weapon choice (bows)?

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What are the main considerations when choosing between two weapons?
I have found a couple of short-bows +1 and looking at their stats they cause less damage, but shoot fast than composite bows. Which should one use??

Does the magic ability of the bow influence the chance to hit monsters, that can only be hit by +1 weapons (I think only the ammo is considered to determin whether the weapon is effective).

On another matter:
I like my like axe swinging dwarf! Are there enough good axes coming up to raise the proficiency to +5 or should I first raise my Hammer to +2??

So many Quest(ion)s so little time!
ReLu

 

With fighters don't bother spending proficiancy points on anything but their main weapon. A dwarf with 5 points in his axe skill is waaaaaay better than a dwarf who spread his points out evenly. Just wait until you get the +4 axe.

 

According to the hint book, a short bow +1 has speed 5. That might be enough to interrupt a spellcaster, depending on the spell. You might keep it in reserve for when you need such a thing. That's the only real use for faster speeds.

Alas, it's the enchantment of the arrows that counts towards whether you can hit certain monsters, not the bow itself. Beware that the game has a limited supply of magic arrows, so don't go crazy using them.

You'll find plenty of good axes. Not random items, but standard. I'd say go directly for the 5 stars in axe. But keep a hammer handy for use on skeletons. I always start my tank dwarf with 2 stars each in axes and hammers so this question doesn't come up.

 

Thanks for the info.

Balin (my Dwarf) also uses a crossbow for soem ranged attacks. So he got one skillpoint in that category (only one left for hammers :-(

I have been reading about a returning throwing axe +2. Does that use the axe skill or the missile? Can you use this with a shield? It is a pain to take the crossbow out of the quickweapons in order to equip the shield on tougher battles.

CU
ReLu

 

Yes, there definitely is a Throwing Axe +2. It's one of my favorite weapons. Once you find this you won't use your crossbow skill at all. I use ordinary throwing axes as a ranged weapon until I find it, even though they're a nuisance to carry around. It's on the lowest level of Dragon's Eye, in a hidden room. It's a standard item, not random.

Yes, it's one-handed and uses axe skill. It's the only ranged weapon in the game you can get five stars in (although you need them to make it comparable to a good bow). Since it's enchanted +2, it hits almost everything in the game. It's like an unlimited supply of +2 arrows. It's also fast, good for disrupting spells.

 

A couple of other things to consider or more accurately 'expand' upon from other posts here are what Bows are found in IWD? What Crossbows are found in IWD and finally what Slings or Throwing weapons are found in IWD?

As pointed out already, when trying to hit a monster that requires magical weapons to hit -it is the magical + of the missile itself that counts. I haven't found any +3 Bolts or +3 bullets or +3 Throwing weapons. But if you handle things correctly you can have an abundance of +6 Piercing Arrows -which rock!

Another factor is (no pun here) the speed factor of a weapon. Which the fastest in IWD that I've come upon belong to Bows and Slings. Speed Factors of 1and 2 are common, which can disrupt more than a Spell Caster. They can be used for 'Quick hit & Retreat' when necessary. Therefore my *OPINION* is to invest in BOW Skills and SLING Skills. You find plenty of awesome BOWS and only a couple of SLINGS (for your ranged MAGE or Cleric attack) that have high +'s to hit but -deal FAST attacks. Granted there are the 'Crossbows of Speed' but I believe they are there to 'seduce' players into wasting Weapon Skill points. You can get around 3 attacks with possibly +2 Bolts & a slower speed factor than a BOW -which eventually you can get 5 attacks from to work with +6 arrows in the end of the game -where these issues are MOST important.

 

Well, Arrows of Piercing are only +3 enchanted according to the hint book. This doesn't really change anything (except your hype) since they're enchanted enough to hit anything in the game. They do hit Belhifet, but they don't do much damage to him.

The only other +3 enchanted missiles are Confusion Arrows and Static Darts. There are Inferno Darts which are +4.

 

Extremely small note here: The arrows of Piercing are + 4 to hit and +6 extra Physical damage if the target doesn't save. Not that this changes anything (cept if the Hint book states that these arrows are only +3, well the ol' saying is "you can't believe everything you read", especially if it's sold retail!) The +6 to hit implication in my above post reply was an err.

Long live the 'Long Bow'!


[This message has been edited by Draco Vlasavius (edited September 03, 2000).]