I'm really interested in how damage from bows works. Initially it seemed the bow's base damage was the most important factor (not talking about improvements via enchanting or smithing), but at higher levels it seems clear skill level is much more important. I've been almost killed in only a couple of shots by a bandit with a long bow. And I did an experiment to see how many shots it took to take out a Dwemer Centurion with an ebony bow, and then a long bow. The long bow only took a few more shots.

So what is the most important factor; base damage or skill?

And how is the damage from arrows incorporated into the final damage score?

I ask because I greatly prefer basic bows like long bows and imperial bows to high end ones. But I obviously don't want to gimp myself in combat. So for a character of level 45, with a skill in bows in the 90s does it make much difference what the bow's base damage is?

Many thanks.

Smithing can double a bows damage(more than that if you go nuts), skills can improve it another 50%, perks another 100%, and enchantments another 160%(more if you go nuts). I think its safe to say all the other stuff is more important than the base damage, and that applies to all weapons. The base damage of a deadric sword is in the teens, but mine currently do 10 times that thanks to the above. You can easily get a deadric sword much much higher.

Then there is damage/sec to figure in. The stronger bows shoot slower so a glass bow can actually achieve higher damage per second than a deadric.

Of course the deadric will be better for sneak shots where speed is less important.