Best bows to use? [Archive] - Wizards Community

Best bows to use? [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Tenken
10-15-04, 08:17 PM What do you guys consider the best exotic bows to use? What about non-exotic bows? What are some of your favorites? I'm just asking because there's so many books that has so many different weapons, so I don't even know where to look for the best ones. So if you can just give me some of your favorites, I'd be grateful. Please list the book that it's in as well.
antun
10-15-04, 08:38 PM you shouldn't always go for the best of the best... use a bow that u like, it doesn't have tom be the best one there is... optimising is gooood, but it shouldn't be the only reason for chosing your weapon of choice.
antun
TempestofLesserDoom
10-16-04, 12:57 AM The problem with bows is really the damage. If you dont have a Mty Comp Long/Short bow, then it stays at 1d8/1d6 unless magical or Wep Spec. Crossbows also have the problem of Hit/Load/Hit/Load, where you need to take a turn to load it, but it deals more damage. I think that 2d8 is better than a 1d10, but hey its up to you. (sorry if I am wrong on damage)
CruelDM
10-16-04, 01:25 AM You can fire a light crossbow every round provided you dont move more than 5 foot, and it has a higher damage dice compared to a regular bow. That said, a mighty bow is always going to be your best choice if you have any Str. modifiers, no other bow or crossbow allows you to factor in your Str bonus.
Thalis
10-16-04, 11:16 AM What do you guys consider the best exotic bows to use? What about non-exotic bows? What are some of your favorites? I'm just asking because there's so many books that has so many different weapons, so I don't even know where to look for the best ones. So if you can just give me some of your favorites, I'd be grateful. Please list the book that it's in as well.

uhm, i think the best bow is the composite great bow from Complete Warrior. it's superior to all other bows in all of the stats that matter (damage and range), except it's kinda costy and it takes an exotic weapon proficiency to use properly.

as far as crossbows go, it all depends, do you want to fire every round? then go with the light crossbow, as mentioned above. if you want heavy damage and range, but reloading takes more time, the great crossbow from Arms and Equipment Guide( or was it masters of the wild?) no, it's AEG. MotW is thne winch crossbow. it also takes an exotic wep feat too i think.

it all pretty much comes down to a matter of preference.
RodIshiCi
10-16-04, 12:31 PM That depends on what you're looking for. As far as damage goes, Composite Greatbow (Complete Warrior) and Bone Bow (Frostburn) both deal 1d10 damage, do x3 critical and have nice range increment, but have their limitations (you cannot use either mounted, for starters). On the bright side, since both are exotic, you qualify for Exotic Weapon Master prestige class (Complete Warrior) and can take the Close-combat Shot stunt, so you won't be subject to AoOs.
The Composite Longbow is nice too. Altough they do slightly less damage than those above, you can use from the back of a mount, and if you don't need to shoot from melee (or was going after Order of the Bow Initiate prestige class for other reason other than shooting from melee), you save up a feat. And there are no extra limitations on its use.
carnivore
10-16-04, 03:13 PM how about an elven bow:

look here for more ideas

http://boards1.wizards.com/showthread.php?t=322466

hope it helps :D
sembrin1
10-16-04, 03:21 PM The book is at a friends house atm, but isn't there some big d12 bow in the 3.5 Dragan book? Forget the name offhand, sorry.
argorond
10-16-04, 03:35 PM Great crossbow or what is it would be cool (races of stone) if it wouldnt take so long to reload it.
DragonsArt
10-17-04, 12:08 PM The Elven Doublebow is nice and you only need to take Improved Weapon Familiarity feat to get that, the Elven thinblade and the elven lightblade proficiencies.

Since it's an "elven" bow, you can use the optional rules from the website above to let it threaten 5' as a 2-handed blunt weapon.

The elven double bow allows you to load 2 arrows and fire them in the first round at -2. It's like getting a free rapid shot the first round of every combat... or whenever you have an extra move equivelent...

Now... interestingly... can this be combined with Multishot? If you preload it... you would get an extra shot at -2... and then the multishots as a standard action....

My brother plays an elven ranger who uses the Elven doublebow and it works out great.

