Preliminary Arrow Research

[Wicoa]

After years of extensive research on this subject, I can now reveal my initial findings before I move on to test phase 2.

The point I aim to prove is that we should be using different arrows for a different enemy even tho the damage factor is lower than the commonly used ffbd's.

I tested my theory with two arrow types for this purpose. 1) Footed Flight Bodkin arrow, improved accuracy, long range with medium damage and 2) The footed flight broadhead arrow improved accuracy, long range with high damage.

The test subject was a snake, a relative of the red adder and therefore deemed a pest by albion council groups. I did not wish to receive a back lash from various animal protestor's.

I used a duskwood bow and a normal shot. The broadhead arrow was released first, followed shortly by the bodkin arrow.

As you can see for yourselves the ffbd naturally out performs the bodkin but if you look closely at the bonuses and the resists the bodkin beats the ffbd by quite a margin.

http://homepage.ntlworld.com/wicoa123/sshot021.jpg

I need volunteers for phase two preferrably middies tho I think I will have to carry out the rest of my research forcefully

The bodkin arrows is almost 3 times less expensive to make than broadhead so it may be worth other scouts to carry both types around and post you're findings here.

 

[Pixie.Pebr]

Hmm.

FFBH's are Slash and Bodkin Thrust, no?
I think I read somewhere that arrowtype does not affect what kind of damage is dealt, that it is always the damage shown as on the bow.
That was said here on BW forums some time ago, if I remember correctly.
That is obviously bollocks

The (+ xxx) and (- xxx) on your screenshot proves it to be otherwise.

So when shooting chainwearers, load up the Bodkins.
When shooting people wearing leather, move up the FFBH's.

Looking forward to see the results from the test on 'live subjects'.
Both of curiosity and because seeing lines of text depicting pain inflicted on a troll always make for good reading

 

[Jupitus]

Quite timely thanks Wicoa - my ickle scout is out and about and killing lots of stuff with my own crafted arrows .... I'lll see if I can get some feedback too

Jup.

 

[Generic Poster]

So you've reached lv50 with your inf... and are now playing a SCOUT!!!!

C'mon man... kill some Luirkeen!

 

[Jupitus]

Originally posted by Generic Poster
So you've reached lv50 with your inf... and are now playing a SCOUT!!!!

C'mon man... kill some Luirkeen!

Mad eh?

Actually, I ADORE playing my scout... I am really enjoying it, although I am sure the edge will wear off that when I get a bit higher level

As for killing Lurikeens, don't panic, your time will come. I got about 12k RPs last night in a pitched battle mostly against middies, but I didn't level to 50 to then play an alt... no sir, I am out and about and coming to a party near you SOON !

 

[Danya]

Next patch we get high damage arrows in all damage types...

 

[PadreMM]

I've just rolled a scout as well and am just about to start using the bow. I thought it was obvious that different types of arrows worked differently against different types of armour. But then I remember long time ago it was said that arrow type didn't matter against the armour type. But then I think I read not too long ago, on a hunter thread somewhere that they suggested usage of Thrust arrows against chain.. etc. So probably the damage output for the arrows have changed the last patch or two.

As I have a saracen with high Dex I will use shield/thrust weapon, and thus want to target mobs that are vulnerable to thrust and get penalty in damage output against (first) leather and then studded when I get it.

So for me it looks like (taken from DAoC bestiary) that I at level 6-7 should use Bodkin arrows and a thrust weap targetting Adders or River Racers. They have a -15% penalty against my thrust, and they have a -15% penalty in their damage output against my leather armour.

The difference in damage output between the Broadhead arrow and the Bodkin arrow might be in line with the damage output differences between melee Slash and Thrust weapons. Doesn't 1-H Slash weapons usually do more damage/hit than Thrust weapons (same DPS and SPD)? You might want to check that out as well... though it would be hard as they use different tables (slash=str, thrust=str50%/dex50%)

Cheers,
Padre

<a scout n00b has spoken>

 

[Wicoa]

I haven't heard anything regarding the coming patch and a new arrow.... what I would like to see is a high damage thrust arrow as danyan said, so we can be more selective in the tools we use to kill.

Danyan can you confirm this mate or is this rumour?

A scouts damage output is reliant on four things I believe. 1) Dex 2) bow dps 3) damage type of the arrow (high to low and slash or thrust) and 4) the weapon type we have specced in (unconfirmed) so if you spec in thrust you should gain a higher minimum damage for using a thrust arrow.

