Which bow is better

[Alibaster]

Which bow do you think is better and why? The top or bottom one?

[Demascus]

It's the top one IMO. Three direct spell hits will trump one direct spell hit. Hit lower defense/DI, and spell channeling won't outweigh the damage you'll lose on the second bow. Plus, the first bow has 20sdi. The second bow has more frills in terms of SC, SR5, Luck, but none of those things contribute to damage. Yeah, the second bow is relayered to 1H, but it shouldn't have been (not trying to be harsh, just honest). In terms of pure damage...First bow will hit harder than the second bow (even with a shield combo), unless I'm missing something. This feels like a trick question for some reason lol, is this where you tell me you kill things twice as fast with the second bow, and 3 spell hits were the bait?

[Alibaster]

Not a trick question at all. Just trying to get a feel for what is the best weapon I have at my disposal. So lets keep playing this game. If the top one is the better of the two then look at the weapon below and tell me if it is worth changing to a Yumi. Would it be a better weapon the option #1?

[Muolke]

A weapon exists to deal damage. Anything you add to a weapon should add to damage in some way, shape, or form.

I personally would only spend the EDs to type change a weapon if it has at least 3 direct hits at 50% or greater. Anything less is a waste IMO.

[Alibaster]

Thanks Muolke. With that in mind, do you think the bottom image with DI 50% is worth converting if you already have the top image with DCI 14% as a Yumi. Is one significantly better then the other in your opinion? Thanks for playing.

[Opopanax]

Two things to bear in mind:

1. You may not always want hit area on a bow, depending on what your intention is, yes, it deals more damage, but if don't have enough HP to be able to tank stuff, maybe you don't want everything in the area swarming you when you are picking off a single target. If you can deal with that then it's not a problem. Or maybe you want this if you have high RPD.

2. DI is capped from the total contribution across all your equipment. If you have relayers or other slots with DI on, anything past 100% is not going to do anything.

[Johnny Warren]

In response to the first question, the top bow is better. No questions. I once experimented with a line of reasoning that the exceptional tag was worth one of the lesser hit spells (Harm or MA), it comes close, but with lots of SDI it isn't enough.

The second weapon displayed is not worth type changing to anything as it lacks mana leech. The only weapons that don't need mana leech are pure WW weapons due to the low special cost. Double shot (on a yumi) and double strike (on a double axe) have significant mana costs, without leech, it is pointless making either weapon.

Muolke is correct with the general rule of thumb. If it doesn't have 3 spells and mana leech at 50% it ain't worth the ED to type change to a yumi.

Oponax is also correct on both fronts. Keep his advice in mind.

Shameless plug... I have a few cheap 4x46 looted weapons that will end up with 3 spells and mana leech at 50, and be 6x50 overall on my vendor in TC (Tamara, front row, centre alcove, corpse on display).

[Cezzar]

In response to the first question, the top bow is better. No questions. I once experimented with a line of reasoning that the exceptional tag was worth one of the lesser hit spells (Harm or MA), it comes close, but with lots of SDI it isn't enough.

Did you add all other effects on testing ?
Damage modifier spell+skill (enemy of one, consecrus or disco)

Because just SDI is effecting on spell hit (or direct spell)
But STR and all other effect is working on base damage ( base + damage inc + exceptional bonus)

in my experiments; Exceptional tag does more damage then lightning spell. (i have 330% sdi without weap, max is 360% on shard)

Also, Slayer bonus doesn't affect spell damage but its work on Exceptional tag.

Maybe that damage monitoring thing can show us exactly what happening.


my amateur results with all modifiers;
Exceptional Tag = 120% Hit Lightning Damage

[Cezzar]

Also Pyrrul don't like me but i really supporting our one mage on shard
SDI should have multiple spell chance when using spell from spellbook. (not weapon spell hit)
SDI/400 or 500 chance for double spell damage maybe or whatever.

[Cerrera]

Agree with everyone, that first one is better, cause of amount of spellhits, mana leech, on bow its really preferable, ability to avoid aggroing unwanted creatures (no area). People mostly use bow on something they want to avoid facing, and mostly mob is single and with lots of hp, of course it would be nicer to have hld instead of stamina leech, but ok, can be reconciled, also it has magic arrow, its better than harm, cause as i heard harm has decreasing amount of damage dealt, depending from distance from caster to mob. Of course its situational, if someone wants to run between swarm of mobs, bow isn't optimal solution. Wrote all this, cause was willing to say that like to play as warrior, so if i want to compete with mages, want to deal more damage with hand, if sdi effect would be taken away from weapons. Ok want to deal more damage with hand anyway

[Johnny Warren]

In response to the first question, the top bow is better. No questions. I once experimented with a line of reasoning that the exceptional tag was worth one of the lesser hit spells (Harm or MA), it comes close, but with lots of SDI it isn't enough.

Did you add all other effects on testing ?
Damage modifier spell+skill (enemy of one, consecrus or disco)

No, I didn't test it with all of those. It was some very basic testing with limited data, to be completely honest. My thoughts were that all those skills would also affect a non exceptional weapon too, so I didn't factor them in. I can see your point though, it's why I did the testing to start with, I thought there was something in it. If I had of done what you said you are probably right, and the exceptional tag is worth a whole hit spell, probably more because it procs 100% of the time, instead of 50% like the spells do...

Even if you are right you would need at least 2 spells plus exceptional to be equal or better. So the second bow is not as good.