Bows (Skyrim)

Bow is a flexible, bent or curved ranged weapon in that is strung taut from end to end with a string. Arrows are nocked into the string and then drawn. The arrow is then released and the string pushes the arrow forward.
Bows are found throughout Skyrim and are a common weapon, with many types varying in damage, arrow speed, weight, fire rate, and value. Also they are always a two-handed weapon.
==Improvement and damage==
The damage of a bow varies from bow to bow, with the Long Bow being the weakest and Dragonbone ( only) being the strongest. Every bow's damage is governed by perks and the level of the Archery skill, but there are multiple other ways to increase a bow's damage.
===Smithing===
Almost all bows can be tempered using grindstones found near or around blacksmiths and other locations. Depending on the material of the bow, a bow may be improved with firewood or the appropriate ingot to increase the damage of the bow. Depending on perks and level of the Smithing skill, bows can be made increasingly more powerful.
===Enchanting===
Bows may also be enchanted with weapon enchantments for a variety of different effects. The strength of the enchantment depends on the size of the soul used, the number of usages per charge and the level of the enchanting skill. The potency of fire, frost, and shock enchantments can be boosted if the Augmented Fire, Frost or Shock perks from the Destruction skill are chosen.
See here for a full list of enchantments that can be applied to bows.
===Alchemy===
Fortify Marksman potions can be created or bought from merchants to temporarily increase the Archery skill tree.
==Weight and fire rate==
The weight of the bow also dictates the effort required to pull the string back, or "draw," meaning that the heavier the bow, the longer it will take, and the more damage the shot will do. The lightest bow is 5 and can fire 0.55 shots every second (1.818 seconds before 1 shot).
Starting at 5, each additional unit of weight added to the bow subtracts another 0.0125 shots/second, so a bow weighing 6 fires 0.5375 shots/second (1.86 seconds/shot).
The fire rates between 5 and 6 may seem insignificant, but the difference becomes much more noticeable with heavier bows. The Dragonbone Bow, for example, is the heaviest bow weighing in at 20; and fires at a rate of 0.3624 shots/second (2.759 seconds/shot).
The overall draw speed can be calculated by the equation:
 full draw time = 0.4s + 1.66s / (weapon speed * (1 + Quick Shot perk))
As weight and quality of the bow's construction material are directly proportional, it is important to note that the better the material (i.e., Glass, or Daedric), the slower the draw speed, and thus the lower the fire rate.
The three fastest bows in the game in terms of draw speed share a common speed of 1.0, the fastest speed: Zephyr, from the quest "Lost to the Ages"; Auriel's Bow, acquired at the end of the quest "Touching the Sky"; and Froki's Bow, a unique long bow found in Graywinter Watch that is obtained at the end of Kyne's Sacred Trials.
==Arrow velocity==
The velocity at which a bow shoots an arrow is inversely proportional to the bow's fire rate. In other words, the greater the fire rate of the bow, the lower the velocity.
Usually this means that the heavier the bow, the greater the velocity of the shot. However, there are two exceptions to this rule. In the case of Zephyr, a unique bow weighing 10 and which fires 30% faster than other Dwarven Bows, arrows fired from this bow will travel slower than even a Hunting Bow which weighs 7. This is due to Zephyr's previously mentioned unique enchantment. Also, the Dragonbone Bow weighs 20, which is one more than the Daedric Bow, however the arrows have a lower velocity than those fired from a Daedric Bow.
Though the velocity depends on the fire rate, the velocity is not hindered by the Quick Shot perk.
==Range==
Bows have two types of range, arc range and maximum range. The former varies from bow to bow and is directly proportional to the bow's firing velocity. Arrows fired from a low velocity bow will come down in an arc earlier than arrows fired from a high velocity bow. To compensate for this shorter range, low velocity bows must be angled higher to hit targets at range.
The latter type of range, or maximum range, is a universal range between bows. After traveling a certain distance, somewhere around 60–65 yards, all arrows have a damage of 0. Arrows at this distance will most of the time clip through (pass through) enemies and land on the other side having done no damage. This will still cause animals and characters to become aware of the Dragonborn's presence and search for them, however this will not cause friendly characters to become hostile.
==Differences with crossbows==
If Dawnguard is installed, the player will gain access to crossbows. Crossbows, similar to bows, are ranged weapons that benefit from sneak attacks, and can be enchanted and upgraded. Compared to the crossbow, a bow is much lighter and faster to reload, and arrows are much easier to acquire than their counterpart. However, its base damage is generally lower than the crossbow, and is slower to fire arrows, compared to the crossbow firing bolts.
