Larian Studios Forums Baldur's Gate III Baldur's Gate III - Suggestions & Feedback Suggestion: greater range for the longbow

In 5E, the shortbow has range 80/320 and whereas the longbow is range 150/600. In the game, they are both 18m, which means that the only difference is the slightly higher die size (1d6 vs 1d8). It seems like making a greater distinction here would be nice.

The range of bows could preferably be a bit longer, I agree. 18m is not a lot with some of the bigger areas and verticality. Somewhere around 25 perhaps?

This is one of a series of mechanical issues I am having in EA so far. The range on weapons and spells is laughably short compared to the table top. Shortbow is in 5E 80/320 normal/long ranges, which since BG3 is using yards instead, is something like 26/100 yards, not the 18 yards that seems to be the cap. Longbow is even more extreme, with a range of 150/600 feet, which is 50/200 yards. Eldritch Blast goes 120 feet unmodified, which is 40 yards. The ranges are barely ranged in the game and way off for accuracy to 5E.

I don't completely mind the limits being less than they are in tabletop, because the whole map is kind of compressed -- that's the idiom of the game, basically. But a little more range for longbow makes sense, and the differentiation (it's a martial weapon rather than a simple one, after all!) is key.

Same with spells. I was playing a Warlock and Hex is supposed to be 90 ft, Eldritch Blast is supposed to be 120. Both were capped at 60.

Ranges in general being slightly compressed is fine as long as they are still functional within encounters - which they are.

Longbow should defnitely have a longer range than shortbow, and some spells that are designed to be effective at longer ranges than others should be as well.

I do think enemy AI is playing a part in their ability to have longer ranges atm though, as enemy pathfinding at longer ranges/more levels of verticality goes to all hell. Instead of doing anything, they just kind of stand there and growl at you.

The "exploration map" may be compressed, but individual combat areas in BG3 are significantly larger than they are in most tabletop D&D games, which creates a situation where fights take twice as many rounds as they would in tabletop, but the extra rounds are just spent chasing enemies because weapons and spells have half the range they would in tabletop.

The problem is even worse with melee characters. It's a big damper on my enjoyment of the game when I have to spend two rounds with Lae'zel just... moving.

+1

Ranges in general probably need to be tweaked. This is not and does not need to be 5e, but there is something to be said for almost never needing to think about whether or not you are in range for a firebolt or longbow shot. Some more variability in the range of weapons and spells and a few go-to long distance options would be a welcome improvement.

+1, kinda weird longbows don't have more range.