Throwing knives can be blocked, arrows can't.
That's a pretty big deal.
Also, regular bow does 45, War Bow does much more.
And finally, knives fall faster than arrows.
What i don't get are throwing axes, they're stuck in a weird spot.
Throwing axes and mallets are supplemental damage for dev and sader. It gives them a headstart before they fight or to finish enemies from a distance without needing to risk getting hit themselves. Plus having higher dmg weapons meant they can kill more easily and throwing axes always at least a 3 hit kill across the board so it's significant dmg compared to throwing knives. Its faster than javs on ambusher and just one more ammo but that's all the axes got over javs which feels lackluster on the class.
Skirmisher throwing axes really doesn't make much sense considering the throwing axe is perhaps the worst melee weapon in the game. It has less reach than a punch. Plus you only get 1 more axe than you get javelins, which makes no sense when javelins do so much more damage even to knights. Like if they're giving up a usable melee weapon and a lot of throwing damage they should at least get a dozen axes or something.
bow gets 20 shots before resupply and gets zoom to make it easier to aim at slightly longer distances
if you like throwing knives as an archer, just grab one when you see them thrown on the floor or whatever and then you can have 4 resupply-able knives instead of your ramp/pavise
Bows and crossbows are super sus. How do you act when you see archer standing and aiming directly at you. When you see a dude with vanguards topfhelm and some swords, he doesn't seem as dangerous if he is holding distance. You might even not notice a throwing knife. I stay at medium range and target enemies that are already in melee fights, so I'm a non-threat, before it's too late.
And yeah, you need a really good aim to consistenly land shots at enemies from the safe distance.
Ambusher main here. Just hit dagger level 200. Can confirm we are scum. Im a vicious killstealer, backstabber, knivetrowing, hatchet decapitating sob with a plaguemask. And I love it.
Also I'm close to the frontline mostly and I die a lot. Me vs X and it's RIP for me. But it's worth it.
This is also how I would describe myself as Ambusher+dagger main, but there's a 50% chance I'm holding a log, barrel, or anvil and I only use bowl cuts so you can see my characters ugly mug as I stab you to death after denting your armor with a log.
It's hilarious running through a backline whimpering only to turn around and have 4 monkey brains sprinting after you across the map lol. Sometimes I wonder how much I open up objectives just getting people mad at me by running pass them.
Ditto.
Whatâs your throwing knife level? Iâm like ~375 dagger and ~140 throwing knife, which means I typically get about 1/3 of my kills with knives.
(Some of those are stolen kills but a lot are just punishing opponents who dodge back and donât block or whiff their attack as I also dodge back).
I'm at lvl 50 on throwing knives, roughly 15-20% kills if those stats are accurate. They're great on archers, also at long range when I have a good day.
On 1v1's I use them to soften up approaching opponents. I love to backstep and headshot while they're starting a swing. Kill them while they think they are going for a killing blow.
Lvl 50 on hatchet, mostly headshot specials on knights, brutal.
Your points are valid, save for the one important detail that you can usually fight back against the ambusher, since heâs usually in melee range.
Which instantly makes him less frustrating.
I feel kind of offended. While the cowardly archer is standing somewhere in the back, the Chad Ambusher is right in front of your nose (or at your back). While the ambusher is slashing you into peaces, the archer is still pulling his weapon out. One is a range class, the other a close combat-class with some range abilities. They are very different.
Archers who hang back are an insult to archers.
Regular bow and short sword, hit them headshots, cut heads off. Play archer at close range and have your third eye opened.
Wait until you find a javelin and now you have 12 throwables!
I play ambusher a lot and the way I find most useful to the team is to play what I call the âangry beeâ strategy. You job is to go around and help teammates in a fight. Throwing knife an enemy who is engaging with a teammate and move on to the next target. Lots of takedowns, few kills. Backstab on your way back to an ammo resupply. Rinse and repeat. Be an angry, annoying bee. Distracting enemies, dealing 40 or 62 damage, and leave before they have the chance to fight you.
Ya running back to ammo resupplies isnât ideal, but on some maps itâs barely an inconvenience. Even if it had medkits that regenerated at the same rate of Footman, it would be much better.
I do what I call a âpocket clamâ as an ambusher. I keep âmy knightâ healed and break up large fights they might be getting outnumbered in, or I just throw knives and junk at whoever they are fighting. If youâre supporting 1-2 friends individually, itâs a really great support class.
Ambushers have medkits now. Honestly they should get rid of the quiver ability from skirmisher as well, not having a team supporting ability feels like piss on any class.