==Bows==
Name 	 	 	 	Speed 	 	Upgrade 	Perk 	Item ID
Ancient Nord Bow 	8 	12	45 	0.875 	7 	Steel Ingot 	Steel 	
Angi's Bow 	7 	7 	50 	0.937 	6.559 	Steel Ingot 	Steel 	
Auriel's Bow 	13	11	1000	1.0 	13 	Refined Moonstone 	Elven 	
Bow of the Hunt 	10	7 	434 	0.937 	9.37 	Steel Ingot 	Steel 	
Daedric Bow 	19	18	2500	0.50 	9.5 	Ebony Ingot 	Daedric 	
Dragonbone Bow 	20	20	2725	0.75 	15 	Dragon Bone 	Dragon 	
Drainspell Bow 	14	6 	458 	0.875 	12.25 	N/A 	None 	
Dravin's Bow 	7 	7 	50 	0.937 	6.559 	Leather Strips 	Steel 	
Dwarven Bow 	12	10	270 	0.750 	9 	Dwarven Metal Ingot	Dwarven 	
Dwarven Black Bow of Fate 	13	10	1446	0.750 	9.75 	Ebony Ingot 	Dwarven 	
Ebony Bow 	17	16	1440	0.562 	9.554 	Ebony Ingot 	Ebony 	
Elven Bow 	13	12	470 	0.687 	8.931 	Refined Moonstone 	Elven 	
Falmer Bow 	12	15	135 	0.75 	9 	Chaurus Chitin 	None 	
Falmer Supple Bow 	15	20	410 	0.75 	11.25 	N/A 	None 	
Firiniel's End 	13	12	785 	0.687 	8.931 	Refined Moonstone 	Elven 	
Forsworn Bow 	12	11	145 	0.875 	10.5 	Steel Ingot 	Steel 	
Froki's Bow 	6 	5 	307 	1.0 	6 	Iron Ingot 	None 	
Gauldur Blackbow 	8 	12	253 	0.875 	7 	Steel Ingot 	Dwarven 	
Gauldur Blackbow 	8 	12	407 	0.875 	7 	Steel Ingot 	Dwarven 	
Gauldur Blackbow 	14	18	530 	0.875 	12.25 	Steel Ingot 	Dwarven 	
Gauldur Blackbow 	14	18	750 	0.875 	12.25 	Steel Ingot 	Dwarven 	
Gauldur Blackbow 	14	18	972 	0.875 	12.25 	Steel Ingot 	Dwarven 	
Glass Bow 	15	14	820 	0.625 	9.375 	Refined Malachite 	Glass 	
Glass Bow of the Stag Prince	16	14	375 	0.625 	10 	Refined Malachite 	Glass 	
Hunting Bow 	7 	7 	50 	0.937 	6.559 	Leather Strips 	Steel 	
Imperial Bow 	9 	8 	90 	0.75 	6.75 	Steel Ingot 	None 	
Karliah's Bow 	25	9 	5 	0.625 	15.625	N/A 	None 	
Long Bow 	6 	5 	30 	1.0 	6 	Firewood 	None 	
Nord Hero Bow 	11	7 	200 	0.875 	9.625 	Steel Ingot 	None 	
Nordic Bow 	13	11	580 	0.6875	8.9375	Quicksilver Ingot 	Advanced	
Orcish Bow 	10	9 	150 	0.812 	8.12 	Orichalcum Ingot 	Orcish 	
Stalhrim Bow 	17	15	1800	0.5625	9.5625	Stalhrim 	Ebony 	
Supple Ancient Nord Bow 	14	18	235 	0.875 	12.25 	N/A 	None 	
Nightingale Bow 	12	9 	493 	0.50 	6 	Ebony Ingot 	None 	
Nightingale Bow 	13	11	838 	0.50 	6.5 	Ebony Ingot 	None 	
Nightingale Bow 	15	13	1409	0.50 	7.5 	Ebony Ingot 	None 	
Nightingale Bow 	17	15	2240	0.50 	8.5 	Ebony Ingot 	None 	
Nightingale Bow 	19	18	3405	0.50 	9.5 	Ebony Ingot 	None 	
Zephyr 	12	10	670 	1.0 	12 	Dwarven Metal Ingot	Dwarven 	
==Bugs==
* Sometimes, when an arrow is shot, the arrow takes a couple of seconds to actually shoot after the animation shows it being "fired."
*It may not be possible to sneak fire an arrow properly. For example, when attempting to fire on a resting dragon, the arrow will fall to the ground a few feet ahead. When aiming to miss it fires normally.
*Loading an arrow and switching to third person view from first may result in the bow being in unloaded position, even though an arrow appears in hand. Switching back to first person may make it impossible to load another arrow.
**Fixed by changing weapons.
*If the Dragonborn is blown back with the Unrelenting Force shout while using a bow, the bow will not be visible in the Dragonborn's hands after getting back up, and they will be appearing to be firing arrows from thin air.
**Fixed by changing weapons.
*Sometimes when blown back with the Unrelenting Force shout while crouching, the exact opposite happens. The Dragonborn will then appear to be holding a bow with an arrow drawn, but the arrow will not be visible.
**Shooting the invisible arrow will fix the problem.
* Sometimes, even though the string is fully pulled back, the arrow will shoot from the bow as if the string was only partially pulled back. This can result in failed sneak attacks (the target notices the Dragonborn), or less damage than the bow would normally deliver (such as a Flawless Glass Bow). Sometimes the bug rights itself after a few shots, though sometimes it can go on for much longer. Switching weapons can make the bug appear less often.
*When crouched and aiming downwards (i.e. off a cliffside at a target below) the arrow will appear behind the Dragonborn rather than where it should.
*Sometimes, if the bow has the Paralyze effect, the target may not take any damage and will only be paralyzed. Even if the arrow missed the target, they may still be paralyzed.
==See also==
*Archery (Skyrim)
*Crossbows (Dawnguard)
==Appearances==
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