Also in the coming patch leather will be neutral to slash and to thrust so neither weapon or arrow type will aid you....... However I do believe that there will be a plus of slash against scale and a plus of thrust against chain (as it always has been). The minus damage with an ffbd on chain is painful at the moment so we truly need to experiment with the tools we do have to povide optimal damage.

Padre theres a very good point....it would have been obvious however, its only when I sat under a tree somewhere and began to think about arrows (at least it wasn't over some sickly romance). The footed bodkin has a medium damage output and the footed flight broadhead a high damage output, conventional thinking would have the opinion that even with the resist a ffbd would out perform any other arrow type we currently have. So I thought I'd better experiment. My test showed that even a higher damage output arrow would not beat a medium damage arrow when resist leans towards slash. In phase two I may even be proved wrong but my guess is if we can do more or the same damage as an ffbd on chain with a far cheaper arrow then my retirement fund is beginning to look more rosey.

Now this is against a standard mob, individual character armour will have differing resists, some more towards slash or thrust depending on their own tastes. But suffice to say that further research is needed and as such I will carry out some frontier field research I hope to post more piccies here over the weekend (work gets in the way during the week <Cannor give me you're job heh>).

Ohh and please go out and experiment yourselves the more primary research info we have the better. I look forward to seeing you're piccies here.

 

[Artemls]

Wonder if we will see a post here about Matt's merc stats, spec or how he kill SB's easy

Artemis

 

[old.willowywicca]

In one of the coming patches you get an arrow of every dmg type which are all high damage, yes even crush arrows. Can't rem if this is in 1.52 or 1.53 tho sorry

 

[old.willowywicca]

Originally posted by Artemls
Wonder if we will see a post here about Matt's merc stats, spec or how he kill SB's easy

Artemis

Matt's merc roxxors!! Only seen him once ever, hit him for 550~ no crit, wonder if he remembers.. I waved after

 

[old.willowywicca]

starting to post multiple times after myself a lot.. beginning to look silly will endevour to stop

 

[DocWolfe]

yes in 1.52 to get keen footed flight broadheads (slash), blunt footed flight broadheads (blunt) and barbed footed flight broadheads (thrust).

The ability to craft arrows/bolts that are additional blunt/piercing damage types has been added.

and also 16.5 dps bows

- Added new items to fletching for all three realms:

Albion: Heavy Short bow, Heavy Longbow, Light crossbow, Heavy Staff, Heavy Shod staff

Midgard: Heavy Staff, Heavy Composite bow

Hibernia: Heavy Short bow, Heavy Recurve bow, Heavy staff

 

[old.Krusha]

Originally posted by Wicoa
4) the weapon type we have specced in (unconfirmed) so if you spec in thrust you should gain a higher minimum damage for using a thrust arrow.

'

only Bow specc influence the dmg variabel .. weaponspecc is hand to hand only

 

[Wicoa]

I presume the heavy means slower but a whooping thwack.

Doc you got a webbie I can check all this out on?

 

[old.Mitsu]

5.5 spd bows baby :whip:

Rangers also get them so expect your local lurikeen to hit harder

 

[krait]

Originally posted by Artemls
Wonder if we will see a post here about Matt's merc stats, spec or how he kill SB's easy

Artemis

ROTFLMAO


Leave him alone,bless him.


p.s.
Looking forward to Heavy Duskwoods and high damage Thrust,Slash and Crush arrows.............< Hmm...Big Troll incoming,better use thrust arrows>

 

[Wicoa]

Final Results

The final results are in.

I chose my test subject at random, it was Demented the troll who is a thane. Location mpk.

Pic no. 23 shows the use of the medium damage thrust arrow. Footed flight bodkin.

Pic no.24 shows the high damage slash arrow. Footed flight broad head arrow.

Unfortunately to gain the research from the broadhead arrow it was necessary to put myself in a suicidal position and be jeered at.

I could only get in a critical shot on the broad head so if you compare directly the critical shot of the bodkin and the broad head you will see that the difference is enormous.

And in actual fact if you compare the normal bodkin shot to the broadhead you will clearly see that even the broad head critical does not beat it after resists and bonuses have been taken into account.

These findings are surprising to me and way over what I thought initially.

Oh and pic no.22 is just a nice screenie of mids and albs at amg in emain.

http://homepage.ntlworld.com/wicoa123/

 

[cHodAX]

Dimon = another 14yr old kiddie who has to insult people that died bravely

 

[DocWolfe]

wic those quotes are straight out of patch notes

http://www.camelotherald.com/more/389.php <--- 1.51
http://www.camelotherald.com/more/447.php <--- 1.52