Avowed: Best Bows, Ranked

Avowed thrives on its array of satisfying ranged weapons, whether it’s quick-firing Wands, versatile Grimoires, or potent pistols. While they’re not always the easiest to handle, bows are among the best ranged weapons to opt for in this fantasy RPG, especially when emphasizing a stealth build.

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As bows tend to be heavier two-handed weapons that demand precision, their mechanics can be a bit intimidating to some. Yet, most of the game’s bows can be truly lethal in practiced hands, especially when laced with enchantments and upgrades. This piece will rank each of the distinct bows in Avowed, pinpointing the best of the best.

Honorable Mention: Blackbow

Part Wizard Tree/Grimoire spell and part ranged weapon, the Blackbow occupies a unique gray area when it comes to Avowed‘s lineup of bows. Still, it warrants a mention for its relative simplicity, speed, and resourcefulness in a heated battle. The weapon is summoned by way of a spell costing 80 Essence, which takes the form of a poison-inflicting magic bow.

While the poison damage and accumulation is fairly small, the weapon can do a great deal of damage over time, thanks to its steady aim and swift firing. Plus, ranking it up just once amplifies its effectiveness with multiple foes, as power attacks pierce through enemies indefinitely (until striking the environment). Since Blackbow also complements Ranger-based skills related to bows, it’s a terrific option for Ranger or Stealth-Wizard hybrid builds.

5

Exceptional Bow

A Solid Bow To Shoot For In The Early-Goings

The Exceptional Bow is useful in that it can be obtained rather early in a playthrough, while offering ample damage from range on squishier targets in Dawnshore and (some) in the Emerald Stair. Even a partly-upgraded version of this bow yields damage and Stun at (or near) triple digits; a far cry from the Common variety, which only inflicts 18 and 14 respectively.

The materials needed to upgrade from a Fine to Exceptional Bow — Hardwood Branch (24) and Hylea’s Talon (10) — are found pretty commonly in the Emerald Stair, by way of merchants, and scattered about many regions of the overworld.

4

Superb Bow

A Superb Choice In The Middle And Late Stages Of Avowed

The Superb Bow is currently the best version of the already high-powered default bow, and it can be had (at least in its +0 form) without much time or effort. Players will need to obtain Petrified Wood Branch (24) and Admeth’s Wyrt (10), which can be found in the third major zone, Shatterscarp.

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While upgrading the Superb quality to a +1 or beyond takes ample time and hunting in Galawain’s Tusks and elsewhere, it’s worth the investment. Still, even the basic version of the Superb Bow lives up to its name, maxing out the stun ability (of this weapon quality) from the get-go at a whopping 140, and inflicting damage well into triple digits.

3

Ancient Alacrity

A Sharp-Shootering Treasure

As is the case for most weapon types in Avowed, there are but a few Unique bows, yet they all provide their own strengths and abilities. Relatively speaking, the Ancient Alacrity is regarded as the most “average” on this front, despite being given at Legendary status.

It’s certainly a great option for those not as seasoned with this type of weapon, as its enchantments, Time-Stealing Arrow and Weight of Eons, will slow any enemy struck by 15-25% for 5–8 seconds. Players will also have the option to unlock Time’s Cruel Embrace, which slows enemies in range of a defeated foe by 15% for five seconds. Parting Shot widens the gap in player-enemy quickness, granting a solid boost in move speed for five seconds. Still, there are better options when it comes to directly-impactful perks and enchantments.

How To Get Ancient Alacrity

Players can get this coveted bow within the Solace Keep Lava Tubes sub-region in Galawain’s Tusks. After defeating the boss Sibelius, players should take the stairs up to a room with a locked door. The first available locked door holds this bow.

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Storm-Sworn

Enemies Will Have A Hard Time Weathering This One

Unlike Ancient Alacrity, which favors more of a stealth or Ranger build, Storm-Sworn can complement almost any build with its added elemental damage and power to disrupt enemy attacks. Its sheer strength coupled with its ability to Shock and Stun several baddies make Storm-Sworn deadly against enemy mobs, as well as larger potent targets.

Its enchantments, Thunderclap, Lightning Strike, Thunderous Shot, and Shocking Lash, deal devastating Shock damage/accumulation or Stun, all of which can drastically slow and interrupt enemy offensives. This makes it easier for players to hit their mark, while quickly draining HP and gaining an edge in battle from afar. It’s a great crowd-control weapon, though perhaps not the best for pure stealth.

How To Get Storm-Sworn

Players can score the Storm-Sworn by opening a puzzle door with three switches (using Shock damage or Giatta’s Spectral Jolt) within Leviathan’s Hollow in Shatterscarp. The order and location of the buttons is as follows:

• The first button is near the puzzle door.
• The second button is through a small tunnel, at the bottom of the downward passage across from the puzzle door.
• The button beyond a breakable wooden wall next to the second button. It’s near a cliff’s edge atop a rock formation nestled in vines.

1

The Long Touch

Lethality From Long-Range

Initially crafted as a coming-of-age gift to an old hunter’s granddaughter with stag horns and delemgan’s tree parts, this strong bow makes a good present for any Envoy. It stresses the traits that make bows great — stealth, precision, and distance — while offering loads of power. The Long Touch rewards potent and precise hits, namely with its Thrill of the Hunt enchantment. The perk yields ample boosts in attack damage and attack speed for several seconds when killing an enemy.

Grim/Lethal Focus similarly rewards power attacks and fine aiming, which are rather easy to pull off for a sharpshooter using a good bow in Avowed. These abilities make The Long Touch an excellent bow when it comes to DPS, and for stealth builds initiating battles (thanks in part to Lesser Opening Strike, which brings a 5% damage boost against foes with full health).

How To Get The Long Touch

This one can be obtained fairly easily given how great it is, though it’s not cheap. Players will need to spend 4,320 gold at the Paradisian Military Surplus merchant within the Paradis Hightown area (Northern Paradis in Dawnshore).

Systems

Released

February 18, 2025

ESRB

Mature 17+ // Blood and Gore, Strong Language, Violence

Publisher(s)

Xbox Game Studios