What's the best overall bow type for damage, interruption, and speed?

thesecondrei

Krytan Explorer

Join Date: Jun 2005

California

Alliance of Xen [XoO]

W/R

I really don't feel like getting 3 different bows...even if it is optimal, but anyways, whats the best overall bow type for damage, interruption, and firing speed?

Lasher Dragon

Lasher Dragon

Draconic Rage Incarnate

Join Date: Apr 2005

Iowa

Alphahive

R/A

Shortbow/halfmoons. I use those and longbows. Range when I need it, speed when I don't.

Rukmedes

Lion's Arch Merchant

Join Date: Dec 2005

Mo/W

Nothing beats Recurve.

mtm

mtm

Lion's Arch Merchant

Join Date: Mar 2006

Portugal & Greece

W/

Guildwiki has detailed info on speed and range of any type of bow. You can check there and decide what's best for you.

Mandy Memory

Mandy Memory

Desert Nomad

Join Date: Mar 2005

USA

Xen of Sigils [XoO]

W/

Recurve is best for interruption. Halfmoon/shortbow is best for speed and damage. (there ya go...just carry 2 bows)

Lasher Dragon

Lasher Dragon

Draconic Rage Incarnate

Join Date: Apr 2005

Iowa

Alphahive

R/A

Recurve's arrows travel slightly faster than shortbows, however they refire slightly slower. IMO I'd rather have more arrows in the air to interrupt with, but that's me.

Almighty Zi

Almighty Zi

Frost Gate Guardian

Join Date: Aug 2005

Cheltenham, England

Servants Of Fortuna Victrix

This may help: http://www.guildwarsguru.com/content...ies-id1092.php

Thief???

Thief???

Ascalonian Squire

Join Date: May 2006

Boot Camp

As Lasher Dragon says, the faster you can shoot the better. Even though the Shortbow has 0.15 seconds more of a flight time compared to Recurve, you can interupt more with quick succession.

Try both Shortbow (Shortbow has 1 derivative) and Recurve (Recurve has 3 derivatives).

Note: For the derivatives, check the Bow Stats page that Almighty Zi posted above.

Mandy Memory

Mandy Memory

Desert Nomad

Join Date: Mar 2005

USA

Xen of Sigils [XoO]

W/

Quote:
Originally Posted by Lasher Dragon
Recurve's arrows travel slightly faster than shortbows, however they refire slightly slower. IMO I'd rather have more arrows in the air to interrupt with, but that's me.
I normally agree, but it depends on the style of interruption. Are you interrupting specific things? Are you interrupting everything?

MrScaRy

Academy Page

Join Date: Jun 2005

Hornbows have 10% armor penetration, which makes them the best choice to be used in a spike.

Half moon and shortbow may have the highest speed, but they also have the shortest range, which means that you'll need to get up close if you are going to need to interrupt.

Lasher Dragon

Lasher Dragon

Draconic Rage Incarnate

Join Date: Apr 2005

Iowa

Alphahive

R/A

Quote:
Originally Posted by Mandy Memory
I normally agree, but it depends on the style of interruption. Are you interrupting specific things? Are you interrupting everything?
Everything of course!

Dr Strangelove

Dr Strangelove

Furnace Stoker

Join Date: Dec 2005

Wasting away again in Margaritaville

[HOTR]

Stick with a shortbow and carry around a random longbow/flatbow for pulling. The pulling bow can be white and non-max damage, it really doesn't matter.

Dove_Song

Lion's Arch Merchant

Join Date: Mar 2006

shortbows are VERY overrated....they are not that much faster when you add in all the factors. Not to mention the HUGE decrease in range you might as well get a melee weapon.

get a good recurve bow, get a good long bow, you'll be all set....sorry but your gonna have to carry at least two bows.

Jedimagician

Jedimagician

Wilds Pathfinder

Join Date: Mar 2006

http://gw.gamewikis.org/wiki/Bow

all about bows

baz777

baz777

Jungle Guide

Join Date: Dec 2005

South East England

Leader: Lady Hairy Armpits S[mell]

E/

I carry just 2 bows - 1 long bow and 1 short bow

Former Ruling

Grotto Attendant

Join Date: Oct 2005

Cedartown, Georgia

R/

Quote:
Originally Posted by Lasher Dragon
Recurve's arrows travel slightly faster than shortbows, however they refire slightly slower. IMO I'd rather have more arrows in the air to interrupt with, but that's me.
That would be true, if it were not for the fact that all Interuption Bow Attacks have a Set Attack Speed regardless of the attack speed of your bow.

Whether you have a Shortbow, Longbow, Hornbow, Recurvebow, or Flatbow - They ALL attack at the same speed when using interuption attacks.

So Basically the only thing that factors into its speed is its arch and flight time. Recurve happens to...well...have the lowest arch and lowest flight time.

Rajamic

Wilds Pathfinder

Join Date: May 2005

IA

Chronicles of Heroes [CoH]

R/Me

Flatbow with Read the Wind is the best for all 3 bowtype properties..

Though I prefer Shortbow with Kindle, since I don't find being at medium range to be a problem, and Kindle gives more damage.

Lasher Dragon

Lasher Dragon

Draconic Rage Incarnate

Join Date: Apr 2005

Iowa

Alphahive

R/A

Quote:
Originally Posted by Former Ruling
That would be true, if it were not for the fact that all Interuption Bow Attacks have a Set Attack Speed regardless of the attack speed of your bow.

Whether you have a Shortbow, Longbow, Hornbow, Recurvebow, or Flatbow - They ALL attack at the same speed when using interuption attacks.

So Basically the only thing that factors into its speed is its arch and flight time. Recurve happens to...well...have the lowest arch and lowest flight time.
That would be true, except I use Choking Gas when I really want to interrupt.

Also, while the base attack speed of your bow may not come into play when using a single interrupt attack, it most certainly DOES come into play when you are trying to interrupt multiple spells/skills. If your bow is already in the stages of firing, you have to wait for it to "cycle through" before your next interrupt attack will go off. Nothing is more annoying to me than to be attacking an enemy, see them start casting a quick spell, and my interrupt gets there too late because my bow is still cycling through it's attack animation. Shortbows have the shortest attack cycle.

jimmy_logic

jimmy_logic

Wilds Pathfinder

Join Date: Sep 2005

R/

Flight time does play a part though. The longer the arrow is in the air the more chance the other player has to get the skill off. As previously mentioned interrupts have a set attack speed. I personally use a Longbow/Recurve/Shortbow I alternate depending on my role. Its easy when you have Ventrilo a quick holler and you can be an interrupter or a DPS Ranger.

Jetdoc

Jetdoc

Hell's Protector

Join Date: Jul 2005

The Eyes of Texas [BEVO]

D/A

Recurve to interrupt a single skill.

Shortbow to shutdown an enemy entirely (via constant interrupts).

That 0.15 second flight difference makes a huge difference if you're trying to take out a 1 second cast skill.

However, spamming a shortbow can be just as effective, as it is likely that one of your arrows will knock out almost every other skill someone is using.