When I make a warrior type character who I plan to have use launcher weapons frequently I usually prefer to pick one of two weapons to put proficiency points into: Slings or Crossbows. What I really don't get about this is that it seems like a majority of people prefer to use longbows and shortbows instead. What confuses me further is that those who prefer longbows and shortbows seem to frequently say that crossbows stink. As for slings... I can't seem to recall hearing about anyone even discuss slings on a warrior. It baffles me that relatively few people seem to like these two weapons... I think they are quite awesome! I actually think longbows and shortbows are, while not terrible options, highly overrated and slightly inferior in most ways to slings and crossbows.
Crossbows are probably my favorite launcher weapons. They are all around solid options in both BG1 and BG2. In BG1 there are two respectable launchers: the Army Scythe and the Guide. The Army Scythe may be a bit lackluster in terms of THAC0 and damage output, but I think it makes up for it with the extra APR it gives. The Guide is incredibly accurate and can be really helpful for those hard to hit enemies. By swapping both of these crossbows depending on your situation your warrior is well prepared for just about anything. The ammo for the Crossbow, while not as wide ranging a selection as available for the longbow and shortbow, is still quite respectable. Bolts of Lightning are quite capable and plentiful, if a bit lackluster. Bolts of Biting are the real power ammo for the crossbow being both plentiful and possibly the most potent of poisons money can buy. Bolts +2 are the best for added accuracy, but are unfortunately quite limited in supply. In BG1 crossbows are a solid pick, but admittedly somewhat lacking when compared to longbows and shortbows; this changes in BG2 however. In BG2 there is no shortage of good crossbows to pick from, but there is only one crossbow that truly bears mentioning: Firetooth. I would almost say that Firetooth is the king of all launchers in the series. It has a huge THAC0 bonus, a huge damage bonus (including additional fire damage), unlimited ammo, and, as if that was not enough, it has an enchantment bonus high enough to hit just about anything. Just when you think you couldn't dream of more, Cespenar upgrades it to make it even better! The ammo you get in BG2 gets an upgrade as well. Thanks to the craftsmanship of various fish, you now have access to stunning bolts. The Paralytic Bolts of the Sahuagin, while in somewhat short supply, do more base damage than your typical bolt (1d10) and stun those they hit for 6 rounds unless they save vs. spell. The Kuo-Toa Bolts are very similar, but do even higher base damage (2d6) yet have a slightly shorter stun duration of about 3 rounds (actually 20 seconds, which is a tad longer) with the same save vs. spell to avoid. (There are some errors in the descriptions of these two bolts. What I say here is there actual function.) The only issue with the crossbow bolts in BG2 is that most of them only count as +1 weapons so many things are immune to them. If that isn't enough for you then how about using the pantaloon ammo? Things will die... Fast... Guaranteed...
Slings are probably the most underrated launcher. They are kinda boring for the most part in terms of added effects. They may not do much other than add THAC0 and damage, but they do that better than any other launcher. In BG1 there is only one sling really worth mentioning: Arla's Dragonbane. It is a mighty +3 sling. The bullets of choice would probably be +2 bullets. Slings are also the only launcher that get a strength bonus to damage. In BG2:EE all slings will now have the strength bonus to damage as well. There are 3 slings that I consider the best. The Sling of Everard's main claim to fame is its unlimited +5 ammo. It's high enchantment level is good for hitting creatures immune to lower enchantments, but it does much less damage than most of the other slings. The Lupine Sling is no joke. It may only be +2 but that disease effect it has is unique among slings and makes it worth keeping. The disease lasts 1 turn and slows those hit while doing 1 damage per round. The nice thing about this is there is no save vs. the disease meaning if you are lucky you can disable even the toughest of foes. Probably the best sling, however is Erinne Sling. It Is highly accurate and damaging, but its real strength is the +4 bullets it makes. The +4 bullets are the uniquely highest enchanted ammo out there. I know slings are almost completely bereft of versatility, but they have incredible raw accuracy and damage output which I think makes them more than viable throughout the entire series.
Make no mistake; I am not saying longbows and shortbows are bad. Far from it. In BG1 I would even say that they may very well be the best of the launchers. They have amazing versatility in terms of added effects, well beyond any of the other launchers. They can do lots of damage and are quite accurate. There are plenty of good launchers for them. They can even do things that no other launchers can do with such things as Arrows of Dispelling and Arrows of Detonation. They have a great APR too. The problem I have with them comes when BG2 comes around... In BG2 almost all their ammo suffers a mysterious nerf plague which makes the iron shortage of BG1 look like a joke. Bolts were affected to some extent too, but not nearly to the extent that arrows were, while bullets were completely unaffected. (I swear I will make a mod to reverse the mysterious ranged nerf plague of BG2. Some day...) The longbows and shortbows themselves are a bit questionable in BG2 as well. Among all launchers they alone suffer from the nerf plague. Bonuses to hit are plentiful but the bonuses to damage have mysteriously disappeared for the most part. Longbows are the only launchers ranged weapons without any unlimited ammo specimens at all! Shortbows are barely any better, but they are at least passable and Gesen's bow is quite good.
