Gun vs Bow?

[Brids17]

I've been getting back into the game and it's been so long it's like I'm playing it for the first time. As a result, I'm getting destroyed in melee combat. I was thinking about doing a melee ranged hybrid but I can't decide on whether I should be focusing on a bow or a gun. I never really bothered with either before so I have no idea what the skills or later ones are like. Is there a general consensus on which is better? Or at the very least, scales better into the late game?

[Zipper]

Well, bow requires you to sheathe your melee weapon so it technically won't be a hybrid build. Guns will let you have one handed weapons so that's the way to go I guess.
That said:
- Unless you go mods, bows were meant as a secondary weapon (the 50% quiver space nerf from one of the elder patches made it clear), so you can carry one with your build if you feel like. That doesn't mean it can't be played as a main one but isn't as fun as launch day.
- Guns can be mixed with magic for nice combinations, aside from their own skills.

[Isaacorion Ceres]

I have tried (and in my opinion failed) multiple times to make an Archer char work out. I've tried Physical dmg setup with Shadow Kazite Chest & Boots + Master Oni mask. My last straw will be a Meteor Bow fire setup, but I'm not confident in it considering the last area is a damned Volcano.

The thing with guns is the *long* reload time. At best in combat that you've prepped ahead for, you'll get 3 Shots (preloaded shot, whatever it is -> Blood Bullet prep shot -> Blood Bullet shot) before you have a long reload time or wait until Blood Bullet comes off CD. And Blood Bullet requires a Breakthrough in Merc. That said, a Cannon Pistol preloaded with a Scatter Shot Imbue is absolutely disgusting and a very solid way to start a fight for a physical weapon (so much so that the Devs gave one of the Arena fights that exact combo)

[Angel]

gun is way better, don't like the long reload? bring more guns

[Ottomic]

Both work better to complement melee for the most part. I run axe and shield and use both a bow to pull and a pistol if I need it in a fight.

Bow's better for protracted fights though imo.

[Elymnir]

In my opinion, bows serve essentially as aggro tools to lure enemies and separate them from their buddies. Or simply to lure them into your traps instead of running up to them then back to the traps, saving you the burden of burning stamina.
My favorite bow so far has been the horror bow, with the bow skill that inflicts extreme bleeding as an opening shot.
Guns can pack a lot of punch and there are skills to make them even more lethal, but the extra long reloading time makes them unfit for combat.
Best range option is still spells I think.

[Samseng Yik]

I prefer gun solely for the debuff it applied.
Example, Cannon pistol deal massive impact by default and apply Confuse (which make your enemy much more easier to stagger in future)
Combine it with Shatter shot, which only loaded with iron scrap (you already got tons of this), apply Pain at the same time.

Cannon pistol apply 100 impact by default, Shatter Bullet multiply this with 2.5,
This means the impact is 250 + 30, 98% of enemies will instantly get knockdown by this.

[BrutalGlory]

I think you're misunderstanding the choice you have to make here. The bow is meant to initiate combat at long range and to hit enemies until they get into close range (much like traditional magic that requires a setup). The pistol take on the same role as the dagger - it's meant to be used as another weapon in close combat (think of firing a flintlock and then drawing your melee weapon).

[iGoblin]

One of the most fun builds I played was an archer/spearman. You need 2 slots for weapon swaps (one for the bow, the other for your weapon of choice).

I tried running it with different weapons, but I recommend only two handed melee weapons. Two handed sword/mace, spear, or halberd works wonders.

One slot for the weapon skill (I went for the spear because I wanted the counter and I was tired of playing with two handed swords).

Two slots for bow skills (sniper and evasion shot) and you have 3 slots to choose.

I went with Brace, Perfect Strike and Predator leap, because I like them, but you can pick whatever you want.

Gameplay was quite fun, I wanted to actually play as an hybrid, not a "poke from afar, then melee), so I started with the spear, unless there were multiple enemies (even agaisnt multiple enemies you can start with the melee weapon).

So it went like this: Predator leap (most of the time enemies get low on stability), Hit until enemy falls, Swap to bow, evasion shot (to get distance for the sniper shot), sniper shot, swap to melee, Brace when they get close, Perfect strike, Hit until they fall, Swap to bow, evasion shot, sniper shot, swap to melee, and so far. You get the gist of it.

It was quite fun and I had to think when fighting, because the choice of "skill rotation" depends on the situation/enemies. You can also equip arrows that are good against the enemies you're going agaisnt for another layer of tactics.

I also did Gun builds, but I prefer guns only as "setup weapons" (unless you go for the famous gunslinger builds). For example, canon pistol/shatter bullet then swap to dagger for an opportunist strike.

But while this hybrid was one of the most fun builds I played, THE most fun was a chakram one. Chakrams are Outward's charm.