Bodkins and Archery: An Inconvenient Truth

[Bobthehero]

I have an archer alt, I am guilty of using the hornbow, but I plan on switching to a longbow once I get the PD for it, I will use a stack of bodkin and a long arming sword, I am already more than able to defend myself in melee with 6 ps and 70 wpf.

[Taser]

I use horn bow myself as well but no wpf in melee. It gives me the chance to use a mace which is nice. Using a rus bow is different though since 0 slot weapons are not supposed to be good (they're 0 slot so.. yeah). This only applies when people use 2 stacks of bodkins which is usually the case rather than only using one. it gives the opportunity to shoot more and play more as the character you made rather than going in melee because a melee character doesn't want to run more than he has to.

You made more of a hybrid than an archer to be honest. How much wpf do you have in archery? Have fun with the longbow though, try out the rus as well. I dislike both because it feels too different for me although I never consistently used either before going back to horn bow.

[Bobthehero]

130 something, and no its an archer, I pew pew people at range, fight off the one or two that reach me then go back to pew pew.

[Taser]

Well then I have no issue with that. But I also have no issue with an archer than runs either. Some people are good at melee and some aren't. Only exception is when they're the last player left on a team and they're delaying. If they're pew pewing they're fighting. If they just run around like they're in a 5k then no dice.

[arowaine]

this is totaly false robinlongstride 3 shot me im level 33 7 iron flesh 21 strength! he kill me with a horn +3 bow and bobkin +3 so this is totaly false

[MrShine]

this is totaly false robinlongstride 3 shot me im level 33 7 iron flesh 21 strength! he kill me with a horn +3 bow and bobkin +3 so this is totaly false

21 str 7 IF is 70 hp.  Let's look at my OP...

Against Targets with 64-76 HP:
Most hits to kill:  7  (Target: 76 hp, 68 body armor.  Long distance shots)
Least hits to kill:  3  (Target: 65 hp, 52 body armor.  Short distance shots)
Average hits to kill from short range:  4.08  (out of 12 total tests)
Average hits to kill from medium range:  4  (out of 12 total tests)
Average hits to kill from long range:  4.25  (out of 12 total tests)

Looks like you can still get 3-shot, but most of the time you'll get 4 shot.

He got lucky; it happens.  I don't know his build but it's unlikely he'll be able to 3 shot most people.

[Fluffy_Muffin]

At your tests, was your target standing still?

[Bulzur]

At your tests, was your target standing still?

Yep, no speed bonus at all. At least that's how i read it.

[MrShine]

Yep, no speed bonus at all. At least that's how i read it.

Yeah all my tests were done with the target standing still.  Archers will probably do slightly more damage against enemies running forward, less to enemies running away.  As to how much damage that is I have no idea

Giving this a final bump just in case anyone interested in doing some additional testing missed the thread.  I'm getting close to retirement (now have 6 PD) so I might do a little more testing if I'm bored, but level 31 beckons so I probably won't. Edited my OP in case someone wanted to recreate some of the tests or spice them up.

[Damatacus_ATS]

Just so you all know I only read the first post on here and not all the others.
My observation has been that it takes maybe one less arrow to kill someone in heavy armor, and one more arrow to kill someone in light armor, than it used to before bodkins were changed. This I guess is reasonable, it can be annoying cause archers are often the hardest to hit, and now you have to hit them one more time. This is tough cause once you hit them you have their attention, and with the missle speed set like it is, it is very tough to hit people at a distance when they are aware you are shooting at them. On the other hand it is nice to be able to inflict some damage on heavy armor. Overall I would say that it was a good change.

[Fluffy_Muffin]

Its not slighlty more, its alot more...

[MrShine]

Its not slighlty more, its alot more...

Well show me some evidence and I'll update information accordingly.

[Fluffy_Muffin]

I am too lazy, but if you want proof you can go to singleplayer and test it out, it lists the speed bonus and the % of added damadge in the chat

[RandomDude]

sry i didnt read all 8 pages

I would of thought most archers have 6+ pd. Also it doesnt take into account speed bonus to dmg. Most people are running towards an archer when shot arent they?

Someone else mentioned 30/9 str builds. Im 18/21 and wear plate and I havent taken much notice of ranged recently as I just get on with it but when pierce came out I took some nasty hits, as i reported at the time. A body shot with my lordly plate + lordly gloves took 1/3 hp.

[Wookimonsta]

Bodkins will kill tin cans in about 5 or 6 hits on the average.
Bodkins will kill mid-heavy troops in about 4 hits on the average.
Bodkins will kill lighter troops in about 2-3 hits on the average.

it takes me 5-6 hits to kill a tincan
it takes me 3-4 hits to kill a medium troop
it takes me 2-3 hits to kill a lightyl armored guy
it takes me 1 hit to kill an unarmored guy.

This is with a MW danish great with 5 PS which I know isn't massive, but its still a decent amount.
Considering you are standing in the back lobbing arrows over a distance, this seems a tad unfair.
This is a low risk, medium-high reward class.