I just used Near Infinity Editor to add appropriate damage bonuses to all enhanced arrows in the game. Also changed both unlimited quivers a bit, so original one now counts as +2 and improved one (from ToB) as +4. Works pretty well for my archer and doesn't really feel too overpowered.
@Dream They haven't fixed the ammunition stacking on Gesen and Firetooth; if fact, I need to double check, but I think you can now apply the same glitch to the slings that have been changed to create their own ammo (though obviously this doesn't have a huge effect with sling bullets' low ammo damage).
Which ranged weapon comes out on top depends a lot on who is wielding it (except for strength bonus adding Fire Tooth, which pretty much beats anything in the hands of anyone who can use it). There are, broadly speaking, four categories of characters using ranged weapons:
1) Characters with high static damage bonuses and bonus attacks (Kensai/Archers) 2) Characters with bonus attacks but no major damage bonuses (Fighters, including multiclass) 3) Characters with high static damage bonuses but no bonus attacks (mainly Swashbucklers) 4) Characters without any significant combat bonuses
Groups 1 and 3 favor weapons with high base APR because their damage bonuses get multiplied by additional attacks. Group 4 favors weapons with high base APR because hitting more is better when you only do a little damage (The Crimson Dart is going to be more effective on a mage than a sling without a good strength). Group 2, on the other hand, favors high damage low APR weapons more than low damage high APR weapons because their additive attack bonuses reduce the proportional advantage high APR weapons get. In other words, while Tuigan hits three times as often as a sling for someone in group 4, it hits a little less than twice as often as a sling for someone in group 2. So a single or multiclassed fighter with strength 19 or better will tend to do more damage with a sling or thrown (strength) weapon (or ammo stacked Gesen/Firetooth) than with Tuigan.
A theoretical best damage ranged-specialized Charname is probably either an Archer using Tuigan (though before they start piling up damage bonuses Gesen+Acid Arrows would beat it) or a Kensai using Fire Tooth. When approaching the practical question of gearing NPCs, on the other hand, nearly all of them fall into groups 2 and 4, meaning they're likely to get more out of ammo stacking and weapons adding strength when it is possible to use those options.
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Works pretty well for my archer and doesn't really feel too overpowered.
Which ranged weapon comes out on top depends a lot on who is wielding it (except for strength bonus adding Fire Tooth, which pretty much beats anything in the hands of anyone who can use it). There are, broadly speaking, four categories of characters using ranged weapons:
1) Characters with high static damage bonuses and bonus attacks (Kensai/Archers)
2) Characters with bonus attacks but no major damage bonuses (Fighters, including multiclass)
3) Characters with high static damage bonuses but no bonus attacks (mainly Swashbucklers)
4) Characters without any significant combat bonuses
Groups 1 and 3 favor weapons with high base APR because their damage bonuses get multiplied by additional attacks. Group 4 favors weapons with high base APR because hitting more is better when you only do a little damage (The Crimson Dart is going to be more effective on a mage than a sling without a good strength). Group 2, on the other hand, favors high damage low APR weapons more than low damage high APR weapons because their additive attack bonuses reduce the proportional advantage high APR weapons get. In other words, while Tuigan hits three times as often as a sling for someone in group 4, it hits a little less than twice as often as a sling for someone in group 2. So a single or multiclassed fighter with strength 19 or better will tend to do more damage with a sling or thrown (strength) weapon (or ammo stacked Gesen/Firetooth) than with Tuigan.
A theoretical best damage ranged-specialized Charname is probably either an Archer using Tuigan (though before they start piling up damage bonuses Gesen+Acid Arrows would beat it) or a Kensai using Fire Tooth. When approaching the practical question of gearing NPCs, on the other hand, nearly all of them fall into groups 2 and 4, meaning they're likely to get more out of ammo stacking and weapons adding strength when it is possible to use those options.