The bow you really want to use is called "composite longbow". And the arrows for day to day use are called "arrows". Just save a few magical ones for when you come across something you can't harm otherwise.
Trust me, it's more fun to say you finished the game with a simple unenchanted bow than a magical bow of overpowering, so to speak. A bit more of a challenge too.

Of course, if you want to go for pure damage instead of style, forget the bow and cheat yourself a killsword. [img]graemlins/saywhat.gif[/img] Have "fun"...

Firetooth is a crossbow. Very slow attack speed and not much use for a solo archer. I usually have Jan use it when I've got a new mod installed and am playing with a party, because it's not really that good for a solo archer.

Dundee, yes, I made a mistake. You have my apologes and I shall not counter-mand your wisdom again ;)

I like Taralush for the damage and speed but I usually keep gesen for most other opponents. i wasn't too impressed with tuigan, but, again, that's my preference [img]smile.gif[/img]

NO bow but a crossbow in ToB:
S
P
O
I
L
E
R
firetooth +5 because it fires infinite bolts and you don't care about slow rate of fire when you've got advanced whirlwind

Spoiler
~
~
~
~
~
~
~
~
If I take Greater Deathblow instead of Greater Whirlwind, a solo Archer can kill 10 Beholders or 10 Mind Flayers in two rounds using the Tuigan Bow. Try doing that with Firetooth +5 and Greater Whirlwind.

Illithids are...lvl 6 or eight, aren't they? In DnD standards?

Personally I don't like the crossbows. I keep Gesen and tuigan in my inventory for bosses, and the taralush normally because it makes you move faster (handy) I also tend to keep some swords in my inventory for vampires or whatever, or things that tend to dominate you or whatever they do before you can kill them with a bow.

I'm not a bow-specialist, but in these damage calculations that are being compared, isn't Strength an important factor? If I'm wrong, please re-educate me, but I thought in SoA/ToB the composite bows allowed you to add a STR bonus where others did not.

Besides, gesen and taralush have infinate bolts, and once you get the quiver of plenty in WK and upgrade it, every bow has infinite arrows.
Yes, as far as I can tell, strength determines damage in all weapons.

That is incorrect. STR does not add to your missile damage.

Unless you are using the Sling of Seeking +2. [img]tongue.gif[/img]

Currently im roleplaying 3 specialist archers, i find:
The best short bow: Tugian/gensen
the best long bow: Heartseeker
the best crowwbow: Firetooth (upgraded)

Why is everybody so enamoured with Heartseeker? Is THACO really more important than damage for you people? Sacrificing 1 THACO for an extra point of damage seems like a bargain to me, especially since we are talking about Archers here, who can most probably take a stick and string, tie them into a makeshift bow and still have -20 THACO with it... ...