I've always been curious about how damage from a bow is computed, but it really got interesting during my play yesterday. My character was fighting a giant from inside the Western Watchtower, and using a Valenwood War bow. The bow has a damage of 10 (she's not very good with it) but halfway through I discovered the game had loaded practice arrows that have a damage rating of 0.

Obviouly, damage was being done to the giant, but is the bow damage applied and then arrow damage added to it for a combined total?

Yes

I also think that archery boosts affect both the bow and the arrow for double effectiveness, but don't quote me on that.

Damage = Bow Damage + arrow Damage + (other modifiers). "Other modifiers" are actually usually multipliers. Like if hit while the shooter is Sneaking, x2. If a Critical hit was scored, x2. If the shooter did NOT fully draw back and hold before releasing, there's a percentage reduction. (Varies according to how far back the arrow was drawn before release.)

If you had practice arrows in your Inventory, that means you went and got some Archery lessons from Angie, up in the mountains above Falkreath, right? It also means that whatever type of arrow you had been using ran out. Then the program switches to the cheapest type of arrow that you DO have in Inventory. Normally that would be iron arrows. But if I recall correctly, practice arrows have ZERO value, so that's why you ended up having those being the ones equipped.

Well... no. I have an immersive weapons mod that adds a lot of crafting of weapons, and practice arrows can be made from firewood only. Anyway, I saw them in the crafting list at the forge, and it occurred to me there are a lot of people in Skyrim who I don't want to kill, but I would LOVE to put an arrow in their left buttcheek. When you make practice arrows, it's 48 at a time.

Anyway, when they were equipped ingame, I had maybe 75 iron arrows and at least 50 Steel arrows. I usually use the iron at lower levels unless I run into a nasty. I had previously been shooting arrows at the Bandit Chief at halted Stream, and I know I had steel arrows equipped at that time. I'm thinking somehow my auto-unequip removed the steel and when I re-equipped the bow it put the practice arrows in. Anyway, I shot them all at the giant, and I don't plan to make more since my original purpose isn't going to work.

Bow Damage includes changes for modifying the weapon via Smithing improvements. (Look before and after Smithing an improvement and you will see the difference.) The amount of Damage shown for any weapon shows not only that weapon's base Damage, but also any adjustments made for Skill and perks for that weapon. Also if you are wearing the appropriate Fortify apparel and if you have an associated potion active.

But bottomline, even if you are equipped with 0 Damage arrows, you will still be inflicting Damage. And depending on what kind of things you have active, that may easily amount to a LOT of Damage.

That Emerson mod you mentioned, what type of things does it do?

It's called "Immersive Weapons", and, according to its description, it compiles several lore-friendly weapons mods. It adds many types of weapons, from katana-style to various Nordic weapons and quarterstaff type weapons. It also adds some different arrows and bolts. Everything is craftable.

Practice arrows seem like a good delivery system for frenzy poisons, where you don't want to accidentally kill the target. I had forgotten about immersive weapons and armors. Great mods. I deactivated them when using SkyRe. I may reinstall after the competition.

Hmmm good. I like using craft able weapons. I'm looking for a mod that makes it so if you name it in Skyrim you can craft it. From Nightingale, to The simple broom, I want it so I don't have to do the quest to get those, I can just make it. Haven't had much luck though, half tempted to just make it.

I am always an archer,I usually start off with a hunting bow and iron arrows which gives the bow a 9 damage and iron arrows add 8 damage for a 17 total. I try to level smithing as quickly as possible to aquire either an Elven bow or Dwarven bow and arrows which becomes even more powerful with the addition of enchanted necklace,ring and bracers. My latest character uses a Dragonbone bow and arrows with dual enchanted fire and stamina damage along with a necklace,ring and gauntlets all with 40% archery damage that compounds damage to a 390 damage total.....making the combination a "one-shot" kill on most anything I come across. oh,and I have the perk that allows 3x damage when I hit something while sneaking.......