Ranged weapons and their enchantments

Jnn

How do bows and their ammunition enchantments work. Say if you have non-magical bow and normal arrows then you're obviously unable to hit enemies that are immune to non-magical weapons.

Can i hit them by just getting +1 or greater arrows or do i need to upgrade my bow aswell.

normal bow and normal arrows = non-magical weapon
+1 bow and normal arrow = ?
normal bow and +1 arrows = ?
+1 bow and +1 arrows = magical weapon

And in BG2 where several enemies require +3 or even +4 enchantment on your weapon to get hit, how does that work with bows. If i have a +2 bow and +2 arrows is that equal to +4 enchanted weapon?

Or if i have a +4 bow and use +1 ammunition does that reduce its enchantment?

And what about ranged weapons that need no ammo. If i add ammo to them anyway does that switch their damage to that of the ammunition or does it make them even stronger.

Feel like a idiot asking this since i've finished the game several times but i realised i never actually made ranged heavy group which i now am planning to assemble.

Maalketh

As I understand it, the bow's enhancement bonus is what determines your to-hit bonus and the arrow's enchantment determines if you can damage an opponent with resistance to weapons up to +x as well as the damage the arrow deals.

So, to hit an opponent who requires +4 weapons to damage. you'd need to get your hands on +4 arrows, but you could fire them from an unenchanted bow and still deal damage.

As for weapons which produce their own ammunition, I believe that their ammunition counts as if it were a certain bonus of projectile. For example the Gesen Bow creates and fires its own +4 ammunition.

reedmilfam

@Jnn - The bow bonus and arrow bonus add (making your THAC0 better). However, for purposes of immunity, only the missile (stone/arrow/bolt/axe/dagger) matters. I think, but haven't confirmed, that the bow bonus adds damage, as well.

So, imagine if you have a +4 long bow and +3 arrows. You will get +7 on hit rolls (in addition to DEX or other (archer, for instance, or elven race on regular bows for another instance), and try to hit something requiring +4 weapons (or better) to hit. The target will be immune to your attacks, because the arrows are only +3.

To answer specific questions, a mundane bow with +1 arrows is a magical weapon

A magic bow with mundane arrows is a non-magical weapon

Hopefully I answered your questions. The bonuses of missile and bow combine, so they never downgrade or override one another.

As a side note, elemental arrow damage sometimes affects enemies that are immune to the piercing (arrow) damage. In other words, you may still be able to injure enemies with these arrows, even if they don't take damage from the arrow part. I learned this by accident with Flaming Arrows once.

Jnn

reedmilfam said:

To answer specific questions, a mundane bow with +1 arrows is a magical weapon

A magic bow with mundane arrows is a non-magical weapon

Hopefully I answered your questions. The bonuses of missile and bow combine, so they never downgrade or override one another.

Yep ty. Thats pretty conclusive