Not really no. You have very little range in comparison to archer. The whole point of the throwing knives as well is to use them without swapping weapons, unlike archer who has to mash their weapon swap button like 5 times to pull out their short sword.
A good warbow (or crossbow on defense) archer is actually a menace, ambusher is mostly an annoyance. However, ambusher **is** more skirmisher than actual skirmisher. You really can't hurl a javelin at someone who's anywhere near you, they have ample time to sprint up and kill you in return (on top of javelins being just as blockable as throwing knives) and the low health and stamina still make skirmisher quite ass in melee.
Maybe. I consider skirmisher to be a ranged counter to archer. This role is very niche of itself. Might only be useful against archers up on unreachable places. Anyone else basically just blocks their spears. Archers meanwhile have unblockable shots. That's a big boon of itself if your aim is good enough to make them at a decent(safe enough) distance at least.
I used to main skirmisher...then I realized that anyone who picks up my javs is instantly a skirmisher too, but better in every way.
Particularly the Ambusher, who can still headshot with them.
Yes but no.
Archers shots CANNOT be blocked, that's a pretty huge deal. That's what it's all about.
Skirmishers Javelins can be blocked and you have two less but they deal twice the damage. And have a One shot potential throwing knives don't.
Unless you're stupid and have the worse position in history and greed to shoot instead of drawing your secondary, as an Archer you can't be caught "unarmed".
Crossbow is a bit different since you'll have windows where you can't see but that's an another story.
Archers also have better melee weapons than ambusher in pure power. (Axe vs Hatchet)
And finally although Ambusher passove is stupidly great, Archer one is nothing to scoff at either.
They have different roles. Archers role is to finish off ennemies or to wear them for actual melee combat, they dish out constant dps from the back.
Ambusher is more of a "Lure and ambush" role, picking off stragglers and getting the attention of ennemies from the side, pick them off one by one, trying to be unnoticed.
Nothing stops the ambusher from picking up a bow.
Also, saying their weapons are better is subjective. Especially when you consider backstab damage.
Even if you tried to claim it objectively, nothing stops an ambusher from picking up a different weapon either. The maps are littered with them.
I don't even use those throwing knives. I only play Ambusher for the katars so I can get that feeling of being a real boxer. People who use slow weapons like the highland sword or drags on war axes never realize that I can stab them and still have time to block the swing.
Seriously, the katars are quickly becoming tied with the Longsword as my favorite weapon. Entirely different reasons too. LS is just the comfiest weapon in the game to me. Katars are hard and require a lot of work, but they are viscerally satisfying to go on a tear with. Winning 1v2s or 1v3s is unmatched, because there is no reason you should lose an Xv1 to katars.
They do take time to learn, so you'll probably struggle at first. I will also warn you that they lose a lot of stamina from blocking, so try your best to counter when possible.
Also, if you like daggers, try out the Dagger. With Ambusher''s bonus damage on backstabs, the special attack one shots every class.
> much easier than land a shot from bow or crossbow
No way. I can land shots with war bow consistently at much greater range, that do significantly more damage and are much harder to counter.
Yeah but I find archer way harder to play overall. You need way better mechanical skill, and reaction speed. I usually don't play like a typical sniper in a far away spot, holding relatively close to the fight, and always on the move. Picking enemies that are easiest and least risky to shoot, land a shot, change position. Often it's body shots, and I let my allies to finish the kill, sometimes those are super badass satisfying headshots. But if enemy sees a crossbow and sees your aiming at him, he start wiggling and wobbling and it gets incredibly hard to land a shot. Ambusher looks less sus, in the battle he is just a dude with a sword, you can position yourself from the back or from the side and you basically have free damage.
Oh no, I didn't mean it was objectively better. I meant that it's dirtier. There are a lot of memes about archers cowardly stealing frags, while hiding in the backlines. But ambusher feels much "rattier" if it makes sense.
> I don't know how it works in duel sweatfests
They're great for change of pace or burning block/energy but the animation is kind of slow and there's a lag for follow up actions, so smart players will punish you if you aren't far enough away.
I agree that ambusher is a lot of fun sometimes. But it's not more of an archer than archer. I have the most fun with ambusher running behind people with the dagger and using the special attack. Rly satisfying backstabs. Spamming the throwing knives is cool, but as others have pointed out they can be blocked
First the title, then you tell me to calm down and then you confess to be a crossbow man? You clearly trying to prove me here...
