Crossbows' no of attack is 1.
Short and longbows should be 2 but it's 1 again? (maybe because of 3rd edition)
how I can increase no of attack (except rapid shot)

Your rate of fire will increase with the level of your character, dependent upon your Base Attack Bonus (see page 136 of the manual for attacks per round). A crossbow will always have a rate of one shot per round, while a level 21 fighter will have 5 shots per round without rapid shot using a long bow.

I thought that crossbows were all 1 as well, the one Auril chap just outside the ice castle has a special crossbow that fires at 2.

The only way to get multiple attacks with a crossbow is to find or buy one that allows for 2 or more shots per round. For whatever reason, rapid shot does not work with crossbows. Fighters are better off with regular bows.

<center>Nightowl2</center>

Okay. Non-magic xbow = 1. Magical X-Bow depends. I've got a fighter with an xbow that fires three.

What's the base ROF for slings?

I am not too sure, but slings are definately faster than bows. I am not too sure how rate of fire is implemented with the 3rd edition rules, but the sling seems to fire earlier in a round (as with the old 2nd edition stuff). I currently have 4 attacks per round, and wth the rapid shot feat turned on, my character fires of bullets from the sling at an unbelievably fast rate.

Again I am not sure either, but I think darts are faster than these still. I always keep a batch of good darts around when quick fire is necessary.

Slings while in 3ed have a faster initiative modifier than bows do not have a faster rate of fire. This only makes sense, since you have to start twirling the stupid rock, get it going fast, aim and let go. Then find a pebble and do it all again. Their base ROF is 1, and will generally remain so b/c of the characters ppl have using them.

X-bows have always had a 1 rof b/c you have to set the strings on the suckers which is difficult at best and used to require a str check for certain xbows in 2nd ed., which has a very detrimental effect on reloading them. Sometime in the middle ages some guy came up with a crank, but that still didn't speed it up just made it so a wimp could shoot a hvy xbow, and then someone came up with the idea of the magazine for the bolts, which speed it up, albeit not by much since you still had to crank it.

There is 1 xbow in IWD which has a rof of 3, and rapid shot does work with these magical xbows IF you don't already get 3 attacks a turn by the time you find it.

I think I have that crossbow, but what is funny is that my character (a monk) has 4 attack per round at the moment (with his fists). When firing that crossbow, I still get the FOUR attacks per round (the fact that the 4th attack only gets a +4 modifier aside)