History Main / GreatBow

* ''VideoGame/DarkSouls''
** The [[TropeNamers Trope Namer]] is the Dragonslayer Greatbow from ''VideoGame/DarkSoulsI'', a bow so large that it towers the wielder, to the point it requires an AnchoredAttackStance to be used. Naturally, due to its immense size, it can fire lance-sized projectiles made for hunting dragons, and the Silver Knights are more than happy to knock you down from the roof of Anor Londo with their bows and arrows. Hawkeye Gough, the predecessors of the Silver Knights, has his own homemade bow that is heavier, bigger, and [[spoiler:he uses it to shoot down Black Dragon Kalameet [[ImprobableAimingSkills despite being blind himself]].]]

* ''VideoGame/EldenRing'' also features greatbows, from greatbows tall as the person wielding it to colossal bows wielded by giant animated statues that fire arrows the size of a bus. Even mages can get on the fun with Loratta's Greatbow, which conjures a magical bow to fire a powerful magic bolt.

*** In addition to the above, in ''VideoGame/DarkSoulsIII'', one of the weapons that Aldrich, Devourer of Gods (through Dark Sun Gwyndolyn, whom the former has taken control of as the ladder is slowly eaten) uses against the Ashen One is the Darkmoon Longbow, a bow that can create a flurry of bows out of sorcery; the bow can be transposed by Ludleth of Courland and accessed in exchange for the Soul of Aldrich.

[[folder:Video Game]]

* The Wolf Clan's Ballistamen of ''VideoGame/BattleRealms'' wield siege ballistae as personal weapons, carrying them into battle on their backs and then firing it without taking it off. The ballista fires twenty pound logs in place of regular arrows and is bigger than the ballistaman, who needs to stand still and anchor himself before being able to fire it.

* A jury-rigged version of this trope (combined with a bit of BifurcatedWeapon) is used in ''WesternAnimation/CraigOfTheCreek'''s "Capture The Flag: Finale", where [[spoiler:both Green Ponchos: Omar and Michelle, combine their bows together (via breaking them apart and taping them together to make it larger) so they could use it to launch ''Kelsey as the arrow''. To finally defeat Maya]].

* ''Anime/SenkiZesshouSymphogear''. Chris Yukine's Relic, Ichaival, can manifest a variety of long range-projectile weaponry, mainly bows (including some bigger than her), though due to her violent imagination she can also manifest things such as [[GatlingGood gatling guns]] and [[MacrossMissileMassacre missiles]].

* ''Literature/{{Discworld}}'': ]

* The [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/English_longbow English longbow]], which was person-sized (up to 2 m in length) and fired 0.8 m-long arrows at 300+ m range.

* Almost every bow in ''VideoGame/MonsterHunter'' is taller than the hunters carrying it. Granted, the bows are made for slaying monsters as large as a house. Despite their size, they are treated as fast weapons.

[[caption-width-right:350:Whoever wields them is a great person too.[[note]]Also that "arrow" is so big and great you could just use it as a weapon in of itself[[/note]]]]

* A jury-rigged version of this trope (combined with a bit of BifuricatedWeapon) makes an appearance in ''WesternAnimation/CraigOfTheCreek'''s "Capture The Flag: Finale", where [[spoiler:Both Green Ponchos: Omar and Michelle, combine their bows together (via breaking them apart and taping them together to make it larger) so they could use it to launch ''Kelsey as the arrow''. To finally defeat Maya]].

Compare {{BFG}} for big guns and {{BFS}} for big swords. Not to confuse with [[ImpossiblyCoolWeapon bows that merely look great]].

[[caption-width-right:350:Whoever wields them is a great person too.]]

In order to be qualified as this trope, the bow has to be as tall as the wielder, and it has to be a portable weapon. Stationary ballistae not carried by anyone don't count as this trope, that belongs to SiegeEngines. However, if a character wields a ballista as a handheld weapon, it still counts as this trope.

* ''Literature/{{Discworld}}'': Detritus uses a ballista firing six-foot-long iron arrows as a crossbow (although as a troll, the massive weapon is just barely bigger than he is). He later upgrades it to fire sheaves of arrows that catch fire from air friction and tend to spread out, to the point where just about the only safe place to be when he fires is right behind him. It's called [[{{Pun}} the Piecemaker]].

* ''Literature/{{Discworld}}'': Detritus uses a ballista firing six-foot-long iron arrows as a crossbow. He later upgrades it to fire sheaves of arrows that catch fire from air friction and tend to spread out, to the point where just about the only safe place to be when he fires is right behind him. It's called [[{{Pun}} the Piecemaker]].

* The Wolf Clan's Ballistamen of ''VideoGame/BattleRealms'' wield siege ballistae as personal weapons, carrying them into battle on their backs. The ballista fires twenty pound logs in place of regular arrows and is bigger than the ballistaman, who needs to stand still and anchor himself before being able to fire it.

* While ballistas doesn't normally qualifies in tis tropes, the Wolf Clan's Ballistamen of ''VideoGame/BattleRealms'' uses ballistas as personal weapons that they carry on their back. These men are huge enough to be able to carry use this siege weapon personally anyway.

* In the video game adaptation of ''WesternAnimation/{{Brave}}'' Merida starts out a regular bow like those she uses in the film and can eventually finds several new (and larger bows) that fit the trope, the final one being just not only taller than Merida but ''wider'' by two shoulder widths! May be justified as the bows are implied to be magical in nature compared to Merida's starting weapon.

** ''VideoGame/DarkSoulsII'' has the Alonne Greatbow, a type of Greatbow brought by the Alonne Knights from the Far East to entertain the Old Iron King. Another one is the Possessed Armor Greatbow, carried by the Possessed Armors, who [[BowAndSwordInAccord wield a bow and a sword at the same time]]. There's also the Twin-Header Greatbow, which is somewhat harder to master since arrows are nocked and fired slightly higher that normally, it is also to date one of the heaviest Greatbows and also has one of the highest strength requirements overall.

** ''VideoGame/DarkSoulsII'' has the Alonne Greatbow, a type of Greatbow brought by the Alonne Knights from the Far East to entertain the Old Iron King. Another one is the Possessed Armor Greatbow, carried by the Possessed Armors, who [[BowAndSwordInAccord wield a bow and a sword at the same time]].

** In ''VideoGame/DarkSoulsIII'', one of the weapons that Aldrich, Devourer of Gods (through Darksun Gwendolyn, whom he has taken control of as he slowly eats him) uses against the Ashen One is the Darkmoon Longbow, a bow that can create a flurry of bows out of sorcery. The bow can be transposed by Ludleth of Courland and accessed in exchange for the Soul of Aldrich.

* ''Literature/TheStormlightArchive'' has supernaturally powered swords known as [[AbsurdCuttingPower Shardblades]] and armor known as [[PoweredArmor Shardplate]]. Large bows are referred to as "Shardbows", not because they have any supernatural abilities, but because you need Shardplate to wield one. [[spoiler:[[TheBigGuy Rock]] manages to use one to take down [[ClimaxBoss Amaram]] with one in ''Literature/{{Oathbringer}}'', notably ''[[CharlesAtlasSuperpower without]]'' using any shardplate at all.]]