Best ranged weapon for CeGl

[goblolo]

I am playing a CeGl and is thinking about getting a ranged weapon online. I am looking towards bows, throwing and xbows. Throwing has no swap time and javelins are pretty good. Bows and xbows has been reworked a lot an I don't know which is better.
Does throwables have different delay, such as bows and xbows?
What type of ranged weapons will do more damage with moderate str and dex(~15)?
I am planning to take Oka with faith until I am XL20-23. By this time he should equip me enough, I'll have solid acces to haste and +5 in battle skills won't be too much. I think by this time I will have more than enough ammo.

[goblolo]

I start thinking about xbows or throwing because of steel and penerating ammunition.
Does brands stack?

[Lasty]

Unless there was a change to steel ammo, the only brands that stack are velocity launcher or speed launcher + any brand ammo. Otherwise, the ammo brand overwrites the launcher brand, or in the case of a freezing + flaming, negates the launcher brand.

I'm not sure how good bows and crossbows are right now, but I'd be surprised if they're not good. Throwing is quite similar to UC w/ massive levels of claws right now, so if you're willing to put in ~15 levels, it'll probably be your most damaging form of offense.

Having moderate str/dex will give you a small boost to most weapons, but it won't be a deciding factor between weapons. You would need very large, very lopsided str/dex to make stats a deciding factor in weapon choice.

[damiac]

Having just played a CeHu through to extended, quite easily, I will tell you that bows are an excellent choice. +3 apt certainly doesn't hurt.

A little more balance work is needed though, as even with my insanely powerful bow, hubris and stupidity easily killed the character.

[scorpionwarrior]

Personally I like new xbows because you don't have to spam their attacks as much as bows, and with Oka you're in no danger of running out of ammo. In my last game Trog gifted me a triple crossbow of speed, it was totally insane; with 25 skill and 20 fighting I was 2-shotting electric golems and regularly doing !!!! damage.