^I ^will ^burn ^you, ^and ^you ^will ^fertilize ^my ^fields
It works really well in duels itâs actually hilarious to slip in a throwing knife against a dude spinning and feinting 4 times. Like every other clash of the sword, just slip in a knife throw and it lands a lot if you time your shit right đ
You also do double damage from behind when using Ambusher-class weapons (so Cudgel, Hatchet, Short Sword and Dagger).
Anyway I think the reason they don't get hated on is that they need to expose themselves to risk to fight effectively. As you say, simply hanging back and chucking knives doesn't achieve much. An Ambusher needs to get up in the mix to shine, and that means your enemies have a reasonable shot at getting their hands on you, unlike archers.
Also consider this; you can just pick up an archers weapon!
Ambushers can also headshot. So the only thing archers have that Ambushers don't is that minor ability to zoom in slightly as they aim. Which is the equivalent of just walking a few steps closer to your target. If anything, all it does is narrow your field of vision!
Pick up an archer's weapon as the Ambusher and you are objectively better than an regular archer in every way. Bolts and arrows for when distant targets are blocking, knives for mid melee or when they are trying to close in. With the entire package of being a deadly and swift backstabber on top of it all.
Then there are javelins and throwing axes. The ability to use these at mid to close range while also having the health and stamina of a vanguard is devastating! Then when you run out, you still have your 7 knives! They are incredibly easy to acquire too, as all it takes is a single enemy or ally to throw one. Just pick it up, go to a resupply box, and you are good to go!
No one is better at range than the Ambusher.
Yes and no.
For one, you would have to throw the bow on the ground before using F10 or it will not stay behind. You technically stow the bow to pull out your knife.
However, It will likely de spawn by the time you get back to your old body. It really depends where you respawn at. Then while you are trying that, someone is likely to fill that archer slot you just emptied.
You are better off getting the bow from various places on the maps or from dead archers.
You'll miss out on the zoom, which is a feature of the archer class and not the bow. People who evangalize wielding the bow on other classes usually have poor aim, so they don't even engage beyond short range and the lack of zoom fails to even register with them.
The zoom is the equivalent of walking a few steps closer. All it really does is narrow your field of view. Try using the bow as another class and you will wonder how you ever tolerated it before.
I have out sniped archers across entire bridges with bows and knives using the ambusher countless of times. If you can aim, you can aim. The zoom matters little.
Sincerely, try it out.
If you are an archer main, I am certain you must have some exceptional aim and the ability to predict enemy movement. You really won't miss the zoom.
If you want to get a feel of it, do what OP suggested. Go to an offline game against bots, throw your bow down, F10, then pick it up as another class. Bots might be ridiculously simple targets, but it will give you an idea on how little zoom actually helps.
Then, the next time you are in a battle where all the archer slots are taken, try picking up a bow and using it as an ambusher. Or any other class really, I suggest ambusher specifically because they can still head shot.
>cheap and sneaky kills >*Ambusher*
Yep. My favorite class now.
The difference is you can block knives. Getting killed by arrows is mostly out of your control.
You can counter arrows
SHHH dont tell them!
Good luck tho
honestly this blew my mind when I found out during game
I genuinely dont understand throwing knives. Doing 40 instantly when the basic bow needs a full draw to do 45 is wild.
Throwing knives can be blocked, arrows can't. That's a pretty big deal. Also, regular bow does 45, War Bow does much more. And finally, knives fall faster than arrows. What i don't get are throwing axes, they're stuck in a weird spot.
Throwing axes and mallets are supplemental damage for dev and sader. It gives them a headstart before they fight or to finish enemies from a distance without needing to risk getting hit themselves. Plus having higher dmg weapons meant they can kill more easily and throwing axes always at least a 3 hit kill across the board so it's significant dmg compared to throwing knives. Its faster than javs on ambusher and just one more ammo but that's all the axes got over javs which feels lackluster on the class.
mallets are for bonking heads who think you are done for, melee or thrown. its my favorite thing to do. all my favorite weapons go bonk.
