Game Mechanics: Archery bonus Incorrectly Using Mainhand Primary

[Tomacco]

It does not seem to apply to throwing. It’s been tested with shurikens and throwing boulders on red.

[PabloEdvardo]

Originally Posted by Jimjam [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]

I wonder if this is linked to the bug that to other players your weapon is still displayed as your primary/secondary while shooting a bow and arrow...

If you're talking about what I think you're talking about, I suspect it's just a client/server sync issue and not a bug because it still happens on Live, as well. It's not limited to bow, either. When you attack with bow it doesn't automatically switch to showing bow as the visible weapon, nor send an update packet from the server to other clients to reflect a weapon change. If you equip/unequip the bow then it will update for everyone because it forces the update packet.

You can easily test this on any character already by just re-equipping your range item and then autoattacking something in melee. You'll be autoattacking while holding your range item. Same concept in reverse.

[Jimjam]

From what I’ve tested by quizzing other players for what they see… Equipping the bow doesn’t even display it to other players.

[nilbog]

I’m currently looking into this to identify possible causes.

Are there any in-era logs, forum posts, screenshots, or other references showing players using a known bow that I could use as a baseline for damage comparison in testing?

[nilbog]

I found the source of the issue. Before implementing a fix, I need to better understand what the expected bow damage should be.

For example, if you remove your melee weapons (placing them in inventory) and then fire a ranged weapon, does the resulting damage look correct?

Additionally, I'd like to understand what ranger damage should look like normally, and with their discipline.

[Tomacco]

There isn't a lot of in-era data about bow damage, I think likely because bows weren't very useful (better for rangers, but not great) until Luclin bow buffs.

Here is a post that talks about 70-80 damage with a bow of the huntsman, and crits for 140 - https://everquest.allakhazam.com/db/...97715029532147

Not a lot of context but seems to be a Ranger vs stationary mobs ("really could only do it against the giants...") Currently on p99 a ranger with an earthshaker can hit significantly harder than that, a warrior with a weighted axe has a *minimum* hit of over 100 damage.

It sounds like you agree that this is a bug, but I would consider this further evidence "20/30 with proc spirit strike. Which is STILL Better than Windsaber" (same post) - Windsaber is a superior bow on P99 because of this bug.

The patch notes referenced earlier in this thread imply that bows have their own bonus damage, but it's not clear if that's ranger only: https://everquest.allakhazam.com/his...es-2001-1.html

"The ranger's "Trueshot" discipline has had its damage increased after
analyzing data from its fix last week. Prior to the last patch, all
bows, while under the discipline, were hitting as if they were 45dmg
bows regardless of the delay. Last week's patch fixed it so that damage
was based on the damage of the bow. This weeks patch increases damage
bonuses in relation to delay (longer delays yield better damage
bonuses)."

It's pretty obvious that the context is bow delay, not main hand weapon delay.

I'll try to find more in-era damage context, it's pretty spares though.

I would say that removing main hand weapon makes the bow damage feel more appropriate.
Rangers should definitely have the upper hand where archery is concerned, but I think the stationary double damage and critical hits were the only classic implementations of that.

[Delfofthebla]

Rangers bout to be a lot less fun to play. Great work making things less interesting as always team. Keep up the "good" work.

[Awsten_Tx]

Originally Posted by nilbog [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]

I found the source of the issue. Before implementing a fix, I need to better understand what the expected bow damage should be.

For example, if you remove your melee weapons (placing them in inventory) and then fire a ranged weapon, does the resulting damage look correct?

Additionally, I'd like to understand what ranger damage should look like normally, and with their discipline.

Nilbog,

First, THANK YOU!

the base damage of the weapons appears to be correct.

However the bonus damage, AND proc rate formula, pulls from the main hand delay. This gives significant inappropriate advantage to large races wielding a weighted axe in their main hand.

I will go find all my research and repost here for your review.

[CrazyPro]

It ain't much but I found this: https://web.archive.org/web/20001018...s.asp?ID=82328

Us rangers get critical hit in archery. To recognize how valuable this is, i'll set an example . At lvl 9 , i was able to score 32 damage all the time with my high archery skill with a rough elm bow. better than what a halberd hits. > )

---

Brad McQuaid didn't seem to like the idea of archery being good. https://web.archive.org/web/20010304...adlog4-5_1.asp

<Uhgs> Aradune, there are so many people asking for Archery to be a viable primary attack...can't you find any way to make it balanced but primary? They would all LOVE it....
<Aradune> uhgs: no, i really don't want to make archery a primary combat skill, sorry

<Elderan> Aradune: NO one is asking for archery to be a pri combat skill, just as an ADDED skill for rangers while combat, IE combat archery
<Aradune> elderan: to make it viable for what you guys want, it would be a primary combat skill
<Aradune> and then it would be used instead of melee
<Aradune> and then EQ wouldn't be EQ

[kingcowboy]

Crit damage seems to be off

Please take a look at this thread. I've never had a crit this high even while main handing earthshaker

https://www.project1999.com/forums/s...d.php?t=423813