Getting a bow quickly changes how the opening of Gothic 1 Remake plays out. The scavengers and molerats prowling the path can be beaten in melee, but every swing risks heavy damage and forces you to burn through your scarce food. A ranged weapon lets you soften enemies from a distance and stay in control of those first fights. You can secure one before you even arrive at the Old Camp, and there are two separate routes to do it.
Quick answer: Steal a bow from the locked shed in the Exchange Zone using the key from a nearby chest, or carry the Hunter's Knife to Drax on the road to the Old Camp and hand it over for a free Shortbow. Either way, pick up arrows along the path, since no bow can fire without them.
Steal a bow in the Exchange Zone (fastest option)
The quickest bow sits right next to where you start. After Diego pulls you out of the pond, don't follow him. Turn left toward the small settlement, the Exchange Zone. The catch is that this method involves theft in two stages, so timing matters.
Step 1: Enter the house in the settlement. Inside you'll see shelves stocked with provisions, a bed, and a chest sitting nearby. The chest holds the Exchange Zone key you need.
Step 2: Make a quicksave and watch the single guard patrolling the area. When he's looking away, open the chest and grab the key (or loot everything in one motion if you prefer). Step away from the chest immediately afterward so you don't draw attention.
Step 3: For the safest run, sleep on the bed until nighttime. NPCs in Gothic 1 Remake have far weaker detection in the dark, which makes the rest of the theft much easier.
Step 4: Head to the shed directly across from the entrance to the Exchange Zone. Use the key on its iron gate, again making sure the two nearby guards aren't standing next to you when you open it.
Step 5: Inside, a bow and a pair of arrows sit on a crate. Take both and leave the zone quickly before anyone reacts.
Note: The stealth requirement here applies on every difficulty setting, so don't skip the quicksave even on the easier modes.
Get a free Shortbow from Drax (the legal route)
If you'd rather avoid stealing, you can earn a Shortbow honestly by returning a quest item to a New Camp hunter named Drax. This path costs you two unavoidable fights with juvenile scavengers, but it leaves you with no stolen goods and an extra trainer contact for later.
Step 1: Follow the road toward the Old Camp, the same direction Diego takes. Before passing under the bridge, grab a starter melee weapon. There's a pickaxe at a mining stop, and a rusty sword stuck in the mud along the way if you look carefully.
Step 2: A juvenile scavenger forces a fight on the path itself. After you kill it, check the small clearing to your right with a tree and a hanged man. Beneath the body lies the Old Sword, the strongest free melee weapon in this area.
Step 3: A second juvenile scavenger charges as you enter the clearing. Clear it, then collect the arrows and the wooden Club under a tree. The real target is the Hunter's Knife resting on the dirt mound in the center of the clearing, which is easy to walk past.
Step 4: The Hunter's Knife is a quest item, not a usable weapon, so just keep it in your inventory. Return to the winding path and continue down it. You'll trigger a Chapter 1 splash screen along the way.
Step 5: At a crossroads you'll meet two New Camp hunters. Talk to Drax and hand him the Hunter's Knife. He gives you a Shortbow in return, confirming the trade through the dialogue.
Drax also works as a skill trainer who can teach you to field-dress and skin animals for extra loot. You won't have the Learning Points or ore to learn this yet, so plan to return later.
Shortbow stats and requirements
The Shortbow is a ranged Bow weapon dealing point damage. Its key requirement is what gates most new players early on.
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Type | Ranged |
| Sub-type | Bow |
| Damage type | Point |
| Requirement | 10 DEX |
You need at least 10 Dexterity to draw the Shortbow, and you must have arrows in your inventory to fire it. That rule applies to every bow in the game, not just this one.
Buy a bow and arrows from Fisk
If you miss both early pickups or want a backup supply, the Shortbow can also be bought from merchants, with Fisk being a reliable seller. Prices vary by trader, but the weapon's stats stay the same wherever you buy it. Fisk is also a good stop for stocking up on arrows, since target practice and real fights both eat through your ammo fast. The hunting grounds near the crossroads are full of scavengers you can use to test your aim with the handful of arrows you collect on the way there.
Between these options you should leave the opening area with a working bow well before reaching the Old Camp. Grab whatever arrows you find on the ground as you travel, keep your Dexterity in mind for the draw requirement, and you'll have a dependable ranged answer to the colony's early threats.