Short bow

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 they 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, as 0% manhunter animals will retaliate in melee but not at range. Any weapon at all also gives a basic defense against hostile wildlife and raiders.

In the grand scheme of things, short bows are one of the weakest ranged weapons; of ranged weapons that deal damage, short bows have the second DPS, only beating the incendiary launcher. They are also inaccurate, and unable to stagger humans (unlike any other neolithic weapon). Short bows may be preferrable over pila, as while pila have more DPS in theory, they fire slowly, meaning they are inconsistent and worse at kiting tactics.

Recurve bows are a strict upgrade, and New Tribes start with recurve bows already researched, so immediately upgrading is possible if there is a pawn with a Crafting skill of 5 or more. Basic firearms like autopistols and revolvers will also outclass the shortbow, as even an awful autopistol will outdamage a good shortbow from all ranges. Still, a short bow is better than no weapon at all, so all colonists should receive weapons before upgrading.

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