evaluating bows

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According to some people I´m a coward (The Mazzy discussion). I am using ranged weapons. Archer equals Bows and arrows!!!

I am wondering which bow you prefer.

Personally I am gettig along with "The elven court bow" but I am far from sure it`s the best.

Please note when you are able to get specific bows so I don´t run off for a bow that does not show up before chapter 6...
(I´m i cp. 3)

regards from Denmark

 

Nothing wrong with bows, ask Robin Hood or William Tell. My favourite is the Gesen Bow, of for Mazzy the Turgian short bow.
Its's amazing that in the later game a lot of the mages forget to put up protection from normal missiles.

 

It's funny...I haven't been using many bows lately.

My paladin character rarely usues his crossbow, and prefers to melee up close and personal. Same with Minsc, although he has a bow. I still have Yoshimo in my party, but since getting that Celstial Fury sword, he has been a terror! So he doesn't use his bow very much.

I also have Aerie, Viconia, and A mage I imported, and they all use slings to soften up opponents, then Aerie and Viconia wade into the battle using the Flail of Ages and the Wyvern Spike respectively.

So far, I've been working well without a straight sniper with a bow...But I'm still only in Chapter 2.

 

Does anyone ever use x-bows? In BGI they were vastly inferior to bows (no really good ones around). Now I've seen lots of very special xbows at the a-mart.
Is it worth wasting slots for them in BGII? Which NPC can handle them?

 

I have Jan using a x-bow but I only really use it when he's hurt and can't get too close to an enemy in mid battle. Would rather have him use the sword of backstabbig and the pixie knife up close but he just does not have the hit points to keep this up for very long. This may change now he has elven armour.
There is a fine x-bow in the adventurers mart but its 18 strength and I don't think Jan can use it but its +5 or +4.

 

I think its good to have both range and melle weapons.

I have Nalia who use a light crossbow +1. She's very good with it.

Imoen, who have a short bow +2 (i think) very good also

Anomen, He have a skull crusher mace but he also carry a sling +3.

There very efficient when there a lot of mages to attack. They make them loose their spells. That the biggest advantage. Because even if we love these weapons, we cannot say that they do a lot of damage.

 

I've seen Jaheira doing 40 damage on a critical hit with the Sling of Seeking +2 (strength bonus added to damage) while wearing one of the giant strength girdles. She never got that with a melee weapon. With vengeance! I love hearing that .

[This message has been edited by Thaumas (edited November 27, 2000).]

 

Jan with his own home made x-bow (and flasher masher ammo) is one option,
Keldorn is the other, tho' Syl would find it ignoble. Must admit when I play Keldorn he only uses the crossbow to cut down yellow circled enemies trying to flee. His arthritic knees aren't up to chasing mind flayers across caverns.
There are some great bolts around including lightning, biting and paralizing.

 

Don't underestimate the crossbow friends; there are lots of good ones.Few can beat Keldorn when he is using Heavy Crossbow Of Accuracy(THACO+5 damage+3?)when there is range and of course Carsomyr in melee.But is you will take the stan. bow my choice is Gesen,though its damage is low it doesn't require ammo which is a huge plus.

 

I really liked xbow in BG1--xbow of accuracy and speed with decent bolts did decent damage (really liked bolt+2, lightning, and polymorphs)--but they don't seem to be as usefull in BG2, except for Jan's, and his is special.

Best longbow has got to be Heartseeker +3. Best thac0 and damage+ than any other. The Mana bow is supposed to be +4 also, but I don't think it has the same damage+ as Heartseeker (I missed it in Nalia's keep, and it was gone when I went back, so don't know for sure).

Short bow for me (or Mazzy, that is) is a tossup: I like the Tuigan bow for its speed--only a +1 bow but fires 3 shots per round. Makes up for a lot of damage.
The better one for damage is the Tansheron bow: it's +3 and fires phantom arrows. Just a little slower.

So take your pick, it seems overall they both do decent damage. Mazzy was a little tornado with either one, then moved in for close work with the +3 short sword.

<I know; most of you guys don't like the "M" word--but I've developed quite a fondness for her!>

and "coward" is NOT in her vacabulary!!

 

i use Bows with a passion when it comes to my party. The Elven Court Bow is the one I use the most until I come upon the Mana Bow later in Chap 6 (found in one of the 3 updated map areas when you surface from the Underdark). Air attack from a ranged weapon is solid, tried & true, and nothing to apologize for. As noted in above posts heroes from different legendary tales have been Bow users. From Robin Hood to Lord of the Rings (the human who killed Smaug the Dragon) to Drizzt's adventuring group and so on. My CRPG method focuses on 1 up front fighter (occasionally 2) and the rest of my party is AIR assult. Which works for me.