Hello guys, just looking for some advice. I am very early in my current playthrough. I know I want to play a battlemage-ish character as usual. My magic emphasis will be in Restoration (because I am playing a Paladin-like guy), as well as Alteration and Conjuration. I like to have a ranged option for combat scenarios, but I can't decide what I want that to be. I thought about just using a regular bow and arrow, but I don't like to mess around with arrows all the time (I don't like to leave them on my back when I'm not using my bow, just a pet peeve of mine). I thought about using Destruction, but it is so weak and doesn't have the same range as a bow (I think, I'm not sure) and overall I don't feel like I NEED to use destruction magic like I did before with other battlemage characters I had. The option I'm leaning toward at the moment is to use a summoned bow for those moments I need a ranged option. I don't normally use ranged much at all anyhow, so I feel like this might be the best pick.

If I do go with the summoned bow option, I just wanted to know if the summoned bow benefits from archery perks and, if anyone has experimented with the summoned bow option, I was just curious about how it compares to magic and regular bows. Thanks!

My character Olfrid Frost-Veins uses lots of magic and a Crossbow for his ranged weapon. He wears heavy Armour though, with only a magic hood. Just go with whatever suits you. .

What makes me love Skyrim more than Oblivion is the never ending choice of builds an different ways to kill people.

What difficulty are you playing on?

Oblivion also has a neverending choice of builds, you're just stuck with major skills you choose at the start for the rest of the character's life.

To be on topic, range depends on which spells you choose. Sure, bows have more range than Flames, but missile spells like fireball or firebolt don't have a range, they'll go as far as the game can render them. Bows and crossbows have a slight fall-off but once they get their uh "final direction" they also fly as far as the game can render the hit, they don't completely fall down either.

Yes the summoned bow does benefit from archery perks. Choose which every ranged perk that you like the best.

The bound bow is a pretty well rounded weapon, I'd recommend it.

Pro's
- Weightless
- Endless supply of arrows
- Affected by perks in the Archery tree
- Affected by armour Enchantments (Fortify Archery)
- Captures Souls/Turns Undead/Banishes with the appropriate perk(s)

Con's
- A bit weaker than regular bows on higher difficulties
- Without Quiet Casting you may alert enemies
- Cannot be improved through smithing

On top of that it's probably my favourite looking weapon in the game.