The Best Bows in D&D

Summary

• Bows in D&D lack variety compared to swords, but special arrows can add utility and new damage types for players.
• New supplement books bring shiny new bows like Dragon Wing Bow, Starcrossed Bow, and Bow of Conflagration to the game.
• Legendary bows like Oathbow, Bow of Melodies, and Longbow of the Healing Hearth offer unique advantages and powers for players.

Dungeons & Dragons is the role-playing game that invented the concept, and something that players have always loved about the game is the variety of gear they can find and the stories behind some of these weapons. Not to say that there aren’t fantastic options for characters that enjoy a bit of range, but compared to swords or daggers, there tend to be fewer bows in the D&D universe compared to other weapons.

With the recent changes in D&D content, ranged combat has gotten some love from the creators. There are several new weapon options, ranging from whimsical to very powerful, and of course, any new content has to be first approved by the DM of the game.

Characters that utilize bows or short bows should keep in mind that they can also make use of special arrows, of which there are plenty in the game. While a great bow can give a nice boost to damage and attack rolls, special arrows can expand the player’s utility range and allow for different types of damage.

Updated on January 18, 2025, by Kristy Ambrose: As great as finding a stack of gold is in D&D, nothing beats getting a brand-new item or a weapon to boost a character’s abilities even more. Ranged DPS has become a more popular build, with classes like Rangers and Rogues taking on the role of a sniper or sneak-attack expert. Bows in D&D cover a few different types and include longbows, short bows, hunting bows, and some other creative varieties.

14

Taulmaril

The Forgotten Realms

• Stats: +3 to attacks and damage, the Keen property, and the Force ability.

Also known as the Heartseeker, this legendary longbow appears in the Forgotten Realms, specifically in the stories about Drizzt Do’Urden. The bow was the property of Catti-Brie, one of the Drow’s most loyal companions, and he kept it after her death and even after her reincarnation when she was less of a ranged fighter and more of a spellcaster.

Taulmaril had the usual bonuses of an elven-made short bow in addition to Keen, which means improved sharpness, and Force, which allows the wielder to add a blast of magical force to each attack. Catti-Brie acquired it through her connection with Clan Battlehammer, the Dwarves that took her in after her parents were killed.

13

Red-Feather Bow

Humblewood Campaign Setting

• Stats: +1 bonus to attack and damage rolls, use the arrow to “see” as a Bonus Action

The Red-Feather bow has been introduced in the Humblewood campaign setting. While not incredibly powerful, it can be a very useful tool for scouting and tracking. From high-octane chases to finding that one pesky enemy that got away, players can find plenty of utility for it.

The bow allows the wielder to see through the arrow for a minute after it has been fired. On top of that, if the arrow hits a creature, the wielder can see through that creature’s eyes. The effect can be truly game-changing, given the right scenario.

12

Dragon Wing Bow

Fizban’s Treasury of Dragons

• Stats: Generic Variant (crossbow/longbow/shortbow), Rare quality

Every such weapon looks like the wing of a particular dragon, but it’s far more than just great visual design. Depending on the type of the dragon, the weapon gives an additional 1d6 damage corresponding to the dragon’s breath; lightning for Blue, fire for Red, cold for White, and so on.

If a character does not load an arrow, the bow produces one itself. After connecting with the target or missing, the projectile is immediately destroyed. It’s a great bow that shouldn’t be too hard to acquire, and a special damage type is always great.

11

Starcrossed Bow

The Book of Many Things

• Stats: +2 bonus, Generic Variant (crossbow/longbow/shortbow), Rare quality

The Starcrossed Bow is a beautiful weapon that shoots its own projectiles made of light. It’s already neat not having to worry about ammunition, but the bow also comes with a nice +2 bonus for attacks and damage. For its rarity, this would already be great, but on top of that, the weapon has a special property.

The bow has three charges, replenishable at dawn. Players can use up a charge whenever they successfully hit an enemy, and cause a flash of bright light. Enemies in the area have to make a saving throw or become blinded until the end of the player’s next turn.

10

Bow of Conflagration

The Book of Many Things

• Stats: Generic Variant (longbow/shortbow), extra 1d6 damage per shot, Rare quality

This bow is perfect for the pyromaniac in the group, and there’s always one. Aside from the extra 1d6 damage per shot, the fiery arrows that the bow shoots also set anything flammable ablaze, including enemies.

As a result, creatures that are burning will also take 1d6 fire damage at the start of their turn, until they expend an action to extinguish the flames. It is a great weapon with good damage that can quickly turn into a catastrophe in the wrong (or right) hands. Suddenly, DMs have to think a lot more about fire safety in any town or building their players walk into.

9

Longbow of Melodies

The Book of Many Things

• Stats: Martial weapon, Very Rare, +1 bonus to attacks if proficient in Performance, another +2 with Expertise, the abilities Melody of Precision and Melody of Persuasion

This curious-looking bow has multiple strings, somewhat resembling a lyre. As a character loads an arrow, they can strum the strings, imbuing the shot with magical music and gaining additional properties. Melody of Precision adds yet another +1 bonus and Melody of Persuasion adds Thunder damage to the attack.

If the wielder is proficient with Performance, they gain a +1 bonus to attacks. If they have Expertise, the bonus is increased to +2. Alternatively, the wielder can put a little extra into the shot, adding thunder damage based on their charisma modifier. Overall, this is a fantastic choice for a particular Bard subclass or a very expressive Ranger of Fighter.

