My Stupid Obsession With Finding “The Best” Bow
Okay, so everyone keeps yelling about the Hellrider Longbow in BG3 forums and guides. The hype train was full steam ahead. “Must have!” “Best early longbow!” “Unmatched!” Yeah, right. Figured I’d gotta actually try this legendary thing myself, ’cause honestly? I never trust internet chatter blindly.
First step? Actually finding the damn thing. Easy? Pfft. Nope. Took me ages searching that burning inn near Waukeen’s Rest. Kicked around dead bodies, smashed crates like a maniac – finally spotted it tucked away like it didn’t wanna be found. Felt like a tiny victory just holding it.
Time for the Real Test – Putting Bows Through Their Paces
Right, I equipped my trusty companion with this prized Hellrider Longbow. Here’s how I compared it, piece by piece, fight by fight:
- Versus the Simple Longbow (You know, the junk you find everywhere): Obviously, Hellrider smacked it around. Extra damage dice? Yeah, big difference. Felt good chunking goblins harder.
- Versus The Grove’s Shortbow: That sneaky one with the DEX saving throw rider effect? Used that a ton early on. Hellrider felt harder hitting on the main shot, but honestly? Against tricky enemies, that little extra DEX save effect from the shortbow sometimes saved my bacon more often than Hellrider’s straight damage. Situational!
- Versus Hunter’s Edge (Found one around Risen Road): Now here’s where it got interesting. Hunter’s Edge lets you make an extra attack sometimes if you miss. Sounds weak? Nah. In long fights, especially against high AC jerks, that second chance felt HUGE. Hellrider just sits there looking pretty if you whiff. Hunter’s Edge tries again. Which actually worked better? Depended entirely on the fight and how often I was missing. Sometimes Hunter’s Edge out-DPS’d just by letting me shoot twice.
The Crushing Reality of BG3 Gear (At Least For Me)
So, sitting there staring at my screen like an idiot after a dozen random encounters and mini-boss skirmishes:
Hellrider Longbow is… good. Solid. Reliable damage bump over the basic stuff. Easy recommend? On paper, sure. But “best”? Nuh-uh. Not in this game. That’s the big dumb trap I fell into.
BG3 loves throwing curveballs. One bow shines because it forces an enemy to trip (looking at you, Bow of the Banshee!). Another one you snag later adds bonus fire damage on burning targets. Yet another one makes you move extra fast. The “best” bow completely disappeared from my thinking.
This whole testing frenzy was kinda dumb, actually. ‘Cause what REALLY matters?
- Who’s holding it? Does my Ranger need pure damage? Or does my Rogue want that guaranteed poison application from a different bow?
- What am I fighting? Lots of weak goblins? Hellrider’s raw hit is fine. Big bad armored boss? Maybe the bow with built-in debuffs like Bow of the Banshee is secretly better.
- What other gear am I rocking? Got gear that sets things on fire? Maybe grab the bow that rewards burning targets. Simple synergy trumps “bigger numbers” sometimes.
So, What Bow Did I Actually Choose? (Hint: Not Just One)
I hoard them all. Seriously. My party inventory is a mess of pointy sticks. The Hellrider Longbow? Yeah, I kept it. It’s damn good early on when you grab it. Feels powerful. But it didn’t stay glued to anyone’s back forever.
My Tav Ranger used it solidly for several levels. Then she found a bow with a crazy enchantment that fit her playstyle better – something with bonus action tricks. Moved Hellrider over to Astarion for a while. He liked the punch.
Later on, I found fancier bows, sure. But here’s the kicker: sometimes I’d swap back to the Hellrider for specific fights where raw piercing damage was king. It never became totally useless trash.
Moral of this whole dumb experiment? Don’t be like me obsessing over “BEST.” That Hellrider Longbow hype? It’s good hype, for sure. It’s a strong, easy-to-get weapon that lasts. But BG3 laughs at “one-size-fits-all.”
Your best bow is the one that fits THIS fight, THIS character, RIGHT now. And yeah, Hellrider is often a fantastic choice for early-to-mid game pure damage. But keep your eyes open and your inventory cluttered.