Game Mechanics (Maybe) Bows should work differently from Guns - Potential mechanics provided

[BluuMoon3]

Abstract - I've been thinking that an Archer class or Bow-Only run would be interesting but bows are so mechanically similar to guns that such a run type wouldn't actually make a positive difference. In fact, I'd say they are just a lesser version of guns. Honestly this is an issue with almost every weapon in the game. Below I will suggest some mechanics that could hopefully change this for bows at least, and maybe be inspiration for Terraria 2. I REALLY hope the second game increases the mechanical complexity of classes. Statistical complexity (Crits, buffs, etc) can only go so far.
Bow Mechanics​

Charging - Instead of simply firing an arrow, I think it would be more interesting and fitting to charge an arrow. Different bows could have different charge times and lengths. Charging the arrow would scale the damage, speed, piercing, and chance of bleed that the arrow has. Bleeding is explained next.
Bleeding - If an arrow is charged to a certain capacity there is a chance that the arrow will cause a bleeding effect, which does damage over time and reduces defense. A critical amount of damage can be done in a "weak spot" that is visually signaled, encouraging aim.
Lodging - Some bows or arrows could have the property of Lodging, where an arrow gets lodged into an enemy, doing damage as long as it is there and increasing with an increased number of lodged arrows. The length of the lodging period would decrease with increasing enemy defense.
Room for more arrow types - To further deepen archer mechanics, there could be more arrow types. Off the top of my head, there could be arrows that: travel slow but have high dps and piercing, slow enemies on hit, inflict confusion, create static poison/venom cloud on impact, travel through walls, and maybe more creative things.
Note on mechanical differences between Bows and Arrows - This is already somewhat the case but when it comes to weapons that fire ammo (Guns and Bows) the firing devices should have varying qualities such as speed, knockback, crits, base damage, and stuff like that. Qualities such as environmental effect and methods of doing damage should belong to ammo. If done right then many firing devices can be kept throughout the game for their unique mechanics, instead of just being outclassed by flat damage increases in other weapons like in the current system.

Armor/Accessory Mechanics​

Armor - Armor could increase player speed and improve charge time. Better mounts could help as well.
Accessories - Some accessories could do things like give slight homing/tracking, grant stealth with a cooldown (Much earlier in the game than the Vortex Set) or display arrow trajectory before firing. Maybe some other archer related things too. Another idea is a scroll wheel that lets you switch arrow types quickly.

 

[Maddie.]

Sounds like an interesting idea, perhaps there could be an accessory to auto-fire the arrow once the bow is charged? If so then maybe an upgrade that automatically loads another arrow after it, allowing autofire while having a slight arrow damage boost?

 

[BluuMoon3]

Sounds like an interesting idea, perhaps there could be an accessory to auto-fire the arrow once the bow is charged? If so then maybe an upgrade that automatically loads another arrow after it, allowing autofire while having a slight arrow damage boost?

Possibly

 

[Shаyd]

That would certainly be nice, but still, it's an idea for Terraria 2, and it's very doubtful that it will ever be realized in classic Terraria.

 

[Aceplante]

I actually had a similar idea a while ago: Game Mechanics - Chargeable Bows

But yours admittedly seems way more in depth

 

[Shаyd]

I actually had a similar idea a while ago: Game Mechanics - Chargeable Bows

But yours admittedly seems way more in depth

It's a pretty trivial idea, neither you nor BluuMoon3 suggested it first.

 

[Big Sammich]

The problem I see with this is that bows would have to be balanced very carefully, because needing to be charged means you lose DPS if you overcharge. And if we had something that makes them release automatically, that just means nothing was changed. The best way to do that would be to make bows have a higher DPS peak if you're playing well, but guns would be more consistent for the casual player, although that brings its own problems of high-level gameplay probably never seeing guns. I agree that this really seems like a Terraria 2 idea, but as long as we understand that it's Terraria 2, we can think more outside-the-box with the mechanics. There could be a "noise" function where bows are quieter than guns, and thus we could see a reworking of stealth mechanics. We could play around with bow stringing and material types, leading to greater diversity in functionality between the weapon types. There are certainly possibilities.

However, I also disagree with the premise of your post, that bows are overshadowed by guns. I find myself using bows quite a lot on Ranger playthroughs. Bee's Knees, Hellwing Bow, Shadowflame Bow, Daedalus Stormbow, Phantom Phoenix, and so on. I'll even use a Pulse Bow if I get it. My pre-Moonlord Ranger loadout always has Eventide and Aerial Bane in it, as well as the Tsunami quite often, and once I do the pillars I add the Phantasm too, and I trust you're aware of this, but the Phantasm is nuts. I don't think bows are at all secondary to guns.

 

[BluuMoon3]

I actually had a similar idea a while ago: Game Mechanics - Chargeable Bows

But yours admittedly seems way more in depth

The problem I see with this is that bows would have to be balanced very carefully, because needing to be charged means you lose DPS if you overcharge. And if we had something that makes them release automatically, that just means nothing was changed. The best way to do that would be to make bows have a higher DPS peak if you're playing well, but guns would be more consistent for the casual player, although that brings its own problems of high-level gameplay probably never seeing guns. I agree that this really seems like a Terraria 2 idea, but as long as we understand that it's Terraria 2, we can think more outside-the-box with the mechanics. There could be a "noise" function where bows are quieter than guns, and thus we could see a reworking of stealth mechanics. We could play around with bow stringing and material types, leading to greater diversity in functionality between the weapon types. There are certainly possibilities.

However, I also disagree with the premise of your post, that bows are overshadowed by guns. I find myself using bows quite a lot on Ranger playthroughs. Bee's Knees, Hellwing Bow, Shadowflame Bow, Daedalus Stormbow, Phantom Phoenix, and so on. I'll even use a Pulse Bow if I get it. My pre-Moonlord Ranger loadout always has Eventide and Aerial Bane in it, as well as the Tsunami quite often, and once I do the pillars I add the Phantasm too, and I trust you're aware of this, but the Phantasm is nuts. I don't think bows are at all secondary to guns.

Honestly I haven't explored bows too much but I didn't really see the more powerful ones (Like Eventide) as being too unique or great. It might just be me though. I do think the idea of engineering a bow with different string types is interesting though.

 

[OlleWernersson]

I dont know how I feel about a charging effect, as then would you have to hold attack and then release attack to shoot with the bow? and as others have said, if you could charge and shoot automatically then we have the same situation that we have now.

I see no reason why bleeding and lodging should be exclusing to bows and why not guns can have these properties.

I agree that charging feels more of a terraria 2 idea, as right know we are satified with how the bows differ by projectile speed and path, plus that there are more tactical options when it comes to arrows than bullets.