Eech... I made an unholy wall of text didn't I...
Crossbows are probably my favorite launcher weapons. They are all around solid options in both BG1 and BG2. In BG1 there are two respectable launchers: the Army Scythe and the Guide. The Army Scythe may be a bit lackluster in terms of THAC0 and damage output, but I think it makes up for it with the extra APR it gives. The Guide is incredibly accurate and can be really helpful for those hard to hit enemies. By swapping both of these crossbows depending on your situation your warrior is well prepared for just about anything. The ammo for the Crossbow, while not as wide ranging a selection as available for the longbow and shortbow, is still quite respectable. Bolts of Lightning are quite capable and plentiful, if a bit lackluster. Bolts of Biting are the real power ammo for the crossbow being both plentiful and possibly the most potent of poisons money can buy. Bolts +2 are the best for added accuracy, but are unfortunately quite limited in supply. In BG1 crossbows are a solid pick, but admittedly somewhat lacking when compared to longbows and shortbows; this changes in BG2 however. In BG2 there is no shortage of good crossbows to pick from, but there is only one crossbow that truly bears mentioning: Firetooth. I would almost say that Firetooth is the king of all launchers in the series. It has a huge THAC0 bonus, a huge damage bonus (including additional fire damage), unlimited ammo, and, as if that was not enough, it has an enchantment bonus high enough to hit just about anything. Just when you think you couldn't dream of more, Cespenar upgrades it to make it even better! The ammo you get in BG2 gets an upgrade as well. Thanks to the craftsmanship of various fish, you now have access to stunning bolts. The Paralytic Bolts of the Sahuagin, while in somewhat short supply, do more base damage than your typical bolt (1d10) and stun those they hit for 6 rounds unless they save vs. spell. The Kuo-Toa Bolts are very similar, but do even higher base damage (2d6) yet have a slightly shorter stun duration of about 3 rounds (actually 20 seconds, which is a tad longer) with the same save vs. spell to avoid. (There are some errors in the descriptions of these two bolts. What I say here is there actual function.) The only issue with the crossbow bolts in BG2 is that most of them only count as +1 weapons so many things are immune to them. If that isn't enough for you then how about using the pantaloon ammo? Things will die... Fast... Guaranteed...
Slings are probably the most underrated launcher. They are kinda boring for the most part in terms of added effects. They may not do much other than add THAC0 and damage, but they do that better than any other launcher. In BG1 there is only one sling really worth mentioning: Arla's Dragonbane. It is a mighty +3 sling. The bullets of choice would probably be +2 bullets. Slings are also the only launcher that get a strength bonus to damage. In BG2:EE all slings will now have the strength bonus to damage as well. There are 3 slings that I consider the best. The Sling of Everard's main claim to fame is its unlimited +5 ammo. It's high enchantment level is good for hitting creatures immune to lower enchantments, but it does much less damage than most of the other slings. The Lupine Sling is no joke. It may only be +2 but that disease effect it has is unique among slings and makes it worth keeping. The disease lasts 1 turn and slows those hit while doing 1 damage per round. The nice thing about this is there is no save vs. the disease meaning if you are lucky you can disable even the toughest of foes. Probably the best sling, however is Erinne Sling. It Is highly accurate and damaging, but its real strength is the +4 bullets it makes. The +4 bullets are the uniquely highest enchanted ammo out there. I know slings are almost completely bereft of versatility, but they have incredible raw accuracy and damage output which I think makes them more than viable throughout the entire series.
Make no mistake; I am not saying longbows and shortbows are bad. Far from it. In BG1 I would even say that they may very well be the best of the launchers. They have amazing versatility in terms of added effects, well beyond any of the other launchers. They can do lots of damage and are quite accurate. There are plenty of good launchers for them. They can even do things that no other launchers can do with such things as Arrows of Dispelling and Arrows of Detonation. They have a great APR too. The problem I have with them comes when BG2 comes around... In BG2 almost all their ammo suffers a mysterious nerf plague which makes the iron shortage of BG1 look like a joke. Bolts were affected to some extent too, but not nearly to the extent that arrows were, while bullets were completely unaffected. (I swear I will make a mod to reverse the mysterious ranged nerf plague of BG2. Some day...) The longbows and shortbows themselves are a bit questionable in BG2 as well. Among all launchers they alone suffer from the nerf plague. Bonuses to hit are plentiful but the bonuses to damage have mysteriously disappeared for the most part. Longbows are the only launchers ranged weapons without any unlimited ammo specimens at all! Shortbows are barely any better, but they are at least passable and Gesen's bow is quite good.
Eech... I made an unholy wall of text didn't I...