Rich Archer (Bow)
The ranged build. Rich mask, bow as your main, pull and kite. Strongest when a tribe frontline holds the line while you delete targets from range.
This is an early-meta starting build. The Rich mask is largely starting flavor: the archer playstyle really comes together with later masks and perks, and endgame mask power now runs through Mimicry Ascension, the permanent 1.0 mask-power progression. Note too that 1.0 has three selectable modes (Survival, Tribe, Warrior), so the tribe playstyle is a formal mode in its own right. Treat this page as the start of the run, not the whole endgame.
At a glance
| Mask | Rich. A starting mask that leans toward ranged archery. |
| Weapon | Bow as main, a melee sidearm for when something closes. |
| Core stat | Physique for a survival floor, then whatever boosts ranged output. |
| Plays well with | A melee tribe member who holds aggro while you fire. |
How it wins
You open every fight, soften Elites before they reach you, and pick off Scouts and fleeing targets. The weakness is being caught in melee, so the build leans on positioning and on a frontline, your tribe or a tanky mask partner, to absorb the charge. The build also got a real buff in the June 26, 2026 patch: on PvE servers, drawing the bow no longer slows your movement, so you can kite at full speed.
Stats to prioritize
- Physique for a buffer, because an archer caught in melee folds fast.
- Then stamina and any ranged-supporting stats.
Proficiencies to train
- Bow for the mastery passives at 30, 60, 90, 120.
- A backup melee weapon so a closed gap is not a death sentence.
Loadout
| Slot | Pick | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Main | Bow | Opens fights, kites, deletes Scouts and runners |
| Sidearm | Spear or blade | Reach and a panic button when something closes |
| Ammo | Keep arrows stocked | The build does nothing without them |
Do this in order
- Pick Rich. Craft a bow to your current metal tier and keep arrows topped up.
- Put early points into Physique, then ranged support.
- Recruit a melee fighter, set them to hold the front, and fire over them.
- Use the bow to pull single targets out of camps for the stealth-free version of thinning.
- Upgrade bow and arrows each tier; ranged falls off hard against late armor if you skip this.
Watch out for
- Running dry on arrows mid-raid. Carry a surplus.
- Getting surrounded. Keep an exit and a melee sidearm.
- Letting the bow mask (Rich) sit unleveled; its EXP only grows while you wear it.
Related: the deep combat guide for ranged spacing, and the tribesmen guide for the frontline this build wants.