In-Game Description[]
Enables the unit to use a bow and arrows for attacking medium-ranged targets.
Details[]
Archery is one of the more commonly seen ranged abilities, being available to most races' level 1 archer units and to heroes. It is initially capable of dealing more damage in a single turn than Poison Darts or any of the mid-range "bolts", such as Magic Bolts or Black Bolts, although it lacks a secondary effect. It matches Hurl Stones in potential damage output but has a higher attack, leading to more successful hits and thus more damage over time. Call Flames also matches its potential damage and has a higher attack, but Archery's advantage here is its two separate projectiles, offering a greater chance to inflict at least some damage in a given turn, even if not the full amount. Overall, Archery is a solid but not exceptional ranged attack out-of-the-box.
Since all units and heroes which can possess Archery, Hurl Stones and Poison Darts can also acquire Marksmanship, this must be considered as well. If a unit with all three of the ranged abilities had Marksmanship II, Poison Darts would tie Archery with a maximum potential damage of 6 while also potentially causing Poisoned. Hurl Stones would surpass Archery with a maximum damage output of 8, while having slightly lower attack. This trend continues and with Marksmanship IV, Archery is clearly the least effective of the three, dealing only 8 potential maximum damage to Poison Darts' 9 and Hurl Stones' 12.