Plus... when you roll a fumble... it means your string breaks in my campaign... with the elven double bow, you still have one string left... otherwise, you're spending a full round action to re-string the bow.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Tenken 10-15-04, 08:17 PM	What do you guys consider the best exotic bows to use? What about non-exotic bows? What are some of your favorites? I'm just asking because there's so many books that has so many different weapons, so I don't even know where to look for the best ones. So if you can just give me some of your favorites, I'd be grateful. Please list the book that it's in as well.
antun 10-15-04, 08:38 PM	you shouldn't always go for the best of the best... use a bow that u like, it doesn't have tom be the best one there is... optimising is gooood, but it shouldn't be the only reason for chosing your weapon of choice. antun
TempestofLesserDoom 10-16-04, 12:57 AM	The problem with bows is really the damage. If you dont have a Mty Comp Long/Short bow, then it stays at 1d8/1d6 unless magical or Wep Spec. Crossbows also have the problem of Hit/Load/Hit/Load, where you need to take a turn to load it, but it deals more damage. I think that 2d8 is better than a 1d10, but hey its up to you. (sorry if I am wrong on damage)
CruelDM 10-16-04, 01:25 AM	You can fire a light crossbow every round provided you dont move more than 5 foot, and it has a higher damage dice compared to a regular bow. That said, a mighty bow is always going to be your best choice if you have any Str. modifiers, no other bow or crossbow allows you to factor in your Str bonus.
Thalis 10-16-04, 11:16 AM	What do you guys consider the best exotic bows to use? What about non-exotic bows? What are some of your favorites? I'm just asking because there's so many books that has so many different weapons, so I don't even know where to look for the best ones. So if you can just give me some of your favorites, I'd be grateful. Please list the book that it's in as well. uhm, i think the best bow is the composite great bow from Complete Warrior. it's superior to all other bows in all of the stats that matter (damage and range), except it's kinda costy and it takes an exotic weapon proficiency to use properly. as far as crossbows go, it all depends, do you want to fire every round? then go with the light crossbow, as mentioned above. if you want heavy damage and range, but reloading takes more time, the great crossbow from Arms and Equipment Guide( or was it masters of the wild?) no, it's AEG. MotW is thne winch crossbow. it also takes an exotic wep feat too i think. it all pretty much comes down to a matter of preference.
RodIshiCi 10-16-04, 12:31 PM	That depends on what you're looking for. As far as damage goes, Composite Greatbow (Complete Warrior) and Bone Bow (Frostburn) both deal 1d10 damage, do x3 critical and have nice range increment, but have their limitations (you cannot use either mounted, for starters). On the bright side, since both are exotic, you qualify for Exotic Weapon Master prestige class (Complete Warrior) and can take the Close-combat Shot stunt, so you won't be subject to AoOs. The Composite Longbow is nice too. Altough they do slightly less damage than those above, you can use from the back of a mount, and if you don't need to shoot from melee (or was going after Order of the Bow Initiate prestige class for other reason other than shooting from melee), you save up a feat. And there are no extra limitations on its use.
carnivore 10-16-04, 03:13 PM	how about an elven bow: look here for more ideas http://boards1.wizards.com/showthread.php?t=322466 hope it helps :D
sembrin1 10-16-04, 03:21 PM	The book is at a friends house atm, but isn't there some big d12 bow in the 3.5 Dragan book? Forget the name offhand, sorry.
argorond 10-16-04, 03:35 PM	Great crossbow or what is it would be cool (races of stone) if it wouldnt take so long to reload it.
DragonsArt 10-17-04, 12:08 PM	The Elven Doublebow is nice and you only need to take Improved Weapon Familiarity feat to get that, the Elven thinblade and the elven lightblade proficiencies. Since it's an "elven" bow, you can use the optional rules from the website above to let it threaten 5' as a 2-handed blunt weapon. The elven double bow allows you to load 2 arrows and fire them in the first round at -2. It's like getting a free rapid shot the first round of every combat... or whenever you have an extra move equivelent... Now... interestingly... can this be combined with Multishot? If you preload it... you would get an extra shot at -2... and then the multishots as a standard action.... My brother plays an elven ranger who uses the Elven doublebow and it works out great. Plus... when you roll a fumble... it means your string breaks in my campaign... with the elven double bow, you still have one string left... otherwise, you're spending a full round action to re-string the bow.