Difference between revisions of "Short bow"

Latest revision as of 21:07, 2 February 2025

The short bow is a very light, single-shot ranged weapon in RimWorld which deals a moderate amount of damage per shot; slightly longer time between shots; slightly shorter range and moderate accuracy.

Obtaining[edit]

Short bows can be crafted at a crafting spot, fueled smithy, or electric smithy, each requiring 30 Wood, 2,400 ticks (40 secs) of work modified by the general labor speed of the crafter, and a crafting skill of 2.

Alternatively, short bows can be purchased from neolithic war merchants and orbital combat suppliers, tribal and outlander faction bases, and obtained from the following raider kinds:

Raider Kind	Chance	Average Quality	Health
Archer	92.27%	Poor	50-180%

You also start with two short bows in the Lost Tribe scenario.

Analysis[edit]

Short bows are one of the easiest ranged weapons to create, so are an important item for the Lost Tribe and Naked Brutality scenarios. A crafting spot can be created almost anywhere, instantly, and wood is typically not hard to find. Any ranged weapon at all allows you to safely hunt animals; even 0% manhunter animals will retaliate in melee combat, but not at range. Any weapon at all also gives a basic defense against hostile wildlife and raiders.

As they are so cheap, they aren't great as actual weapons. Short bows have the 3rd lowest DPS of all player-craftable ranged weapons in the game, ahead of only the pila and incendiary launcher. Other weaknesses include low accuracy and inability to stagger humans, something all other neolithic options can do. The short bow is best suited for close-quarters engagements due to its high close accuracy and slow projectile velocity.

Naturally, a short bow will be significantly overshadowed in terms of combat performance by even the most basic of firearms such as autopistols and revolvers. Two short bows are roughly equal to one of the aforementioned firearms. New Tribes also begin with the recurve bow researched, offering an immediate upgrade, assuming someone has a Crafting skill of 5 or more. Replacing the short bow with better ranged options should thus be your second priority, only after making sure everyone has a weapon of any kind.

Stats[edit]

Against an unarmored human, a short bow can kill with 4 hits to the torso, 3 hits to the head or neck, or 1 hit to the brain; cripple or destroy limbs in 3 hits; and cripple or destroy eyes and digits with a single hit. It'll generally take around 6 hits (~28.35 seconds average) to incapacitate that human from pain shock.

Overall, the short bow is best paired with a careful shooter until level 9, and with a trigger-happy shooter beyond that point.

Attack table

Ranged

Short bow			Accuracy (Touch)	Accuracy (Short)	Accuracy (Medium)	Accuracy (Long)	DPS (Optimal)	DPS (Touch)	DPS (Short)	DPS (Medium)	DPS (Long)	Market value
Quality	Dam.	AP	Accuracy (Touch)	Accuracy (Short)	Accuracy (Medium)	Accuracy (Long)	DPS (Optimal)	DPS (Touch)	DPS (Short)	DPS (Medium)	DPS (Long)	Market value
Awful	9.9	14.4%	60%	52%	36%	20%	3.3	1.98	1.72	1.19	-	23
Poor	11	16%	67.5%	58.5%	40.5%	22.5%	3.67	2.5	2.17	1.5	-	34
Normal	11	16%	75%	65%	45%	25%	3.67	2.75	2.39	1.65	-	45
Good	11	16%	82.5%	71.5%	49.5%	27.5%	3.67	3.05	2.64	1.84	-	56
Excellent	11	16%	90%	78%	54%	30%	3.67	3.3	2.86	1.98	-	68
Masterwork	13.75	20%	100%	87.75%	60.75%	33.75%	4.59	4.59	4.04	2.8	-	113
Legendary	16.5	24%	100%	97.5%	67.5%	37.5%	5.51	5.51	5.39	3.74	-	225

^{For the full effects of qualities, see Quality. Values shown in Red indicate the weapon is out of range at the reference point for this range band.
The value is provided due to the interpolated nature of accuracy between range points.}

