Energy and /dev will both have redraw issues for you. If you really want archery without redraw, archery/TA is okay for a corruptor or defender. (As a friend comments: Trick Arrow is the worst buff/debuff set. That doesn't mean it's a bad set, but it is the worst.) The combination works, and no redraw issues.
If you do /devices, you will have redraw, but for the most part you'll be using your secondary before combat and then sticking with the primary during combat. Usually.
Archery/Energy is great as a pure ranged Blaster. You get Build Up early on, and you can take Boost Range later and put it on auto to have a permanent 60% range increase. You'll have redraw when you use Build Up or Boost Range fires, but that's a small price to pay for an 80 foot cone and 120 foot range on your other attacks. Not to mention Rain of Arrows being completely awesome even before you extend it to 140+ feet...
You can also grab one good melee attack for when things do get close and possibly Stun to stack with Stunning Shot on bosses. Redraw is no big deal if it's occasional, you just don't want to have a lot of it in your normal attack chain.
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I have an Archerty/Devices blaster, and re-draw is not as big of a problem as you might think, mainly for the reason seebs gave: Much of devices is based around pre-emptive strikes. My typical approach for a mob is to approach with Cloaking Device and Targeting Drone active, drop a couple trip mines, pull back a bit farther and drop Caltrops, toss a Smoke Grenade, then finally let loose with Rain of Arrows, followed by Explosive Arrow, then finish everything off with the ST blasts.
That's all solo though. Typically if I'm running on a team of 3+, the most I usually throw out is a Smoke Grenade, unless the team requests trip mines and/or caltrops.
Naturally, re-draw will be an issue for most characters in the early levels, but /Devices makes it nearly unnoticable after level 20 (or so). If you're looking to stay at range without having to worry about redraw a lot, that's my recommendation.
@Winter. Because I'm Winter. Period.
I am a blaster first, and an alt-oholic second.
I have a Archery/Energy Blaster and the redraw isn't an issue.
It will only be an issue if you alternate between Archery and non Achery powers alot.
Most of my fighting is using only Archery attacks, with the occasional Stunning Shot, Total Focus, Bone Smasher chain to deal with something that is annoying me.
Also when doing Build Up and Aim, try to use Build Up first if you're using an Archery attack and use Aim first if you are using a melee attack as Aim's animation causes you to pull your bow out.
I will echo the "not a problem" sentiment as well. My Arch/EM is by far my favorite character. And the funnest so far to level.
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Archery/EM blasters unite!
Seriously though, any secondary or pool power you activate will cause you to put your bow away; the real question is how often you need/want to use them in combat. Either /Dev or /EM can be played to rely exclusively on your arrow attacks for damage (or as close to it as you like), and just hitting Boost Range / Build Up / Caltrops / etc. as needed. Both sets also have stuns to stack with Stunning Shot if desired. /Dev has more gadgets to sync with a tech theme, but Build Up + Aim + Rain of Arrows is noticeably better than without BU involved, and Boost Range simply cannot be overlooked. Take whichever you like.
Rule number six of an empathy defender is NEVER underestimate a blaster's ability to die. I don't care if he has CM, Fort, both RAs, bubbles (both FF and Sonic), and is fighting next to a Storm defender with hurricane on. If there is a way to die in that situation, the blaster will find it.
Archery/dev here too.
No problems whatsoever. In fact I find my BS/Regen more annoying for redraw.
Also TA is an under appreciated set. Personally I love having a TA on my team. Total lock down of mobs with decent -def/-res/-dam. And the eternally amusing "HEAL ARROW" joke.
Speaking in general terms and not specifically about archery, which is a "newer" powerset, it's misleading to ask if sets still have redraw issues. Sets originally had NO redraw issues, and redraw was added to the game, partly at the request of players. At least one legacy set, Spines, does NOT have redraw issues because it was never adjusted, and as a result it's somewhat slower and clunkier (because of the "baked in" redraw times).
So "redraw issues" per se are newer than not having redraw issues, and are generally an improvement over not having redraw issues -- because the delay only happens if you redraw now, whereas before it was part of every attack even if you did not redraw.
If we are to die, let us die like men. -- Patrick Cleburne
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The rule is that they must be loved. --Jayne Fynes-Clinton, Death of an Abandoned Dog
Hmmmm interesting, well that is good still worried I wont be able to deal with redraw, I need to find a good blaster only one I have not tried yet is rad or psi, energy was my fav but you cannot attack in a fast paced manner to much pacing so you can kb enemys to walls.
I will consider it deep thanks all.
I know I been making a few posts about blasters but I am currently playing the ice/ele and I for sure want an archery character I am just not sure what kind I hear bad things about ta so I am looking into it on blasters side, I want a pure ranged tech archery type and not because of green arrow it just seems like a fun concept. So I was wondering about the redraw from energy, now I guess I will be missing out on some attacks since I will be pure ranged so maybe devices would be a better option for me what do you guys think?