ToME: the Tales of Maj'Eyal

Fhtagn has written an excellent guide on slingers and I am playing one based on said guide.

One thing I still do not understand is how exactly do you get off shot after shot when reload takes 2 turns? Also, if you have an actual ammo count, why is it you do not ever deplete that ammo?

The ammo count may be misleading to people coming from other games. This game doesn't use consumable for the most part, so you don't have to worry about your ammo running out permanently. That count is the number of shots you can take before reloading. You don't have to use Reload after every shot.

Eventually you may not need to use the reload talent much or at all because you can find weapons and ammo that give automatic reloading.

Basically, think of bows and slings as guns, they have a limited amount of shots before reloading, depending on the "clip", and when you run out you need to reload.

So 19 shots before I have to reload? OMG, I can not wait to try this!!!

***EDIT*** Holy crap! Yeah, I had reload on autoenabled, so was reloading every after shot... Now i see why this is so phenomenal!

My second run for the win after the berserker is an archer (not there btw - I insist in being stupid and playing a skeleton). I, at first, figured the reload thing-a-ma-jig was a waste of quickbar. Then you get into a serious fight and you will run out of even a 23 quiver. Especially when you have the various AoO talents, raining arrows on a group of enemies is depleting your stack something wicked.

Running reload on auto... that must have hurt. Getting the disarmed status every other step. Yewwwch.

I don't even use reload skill anymore. I put the main weapon skill (Slings) to 5 points and it reloads so many shots with every step.

One thing you can do before you get that maxed, is to simply take a turn and equip another shot pouch (or quiver). Keep in mind the game remembers you didn't reload the other one so however many shots were left in it, such as zero, will be the same when you equip it again.

PS. don't forget like I did that you can wear a shield with a sling (but not with a bow). I didn't figure this out until level 30, lol.

That's a cool trick to switch out the ammo pouch. I didn't realize you could do that.

It's getting removed, by the way.
For the same effect, consider walking for a turn or waiting for a turn. It reloads the same yet takes a whole turn less.

Been awhile since I've played a sling/bow user, but I seem to remember items that had auto reload or 30% chance to or w/e also disarmed me like the reload skill did. Is this still the case?

No, they do not, and Reload is deprecated now. For the same effect, press 5 to skip a turn or move to move. You'll replenish the same amount of arrows.

I've only ever played under the regenerative ammo paradigm, and when I saw the Reload talent, I thought it would top off my ammunition to full. Imagine my surprise and puzzlement when it... disarmed me, and did exactly nothing better than numpad 5.

Haha. Making it top you off would actually make sense.