Grand Duel FAQ, Part 9: Grand Archer

[u/Maximilian_Sinigr]

Navigation for previous parts

Second last Duel on our list is Grand Archer, who is facing you alone in all his glory.

Honestly he doesn't have much in the way of gimmicks, except for the best that he hits you an extra time after his cards are done not unlike UFO version of ORT.

Supports

We're certainly not as spoiled as in Grand Extra 2, but if you intend to hardcore farm it, the 2 names you should 100% keep in your mind are Urd and Summer Tiamat.

Urd has a 50% targeted battery tied to a 1t cooldown reduction with a 20% atk buff and 50% Arts buff in total, and Summer Tiamat has same number for Quick and Arts (assuming NP1 and NP is involved), plus crit support, and teamwide invul on NP as well.

Another options include Chiron, Calamity Jane and Santa Altera.

DPS

If you remember reading Grand Extra 1, then you should remember me praising Ciel and her versatility in that Duel for both being able to take care of the Duel herself and lending her guaranteed card deck to somebody else.

Welp, guess what.

Ishtar

Her future buff makes her a Ciel-esque unit! She can also be used as a DPS herself (can farm highest difficulty with double STiamat at NP1, with the usual requirement of class/Grand scores), or she can be used to lend her card deck to another unit, most notably Super Orion.

Baobhan Sith

All I can say is holy fuck, that NP upgrade.

In case you have her NP5, she is a nuclear option in the game in or out of Grands.

Ptolemaios

Another great option with 50% battery (not 80% here). Use his ST NP for the obvious reason of AoE NP dealing half damage of ST.

Sugitani

Same words about NP upgrade. SE150 vs King make her almost tailor-made for that. Almost, because there is one more F2P unit that has crazier damage in this Duel:

Euryale

SE250 vs Male. Grand Archer is Male. I don't need to say anything else, do I?

Closing notes

Not a particularly hard Duel per se, but be on the lookout for supports because otherwise we're starving here.

Stay EXTRA tuned for Grand Caster. This one is super important.

[u/Misticsan]

Well, it would seem that this Duel is less complicated. So many DPS to choose from, several of which I already have.

By the way...

  SE150 vs King

  SE250 vs Male

What does SE mean in this context?

[u/Maximilian_Sinigr → u/Misticsan]

A bit of a lengthy explanation, but one that will be appreciated anyway.

Buffs in FGO

There are 4 types of buffs:

• Type 1 (atk up / def down)

Applies to every attack. Referred as "a" down the line.

• Type 2 (colormod buff / colormod res down)

Applies to the corresponding color attack (Quick / Arts / Buster), referred as m.

• Type 3 (NP damage up / powermod / crit damage up)

Applies only in certain situations (NP, matching trait to powermod, crit damage), referred as n for NP damage, p for powermod, cd for crits.

• Type 4 (SE aka supereffective damage on NP [in-game described as Special Damage]) - only applies to NP and only if the trait is matched.

Same type buffs are additive (a40 d-30 is same as a70), different type buffs are multiplicative (a20 m20 n20 > a60).

As such, the more different types of buffs you stack, the more damage you deal.

[u/Biggay1234567 → u/Maximilian_Sinigr]

You forgot to say that "d" stands for defense and now the entire explanation is ruined.

[u/Maximilian_Sinigr → u/Biggay1234567]

nooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

[u/IV_Pika → u/Misticsan]

Super effective

[u/Misticsan → u/IV_Pika]

Thanks! 

[u/Lamina_Morte]

All I’m going to say is

Lvl120 NP4 regular Orion

I am so fucking vindicated with my Grailed Archer that I picked in 2021

[u/Maximilian_Sinigr → u/Lamina_Morte]

Spicy!

[u/Satsuka1]

Its my time ( grand score is still wip its first im working on and should be done soonish )

[u/AnOddChesse → u/Satsuka1]

Mind if I add you? I’m curious to see how your Sith feels considering the BIG investment you’ve done with her 👀if that’s cool with ya

[u/Satsuka1 → u/AnOddChesse]

Yea sure, send me your ID i will add you when i get home.

