Better Weapons......When?

[Lady Aeleanor]

I'm playing an Elf Rogue, using a bow. I got the Dragon Bow shortly after I started the game (I think it was after getting to Haven) I'm still using it (with a couple of improvements) because I haven't seen anything that does better damage (I think it's 65 dps). I get drops with hunting bows, enhanced hunting bows (rarely) which haven't any better specs, and I have only been able to find schematics for basic items at Merchants, or drops. Nothing better than what I have.

Can someone point me to a location or a merchant that has a better bow either for sale, or a schematic for a better one? I'm presently doing the Storm Coast, and most of the decent drops seem to be (a) Warrior weapons (b) Rogue daggers (c) schematics for all of those.

Apologies for missing something obvious. I'm new to the game (clearly) and I admit that I'm still feeling my way around the game.

[Lady Aeleanor]

Messaggio originale di forgot my name:

Visit The Black Emporium. You find there schematics and gear.
Oh, unlock it first from war table (it's somewhere at the North of Ferelden map)

I have seen it on the War Table, but didn't know what it was. Thanks!

[barzai]

The drops are somewhat random, and my own perception after quite a few playthroughs--impressions only, not backed up by a detailed enumeration--is that the game somewhat perversely drops everything except what your main character wants. E.g. if I'm playing a twanger rogue like you, lots of daggers; conversely if I'm playing a stabby rogue, lots of bows.

Have you been to Val Royeaux yet? I try to get there as soon as I can, which is right after my first visit to the Hinterlands. You can accumulate 4 Power fairly readily, with two Requisitions in Haven at 1 Power each, closing the rift at Calenhad's Foothold, and then establishing the Lake Luthias camp nearby. Of course if you're on the Sword Coast you've clearly accumulated 4 Power already! :-)

Val Royeaux has four merchants when you first go there--more will appear later in the game--including a Schematics Merchant on the upper deck of the area past Madame Snippy-Snaps's Tavern. The Schematics Merchant sells Tier 2 schematics, including--I believe--bows. Also the Expensive Merchant sells weapons but they are mostly way above your paygrade--I believe the lowest one requires you to be level 9 (!). But she sells some decent weapons upgrades, although they are fiercely expensive.

Also, back in the Hinterlands, there are two merchants (OK, three actually) in Redcliffe Village: a Weapons Merchant, an Armor Merchant, and a Schematics Merchant who sells Tier 1 schematics. If you've gotten to Val Royeaux the Schematics are mostly pretty whiff though. But the Weapons Merchant sells some decent equipment for you at low levels. And while the Armor Merchant's actual armors are probably above your paygrade, he also sells greaves and pauldrons (legs and arms) for Rogues and Warriors, similar to the guy in Val Royeaux who caters to the Mage trade.

Finally the Black Emporium has a Schematics area, on your right as you enter, right next to a Crafting Supplies area. While the top schematics are almost certainly out of your price range, there's quite a few lower level ones that should be affordable.

The main limitation on using schematics is materials. Metals are available in profusion--if you've scoured Haven you wind up with around 100x Iron--and the Crossroads Merchant who appears after you've cleared the Crossroads sells Tier 1 Leather very cheaply (20G/unit), but Cloth is mostly only available as drops from human enemies, or at the Black Emporium where it costs 42G/unit.

Another merchant will eventually appear in Val Royeaux who sells selected Tier 1 Cloth--IIRC it's Cotton, Silk and Velveteen--for 20G, but by that time you'll probably turn your nose up at it.

[Lady Aeleanor]

@barzai Thanks for the info. I have been to Val Royeaux, but only briefly. I'll have another look, but I really haven't accumulated much gold, so I doubt anything is within my scope.

I will have another look at the locations you mentioned. Thanks!

[frostyshad]

Messaggio originale di Lady Aeleanor:

Apologies for missing something obvious. I'm new to the game (clearly) and I admit that I'm still feeling my way around the game.

