Long Bow or Crossbow?

[Crowcreek]

Playing a stealth archer with some daggers in between, which bow would be best?

[ĿIFE oƒ ƤIE]

Crossbow takes too long to reload...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7JYtb3jNdWI

[Rez Elwin]

Well the long bow is very weak so if those are your options the crossbow would be better. The Crossbow is louder than a bow, but that is only a problem if you're relatively close, a long range shot will not matter.

[Crowcreek]

I don't mean the one called a Long Bow but the style of it, is that called a composite bow or something like that?

[Rez Elwin]

There is only 1 type of bow, so the question is Bow vs Crossbow.

In that case Bow is a better, not just for the fact they do more damage, they are totally silent, faster, and arrows are easier to come by than Bolts. Also it might just be me but I seem to be more accurate at range with a bow than a crossbow.

[Longhaul]

Bow for the win.

[Lady Aeleanor]

Agree that the Bow is better. And once you build the Archery skill tree, it's even more satisfying.

[Zodee]

i use both and changes based by mood

[SpeedFreak1972]

I only play with bow crossbow is to slow for my liking .... that said if you only use log bow I would us crossbow however If you upgrade to better bows normal bows for sure

[Liquid Inc]

crossbow early game, sure. Compared to what you might have otherwise got at the start (long bow, hunting bow etc..) it's much more powerful so you'll make the most of that initial sneak attack.
That said, once spotted, crossbows are leaving you at a considerable disadvantage because of the reload speed.

later game, bow all the way, as crossbow's just don't have that edge over them anymore in raw damage, and once you start applying enchantments and running fire arrows etc.. bow's just drop crossbows into the ditch.

[Perplex]

Originally posted by Crowcreek:

Playing a stealth archer with some daggers in between, which bow would be best?

Crossbows are far superior to bows and they never get "floppy" arrows as bows tend to get.
Just use whatever crossbow you like.

[JMO]

That archery perk that slows down your opponents -- does that even apply with the crossbow? It has been a while since I've played so I cannot remember but I seem to recall it does not so that's why I keep going back to the bow.

Combine some of the speed and power of the amazing bows you can pick up (e.g. Auriel's) with the archery perks, the bow is my go to. I did find the crossbow useful earlier when I needed one shot, one kill or when I was fighting dragons and needed to kill in less than 100 shots. But the stealth archery build with the long bow is basically unbeatable.

[steventirey]

Originally posted by JMO:

That archery perk that slows down your opponents -- does that even apply with the crossbow? It has been a while since I've played so I cannot remember but I seem to recall it does not so that's why I keep going back to the bow.

All archery perks apply to crossbows just the same as they apply to bows.

[Wizard of Woz]

Originally posted by Rez Elwin:

There is only 1 type of bow, so the question is Bow vs Crossbow.

In that case Bow is a better, not just for the fact they do more damage, they are totally silent, faster, and arrows are easier to come by than Bolts. Also it might just be me but I seem to be more accurate at range with a bow than a crossbow.

What do you mean there is only one kind of bow?

[Rez Elwin]

Originally posted by Wizard of Woz:

What do you mean there is only one kind of bow?

All bow weapons are the pretty much the same, they all function the exact same way, same range, and same arrow velocity. Bows have only 2 things do differentiate each other, draw speed and damage.

OP originally said long bow, but not referring to the actual long bow then they said composite bow, which some could be considered as such, but they are all "bows".