Well, if that's what you want, that's what we'll have~

[quote=@Yunagi]

-Or, another idea, being a weapon just like the others, with its own set of definitely good techniques, but in order to develop them, you need to use experience/points/whatever that could also be put into other weapons. Basically, develop one thing too much and you'll become weaker in another, such as focusing too much on bows and being at a disadvantage when someone decides you need a sword through your jugular, but wiping the floor at bow-range.
[/quote]

I personally like this one.

[quote=@Yunagi]

Other things, will it just be bows or will we have other ranged weapons? Of course, there's the whole class of stringed weapons, including crossbows, but what about thrown weapons (or were those already in the canon and I'm just derping up?)?
[/quote]

For simplicity's sake, I'd say that throwing weapons would probably be a support weapon and not a main weapon, while crossbows are a subset of bows, if that makes sense.  Like, once you have enough skill with the bow, you can start using a crossbow.

As for the power balance... the laser sight thing could work.  What do y'all think?