Bows

From Diablo Wiki

Bows are one of the Ranged Weapons in the Diablo series games, favored by both the Rogues, who are playable in Diablo I, and appear as Hirelings in Diablo II and by Amazons in Diablo II.

[edit] Appearance

The most generic type of Bow is usually a long and flexible strip of wood whose ends are bound by a strong and tensile thread. The main wooden part of Bows are usually modified to allow for greater precision. They can be made even more accurate by the inclusion of a kind of targeting slot as seen in Hunter's Bows.

Bows fire arrows using the principle of potential energy by which potential energy is stored in the string when an arrow is pulled towards the user. When the string is released, the stored potential energy is converted into kinetic energy that allows the arrow to travel forward with some velocity. Arrows are also made long, heavy and thin to allow it to travel longer distances by increasing the inertia and reducing air resistance, which in turn increases the range of the Bow. Thus, the damage done by a Bow depends directly on the strength of the hands of the user, in short, how much the user pulls the Arrow, which is the main feature of the Amazons.

Seeing the above limitation, fletchers created the Crossbow, which has an automated firing system that allows the user to fire much heavier arrows called Bolts. This allows for more damage but a slower rate of fire.

[edit] In game

Bows were the only type of Ranged Weapon in Diablo I. So a player who prefers doing damage from range would have to play using Bows. This was not a problem then when using Bows did not require Arrows. The scenario changed after Diablo II, when new types of Ranged Weapons were introduced.

Bows have been used by many classes as their primary Ranged Weapon. Players who prefer a higher Attack Speed and accuracy but doing a small amount of damage opt for Bows instead of Crossbows. The Rogue in Diablo I and the Amazon in Diablo II are known users of the Bow.

One of the main differences in bows between the two games is the fact that bows require ammunition (save for bows equipped on a hireling), as opposed to the original Diablo, where arrows were limitless and non-existent as items.

One of the most famous weapons in the Diablo universe is the Windforce Bow.

Diablo I Bows
Short Bow • Long Bow • Hunter's Bow • Composite Bow • Short Battle Bow • Long Battle Bow • Short War Bow • Long War Bow

Diablo II Bows
Normal Bows — Short Bow • Hunter's Bow • Long Bow • Composite Bow • Short Battle Bow • Long Battle Bow • Short War Bow • Long War Bow Exceptional Bows — Edge Bow • Razor Bow • Cedar Bow • Double Bow • Short Siege Bow • Long Siege Bow • Rune Bow • Gothic Bow Elite Bows — Spider Bow • Blade Bow • Shadow Bow • Great Bow • Diamond Bow • Crusader Bow • Ward Bow • Hydra Bow

Weapons
Amazon Weapons • Axes • Bows • Crossbows • Daggers • Javelins • Katars • Maces • Orbs • Polearms • Scepters • Spears • Staves • Swords • Throwing Weapons • Wands