
jon menghini |
Hello all! i have a question that i would love to get some input from you people out there. I am currently a lvl 4 Oread Zen Archer with a +1 Str +3 composite longbow and i am wondering what the best enchantment would be to put on my bow. I have considered putting seeking on, but i would like some other opinions as well. Please do not say guiding because i know that Paizo has not signed off on that enchantment and i cannot get it currently on Hero Lab....believe me i have tried lol. Thanks everyone!!!!

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I'm mighty fond of flaming, despite the fact that fire resistance is pretty common. It's because of those darn regenerating monsters. Adding +1d6 acid damage would be better mechanically, but I don't have the PF book (if any) that includes such a weapon enhancement (and I can't really recommend an 11-level dip in Stone Oracle.)
Honestly, I think Hawkeye and Green Arrow had the best plan; you load up your bow with boring old enhancement bonuses, and save the sexy add-ons for particular arrows. More expensive? Probably, but you aren't wasting anarchic shots on chaotic creatures or frost shots on white dragons, etc.

jon menghini |
my original plan was this, put seeking and designating lesser on my bow that way i can help my party with the designation by giving them a bonus to hit and i think damage and if i missed i got a second chance with seeking. I didnt really plan on brining up my bow or arrows up any higher than +1 cause that is really a waste of money and it really only had a +1 to hit. I know that could mean the difference to hit or not hit but 2000+ gp is alot and it just keeps getting more expensive.

Atragon |
While it would allow for a quick bump to +5, it would cost 45,000 gold (3rd level spell * caster level 20 * 750 gp) to buy the wand.
By comparison, a +5 enchantment (starting from a MW weapon) would cost 50,000 gold.
So, yes there are savings, but if you're not adventuring with someone who can cast the spell or use UMD rather well, using it as a combat buff is a problem.
Additionally, you only get 50 uses out of a wand. For adventures that span multiple days / weeks (including travel time through areas that aren't entirely safe), if you can't reliably get it off as a combat buff, then you're looking at potentially wasting 900 gp each time you cast it and don't enter combat.

Atragon |
my original plan was this, put seeking and designating lesser on my bow that way i can help my party with the designation by giving them a bonus to hit and i think damage and if i missed i got a second chance with seeking. I didnt really plan on brining up my bow or arrows up any higher than +1 cause that is really a waste of money and it really only had a +1 to hit. I know that could mean the difference to hit or not hit but 2000+ gp is alot and it just keeps getting more expensive.
You might want to consider a higher bonus on it to help overcome DR.

jon menghini |
jon menghini wrote:You might want to consider a higher bonus on it to help overcome DR.my original plan was this, put seeking and designating lesser on my bow that way i can help my party with the designation by giving them a bonus to hit and i think damage and if i missed i got a second chance with seeking. I didnt really plan on brining up my bow or arrows up any higher than +1 cause that is really a waste of money and it really only had a +1 to hit. I know that could mean the difference to hit or not hit but 2000+ gp is alot and it just keeps getting more expensive.
Do you mean higher bonus on the bow or the arrows? Cause the bow im pretty sure is just going to bring to hit up. The arrows im not to sure on what the higher bonus will do i have never experimented with it.

MechE_ |

Do NOT enchant your weapon or arrows with better than a +1.
Instead buy a wand of Greater Magic Weapon at 20th level and add a +5 to EACH for 20 hours at a time.
Spend all your money on other bells-and whistles for your bow.
If your character has 45,000 gp and can find a 20th level caster with the Craft Wand feat who is willing to spend 23 days crafting a wand in the world your GM runs, I would commend your character's ability to build relationships. In three complete adventure paths, I've never seen a party come across a caster any higher than 15th level that wasn't attempting to kill them. =) Then again, your games and the world your GM runs/depicts may be very different than ours. I just wanted to point out that this strategy relies on some assumptions that may not be realistic in every game.

Lastoth |

corrosive is a waste of money seeing as the deliquescent gloves give it to you at a reduced cost after a certain point. Seeking is largely marginalized, but I'd keep a spare bow with that on it.
Ghost salted arrows are far cheaper than the enchant in any event, I'd use those instead of ghost touch.
Holy is excellent for most campaigns, I'd recommend this.
Buying your weapon is more about how little you can get away with spending than how much. Greater magic weapon is fine, I'd probably buy several pearls of power for my wizard and ask for Heroism/Greater Magic Weapon/Flame Arrow/Abundant Ammunition/Named Bullet on demand. This ends up being FAR more cost efficient.
If you take clustered shots and ghost salt your arrows you effectively remove the need for some expensive enchantments. There is SO MUCH more expensive equipment you can use outside of your weapon. Getting dependable see invisibility, stat items, defensive stuff, greater hat of disguise for stats/darkvision and pheromone arrow synergy, about 5 great ioun stones, luckstone, wayfinder cheese and bracers of falcons aim.

yeti1069 |

jon menghini wrote:You might want to consider a higher bonus on it to help overcome DR.my original plan was this, put seeking and designating lesser on my bow that way i can help my party with the designation by giving them a bonus to hit and i think damage and if i missed i got a second chance with seeking. I didnt really plan on brining up my bow or arrows up any higher than +1 cause that is really a waste of money and it really only had a +1 to hit. I know that could mean the difference to hit or not hit but 2000+ gp is alot and it just keeps getting more expensive.
Not all that necessary on a bow when you can purchase or craft cold iron, adamantine, or silver arrows for fairly cheap, although a higher straight enhancement bonus is good for attack and damage.
Atragon, you shouldn't underestimate the value of to-hit.

Rerednaw |
Adaptive is 1000 gold, flat. It doesn't impede your ability to put other enchantments on the bow and you no longer have to worry about strength fluctuations preventing you from using the bow.
Other than a flat +bonus, I'd consider the Seeking enchantment.
Really would not use any of the other enchantments unless you are in a specific campaign where you know you will be facing one type of foe.

Claxon |

Adaptive is 1000 gold, flat. It doesn't impede your ability to put other enchantments on the bow and you no longer have to worry about strength fluctuations preventing you from using the bow.
Other than a flat +bonus, I'd consider the Seeking enchantment.
Really would not use any of the other enchantments unless you are in a specific campaign where you know you will be facing one type of foe.
Though, the beauty in this is buying a few human/undead/animal/whatver bane arrows and going to town.
If you have a caster to reliably cast Greater Magic Weapon and other buffs on you then it might be better than increasing the enhancement on the bow, but the bonus to hit and to flat damage is a lot more useful than some people seem to appreciate. As well being able to bypass DR with the enhancement is useful as well. Sure, you could buy non-magical arrows of various metal, or do this or that. But it's icing, not the whole cake.