ARGO Online PvE Explorers Complete Guide

ARGO Online PvE Explorers Complete Guide by krymore

=========================================================================================================

[0001] About the Author
[0002] Basic Damage Mechanics
[0003] The Explorer
[0004] Agility
[0005] Skill Tree
[0006] Individual Skill Analysis
[0007] PVE guide to come

Use Ctrl+F to search the numbers with the brackets for specific sections.

DISCLAIMER: Feel free to use this guide anywhere, but please attribute it back to me the author and this forum.

=========================================================================================================

First of all, I’m an old old medical law student who lives in Australia at the moment. I consider myself quite an MMO veteran and have been playing MMOs since 1999. My first MMO was one that I’m sure most of you will not have heard off named, pun intended, “Stoneage” – a Japanese turn-based stoneage-themed MMO. Since then I’ve played quite a bit of real-time mmos such as, in chronological order, Lineage, Dragon Raja, MU Online, RO, Cabal, Hero Online, Knight Online, WoW, Lineage II, RAN Online, N-Age Online, Perfect World Online, Aion, and now this – Argo. As you can see, I’m not much of a Sci-fi/SteamPunk kind of guy, but it works out for me, a game is a game. To me, the community in an MMO is a lot more important than the graphics, PVP system, PVE system or even the content in general.

IMO, MMOs are about the community, and it would only be fitting to share what you’ve learned with its community and so I’ve been writing class guides quite a bit. Since this is my first ARGO guide, I hope that it’ll not be too much off of the actual technicalities. Let’s dive in.

=========================================================================================================

The damage mechanics in this game is pretty simple, or so I’ve noticed. There are no complex calculations – 1 is 1 and 100 is 100 in both defence and attack. If your physical attack is 500, your normal hits will do 500 damage to a mob with 0 defence, as for a mob with 100 defence, you’ll do 400. Simple right? Here’s even better news regarding skills – what you see is what you’ll get. If a skill claims to do 100 damage, it will do that specific 100 in addition to your normal physical attack, i.e.: a skill with 100 attack + your 500 physical attack will do 600 damage on a defenceless mob and whatever defence the mob has, just subtract that and you’ll get your final damage. What’s even better is the 15% damage increase from your backpack when turned on. It’s literally an additional 15% of the total damage you’ll do – 1.15* (100+500) [going back to the earlier example with your skill] = 690. Easy peasy.

Also, a feature in this game is the power bar, no not the 100% power meter, but the bar that shows up under a mob with every hit that’ll grant you a “POWER” hit. This hit is equivalent to a critical hit. It will never be an actual crit, I’ve noticed so far.

=========================================================================================================

Ranged DPS – that’s your role.
A ranged DPS is crucial in group pvp. In short – your role is to flank and pick off other DPSs with your amazing burst damage. You’re also in charge of annoying the healers enough so as to avert their heals from those in need as they flee from you healing themselves.A ranged DPS is also great at solo levelling. Your range gives you an edge over every melee mob. Most low level mobs will die before reaching you whereas most mobs your level will be at least half damaged before being able to even breathe in your vicinity.The explorer in this game is a pure single target dps, you only have two crowd control skill: a 4-second stun and a 5-second bind. This makes it two very important skills for you in both PVP and PVE, I’ll go more into depth on it later on.

=========================================================================================================

=========================================================================================================

Agi – 1:1.00 Physical Attack Power
1:0.05% Physical Dodge
1:0.20% Physical Critical Attack Rate
1:~0.3% Physical Accuracy Rate

The most important stat to the explorer. It increases everything that’s essential to a DPS, with regards to both damage – attack,crit,accuracy – AND defense – dodge.

Some other useful stats

Str – 1:~0.5 Physical Attack Power

Sta – 1:10 Hit Points
(More to come)

=========================================================================================================

Page 1

Page 2

Just an overview of the Skill tree, you only need 1 lvl in the prerequist skills to unlock the next one.

=========================================================================================================

=========================================================================================================

Poisonous Shot

Casting Time: Instant
Skill Duration: 3 Seconds
Cooldown: 3.1 Seconds
Cast Distance: 21M
Element: Wind

The butter that is to the bread which is the explorer, your main damage skill in both PVP and PVE. You will want to max this skill every time you get the chance. It is a damage skill with an additional DoT effect. There is a passive that will be unlocked later on at lvl 20 that will improve the initial damage of this skill. though the DoT is ignorable, the three second cooldown on the skill makes it indispensable. Wearing equipment that increases wind damage WILL affect it’s initial damage, but NOT the DoT.

Improve Rifle (Passive)

Casting Time: Nil
Skill Duration: Nil
Cooldown: Nil
Cast Distance: Nil
Element: Nil

Gives a 3,4,5,6,7 PERCENT increase in damage despite the vague skill description. Max this out whenever you have free skill points

Sure Shot

Casting Time: 1.5 Seconds
Skill Duration: Nil
Cooldown: 12.5 Seconds
Cast Distance: 26M
Element: Nil

Another indispensable skill, its 26M range makes it a great initiating skill in PVP and PVE, it’s also useful for finishing off enemies who might be low on and are running. Once initiated, it will hit no matter how far the target has gotten during the 1.5 second casting.