Melee

Feature	Toggle
Attacks

Short bow			Limb (Blunt)					Limb (Poke)					Human: Left & right fist (Blunt)					HP	Value
Quality	DPS^[1]	AP^[1]	Dam.	Cool.	AP	DPS	Chance^[2]	Dam.	Cool.	AP	DPS	Chance^[2]	Dam.	Cool.	AP	DPS	Chance^[2]	HP	Value
Awful	3.98	11.6%	7.2	2s	10.4%	3.6	12.5%	7.2	2s	10.4%	3.6	12.5%	8.2	2s	12%	4.1	2× 37.5%	100	23
Poor	4.08	11.85%	8.1	2s	11.7%	4.05	25%	8.1	2s	11.7%	4.05	25%	8.2	2s	12%	4.1	2× 25%	100	34
Normal	4.4	12.75%	9	2s	13%	4.5	37.5%	9	2s	13%	4.5	37.5%	8.2	2s	12%	4.1	2× 12.5%	100	45
Good	4.74	13.73%	9.9	2s	14.3%	4.95	37.5%	9.9	2s	14.3%	4.95	37.5%	8.2	2s	12%	4.1	2× 12.5%	100	56
Excellent	5.08	14.7%	10.8	2s	15.6%	5.4	37.5%	10.8	2s	15.6%	5.4	37.5%	8.2	2s	12%	4.1	2× 12.5%	100	68
Masterwork	5.92	17.14%	13.05	2s	18.85%	6.53	37.5%	13.05	2s	18.85%	6.53	37.5%	8.2	2s	12%	4.1	2× 12.5%	100	113
Legendary	6.59	19.09%	14.85	2s	21.45%	7.43	37.5%	14.85	2s	21.45%	7.43	37.5%	8.2	2s	12%	4.1	2× 12.5%	100	225

^{For the full effects of qualities, see Quality.}

↑ ^1.0 ^1.1 Note: This is the actual base average derived from the melee verb system updated in 1.1.2610, it may sometimes disagree with the listed value in the in-game infobox.
It may also change depending on the stats and the melee verbs available to the wielder if the weapon is wielded by some other than a baseline human.
↑ Chance for attack to be selected, assuming the weapon is wielded by a baseline human. It may change depending on the melee verbs available to the wielder

Version history[edit]

0.3.410 - Added
1.5.4062 - Received a new texture.

Texture prior to 1.5

Weapons

Melee | Neolithic: Breach axe • Club • Ikwa • Knife (Jade) • Spear

Medieval: Gladius • Longsword • Mace • Axe • Warhammer

Ultra: Eltex staff • Monosword (Persona) • Plasmasword (Persona) • Zeushammer (Persona)

Improvised: Beer • Elephant tusk • Thrumbo horn • Wood

Ranged | Neolithic: Greatbow • Pila • Recurve bow • Short bow • Flamebow

Medieval: Nerve spiker

Industrial: Assault rifle • Autopistol • Bolt-action rifle • Chain shotgun • Heavy SMG • Launcher (EMP, Incendiary, Smoke, Toxbomb ) • LMG • Machine pistol • Minigun • Pump shotgun • Revolver • Sniper rifle • Hellcat rifle • Incinerator

Spacer: Charge lance • Charge rifle

Consumables: Doomsday rocket launcher • Triple rocket launcher

Throwables: EMP grenades • Frag grenades • Molotov cocktails • Tox grenades

Mechanoid: Heavy charge blaster • Inferno cannon • Needle gun • Thump cannon • Beam graser • Charge blaster turret • Hellsphere cannon • Mini-flameblaster • Mini-shotgun • Slugthrower • Spiner • Toxic needle gun

Structures: Autocannon • Mini-turret gun • Mortar (Weapon) • Uranium slug cannon • Auto-mortar • Inferno cannon (Turret) • Light charge blaster • Mini-slugger • Tactical turret gun

Related | Body part weapons: Prosthetic arm • Bionic arm • Archotech arm • Power claw • Field hand • Drill arm • Venom talon • Venom fangs • Knee spike • Elbow blade • Hand talon • Flesh whip

Integrated weapons: Grenadier armor • Phoenix armor

[Actual-1] 1.0 ^1.1 Note: This is the actual base average derived from the melee verb system updated in 1.1.2610, it may sometimes disagree with the listed value in the in-game infobox.
It may also change depending on the stats and the melee verbs available to the wielder if the weapon is wielded by some other than a baseline human.

[Chance-2] Chance for attack to be selected, assuming the weapon is wielded by a baseline human. It may change depending on the melee verbs available to the wielder

[1]

[2]