Breath of the Wild Different bows?

[Kingwobbly]

In Zelda games you usually start with a wooden sword or a small sword and then get a better sword and sometimes an even better sword after that. Well Zelda wii u, it would seem, starts with a bow. From the two trailers we have had so far it looks like the bow is important. If that's the case, do you think we might get stronger bows throughout the game? We had an upgradable bow in SS. Maybe you start with the fairy bow, later you get the hero bow and then the goddess bow? At least it means you wouldn't end up with a slingshot at the beginning again. Would this be a good thing? Or should they stick to swords? Or should they keep the upgrade system so you can upgrade your bow on your own terms?

 

[Mercedes]

The slingshot needs to die. Let it go, Nintendo, let it go.

And of the three options, I'd rather have it where you upgrade the bow on your own terms, through some sort of side-events. It'll add more content and it'll give a side-quest some kind of actual, meaningful reward, rather than doing something and getting a few rupees out of it. I would say it'd be nice to have things that weren't just direct upgrades, but I don't expect that from Nintendo in this regard.

 

[Spiritual Mask Salesman]

We don't even now how early into the game those events in the trailer and game awards demo took place. The trailier could have just been a standalone thing to show off the game. The demo could also be the same... just like in early SS demos we saw the beetle which we don't actually get until Link enters Skyview temple. Maybe the bow will be a early weapon Link get's but I doubt he'll start off with it right off the bat.

Anyway I think this whole idea of upgrading is something SS started, I wouldn't mind upgrades for Link's bows or even different versions that you can find.

 

[ihateghirahim]

That could be a neat idea. The slingshot really only worked in the context of a kid using it, like in OoT. A bow is a man's weapon. The bow is an iconic weapon and one Link is used to using. It would be great to see him upgrade the speed, distance, and accuracy of his bow over time. It could help in puzzle design as well. Imagine a target you can only shoot with a bow that has a certain range. Or a bow that can drill further into a target than other. It has potential. We use different types of arrows for puzzles, why not the bow?

 

[SavageWizzrobe]

I think it would be quite interesting if Link found a regular bow fairly early (say the Hero's Bow) and maybe Link finds another bow later on in the game. I kinda wonder what it would be like if Link found a composite bow (say the Composite Hero's Bow) which is like the original bow except that arrows fired from it are a bit stronger and travel a bit farther, because a composite bow can be drawn further back. That could be one idea.
Maybe Link can get a bow in the first few dungeons, then upgrade it to a composite bow in the last few dungeons? Of course, upgrades may either be required or optional, and I'd be fine with either.

 

[snakeoiltanker]

I dont think it would be too far fetched too wish for a bow at the start of the game. With the hood, and mysterious nature presented in this Links character, maybe he starts as a hunter or wanderer, who is highly skilled with the bow. As far as upgrading goes, I really liked how SS did this, but feel there is a better way. How exactly I do not know, but maybe just a more interesting way of collecting the materials or whatever needed too upgrade.

 

[Djinn]

Usually the bow itself does not make a whole lot of difference. It's what you shoot from it that matters. Unless the game gets really picky with range and increased range etc.

That said I would like a return of the old magic arrows like fire, ice, light, and whatever new stuff they can think of. Of they want to get trickly with it the bow can replace the hookshot by shooting arrows with a rope attached. Then Link could zipline down to another area. Or it would be nice to just upgrade the standard arrows as the game progresses.

One thing that really stands out in Zelda games is how over the course of the game the enemies get tougher and take more hits to kill. The master sword gets upgrades to overcome this but almost no other weapon does. By late game you have standard common enemies that take two sword strikes to kill, or six arrows, five or six wolf attacks, etc. The bow is in a lot of games the only other traditional weapon you get beside the sword. While everything else is a random gadget, magic item, or handy tool that can also sort of work as a weapon if needed. If Nintendo really wants players to have the bow as a secondary weapon then they should have it improve beyond needing magical assistance (which drains energy resources). The LoZ silver arrow was a decent call but you got that about ten minutes before fighting Ganon so it was not totally handy, plus I think the wand will always be my go to number two weapon in that game.

I suppose it is possible to add in a much larger bow with a greater draw to it that greatly increases power to each hit. A fun method of making it handier might be having the bow be much harder for Link to use when he gets it, with the greater tension. So refire rate is much slower, like the Boggoron sword. Until he gets a strength increase through bracelet or gauntlet, then he could use it like his first bow after becoming stronger.

 

[NintendoCN]

With the bow being my go-to weapon in Zelda games I think having the bow upgrade as you progress is a great idea, with how often you need the bow in Zelda games, it seems like it's used once, maybe twice per dungeon and if you run out of shots well... A bow that shoot multiple arrow would be awesome.

 

[link's magical rod]

I would love to see them focus on link having less items but to fully flesh out the use of each item. For example with the bow they could have various upgrades including quiver size, bow type, arrow type and bow skills. I'd also like to see the upgrades occur through a combination of main game progression, side quest achievements and collecting materials e.g.

QUIVER

Start with small (30) but can upgrade to 50 and later 100. Achieved through collecting materials and rupees to upgrade the item.

ARROW TYPE

Start with normal arrows but achieve ice, fire, light (perhaps also time arrow as indicated in the trailer). Achieved through game progression (e.g. dungeon rewards) as needed to complete the game

BOW TYPE

start with fairy bow, but later acquire hero bow. Either through materials upgrade or bow based game. Increases damage done by the bow

BOW SKILL

z targeting as normal. Later acquire ability to shoot arrows in slow motion, also ability to fire up to three arrows at a time at different targets through manual targeting. Similar to how the boomerang has worked. Achieved via game progression as later game mechanics can work on having these move sets. Perhaps similar to how TP does it

Same things can be done with the sword which is quite typical of all zelda games, but also focus on different types of attacks like WW. Hookshot can have similar upgrades etc. too.

In general I would like them to focus on a smaller set of items but make different types of them that are necessary for game progression. I think this would stop the feeling that certain items are only useful for one section. This is the type of items I'd consider

Boots: pegasus (work like bunny hood-negates stamina meter) iron, hover, normal
Tunic: green, red (fire protection), blue (swimming), dark navy (increased stealth)
Sword: fairy and two subsequent upgrades and skills
Shield: wooden and two subsequent upgrades
Quiver: two upgrades on size
Bow: increased power and skills with two upgrades
Arrow: normal, ice, fire, light
Hookshot: Upgrade once
Bombs: not sure best upgrade but sure they could improve it once
Magic skill set
Sail cloth
Gauntlets (silver, gold)

Essentially just work the fighting set around bombs, sword and bow moves and upgrades, with a few items and clothing that help in certain puzzles and areas (tunic, boots, sail cloth, gauntlets, hookshot). Also magic that can act as both.

 

[Deleted member 14134]

I think this time around Link should start off with a bow tie and work his way up from there.