Maybe you guys can help me figure out what's going on with my bow. I have a short bow with a damage rating of 31 plus a 76 dex bonus. However, my arrows never do more than 45 damage (which is the damage rating of the arrows). The dex bonus just doesn't seem to apply. Am I missing something? In Demon's Souls a bow with the same stats would be kickin' butt... Thanks

I don't know if this is the issue, but range also comes into play. The further back you are the less damage you'll do. I have a longbow +5 and a composite bow +3. Stats wise the composite bow is better but I almost always use the longbow because it does more damage at a greater range.

From what I've heard online, From purposely nerfed bows in Dark Souls to urge the player to cast more spells or fight in melee. All I can say is try to get the Composite Bow or Black Bow of Pharis up to +15. I have a Composite Bow +15 and use it to great effect in NG+ (usually 100-170 damage with Wooden Arrows). Plus by NG+, you can afford to spend thousands of souls on arrows. Stock up on Fire Arrows or Heavy Arrows and you will see a serious boost in bow damage.

Headshots also do more damage than hits to the body.

Huh...so the 'A' rating for dex scaling is misleading...it doesn't mean anything since it doesn't actually add the damage it says it does. Weird. Weird and frustrating. (Barrabas, not a range thing, damage sux even at point blank)

1: Short bow. That is the worst bow in the game, don't expect good damage out of it.

2: That is the damage the attack does before enemies defense modifiers. Notice how when you smack a guy with the drake sword on a normal melee swing it doesn't do 200 damage either?

3: Headshots do more damage and yes range can have a serious impact on the damage. Maybe not in this case but it will be a factor long term.

4: Damage is equal to what your arrow says the damage is? That's what we call a coincidence.

@Karkarov said:

4: Damage is equal to what your arrow says the damage is? That's what we call a coincidence.

Somehow that made me chuckle, thanks!

@Karkarov said:

1: Short bow. That is the worst bow in the game, don't expect good damage out of it.

2: That is the damage the attack does before enemies defense modifiers. Notice how when you smack a guy with the drake sword on a normal melee swing it doesn't do 200 damage either?

3: Headshots do more damage and yes range can have a serious impact on the damage. Maybe not in this case but it will be a factor long term.

4: Damage is equal to what your arrow says the damage is? That's what we call a coincidence.

So if I have this right, before any other factors are taken into consideration my bow would do this damage:

31 (base) + 76 (dex) + 45 (arrow) = 152

I shoot a rat from a couple of feet away and do 43 damage. So the rat's defenses against my bow are worth 109 (give or take because of range modifier).

Is that the extent of what's going on?

I use a Dragon Bow.. I can knock enemies off ledges from 75 yards and still do 300 damage. I can't really relate.

@TotalEklypse said:

I use a Dragon Bow.. I can knock enemies off ledges from 75 yards and still do 300 damage. I can't really relate.

lol

@traderman said:

@Karkarov said:

1: Short bow. That is the worst bow in the game, don't expect good damage out of it.

2: That is the damage the attack does before enemies defense modifiers. Notice how when you smack a guy with the drake sword on a normal melee swing it doesn't do 200 damage either?

3: Headshots do more damage and yes range can have a serious impact on the damage. Maybe not in this case but it will be a factor long term.

4: Damage is equal to what your arrow says the damage is? That's what we call a coincidence.

So if I have this right, before any other factors are taken into consideration my bow would do this damage:

31 (base) + 76 (dex) + 45 (arrow) = 152

I shoot a rat from a couple of feet away and do 43 damage. So the rat's defenses against my bow are worth 109 (give or take because of range modifier).

Is that the extent of what's going on?

You really only do 43 damage? I have just enough dex to use a bow but I do at least 70 damage on those firebomb throwing undead in undead burg.

Distance plays a factor in how much damage you do.   My raw longbow +5 does like 150 damage close range with a normal arrow but it decreases substantially the further the target is.  Think i've hit some things for less than 10 damage when they are at their max range but returns back to 100+ the closer they get.

@jozzy said:

@traderman said:

@Karkarov said:

1: Short bow. That is the worst bow in the game, don't expect good damage out of it.

2: That is the damage the attack does before enemies defense modifiers. Notice how when you smack a guy with the drake sword on a normal melee swing it doesn't do 200 damage either?

3: Headshots do more damage and yes range can have a serious impact on the damage. Maybe not in this case but it will be a factor long term.

4: Damage is equal to what your arrow says the damage is? That's what we call a coincidence.

So if I have this right, before any other factors are taken into consideration my bow would do this damage:

31 (base) + 76 (dex) + 45 (arrow) = 152

I shoot a rat from a couple of feet away and do 43 damage. So the rat's defenses against my bow are worth 109 (give or take because of range modifier).

Is that the extent of what's going on?

You really only do 43 damage? I have just enough dex to use a bow but I do at least 70 damage on those firebomb throwing undead in undead burg.

Not sure what the actual formula is for damage but that seems off for some reason.

Shortbows and such didn't do a lot for me at the start either. I bought better arrows and upgraded some shit before i got the rapebow9000.. dragon bow.. do get it.. and take it to +5.

Different arrows work best for diff enemy types. takes some fooling around with. Also nut shots and head shots usually give bonus damage...well headshots for sure.

Darkmoon Bow +5 if you want some pretty solid bow damage at closer to mid range. It hits for like 300+ on soft target mobs with moonlight arrows. Kind of depressing compared to what a tricked out Pharis Bow can do, which is... not much :(