Skip to content

Best archer

ShadowHunterShadowHunter Member Posts: 143
I want to have at least one bad ass hardcore archer but I'm wondering who do you guys prefer ? And why ?

  1. Best archer137 votes
    1. Minsc
        0.73%
    2. Coran
      48.18%
    3. Kivan
      40.88%
    4. Imoen
        5.11%
    5. Alora
        0.00%
    6. Skie
        0.00%
    7. Safana
        0.00%
    8. Khalid
        3.65%
    9. Shar-Teel
        1.46%
«1

Comments

  • the_spyderthe_spyder Member Posts: 5,018
    edited January 2013
    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".
  • koalabobkoalabob Member Posts: 22
    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.
  • DJKajuruDJKajuru Member Posts: 3,300
    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.
    Xavioria
  • TJ_HookerTJ_Hooker Member Posts: 2,438
    edited January 2013
    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...
    SCARY_WIZARDSwordsNotWords
  • n0classn0class Member Posts: 10
    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.

    TJ_HookerThe_New_Romance
  • EdwinEdwin Member Posts: 480
    Rainbow Dash
    BlackBrilliant
  • KortokKortok Member Posts: 165
    Coran is the best archer and it has been proven many times.
  • UnknownQuantityUnknownQuantity Member Posts: 242
    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.
    Fenghoang
  • EnterHaerDalisEnterHaerDalis Member Posts: 813
    another one of these threads

    Coran is #1
    Kivan is #2

    simple.
    The_New_RomanceFlashburnPantalion
  • DarkDoggDarkDogg Member Posts: 598
    edited January 2013
    Coran ofc.

    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.
  • moopymoopy Member Posts: 938
    @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?
    Fenghoang
  • DeucetipherDeucetipher Member Posts: 521
    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.
  • SirK8SirK8 Member Posts: 527
    My real vote is for CHARNAME as archer kit
  • EnterHaerDalisEnterHaerDalis Member Posts: 813
    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.
  • deltagodeltago Member Posts: 7,811
    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.
    JLeeFlashburnDJKajuruioangu
  • DazzuDazzu Member Posts: 950
    edited January 2013

    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.
  • IkMarcIkMarc Member Posts: 552
    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.
  • DazzuDazzu Member Posts: 950
    @IkMarc
    Why aren't you using Archer kit and 19 dex?
    TJ_Hookertoanwrath
  • WilburWilbur Member Posts: 1,173
    With the tome you could bump his dex to 21 for a 4 bonus to ranged thac0.
  • None of the above
    Eldoth is a consistent archer and I need the extra bard spells.
  • The user and all related content has been deleted.
    [Deleted User]
  • DarkDoggDarkDogg Member Posts: 598
    edited January 2013
    160k xp
    PCs Elfs with 19 dex
    Image and video hosting by TinyPic
    Image and video hosting by TinyPic
    Image and video hosting by TinyPic
    Image and video hosting by TinyPic
    Image and video hosting by TinyPic

    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.
    Post edited by DarkDogg on
    WilburtoanwrathThorssonioangu
  • Slaya5Slaya5 Member Posts: 15
    Corans the best archer in the whole game including BGII.
  • BlueSorceressBlueSorceress Member Posts: 84
    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.
  • DarkDoggDarkDogg Member Posts: 598

    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?
  • ZuttiZutti Member Posts: 94
    @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.
  • FrozenCellsFrozenCells Member Posts: 385
    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.
  • DarkDoggDarkDogg Member Posts: 598
    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.
  • IkMarcIkMarc Member Posts: 552
    Dazzu said:

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

    Sorry, I meant 19 dex. Fighter cause of weapon proficiency.
  • QuartzQuartz Member Posts: 3,853
    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.
Sign In or Register to comment.