Bows and arrows

I was just wondering how many people use ranged weapons. So far I have found no use whatsoever for them. Spells are pretty much ranged weapons and mana replenishes so quickly that by going hand to hand, the damage taken by the guys up front is fairly easily dealt with. And picking up all those arrows is rather annoying. I'm just curious as to what others do with bows and arrows and even throwing weapons.

Thanks,

Andrew

It is nice to have range weapons; especially if you think you are within range and aren't, it defaults to thrown or bow so you don't read (out of range). I have used bows with Lily, my ranger/samuri/ninja. She shoots pretty rapidly now that she is up to level 6 and there are some nifty arrows. I have found my first trigger bow at Skull Castle so I can use some of those Crossbows + 1. I also just like to imagine the thought of an archer, but most of the time I use her fire spells. Knives are so heavy and I am not sure the damage makes them worth toting around. I usually keep the plus one or special version of thrown on hand and fire bomb, poison bombs, miner's bombs are pretty cool. My Paladin is kinda stuck there until I get all the spells in Spirit (I want him for blessing) so he doesn't have a lot of OFFENSIVE spells. I wish I had given him thrown weapons at the beginning as sometimes he doesn't seem to have much to do during long range combat. Mostly, I like to fit the ranged weapon to the imagined personality of my character. I feel a bit of satisfaction when I hear the "twang" of the bow as Lily shoots. Snargol wielding those vicious throwing axes. Talon blowing things up with bombs. Mussy with her shurikens and occasional bomb. I would like to imagine her whipping out knives but they just plain weigh too much. OK, so I have a vivid imagination.

As Lily says there are some pretty nifty arrows later on but on the whole I am with you, spells being my ranged weapon of choice. The Ranged weapons would have made more sence in a single player game ALA Daggerfall. I think they were ment to be part of the multiplayer aspect on the game as the original screenshots (when it was going to be multiplayer)show not only the monsters but the other party members on screen. Often when being attacked you will find the monsters using ranged weapons on your party. Being turn based there is no reason why your rear party members cannot turn round and attack monsters behind or to the side but it feels strange to do so. Had it been multiplayer then you would have sent in the hand to hand fighters and held the weaker members back to pick off the enemy at a distance.