A One Stop Shop For Archery Questions

[Monglor]

I looked, and I couldn't find one, so I was really hoping that somebody could explain the ranged weapons system for this game to me in some detail, essentially by answering the following questions:

1. Accuracy: How is the accuracy of a character with a ranged weapon determined? Is it their skill with that weapon? Their encumbrance? Their agility? Or some combination of the above?

2. What is the perfect ranged weapon build? Can you be an effective archer in heavy armour and a big helmet, or should it all be geared towards being light and agile. Has anybody got any success stories of playing the game through as a foot archer?

3. How is damage for bows worked out? I've heard that power draw gives you a damage bonus, but I also hear this only applies to bows over and above the minimum required, so that a bow requiring Power Draw 5 demands power draw level 6 to see a bonus. Is this true? If so does this mean that a low draw requirement bow with a very high draw skill is the better choice?

4. How does agility affect ranged combat, or does it at all? I'd imagine it can affect reload speed, but what else?

5. What are the penalties for ranged combat on the move and on horseback, to what extent are these mitigated by the horse archery skill?

6. Presuming a light armour and bow combination, working on foot, what is the best backup weapon? Is it best to keep the weight down for mobility and go with a light sword, or is some sort of anti-cavalry weapon like a pike better? I know this is subjective, but I'm fishing for ideas as much as anything.

7. How powerful can a character be with thrown weapons? Are the usable as a primary weapon or does their limited ammo make them only useful as a supplementary?

 

[Berpol]

1. Accuracy: How is the accuracy of a character with a ranged weapon determined? Is it their skill with that weapon? Their encumbrance? Their agility? Or some combination of the above?

I'm not fully sure but I think the most important is weapon skill, your encumbrance carries no penalty.

2. What is the perfect ranged weapon build? Can you be an effective archer in heavy armour and a big helmet, or should it all be geared towards being light and agile. Has anybody got any success stories of playing the game through as a foot archer?

Armor (or encumbrance) carries no penalty to your shooting, only on your running. If you wear heavy armor it is more difficult for you to avoid a melee fight but it's also easier to survive it.

3. How is damage for bows worked out? I've heard that power draw gives you a damage bonus, but I also hear this only applies to bows over and above the minimum required, so that a bow requiring Power Draw 5 demands power draw level 6 to see a bonus. Is this true? If so does this mean that a low draw requirement bow with a very high draw skill is the better choice?

That was for older version. Now you get a damage bonus up to the requirement + 4. So if you wield a short bow it's like this:

• Power Draw 0: You can't use it
• Power Draw 1: You get a bonus of 1*14%
• Power Draw 5: You get a bonus of 5*14%
• Power Draw 8: You get a bonus of 5*14%

4. How does agility affect ranged combat, or does it at all? I'd imagine it can affect reload speed, but what else?

No effect to my knowledge but I never studied it extensively.

5. What are the penalties for ranged combat on the move and on horseback, to what extent are these mitigated by the horse archery skill?

Horse Archery only counters horse speed, it does not help while moving on foot. With the horses available skill level 4 or 5 is enough for no penalty.

6. Presuming a light armour and bow combination, working on foot, what is the best backup weapon? Is it best to keep the weight down for mobility and go with a light sword, or is some sort of anti-cavalry weapon like a pike better? I know this is subjective, but I'm fishing for ideas as much as anything.

When I play a dedicated archer with 2 quivers I take a two handed weapon (Great Axe is my personal preference). You will get all kind of answers for that question.

7. How powerful can a character be with thrown weapons? Are the usable as a primary weapon or does their limited ammo make them only useful as a supplementary?

Because of the number of missiles it's only useful as a secondary weapon for the start of the combat.

 

[Lord Sami]

7. Thrown weapons can get pretty damn lethal with high Power throw skill (something like 7-10) and good weapon profiency in thrown weapons. But, as mentioned, the number of missiles you can carry is very limited, so personally I don't think it's worth the effort. Maybe for a dedicated foot soldier (say, something like a nord warrior).

 

[malthaussen]

Okay, I have an archery question.  At my current level and skill, I find it is almost impossible in actual combat to bring the aiming reticle anywhere close to an enemy in order to target a shot, and that the shot itself takes approximately four seconds to execute.  Is this a function of my character's ability, my own ineptitude, or is it an issue with the U.I.?  Or is it the way things are supposed to be?  I've seen remarks from users who can apparently shoot the eye out of a gnat at a mile and a half range.  I wonder how they do it.

  -- Mal

 

[Ringwraith #5]

1. Accuracy: How is the accuracy of a character with a ranged weapon determined? Is it their skill with that weapon? Their encumbrance? Their agility? Or some combination of the above?

Proficiency, Power Draw, and if you're on horseback also Horse Archery.

2. What is the perfect ranged weapon build? Can you be an effective archer in heavy armour and a big helmet, or should it all be geared towards being light and agile. Has anybody got any success stories of playing the game through as a foot archer?

A mounted one.

5. What are the penalties for ranged combat on the move and on horseback, to what extent are these mitigated by the horse archery skill?

There is no way to reduce the accuracy penalty when moving on foot. Horse Archery only affects accuracy up to 5, at which point you become as accurate on hoseback as you are on foot as per your other skills. Above that it only reduces damage penalties, with the last two levels providing a (very small) damage bonus. The exact formula is floating around the forums but I don't have time to look for it right now.

6. Presuming a light armour and bow combination, working on foot, what is the best backup weapon? Is it best to keep the weight down for mobility and go with a light sword, or is some sort of anti-cavalry weapon like a pike better? I know this is subjective, but I'm fishing for ideas as much as anything.

