[Ethelinde]

Get either 25 SPR rest DEX or full SPR. So what if mobs get to land a few blows on you? The point of DEX is meant for guild wars (where those idiotic fighters/clerics/even mages miss you 9 out of 10 hits). Also from my two archers it seems the one with higher DEX gets the effects on targets easier (bleed/poison/etc.) STR is absolutely useless in higher levels since critical hits easily make up for the meager 120~ damage. With a nature's agility scroll on top of your points in DEX and the percentage bonus (this means aside from points added directly you get even more bonus.. for example you have 400 base + 70 dex bonus from points you get another percentage added, say only 10% which would be 470 x 0.1 + 470 = 517 evasion. Not to mention that your aim also receive a percentage bonus. Never waste your points on STR and buy the "archers are supposed to do damage so heighten your damage" crap. If you want STR you might as well go full SPR, since full SPR archer do way more damage compared to archers with any level of STR. P.s. crossbow is the way to go for my recommended build. Ps with parties around my level I always do most damage. I outdamage and outaggro archers 10 levels higher than me at times. Also it's very important to party up with others early on to level as fast as possible, or things will go slow/painfully boring for you, but once you hit the mark you will rock in guild wars (is there any fun to fight mobs at level 60+ ?)

Also stats you should avoid: INT (duh), END (you are not meant to take hits, you kite and let your DoT do the killing), and STR (don't really need it)

Btw if you do decide to go STR either bow or xbow would work, but if you go full STR bow is obviously the best choice (you fire those 120~ damages at higher frequency).