Hey guys! I love this game so far. I'm playing as a khajiit archer/assassin/thief. I just have a couple question about the archery aspect of it. I was wondering, do this game account for an arrows physics? Like, do I have to lead moving targets, and must I aim above a target at longer distances, to account for arrow drop? Please only answer if you're 100% sure. Thanks!

Yes to both, definitely an arrow drop and it seems linked to how long you draw.

You definitely have to lead. At least for me, its been very difficult getting a feel for it. Haven't been able to hit moving targets at range yet.

The arrow does drop, But at close range aiming a bit below where you want to hit is good since the arrow seem to fire slightly upwards.

Really? I didn't even know that. Thanks for the tip!

I also believe ( May be wrong ) that if you move either left or right while aiming and shooting, the arrow curves in that direction. Like I said, I could be wrong, but I'm pretty sure It's happened with me.

That would be epic! This game seems to keep surprising me everywhere I look. Great job, Bethesda!

well arrow drop is pretty much non-consistent. you can pretty much fire at somebody at another mountain with the cursor right at him ( I tried the arrow hit but it was too far away too see where, feet maybe?)
But I never saw my arrow curve neither have i looked for it

Supposedly (from reading other forums, etc) it accounts for the distance of whatever you put the crosshairs on (some sort of auto-arc) and you have to aim lower at close range because of it, but I haven't personally verified this yet. I'll do so when I get off work?

The physics of an arrow is affected by the draw weight of the bow. Skyrim's bows are probably around 150# and up because just looking at the longbow... It's pretty dense wood for it to be an average nowaday bow that only has a draw weight of around 40# Traditional, a lot of people shoot compounds, but they hold only 80% of their draw weight. I.E. 42# compound, the shooter only holds 12#.

But anyway, back to topic, the arrow wobbles up and down while in flight and this happens during the action of the bow shooting the arrow. Considering in Skyrim's setting, they wouldn't have an accurate set of detecting spine of an arrow, they would just make it be able to be shot by a high poundage bow.

Bethesda made that "Auto-Arc" to be more realistic in my eyes, as an arrow shot by a 40# recurve arcs through the air to the target. And floats upwards (It feels like that)
BTW, if you want to know what spine is.... Look it up, but I can give you a pretty brief description right now: Spine is how much the arrow reflexes (wobbles) in the arrow, for lower poundage bows, you need a lower spine, for a higher poundage, you need a higher spine.

Higher poundage bow + low spine = Insane inaccuracy due to insane wobble and has a chance to explode the arrow due to the FACT that arrows cannot take all poundage bows.

Lower poundage bow + High spine = Not enough energy for the arrow to make the destination and it'd be like shooting a rock, but it will still fly, not effective (I could be way off target here... Excuse the pun.)



You do have to lead the target, calculate distance, and have the right timing. So archery is rather fun in this game.

Just as it does in real life
For those not believing me, check it up on youtube, google etc.
Because you have to lean the arrow on something (usually the knuckle of your index finger) the arrow gets a small *snap* in the rear as you release it, which causes the arrow to go upwards for a tiny bit.

Archery specially combined with sneak is incredibly powerful.
Also there are 2 perks that makes it even more deadly, one that lets you zoom on your target and the other that slows time while zooming.

With that you are sure to hit almost any target, even if it moves fast or is very close.