Is it better for an archer (let's say a 10th level fighter archer) to have a bow with a high enhancement bonus and multiple arrow types (e.g., +1 holy arrows, +1 thundering arrows, etc.) or is it better to have the additional damage on the bow itself?
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When i play archers they are normally wonky arcane types filled with garbage. One things has worked well. If you habe a caster or you are one. Load the bow with flaming and things like that. Before battles cast the improved versions of magic weapon on your bow. Your arrows should be loaded with different enchantments. Or just use some awesome adamantine durable ones from the elves of golarion book.
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Always go with +1 arrows with various special abilities.
For the bow you then either want a +5 with the ability to temporarily add special abilities to it (e.g. via Magus arcane pool or Paladin divine bond) or a +1 with some core special abilities and a way to temporarily increase the enhancement bonus (e.g. Greater Magic Weapon spell).
I usually only add adaptable (flat cost enhancement) to bows, most other things aren't worth it. Having flat enhancement bonuses are usually better than any other options because the bonus to attack really matter.
There are a few other things that are semi-useful, but I usually wait until i have a +5 bow first.
Seeking can be nice, though I usually don't pick it up if I have Improved Precise Shot, yes it has some merit even if you do have IPS, but usually not enough to me to justify the extra weapon expense.
Cyclonic is really good, but the price tag is again sort of a deal breaker. But is something I definitely would try to apply at the late game after I have a +5 weapon.
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+1 Adaptive, Seeking, Cyclonic.
Added in that order.
Buy special arrows or use class abilities to bypass DR.
Stock up on Bane arrows against Bosses or major challenges you know are coming.
If your class comes with GMW or Weapon Bond then add your Enhancement bonus that way.
What about conserving for when those special arrows miss? Worthwhile?
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What about conserving for when those special arrows miss? Worthwhile?
Durable Arrows.
But the Cost of Arrows tend to be not worth the +1 enhancement.
Seems like a split of opinion on whether to have the advantages in the bow or in the arrows.
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I have played many an archer and usually stick to what others have suggested - go for the bonus, maybe a side of seeking or cyclonic and always adaptive.
Keep in mind though, that even if you strap two efficient quivers to your back, at mid-level and higher you're shooting so many arrows per round that you need lots of each type to make it worthwhile. So put what you want on the bow, and add a few specialties, but not too many, to the arrows.
My two coppers.
Is it better for an archer (let's say a 10th level fighter archer) to have a bow with a high enhancement bonus and multiple arrow types (e.g., +1 holy arrows, +1 thundering arrows, etc.) or is it better to have the additional damage on the bow itself?
From a cost-efficiency standpoint, go for the high enhancement bonus on the bow and an assortment of +1 (special ability) arrows in an efficient quiver.
The exceptions are generally adaptive, distance (unless in a dungeon-focued campaign), holy (in a typical campaign with many evil foes), and speed. Cyclonic is dependent on how often you encounter foes with wind wall, etc. to shut down archery; it's pretty expensive unless most of the enemies you face use that tactic.
If you really want to be cost-efficient, then magus (eldritch archer) 8/arcane archer 3/magus +X will let you treat your non-magical arrows as magical and add +1d6 elemental damage (cold, electricity, or fire) for the entire day while using your Arcane Pool to boost your bow's enhancement bonus and/or add special abilities.
Anyone know how many arrows you can hold in an efficient quiver in total, I'm the kind of player who worries about running out of normal arrows
Nothing in it's wording specifically allows you to store arrows in the non-arrow compartments. Depending on how liberal you are with it, anywhere from only the 60, to 84 (one per a 'slot' to maybe something like 180 or more.
Is it better for an archer (let's say a 10th level fighter archer) to have a bow with a high enhancement bonus and multiple arrow types (e.g., +1 holy arrows, +1 thundering arrows, etc.) or is it better to have the additional damage on the bow itself?From a cost-efficiency standpoint, go for the high enhancement bonus on the bow and an assortment of +1 (special ability) arrows in an efficient quiver.
The exceptions are generally adaptive, distance (unless in a dungeon-focued campaign), holy (in a typical campaign with many evil foes), and speed. Cyclonic is dependent on how often you encounter foes with wind wall, etc. to shut down archery; it's pretty expensive unless most of the enemies you face use that tactic.
If you really want to be cost-efficient, then magus (eldritch archer) 8/arcane archer 3/magus +X will let you treat your non-magical arrows as magical and add +1d6 elemental damage (cold, electricity, or fire) for the entire day while using your Arcane Pool to boost your bow's enhancement bonus and/or add special abilities.
Please don't add speed to weapons, it is a 30,000 gp upgrade. You can get two pair of boots of speed for that. You could almost buy 3 wands of haste and give them to your caster buddy.
Beaming (from Blood of Shadows) is one of my favorites:
DESCRIPTION
Restriction Only ranged weapons can have the beaming ability.
Once per day, as a swift action, a beaming weapon creates a number of glowing orbs equal to the weapon’s enhancement bonus. The orbs float around the wielder’s head like a halo and fire rays of light at the wielder’s foes. Once per round when the wielder makes an attack or full-attack with the beaming weapon, the wielder can expend one orb as a free action to fire a beam of searing light at any target within range. The orbs remain until expended or until the wielder sleeps.
CONSTRUCTION REQUIREMENTS
Cost +1 bonus; Feats Craft Magic Arms and Armor; Spells searing light
It can be used as a free with as many beams per day as the weapon has enhancement bonus. Really cool.
I combine this with Conductive and Adaptive.
Hey what about the planar enhancement ignore 5 DR of outsiders I'd image that's useful against a lot of things earth elementals, demons, devils, etc...