Larian Studios Forums Baldur's Gate III Baldur's Gate III - General What happened to the longbow?

In all of early access I never found a single plain longbow. What's with that? Not even a wood elf ranger will start out with a longbow. Why?


Update: As many in the thread has made me aware longbows CAN be found in EA, they are just not as common as short bows. Thank you for pointing me towards them, I will try looking there when we get the full release

There were four different longbows in EA.

Not sure about "plain" longbow, but I'm sure I had a magical one on Shadowheart. "The Boltshooter" I think, lightning-based one. Guess maybe early access just has a small loot table and you've been unlucky?

They're very easy to find.

You can buy a Longbow +1 from both Zhentarim merchants. Auntie Ethel drops Spellthief, while rescuing the Duke's lady assistant from the burning tavern up the road grants you the Joltshooter.

Agreed ...
They certainly are there, but its easy to miss them, since icons for them and shortbows are quite simmilar.

I found the Joltshooter, didn't remember if it was a longbow, but it is magical, so special. I just find it odd that non-magical longbows are not a thing in EA, just as short bows are. You find a bunch of short bows, and if you start with a bow it will be a short bow. Would it not be more natural for a wood elf or other human sized bow shooter to start out with a longbow? It is not a big deal to me, I just find it odd is all.

Well you are wrong because non-magical longbows are a thing in EA.

Generic longbow can be found in the Blighted Village during the quest 'Search the cellar'.

Hmm, I must be bad at expressing what I mean since that is the reply I get. Yes I realize there may be a few longbow and that I didn't look hard enough in order to find them. So I try differently: Why do they have to be so rare? When I was playing pen and paper AD&D, the longbow was a common item. Why make it a rare item? Again, it is not a complaint, simply wondering.

I have had three full playthroughts in EA and every time I've found plenty of non-magical longbows. There are no longbows in the starting area because longbow is better than shortbow. Should they give you the cream of the crop gear right from the start?

I have not found them to be rare. Merchants do sell them, although that can be somewhat random and enemies drop them. The key is probably to just kill more people.

Goblins don't have them since they use that Goblin bow. So exterminate more humans and elves.

You won't find any on the Nautiloid, only Light Crossbows and shortbows. I am 100% sure there are quite a few at Wuekeens rest - if you don't mind looting the dead.

You're making a strawman. The OP never suggested they wanted the "cream of the crop gear right from the start", they simply asked about non-magical longbows. No need for the aggression.

Agreed, the most helpful thing we can do is help the OP on finding longbows by giving them the exact location. I also know that a lot of the tieflings inside the grove carry longbows, but killing them can be rather... problematic. Another place to get a longbow is a tollhouse cellar, but there it depends on the rng.

OMG, why does everyone here is so sensitive? Just chill, no need to get offended about every little word.

A longbow is almost like a short bow, except it's a longer piece of wood and string so may be a bit more expensive. A composite bow would be special because it is a special design requiring some extra skill to make. In some cultures the longbow was the common bow to use, and I do think elves commonly use longbows, not shortbows. Thus it is natural to start out with a longbow if you are human sized. Halflings would have to use short bows, but humans or elves could easily start out with a longbow at level 1. The difference is 1d6 vs 1d8, hardly a big game changer. If you start out with a longsword it is 1d8 too.

Now why would you chose to use a short bow instead of a longbow then? Well if you're a goblin or a halfling you can't use a longbow because of your size.

A very American solution if I may say so.

LOL

That has nothing to do with being sensitive imo. You just were not helpful. Or informative. Or funny... no offence,

Shortbow is starting equipment ...
Yes, it is weaker ... it is supposed to be weaker, so your gear can get better easily.

Better question is when you compare Longbow (1d8) and Heavy Crossbow (1d10) ...
Since neither of those is starting equipment ... and just the fact that one is better in every aspect (there is no Loading property in BG-3) kinda excludes means for the other to exist.

Same comparsion is for Shortbow (1d6) and Light Crossbow (1d8) ...
Why even bother with Shortbow, when Light Crossbow have same proficiency requirements and do all things exactly the same ... only up to two points stronger?

I was not trying to be funny or anything. I was just having normal discussion without thinking that much what I say because it's not normal to start some feud about every little word that other people say. Just man up and get a resilient feat, people can exchange words without you and your buddy coming to assess every word that was said.