Bow Types

[Azn Fool]

EDIT: New Question - I've been using a flatbow type and [favorable winds] together with a pretty generic barrager build as a R/Mo using [judge's insight], but recently I've wondered about using a recurve bow as a R/E in conjunction with [conflagration] or [winter] and [conjure flame] or [conjure frost]. Anyone have any ideas on how the switch may affect things? Looking for a pros, cons kind of thing comparing the R/Mo and R/E spec switch. Thank you.


P.S. I think I misread the effects of Winter, so I am now aware that Winter may only affect damage that is already elemental, right? If so, just disregard anything regarding Winter and address the main question? Thanks.

New edit: I do not intend to use any elemental bowstrings.


Answered Old Question - For PvE... which bow would generally be best to use? Flatbow or Hornbow o_O Or neither even O_o...
That question has already been answered, but I didn't know if I should make a completely new thread...

[turbo234]

unless you are using read the wind for a flatbow neither. use a recurve.

[Axel Zinfandel]

Depends on build and preference. Just play around and use what you feel comfortable with

[Azn Fool]

ya I know, but I meant in general. So Recurve bow hmm? Is short good as well for PvE?

[FoxBat]

Recurve is ideal for interrupting... that's about it... its also a little better at catching running mobs but they move in predictable paths. Read the Wind lets you easily interrupt with any bow though.

As mentioned, RtW makes flatbow the best, but if you aren't using that, I'd consider shortbow. Unless you really need to stay out of aggro, the range hardly matters, the refire is max, kiting isn't as much an issue as with flatbows, and interrupts are manageable if you again keep to close range. When playing turret or barrage builds there's little better than having faster attack speed.

[Azn Fool]

Uhhmmm I think I'm more of the turret/barrage dps style player... and I've grown used to rtw... but shortbow sounds good as well, but would the decrease in accuracy relative to recurves matter much?

[Axel Zinfandel]

I'd personally say Hornbow for machine-gunning builds, since their builds ussually have simulated IAS and fast moving arrows, it makes up for it's disadvantages (plus 10% AP)

Recurve for interrupting builds, Longbow for pulling, obviously

[Azn Fool]

Ahhh I'm conflicted now. There's support for all bows except longbow... still don't knowww ahh

[Vulkanyaz]

Ahhh I'm conflicted now. There's support for all bows except longbow... still don't knowww ahh

As said above, use a longbow for pulling. It has its moments also, such as attacking an immobile enemy without any harm. It helps to carry one on any character you use, really.

[Archress Shayleigh]

Neither. Rucurve bow=PvE.
PvP should be horn probably.

[Axel Zinfandel]

They are all being stated because they are all good in their own respect. Shortbows seem to be like the black sheep of the family though.

Recurve bows tend to be favored for general purpose PvE, but keep you're build in check and work with it. If you're running machine gunning builds, I see no reason to take a Recurve bow over Hornbow

It also wouldn't be a bad idea to, once you get used to all the bows, carry some of each of the main kinds for different situations (remember, weapon switching + ESC is your friend)

[Azn Fool]

Wellll I don't exactly know technical terms for what builds are, so I have to ask what exactly is a machine gunning or turret build... Mine at the moment is, I just got to Lion's Arch, and I own both expansions, but playing Prophecies. If it's a bad build... oops xD

[Dual Shot][Penetrating Attack][Point Blank Shot][Distracting Shot][Troll Unguent][Read the Wind][Dodge][Resurrection Signet]

I can change whatever I feel like, but at the moment i tend to use these skills quite a bit. My bow is a flatbow, 15-28 dmg, dmg +15% (hp +50%), and marksmanship +1 (13% while using skills) Got it from using /bonus >.>

[Taurean]

My personal favorite is flatbow. High refire rate, and most monsters in pve tend to stand still a lot of the time so the high arc doesn't matter that much. You could use either read the wind as mentioned, or favorable winds - which i like better, so you can use another preparation instead.