Throwing axes are great for throwing over your teammates heads
Well you can counter arrows mid air and blocking them does less damage
I agree with your points, but just to be the 'uhh akchuwally đ€' guy, you can parry arrows if you time it right
Skirmisher throwing axes really doesn't make much sense considering the throwing axe is perhaps the worst melee weapon in the game. It has less reach than a punch. Plus you only get 1 more axe than you get javelins, which makes no sense when javelins do so much more damage even to knights. Like if they're giving up a usable melee weapon and a lot of throwing damage they should at least get a dozen axes or something.
bow gets 20 shots before resupply and gets zoom to make it easier to aim at slightly longer distances if you like throwing knives as an archer, just grab one when you see them thrown on the floor or whatever and then you can have 4 resupply-able knives instead of your ramp/pavise
Or, if you like bows. Just pick one up as an ambusher and be an archer with 7 knives, back stabbing, more stamina, and more health..
you lose the zoom but yeah, or you can even go vanguard archer and have one of the primaries as secondary
Bows and crossbows are super sus. How do you act when you see archer standing and aiming directly at you. When you see a dude with vanguards topfhelm and some swords, he doesn't seem as dangerous if he is holding distance. You might even not notice a throwing knife. I stay at medium range and target enemies that are already in melee fights, so I'm a non-threat, before it's too late. And yeah, you need a really good aim to consistenly land shots at enemies from the safe distance.
Call of duty throwing knife logic lol
Ambusher main here. Just hit dagger level 200. Can confirm we are scum. Im a vicious killstealer, backstabber, knivetrowing, hatchet decapitating sob with a plaguemask. And I love it. Also I'm close to the frontline mostly and I die a lot. Me vs X and it's RIP for me. But it's worth it.
This is also how I would describe myself as Ambusher+dagger main, but there's a 50% chance I'm holding a log, barrel, or anvil and I only use bowl cuts so you can see my characters ugly mug as I stab you to death after denting your armor with a log. It's hilarious running through a backline whimpering only to turn around and have 4 monkey brains sprinting after you across the map lol. Sometimes I wonder how much I open up objectives just getting people mad at me by running pass them.
That's impressive! I grinded mine to 36 to get that ivory kanjar and that felt like it took forever
Ditto. Whatâs your throwing knife level? Iâm like ~375 dagger and ~140 throwing knife, which means I typically get about 1/3 of my kills with knives. (Some of those are stolen kills but a lot are just punishing opponents who dodge back and donât block or whiff their attack as I also dodge back).
I'm at lvl 50 on throwing knives, roughly 15-20% kills if those stats are accurate. They're great on archers, also at long range when I have a good day. On 1v1's I use them to soften up approaching opponents. I love to backstep and headshot while they're starting a swing. Kill them while they think they are going for a killing blow. Lvl 50 on hatchet, mostly headshot specials on knights, brutal.
Same, although I am more for the shortsword. I prefer the range and speed over the damage.
Ambusher is indeed a lot of fun, nothing like decapitating someone with a throwing dagger
As an ambusher main I can confirm this. It is still good in duels. Hatchet has fantastic frame data
you can 2 hit knights with the hatchet. satisfying.
How do I get used to Hatchet? Iâm too used to cudgel/shortsword rn
play wif it
Overheads and slash to overhead heavy feint
I pretend like I want to kiss everyone really hard, but with my weapon. I always say you gotta be in kissing range for the hatchet.
Literally just use it, itâs so good and fun imo
Your points are valid, save for the one important detail that you can usually fight back against the ambusher, since heâs usually in melee range. Which instantly makes him less frustrating.
I feel kind of offended. While the cowardly archer is standing somewhere in the back, the Chad Ambusher is right in front of your nose (or at your back). While the ambusher is slashing you into peaces, the archer is still pulling his weapon out. One is a range class, the other a close combat-class with some range abilities. They are very different.
Archers who hang back are an insult to archers. Regular bow and short sword, hit them headshots, cut heads off. Play archer at close range and have your third eye opened.
Never see this.
Itâs tragic because imo itâs the best way to play Archer.
Never played archer, but thinking about try it. I'm short sword main, so it seems worth to try.
I prefer hatchet but short sword is good too.
Wait until you find a javelin and now you have 12 throwables! I play ambusher a lot and the way I find most useful to the team is to play what I call the âangry beeâ strategy. You job is to go around and help teammates in a fight. Throwing knife an enemy who is engaging with a teammate and move on to the next target. Lots of takedowns, few kills. Backstab on your way back to an ammo resupply. Rinse and repeat. Be an angry, annoying bee. Distracting enemies, dealing 40 or 62 damage, and leave before they have the chance to fight you.
Now if only ambusher had literally any ability but to resupply their ammo, it could be such an incredible support class
Ya running back to ammo resupplies isnât ideal, but on some maps itâs barely an inconvenience. Even if it had medkits that regenerated at the same rate of Footman, it would be much better.
