Epic Short Bows

[Tom_Hunters]

Hi I am new to Ranger and seeing that the new pass is opening so many possibilities, I am planning to building a ranger with very high dex and moderate str.
He will be mainly using a bow (AA + DWS), and melee with scimitars.

I just thought it might be a good idea to make it elven, and with Grace (+ dex mod to dmg for scimitar + short bow, or long sword + long bow).
But then I found that there is actually no good short bows...

Or did I miss anything?

[saco]

Pretty much the same boat of how light maces or light repeaters are neglected.

There are some epic shortbows but really all bows for endgame are longbows... well there is only one and that is Pinion.

I wish Turbine would develop a new Shroud crafting system where one can create any weapon type they want for endgame content.

Either use rapiers with an added feat of weapon finesse or throw in some Tempus and get the dex modifier for dmg to scimitars.

[unbongwah]

All the best bows are longbows; not just Pinion, but all the bows you'll want for leveling, like Cannith Earth longbow, Silver Bow, Bow of Sinew, etc. So if you're going DEX-based w/elven Grace, you might as well go Aerenal and use rapiers+longbows, with longswords as a backup for fighting off zombies.

[brian14]

To the best of my knowledge, there is only one Epic shortbow:

http://ddowiki.com/page/Item:Epic_Collapsible_Shortbow

And that one is more of an acrobatic aid than a weapon.

[droid327]

Don't forget Cormyrian weapons....not wonderful, of course, but a decent weapon available as any weapon type, and cheaper to grind out now at ML20/24.

Though, honestly, the difference between a 2[1d8] longbow and a 2[1d6]+4 shortbow is only 2 dmg, let alone special longbows with 1d10 or 2d6 base die or 2.5+ weapon die. You're probably still better off with a longbow by Epic, even if you take Valenar training.

But yeah, if you're a primary archer with a melee backup, then go Aerenal, take the extra 4 dmg where you'll use it most.

[Inoukchuk]

Don't forget Cormyrian weapons....not wonderful, of course, but a decent weapon available as any weapon type, and cheaper to grind out now at ML20/24.

Though, honestly, the difference between a 2[1d8] longbow and a 2[1d6]+4 shortbow is only 2 dmg, let alone special longbows with 1d10 or 2d6 base die or 2.5+ weapon die. You're probably still better off with a longbow by Epic, even if you take Valenar training.

But yeah, if you're a primary archer with a melee backup, then go Aerenal, take the extra 4 dmg where you'll use it most.

Except that there are no epic scimitar's that I'm aware of (haven't played the expansion yet as I'm in a TR chain, so don't know about there), where as Balizarde is the best 1 hander in the game to my knowledge and is a rapier, which goes with longbow also. *shrug*

I have no idea why they seemed to almost purposely avoid adding rapier into tempest (why does scimitar get singled out?). In particular if you want dex to hit and damage doing so with a rapier really really requires some work.

[whereispowderedsilve]

Except that there are no epic scimitar's that I'm aware of (haven't played the expansion yet as I'm in a TR chain, so don't know about there), where as Balizarde is the best 1 hander in the game to my knowledge and is a rapier, which goes with longbow also. *shrug*

I have no idea why they seemed to almost purposely avoid adding rapier into tempest (why does scimitar get singled out?). In particular if you want dex to hit and damage doing so with a rapier really really requires some work.

Epic Kronzeks, Epic Royal Scimitar that I can remember off hand.

[Mamba_Lev]

Scimitars from the ES challenges are a nice stop gap i have found. Royal Scimitar is just not worth it. GS has made me nice Devil Beater Scimitar and is probably the best option without a really high crafting skill.

Others like Mirage and Kron'zeks can be gained easily but as to many times you will have to grind the same quest over and over to epic it makes any epic item a poor choice. Also the Calomel Scimitar for Dragons although since it's use is fairly limited i would go back to GS. Using a Scimitar in my main hand and a dagger/short sword in my off hand seems to be the option. Just not enough Scimitars except for GS which to be fair is still hammering away nicely at level 24 quests and higher.

[droid327]

Also the Calomel Scimitar for Dragons although since it's use is fairly limited i would go back to GS. Using a Scimitar in my main hand and a dagger/short sword in my off hand seems to be the option. Just not enough Scimitars except for GS which to be fair is still hammering away nicely at level 24 quests and higher.

L20 Calomel Scims are really good weapons...Crushing Wave+Corrosive Salt and a Red Augment, plus 2[W] die, vs a GS Lit II which is, what, Shocking+Shocking Burst+Lightning Strike, on 1.5[W]? And even a colorless slot on T3 Calomel to make up for the +stat on GS.

[gripshift22]

i have a dex heavy AA that uses scimis with dex2dmg from tempest that runs in fury as his main destiny at lvl 26 currently,and there is definatley a shortage of named scimitars at epic lvls,iv never epic'd kronzeks or built greensteels or anything (im not a fan of crafting in DDO or running challanges all day).

but i use mainly a pair of the frostbite scimitars(with A sovern acid and sovern shock in the red and purple slots on each) for mobs that dont have cold resist and a pair of the swailing blades for mobs susceptible to fire. aside from these,i also keep an old pair of the fang of siberys from rein of madness,a pair of loot gen force/eldritch(?) scimis,and a loot gen pair of coruscating scimis for shadows.

in all cases my melee dmg is **** good(not just for an AA,Just **** good period),with the proper weapons on the proper mobs,especially with sense weakness or whatever its called from fury which gives extra stacking dmg when the enemy is below 75% then 50% then 25% HP(especially with the frostbite blades that progressively make the mob more suceptible to cold up to 20%) as u kill,u begin killing faster,and faster as they go down.

(just watch your melee aggro,not to mention your manyshot/furyshot(furyshot=Adrenaline+manyshot+slaying arrow) aggro in smaller groups,because even with 900 hp in fury and evasion,**** AC and PRR still makes the ranger a very squishy customer when it comes to physical dmg if the party cant help control your aggro)

Mucho loves for meh fury ranger though(its a much more balanced ranger AA with better melee with extra con and more controllable dps then a shiradi ranger) ,nothing like dropin a red name miniboss or beholder in 1 swift furyshot,and havin kickass melee dmg to fall back on to clean up with.

o yea,and as elves rapiers and shortbows go... to hell with that. ranger squishy already. as a human(extra feat) youll have no problem havin crazy high dex and melee ranged dmg,elf bonuses not worth it to me. and youll have your morphic arrow and force arrow imbues for breaking most dr. so dont wory about being stuck with just slashing blades,and piercing bows.

i know the swailing blades and fang are not super awsome,but with seeker 10 on and adrenaline and other sources of extra dmg,and crit-range/dmg,and high double strike % its more than adaquit and makes for some seriously massive crits(and crit/vorpal weapon effects),pretty often.