Best archer

ShadowHunter

I want to have at least one bad ass hardcore archer but I'm wondering who do you guys prefer ? And why ?

the_spyder

How about Charname?

so several things here. While Minsc makes a really good archer, for my money he is one of the best Tanks in the game. So why split your time with him?

Imoen makes a competent Archer, but there are absolutely better archers out there (Kivan, Coran, etc...).

Also, what alignment are you playing? Who else are you taking along. All of these factors will play into the "Best Choice".

koalabob

Dorn.

It was mentioned in another post, but with two proficiency points in Compositie Longbow along with ability to use his Blackguard poison at range, Dorn makes a pretty decent archer. Plus when he needs to he can wade into melee with no problem.

DJKajuru

I know people are gonna argue a lot about attack rolls and damage... I just know that Kivan is a born archer from the beggining.

TJ_Hooker

Shar-Teel, but only because I cheated and re-assigned her proficiencies to make her start with ** in longbows, allowing her to reach grandmastery if you dual her to a thief. I did so at level 7 so she'd get the extra half an attack. With Longbow of Marksmanship, arrows +2, and gloves of weapon specialization, she gets 7/2 APR, around 3 THAC0, and does 12-17 damage per hit. I haven't actually run the numbers on the other NPCs to compare, but I think it'll be hard to do much better. Her personality is kinda unpleasant though...

n0class

I'm leaning towards Coran. Not only does he have the super-elven 20 dex, but he gains further bonuses to bows due to being an elf. That he can also cover the thieving for a party makes him both deadly with a bow and versatile. His biggest downsides being that you acquire him late and he levels a bit slow (dual classed)

I'd say Shar-Teel is a close second. She levels faster due to being single classed, she can be dualed to a thief, you can get her extremely early, she can reach grand mastery, high natural strength if you wanna sneak in a backstab/carry more loot etc. Her biggest downside is the retarded proficiency points she starts off with.

It's not that Shar-Teel is bad, it's just that Coran is awesome. I think Coran was designed to take the master archer trophy, were there such a thing.

Edwin

Rainbow Dash

Kortok

Coran is the best archer and it has been proven many times.

UnknownQuantity

Coran beast Kivan because he has higher dex (illegal dex) and also get to specialize in bow (illegally) Kivan gets only one thac more thac reduction from level I believe. I think multi class fighters get to level 7 and single class Rangers get to 8. Coran also has the same bonuses for being and elf. There is a longbow in the game that has a higher thac than the composite longbow +1 and only 1 less damage bonus. With that in mind I don't think being able to wield the composite longbow because of strength is much of an advantage.

EnterHaerDalis

another one of these threads

Coran is #1
Kivan is #2

simple.

DarkDogg

Coran ofc.

ShadowHunter said:

I want to have at least one bad ass hardcore archer but I'm wondering who do you guys prefer ? And why ?

But where's Montaron? Or slings doesn't count?
He's way better with slings than some guys in the poll with bows.

moopy

@EnterHaerDalis

Wouldn't Khalid be a better archer than Kivan by level 6 if you put his proficiency at level 3 and 6 into longbows (he starts with 1) giving him mastery?

Deucetipher

Coran in Vanilla. I almost said Kivan because I'm so used to playing with the BG1NPC Project, which gives you kit options. Kivan winds up with four pips in bows, and an additional +2 to hit and damage from the archer kit, while retaining the ability to use the heavier bows.

SirK8

My real vote is for CHARNAME as archer kit

EnterHaerDalis

moopy said:

@EnterHaerDalis

Wouldn't Khalid be a better archer than Kivan by level 6 if you put his proficiency at level 3 and 6 into longbows (he starts with 1) giving him mastery?

Khalid is better than Kivan when he is level 7, and Kivan is level 6.

Once Kivan hits 7 he reclaims the spot. Khalid is a much more inferior archer for 95% of the game so it's impossible to give him the silver medal.

deltago

you really could make an argument for either Coran or Kivan. But on paper, and just looking at archery, Coran is better.

