons, you get experience from a pool of enemies, and you get both the money and reputation boost from turning in the quest. At certain tiers, you get better prices, bigger and better stocks and the guards even greet you when you get the town happy enough. While it can be beneficial to farm quests and max out the towns reputation for better gear and prices, for ranged characters I actually suggest getting to Brynn as soon as you can with at least four or so thousand. The elven quarter shop has a fancy quiver that is the best you can get at this stage of the game. Then go back and farm out reputation in both starter towns to get the Carpenter to sell long bows and then aldorian bows. As for arrows, bodkin are best at the beginning, as they add accuracy, but their damage sucks. Eventually you will want to faze them out and get Broadheads. Once you are able to compensate for the loss in accuracy and range, they are superior in every way, even against the armored brigands and trolls. As for abilities, so long as you focus points into perception, you don't even need to find or buy any ranged books until tier four, and that's only for a single ability. Though you may have to wait an extra level or two before you can invest higher. Other trees that are woth note are the athletics tree I mentioned last time and also the survival tree. Ranged weapons pierce, making pelt collection easier. Also, the second tier of the skinning ability gives a passive one tile of vision. Finally, let's talk about distracting shot. By using it, you can jump two tiles back while firing a shot at the closes target to you original tile. This lends to two distinct uses. Later, when you have higher accuracy, you can use this liberally to create distance and kite your enemies. But at the start, with having to take aim every other turn, it sucks for kiting. Instead, use it the moment an enemy gets on top of you. It creates enough distance to switch to a melee weapon without penalty. Sorry for the lengthy read, and the back seat gaming, but I hope my observations and experience can help you or any others looking to terrify your foes with a rain of arrows. Good luck out there mercenary.

[@DrIncompetent]

Great! Thank you so much for your help and advice! I love doing contracts for XP and gold, as you say, but I always hold off on the first one until I am at level 2 or have a little bit more money, as I don't want to run out of time doing prep work ;) I like your point about distracting shot--I want to get greedy and take a shot with it but I should probably switch to melee instead and be ready to roll ;) Interesting idea on going to Brynn ASAP to get a good quiver and better arrows--that's something to consider! Thank you for your help--I'm sure many new players are finding it very useful ^_^

[@sereksusvictar7888]

@@DrIncompetent You can get the arrows from anywhere, but the only tailor before Brynn is Osbrook, and even with maxed out reputation and the best gear level available, the best I've seen him carry is leather quivers that hold two sets of arrows. "Some" higher level archer bandits drop a quiver that holds three sets. But the Elven Quater Depot has one that holds four sets, I believe, but it's rather pricy. Over three thousand if I recall. And about distracting shot, I believe you are misunderstanding me. The best strategy I have found, at least early game, is to wait to use the ability until the enemy is right next to you, use it then to gain two tiles distance, then switch your weapon for melee. Switching weapons takes a turn. If you are next to the enemy when you switch, it's a free hit on you. To avoid this, distracting shot puts you out of reach for most strikes to give you room to set up for the coming fight without giving the enemy a free hit against you. For example: Enemy spotted. Attack key to see if he is in range. If in range, or the tile before it, take aim. Enemy moves forward. You shoot the enemy. Enemy moves forward. You take aim. Enemy moves forward. You shoot the enemy. Enemy moves forward. You take aim. Enemy moves to the tile next to you. You use distracting shot to flee two tiles away. Enemy moves forward. You switch to melee weapon. Enemy moves into the tile next to you. You attack with melee weapon. Fight progression resumes as normal. A bit oversimplified, but I hope that gives you an idea of the general premise. Anyway, can't wait for the next video. Hope you make it far!

[@DrIncompetent]

I totally understood what you meant by switching to melee--haha I describe that in detail earlier in the series with the knight about switching taking a turn--I think I didn't communicate my response about distracting shot earlier. I still like getting one more ranged shot in to see if I can kill in 1 if they are low, but yeah melee makes sense!

[@IsAStormComing]

Oh snap, back to Stoneshard! Glad to see this one, it's how I originally found you last week

[@DrIncompetent]

Haha, awesome! This is such a fun game ;)

[@redshoehart]

Can't wait for this game to be finished to start playing.

[@DrIncompetent]

It will be great when it is finished for sure!

[@Dhyafton35]

Support you always

[@DrIncompetent]

Thanks so much my friend! :)

[@bamagunner24]

Loving the vedios, but I'm struggling with game as I'm unable to zoom out and use the archer to there full ability.

[@DrIncompetent]

I don't think you can zoom out in this game--you can only shoot about 7-8 squares depending on your starting bow and only what you can see! Sometimes you get alerted to stuff outside your view and you have to wait until they get into your vision.

[@sereksusvictar7888]

If you hold down your mouse wheel while moving in the desired direction, I believe you can "scroll" your screen to see further.

[@redjacc7581]

starting skills should have been take aim & constant practice. Both make it easier to hit which is the whole point of a ranged build.

[@DrIncompetent]

Good idea!

[@gregorious111]

How is it going

[@gregorious111]

with you?

[@DrIncompetent]

Hello! Doing great, thanks :) Hope you are well!

[@leroykid1971]

gg

[@DrIncompetent]

Haha, thank my friend:)

[@redjacc7581]

you keep missing because you didnt take constant practice with reduces the ranged modifier!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@DrIncompetent]

Now that's a lot of exclamation points!