What would you call this type of bow?

[Lazlo.Arcadia]

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/362117626282164775/
or here
https://www.deviantart.com/valtirfaye/art/A-Cold-Autumn-716897876

It is the Scoiatael / elven double Long Bow from the Witcher video games. Has anyone seen any stats for this bow? If not, how would we stat this one? As a long bow with better range?

[Dajur]

It looks like a rudimentary compound recurve bow. Just stat it like a Composite Longbow.

[Zwordsman]

Double limbed bow.
Depending on how you view the curvin anyway. Doesn't look like a recurve bow but they do make double limbed recurve bows.

Hard to tell as it looks partially taut but i'd still say it isn't a recurve. Compound bows are probably something of the modern version of it though. As the second limbs provide an extra set of power and make the draw.. honestly very difficult-compound bow solved that with gearing and such making it way easier to draw but still compounding power.

In specific I'd say
Double Limbed Laminated Bow.. looks kind of laminated. Just in a fantasy world fashion. looks like bone outer edges, and lamenated interrior.

[ErichAD]

It looks sort of like a penobscot or micmac bow. There's some weirdness with both bows being full length, shaped identically, and how the bow closest to the archer is mounted on the back of the center piece. All that taken together puts this bow in the realm of pure fantasy. I don't think the second limb set is going to provide much benefit in this shape.

The question would be, what's the purpose of these sorts of bows in the world you want to borrow them from?

[Lazlo.Arcadia]

It is from the Witcher video games, and I just liked the aesthetics of it as an exotic bow which was uncommon enough that if it were seen in public it would be noticeable.

So a "Double Limbed Laminated Bow" it is then. @Zwordsman any suggestions for stats on this thing? I'm thinking a top tier composite strength bow?

[Zwordsman]

I guess it depends on how you want to play it? Just the visual? or do you want to spice it up in a weird way?

Just a composite bow is the easist mechanical strength. The extra limbs effectively just add extra force after all.

If you wanted to get shiny spicey. Then I'd consider giving it Long Bow stats, but the size and weight of a short bow. Not any "real" mechanical benefit. But it would represent the extra oomph and power and skill required for it (which may or may not be that true. idk). While also giving it small mechanical benefits (easier to use in smaller areas. while mounted etc). Composite as per normal bow rules.

I'd default for the shiny spice "long bow stas in a short bow" version myself. Becuase rule of cool.

[Meirril]

If you want it to stand out from the standard composite longbow, give it the same stats as a Horn Bow except its an exotic weapon for every race.

No, this certainly isn't an orc hornbow but you want it to stand out and be superior to the standard bow, right?

[Cevah]

Here is a much clearer image of the bow.
And some other good images:
over the shoulder
shoulder alternate image
backlit and in hand

It looks like a variation of the Penobscot bow.

The effect of the second set of limbs is to change the force needed at different parts of the draw, to more even up the force. Read the linked article for more.

Of note:

Penobscot double bow wrote:

That, by the way, is the reason why people who create double bows with the front bow almost as long as the main bow either didn't get what the design is meant to accomplish or are merely trying to create a bow that can make do with poor material (poorly suitable woods). A proper performance double bow has a short front bow that gets fully drawn fairly soon in the drawing motion.

/cevah

[Lazlo.Arcadia]

I'd never heard of a Penobscot bow before now, so I thank you for contributing to my education on the matter. I would agree with you, this definitely appears to be a real world version of the bow I was asking about.

I think I'll just around at the various types of bows which have been written up as a starting point of how to stat this out.

[Cevah]

Given that the extra limbs are designed to give more energy in the draw, I would just use a normal strength bow but at +50% increased cost and +20' per strength bonus.

/cevah

[Dave Justus]

Penobscot bows are just one way to make the more generic cable backed bow. The point of any cable backed bow is to make them less likely to break and have more power. (of course the image itself is fairly nonsensical, but that is where the concept came from)

In Pathfinder, this is adequately mechanically represented by the composite bows, so I would stat it just like other composite longbows.