I prefer Kivan because you get him earlier in the game, has a higher strength so he is decent at melee (and can carry more crap like dead bodies) and can scout with his stealth just as well as Coran. He can also charm animals, while Coran just tries to charm the ladies.

Dazzu

EnterHaerDalis said:

moopy said:

@EnterHaerDalis

Wouldn't Khalid be a better archer than Kivan by level 6 if you put his proficiency at level 3 and 6 into longbows (he starts with 1) giving him mastery?

Khalid is better than Kivan when he is level 7, and Kivan is level 6.

Once Kivan hits 7 he reclaims the spot. Khalid is a much more inferior archer for 95% of the game so it's impossible to give him the silver medal.

I demand math. 'Much more inferior' certainly can't equate to less than 1 or 2 THAC0... so prove it.

IkMarc

Coran and it's not even close.

I made a custom cheese character archer with fully optimized stats for longbow. Elf, fighter, 18 dex, longbow proficiences etc. She only outdamages Coran by 1 point.

Dazzu

@IkMarc
Why aren't you using Archer kit and 19 dex?

Wilbur

With the tome you could bump his dex to 21 for a 4 bonus to ranged thac0.

Xavster_Songsteel

None of the above
Eldoth is a consistent archer and I need the extra bard spells.

[Deleted User]

The user and all related content has been deleted.

DarkDogg

160k xp
PCs Elfs with 19 dex






PC elven archer is the best overall
PC elven Fighter - slightly better than Coran. But no thief skills.

Coran is the best NPC archer overall + better AC + in melee can BS
Kivan - 2nd. But a good archer too. With a Halberd LMAO
Montaron is very good with slings + in melee can BS.

Slaya5

Corans the best archer in the whole game including BGII.

BlueSorceress

I vote Khalid - because he's the only one out of the top three or four whose personality I can tolerate for long periods of time. His earnestness is adorable, and his interactions with Jaheira are cute.

I have Kivan in my party for the first time this play-through and I want to strangle him every time he says "Don't bother me," or "What do you want?" when I select him. I know he's supposed to be grieving his lost love, but he sounds more like a sulky, resentful emo teen. As for Coran, he's super-duper good to have in the party, but he's sort of skeezy and if I do have him I dump him after the quest for Brielbara in Baldur's Gate so that he can take care of his kid like he should.

DarkDogg

BlueSorceress said:

I vote Khalid - because he's the only one out of the top three or four whose personality I can tolerate for long periods of time. His earnestness is adorable, and his interactions with Jaheira are cute.

hahaha
But who is THE BEST ARCHER anyway?

Zutti

@DarkDogg

Should really use the character sheet rather than the inventory screen. I dunno about your install, but my inventory screen often shows incorrect thac0.

FrozenCells

Coran's best statistically, and also just a plain better character since he has thief skills, backstab and can do well in melee with a Spider's Bane and Gauntlets of Ogre Power. It's quite a sweet group setup to run him with the gauntlets alongside Kivan with the Bracers of Archery and a Halberd for melee. They end up being pretty equally sick both at range and up close and will just mow everything down.

DarkDogg

Zutti said:

@DarkDogg

Should really use the character sheet rather than the inventory screen. I dunno about your install, but my inventory screen often shows incorrect thac0.

Just checked - everything is 100% correct.
Same numbers.

IkMarc

Dazzu said:

@IkMarc
Why aren't you using Archer kit and 19 dex?

Sorry, I meant 19 dex. Fighter cause of weapon proficiency.

Quartz

Coran is technically a better archer than Kivan. However I typically prefer Kivan because Kivan is a more versatile character due to his high Strength. Kivan is a great archer, but still good in melee. Coran is an amazeballs archer, but horrible in melee. That said, if you give Coran one of two certain strength-enhancing items, then there you go, Coran is amazing all around.