Larian Studios Forums Beyond Divinity (English) General Archer skills

I'm definitely a bit confused about how bow skills get applied. We have these skills:

Warrior
-- Ranged
---- Bow
------ Accuracy +
------ Reload Time +
------ Point Blank +
------ Critical Hits +
------ Piercing +
---- Arrow Proficiency
------ Poison +
------ Explosive +
------ Splitting etc. +

And we have the different arrow types, and a set of "convert" skills that go with each one (which are supposed to work now with the patch). Haven't been able to try it yet, but I assume it converts normal arrows to fewer special arrows?

Do the "bow" skills work with all arrow types, or just normal arrows? Does "piercing" simply increase piercing damage? Does it also apply to other arrow types?

I assume that the various "arrow proficiencies" get applied only if you're using the right kind of arrow?

Most of the special arrows seem to do one special type of damage.

Splitting arrows obviously split. Do you get more arrows with higher proficiency, or just more damage per arrow?

Do you get splash damage with exploding arrows, or just greater fire damage? Do you get a bigger splash with higher proficiency?

Does the Survivor's Poison skill work with bows, and if so does it stack with other arrow skills? So could I have splitting poisoned arrows, for instance?

If anybody knows the answer to these, thanks!

Wow. Is it really the case that nobody knows the answers?! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/eek.gif" alt="" />

Guess I'll try to do some testing and post the results.

Well, I can help you with a few, but I've quit pumping bow skills for now. My archer/mage isn't finding 'em too useful. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/winkwink.gif" alt="" /> Anyway...
Do the "bow" skills work with all arrow types, or just normal arrows? Does "piercing" simply increase piercing damage? Does it also apply to other arrow types?

I assume that the various "arrow proficiencies" get applied only if you're using the right kind of arrow?

Correct.

Most of the special arrows seem to do one special type of damage.

Correct, again.

Splitting arrows obviously split. Do you get more arrows with higher proficiency, or just more damage per arrow?

It looked like more damage, with the point I put into it.

Sorry I can't give you anymore help, Srikandi. I would if I could. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

Poison weapon skill does NOT stack with arrows. They take damage as if you didn't have the skill. Of course, I've never tried using it at all after discovering that, so I don't know if it's broken (doesn't work with any weapon), or just doesn't work with bows.

Convert Arrows does what you said, it takes normal arrows and converts them. Obviously, save up arrows for converting into a really profitable arrow type. Splitting arrows are butch.

Splitting Arrows are odd things. If you stand about an inch and a half away from your target, the arrows will split right as they impact your foe, meaning you sink in 5 hits. Armor doesn't seem to apply correctly to the splitted arrow fragments, either, meaning you'll hit 5 times for full damage, or nearly so. Also, if you buy a Shadow Bow, the arrows will do shadow damage instead of piercing. Practise with these; they're seriously unbalanced compared to the other arrows, but are quite nice.

The other elemental arrows are crap. I've yet to encounter any monsters who cared that I was splashing them with water arrows; they did less damage than the piercing ones did. Save them up for selling.

Hmm. Looks to me like poison weapon does work with all kinds of arrows, including elemental and splitting; at least, the critters definitely turn green. I'll check the damage more closely to see if it's really being applied.

[Edit: whoops, I was wrong -- my char had switched to poison arrows without noticing. Ah well, would have been too good to be true!]

Yeah, I've definitely decided that splitting arrows are the way to go. Good tip about the shadow bow.

Unfortunately Act 2 battlefield doesn't have a Convert Arrow teacher... will keep my eye out.