Normal bows will be only in the second half of the game. And other normal bow is only in DLC-quest Trespasser (or something like there, I do not remember properly, but for sure in the end of game).
On the start of the game — farm Obsidian near a dragon in Hinterlands, buy Berehaasaahd Bow craft from insane antiquarian in the Black Emporium (Kirkwall, Free Marhces land). The bow is useful only in the early game, in late game two daggers >>> bow, of course if you have a proper build and group to make rouge be alive enough time...

[barzai]

Messaggio originale di Lady Aeleanor:

@barzai Thanks for the info. I have been to Val Royeaux, but only briefly. I'll have another look, but I really haven't accumulated much gold, so I doubt anything is within my scope.

I will have another look at the locations you mentioned. Thanks!

Don't forget you can sell looted gear as well as buy it. That's my main source of cash early in the game! :-)

After I've been out for a bit and have returned to Haven, I go to Harrit's Smithy and remove any add-ons that the looted gear may have, then I check who in my party--including myself--can be improved using the looted gear, then I take any leftovers and replaced items and sell them.

Also, I make it a practice not to keep anything that's more than about 2-3 levels above my current one, since you'll continue to find stuff and most of what you find early in the game ain't all that. Since the price the merchants pay is directly tied to the item level, that's a decent source of income as well.

To put this in perspective, I generally have around 600-800G after scouring the valley during the prologue and making the rounds in Haven before going off to the Hinterlands. I can usually find or loot for another couple hundred Gold in the Hinterlands before I go off to VR, so I usually have somewhere between 1000-1300G by the time I hit VR.

BTW I checked the DAI Wiki and your best options for bow schematics are both in the Emporium, although one of them can be had slightly cheaper at the Redcliffe Village Schematics Merchant:

1. The Tier 1 Hunting Bow schematic is available at the BE for 168G and in Redcliffe Village for 129G. It does 70 DPS if made using Tier 1 materials (the only kind you're likely to have at this point). 12 Metal for the basic bow plus 6 Leather in an Offense slot.

2. The best value IMHO is the Bladed Longbow Tier 2 schematic, available at the BE for 393G. It does 81 DPS with Tier 1 materials and has two Utility slots. 14 Metal for the bow itself plus an additional 6 Metal and 6 Leather for the Utility slots. That gives you IIRC +6 Strength or Constitution for the Metal and +6 Dexterity or Cunning for the Leather.

Both of these designs accept a bow grip upgrade so I recommend investing in a schematic for one as well. The VR Schematics merchant sells a Guarded Longbow Grip Schematic for 223G that has two Utility slots, 8 Leather and 4 Leather, which will give you +12 total in some combination of Dexterity and Cunning. Well worth it IMHO.

Your total investment at this point would be 393G + 223G + as much as ([6 + 8 + 4 =] 18 x 20G =) 360G for Leather for a grand total of 616 to 976G for the "Cadillac Option" ;-) But now you're gonna put the hurt on your foes.

[Lady Aeleanor]

Messaggio originale di barzai:

BTW I checked the DAI Wiki and your best options for bow schematics are both in the Emporium, although one of them can be had slightly cheaper at the Redcliffe Village Schematics Merchant:

I did find the schematic for the Spiked Bow, which was all I could afford at this time, at the Black Emporium, which has a decent DPS, so I think I'm ok for the time being. I appreciate the rest of the info you provided....thanks!

[barzai]

Messaggio originale di Lady Aeleanor:

Messaggio originale di barzai:

BTW I checked the DAI Wiki and your best options for bow schematics are both in the Emporium, although one of them can be had slightly cheaper at the Redcliffe Village Schematics Merchant:

I did find the schematic for the Spiked Bow, which was all I could afford at this time, at the Black Emporium, which has a decent DPS, so I think I'm ok for the time being. I appreciate the rest of the info you provided....thanks!

My pleasure! :-) I didn't mention the Spiked because--at 1333G--I thought it might be beyond your means, and it's only slightly better--DPS-wise anyhow--than the Bladed which costs a third as much. I missed it at the Emporium where it's much cheaper!