A bastard sword. Allows you to carry two quivers of ammo, has good damage, and also allows to pick up a shield from the ground in an emergency.

7. How powerful can a character be with thrown weapons? Are the usable as a primary weapon or does their limited ammo make them only useful as a supplementary?

Moderately. The ammo is severely limited, if you want to make a ranged character you're better off with bows or xbows.

Okay, I have an archery question.  At my current level and skill, I find it is almost impossible in actual combat to bring the aiming reticle anywhere close to an enemy in order to target a shot, and that the shot itself takes approximately four seconds to execute.  Is this a function of my character's ability, my own ineptitude, or is it an issue with the U.I.?  Or is it the way things are supposed to be?  I've seen remarks from users who can apparently shoot the eye out of a gnat at a mile and a half range.  I wonder how they do it.

Lots of Power Draw and proficiency on part of the character and lots (or rather LOTS) of practice on part of the player. For bows to be any good you really have to build the character around them.

 

[The Red Baron]

1. Accuracy: How is the accuracy of a character with a ranged weapon determined? Is it their skill with that weapon? Their encumbrance? Their agility? Or some combination of the above?

Accuracy is determined in bows by your level of power draw(as compared with the minimum) and weapon proficiencies

2. What is the perfect ranged weapon build? Can you be an effective archer in heavy armour and a big helmet, or should it all be geared towards being light and agile. Has anybody got any success stories of playing the game through as a foot archer?

In my opinion the perfect raged weapon is the masterwork war bow when you have 10 draw power.  YOu can be successful with heavy armor if you have high athletics, but its easier with light armour.

3. How is damage for bows worked out? I've heard that power draw gives you a damage bonus, but I also hear this only applies to bows over and above the minimum required, so that a bow requiring Power Draw 5 demands power draw level 6 to see a bonus. Is this true? If so does this mean that a low draw requirement bow with a very high draw skill is the better choice?

The damage that is given when you hold your mouse over the weapon is if you have the minimum draw power.  EAach additional adds (I thinnk) 4% to the damage but only for the next 4 levels.  So a level 3 draw power bow would be no more effective with 9 drawn power as with 8 or 7.  And it would be better to have more base damage, but it would be better to use whatever weapon gives you a tight reticle, but not too low.

4. How does agility affect ranged combat, or does it at all? I'd imagine it can affect reload speed, but what else?

Agility doesn't affect reload speed but weapon proficienties and draw power do.  Agility just makes you run faster.

5. What are the penalties for ranged combat on the move and on horseback, to what extent are these mitigated by the horse archery skill?

The reticle will be larger when you are moving on horseback.  The faster you are moving, the larger the reticle is.  There is no penalty if youn aren't moving.  Once you get 6 or 7 horse arcchery you can have a tight reticle while galloping on a spirited courser.

6. Presuming a light armour and bow combination, working on foot, what is the best backup weapon? Is it best to keep the weight down for mobility and go with a light sword, or is some sort of anti-cavalry weapon like a pike better? I know this is subjective, but I'm fishing for ideas as much as anything.

When I use a archer character I usually have 3 packs of arrows with my bow and then I can always pick up a weapon from fallen enemies.  This works well in sieges

7. How powerful can a character be with thrown weapons? Are the usable as a primary weapon or does their limited ammo make them only useful as a supplementary?

I only use throwing weapons when role-playing or if they're the only thing on the ground, but there better put to use as secondary weapons

-Red Baron

 

[QuailLover]

But nothing is as satisfying as to head shot a Nord from across the battlefield with a jarid.

 

[RalliX]

The Bow is honestly the best ranged weapon to invest your skill and proficiency point in.(because it can be the most powerful)
Throwing weapons are very strong, especially with good skill and proficiency, but they are also cumbersome and there aren't many of them per set.(which makes them good side-arms for heavy&light infantry(Which is what makes the Nord huscarl the best infantry in the game))

If you want good tips for foot archers, the best thing to do is to copy the best archer troops in the game, namely
the Vaegir marksman.    lets analyze them.

1.They generally have light armor such as a studded leather coat or a mail shirt.
2.Most of them carry a voulge or axe I.O.W. large two handed weapons.
3.they generally don't carry shields(because that limits theyre amount of arrows.
4.They have a very high strength attribute.(I checked)
5.They don't have very high agility attribute.

So that right there tells you alot about what an archer should be.

And yes, they are better archers than Nord veteran archers . (I checked )

 

[VinDogg]

A bastard sword. Allows you to carry two quivers of ammo, has good damage, and also allows to pick up a shield from the ground in an emergency.

that is the best goddamn strategy i've ever heard. i am currently whacking myself over the head for never even having come close to think of it.

 

[Kazdum]

I started using bow as just my secondary weapon for sieges while waiting for the towers to come close to the walls or just to randomly shoot people before they came into our lines of massacre, but after playing around ALOT with bow, my prof is at 315 and my power draw is at 7, I have power strike 9 because I was a former melee only character.

I could be better at the bow as far as my character goes, but I still think melee has it charms. Usually what I do in open field I usually play defensive, form the lines and wait for them to come, their cavalry comes first, its amazing to see how a good shot against a fully armored knight riding against you can just make him drop of his horse, for sieges you can kill 20-30 guys before the fight even starts.

So yeah, my next char I am considering playing a full time archer, its challanging, I like the foot archer tho, I hate mounted archers, I find them really really gay. Its really awesome to see yourself getting better at the bow, beign able to shoot a enemy target while surounded by 3-4 of your own men and head shot him, or drop a knight comming right towards you with a giant lance.