Rotation Attack

Casting Time: Instant
Skill Duration: 5 Seconds
Cooldown: 25 Secondssa
Cast Distance: 4M (Melee)
Element: Nil
Uses Dual-Swords

Quite a useless skill since you’ll be using your rifle about 98% of the time, the damage isn’t that great, and it requires you to be in melee range. 1 point in it as a prerequisite.

Target Confirmation

Casting Time: Instant
Skill Duration: 30 Seconds
Cooldown: 2 Minutes
Cast Distance: 21M
Element: Nil

A debuff of which I know nothing about, the description is quite badly translated, but from what I gather it increases the damage taken during a critical hit. 1 point as a prerequisite.

Flexible Footwork

Casting Time: Instant
Skill Duration: 12 Seconds
Cooldown: 1 Minute
Cast Distance: Nil
Element: Nil

Your standard movement speed buff, level this up if you have free skill points. 12 seconds of movement speed buff isn’t that great in my opinion.

Stray Fire

Casting Time: 1.5 Seconds
Skill Duration: 8 Seconds
Cooldown: 25 Seconds
Cast Distance: 21M
Element: Wind
Uses Heavy Weapon

Your only slow skill, usually used to prevent enemies from running away too quickly. Quite good for PVE as well as an initiating skill, the slow makes it even for them to get to you. Max this out for a 40% slow.

Co-Target

Casting Time: Instant
Skill Duration: Nil
Cooldown: 7 Seconds
Cast Distance: 21M + 4(Second Target)
Element: Nil

A terrible”AoE” skill… Completely useless as the damage is low and it only hits one extra target. 1 point as a prerequisite.

Add Red-Dot Sight (Passive)

Casting Time: Nil
Skill Duration: Nil
Cooldown: Nil
Cast Distance: Nil
Element: Nil

What more can I say, it increases the range of ALL your attacks and skills.

Heavy Strike

Casting Time: Instant
Skill Duration: 3 Seconds
Cooldown: 30 Seconds
Cast Distance: 4M (Melee)
Element: Wind

Your only CC skill. 3-second instant casting stun. The only downside to it is it’s melee range

Improve Poison Shot (Passive)

Casting Time: Nil
Skill Duration: Nil
Cooldown: Nil
Cast Distance: Nil
Element: Nil

Increases the damage of your main damage skill by 33%/66%/100% Max this whenever you can

Wrathful Double Shot

Casting Time: 1 Second
Skill Duration: Nil
Cooldown: 18 Seconds
Cast Distance: 21M
Element: Nil

Great damage skill early on. However it’s considered as a 2-hit skill at the moment – the POWER hit only applies to the first but it only adds 1 hit to the 5-hit POWER bar. Max this.

Peaceful

Casting Time: Nil
Skill Duration: Nil
Cooldown: 60 Seconds
Cast Distance: 21M
Element: Nil

Useless… Completely and utterly useless

Firearms Mastery

Casting Time: 1.5 Seconds
Skill Duration: 4 Seconds
Cooldown: 20 Seconds
Cast Distance: 21M
Element: Nil
Uses Heavy Weapon

Poor damage, poor DoT, 1.5 second casting time. The only reason any1 would get this is for PVE and the extra DoT. 1 point in it as a prerequisite.

Aimed Shooting Mastery

Casting Time: 1.5 Seconds
Skill Duration: Nil
Cooldown: 15 Secnds
Cast Distance: 26M
Element: Wind

Good damage, but it’s overshadowed by sure fire with its possible 100% damage increase. great to use as a 1-2 hit with Sure Fire because of its 26M range. Max this.

Improved Sure Shot (Passive)

Casting Time: Nil
Skill Duration: Nil
Cooldown: Nil
Cast Distance: Nil
Element: Nil

Max this

Breach Targeting

Casting Time: Instant
Skill Duration: 2 Seconds
Cooldown: 5 Minutes
Cast Distance: 21M
Element: Nil

A defensive debuff that’s VERY useful in PVP and PVE. Excellent against targets with high defence because it completely nullifies the target’s physical defence. Great to use with a full “POWER” meter and before the main damage skills. Max this.

Hide

Casting Time: Instant
Skill Duration: 60 Seconds
Cooldown: 2 Minutes
Cast Distance: Nil
Element: Nil

Self Explanatory, get this for PVP

Poison Mine

Casting Time: Instant
Skill Duration: 5 Seconds
Cooldown: 20 Seconds
Cast Distance: 0 + 3
Element: Nil

an AOE DoT trap that damages ALL enemies with in 3 meters of it while triggered. Quite good for PVE and probably PVP.

Cripple: Foot

Casting Time: Instant
Skill Duration: 5 Seconds
Cooldown: 15 Seconds
Cast Distance: 4M (Melee)
Element: Nil
Uses Dual-Swords

Melee Binding skill, an alternative to the stun and also a Melee. Get this when you can.

More detailed skills to come, I’ll update this post when I reach higher levels.
================================================================================================