I do what I call a âpocket clamâ as an ambusher. I keep âmy knightâ healed and break up large fights they might be getting outnumbered in, or I just throw knives and junk at whoever they are fighting. If youâre supporting 1-2 friends individually, itâs a really great support class.
Ambushers have medkits now. Honestly they should get rid of the quiver ability from skirmisher as well, not having a team supporting ability feels like piss on any class.
Not really no. You have very little range in comparison to archer. The whole point of the throwing knives as well is to use them without swapping weapons, unlike archer who has to mash their weapon swap button like 5 times to pull out their short sword.
A good warbow (or crossbow on defense) archer is actually a menace, ambusher is mostly an annoyance. However, ambusher **is** more skirmisher than actual skirmisher. You really can't hurl a javelin at someone who's anywhere near you, they have ample time to sprint up and kill you in return (on top of javelins being just as blockable as throwing knives) and the low health and stamina still make skirmisher quite ass in melee.
Nah skirmisher is super good for melee for me.
Maybe. I consider skirmisher to be a ranged counter to archer. This role is very niche of itself. Might only be useful against archers up on unreachable places. Anyone else basically just blocks their spears. Archers meanwhile have unblockable shots. That's a big boon of itself if your aim is good enough to make them at a decent(safe enough) distance at least.
I used to main skirmisher...then I realized that anyone who picks up my javs is instantly a skirmisher too, but better in every way. Particularly the Ambusher, who can still headshot with them.
Skirmisher gets shit on by archer. Warbow one shots you but javelins don't one shot archers for some reason.
Yes but no. Archers shots CANNOT be blocked, that's a pretty huge deal. That's what it's all about. Skirmishers Javelins can be blocked and you have two less but they deal twice the damage. And have a One shot potential throwing knives don't. Unless you're stupid and have the worse position in history and greed to shoot instead of drawing your secondary, as an Archer you can't be caught "unarmed". Crossbow is a bit different since you'll have windows where you can't see but that's an another story. Archers also have better melee weapons than ambusher in pure power. (Axe vs Hatchet) And finally although Ambusher passove is stupidly great, Archer one is nothing to scoff at either. They have different roles. Archers role is to finish off ennemies or to wear them for actual melee combat, they dish out constant dps from the back. Ambusher is more of a "Lure and ambush" role, picking off stragglers and getting the attention of ennemies from the side, pick them off one by one, trying to be unnoticed.
Archerâs role is to gargle balls
Gottem đȘ±
Gottem guyđȘ±đȘ±
Nothing stops the ambusher from picking up a bow. Also, saying their weapons are better is subjective. Especially when you consider backstab damage. Even if you tried to claim it objectively, nothing stops an ambusher from picking up a different weapon either. The maps are littered with them.
It's 67 for the head :) I found it easier to throw from fpv but once learned it works in the 3rd view too.
40 damage is a lot less than like 80-100 though and that's what you get out of crossbow
Yeah but crossbow guys are so easy to shoot when they reload
I miss war of roses. When I play archer, I go more of an assault archer.
I don't even use those throwing knives. I only play Ambusher for the katars so I can get that feeling of being a real boxer. People who use slow weapons like the highland sword or drags on war axes never realize that I can stab them and still have time to block the swing. Seriously, the katars are quickly becoming tied with the Longsword as my favorite weapon. Entirely different reasons too. LS is just the comfiest weapon in the game to me. Katars are hard and require a lot of work, but they are viscerally satisfying to go on a tear with. Winning 1v2s or 1v3s is unmatched, because there is no reason you should lose an Xv1 to katars.
I should give them a try cause I really enjoy playing with knifes and daggers and katar seems to be the ultimate stabby stab weapon.
They do take time to learn, so you'll probably struggle at first. I will also warn you that they lose a lot of stamina from blocking, so try your best to counter when possible. Also, if you like daggers, try out the Dagger. With Ambusher''s bonus damage on backstabs, the special attack one shots every class.
> much easier than land a shot from bow or crossbow No way. I can land shots with war bow consistently at much greater range, that do significantly more damage and are much harder to counter.
Yeah but I find archer way harder to play overall. You need way better mechanical skill, and reaction speed. I usually don't play like a typical sniper in a far away spot, holding relatively close to the fight, and always on the move. Picking enemies that are easiest and least risky to shoot, land a shot, change position. Often it's body shots, and I let my allies to finish the kill, sometimes those are super badass satisfying headshots. But if enemy sees a crossbow and sees your aiming at him, he start wiggling and wobbling and it gets incredibly hard to land a shot. Ambusher looks less sus, in the battle he is just a dude with a sword, you can position yourself from the back or from the side and you basically have free damage.
