Best arrows:
None Deity: https://everquest.allakhazam.com/db/ite ... item=12525
Karana: https://everquest.allakhazam.com/db/ite ... item=22715
Tunare: https://everquest.allakhazam.com/db/ite ... item=12481
Taken from this post: https://forums.daybreakgames.com/eq/ind ... ps.269386/
Definitive and Comprehensive answer here
Bows are different then other weapons in that they have NO damage bonus but are modified by Arrow damage. What this means is a Bow like the 10/17 Bow of the Destoryer actually has a sneaky good ratio 25/17 if you're using best available arrows. Just make sure to add the Arrow damage when calculating ratio
All things being equal slower is better. You should be casting a decent number of spells and slower Bows lose less uptime while casting them.
Your best Arrows available in those eras are https://everquest.allakhazam.com/db/rec ... ecipe=4281
and https://everquest.allakhazam.com/db/ite ... item=12525
You can use them regardless of Deity restrictions.
Elemental Damage works just like regular damage except it's checks vs the mobs Resistances instead of AC. Contrary to popular belief Elemental damage is often better then normal damage. Fire is typically the default best Elemental damage for raids and you should primarily be using the +fire damage arrows and make sure your Druids are using Ro's debuff line. You should be swapping out your fire Arrows for the+ Cold damage ones when bosses/mobs are resistant to fire like in Plane of Fire, BoT West ect. These things are actually a really big deal for your DPS
The best Bows by era are as follow
Velious
#1 Primal
#2 AOW Bow
#3 BOTD
Note: You can proc a Primal bow without attacking. Just turn on autofire without an arrow equipped.
SOL
#1 Bow of Flames
#2 Bow of Shadows
#3 Primal if you don't otherwise have worn ATK or a normal Avatar buff(Rangers should be #1 prior in Avatar/Fero buffs during SoL and PoP)
#3b Seru Bow
PoP
#1 Time Bow
#2 Featherwood Compound Bow
#3 Primordial Compound Bow
GoD(melee weapons pass bows for normal DPS but trueshot is still the disc of choice)
#1 Bow of the Wispering Wind
#2 Time bow
OoW
#1 Plaguebreeze
Bows distance is checked center to center. Kick range is checked edge to edge. What this means is when mobs have really large hit boxes you can kick them while using a Bow. Growing and using large illusions will give you extra kick range and allow you to kick some Plane of Time bosses that you wouldn't otherwise be able to do.
Finally Headshot is ruined for TLPs in that era and literally worse then healing/buff AAs now don't bother with it until TSS at the earliest.
Edit: Oh and get a Fleeting quiver. Quivers give DELAY reduction equal to the 1/4 the weight reduction.