What is the purpose of shortbow exactly

[Knighthonor.4061]

Short Bow sucks, like most of Renegade does in SPvP.

can we all agree there?

the lack of defense, and energy system is flawed.

[Blood Red Arachnid.2493]

I did some of my damnable tests. Unrealistic buffs, several runs against one target, full vipers, sigil of earth and agony, no food. Invocation 1,1,1, Corruption 3, 2, 1, Renegade 2, 2, 2. All four tests capped out at round 20k DPS. Against a large golem it caps at 23k DPS.

The rotation is fairly simple. Shortbow 4, then 3 to use fire fields, then 2, then 5. Spam 2 and 5 off cooldown, but use 4 and 3 in that order whenever they're both off cooldown. Once the legend swap is off cooldown, use Citadel Bombardment then immediately swap. This works better against larger targets.

I... usually don't test ranged weapon DPS. The only other one I did was comparing p/p to rifle on the Deadeye, which came to 23k and 25k respectively. Make of that what you will.

As for the shortbow, again I have used it for an effect. While the mace/axe combo has mid range engagements, it doesn't sustain overall damage as well as the shortbow. You can use the bow in cases where melee damage becomes either very risky or impossible. I.E. I used it on a cm99 MAMA fight where the poison pools made it impossible to melee. In the overworld, it can be used for similar reasons. The exploding and piercing shot makes for great enemy tagging, so if the choya army runs by you can melt them all. As for PVP and WvW use... probably very little.

[Alchimist.4738]

I don’t understand why Spiritcrush can’t shoot backward, the arrows are supposed to travel through portals, so it makes sense, and the thief can with its shortbow aoes, so why the renegade can't.

Spiritcrush should work when using the skill behind your back, it’d make it more useful in plenty of scenarios.

@Kodiak.3281 said:

@ScottBroChill.3254 said:I'm surprised they didn't add any sort of shadow step or mistwalk type of skill to it, seeing as the profession dips in and out of the mists.

That's what I wanted Seven Shot to be. Jump backwards and then unleash the missiles forward to your target.

Yes.