Best ranged weapons

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I prefer my halfling rogue equipped with ranged weapons. Would slings be better than crossbow? Which ranged/missle/trown weapons are the best?

 

Ranged weapons are a pretty horrible way to utilize your rogue in vanilla 3e, but if you absolutely must, there are some very nice crossbows and shortbows in the game.

 

Really? I know halflings gets +1 bonus on thrown weapons, is that wasted potential?

 

For the most part, yeah...

 

3E is a completely different game from 1st & 2nd edition which earlier games were based on. When flanking an enemy, you get bonuses to hit. Rogues get to use their sneak attack (that replaced backstabbing) as well, giving more damage potential than a fighter, although they tend to be glass cannons.

 

Getting consistent sneak attacks with ranged weapons is next to impossible though, at least in PnP. From what I remember, IWD2 isn't much more lenient.

 

I never saw a ranged sneak attack in IWD2.
I meant to have your tank/decoy on one side while your rogue flanks them with a melee weapon.

 

I know, I was just elaborating. You can't flank with ranged weapons anyway (at least by RAW).

 

In theory, your Rogue can sneak an arrow or bolt in while the monster is sandwiched between the Fighter and the Cleric.

 

Sounds like a cute exploit.

 

It would have to be a Precise Shot.

 

There are two types of ranged weapons in IWD2. The first type includes bows/crossbows/slings (basically anything that requires ammo), which are great for low BAB/low STR NPCs, and then there's the thrown weapons.
Thrown weapons include some of the strongest weapons in the game because range eliminates the need for constant re-positioning. Thrown weapons also gain power attack/rapid shot bonuses and strength bonuses (x1.5 in the case of two-handed throwing weapons) and some have X3 or better crit multipliers. You usually save these for warrior types or medium BAB classes with lots of hit chance/AB buffs (bards, clerics).

 

IIRC certain longbows give strength bonuses. The proper game term for bows, crossbows, and slings is a missile weapon as opposed to thrown weapons. Darts are thrown but do not give strength bonuses. They are low damage, but good for interrupting spells, though not much else.

Axes and hammers are the other two. The downside is a shorter range and they are heavy and comparatively expensive. IIRC the basic unenchanted throwing axe has an encumbrance value of 4, and the rarer throwing hammers are comparable in weight. With an axe thrower, you can't target the mage or cleric/shamon/druid in the back because you'll literally run into the enemy fighters closing the range, then take a -8 penalty to hit (-4 with precise shot) due to being in CQC. At least with basic throwing axes and the haft-over-head blunt axe. I think some of the magic ones are better, but you don't find a better returning axe until after the Ice Temple and magic throw-away axes are rare and expensive. Same with hammers.

I mostly collect the throwing axes found in Targos, then use them on the Orc fighters behind barrels when you first enter the Shangarn while my slingers, archers, and crossbowmen take on the orc archers and spellcasters. I only target the fighters first with axes if I don't have enough missile weapons to go around (rare), but once the threats are eliminated I use the axes to take out the orcs with impunity and free up some weight. I don't buy axes, but you get a few for free if you loot every box and barrel in Targos.

 

Slings and darts also add strength bonus and slings partly have bludgeon damage.
So buying sling(1gc)+bullets(1gc) or darts(1gc) in combination with rapid shot at
game start for high str/dex chars makes the start easier.

 

I'm pretty sure you get a sling for free somewhere in the docks. I know you get sling for free somewhere in Targos. However, you get very few bullets until the horde fortress, so it's worth buying a bundle.
IIRC, and according to to the dates in MPsave, I last played in 6/2013 to 8/2013 so it's been 2 and a half years, but I believe you get a shortbow, a light crossbow, a sling, and a heavy crossbow from looting all the containers in Targos. You can also win a longbow in the palisade area in the contest with the guys shooting at the keg. I'd load up to the save that indicates "heading for shangarn" to check, but I don't feel like digging out the CD and switching to the old computer. I can't play the game with Remote Desktop

Then again, a sling is only 1gp, so it hardly matters. It's not like buying an enchanted weapon. In the beginning of the normal game you really need to save your gold for scrolls and magic items, and usually plenty of weapons are provided. You shouldn't need to buy arrows at all, or bolts for that matter.

BTW, I've noticed that if anything, ALL the Infinity Engine games provide virtually limitless amounts of normal arrows. I've never purchased a bundle of arrows in either Baldur's Gate or Icewind Dale game unless I'm starting a 1st level party in Heart of Fury mode in IWD1, where I'll use ranged attacks to kill the beetles and level up before attempting to take down the goblins.

 

(spoilers ahead)
The best ranged weapons are the Slings and Thrown weapons due to STR bonus to dmg.
Most thrown weapons have short range; just half that of most ranged weaponry. This poses risks when AI sees you are nearby, decides they like the attack bonus vs. you because you are equipping a ranged weapon, and retargets.
So, despite using up bullets, slings are the best option. The sling and bullet combo also allows you to stack up the enchantments for better accuracy and damage. There is a returnable +1 Fire Bullet you can receive as quest reward from Lord Pyros (?) for giving him an antidote, which you can potentially receive twice during the quest. I reload for that reward, no matter how long it takes.
But, the best single ranged weapon is the +1 Flying Death axe. I believe it is bought in Kuldahar. It is 2-handed, and despite being an axe, it has the same long range as most other ranged weapons. Even better, it adds x1.5 STR bonus for being 2-handed. This can add up for a well-buffed, strong fighter. However, the +1 enchantment means you need to avoid targets that might be resistant. The Heart of Fury version Big Black Flying Death is +3 I believe.

I should add a modded item (install Light of Selune mod) bow with STR bonus to damage, that you can buy from a trader at the Wandering Village, but it requires a LGood Ranger to purchase. This 2-handed item gets x1.5 damage bonus from STR *and* accuracy from DEX, so damage can get really high even with just 16STR & 16DEX buffed characters. You can also buy a +1 (+5 enchanted) returning arrow with similar alignment restriction. It was worth adding a level ranger to my Paladin1/SorcererX during the mid game, and it was her main weapon outcompeting most of her single-target spells. If you also happen to have a LG Elf with you, you will be able to read a book item you get for free from the trader, which then transforms into a necklace that grants ranged attack bonus.

 

It's been a long time since I played, but I could have sworn the game has some longbows that add STR bonus.

Am I thinking of IWD1?

 

I'm pretty sure a few do. I might be confusing this with IWD1 and the Baldur's Gate games, but I'm almost positive they kept it that the composite longbows gave strength bonuses. I don't know which others do so as well, or which of the named and magical ones.

 

Nope. Try that modded longbow, and you'll see the difference. Longbows just get the stated dmg bonus, no stat boost.

Icewind Gate 2 converts the BG2 story to ID2 engine, and converts every weapon with details. Every single converted bow specifies that there is no STR bonus to damage.

 

Playing with six characters and three of the use longbow and I have great time. Those three characters have low str, high dex.