Patch-tracked guide
Valheim Best Bow (1.0) — Every Bow & Crossbow, Ranked by Damage
Every Valheim bow and crossbow with base pierce damage, crafting station and progression tier — plus arrow damage, so you can pick the best ranged weapon for your biome.
By Valheim Field Guide Editorial Team
Need the exact numbers? Browse the Database →
Best Bow in Valheim
There is no single “best” bow in Valheim — the strongest ranged weapon is whichever one matches the biome tier you have reached, paired with the best arrows you can craft. Every bow and crossbow below is listed with its base damage, the station that crafts it, and its progression tier, all verified for Valheim 1.0.
Bows by progression tier
| Bow | Tier | Pierce | Other damage | Crafted at |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crude Bow | 0 | 22 | — | Workbench |
| Finewood Bow | 1 | 32 | — | Workbench |
| Draugr Fang | 2 | 47 | 5 poison | Forge |
| Huntsman Bow | 3 | 42 | — | Forge |
| Spinesnap | 5 | 72 | 5 spirit | Black Forge |
| Frostfire Bow | 5 | 68 | 12 fire, 88 frost, 10 spirit | Black Forge |
| Ashlands Bow | 5 | 82 | — | Black Forge |
| Blood Fang | 5 | 82 | — | Black Forge |
| Root Fang | 5 | 82 | 10 poison | Black Forge |
| Storm Fang | 5 | 82 | 10 lightning | Black Forge |
| Nord Bow | 5 | 100 | 10 spirit | Black Forge |
| Thunderblood Bow | 5 | 110 | 45 lightning, 10 spirit | Black Forge |
The four “Fang” bows share the same 82 pierce and differ only in their rider damage, so pick by the status you want: poison (Root Fang) or lightning (Storm Fang).
Crossbows: slower, far harder hits
| Crossbow | Tier | Pierce | Chop | Other damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arbalest | 5 | 200 | 140 | — |
| Ripper | 6 | 220 | 160 | — |
| Wound Ripper | 6 | 220 | 160 | — |
| Storm Ripper | 6 | 220 | 160 | 10 lightning |
| Root Ripper | 6 | 220 | 160 | 10 poison |
| Frostfire Crossbow | 6 | 232 | 180 | 12 fire, 88 frost |
| Nord Crossbow | 6 | 264 | 180 | — |
| Thunderblood Crossbow | 6 | 274 | 180 | 45 lightning |
Note that “Cast:” and “Mould:” entries in the database are crafting intermediates, not finished weapons.
Arrows: the other half of your damage
| Arrow | Pierce | Other damage |
|---|---|---|
| Wood Arrow | 22 | — |
| Flinthead Arrow | 27 | — |
| Bronzehead Arrow | 32 | — |
| Ironhead Arrow | 42 | — |
| Obsidian Arrow | 52 | — |
| Silver Arrow | 52 | 20 spirit |
| Needle Arrow | 62 | — |
| Carapace Arrow | 72 | — |
| Charred Arrow | 82 | — |
| Bloodgold Arrow | 100 | — |
| Fire Arrow | 11 | 22 fire |
| Frost Arrow | 26 | 52 frost |
| Poison Arrow | 26 | 52 poison |
Elemental arrows trade a lot of raw pierce for their status effect, which is the point: frost slows what it hits so you can keep the gap, and poison keeps ticking while you reposition.
Best pick per biome
- Meadows — Crude Bow with Wood or Flinthead Arrows.
- Black Forest — Finewood Bow with Bronzehead Arrows.
- Swamp — Draugr Fang; its poison rider works while you back off.
- Mountains / Plains — Huntsman Bow with Obsidian or Silver Arrows.
- Mistlands — Spinesnap with Needle or Carapace Arrows.
- Ashlands — Nord Bow or Thunderblood Bow with Bloodgold Arrows; Frostfire Bow if you want the slow from frost arrows to control a crowd.
Tips
- Bows level the Bow skill and crossbows level the Crossbow skill — switching late means grinding a new skill from the bottom, so commit before the Ashlands if you can.
- Every shot costs stamina. If you are firing from a kiting loop, keep enough stamina in reserve to sprint out rather than emptying the bar.
- Crossbows are loud and slow: open with a crossbow shot, then swap to a bow or melee while it reloads.
- Status arrows are cheaper to mass-produce than top-tier pierce arrows in most biomes, so keep a stack of frost for crowd control and a stack of your best pierce for bosses.
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Buy me a coffeeFrequently asked questions
- What is the highest-damage bow in Valheim?
- Among bows, the Thunderblood Bow has the highest base damage: 110 pierce plus 45 lightning and 10 spirit. If you count crossbows, the Thunderblood Crossbow is the single hardest-hitting ranged weapon at 274 pierce plus 180 chop and 45 lightning.
- Are crossbows better than bows in Valheim?
- They hit far harder per shot — the Arbalest alone is 200 pierce plus 140 chop, roughly double an Ashlands-era bow — but they fire and reload much more slowly. Bows are better for kiting and for applying status with elemental arrows; crossbows suit an opening ambush shot or a boss fight where you can afford the reload window.
- Do arrows add to bow damage?
- Yes. Your ranged hit uses the bow's damage plus the arrow's damage, so a strong bow with weak arrows underperforms. In the Ashlands, pairing a Nord or Thunderblood Bow with Bloodgold Arrows (100 pierce) is a large jump over using plain Charred Arrows (82).
- Which bow should I use in each biome?
- Meadows: Crude Bow. Black Forest: Finewood Bow. Swamp: Draugr Fang, whose poison rides on top of its 47 pierce. Mountains and Plains: Huntsman Bow. Mistlands: Spinesnap. Ashlands: Nord Bow (100 pierce) or Thunderblood Bow (110 pierce plus lightning).
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Related in the database
Compare the 181 weapons and 169 armors weapons and armors, with stats and crafting recipes.
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