Imbue Acid Arrow: description not clear

[brian14]

http://compendium.ddo.com/wiki/Enhan...ue_Acid_Arrows

"Imbues all missiles that you fire with acid, granting them the Corrosive ability (+1 to 6 Acid damage) and dealing acid damage over time if your arrow damages your target." Does it mean the arrow does 1-6 acid damage immediately and then more over time, the way Melf's Acid Arrow acts? Or just 1-6 damage, at the rate of 1 hp per second (or whatever)?

[Visty]

its like melf
1d6 now, more over time

[brian14]

its like melf
1d6 now, more over time

How much more?

I am asking because I wonder whether Imbue Flame Burst, which you get at level 12, is actually better than Imbue Acid. Against acid-immune critters like clay golems and crimsonfoot spiders, and against fire-vulnerable ones like mummies, it's a no-brainer to use Flame Burst, but the rest of the time? Flame Burst does 1d6 damage, with extra 2d10 on crits (assuming longbow). AA 12 should have improved critical ranged, so he crits 10% of the time, or 20% with Keen or Silver longbow. So his extra fire damage is 3.5+1.1=4.6 or 3.5+2.2=5.7 (ignoring that he misses on 1, and that not all crits confirm). Whereas acid damage is 3.5+... what? If just one more d6 on second round, then Imbue Acid beats Imbue Flame Burst in all but above-mentioned special cases.

[Visty]

its 2d4 iirc

and only the silverbow crits 20%, keen doesnt stack with imp crit

so every shot is 1d6+2d4 actually, as the dot damage ticks on the first hit too

[brian14]

its 2d4 iirc

and only the silverbow crits 20%, keen doesnt stack with imp crit

so every shot is 1d6+2d4 actually, as the dot damage ticks on the first hit too

Which makes it way better than Imbue Flame Burst.

Actually, it is WAY WAY better. I just ran an experiment. Entered Durk's Secret on elite with plain bow and plain arrows. Cast Imbue Acid, and would hit an ooze once, then run back without shooting, and watch the numbers. Oozes move slowly, so it did not require any fancy footwork.

Each ooze took 5-6 rounds or acid damage before it stopped. Sometimes it was less, but only because ooze died. As I guessed -- unless the mob is immune to acid, Imbue Flame Burst is a waste of enhancement.

[Visty]

As I guessed -- unless the mob is immune to acid, Imbue Flame Burst is a waste of enhancement.

or unless the mob is vulnerable to fire
also you need all imbues for slaying arrows iirc

[drac317]

or unless the mob is vulnerable to fire
also you need all imbues for slaying arrows iirc

yup

[Glenalth]

its 2d4 iirc

and only the silverbow crits 20%, keen doesnt stack with imp crit

so every shot is 1d6+2d4 actually, as the dot damage ticks on the first hit too

Except during Many-shot, in which only the first arrow hit in each volley gets the 2d4 acid arrow effect. The rest just get the 1d6 acid damage.

Still typically better than Incendiary Arrows. The Force Burst at least has the added Ghost Touch bit that could be useful. Swapping the levels for the acid and fire tiers wouldn't be a bad move.