Weaponminor

Longbow

The Longbow is a martial two-handed ranged weapon in Baldur's Gate 3, suited to characters who want dependable piercing attacks from a distance.

Importance

minor

Damage

1d8 piercing

Range

18 m / 60 ft

Baldur's Gate 3 · weapon

Key Takeaways

Martial ranged weapon

The Longbow is a two-handed martial ranged weapon that deals piercing damage with a 1d8 base damage die.

Proficiency matters

Characters need Martial Weapon proficiency to use the Longbow effectively; this is a proficiency requirement, not a Strength or Dexterity minimum.

Heavy property

Its Heavy property can make the Longbow a poor fit for Small characters, while its two-handed design prevents simultaneous use of a shield or another off-hand item.

Reliable ranged damage

Compared with a Shortbow, the Longbow uses the larger 1d8 damage die, making it a straightforward choice when a character can meet its martial-proficiency and handling requirements.

Weapon actions

The Longbow supports bow weapon actions such as Hamstring Shot, giving its user a way to trade some attack potential for a control-oriented effect when the situation calls for it.

Ordinary item, not a unique reward

The standard Longbow is a conventional equipment item rather than a named unique weapon; distinctive magical longbows are separate items with their own acquisition and effect profiles.

Overview

Longbow is a standard martial ranged weapon in Baldur’s Gate 3, offering a dependable two-handed option for characters proficient with martial weapons.

Its defining role is straightforward: it lets a character attack from a distance with a larger bow profile than the Shortbow, making it a conventional choice for an archer who does not need a named weapon’s special effect.

The Longbow is not a unique, legendary, or story-exclusive item. It appears as part of the ordinary weapon progression and can remain useful when its damage and properties suit a character better than an enchanted alternative.

Because it occupies both hands, the Longbow is distinct from lighter ranged choices and cannot be treated as a one-handed backup. Its value depends on proficiency, ranged-attack ability scores, and whether the character benefits from weapon-specific actions or item effects.

This page concerns the ordinary Longbow in the base game’s current Patch 8 rules, not a named bow, a quest reward, or a separate enchanted variant.

Statistics

This game publishes dice damage rather than 0–100 bars, so the verified damage, enchantment, weight and value are listed instead. Taken from the project's verified weapons database, not from generated text.

Base Damage
1d8
Damage Type
Piercing
Rarity
Common
Weight
1.1 kg
Value
50 gp
Entry Type
Standard / enhancement variant

Figures verified against Consolidated Game Weapons Database.

Compared to similar piercing weapons

Weapon	Base Damage	Damage Type	Enchantment	Weight	Value
Longbow	1d8	Piercing	—	1.1 kg	50 gp
Gontr Mael	1d8+3	Piercing	+3	1.1 kg	1000 gp
Titanstring Bow	1d8+1	Piercing	+1	1.1 kg	310 gp
Spellthief	1d8	Piercing	—	1.1 kg	100 gp
The Joltshooter	1d8	Piercing	—	1.1 kg	310 gp

Damage is the dice expression; weight and value are the game’s own figures. From Consolidated Game Weapons Database.

How to Obtain

01In Act 1, visit Arron, the trader in the Emerald Grove, and check his weapon stock for a Longbow. If it is not available, check other weapon merchants or loot throughout the game; the ordinary Longbow is a common, non-unique item rather than a quest or boss reward.
02The Longbow has no known quest prerequisite, DLC or NG+ requirement, and is not a one-per-playthrough acquisition. Its availability from a particular merchant may depend on that merchant’s inventory and progression state.

Availability

Base game — Story modeAvailable through ordinary game-world loot and vendor inventories; stock varies by location and progression.

Requires No ability-score requirement. Martial Weapon Proficiency is relevant to effective use, but does not gate the weapon's availability.

No separate DLC, New Game Plus, or difficulty availability gate applies.

Mechanics and Handling

Longbow handling is defined by safe ranged positioning rather than a separate draw-and-release state: its ordinary attacks are resolved through the character’s available action economy, while Dexterity-based ranged accuracy and damage make positioning and line of sight more important than Strength. As a two-handed weapon, it occupies both hands and cannot be paired with an off-hand weapon or shield. It does not use a reload cycle or firearm-style ammunition magazine; special arrows are selected as consumable effects when used, while ordinary attacks do not create a reload step.

Weapon actions and shot control

The longbow supports ranged weapon actions such as Hamstring Shot, which trades a normal attack for a hit that hinders the target’s movement. Its bow actions are most useful for controlling distance or punishing enemies who need to cross open ground. The Heavy property also matters for smaller wielders, who can suffer the property’s associated attack disadvantage; proficiency and the character’s ranged attack ability should therefore be checked before treating the bow as a universal upgrade. The weapon has no blocking, parrying, durability, or melee-combo mechanic of its own.

Strengths, Weaknesses and Best Uses

Strengths

Ranged attacks let the wielder contribute damage while staying outside ordinary melee reach, provided line of sight is available.
Its two-handed configuration supports a dedicated bow user without competing for an off-hand weapon slot.
The longbow’s larger base damage die than a shortbow rewards characters built around repeated weapon attacks and Dexterity-based ranged combat.

Weaknesses

Martial weapon proficiency is required for full use, limiting it for characters without the appropriate class, racial, feat, or other proficiency source.
Using both hands prevents simultaneous shield or off-hand weapon use.
It depends on ammunition, clear sightlines, and sufficient distance; enemies who close into melee or block the firing lane reduce its practical value.

Best uses

Dedicated archers and martial characters who want consistent ranged attacks from advantageous positioning.
Opening encounters from elevation or cover before enemies can engage the party.
Parties that already provide close-range protection for a character focused on bow attacks.

Compared With Similar Weapons

Compared With Similar Weapons
Weapon	Weapon type	Base damage	Properties or special effect	Best comparison use
Shortbow	1d6 piercing	Light; lower damage die than a longbow	A more accessible option for characters without Martial Weapon proficiency	—
Titanstring Bow	1d8 piercing	Adds the wielder's Strength modifier to weapon damage	A stronger choice for characters deliberately combining Dexterity attacks with meaningful Strength investment	—
Joltshooter	1d8 piercing	Generates Lightning Charges when dealing damage	An alternative for builds that can exploit Lightning Charges rather than relying on a plain weapon profile	—
Heavy Crossbow	1d10 piercing	Two-handed crossbow with a higher base damage die	A damage-focused alternative when its weapon properties and action economy fit the build	—