Skip to content

What's better for Dorn or blackgaurd when going ranged... Xbow of speed +1 or Shortbow +2?

Alchemy413Alchemy413 Member Posts: 52
I have composite bow +1 and the special long bow +2 on the PC and Coran. So unless there is another Composite long bow +1 that I am unaware of, what is better for Dorn to be proficient with. The Army Scythe/Cross Bow of Speed +1 or the Protector of the Dryads/Short bow +2
And does the Bolt of biting stack with Dorns poison weapon? And if it does is this a better choice than having him go with Short bow +2

Comments

  • thelovebatthelovebat Member Posts: 218
    edited August 2015
    I'm fairly certain when I played Baldur's Gate some time back there were two +1 composite long bows you could get, but one of them was harder to find than the one you can buy in Beregost. I could be wrong and it may have been a +1 long bow somewhere instead, but Short Bows/Crossbows are certainly an option too. Short Bows and Crossbows are about on par with each other for BG1, BG2 generally tends to favor Short Bows overall depending who you want using them.

    With Dorn however because he has such a high Strength, slings would make a good ranged weapon for him if you really want him at range because slings get a damage bonus from Strength, and Dorn is the only joinable NPC with 19 Strength. Magical Bullets can be bought as well for when you might need them, though using his melee options are probably more preferable for those tougher enemies if I remember you wanting him to be one of your main front line fighters from a different thread. Slings are nice though cus they hardly overlap with any of the NPCs I think you'd be using and 19 Strength gives Dorn a whopping +7 bonus to damage, meaning his minimum damage per hit with a sling would be 8 or 9 damage for a regular sling (plus using a magical sling then the possibility of magic bullet ammo).
    Post edited by thelovebat on
  • Alchemy413Alchemy413 Member Posts: 52
    edited August 2015

    I'm fairly certain when I played Baldur's Gate some time back there were two +1 composite long bows you could get, but one of them was harder to find than the one you can buy in Beregost

    Do u happen to remember where? I think I remember one too but I wasn't sure if my memory was correct.

    As for the tanking part... The range/Caster combo was so good that I never needed a tank they die before they can do anything to me. Except in three battles I can see a possible need. Aecletec and the dwarf warrior in durlags tower plus the wereworlf. Everything else dies before they get a chance. And I never went all out in the range... If I did, it would only be the werewolf and aecletec.

    Dorn happens to be good because of the two handed sword that gives free action. And he can still be good in back row with poison weapon.. First range then wade in with melee when I have no choice.

    I also relented and decided that yeslick with a pc as fighter thief was actually a better combo than a fighter cleric with SharTeel dual to thief. So yeslick will have the 19 str from the belt and 18 dex from the gloves. He will be the powerhouse slinger. So I am left with only two options of Shortbow +2 and Xbow.... But now that u say there is another composite bow +1 than it will be between composite bow +1 and the Xbow. The Xbow only because I am wondering if poison weapon stacked with bolt of biting is better then a composite bow +1 with poison Weapon and Arrow of biting.

    Bolt of biting is more devastating but the composite longbow +1 is better than the Xbow of speed +1.

    The idea is that the enemy can not do anything because he is constantly being barraged by arrows and disrupted by poison... Giving the caster time to do as they please. With a lot of pausing with the space bar... The enemy dies too fast and can't fight back. It is awesome!

    Slings only have two attack per round at the max levels.. But bows and xbow of speed has 3 attacks per round at max levels. Dorns main thing is to stack as much poison and disruptions on the enemy rather than raw power. I switch around to each target needing disruptions as needed. This is how I tank against enemies, I tank through disruptions of arrows and poison and magic hinderances followed by too much damage output(Killing fast is more effecient than lasting long.. It also takes less time lol)
    Post edited by Alchemy413 on
  • dunbardunbar Member Posts: 1,603
    For spoiling a mage's day I give Dorn the Army Scythe in BG1 and Firetooth in BG2.
Sign In or Register to comment.