Any bonus to using matching Bow + Arrows?

[JPSGT40]

Still kinda new to this game. I've been using my best bow with WHATEVER highest damage arrow I have at any moment.

Is there any +Plus to using bows with their corresponding arrows?

Ebony Bow + Ebony Arrow
Glass Bow + Glass Arrow
etc.

Also, is there any particular combination of Bow + Arrow that are especially significant against any particular creatures?

Why I'm wondering: I've refined a Falmer Bow to (Superior), but its corresponding Falmer Arrow is ridiculously weak. Even weaker than Iron Arrows. So I'm wondering if it's a special-purpose combination.

[Monikery]

I may very well be wrong, but I have not encountered any indication of this whatsoever.

Raw damage numbers + enchants.

[Anelace]

There is no bonus to using a matched set of bow and arrows. Some types of weapon sets have very good bows, but weak arrows. That's just how it is.

The only combination of bow+arrow that is especially effective against something is Auriel's Bow+Sunhallowed Elven Arrows.

[voehringer_nitron]

My latest playthrough, my character's favorite weapon is Bound Bow. With Mystic Binding, it does a lot more damage than any other weapon I have, including about 20 more than an Ebony Bow + Ebony Arrows. The only drawback is its working a little too well, and I kill a lot of enemies before they can get to me, so my light armor skill is really lagging behind. I used the console to check Lydia's stats, and I think her heavy armor was literally 20 points higher. I might need to switch to Bound Swords and let some enemies attack me while I just heal myself

[mpd1958]

Find and ugrade the best bow you can find, same with the arrows and add enchantments to create the most powerfull weapon you can.

[Ishan451]

Originally posted by JPSGT40:

I've been using my best bow with WHATEVER highest damage arrow I have at any moment.

Different Bows have different pull speeds. Using the highest damage bow might not result in the highest damage if you are playing without a mod that modifies sneakattack.

The Ancient Nordic Bow is for that reason one of the best vanilla bows you could have.

[Anelace]

In terms of DPS, Zephyr (in the dawnguard DLC) is the best bow there is. It cannot be enchanted, though, so that is a definite drawback.

[Vuyek]

Originally posted by voehringer_nitron:

My latest playthrough, my character's favorite weapon is Bound Bow. With Mystic Binding, it does a lot more damage than any other weapon I have, including about 20 more than an Ebony Bow + Ebony Arrows. The only drawback is its working a little too well, and I kill a lot of enemies before they can get to me, so my light armor skill is really lagging behind. I used the console to check Lydia's stats, and I think her heavy armor was literally 20 points higher. I might need to switch to Bound Swords and let some enemies attack me while I just heal myself

May I suggest deadly combat hardcore mod.

Problem solved.

[JPSGT40]

Thanks everyone! All good info to have.

Last night I found some Daedric Arrows (24 damage). I'll save those for the next dragon that dares to even look at me funny Using my Ebony Bow (upgraded to Superior), my Gauntlets of +20 Archery, a swig of Potion of True Shot, and a Daedric Arrow and he'll be wishing he was never born.
Mmwwwaaahhhahahhaa!!! (insert evil laugh)

[perico2palotes]

Originally posted by JPSGT40:

Thanks everyone! All good info to have.

Last night I found some Daedric Arrows (24 damage). I'll save those for the next dragon that dares to even look at me funny Using my Ebony Bow (upgraded to Superior), my Gauntlets of +20 Archery, a swig of Potion of True Shot, and a Daedric Arrow and he'll be wishing he was never born.
Mmwwwaaahhhahahhaa!!! (insert evil laugh)

As someone already posted, ebony bow does not equal more DPS. It means more damage _per hit_. Elven bows, for instance, are devilishly fast. DPS here is not just a matter of a straightforward damage per hit / attack speed calculation anyway. You need to consider that if you miss a shot with a faster bow you will fire the next arrow immediately. If you miss one shot with an ebony bow your DPS takes a much bigger hit because it will take you longer to fire the next arrow. Also, any and all enchants you have add extra damage per hit, so faster bows get bigger gains than your ebony bow.

Only scenario ebony bow is better is a guaranteed sneak attack and/or shooting a poisoned arrow, because you won't get either of those benefits twice (unless you've got a certain Alchemy tree perk, that is).

[Anelace]

Basically, archery works like this:

1. You have the damage of the bow itself (+enchantment) and the damage of the arrow. As far as I can tell, these are added to create the absolute damage of the shot.
2. Weight is inversely proportional to draw speed. A hunting bow will be noticably faster to draw than a daedric bow, so you must decide if the flat damage bonus is worth the reduction in draw time.
3. Weight is proportional to arrow speed. An arrow launched from a heavier bow will travel much faster than one launched from a light bow. This is less noticable, but can have an effect against moving enemies, especially at a distance.

With the Quick Draw perk, most bows will fire very fast anyway, so it becomes almost moot.