How is the Storm Bow?

[diviton]

I've never actually used a bow in all my time Crawling, but I came across this and I'm considering it. I'm once again trying to win with a DrAK. I got White Draconian and even though I'm level 16, I haven't found any worthwhile spells, aside from apportation. Because of this, I'm at a big loss for ranged options. Despite the fact that Distortion brand tends to cause more problems than solutions sometimes, I'm still intent on using it since it fits the flavor of playing an AK. Because of this, a ranged option is almost necessary. I can't exactly count on finding Bolt of Cold, so I'm wondering if this Bow is worthwhile, as it seems pretty powerful. Having never used Bows, I have a couple questions.

1. Since it's a longbow, how much skill in bows would be required to effectively use it?

2. It says that the Storm Bow can create rain clouds. This seems somewhat effective, especially in conjunction with a White Draconian's breath, but I don't know where the clouds are made. Does it make clouds at the point the arrow hits, or is it a random spot in the arrows path?

[headcrab0803]

2. it makes clouds around you but its random and you shouldnt rely on that

[Tiktacy]

It's been a while since I used it, but it think it's completely random, but also not too noticeable for the most part.

Also, I don't think bows are an option if you are wielding a distortion weapon.

[diviton]

Clouds around me seems like it could be dangerous for me. Getting surrounded by water might make escape harder, although, it could be nice being surrounded by enemies standing in water while I stand on the one piece of dry land.

Then again, being surrounded is never good. I guess the weapon skill requirement is my main concern.

As for distortion, unless I'm mistaken, 14 made it so Lugonu follows can freely unwield distortion branded weapons.

[Siegurt]

For people who don't follow commit logs religiously.

  Code:

commit 905e27af4c4a0b4028d7b2e5393f6bfe09961998
Author: Steve Melenchuk <smelenchuk@gmail.com>
Date:   Fri Nov 15 20:44:43 2013 -0700

    Suppress distortion unwield effects for Lucy followers.
   
    In my observations of relatively recent wins by Lucy followers, very few
    actually bother to take advantage of the 6* gift; this might partially
    be on account of the limitations of the brand itself, but even for
    weapons which pair well with it (fast-hitting weapons, axes, and the
    like) players prefer other brands. I theorise this is partially on
    account of being effectively restricted to use of the one weapon if the
    player doesn't want to be subject to extreme negatives.
   
    I've run this idea by quite a few people and there doesn't seem to be
    any negative feedback on it as yet, so I think it's worth giving a try


[Hirsch I]

gods be blessed! it is a miracle! hallelluja!!

[Siegurt]

Also for myself when I've had the storm bow, it's been a good solid bow, except I didn't want to keep it in my weapon hand all the time, because I would end up with shallow puddles in inconvenient places, probably if I was a merfolk that would be pretty spiffy, since i was not I opted to unwield it most of the time (Only putting it in hand when I actually wanted to attack stuff with it)

[crate]

Storm bow is pretty close to a +8 velocity longbow with regular arrows, and is exactly a +8 longbow of nothing with branded arrows (except it makes water, which is kind of annoying).

+8 longbow is good but storm bow isn't special.

[headcrab0803]

so disto is actually useable now?

[diviton]

Ah, so it creates clouds randomly not when fired, but simply by being wielded? Interesting.

I guess all thats left to know is what kind of skill investment I'm looking at to make it useful. I'm not worshippinh Trog or Oka, so ammo might become an issue, though it wont be my main means of damage, so the 300-400 arrows already laying around the dungeon should be sufficient. Draconians have a -1 in bows though, so if the skill investment is high, I might just hold off for ice magic. Its so much easier to understand melee weapon investment.

[Siegurt]

Storm bow is pretty close to a +8 velocity longbow with regular arrows, and is exactly a +8 longbow of nothing with branded arrows (except it makes water, which is kind of annoying).

+8 longbow is good but storm bow isn't special.

Actually Electricity shots do 10-25 extra damage per hit (Average of 17.5), Vorpal is +20%, Flaming/Frost arrows (whether the enchantment is on the bow or the arrows) are +40% (Vorpal+Flaming/Frost is +68%)

Which actually makes it worse than a +8 longbow of nothing with Flaming/Frost arrows, unless your bow skill is low. It is, however, better than flaming/frost arrows when your bow skill is lower (under 18) (It's even better than Vorpal+Flaming/Frost if your skill is under about 12 or so)

In short, it's an excellent early-to-midgame bow, but you'll get a better longbow that replaces it once your skill is high enough, unless bow using is something that you're just dabbling in.

I guess there's also more things that are resistant to fire/frost than electricity too, but that's rarely an important consideration.

[Klown]

Play a few CeHu later to get used to bows, though.

[duvessa]

Which actually makes it worse than a +8 longbow of nothing with Flaming/Frost arrows, unless your bow skill is fairly low.

No. Even against a hydra (0 AC, so a significant advantage of elec is negated), with 24 str/dex and 27 bows, flame arrows beat elec arrows by less than 0.5 damage per hit. Unless you are fighting something with rElec or rF-/rC-, you can be pretty certain that storm bow with regular arrows is better than flame/frost arrows. Well, provided you don't mind making water everywhere, which you probably do.

Of course a longbow of velocity is very often better at high skill.

edit: in case it isn't clear, ammo brand has priority, so storm bow is just exactly like an unbranded longbow for firing flame/frost arrows; it's weird to say an unbranded longbow is ever better. Well, except for the rain thing again.

[crate]

Which actually makes it worse than a +8 longbow of nothing with Flaming/Frost arrows

if you shoot flame/frost arrows from the storm bow they dont get elec (ammo brand overwrites bow brand)
hence it is exactly the same as a longbow of nothing in that case

[Siegurt]

Hm, I must've done my math wrong (Or am using an old formula, entirely possible), verifying in wizmode confirms that elec bow is definitely better in most circumstances (Aside from excessively high stats and maxed bow skill) than a flaming/frost longbow or unbranded bow with flaming/frost arrows.

Velocity bow with flaming/frost arrows do more damage than the storm bow in most circumtances OTOH.