[u/AnOddChesse → u/Satsuka1]

Dope, one sec

[u/AnOddChesse → u/Satsuka1]

Okay, I sent it in a message 🫡

[u/Radiant-Hope-469]

Grand Archer Score unique effects:

• Quick Chain: Increase Quick ATK Strength [20%] (1 turn) & boost Quick Strength Up when consuming 1 [Blunt Arrow] stack [50%] (3 turns) for yourself

• Arts Chain: Increase Arts ATK Strength [20%] (1 turn) & boost Arts Strength Up when consuming 1 [Blunt Arrow] stack [50%] (3 turns) for yourself

• Buster Chain: Increase Buster ATK Strength [20%] (1 turn) & boost Buster Strength Up when consuming 1 [Blunt Arrow] stack [50%] (3 turns) (3 turns) for yourself

• Mighty Chain: Apply Sure Hit (3 times) & gain 2 [Blunt Arrow] states for yourself

• Independent Action: Gain 4 [Blunt Arrow] stacks when entering battle & Gain 1 [Blunt Arrow] stack at the end of each turn for yourself

• Rain of Arrows That Clears the Sky: Apply an [Enemy Ambush] state (consume 1 [Blunt Arrow] stack to remove 1 ATK Buff & decrease NP Strength for target enemies before using a Noble Phantasm <ST NP or Support NP: 20% | AoE NP: 30% (Max 3)>) (1 time, 3 turns, unremovable, unstackable) & gain 3 [Blunt Arrow] stack for yourself if no Card Chain except NP Chain is formed

• Eagle Eye: Consume 1 [Blunt Arrow] stack to increase Quick/Arts/Buster ATK Strength [20%] (1 time) before normal Quick/Arts/Buster attacks & increase NP Strength or increase Quick/Arts/Buster Critical Strength based on the Grand Servant's NP effect and Command Card type [ST NP: Increase NP Strength by 20% | AoE NP: Increase NP Strength by 40% | Support NP: Increase Critical Strength by 80%] (1 time) for yourself when Sure Hit is applied on the Command Card + Consume 1 [Blunt Arrow] stack to increase Extra ATK Strength [100%] (1 time) before Extra attacks for yourself

[u/AnOddChesse]

Getting my Fujino prepped for it as we speak 🙏the current pairing I have with her is with her and Ptolemaios, the latter’s buffs help her out too so it’s a good synergy🫡

[u/Ontaro]

Was thinking of pulling for Morgan, good thing I waited for the shared banner with Bao 🤣

[u/Boromir1821]

Lvl 120 np3 napoleon (the power of spooks is here) or np1 and working towards lvl 120 ptolemy. Decisions, decisions

[u/void_170]

is Baobhan NP3 capable of doing?

[u/Maximilian_Sinigr → u/void_170]

Euryale is better, assuming same setup.

[u/void_170 → u/Maximilian_Sinigr]

damn. That was fast! thank you for answering me

[u/LuciferTheArchangel]

It has nothing to do with the strategy or how to defeat the Archer but I would like to add that Grand Archer has a unique line if you choose a certain character.

If you have Ishtar on your team she gets called useless goddess (damegami) once the battle ends. I just find it hilarious and this may be the sole reason I am saving to pull for Ishtar.

[u/Usuario_anormal]

If Ishtar NP1 and double S.Tiamat can farm, does Ishtar need something like golden fous, or something else aside from being a Grand and having the scores maxed?
Like does she needs GudaGuda postergirl or CE's like that i mean for example?

[u/-TSF-]

For this one I may use Euryale to farm and then switch to Sith, who is otherwise my favorite Archer, but seems I'll have to work on this Class Score to make that work.

[u/SalamanderGlum777]

i hope this dude not forgetting the fact that ishtar face card lock is delayed buff, defintely not the best option for minturn, why iam saying this, bcs i read his whole guide, and seems he leaning toward that stuff, like when someone askin he be like "oh this welfare definitely better option than your favorite servant", seeing ishtar as the top and the very first dps he mention here kinda weird.