Season 17 of Fallout 76 is about to begin, which brings us brand new content for the game. In order to adapt to the latest content in season 17, we need to build a Stealth Archer. This guide below will help you build a powerful Stealth Archer without spending a lot of Fallout 76 bottle caps and resources.

Why choose Stealth Archer in Fallout 76?

Season 17 is heavily themed around the Pioneer Scouts and archery, making it the perfect time to explore this playstyle. Archery offers a unique blend of stealth and high damage, ideal for taking down enemies quietly and efficiently. While bows may not be the most powerful weapons, their combination of stealth, precision, and new season-specific content makes the Archer build an intriguing option for those seeking a different gameplay experience in Fallout 76 Season 17.

Pros and Cons of Using a Bow

Pros

1. Stealth: Bows are inherently silent, allowing for takedowns without alerting nearby enemies.
2. High Damage Potential: Especially effective when paired with critical hits and sneak attacks, often resulting in one-shot kills.
3. Versatility: A wide range of arrows (standard, flaming, explosive, poison, cryo, plasma, ultrasite) allows customization for different combat scenarios and enemy types.
4. Range and Precision: Good range, especially when using VATS for precise targeting.

Cons

1. Slow Rate of Fire: Bows have a slower shooting speed compared to firearms, which can be a disadvantage in fast-paced combat.
2. Ammo Management: Arrows are less abundant than bullets, making ammunition management more challenging. Crafting arrows, while possible, can be time-consuming.
3. Distance Requirement: Maintaining a distance to remain undetected is crucial. If an enemy spots you and charges, the slow firing rate of the bow can leave you vulnerable.
4. Situational Dependence: Bows may not be as effective in all combat situations, especially in close quarters or against heavily armored enemies.

Stealth Archer Loadout

Creating an effective stealth archer build in Fallout 76 involves selecting the right perk cards, attributes, and gear to maximize your damage while remaining undetected. Below is a recommended loadout focusing on essential attributes and perk cards.

An effective stealth archer build focuses on Perception, Agility, and either Intelligence or Luck stats.

Attributes

1. Perception: Focus on archery-related perks.
2. Agility: Essential for sneaking and action point regeneration.
3. Intelligence or Luck: Depending on whether you prefer better crafting and repair skills or higher critical hit chances.

Perk Cards

Perception

The Perception cards are essential for boosting bow damage and accuracy.

1. Concentrated Fire: Increases accuracy and damage for subsequent VATS shots on the same body part.
2. Archer: Increases bow damage.
3. Expert Archer: Further increases bow damage.
4. Master Archer: Maximum increase in bow damage.
5. Bow Before Me: Enhances overall bow performance (if available).

Agility

The Agility cards focus on stealth, mobility, and damage boosts.

1. Action Girl/Action Boy: Faster action point regeneration.
2. Covert Operative: Significantly increases damage from sneak attacks.
3. Sneak: Increases your ability to remain undetected.
4. Escape Artist: Allows you to go back into stealth during combat quickly.
5. Gun Fu: With this perk equipped, V.A.T.S. automatically switches to a new target once the initial target is dead.
6. Adrenaline: Increases damage output with each consecutive kill for a short duration.

The rest of the build can vary based on your playstyle preferences:

1. For a Bloodied build, take perks like Nerd Rage, Serendipity, Radicool.
2. For a full health build, invest in Luck for critical hits or Strength for carrying capacity.
3. Customize your armor type and effects based on your needs.

The key is maxing out Perception for archery damage and Agility for stealth. The other stats can flex to suit your specific character.

Related: Fallout 76: The Best Legendary Perks

Gear

Bows

1. Standard Bow: Basic and effective.
2. Compound Bow: Higher damage with a longer draw time.
3. Crossbow: High damage with a rifle-like feel.

Recommended Bow: Burning Love

Provides +50% damage to humans and is excellent with VATS.

The Burning Love bow is an excellent free option, obtainable through the "Tunnel of Love" event. This event runs every 20 minutes on the hour, and you may need to server-hop to find it. The bow's level scales with your character, so you might want to run the event multiple times as you level up.

Arrows

1. Standard Arrows: Versatile and easy to craft.
2. Flaming Arrows: Ideal for fire-vulnerable enemies.
3. Explosive Arrows: Great for groups of enemies.
4. Poison Arrows: Effective for wearing down tough enemies.
5. Cryo Arrows: Useful for slowing down fast enemies.
6. Plasma and Ultrasite Arrows: Best for tough enemies and major events.

Recommended Armor

1. Chameleon Armor: Provides stealth benefits while stationary.
2. Shadowed Armor Mods: Further enhances your stealth capabilities.

Tips for Effective Gameplay

1. Stay Crouched: Remain undetected by staying crouched as much as possible.
2. Use VATS: Utilize VATS for precision and critical hits.
3. Secondary Weapon: Carry a sidearm (pistol, rifle, or flamer) for emergencies when stealth fails.
4. Plan Your Build: Use tools like falloutbuilds.com and Nukes Dragons to customize and plan your build.
5. Run Events with a Team: Increases XP gain and ease of completing events like the Tunnel of Love.

Archery in Fallout 76 offers a diverse and rewarding playstyle. It allows for significant customization and can be both fun and effective. Start with the Burning Love bow to see if archery suits you before fully committing. Personalize your loadout to enhance your gameplay experience.