[Aldric]

If i have RtW in my build then its a Flatbow otherwise I use a Recurve (and always have a flatbow for puling on a switch slot)

[Chthon]

This is like the third or fourth time this same thread has come up recently....

Once again:

Longbow -- This is the "Mario" of bows - average in every respect.

Recurve Bow -- As compared to longbow, this bow loses some range, but gains a fast enough flight speed to hit interrupts reliably.

Flatbow -- As compared to longbow, this bow gains some attack speed, but loses so much flight speed that you often miss and cannot reliably interrupt. If you're willing to spend a skillslot, you can counteract the loss of flight speed with Read the Wind or Favorable Winds.

Shortbow -- As compared to longbow, this bow loses significant range, but gains attack speed and flight speed. However, the flight speed gain is mostly an illusionary benefit because any bow at such short range ends up with short enough flight times to not miss/hit interrupts. Rarely better than standing at close range with a flatbow.

Hornbow -- Totally sucks, never use it.

[Axel Zinfandel]

The build(s) I am referring to are primarily needling builds, which revolve around spamming [quick shot] and [needling shot], and ussually has [Read the Wind], [Favorable winds], and other buffs like Ebon standard of Honor and such.

In which case, Hornbows would shine because of their innate 10% AP.

In all other builds, they ussually suck because they fire very slowly, and are by all other means average.

[Rhamia Darigaz]

Shortbow -- As compared to longbow, this bow loses significant range, but gains attack speed and flight speed. However, the flight speed gain is mostly an illusionary benefit because any bow at such short range ends up with short enough flight times to not miss/hit interrupts. Rarely better than standing at close range with a flatbow. actually it is entirely an illusory benefit. shortbows have exactly the same average flight velocity as longbows.
also, shortbows are strictly superior to flatbows within shortbow range. shortbows have exactly the same re-fire rate and a greater average flight velocity.

on a somewhat related note i think it's ridiculous that some bows can have shorter flight times than others at equal distance but a shorter overall range. assuming that all arrows are in free fall once they leave the bow and that gravity does not change depending on which bow is used (...) any bow with a shorter flight time must have a lower trajectory arc and therefore a higher initial speed in order to reach a target the same distance away at the same relative elevation. assuming any two bows can be aimed in the same range of directions, the one with the higher initial speed must have the longer range. as arrows fired from recurve bows must have the highest initial speed why can't my ranger with a recurve bow simply increase the angle at which he shoots the arrow and easily out-range a flatbow user? /rant

[_Nihilist_]

^
QFT

Lack of changing firing arc in game mechanics FTL.

I keep Flatbows for pulling, or as general use with FW/RtW
I keep Shortbows for when the fight gets close
I keep Recurves for interrupting
I keep Longbows because... I like the Storm Bow skin (rofl, but 'tis the truth)
I keep Hornbows for Fast-firing Attack Chains, and because I like the Dragon Hornbow skin, otherwise they piss me off

[Grammar]

With Read the Wind: Flatbow and nothing else.

Without Read the Wind: Recurve Bow for general use, Longbow or Flatbow for pulling (I prefer Longbow, but others differ on this).


Oh, and like Tyrael, I always carry a Stormbow in my forth weapon slot regardless of build, because I like to look cool while standing/running around outside of battle. And we all know that looking cool is all that really matters in PvE anyway. :p

[Azn Fool]

Hopefully I'm allowed to bump this. If not... I apologize to any mods in advance.



Bumping is fine as long as theres a point to it. If your question has been answered and the general discussion has ended then it really doesn't matter whether you bump it or not - Marty

[_Nihilist_]

Oh, and like Tyrael, I always carry a Stormbow in my forth weapon slot regardless of build, because I like to look cool while standing/running around outside of battle. And we all know that looking cool is all that really matters in PvE anyway. :p

How did you know that I normally have a Storm Bow in my F4 slot? Time to change my password for GWClient again, lol...

