Larian Studios Forums Beyond Divinity (English) Help/Tips/Tricks Ranged skills

It seems as though bows provide poor damage for the investment in skill points required. Others have mentioned using a crossbow successfully, but is either really good? Your opinions, please.

I've made good used of a crossbow. With the crossbow skill, I invested 5 points in Reload Time and 2 in Accuracy. I had planned to use a bow, but as of the end of act 2 I've found better crossbows than bows.

I like having my archer set to aggressive, with my warrior in the lead. Some monsters have a better sight range, and start attacking before I can see them. The archer is a bit of an early warning system, being able to fire at things still a little into the fog-of-war.

Now, that's an excellent tactic, regardless of whether one uses a bow or crossbow. Thanks for passing it along!

Whoa, I'm going to try that 'aggressive' trick. Thank you!

I finally found a good bow yesterday, toward the end of Act 2. I was delighted. My archer, even with mediocre equipment, has been flat tearing up the field... so much so that I finally gave my warrior DK a crossbow. With two ranged weapons, Earth Elementals (VASTLY overpowered for their levels, I might add... shame on you, Larian! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/winkwink.gif" alt="" /> ) were doable. My DK still treasures his 2-handed sword, but only on mediocre enemies. When we're facing tough foes, softening up with ranged weapons has really helped, since we have only healing spells between us.

(Using magic is really cumbersome, having to constantly pause and change right-mouse SEL spells and all, so other than a paralyze spell ... which doesn't work worth squat... I haven't used much offensive magic.)

A little <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/offtopic.gif" alt="" /> here but;

Ugh, I really hate Earth Elementals. Really really hate them. It's not their physical damage, or their health... it's the darn 'Earthquake' spell they cast. 2 or 3 hits from that with no earth resistance and anyone is dead. It's very powerful.

My suggestion: soon as screen shakes, run like MAD. Wait till finished, rinse and repeat. Only way I survived later in the game.

Ranged is VERY good VS. them. Wish I had used it, too busy wanting to smack them though. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/ouch.gif" alt="" />

Yep, hit-and-run tactics with a pair of ranged weapons makes Earth Elementals doable. My Heroine and DK were about level 15 when they wiped out every EE in the Great Mushroom Forest using only bow/crossbow and running like cowards every time the earth shook. Even so I had to reload literally dozens of times. Really overpowered, that rotten Earthquake spell. *shudder*

Anyway, despite my core belief that warriors should be primarily melee fighters, my DK is going to sleep with his crossbow under his pillow from this point forward.


(P.S.: I really miss the ability to hotkey various weapon combos, like we could do in DD. Having to go into inventory and manually change from sword to bow is a pain.)

As I posted in the impressions thread, I have similar beliefs from a roleplay standpoint. Same goes with the agility being more important than strength. I really can't see a 6'4", 260lbs, muscle-bound (and stupid) barbarian doing the highland fling or making Bruce Lee noises whilst flying about the screen doing karate-kicks. It's just preference of roleplay... I have very set ways my characters are, because I use them in all roleplaying games (male and female chars). My 'paladin' Knight wont use a bow, only the 2-handed sword all the way (even if it means I die a lot). No magic except restorative etc. It's just preference and i'd rather run from a battle than be forced to fight in a style that voids my preferences of roleplaying, purely because a mob is too hard to beat in one way or another.

That's also why I love Divine Divinity so much, it's the only game with the freedom to make my characters as I want them (except looks perhaps).

There is no harm in running, it's just another strategy. Nobody says we have to beat every monster in the game, it's merely exp.

I sometimes wonder if I play too many RPG's. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/ohh.gif" alt="" />