Best upgrades for bows

Would you, oh intrepid reader, please give me some advice? What upgrades would YOU put on a bow that you were 'building' for yourself? Why would you put that particular upgrade on it?

Your advice is truly appreciated!

I personally would go with 20% armor piercing or whatever the highest is for it. And then something that lengthens poison duration. I know you get a similar bow like that from completing a quest, but I don't know if there's an actual attachment that'll let you achieve the poison lenghtening. And depending on what kind of enemies I'd be fighting, some kind of elemental damage, most likely earth. That'd be my bow.

How many upgrades can you put on? Bow grip, string and....?

*is a complete ranger n00b*

ok first of all you can only put 2 mods on a bow ..a string and a grip , there max for a sundering(armor penetrating) is 10 % with a 10% chance.....
there is a poison upgrade too ,but you cant have both poison lenghtening AND earth dmg on a bow, youll have to choose

GWOnline has a good listing of the different weapon modifications you can get. Aniewiel, you should choose your grip and string based upon what skills you will be using. If you'll be using a lot of enchantments, I'd recommend a grip of enchanting so that you don't have to cast as often. If you want to use poison arrow or apply poison, the poisoner's string isn't a bad choice. If you're going with a R/E conjure X build, the appropriate elemental string is a must have. I personally have 4 different bows for all sorts of situations. A shortbow with shocking string and fortitude grip, a composite bow with poisoner's string and fortitude grip, a flatbow with fiery string and enchanting grip, and another bow with icey string and marksmanship grip. It's all a matter of what skills you use most. What do you plan on doing with that ranger of yours?

i would add the +25 fortitude upgrade ( haft I think) and I ve had at least 2 upgrades to my bow...(enchanting longbow of fortitude)

Heck, if you're gonna get a +25 why not go for broke and get a maximum +30 fortitude grip? It's not gold cost-effective though, as people are charging more for that grip than for most actual bows.

What that can't be right? There no Enchanting Bow String? You sure you not made a mistake.

Since it goes like this "Bow String Type" "Bow Type" of "Bow Grip Name"

So mine for example is Fiery Half Moon of Fortitude

Good catch Firebat... yea, enchanting is a grip, which means that enchanting longbow of fortitude you have must be a figment of your imagination Midnyte...

Vampiric 3:1(im not paying 100K for 5:1)
Grip fo Marksmanship
Halfmoon Bow

Tigers Fury + Barrage = pwned

Grip: It depends in part on what your non-ranger profession is. If you are in a profession that uses a lot of enchanting, the 20% enchating grip could be useful. For pretty much everyone else -- defense, defense, defense. You can get a +4 defense grip for 200 gp and a +5 (perfect) for 5K or less.

Strings: I use three bows most of the time. I have a max+15>50 longbow (from the dune burrower jaw collector in the desert) that I use for pulling. I stuck a shocking string on it so I'd remember which it was (the collector bows all say "Ascalon" as the only descriptor), but the string type doesn't matter that much for a pulling bow. I have two max+15>50 shortbows (troll trusk collector in the S. Shiverpeaks) that have, respectively, a zealous string and a 5:1 vamp string (available for 60-75K) on them. Both have +5 defense grips. Customize those bad boys and you're ready to go. Strings of any other type are not that great, except the specialized case of poisoner's strings if you're going to be doing poison damage to mobs or fire/ice/shocking/ebon strings if you are an elementalist who's using conjuring skills. Sundering strings = waste of money, hands down. They do minimal bonus damage, especially when compared to the +5 unconditional damage done by a vampire string or the almost unlimited supply of energy you get with late-game shot-spamming skills + a zealous string. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise. Hope this helps.

Edit to add: The advice above assumes you're doing PvE with minimal HP damage from superior runes. If you're using superiors a lot, you might be better off with a fortitude grip (30 HP is the max). This advice comes from a very trusted source (most of it is from him) and from my personal experience (minimal as it is).

Yes, listen to Ryun. It's all situational. Bow grip of Enchanting if you're loading enchants, but otherwise Defense +5. The string all depends on your style.

Personally I use poisoner's strings on my bows. But I will switch to either 10/10 Sundering string or a perfect 5/1 vamp string (but only on a short or half-moon bow).

As for grips for me its the Defense +5... or if I can't find one a +25hp or higher grip.

I just wish that they would come out with a grip to lenghten stances.... then all bows would have them

+5 defense is nothing though unless you're still in pre-sear. When your armor has over 70 per piece, what is 5 more?

You underestimate the added defense of 5 more armor. In almost all circumstances, +5 defence is better than +30 health, while at a cheaper cost. I don't really know the math behind it, just know the end result.

Is there some sort of speed mod for a bow? Cause I read it somewhere and I couldn't think of what it would be.

I see you said you got 2 +15%>50 Shortbows from a collector. I hope I'm mistaking, but aren't those Ascalon Bows?

I think Ascalon Bows have same stats as short bow.

what does vampiric actually do

Yes ... they are ascalon bows with Shortbow RoF and range ... ascalon bows vary (in everything but sex appeal - or lack there of) ...

and the dreamy legthen stance would likely be a string ... like poisoners string which legthens poison or similar other mods for other weapons.

personally my dreamy bows

max dmg poisoners shortbow of defense
+20% vs. hexed
legthens poison duration
+ 5 armor

max dmg (insert elemental string) longbow of (insert random grip)
+15% enchanted

max dmg vampiric halfmoon of defense
+15% while health above 50
5/1
+ 5 armor

but I'm not nef ... not as rich yet anyhow lol.