Bow

The classic Bow is the first choice in distance combat for most Fighters, although its true masters are the Bards and Rangers. With this weapon it is possible to rain a barrage of arrows on the foes, without them having any chance to strike back. However, this advantage is also its biggest disadvantage, since should the foes come close, the bow is useless. However, this can be avoided by using the more destructive ammunition to stop the foes from doing so.

According to Vetron's Guide to Weapons and Armour, the Bow has an effectiveness rating of 8.

Ammunition
Several different kinds of arrows exist by the time of Ultima VII:


 * Normal Arrows.
 * Magic Arrows, which always hit. (They also add +4 to the effectiveness rating of the bow)
 * Burst Arrows, which explode at contact.
 * Lucky Arrows, which are much stronger
 * Tseramed Arrows, which can put Giant Bees to sleep.
 * Love Arrows, whose function should be clear.

History
Bows were standard weapons even from the beginning of Ultima I. Throughout the ages they stayed the trusty distance weapon of the warrior, changing very little.

However, numerous special bows have shown up over time:


 * The +2 and +4 Bow in Ultima III.
 * Magic Bow - This bow raises the damage significantly.
 * Infinity Bow - A bow that need no ammunition.
 * Siege Bow - The strongest commercially available bow.
 * War Bow of Blood - A bow that drains the warrior's health for more damage.

Trivia

 * On Serpent Isle, there also exist Serpent Arrows, which act the same as Burst Arrows.
 * In Ultima IX, it is also possible to use Fire Arrows and Mana Arrows.