Does anyone actually use a Shortbow?

Discussion in 'General Discussion' started by Alatar, Apr 28, 2017.

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  1. Alatar

    Alatar Avatar

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    A friend and I were discussing this today, after the Elven Woodwind Short Bow was added. It sounds nice,but it really doesn't do/add anything. It's half the cash value of a Shoddy Long Bow, so it's resale value is minimal. Yes, it can generate a pattern, but i know of no one who uses a short bow. I don't even have the recipes for a short bow staff.

    To break it down
    Long Bow | Short Bow
    Slot 2-Handed for Both
    Weight 3 3
    Damage 7-21 3-9
    Targets 1 1
    Strength Bonus Very Low Very Low
    Critical Chance 5% 5%
    Parry 2-7 1-3

    There is no other difference. Short bow has absolutely nothing a Long Bow doesn't, except Short Bows do less damage and parrying less effectively. even the cost of a base weapon of the NPC vendors (180 vs 300) in negligible now that you can get 500 GP a day from the Oracle.

    Crafting is no different. Bow staff bonuses for material is the same (as far as I know) whether using a short bow staff or a Long bow staff. The long bow takes 2 bow strings vs 1 for a short bow, so it actually gets more bonuses from the materials there. The Masterwork and Enchanting options are the same.

    So, the 2 questions I have are -
    • Is anyone currently using a short bow? and if so, what are your reasons?
    • How can we change this to make Short Bows a viable option? It's not like Long Sword vs 2 Handed sword (of bash or pole arm weapons) where the damage loss can be made up by having a shield. Even Short Swords and Daggers have the poison bonuses as an appeal to use them.
    I suggested to my friend maybe allowing Short Bows to equip a Buckler as well (for more defense) but they said the damage loss (slightly more than 50%) wouldn't make the added defense worth it.
     
  2. Vladamir Begemot

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  3. Browncoat Jayson

    Browncoat Jayson Legend of the Hearth

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    No, right now there is no reason to use a short bow over a long bow, the long bow is superior in every way.

    I do see a couple things that they can do to balance this:
    • Make short bows fire faster than long bows. Then you have the option to get more attacks at less damage, or fewer attacks at more damage, between the two types.

    • Give short bows a bonus when mounted, once mounts come online. Traditionally, cavalry used short bows as they are far easier to fire accurately than a long bow when mounted. However, who knows when mounts will come online, and if we can engage in combat while mounted.
     
  4. Rennik

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    This would be my suggestion as well... and also, short bows don't have the range of the long bow. They're really for closer, faster combat.
     
  5. Cream2

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    no, shortbow is a weak attempt at giving ranged "options
     
  6. Alatar

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    That would be an option as well. My friend also suggested Recurve Bows for Mounted Combat.
     
  7. Snikorts

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    There is almost no difference between Longbow and Crossbow. They should differentiate more. Each weapon should give you new strategic possibilities.
     
  8. MrBlight

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    probably too hard to add more things to the plate, when balancing isnt even close to done. Lol

    Shortbows are useless.

    I think crossbows are just in place right now as placeholders. As with everything else, we hope theres drastic changes coming.
     
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  9. Snikorts

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    [​IMG]
     
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  10. Ajacied1987

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    Shortbows should give buffs to ur character like move rate and attack speed at the cost at damage IMO
     
  11. Alatar

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    Something like that would make it a viable alternative. Doesn't have to be major, but something to make it an option that works for some people.
     
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  12. Vladamir Begemot

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    @Berek I believe this thread might be another great opportunity for the increased communication that's been going on lately.

    For instance:

    "Yes we are totally going to make short bowes different, don't panic. It's tentatively X months away, no promises on time though.

    While you are at it, dear players, I've made a bullet point style forum thread for you to put your ideas in an easy to digest manner."
     
  13. null2

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    Short bows shoot faster.

    Your attack speed is calculated into your glyph draw rate, so short bows allow you to draw glyphs more quickly.
     
  14. Vladamir Begemot

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    Is there any indication of this in tooltips?
     
  15. Browncoat Jayson

    Browncoat Jayson Legend of the Hearth

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    That would be how I think it SHOULD work, but all the tests I've seen dont bear that out. Attack speed seems identical between them.
     
  16. Chrystoph Reis

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    I was wondering this myself. Short bows in most games I've played:

    1) Fire faster because draw was not as hard
    2) Could be used by non-master bowman easier
    3) Were better in close quarters due to short draw
    4) Had much shorter range

    However, they had no drop off in stats, except range. Think 50 meters versus 75.

    If this was true, I would use shortbows in areas like Rise and longbows in areas like Twin Foothills. However, I don't think they even factor any of that stuff in.
     
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  17. Dragonhart

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    the only thing Woodwind Short Bows did was remove the Woodwind Long Bow pattern potential.
     
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  18. null2

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    There is no indication of attack speed in tooltips unless you are using something that increases it like a cotton bowstring.

    I just did a test, I shot 10 arrows in 9 seconds with a short bow and 10 arrows and 10 seconds with a long bow. I don't know if that number is due to lag, the amount of miliseconds of the first time or because of attack speed. Either way, doesn't seem like a good enough differential to warrant half the damage.
     
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  19. Alatar

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    OK, that would max the Short bow damage over 9 seconds at 90 points, with an average of 60, using 10 arrows. The long bow would max out at 189 points of damage over 9 seconds, average 126, and only use 9 arrows. That means the Long bow average will be better than the short bow maximum, and use 10% less ammo.

    Either the speed needs to increase a lot, or some other advantage needs to be figured out. It is, as things stand, something no player should ever want to use.
     
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