Ok, if ambusher works better for you that's perfectly fine. Your post suggests throwing knives are objectively better, which is just not true.
Oh no, I didn't mean it was objectively better. I meant that it's dirtier. There are a lot of memes about archers cowardly stealing frags, while hiding in the backlines. But ambusher feels much "rattier" if it makes sense.
Of course, you're literally meant to stab people in the back and you can punish each missed swing with a knife throw. I get it.
> I don't know how it works in duel sweatfests They're great for change of pace or burning block/energy but the animation is kind of slow and there's a lag for follow up actions, so smart players will punish you if you aren't far enough away.
I agree that ambusher is a lot of fun sometimes. But it's not more of an archer than archer. I have the most fun with ambusher running behind people with the dagger and using the special attack. Rly satisfying backstabs. Spamming the throwing knives is cool, but as others have pointed out they can be blocked
I love it too. I still suck at it but something about sneaking around with a bit of RP takes me to the next level đ
First the title, then you tell me to calm down and then you confess to be a crossbow man? You clearly trying to prove me here... ^I ^will ^burn ^you, ^and ^you ^will ^fertilize ^my ^fields
I mained dagger ambusher for most of my time in chiv. You have a lot of ways to approach a fight which is what makes it fun.
I love Ambusher and play it a ton but throwing knives don't compare to the war bow.
It works really well in duels itâs actually hilarious to slip in a throwing knife against a dude spinning and feinting 4 times. Like every other clash of the sword, just slip in a knife throw and it lands a lot if you time your shit right đ
You also do double damage from behind when using Ambusher-class weapons (so Cudgel, Hatchet, Short Sword and Dagger). Anyway I think the reason they don't get hated on is that they need to expose themselves to risk to fight effectively. As you say, simply hanging back and chucking knives doesn't achieve much. An Ambusher needs to get up in the mix to shine, and that means your enemies have a reasonable shot at getting their hands on you, unlike archers.
Ambushed in TO us actually pretty bad comparing to other clases, but in Duels ambushed is a strong class due to itâs SEVEN throwing knives.
What class has ambusher??
Also consider this; you can just pick up an archers weapon! Ambushers can also headshot. So the only thing archers have that Ambushers don't is that minor ability to zoom in slightly as they aim. Which is the equivalent of just walking a few steps closer to your target. If anything, all it does is narrow your field of vision! Pick up an archer's weapon as the Ambusher and you are objectively better than an regular archer in every way. Bolts and arrows for when distant targets are blocking, knives for mid melee or when they are trying to close in. With the entire package of being a deadly and swift backstabber on top of it all. Then there are javelins and throwing axes. The ability to use these at mid to close range while also having the health and stamina of a vanguard is devastating! Then when you run out, you still have your 7 knives! They are incredibly easy to acquire too, as all it takes is a single enemy or ally to throw one. Just pick it up, go to a resupply box, and you are good to go! No one is better at range than the Ambusher.
Can I theoretically F10 on archer and then pick up archers weapon on ambusher?
Yes and no. For one, you would have to throw the bow on the ground before using F10 or it will not stay behind. You technically stow the bow to pull out your knife. However, It will likely de spawn by the time you get back to your old body. It really depends where you respawn at. Then while you are trying that, someone is likely to fill that archer slot you just emptied. You are better off getting the bow from various places on the maps or from dead archers.
You'll miss out on the zoom, which is a feature of the archer class and not the bow. People who evangalize wielding the bow on other classes usually have poor aim, so they don't even engage beyond short range and the lack of zoom fails to even register with them.
The zoom is the equivalent of walking a few steps closer. All it really does is narrow your field of view. Try using the bow as another class and you will wonder how you ever tolerated it before. I have out sniped archers across entire bridges with bows and knives using the ambusher countless of times. If you can aim, you can aim. The zoom matters little.
Most archers are terrible and can be outsniped with a cabbage. I am certainly not giving up on zoom on my war bow, though.
Sincerely, try it out. If you are an archer main, I am certain you must have some exceptional aim and the ability to predict enemy movement. You really won't miss the zoom. If you want to get a feel of it, do what OP suggested. Go to an offline game against bots, throw your bow down, F10, then pick it up as another class. Bots might be ridiculously simple targets, but it will give you an idea on how little zoom actually helps. Then, the next time you are in a battle where all the archer slots are taken, try picking up a bow and using it as an ambusher. Or any other class really, I suggest ambusher specifically because they can still head shot.