Ranged weapon rebalancing

[Drew]

This is an idea I've had for a long time. Bioware clearly worked at rebalancing ranged weapons for BG2 as compared to BG1. The problem is that the "logic" behind the enchantment levels of ranged weapons isn't consistent under the current implementation. Enchanted arrows and bolts only give a Thac0 bonus, but bullets give Thac0 and damage. Enchanted bows only give a damage bonus under special circumstances, while enchanted Crossbows and slings do. Obviously, bioware did this to counterbalance the fact that bows grant an extra attack. I think the way they did it, though, was pretty stupid. Here's how I want to rebalance these weapons:

 

Enchanted Arrows, Bolts, and Bullets all grant a simple Thac0 bonus so they will be consistent.

 

Enchanted Bows, Crossbows, and Slings all gain a damage bonus commensurate with their enchantment level (obviously, there may be an exception or two).

 

Bows with a strength requirement will apply that strength bonus to damage.

 

To counterbalance the fact that this makes crossbows less useful overall, crossbows will increase the critical threat range by one

 

Since slings can be used with a shield in the offhand, I don't think they need anything extra to counterbalance the improvements I'd be making to bows.

 

 

Any input or suggestions would be welcome. I'd also like to know what everyone thinks the best way to do this would be. Do I need to patch each item individually, or could I use a PATCH_IF command to bring the damage in line with the Thac0 bonus on a (more or less) global level? Obviously, I can add the critical bonus to Crossbows in one fell swoop, so Im really only wondering what the best way to approach bows would be.

[Grunker]

Great idea. Only thing is, bows would still be more efficient IMO:

 

Two attacks which hit and a succesful critical hit are in essence the same thing; they both "double" the damage dealt by the user of the bow/x-bow. The difference is: Always having two attacks means dealing "double damage" every round, whereas a critical hit only happens sometimes. The fact that a critical hit can happen on each attack in a round (effectively "doubling" the amount of attacks the user has that round) is irrelevant, because it is very unlikely. Furthermore, a critical hit isn't something unique for the crossbow, such as the extra attack is for the bow, the crossbow just recieves a better chance of having the critical hit.

 

I don't now how else to do it though, just my two cents. Perhaps add more than just 1 to the critical hit chance? And a little extra damage, like D&D? Say, 17-20x3 for crossbows, for example? Although that wouldn't be realistic, of course. Oh, and the fact that there are more powerful bows in the game than crossbows is also a problem

 

Anyway, the concept of a rebalancing is great, I've never, ever, used a crossbow in a Baldur's Gate game, even though I would like to try it.

[Drew]

bows would still be more efficient IMO:

As well they should be. I'm a little leary of doing too much "rebalancing" with crossbows. As it is, warriors will likely all switch to crossbows in ToB anyway. Who cares about an extra attack when they can whirlwind, do more damage, and score more criticals while they are at it? Special crossbow bolts (biting and electrical) also do a lot more damage than similar arrows. Even with the changes I'm thinking of implementing, crossbows still will hit harder. The light crossbow of speed, in particular, will be a lot more effective.

[NiGHTMARE]

Will you be keeping short bows' +1 speed factor, long bows' +1 THAC0, and composite bows' +1 damage, or will their bonuses be changed to something else?

[Salk]

This idea is very interesting and I must say I have thought of something similar for a long time. It might become one of the Tweaks component if Drew will like it.

 

The only thing I don't think would be good is to let the Strenght bonus apply to give extra damage when a Str requirement is set in order to use bows. I would welcome all the other changes instead...

[Drew]

Will you be keeping short bows' +1 speed factor, long bows' +1 THAC0, and composite bows' +1 damage, or will their bonuses be changed to something else?

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Short bows and long bows will keep their respective speed factor and Thac0 bonuses. The base damage on composite bows will be raised from +1 to +2, since it requires an 18 strength to use it. Strongarm, if any party member is strong enough to use it, will be a lot more effective. Perhaps too much. Under my system of logic, the weapon will be +3 to hit (+1 because it's a Longbow, +2 due to enchantment) and +9 to damage (+7 for 19 str, +2 enchantment). This weapon will have it's price increased and will be moved to Ribald's special stock, I think. If it becomes too unbalancing, I will set bows to apply the "to hit" str bonus to damage instead (Composite bows would only get a base +1 and Strongarm would get a +5 to damage this way).

 

@Salk: The only time the strength issue will come up is the increase from +1 to +2 of Composite Bows' damage and the (rather obscene) increase to the damage Strongarm +2 inflicts. With the exception of Strongarm, you won't even notice the change. I, however, will sleep much better at night knowing that heavy pull bows (which is how the BG1/BG2 Composite bows are implemented) will actually be following the rules.

[Biubid_boy]

I've always thought that crossbows would be better if they had a speed bonus, to reflect that they can be reloaded faster than a regular bow.

[Grim Squeaker]

I've always thought that crossbows would be better if they had a speed bonus, to reflect that they can be reloaded faster than a regular bow.

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I'm sorry but thats really not true. Unless you have a pump-action crossbow like those seen in The Two Towers (which were taken from designs in an obscure German munitions textbook), crossbows will take a while to reload because of the mechanism. Bows are a lot quicker to reload.

[Simbriant]

I'm sorry but thats really not true.  Unless you have a pump-action crossbow like those seen in The Two Towers (which were taken from designs in an obscure German munitions textbook), crossbows will take a while to reload because of the mechanism.  Bows are a lot quicker to reload.

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You are correct. I believe there was a war betwee the french and the english. One was using crossbows, the other, long bows. Whoever used the crossbows got their buts kicked because they couldn't fire as rapidly.

[Grim Squeaker]

I'm sorry but thats really not true.  Unless you have a pump-action crossbow like those seen in The Two Towers (which were taken from designs in an obscure German munitions textbook), crossbows will take a while to reload because of the mechanism.  Bows are a lot quicker to reload.

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You are correct. I believe there was a war betwee the french and the english. One was using crossbows, the other, long bows. Whoever used the crossbows got their buts kicked because they couldn't fire as rapidly.

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It was the Hundred Years War. The English had longbows, the French had crossbows. When the French captured English troops they would cut off the two fingers they required for drawing a longbow, making them useless in battle. It's believed that this is where the hand gesture of raising two fingers comes from as at the start of battles the English troops would raise their fingers at the French to show that they could still fight.