Before I start, I would like to point out that I am aware of and agree with the initial design choice of not favoring 100% ranged combat.
What problems does the current system present?
It’s not immersive
The arrows don’t come from anywhere, they’re generated by consuming focus or stamina, which doesn’t make much sense (but I also understand that it’s all fiction/fantasy, I’m just asking for a bit of realism hahaha)
It’s unbalanced
Nowadays, generating focus is made much easier through enchantments on equipment. All the restrictions on the bow’s skills and shots come from a resource that is very easy to obtain, even with the use of those same skills. The limiting factor (which was supposed to be the focus and the stamina) no longer exists, since rune attacks (which cost focus) often end up generating MORE focus than the initial one, allowing for an infinite spam of shots and bow skills, which go against the proposal to limit this type of gameplay.
My suggestion is to implement ammunition (arrows) in the game. A limited number of arrows will mean that the player has to choose the best strategy in each situation. They can, for example, eliminate a ranged enemy from afar more quickly and spend several of his ammunition that way and then focus on melee enemies with his own close-range weapons.
Ways to implement arrows in the game (these are ideas that can be applied independently of each other or not, it would be up to whoever is balancing the game):
Add a new offhand item type “quiver” with different modifiers for maximum arrow capacity, additional damage, increased attack speed, generation of arrows every X seconds etc.
Allow arrows to be craftable in town before going on a mission/adventure (but prevent them from being craftable during missions)
Curated arrow drops: allow certain enemy archetypes to always drop arrows when they are defeated (similar to what happens in the Zelda Breath of the Wild and Zelda Tears of the Kingdom games, where arrows are guaranteed to drop from enemies using bows)
Allow all arrows fired (or a percentage of them) to be recovered by looting the body of an already defeated enemy
The bow’s rune attacks should consume at least 1 ammunition as well as focus
Definitely do NOT want a system with limited arrows or ammunition. The rune/focus system is global and already provides a limit.
Bows are just in a spot where they were adjusted from a system designed for occasional offhand use. The main bow attack (stamina) now is more costly and limited than the focus-based elemental arrows, which is weird.
But it was done in haste to respond to people wanting Bow or non-melee combat as a main play style, so I have a feeling they are working on adjusting those things.
I do think there’s merit but the thing I’m scared of is the archer playstyle is no longer fun, we haven’t had an archer build be possible AND FUN since DD1 and now recently by chance Dragons Dogma 2. And I kinda think DD2 shows it can be just fine & still be fun with unlimited arrows.
Longbow and Crossbow in V-Rising also have unlimited arrows and feel amazing to play with. I generally hate ranged playstyles, but that game’s ranged gameplay feels very smooth.
I’ve always liked playing archer or ranged class, in NRFTW what I found strange was the bow being an offhand weapon and to attack you need to use it as a runic attack that consumes stamina. . . later I also saw that due to a specific rune and the enchantments of life gain and focus gain the bows were very broken (I think with the next update this problem will be fixed. . . I hope. . .).
The bow gameplay style currently doesn’t bother me (Offhand weapon) but using the basic attack as a rune seems improvised and needs to be improved, for that I have 2 suggestions:
*Button to use Offhand to perform actions (improved): Just like shields and torchs, holding LB your character already uses the offhand weapon. With bows it would be the same thing. Hold the LB button and your character prepares to fire an arrow or use the runes. Release the button to fire the basic attack (it’s about timing the release of the button and rapid fire or still hold and release to charged shot).
*Switch between Mainhand and Offhand to be the main weapon: Offhand button (LB) switches to main weapon (hold LB + ABXY to use runes, no changes), basic attack button (X) uses the basic attack of the offhand weapon or guard on shields, Mainhand button (RB) switches back to the default.
These suggestions seek to improve the combat system and are not limited bows but also to future offhand items.
Thank you for your attention and sorry for my and Google’s English.
What problems does the current system present?
My suggestion is to implement ammunition (arrows) in the game. A limited number of arrows will mean that the player has to choose the best strategy in each situation. They can, for example, eliminate a ranged enemy from afar more quickly and spend several of his ammunition that way and then focus on melee enemies with his own close-range weapons.
Ways to implement arrows in the game (these are ideas that can be applied independently of each other or not, it would be up to whoever is balancing the game):