I could not find the answer here or anywhere else readily. Most of the answers that came close the question took into account the RP side of the do's and don'ts, like, "Does it suit your character", "Is it your main weapon", "Do you want it to be concealed easily/quickly". That kind of thing.

It also did not come up in the Wiki for NWN2. At least, not on the subjects that one would think it would be at.

So: Is there a definite answer to the question whether there is a difference in arrow-pewing speed between long and shortbow or not?

(I'm just talking about NWN2. Not NWN, not DA:O, not BG, please just NWN2-related answers if possible?).

There is no inherent difference between a generic shortbow's number of attacks per round and a generic longbow's number of attacks per round. The base number of attacks per round is calculated using the character's base attack bonus. A high level fighter will get more attacks per round than a high level wizard, even if they use the same bow.

If a particular bow shoots faster, that's because of a feat or other special quality making a change.

Crossbows, however, usually only get one attack per round.

Your response is very much the answer that I was looking for. Not the one I was hoping for (obviously hoped speed would make a difference, but hey :-)). Finally some decisiveness that I can work with.

Thank you, @Bookwyrm627, for putting that mystery to rest for me.

Glad to help.

The big difference between a short bow and a long bow is their base damage. A short bow has 1-6 base damage while a long bow has 1-8. The longbow is also a little heavier, but the weight difference is only a pound or two, which is small enough that it doesn't matter; any character that doesn't have the weight allowance to carry a long bow instead of a short bow probably can't effectively use a bow anyway.

I'm trying to stick to just answering your question, but there are a lot of other factors that could play into the decision on which type of bow to use. For example, by default a Rogue has proficiency with a short bow but not a long bow.