Summary
Enshrouded, released in early 2024, is an action roleplaying game thatincorporates survival, crafting, and base-building aspects as well. It released to mostly positive reviews, and has been praised for the level of detail given to developing a large open-world map for players to explore.
Playing as a Ranger inEnshroudedisn’t one of the easier early-game builds, especiallyfor solo players. The Ranger archetype inEnshroudedonly comes into its own once the player has geared up a little, and has been able to loot a good bow. In general, this will be in the latter part of the early game.
New Rangers Need A Melee Weapon
Stats:
For solo players, starting as a Ranger is going to be more challenging than otherbuilds, such as a tank, because a lot of the early game content takes place inside caves and other enclosed structures. This means that finding the space to use a bow properly is going to be difficult.
Rangers will need a backup melee weapon to deal with early-game situations that force them into melee combat. TheTorchis a good choice here, as it does enough damage to killearly-gameenemies and doubles up as a light source for caves and tombs.
Crafting requirements:
The basicShieldis craftable without the help of a crafting NPC. As already mentioned, players focusing on ranger skills will be forced into melee combat in the early stages ofEnshrouded, sousing a shield when this happens gives access to the block/stun company mechanic.
The crafting requirements are really easy to fulfill, as wood logs can be chopped from trees, and string is crafted from plant fiber, which is collected from shrubs and bushes. Some players might want to take a small selection of synergistictank skillsto improve the benefits of carrying a shield as a backup.
The basic player craftableBowis going to be the first real Ranger weapon that players can get their hands on. It is pretty dire as bows go, but it can be crafted straight out of the player’s backpack without needing to unlock one of thecrafting NPCs.
Combined with wooden arrows, the basic bow will be good enough for farming materials in the low-level POI that are close to the starting area. However, it needs to be replaced as soon as possible. The bow isn’t a particularly potent weapon, however, as players will find that it won’t kill enemies from a distance before they can reach them within melee range.
Easy To Loot Early Game Bow
TheForest Longbowis likely to be one of the first bows thatEnshroudedplayers loot. It can be found in chests, with silver and gold chests giving a better chance of looting an epic or legendary version. However, in the new player area ofEnshrouded, it will likely be the uncommon version the player loots.
This bow offers a decent upgrade over the basic bow and, if used effectively, can drop enemies at range before they can close into melee combat range. However, taking on groups of enemies will not be easy, so players are advised to carry a backup melee weapon.
Early Game Chest Loot Bow
TheHunter’s Bowis very similar to the Forest Longbow, the only difference being that the arrows fired from this bow travel faster. Once again, this is a commonly looted bow from chests found in POI close to the starting area ofEnshrouded.
This bow does a little better at dropping enemies at range, due to the fact it can get more arrows on target than the Forest Longbow in the same amount of time. However, taking on groups of enemies with this bow will still mean that the player needs a backup melee weapon.
Easy To Get Mid-Game Bow
For novice players concentrating on Ranger skills, theWildwood Shortbowpresents a notable early-game advancement from the typical uncommon bows they might already possess. It provides a respectable boost in power and should be relatively straightforward to acquire.
The Wildwood Shortbow can be looted from chests located in mid-game regions of theEnshroudedmap. To obtain a legendary variant like the one depicted above, players will need to acquire it from golden chests, using the reload/respawnfarming method. However, even the uncommon version of this bow is better than any other bows mentioned so far in this list.
Best Early To Mid-Game Ranger Weapon
TheComposite Bowstands out as a top choice for rangers seeking to upgrade from their lower-level weapons, primarily due to its accessibility among legendary bows. It also serves as an excellent secondary ranged option for players specializing in warrior or tank builds.
Players will be directed to the Kindlewastes as part of the Alchemist NPC quest. Golden chests within this zone offer a chance to obtain the Composite Bow, though acquiring a legendary version may require some patience with farming. Investing in runes to enhance this weapon is highly advisable.