8

Oathbow

D&D Basic Rulebook (2014)

• Stats: Martial Weapon, Very Rare, the Slow property, +3d6 piercing damage

The Oathbow is perhaps one of the most famous legendary bows among players and for good reason. The weapon allows the wielder to pick a Sworn Enemy, and the bow will do its best to assist the owner in defeating their foe.

Once a new Sworn Enemy is chosen, the wielder has Advantage on attacks with the bow against that enemy and completely ignores any cover aside from Total. On top of that, every hit does an additional 3d6 piercing damage nd Slow reduces the target’s movement by ten feet per turn. It is a great offensive weapon, one that is specifically designed to let no one get away.

7

Bow Of Melodies

The Book of Many Things

• Stats: Generic Variant (longbow/shortbow), Very Rare,bonuses are based on Performance and damage is based on Charisma

Everything about this bow screams Bard. The weapon is fashioned after a musical instrument. The bonuses from it are given to those who have Proficiency or Expertise in Performance, and the damage is based on Charisma.

This is a fantastic choice for any combat bard who could never quite choose between their lute and their love for archery. Nonetheless, the weapon can fit quite a few archetypes and subclasses, giving players even more freedom when creating their next character. And the role-playing potential is fantastic to have. Will they play a shredding solo, or shoot the suspicious duke?

6

Longbow of Throne’s Command

The Book of Many Things

• Stats: Martial Weapon, Very Rare, 5 spellcasting charges, +1 to attacks

As per the name, the Longbow of Throne’s Command gives the wielder quite a lot of power over other creatures. While this might not be the most directly powerful weapon, it comes with a number of spells the wielder can use to control and command their enemies.

The bow does come with a +1 bonus to attacks and allows the wielder to spend the weapon’s charges to cast the following spells: Command, Zone of Truth, Compulsion, Banishment, and Dominate Person. It’s a great weapon to add to an arsenal, giving the owner quite a lot of utility on the battlefield.

5

Bow of Four Seasons

Timmmi’s Treasure Vault

• Stats: Longbow, Very Rare, infused with different powers depending on the season,+2d8 damage

This weapon allows the wielder to deal four different kinds of damage based on the gems infused with it; lightning, fire, magical bludgeoning, and cold. As part of their attack, players can create an arrow of an element, dealing an extra 2d8 damage on a hit.

It is a powerful and versatile tool that can fit into almost any build. The only downside is the weapon’s heavy property, meaning that smaller characters will struggle with using it. Unless, of course, the DM waives that part and lets the goblin unleash chaos with a miniature version,

4

Longbow of the Healing Hearth

Bigby Presents – Glory of the Giants

• Stats: Martial Weapon, Legendary quality, +3 bonus to attacks, the ability to create food and water and the extra power of Curative Arrow

This is an incredible bow with both incredible destructive power and effective healing capabilities. On their turn, players can choose whether to attack their enemies with a +3 bonus to attacks or use one of the few healing abilities that the bow has.

Players can utilize a Curative Arrow, which automatically hits anyone within 150 range, and allows the target to immediately utilize a Hit Die, and add the wielder’s Wisdom modifier. The bow also allows the caster to spend the weapon’s charges and cast Create Food and Water, Warding Bond, or Guardian of Faith.

3

Ascendant Dragon’s Wrath Longbow

Fizban’s Treasury Of Dragons

• Stats: Martial Weapon, Uncommon to Legendary quality, +3 bonus to attacks, 3d6 extra damage of the dragon’s type, AoE damage with a critical hit

This is the final form of the Dragon’s Wrath Longbow, which starts as Uncommon and goes all the way to Legendary Rarity. At this point, the weapon becomes a draconic menace, allowing the wielder to channel and even mimic a Dragon’s Breath.

The bow has a +3 bonus to attacks, 3d6 extra damage of the dragon’s type, and an AOE 5 damage around the target on a critical hit. On top of all of that, once per day, the wielder can unleash the bow’s full power, dealing a devastating 12d6 damage in a massive cone.

2

Protector of the Dryads

The Forgotten Realms

• Stats: +2 or +3 to attack and damage rolls

This bow originally came from Gulthmere Forest in Vilhon Reach, and it was crafted by the Dryads of these woods to take revenge on the Orcs that were chopping down their trees. For a while the famous bow was possessed by Hannable the White, who used it to slay a whole tribe of Orcs after they killed a sacred tree, killing its Dryad.

The Protector of the Dryads was also called the Eagle Bow, and in the D&D stats, it has a +3, but a plus two in the video games in which it appears. Those who have played the first Baldur’s Gate games might have seen it in the hands of the assassin Marek, and once the party kills him, it can be looted from his corpse.

1

Ephixis, Bow of Nylea

Mythic Odysseys of Theros

• Stats: Shortbow, Artifact, +3 bonus to attacks, critical hit on a roll of 19

At the moment, this is the only Artifact-level bow that exists within the official rulebooks. This is an absolutely devastating, nature-based weapon that comes loaded with extra abilities and features. Besides the +3 bonus to attacks, the weapon also has no Disadvantage on the second range, and also critically hits on a roll of 19.

Aside from other randomly assigned beneficial properties, the bow also comes with its own quiver, with 4 special arrows that replenish at dusk. Every arrow is tied to a yearly season and has its own special properties and abilities. There’s even a special way to destroy It using the black oak tree of Asphodel during the equinox.