Tips for Archer?

I'm not what you'd call an archer main, but I generally play with a defensive posture. I find that I play archer very well on only a few maps. Learning the exit and entry positions and traffic flow on every map you play on is very beneficial. Also, note that depending on the pressure you're applying to the enemy team, you will be targeted a lot. Especially as an offensive player. Learning how to effectively predict ninja's attacks and how to defend against them will be super helpful. As a midfield archer, don't run away from ninja's. Attempt to stand your ground as best you can. Avoid excessive bowspamming. Learn to switch back and forth between f5 and normal view. That way if you see a ninja pearl towards you, you can quickly respond to their attack.

 

My tip: keep your distance from the main action, high ground is always useful, and make sure to always try and shoot the flag carrier.

 

Biggest thing especially for starters is figuring out positioning. Like @Signifies said, learn where the enemy usually comes from and place yourself in the best position to be able to cover as many routes as possible either through a single spot or walking in between multiple spots. High ground is generally better. You can still be effective without being super knowledgeable about the class as long as you have good positioning.

On maps that aren't as open, if you choose to play archer it's the same concept but you will probably have to be in a more vulnerable position and have to spam shots down a certain route.

Being a good duelist isn't all that important until you start getting into more competitive gameplay, but make sure your strafing patterns are random and unpredictable.

Aim is more about muscle memory and comes with time.

Bow spamming can be annoying, but is generally not worth it over slightly higher charged, well placed shots.

Basically, just keep playing it and pay attention to where you are.

 

Hide, go far(30 blocks and more), get the high ground and make it rain arrows

 

archer is ez. shoot arrows in the battlefield and get a killstreak @Jalkar_the_Melon

 

Over time, you might want to practice the "instant 180 shot" too. As Archer, you'll find that once you're where you want to be located, much of the time will be spent having your bow fully drawn while you wait for a target to be shot at (unless you are blindly showering a bottleneck pathway with arrows -- which will make you gain a lot of unwanted attention pretty quickly, LOL)...but often a Ninja will pop out of nowhere or someone will find a way to sneak up and charge in to attack you from behind if you haven't checked behind you often enough, and right now the Archer bow has a knockback which can be the difference between finding your bearings during an ambush and being a helpless victim of a melee combo.

Practice strafing too. When fighting an Elf, the best ones will make a green bubble shield around them that will deflect all projectiles BACK at the attacker -- which includes your arrows as Archer...and all the effects are in favor of the Elf...including the snipe from a far enough distance (30+ blocks). So if you shoot and see that sparkly green shield bubble, take a few steps left or right (not toward or away, since the arrow will be moving along that path and will most likely still hit you).

I'm sure there are a ton of other fine-tuning tips too, but for the most part it's trial and error, practice, and knowing when "bowspam" is your only option and when bowspam will do nothing but get you far more disliked in game than you'd appreciate while playing Archer...lol. If possible, don't bowspam at all. Following up one arrow with another and another when an opponent can't move away is somehow not fine with other players even though doing the exact same thing with a sword is considered a skillful combo.