Magic vs. Bows

[Landsknecht]

I'll have to go with bows. If you have a good bow, you can just use arrows you loot off of bandits, so not cost there, when magika recharges naturally.

 

Weight is not usually a big problem if you loot smart.

 

Magika has it for abilities, however, it is an unfair comparison with abilities because there are different schools (this ultimately comes down on how the player wants their skills to be).

 

The limit to bow damage is the bow, arrows, and agility (and sometimes sneak attack), while the damage limit for magic is your magika, which depends on intelligence and fortify magika ability. And if you use up your magika on one spell, it better kill everyone in the dungeon or have a bunch of restore magika potions. I think this one goes to bows since it is less weight and can deal with an opponent that can deal with a surprising opponent (i.e. one with immunities to the spell).

 

As for comedic mods, I think it is a tie if you have used the Dangerously Fast Arrows mod.

[DeusXMachina]

As so often, I think the best available is a combination of the two. While you can do fine with archery OR magic, a stealthy archer with some skill in illusion, alchemy and alteration will be a killing machine, especially in higher levels. Never had so much fun with the OOO bosses as with my breton archer.

[heresaiarch_of_the_flame]

I myself prefer the combination of both, or the Arcane arrows mod ;P.

[gzuz]

id prefer a bow over magic for a couple of reasons,if you shoot a spell over a distance it doesn't move as fast as an arrow so the target may move and you may miss and alert the enemy.whiel archers can shoot and arrow and if you miss the enemy still may have no idea your there. then if your a master at range you have a paralize ability when u strike the enemy so you don't even have to use a potion or cast a spell.And about the arrows i normally use plain iron silver or steel,i normally don't use the expensive ebony or daedric,i normally use those if i have high amounts.magic also has interesting abilitys like chameleon or invisibility cast a spell go back to invisibility.then again there are some races that have magic resistances and weaknesses,and there are no resistances to arrows.unless your against armor. :D

[hsandman]

Can a mage do this at level 1? *note: no crosshair/sneakeye* :P

I started a new assasin character thanks to that assasination thread :-/. She went and killed few bandits, then sold everything she had to buy this bow...(

 

 

http://xs116.xs.to/xs116/07236/Oblivionsneakone.jpg.xs.jpghttp://xs116.xs.to/xs116/07236/Oblivionsneaktwo.jpg.xs.jpghttp://xs116.xs.to/xs116/07236/Oblivionsneakthree.jpg.xs.jpghttp://xs116.xs.to/xs116/07236/Oblivionsneakfour.jpg.xs.jpghttp://xs116.xs.to/xs116/07236/Oblivionsneakfive.jpg.xs.jpghttp://xs116.xs.to/xs116/07236/Oblivionsneaksix.jpg.xs.jpghttp://xs116.xs.to/xs116/07236/Oblivionsneakseven.jpg.xs.jpg

 

 

 

Free Image Hosting [xs.to]

[scott5116]

i have top chose bows as well i had a mage last time and it was good but i prefer bows to magice because its more fun takes more .... skill works i guess (bot to mention i like hunting with my bow sneaking about)

[WrathOfDeadguy]

There are a few reasons why I prefer bows to magic:

 

1- Roleplay. All of my characters end up as stealth-heavy Bosmer scout/ranger/thief types, and so it makes sense for them to use bows a lot.

 

2- System performance. I'm not running a top-end system, and sometimes a spell used in the wrong place could mean a serious FPS hit where a bow wouldn't.

 

3- Ammo. While I usually invest in a good alchemy stat for roleplay, a single potion to provide a full magicka bar provides maybe 2-3 strong ranged magic attacks. For the same cost in inventory space, I could store up to 5 arrows.

 

4- Enchantments negate the power advantage of magic attacks. An enchanted bow plus even an iron arrow usually results in a one-hit kill, and the space required for a single grand soul recharge is no more than a single potion's worth of space.

 

5- Stealth. Magic reveals your position; a bow (even an enchanted one) does not.

 

Actually, a better debate would be staff vs. bow- player-cast magic attacks don't compare well with archery because the skills are mutually exclusive (i.e. you won't usually have both on the same character). Anyone can pick up a staff and use it to its full potential with no pre-existing skills. On top of that, a staff with 20+ shots plus a refill takes up only ~12 inventory slots. If you find a good staff, it is by far the most economical ranged weapon in terms of time spent to learn skills (none), sustained fire rate, and ease of use (point and click). Ammo in the form of potions, souls, and arrows is dirt cheap for all ranged attacks since those items are so plentiful, so that doesn't really even matter.

[Lolzor]

I believe that bows are far the best for distance attacks.. Especially for characters with good sneaking skill.. Because then you will get a nice +dmg.. AND when/if the target gets close you can always use some magics stuff then.. Magic on touch costs less Magicka than on target :ph34r:

[Kazren]

I think it depends on your stats. I made a Breton under the mage sign, and mage class. I also use a mod, can't remember the name though, that lets you map spells to the number pad. With that mod and a mouse with extra buttons, I use the logitech MX Revolution, you can have an arsenal of spells that can be used with ease. I keep my main spell up, usually Finger of the Mountain, and a healing spell, absorb health spell and a sould trap spell on the extra buttons. With this combo i can lay down long range spells and if they get close enough i can leach their health. Pretty effective imo. But I guess if i had a low willpower and intellegence id go with a bow, I just dont like the fact that I have to keep arrows stocked, plus with magic, i dont have to worry about having silver or enchanted arrows equipt depending on the foe im fighting.

 

But theyre both fun to use, just depends on the stats you have.

[palitoot]

well i like magic the most and its good but if you want to use magic create a mage

if u want to use bows create a thief magic is better for a mage and a bow better for a thief