What bow string its the best?

Hello, so i want to add a bow string to my shortbow and i don't know witch one is the best (or what you guys mostly use).

Short bow, if I was you, Zealot ones, or Vamp.

Zealous bow strings are always nice. Especially if you're using Barrage or Dual Shot with a high Expertise (10-11).

Poisonous Strings are good for well, poison.

Vampiric strings are good for Barrage too.

You can use Sundering, but overall Vampiric does more damage. I just don't find Sundering useful.

Those are the top 4 strings.

LOL depends what your build is. Most rangers carry several bows around for various situations. One of the popular ones rangers were running when I had my ranger was shocking bowstring + thunderclap (elite). Sundering however is pretty popular now days, as in vampiric, but the vamp bows are more often used in PvP. Another good one is poisoner's if you are running poison arrows. IMHO zealous isn't too bad either.

Don't you run out of energy fast with Thunderclap? I wouldn't think the energy loss would be reduced by Expertise and since you only have ~30e, you'd be out after about 3 hits.

I agree with the others though. Zealous or vampiric for general use, poisonous for poisoners, or elemental for conjures. You don't need a fiery string for Conjure Flame if you use Kindle Arrow though.

Vampiric has the most uses imo

Quote: Don't you run out of energy fast with Thunderclap? I wouldn't think the energy loss would be reduced by Expertise and since you only have ~30e, you'd be out after about 3 hits. Thunderclap {E} was bugged... along with a few other skills... where it wouldn't end when u hit 0 energy... so as long as u kept shooting at the foe... they'd keep getting KD

Hey guys, anyone married to a Zealot bow string? By that, I mean you have it on your hand ALL or MOST of the time?

Vampiric strings increase your damage output alot. Personally, I find Zealous strings to be less needed with a ranger (due to expertise AND three pips of Regen) than warriors.

Sundering is worthless, it ends up adding very little damage to your attacks. +1 Marks is the same, it ends up not being worth using.

So unless you were planning on using a Conjure line...I'd use Vampiric and carry a plain bow to switch to when not attacking.

Quote: Originally Posted by romeo_longsword

Vampiric ftw XD

Try going into Tombs with a Barrage/pet group and you'll see lots of +health numbers pop up above your head. :o

I like carrying a vamp bow or if i've got a high energy cost build then a zealous one, and switch over to an ebon bow for taking down warriors(ebon since there is some armour agains the other elements but none for earth.

Although I am still experimenting, but I am finding myself using the sundering bow of defence as the main, and a Vamp bow as the second.

So yes, I switch to vamp when I am spaming.

Zealous
Vampiric

Hey guys maybe im nuts but...what about an Ebon bow string? Rangers have armor against Fire, Cold, and Lightning but no "earth armor"...Not very often do you encounter an Ele wearing Earth armor...and as far as warriors go...not any armor against earth...necros and monks...not a concern

I think that hardly noone brings defense against Earth Damage...except for the occasional Mesmer with a mantra...

anyway something to think about...

Quote: Originally Posted by Ohtar Nimloth

5/1 vamp bow string

How good of short bow is it ?? is it a gold bow with high dam. added, the reason being,
a 5/1 vamp string is not cheap, I would only install it on a decent bow, 13^ 50 and above. Then you will need another bow to switch to when not fighting to avoid the
health loss, is this for PvE mostly?? With a short-bow you are going to have to be close
to the action to get shots off.
I would also look into getting Thornbeards horned bow, I love this bow, built-in 10% AP
all the time, and 15% while enchanted, great for solo farming, since you will be
enchanted.
My favorite bow at the moment is my Zealous composite bow of fortitude(+29), forget
the dam. applier, but this bow is awesome, accurate, fast, and flat, I do not really
use my short-bows much.

hope this helps
Sirshadowrunner

Buying the mods is not that big of an issue, unless you're incredibly picky and only want to use a certain kind of bow.

I bought a Elswyth's Recurve Bow, 5/1 vampiric +15^50 +30hp, for 12k and a Graygore's Zealous Short Bow, +15^50 +30hp, for 25k, and just switch depending on the situation. Pretty affordable imo.

Ebon is nice noone defends against it. But also no ele skills that allow you to "conjure" it though. So it doesn't get the run. If you could conjure an earth attack it would be huge.

Also depends on if you PvE or PvP.

I use sundering but I know zealous is better I haven't found a mod yet for it.