# Greatbow balance

**URL:** <https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/greatbow-balance/17474>\
**Category:** The Drawing Board\
**Created:** [November 13, 2018, 9:59pm UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/greatbow-balance/17474 "2018-11-13T21:59:03Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Showing post:** 40

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**Author:** ![Tamior](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/41988e/32.png) [@Tamior](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/Tamior)\
**Post date:** [November 15, 2018, 5:05pm UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/greatbow-balance/17474/40 "2018-11-15T17:05:01Z")

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> [@Bows, Crossbows and Their Balance](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/bows-crossbows-and-their-balance/17067/214):
>
> I was talking to tamior, that seems to be his concern. I think bows are overall better than spears, because you can use them from half the map away and do comparable damage. That is as it should be.

That’s open to debate, really, depending what you are balancing your game around. If balancing around game-play, then having weapons types that are effectively moot is not a good thing.

> [@Bows, Crossbows and Their Balance](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/bows-crossbows-and-their-balance/17067/214):
>
> Starting with a 4 in dexterity and perception means you’ll be terrible at dodging,

You will not be as good as with 8 dex, yes. But that’s only an issue if you planned to rely on dodging. Which is a strange choice given that simply outrunning things or having good armor is more reliable.

> [@Bows, Crossbows and Their Balance](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/bows-crossbows-and-their-balance/17067/214):
>
> you’ll rely on a single character class or you’ll have no night vision

There are 4 or 5 professions that start with night vision bionics. And with “night vision” train you will have ok night vision even with 4 per.

> [@Bows, Crossbows and Their Balance](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/bows-crossbows-and-their-balance/17067/214):
>
> you’ll be unable to detect traps

Not true. You can train trapping skill instead.

> [@Bows, Crossbows and Their Balance](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/bows-crossbows-and-their-balance/17067/214):
>
> and you’ll be bad at a host of useful skills needed to do things in the game other than “shoot thing with large bow”.

Namely? I play with this build and I failed to notice that.

> [@Bows, Crossbows and Their Balance](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/bows-crossbows-and-their-balance/17067/214):
>
> There absolutely are drawbacks to that level of minmaxing. And besides, who cares that it’s possible? It’s also possible to turn on freeform point allocation and just give yourself 20 strength and 10 archery and marksmanship.

The baseline for balancing stuff is a multi-pool character.

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