How to Pick Between the Long Bow and Compound Bow

Vanguard Combat Repertoire Mod expands ranged combat beyond the standard wooden bow by adding two specialized archery weapons: the Long Bow and the Compound Bow. Choosing the right one depends on how far away your targets are and how quickly they move.

Sniping with the Long Bow

The Long Bow is built for heavy, deliberate shots at long range.

• How it works: It draws slowly, requiring more time between shots than a standard bow, but fires strong arrows that deal high single-hit damage.
• Best use case: Bring the Long Bow when you have a clear vantage point or when initiating a fight from far away. Because the draw speed is slow, keep a melee weapon with knockback—such as a Long Sword or Broad Sword—on your hotbar in case mobs close the distance before you can fire a second arrow.

Rapid Fire with the Compound Bow

The Compound Bow is designed for speed and mid-to-close range skirmishes.

• How it works: It fires at much higher speeds than the Long Bow, letting you loose rapid volleys of arrows in a short window.
• Best use case: Use the Compound Bow when dealing with groups of fast-moving enemies or fighting inside tighter spaces like caves and dungeons. The fast fire rate helps you keep multiple targets pinned down without getting overwhelmed.

For a hybrid ranged build, you can also carry Spears alongside either bow, giving you a quick throwable ranged option when you run out of arrows.