Baldur's Gate 2 should have a better end game LONG BOW

Linkamus

For those that play archers, you know that short bows and Xbows are the way to go due to the gesen bow's +4 arrows, and the firetooth's awesome dps.

For BG2:EE I think it would be awesome to see an end game longbow option that makes it worth putting proficiency points into long bows for.

Perhaps allow Cespenar to upgrade the heartseeker to a +5 weapon, and make its once per day ability not only increase thaco by 7, but also automatically shoot +5 arrows for the 9 seconds the ability is active. Also make the ability usable twice or maybe three times per day instead of once.

Something to that effect...

Thoughts?

SionIV

At the end the problem isn't having a +5 longbow or such, the problem is the arrows and bolts. Even with a +5 bow you won't be able to hit anything that requires a high level weapon if we only have the +2-3 arrows.

So they would have to make something like Geasen that shoot it's own arrows and they should atleast be +4.

But with the exception of throwing daggers and axes, the ranged weapons in BG2 really got beaten by the nerf bat. They were too powerful in BG1 and they are barely useful in BG2.

AendaeronBluescale

Linkamus said:

only increase thaco by 7

DECREASE THAC0... a lower THAC0 is better

Michail

Hm... Keeping in mind that as far as damage is concerned it is the arrow that matters, I think I agree. The longbows become almost redundant by the end of the game. Adding an extra weapon or two should be allright by the game license... (The upgraded Taralash +5 doesn't quite cut it. THACO: +5 but no damage bonus or infinite ammo. The Strongarm +2 gives +3 damage, but it's not enough to make a difference).

Linkamus

SionIV said:

At the end the problem isn't having a +5 longbow or such, the problem is the arrows and bolts. Even with a +5 bow you won't be able to hit anything that requires a high level weapon if we only have the +2-3 arrows.

So they would have to make something like Geasen that shoot it's own arrows and they should atleast be +4.

But with the exception of throwing daggers and axes, the ranged weapons in BG2 really got beaten by the nerf bat. They were too powerful in BG1 and they are barely useful in BG2.

Yes, I'm aware of this, this is why I suggested to addition to the ability the bow already has. Also, I have always found archers very very useful in BG2, and can dish out really good damage too.

SionIV

Michail said:

Hm... Keeping in mind that as far as damage is concerned it is the arrow that matters, I think I agree. The longbows become almost redundant by the end of the game. Adding an extra weapon or two should be allright by the game license... (The upgraded Taralash +5 doesn't quite cut it. THACO: +5 but no damage bonus or infinite ammo. The Strongarm +2 gives +3 damage, but it's not enough to make a difference).

It doesn't help that the throwing dagger got more APR than a longbow, higher damage and you can use a shield aswell.

ZanathKariashi

A 3rd upgrade for the quiver of plenty might help.

Mix The Quiver of Plenty +2 with the Eye of Tyr and get a Archon's Quiver. Generates infinite Archon arrows (+3 damage, +5 hit, Deals 2d6 bonus damage vs extra-planar creatures).

Assuming you went to Sendai's place first, you could get it roughly half-way through ToB. And if you put off the Watcher's Keep (aside from the first floor) until then, you could even get a lot of use out of the extra damage bonus.

And it would give the Eye of Tyr a decent purpose....using it on Carsomyr for a Whooping +1 damage (+2 vs CE) is a waste, and since no one uses the Purifier apparently, it mostly just goes to waste.

SionIV

ZanathKariashi said:

A 3rd upgrade for the quiver of plenty might help.

Mix The Quiver of Plenty +2 with the eye of tyr and get a Archon's Quiver. Generates infinite Archon arrows (+3 damage, +5 hit, Deals 2d6 bonus damage vs extra-planar creatures)

That would be great.

Linkamus

What enchantment level would Archon arrows be? +4 ? That would kind of make shortbows useless at that point though wouldn't it?

ZanathKariashi

They'd deal +3 damage but strike as +5. + some extra damage vs stuff like Demons/elementals/etc (a nice little boon for Watcher's Keep and late ToB where ranged is really sputtering as a damage source for non-archers).

Hardly....it would simply make the Tuigan the best short-bow (3 base attacks vs 2) and the Strong Arm the best longbow (huge damage bonus from the bow).

The Tuigan would probably still be a little better...especially for an archer, but for the average joe, the difference is pretty minor and come down to nitpicking like 2 damage. Which is a HELL of a lot better then the current situation.

Linkamus

I suppose the Tuigan bow would still rock. I guess it depends on if you prefer IH + Critical Strike or whirlwind.

I support your arrow idea!!!!