[Joker]

try a fiery bowstring and [mark of rodgort]

[Azn Fool]

try a fiery bowstring and [mark of rodgort]

I would try any elemental bowstring with corresponding and synergizing skills if applicable, but I think I left out how I do not exactly want to use elemental damage weapon mods. Thanks for the effort though; I may try out that skill sometime.

[_Nihilist_]

[Kindle Arrows] is your friend. You can still use a Zealous or Vamp string and get it to trigger as Fire damage for the purpose of either [Conjure Flame] or [Mark of Rodgort] while gaining either the +1e/+5hp per hit, if that's how you want to do it...

[Azn Fool]

[Kindle Arrows] is your friend. You can still use a Zealous or Vamp string and get it to trigger as Fire damage for the purpose of either [Conjure Flame] or [Mark of Rodgort] while gaining either the +1e/+5hp per hit, if that's how you want to do it...

But then Barrage would screw up any preparations :p, so kindle arrows is out for a barrage-y build, right? >.>

[Joker]

so why do you not want to use an elemental bowstring?

on a side note I guess you could use.[conflagration]

[wesman]

But then Barrage would screw up any preparations :p, so kindle arrows is out for a barrage-y build, right? >.>

nah [Incendiary Arrows] would work and you could take out [Mark of Rodgort] for better e management since you already would have burning

[Joker]

nah [Incendiary Arrows] would work and you could take out [Mark of Rodgort] for better e management since you already would have burning

That really depends on how many enemies he is fighting. in large groups [barrage] + [mark of rodgort] + fiery bowstring = ownage. Constant burning for 6 enemies at once = 84 dps and if you throw [glyph of lesser energy] on your bar the [mark of rodgort] [conjure flame] combo becomes surprisingly cheap.

[_Nihilist_]

Good point, Joker, but both [Kindle Arrows] and [Incendiary Arrows] are tied to Wilderness Survival.

Wilderness Survival: 12+1+1
Expertise: 8+1 or 9+1
Marksmanship: 8+1 or 9+1
Fire Magic: 7 or whatever is left over

[Conjure Flame@7][Kindle Arrows@14][Ebon Battle Standard of Honor][Incendiary Arrows@14][Savage Shot@9][Distracting Shot@9][empty][empty]

Don't like having to split into 4 attributes, but meh... best I could toss out on a few seconds of contemplation...

[Azn Fool]

Ahhh I appreciate all the responses, but the main question was change in build and weapon based around [barrage]... :o

[_Nihilist_]

Ahhh I appreciate all the responses, but the main question was change in build and weapon based around [barrage]... :o

Then go Flatbow with [Favorable Winds] on someone's bar. Range, refire, and flight time all at their best, and it's a Spirit, so unlike [Read the Wind] it won't get removed by . Only downside is that FW affects [B]all arrows within range, including enemy arrows.

[Joker]

never mind. I realized the point you were making.

[Azn Fool]

so why do you not want to use an elemental bowstring?

on a side note I guess you could use.[conflagration]

Just because >.>

Then go Flatbow with [Favorable Winds] on someone's bar. Range, refire, and flight time all at their best, and it's a Spirit, so unlike [Read the Wind] it won't get removed by . Only downside is that FW affects [B]all arrows within range, including enemy arrows.

Ya, I'm currently using favorable winds with barrage and some other miscellaneous skills, but my core question I was hoping to get input on what switching to using a recurve bow, so favorable winds is not necessary, could let me do regarding more pew pew damage. Not looking for an optimal build, more just a comparison of:
flatbow + barrage + favorable winds
vs.
recurve + barrage + conflagration + conjure flame

[Joker]

Depends on the attribute spread of the build and weather or not there is enchantment removal. But assuming you have the points to spend and are in an area without enchantment removal recurve + [barrage] + [conflagration] + [conjure flame] will win.

[cataphract]

Personally I prefer physical damage on my ranger. Two recurve bows - one vamp, one zealous. Sundering longbow. Physical triggers stuff like Barbs and MoP, zealous lets me spam Barrage mindlessly and vamp is mostly for single targets.

While my ranger does have about 15 bows, I tend to use these three most often.