Bow users! Sagittarius vs Crescent Moon

[Nigrescence]

I've been using the Sagittarius for a while, and loving it. Finally got the Crescent Moon fully upgraded so I can compare them. I think I like it too, but can't be sure which I prefer.
Here are my results.
Each bow was tested with the same gear and classes and traits, and without a mutator (usually I have the Slayer mutator that increases the damage of the next shot by 20% after reloading).
Both are at +10. I'm also not geared optimally for damage, so the numbers might not be that impressive. What matters is that everything else was the same except for the bow used.
Sagittarius has more critical hit chance (10% vs 5%), weak spot damage bonus (115% vs 70%), and stagger modifier (5% vs -15%) than the Crescent Moon, but less ammo (32 vs 38), and lastly it has more base damage, a whopping 294 compared to the 261 of the Crescent Moon.
Sagittarius hits hard and even more so if you're hitting a weak spot. It provides more consistent damage without having to do anything special. Unfortunately it has a lackluster mod that cannot be relied on for most boss battles, though it does have use against normal enemy groups.
Crescent Moon doesn't have as much damage in a straightforward comparison. However the thing in its favor is the mod power, which is really good. For 15 seconds, the mod power hits the enemy with a debuff called "moonlight" for 3s, which causes an enemy hit by this bow to return the arrow, heal 5% of your max health, and boost fire and reload speed by 15% for 5s. Last but not least, normal shots are considered "charged", but if you charge the shot yourself, you launch TWO arrows.
Obviously this gives the Crescent Moon an advantage for being able to pull off a fifteen second burst. But how good is that burst?


Here are some fire tests for the Crescent Moon using the test dummies.
Targeting the body: Normal shots, around 280 dps with usually 347 damage per non-crit shot. Perfect charged shots, around 420 dps with usually 590 damage per non-crit shot.
Targeting the head: Normal shots, around 450 dps with usually 593 damage per non-crit shot. Perfect charged shots, around 710 dps with usually 1002 damage per non-crit shot.

Here are some fire tests for the Sagittarius using the test dummies.
Targeting the body: Normal shots, around 330 dps with usually 393 damage per non-crit shot. Perfect charged shots, around 460 dps with usually 664 damage per non-crit shot.
Targeting the head: Normal shots, around 780 dps with usually 840 damage per non-crit shot. Perfect charged shots, around 1010 dps with usually 1428 damage per non-crit shot.

As you can see, the Sagittarius greatly out-performs the Crescent Moon at all levels. However, what does the Crescent Moon look like when the mod power is activated?

Here are some fire tests for the Crescent Moon when the mod power is activated.
Targeting the body: Normal shots, around 410 dps with usually 485 damage per non-crit shot. Perfect charged shots, around 830 dps with usually 590 damage per non-crit shot.
Targeting the head: Normal shots, around 740 dps with usually 825 damage per non-crit shot. Perfect charged shots, around 1450 dps with usually 1002 damage per non-crit shot.

Here we see the true power of the Crescent Moon. It can deliver unparalleled damage potential

It also took to refill the mod power meter around 15 normal body shots, or 9 perfect charged body shots. It doesn't seem to matter much whether it's a body or head shot for refilling mod power.

As you can see, the Sagittarius is generally more powerful in all situations normally, however the Crescent Moon truly shines when the mod power is activated. Keep in mind that the Crescent Moon receives more benefits than just raw damage when the mod power is activated. It restores your health, preserves ammo, and allows you to fire faster.

I'll also say that using the mod power is very satisfying and fun. I also like the look of the Crescent Moon more, and the ability to save ammo and also heal yourself is some extra versatility. I find that the Sagittarius is mostly overkill for a lot of enemies anyway. That's partly why I tend to use my sidearm for most of a map unless I need to switch to some serious firepower or for certain enemies. I use the bows because they're boss melters when used properly. For that reason, despite the lower damage in most cases, I think I'll be using the Crescent Moon.

[PK_Thunder]

Personally I've been sticking with the Royal bow, swapping between corrosive rounds and firestorm.

Sagittarius is easy to get so I'll probably try that next.

[Nigrescence]

Originally posted by PK_Thunder:

Personally I've been sticking with the Royal bow, swapping between corrosive rounds and firestorm.

Sagittarius is easy to get so I'll probably try that next.

I strongly recommend Sagittarius as an upgrade from the Royal Bow. The Royal Bow has even less base damage than the Crescent Moon, but lacks the unique mod power that makes it stand up to the Sagittarius.

[PK_Thunder]

Originally posted by Nigrescence:

Originally posted by PK_Thunder:

Personally I've been sticking with the Royal bow, swapping between corrosive rounds and firestorm.

Sagittarius is easy to get so I'll probably try that next.

I strongly recommend Sagittarius as an upgrade from the Royal Bow. The Royal Bow has the same base damage as the Crescent Moon, but lacks the unique mod power that makes it even stand up to the Sagittarius.

Yeah I figured as much. Haven't gotten to Yaesha yet on this character.