As Marksman is my favourite skill and I always roll a ranger/assassin/archer character on my first play through of a TES game, I was wondering if archery should be an effective weapon against dragons. I imagine they'd be flying a lot so for non magic users it'll probably represent your only chance to soften them up.

Also I'd love to re-enact the scene in the Hobbit when Bard the bowman slays Smaug with the Black Arrow by hitting a vulnerable spot. (perhaps using some ridiculously pricey enchanted daedric arrow)


thoughts anyone?

I think they should be able to be killed by using "lots and lots of arrows". IMO, it's not fair to an archer character if they are not able to be killed using arrows.

However, melee-only characters might have a problem with fire-breathing, flying Dragons, so to balance things I hope that melee characters do more damage to dragons that an archer/non-uber mage can per hit, so that archers won't just shoot the dragons out of the skies while warriors have to wait for them to land, brave the fires, and then hack and hack for a longer time than the archers/mages do.

EDIT : Of course, the experience of fighting a Dragon up close might just make up for it even if it's going to be tougher than using ranged attacks.

Why do I have to choose between "one" and "lots and lots" of arrrows? Archery is my favorite as well, always starting a game with a ranger, and I'm sure the game will allow for ranged characters to be able to take out dragons, otherwise what would be the point of having different classes in the first place? On the other hand, this whole business with dragon slaying is kinda fishy. I don't think you'll be able to kill a dragon simply by slashing him couple of hundred times. Maybe some sort of new mechanism will be in play. Man, I don't know, too much speculation makes my brain hurt.

One hit kill a dragon with an arrow? I don't think that's plausible in pretty much any fantasy setting, let alone in Skyrim where they're the big bads of the game. You should be able to take them down with arrows, as you should be able to take them down with any form of offensive, but it should take several hits, as it should with anything.

Remember Smaug?

Yeah I was having a think about this too. Maybe every dragon battle is some sort of set piece? and you use the environment to trap/kill/wound them tho that would be a drastic departure for Beth and TES in general.

Shooting an arrow at a dragon would be like sticking a tooth-pick in someones body. It would require a ton of arrows to do the job, unless of corse damage is different accordingly to the place you hit with them

Location based damage! I like it! It'd be great if each significant 'boss' dragon or type of dragon has a different vulnerable spot or vulnerability to a specific attack.

Isn't the presence of dragons themselves a drastic departure from TES so far? I don't know I kinda hope it's not just "shoot until it dies", that would make dragons seem weak, given you can kill them like any other creature.

Archery should be very effective. Imagine spotting a dragon in the air. You draw your bow and fire, the dragon takes the blow and falls to the ground. As the dragon gets to his feet he begins to locate you. You strike again from the shadows. Dragon tosses a fire ball in your direction, you relocate. The dragon begins to cry out in his tongue, "Dovakiin!" he tried to locate you again. Bam, takes another blow. In desperation dragon takes to the air again. You pull out your enchant arrow, glazed in your finest poison, pull your string back and fire. Dragon let's out one last roar as it turned to ash.

Should be epic.

Cyrus killed a dragon by stabbing it 3 times in the foot with a Rapier (After heating the blade in the Dragon's own breath.... I hope we can re-create that.)

I don't think Dragons are as large as they're being made out to be by some speculations, and arrows would be effective enough, even if the dragons do have a resistance to ranged attacks.

now thats what i'm talking about!

(tho' perhaps taking him out of the air with a single arrow might be a bit optimistic unless you hit him in the eye or it was enchanted with burden or something. )

100 Marksman, 100 Agility, Deadric Bow with 100pts Damage Health, Master Level Poison, and 3X damage stealth shot. Plus fall damage if the dragon is flying... One dead dragon.

I bet someone's gonna "kill" the dragon using the console, while it's flying, just to see what happens . I know I will.

I highly doubt I'll get my wish, but I'm hoping every dragon battle is scripted to some degree. I want to need to have a large number of people to take a dragon down, ballistae firing from the walls, dozens of soldiers incinerated, etc.

A single combatant taking one down should be a ridiculous feat requiring a lot of planning, luck, and skill.

I voted "Lots of arrows", but I hope dragons will be smart enough to leave if they get low on life, meaning that unless you have some sort of way to keep them in battle or cripple their ability to fly, they'll just disappear into the clouds.

Isn't that what being dragonborn is all about? Being able to kill a dragon on your own?

i bet the shouts will even it out, there's one that ports you to the enemy... one that makes a dragon stop flying, and one that has a dragon fight for you. They probably have shouts for archers, thieves, warriors, paladins, necromancers and wizards just so they can use it to bring a dragon down.

From my understanding archery is gonna be a beast in this game. I read somewhere that arrows are going to do signifcant amounts of damage, but that drawing the bow would take longer. I agree with the earlier post about having location specific damage. Just imagine trying to aim a bow with your arrow nocked and drawn trying to pierce their sensitive underbelly (or better yet in the mouth or eye) all the while your stamina is draining and your arms become tired. Should be frantic and fun I imagine.

That's not really the point, but perhaps it's a perk. I still think it should be a pretty difficult battle, and unless "Dragonborn" means "almost invulnerable", then it should still be almost impossible without some sort of planning, outside help, or a trump card in your favor.

Dum poll, there is too few options, I can't vote!

For me, no weapon should be able to easily kill dragons. They should be tough enemies that you won't just 1 hit or even 5 hit with any weapon. Besides, it might be a bit difficult to hit a flying target that moves at high speed far away so go ahead and waste your arrows on it while it isn't still, you won't hit

Dragon encounters will be pretty random, you might even find them in dungeons, last one is probably in designed places but outdoor they will be pretty random.

I think they will be like high end bosses from Oblivion, not able to kill them with a single arrow unless you use a advanced poison. You also have different types of dragons who have different strength and weaknesses.

I agree that crippling should be a requirement and that they have location damage.

I doubt arrows would have much effect. However, as a delivery method for enchantments? Oh yes. Bring it down to earth with an arrow of burden, and then see how much it likes ice arrows.

I really don't think actually puting an arrow in a flying dragon will be so easy and once the dragon is in the ground maybe you wont have many oportunities to go ranged. So, in my opinion your arrow damage to dragons shouldn't be limited, as you surelly will earn each oportunity to stab one of them with an arrow.

It won't be a set piece as you put it,because dragons aren't scripted,they can go anywhere,any time they want to.
So are you saying where ever it lands,the enviroment will have a trap for it?....no...doesn't make sense.
We have to use our skills that we get better at,and that is what perks will be used for too.
Also archers may be able to use flaming arrows.This is NOT comfrimed,it was just seen in concept art.
A bandit with a bow and flaming arrow.

Just in case someone didn't say it yet, you've got to shoot at the hole in the scales!

or at that base of the skull while riding its neck

But wait! None of that is realistic and therefore goes against immersion!

So

With a ton of arrows, sure.

But
I'd rather have a flaming shout shoot out my backside, so I have me some nice jet propullsion to get to the dragon, then torch it with flame out my mouth! YA!! That's the ticket!

Remember, beans are a dangerous weapon!