Are Archers Worth It?

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I was wandering, isn't a fighter with a grand mastery in bow a better ranged character than the Archer? I'm not complietly sure what bonuses the archer gets (and I'm too lazy to search now), but I'm almost certain he does not get any speed bonuses. However if you have a grandMastery that means that you get -1 to speed and +1 attack per round. Also some good to hit and damage. Yes Archers have a "called shot" ability, but it's almost usless IMO. I mean what good is a -1 to wisdom to an orc? If it lasted long enough you could probably kill a 15000 HP monster with only a few hits (just like the mindflyers suck your brains out), but it only lasts for a few seconds.
Any thoughts?

 

AFAIK - The special ability, called shot, has a variety of affects, which vary depending on your level. So the decrease in wisdom is just one affect of many. Archers also get the special abilities that rangers get - eg a few priest spells - cure light wounds and find traps are *very* useful. There is also of course the charm animal ability, which is fairly useful, as well as hide in shadows, which you would be able to use all the time as you cannot wear metal armour. I would personally go for the archer, but its up to you.

 

Well I'm not going through BG2 one more time. I was just wandering.
And about the Archer - all the effects which called shots do are just int drain, wis drain, or in one word they all drain stats. Find traps isn't that useful since you can't disarm the traps, and I have a thief for that job anyway. Even if I were planning to solo, I wouldn't be able to be always detecting for traps, I'd be doing it just when I know there is a trap. But if I know where it is just detecting it without being able to disarm it is worthless. Cure light wounds isn't that usefull at all since it can't be used in battle (well it can, but since it heals only 1-4 HP it won't make much of a difference). The animals in BG2 aren' that strong so I don't see the use of a charm animal ability. I don't need to hide in shadows since I won't be a melee character.
The reason I created this topic was because I was wandering if the combat bonuses of an archer are bigger than of a fighter with a grand mastery with bows.

edit> Oh and by the way what's AFAIK?

[This message has been edited by Vicsun (edited June 30, 2001).]

 

* +1 to hit and +1 to damage with any missile weapon for every three levels.
This results in +5 To hit/+5 damage at level 15.
* Archers can get Grand Mastery (five stars) in Missile Weapons.
* Called Shot is not very useful, I agree.

Conclusion: Archers are clearly better at bows than a fighter can be.

* CLW heals 8 HP's, not 1-4.
* AFAIK = As Far As I Know
* A few other:
IIRC = If I Recall Correctly
IMHO = In My Humble Opinion

 

IMHO archer is the best class for beginners in BG2 who never played BG1, IWD or PT.

 

Are you sure about that? I mean I played BG and IWD(the first chapter) and HOW but I still think the archers are REALLY good.

 

Oh I just didn't know that archers can get a grand mastery in ranged weapons. If that is so they are cleary better than a fighter. Does that include crossbows?
Perhaps I'll play ToB with an Archer when I get it and finish it with my imported fighter/thief

 

Yes. Achers can get grand mastery in ALL ranged weapons except throwing daggers and axes.

 

Great that means you can be a grand master with a sling.
Doesn't have that devestatingly awsome affect does it?

 

While I'm not sure it is the best way to go, grandmastery in the sling is not the worst thing in the world. As an archer you would have ...

multiple attacks per round.
could use sling of seeking and get strength bonuses to damage, in addition to your archer bonuses, and magic bonuses, and grand mastery bonuses.
could use the sling of everard and get +5 weapon attacks
Use a shield in the off hand

maybe not the best choice, but no one could use a sling better than an archer, and it might be good to have him using the sling of everard against Adamantine golems and the like.

 

There is a problem ... I once tried an archer using a sling. The sling is somewhat underrated and misunderstood by the BG-2 developers despite the fact that they are formidable weapons. The archer as the ultimate "ranged weapon god" can only become grandmaster with crossbows, shortbows and longbows - using slings he is restricted to ** like a normal ranger - I think that´s a bug. Well - imho slings as weapons are just as ranged as crossbows or bows ... GAME DEVELOPERS !

Another slinbg bug is that a cavalier actually can use a sling with ** (just like - iirc - throwing daggers and throwing axes as well) although he shouldn´t be able to use a ranged weaopon at all.

[This message has been edited by Ragusa (edited July 03, 2001).]

 

I do believe that throwing daggers and axes is not considered a ranged weapon because you could use it as melee as well.

 

Hmmz a topic about Archers and BTA didn't reply? Strange