starting out fresh... for an SR would be nothing... as in solo it...
unless you already have a 56+ prophet, in which case use it... but overall an SE is better as a boxed buffer if you have a high lvl one, solely because of recharge
if you're just leveling, I'd say go full out +str+dex-con... you can choose between str/dex for the last point tho for an SR i'd go dex just to boast having the max dex in game :P
the boxed buffer would be helping carry arrows and stuff...
try and get your shots compressed if you are one of those who can grind non-stop for hours, otherwise you would have to run back to town every 1.5 hr or so
once you get rapid fire (the SR only buff), spam it. Remember to cast the cooldown reducing buff (spirit of Sagittarius?) before rapid fire :P the shorter range is irrelevant in pve
i also like using rapid fire in midsized/mass pvp, but only when a fight really gets going and we're not doing that kiting back and forth stuff <_<
I am MS 76 and it sucks that I dont have an SE to recharge me. Which makes it very difficult to find a grp. And it also costs alot of money wasting all those MP pots.
For solo-ing and hunting on spots where it drops herbs a pp would be fine too.
heals (major heal), recharge, clarity, agility, holy weapon, resist shock, party return (great for PvP, 'O crap moments).
then you got your buffer for all those major buffs you need: haste, zerk, btb/bts, etc.
4 people = really good fast killing late game, and if you get your buffer/healer to 78 you get PoF/Powater (nuker one). And really once your pp is 78 you wont need to XP it ever again. so your party can go from 4 > 3.
Pagens is great fast archer spot: oop pp, EE, BD, 3 archers. only need to sub in the PP with the EE/bd for zerk.
when I solo with my SR, I just go to a hunting ground with mobs that drops herps, and like that you will only have to box a prophet.! if i'm going to hunt a place where they dont drop herps i can still hunt for like one houre++ with out running out of mana, since i got cheap shot on my SB, and the once in a wile i pop a elixir of mana.!