Bows and Arrows (Betrayal in Antara)

Bows and Arrows are weapons used in Betrayal in Antara. They first appear in Chapter 1.

Overview
Archery equipment is used by both enemies (sometimes signified by "Archer" in addition to their regular identifiers) and main characters. In battle, archers can be identified by Assessment (identified as Projectiles) or by seeing an enemy shoot a bow and arrow.

A character must be equipped with a Bow and carrying at least one Arrow in order to shoot. Archers can only shoot if they are surrounded by fewer than two foes, and cannot shoot a foe standing adjacent to them. Depending on the character's Archery stat, which can be temporarily raised for battle by Razorcup Nectar, a shot may hit or miss; the stat can be raised by successful shots. One shot counts as the archer's turn in that phase of the battle.

Of the party's four playable characters, William Escobar and Kaelyn Usher can use Bows and Arrows.

Bows and Arrows cannot be bought or sold in Chapter 1. While many shops sell regular Arrows or have archery equipment on display in their background art, shops which buy and sell Bows and other kinds of Arrows can be found in Cardone, Teal, and Breland.

Bows
Bows take up 2 full inventory spaces, except when equipped. A Bow's stats depend on its percentage of repair. Bows can be repaired by applying archery repair tools: Beeswax for a partial repair, or a Bowstring for a complete repair regardless of the character's Repair stat.

Accuracy and Damage Mods are listed for each Bow.

Short Bow

 * A: 0; D: 10. [Character] strung the bow and gave it an experimental pull, deciding the tension on the string was about right. The lightweight bow was perfect for traveling. It could be readied quickly should a beast -- whether two- or four-legged -- cross their path.

Long Bow

 * A: 14, D: 4. Such a simple weapon -- just a flexible frame for a taut bowstring. Yet it could propel an arrow with enough force to punch through all but the strongest armor. [Character] doubted they'd be facing a phalanx of armored knights across a wide battlefield, but the bow would be just as devastating at close range.

Speed Bow

 * A: 5, D: 5. As [character] gripped the bizarre composite bow and thought of firing a test shot, an arrow instantly appeared nocked and ready. Stunned at the enchantment, [character] realized that eliminating the need to find and grab a new arrow made it possible to shoot twice as quickly.

Arrows
Arrows are bundled in quivers of 25 according to their kind; one quiver takes up one full inventory space. Regular Arrows and Grrrlf Arrows can be Poisoned by applying Irthinide to claim 1 extra Health/Stamina point every turn. Poisoned Arrows are bundled separately from non-Poisoned Arrows.

Accuracy and Normal Damage Mods are listed for each Arrow.

Arrows

 * A: 0; N: 10; Special: can be poisoned. [Character] held the arrow up to his/her eye and sighted along its length. Satisfied the shaft hadn't warped, he/she set it back down. With a good bow behind it, the arrow would fly straight and true.

Corrosive Arrows

 * A: -5; N: 10; Special: 5-10 acid damage, corrodes armor/shield. The specially-treated pouch lashed to the tip played havoc with the arrow's aerodynamics. When it struck, though, the acid bursting through that pouch would eat through wood, metal... and flesh.

Grrrlf Arrows

 * A: 20; N: 15; Special: can be poisoned. As with the rest of their woodwork, Grrrlf Arrows were superior in every way to those made by humans. They flew farther and truer, had more stopping power, and incorporated and aesthetic human fletchers seldom considered.

Enchanted Arrows

 * A: 40, N: 10, Special: None. As far as [character] knew, the secret of enhancing an arrow's accuracy was jealously guarded by the Mehrat, making these arrows hard to come by within the Empire. They took the challenge and skill out of hunting, but in combat he/she'd take whatever advantages he/she could get.

Trivia

 * In the intro to Chapter 3, Kaelyn, shopping for arrows, asks a vendor whether the fletching is made of genuine starhawk feathers, and is told they are the finest in all Ticor.