Archers Again get the Shaft

[ThePaganKing]

Ok, I understand the Luskan thing and prices going up, but come on, can't you give the archers a bit of a break. There was a post awhile back about the cost of arrows and a DM said he would look into it, but hey, the prices doubled like everything else.

Now I know why people really don't play archers.....cost of 99 decent arrows....1300 stags...how long they last, a couple encounters...cost to keep buying them...way too much....I will stop and do a melee character, or, a buffer, he is way more survivable, doesn't have to buy potions, and can put all his stags into rep and good armor and even be more of a badass.

[Lollercide]

Yeah, being an archer kind of sucks. Arcane Archer wasn't so bad, back when there wasn't much gear available and when the cap was 15, but they seem to be getting left behind a little bit. It's hard to grind rep and gold to get better gear when you have the constant gold drain of arrows.

It would be pretty neat if the prices were lowered, or if there were a very sensible method for archers (rangers with archer path, or any other class with Weapon Focus (Longbow/Shortbow/Crossbow) in particular to craft arrows. Until then, you have my sympathies.

[Silas North]

I agree with King on this. Archers can be pretty potent if built correctly and at range to boot. However, the arrow price is just a bit much. It's fine that they make cash slower than melee builds, but the way things are, they can hardly make any profit at all.

[ManUtd4Ever]

My monk uses Shuriken (with a minor enchantment) from the Arbiter's Alliance store and they cost 6 gp a piece. So as I agree with PK, I would suggest the cost discrepancy extends to other ranged weapons as well...

Cheers!

[Kangleton]

Also, if you kill something from maximum range as an archer, you don't get the gold from the kill.

[Talleyman99]

I thought this post was a pun. Maybe its just me but shoot the cheap stuff at mobs and you will save money. Only time to use the good stuff is big events. Or cvc

[Cornuto]

Again, a list of what arrows are overpriced and in what store would go a long way to seeing this get fixed.

[ThePaganKing]

The only stores I have access to that have the real good arrows are as follows:
Savo (trade tier ranger)
1. Crescent arrow - 1317 stags
2. Weighted arrow - 1317 stags

all the other stores that people have told me about don't sell any special arrows that they know of.

the ranger store does sell a couple different arrows, and the ranger I talked to said they are the same price, around 1300 stags for 99 arrows.
1. Wracking arrow

All of these types do usually 1 magical and then 1 piercing, or blunt or some such damage.

The Temple of Helm does sell arrows that are +2 vs. evil, they are 396 stags.

Hope this helps.

[Urithrand]

That does seem a bit pricey. Even in high level areas you'd have to grind for a good while to make 1,300 gold, probably longer than a single stack would even last.

[Dragor]

*jumps in for a chance to do math*

lets go with the idea that a lvl 20 archer is going through the duergar dungeon with help of course

using the formula that the each duergar lasts 3 rounds of attack

and going off the complete estimation/guess that there are about 150 duergar/dwarf thralls in there (i know its somewhere around that)

the archer likely has over 16 BAB so gets 4 attacks per round but since its in a group lets say it only gets all four on 2/3's of the 150 theoretical duergar

without any loot you make around 3k in this dungeon

so with 100 duergar taking 4 arrows each the archer is using 400+ arrows in this dungeon...probably closer to 500

not so bad if you use regular arrows...but if you arent an AA...

[MelancholyWinds]

Can crafters craft any arrows to compensate for the super expensive ones?

If so... That's a pretty profitable opportunity for a pc who crafts items and such.

And you know.. It's an IC way of dealing with a problem that isn't entirely ooc, or ic.

[Dragor]

crafting is not a cheap way to do anything

[Intrepid42]

Crafting is most definitely not cheap.

However, there is a definite gap in the market for arrows. Crafted magical arrows are much cheaper than the prices being quoted earlier in the thread. To take crafted acid arrows, for example, they seem vastly cheaper than store-bought arrows.

The main limitation would be the adventuring ability to get to the tree, and the skill/feat/spell requirements.

[Torgar]

I've played an archer or two, and I see it this way.

Magic arrow that adds maybe 1-2 damage a shot= 1300 gp
Normal arrow = 6gp a stack

Someone made to be a good archer is going to kill mobs in the same number of arrows 80% of the time, weather or not those arrows are magic or regular, so just use the regular arrows that most basic weapon merchants sell for 6 gold a stack, You will earn a lot more gold off mobs, and kill them about as fast. Oh, and remember, group with a friendly caster. Wizards need you as much as you need them, and Wizards with GMW are an archers best friend, since that spell DOES work on bows.

[roguethree]

When you fire off 8 arrows a round, that 2 damage makes a difference.