Clarification when magic weapons are required "to hit"

[Ranger]

Question-
If I'm using a bow against a creature that requires +2 weapons or better "to hit", does that mean that my bow or my arrows must be +2 or better? Or both?

Thanks,
Ranger

[lord_gabriel]

...as far as i know only your arrows are required to be +2...

[Kaleban]

If I'm not mistaken, I think he means what happens if you combine, say, a +3 Bow and a +2 Arrow? Will the arrow be able to hit a creature requiring +5 weapons? +3? Or +2 only due to the arrow itself?

I myself am very curious, as what would be the point of a +5 bow with normal arrows, you still would only be able to hit "normal" creatures.

If the "required-to-hit" bonus is based on the projectile, than only weapons that require no ammunition and which fire their own projectiles would be worth keeping or using. Say a +3 Bow which fires "phantom" arrows or some such nonsense...

[Ranger]

Thanks lord_gabriel, you helped out a bit. Let me try to be more specific:

I attack a creature that requires +2 or better weapons "to hit" (like some golum or something). Assuming that I actually hit the creature (given THACO and AC considerations), which of the following 3 situations will produce damage?

A) +2 Bow/Normal Arrow
B) Normal Bow/+2 Arrow
C) +2 Bow/+2 Arrow


Thanks a lot for your help everybody.

Ranger

[SherpaDoug]

You get arrows of piercing early and they are supposed to be +5 to hit, but they don't seem to work against magic creatures.

[Sir Michael]

The bow itself is not a weapon; it is just the launcher for the actual weapons - the arrows. Short of having a bow which generates its own arrows, here is how it works:

A magic bow may give bonuses to hit and/or damage, but normal arrows themselves are not considered magical, and so will not damage creatures only hit by magic weapons.

When magic arrows are used with a magic or non-magic bow, the bonuses (if applicable) stack, and any damage (e.g. fire arrows) also applies. If using +1 arrows, monsters susceptible to +1 (but not +2) weapons may be hit, and so on.

Note that I think that some arrows without specific bonuses to hit, like fire or cold or acid arrows, may also not be able to hit monsters which are only damaged by magic weapons, but I'm not sure.

Magic arrows are cheap and readily available, so why not keep a supply on hand to use against those monsters, whether or not you use a magic bow?

[Ranger]

Thanks a lot Sir Michael. That clears it up nicely.

Ranger

[Kaleban]

So how the heck can an archer ever hit anything??? The highest +x enchantment is the +2 arrow right? I think the way the arrow of piercing is designed is that it gives that bonus but is not its actual "required-to-hit" number.

Then again, I could be wrong. So here's the question: How does an archer kill a Dragon, Kangaxx, ect., etc. with his Bow???

[andrewas]

the archer kills things by using the best arrows he can find. in ToB there are +3s at least, i think +4 as well.

but i think his called shot ability improves it as well, never played one hto so i cant be shure.

short of decent arrows, he can always use his trusty dagger.

[Jim]

quote:

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So how the heck can an archer ever hit anything??? The highest +x enchantment is the +2 arrow right? I think the way the arrow of piercing is designed is that it gives that bonus but is not its actual "required-to-hit" number.
Then again, I could be wrong. So here's the question: How does an archer kill a Dragon, Kangaxx, ect., etc. with his Bow???

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Archers can hit *anything* given the correct equipment. Right at the start of the game, I sent my solo archer to watchers keep to get the ammo belt and a quiver of unlimited +1 arrows and bolts. No more arrows! +1 arrows are sufficient to hit many of the larger creatures *including* dragons. Firkraag was dropped extremely quickly using a greater whirlwind attack, called shot and +1 ammo. Demi-liches can be hit by the sling of Everad, also, a grandmaster crossbow archer equiped with Firetooth +4 kicks serious butt and can hit all monsters.

Just to clear up the well made points in this post, the arrow is what actually hits the enemy therefore needs to be of suficient enchantment to cause damage. Enchanted launchers cause to hit/damage bonuses only and do not affect what can and cannot be hit. This is determined by the ammo only.