The Bows In Kingdom Come Deliverance, Ranked

With the announcement of the highly anticipated sequel, there is no better time to jump into the original medieval immersion RPG, Kingdom Come: Deliverance. Although at the start of the game, Henry is truly awful at archery, with a bit of patience and plenty of practice, both his and the player’s skills will improve.

Once players can comfortably shoot an arrow in the right direction, it is then time to think about finding the best bows in KCD. Each bow has a power rating, which determines its effective range and damage. Other ways to increase damage include leveling up Henry’s archery skill, using better arrows, applying poison to the tips of the arrows, and obtaining some of the best Perks in KCD. To use certain bows, players will need to meet the minimum requirements for Strength and Agility.

Updated on January 16, 2025, by Joe Grantham: With KCD 2 just around the corner, many players are either returning to the medieval masterpiece or checking it out for the first time. As the only ranged weapons in the first game, bows are of vital importance, both for hunting and combat. By showcasing more of KCD’s best bows, especially those that can be picked up earlier in the game, players have more options and can find the bow for them, depending on how much Groschen they can afford. Players should also bear in mind that the arrows they use also make a difference. They can be purchased from the huntsmen in Rattay and Talmberg respectively.

7

Hazel Hunting Bow

Power: 62

• Where to find: Bought from Berthold in Rattay or Nicholas in Talmberg.

If players are able to have Henry reach 10 Strength by being physically active, then the Hazel Hunting Bow is one of the best of its kind, outperforming the Dogwood Hunting Bow and the Ash Hunting Bow. It has a base cost of 307 Groschen, but players can try and lower this by haggling.

For those who decide the Hazel Hunting Bow is the one for them, it can thankfully be purchased from two different huntsmen. As with many of the bows in KCD, the first option is Berthold in Rattay. Nicholas, the Master Huntsman of Talmberg, also sells the bow and plenty of arrows. Nicholas is found at the hunting lodge to the south-east of Talmberg castle.

6

Elm Longbow

Power: 72

• Where to find: Bought from the huntsman Berthold in Rattay.

At 72 Power, the Elm Longbow isn’t far off matching the best of the base game Longbows, and is more than good enough for Henry. It will certainly feel like a big upgrade after previously only using the bow first given to him. If this is the first new bow players are looking to get, however, they will need to make sure they have leveled up their Strength and Agility enough, which is only done by actively doing physical activities. One of the best things beginners can do in KCD is head over to train with Captain Bernard in Rattay.

Acquiring the Elm Longbow is fairly simple, as it can be purchased from the hunstman of Rattay, who is usually found near the upper castle. Players can also receive training in their hunting and houndmaster skills from Berthold, although it will cost them. The bow can also be looted from a bandit during the Interlopers quest near Skalitz.

5

Yew Hunting Bow

Power: 64

• Where to find: Sold by Nicholas in Talmberg and Berthold in Rattay, or found with Treasure Map XI.

If players are only interested in using bows to hunt with, then the Yew Hunting Bow is their best option, and more powerful longbows are not required. This bow will comfortably take down large game such as stags, and a high Strength stat is not needed.

To get hold of a Yew Hunting Bow, players can purchase one from either of the two huntsmen, Nicholas near Talmberg, or Berthold in Rattay. Additionally, Treasure Map XI will also lead players to this hunting bow. While there are more realistic hunting games out there, this is one aspect that Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 hopefully improves on, as medieval hunts were highly organized and complex.

4

Cuman Bow

Power: 74

• Where to find: Looted from various Cuman enemies.

There are many versions of the Cuman Bow, and all of them have a distinctive recurve shape with very good stats. However, if players get lucky, they may just find one with a power rating of 74, which puts it on par with other top KCD bows. The Cuman Bow is also ideal for players who want to find success on horseback as an archer, as this is what it was designed for.

To find a Cuman Bow, players, predictably, just need to kill Cumans and loot them. Not every Cuman will wield a bow, however, so this may take a few tries, especially if players want one with good stats. One quest where players are guaranteed to fight bow-wielding Cumans is the Nest of Vipers quest.

3

Ash Longbow

Power: 74

• Where to find: Sold by Berthold in Rattay and found with various maps.

While the Ash Longbow doesn’t have as much power as the Yew Longbow and the Sinew Bow, it isn’t that much weaker and yet requires a lot less Strength and Agility from Henry. This makes it the best mid-to-late-game bow in KCD, and it will likely only be at the very end of the game that players will want an upgrade.

There are many ways to obtain an Ash Longbow, with the most direct method being heading to Rattay and purchasing it from Berthold the huntsman who sells all sorts of goods related to archery and hunting. Alternatively, the following maps all lead to hidden chests or graves with loot that includes an Ash Longbow: Ancient Map II, Treasure Map IV, Treasure Map XVII, and Treasure Map XX. As players will often find these chests locked, it is best to know how to pick locks in KCD.

2

Yew Longbow

Power: 77

• Where to find: Purchased from Berthold in Rattay or found with Treasure Map I.

For players who don’t own the From the Ashes DLC or for those who don’t want to miss out on the best horses in KCD by building a Guardhouse instead of a Stables, the Yew Longbow is their best option when it comes to archery. It has impressive power and requires a lot of strength to wield, although this is all at the cost of a slower reload time than less powerful alternatives.

Thankfully, the Yew Longbow is not a unique weapon, and players therefore have a few ways to find their own. The simplest way to acquire this deadly weapon is by purchasing it from the huntsman Berthold in Rattay. The second and much cheaper alternative to finding a Yew Longbow is using Treasure Map I in the Mill east of Sasau, which will lead the player to a locked chest north of the Monastery. Alternatively, players can attempt to win the Rattay Tourney fourteen times, or else hope that a certain high-level bandit attacks them, as he has the bow in his inventory.

1

Sinew Bow

Power: 82

• Where to find: The Archery Range in Pribyslavitz, with the From the Ashes DLC.

The best bow in Kingdom Come: Deliverance is the Sinew Bow, but it is only available to those who own the From the Ashes DLC. With significantly more power than the next best option, this is a weapon that players should look to acquire as soon as they can. However, Henry will need 16 Strength and 11 Agility, in order to use the bow effectively.

To obtain the Sinew Bow, players must undertake the rebuilding project of Pribyslavitz, which is part of the DLC, and they must choose a Guardhouse over the Stables. Once the Guardhouse has been finished, an Archery Range can be constructed for 1000 Groschen. Players then have two options; either steal the Sinew Bow from a chest inside the Guardhouse or purchase it from the Archery Master. Thankfully, the small settlement of Pribyslavitz generates income for Henry, helping with all these expensive purchases.