FromSoftware always finds a way to keep their players on the verge of pulling out their hair… and we love it! Elden Ring stays true to that.
Apart from the menacing bosses and challenging areas of the game, some weapons and their mechanics can be tricky to understand and even trickier to master. Bows are one such puzzling weapon in the game. Here is how to use a bow in Elden Ring.
To use a bow in Elden Ring, one must make sure they have matched a bow and arrow correctly since different arrows work with different bows. To actually aim and use the bow, players must equip the bow in both hands by pressing L1/LB (if the bow is equipped on the left hand and vice versa) on their controller (Y on PC) and then press R1/RB or R2/RT depending on which arrow they want to shoot.
Players can choose to aim freely or shoot automatically. Press the L1/LB button again after two-handing your bow. This will allow you to manually aim and even zoom if you are in the mood for sniping.
If you would like to know more about aiming and using a bow in Elden Ring, we suggest you keep reading. We will be discussing in depth all you need to know to use a bow in Elden Ring. This exemplary weapon will bring a new element of enjoyability to your Elden Ring playthrough. Without further ado, this is how to use a bow in Elden Ring:
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Using A Bow in Elden Ring
Admittedly, the mechanics of using a bow in Elden Ring are confusing and vague. There have been reports of players struggling to understand the bow’s controls for hours without any luck. If you do not wish to be one of those unfortunate players, keep reading and save yourself from the misery.
Bows
Bows are a handy ranged weapon in Elden Ring. They do not offer guard protection so they are ideally used from afar, maintaining a decent amount of distance from foes.
Bows use Arrows and Bolts as ammunition and cannot be used unless players have them in their arsenal. You cannot grease, upgrade, or spell buff your bows. However, they can be allotted new Ashes of War.
Why Use Bows?
Being as complicated as they are, players might wonder why they should be wasting their time trying to get used to a Bow in the first place. While the Bow is a complicated weapon and games in the past have executed Bow mechanics with comparative simplicity, mastering the Bow in Elden Ring will pay off and prove to be extremely fruitful.
It is a demanding investment of your time, but you will be able to deal with tough enemies and mobs from a distance and clear areas with ease. Bows are quite handy should you take the time to learn their workings.
Controls and Aiming
To aim the bow in Elden Ring, one must equip it two-handed first. After this, players have the choice of manually aiming the bow wherever they want or automatically shooting at the press of a button. The controls are different from other weapons in the game. The controls for Playstation, Xbox, and PC systems are listed in the table below.
Please note that the Shoot Arrow 1 command is for the Arrows you have equipped in the left arrow slot on the equipment screen and the Shoot Arrow 2 command is for those in the right arrow slot.
Manual Aiming and Zoom
Players have the choice to operate and aim their Bows manually. This can be useful for setting up traps or sniping a bunch of enemies at a distance. To manually aim the Bow, press the L1/LB/Y command on your respective system and a crosshair will appear on the screen.
To Zoom In or Zoom Out, simply press the Up and Down buttons on your system (for example, the D-pad on PlayStation DualSense) and the crosshair will Zoom accordingly. This feature makes Bows a really useful weapon in Elden Ring.
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Types of Bows
There are five different types of Bows in Elden Ring. All of these are ranged weapons with different skills and specifications. Namely, these are:
- Bows
- Light Bows
- Greatbows
- Ballistas
- Crossbows
The Light Bows, Greatbows, and Ballistas have the same control scheme as the regular Bows. However, the Crossbows in Elden Ring are slightly different.
Crossbows and Ballistas
It is best to think of Crossbows and Ballistas as Bow-type weapons rather than Bows for a few reasons. As we mentioned earlier, Crossbows are slightly different from the rest of the Bow weapons in Elden Ring.
They inflict high damage on enemies from a decent range. However, unlike the Bows, Crossbows must be loaded before the player fires a shot. These do not use Arrows and need Bolts to function. The control scheme is a little different as seen in the table below.
Additionally, the Ballistas cannot be considered conventional Bows in Elden Ring. Unlike the Crossbows, they do not need to be loaded before each shot and they require Great Bolts to function.
Arrows and Bolts
The Bows and Bow-type weapons in Elden Ring require ammunition to be able to work. These are either Arrows or Bolts. These are craftable items in Elden Ring but purchasing them from Merchants throughout the game in exchange for Runes is much easier. Different types of these Arrows and Bolts work with different types of ranged Bow weapons.
There are four types of ranged Bow ammunition in Elden Ring. They are:
- Arrows
- Great Arrows
- Bolts
- Great Bolts
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Compatible Bows and Ammunition
Not everything is a great fit, and not all Bow weapons work with all sorts of Ammunition in Elden Ring. To properly operate a Bow, a player must have the compatible type of Arrows or other ammunition equipped. The list of Bows and their com[atible Ammunition types are given below:
- Bows: Arrows
- Light Bows: Arrows
- Greatbows: Great Arrows
- Crossbows: Bolts
- Ballistas: Great Bolts
When to Use A Bow?
A Bow can be your handy partner through all of Elden Ring. But there are times when the Bow will prove its worth in far more outstanding ways than others. The Bow, being a ranged weapon, will be your best friend when you need to take out some pesky enemies from a distance.
Whether it is because of the number of enemies you are up against or your HP which cannot afford any more hits, the Bow will do your job for you so you can take a breath of relief.
Knowing when to use a Bow in Elden Ring will help you save up on precious Ammunition and still obliterate the hostile enemies in fashion. Using your Bow when you are low on health or in a crowded area will prove to be immensely helpful.
Best Bows in Elden Ring
Now that we have discussed the core mechanics of the Bows in Elden Ring, here are some of the best Bows that you should consider getting for your character if you wish to get the full Elden Ring archery experience. We will be mentioning the best Bow, Light Bow, Greatbow, Crossbow, and Ballista based on stats and player preference.
Best Bow: The Pulley Bow
The Pulley Bow might be the best Bow in Elden Ring due to the range and high damage that it offers. The only downside is the rate of fire which can prove to be troublesome when dealing with several tough enemies at once. The Pulley Bow is viable all the way to the end-game which makes it a solid pick for many players.
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Best Light Bow: Red Branch Shortbow
The Red Branch Shortbow is a Light Bow in Elden Ring which scales pirmarily with Strength and Dexterity.
While the base stats of the Red Brach Shortbow are not different from those of the Composite Bow, its weapon skill Barrage makes things a lot more interesting, allowing you to fire at a much faster rate and increasing your chances of inflicting a status ailment upon an enemy. The range is decent and it is a solid pick for a Light Bow.
Best Greatbow: Lion Greatbow
This is a fan-favorite weapon which offers some of the best ranged weapon damage in the game. Forget about switching to a melee weapon after firing an arrow at an enemy when you can simply obliterate their existence using the Lion Greatbow. You can get this using Radahn’s Remembrance in Elden Ring.
While the Greatbow offers better damage than the Lion Greatbow, the excellent range and the Radahn’s Rain skill makes it stand out, earning it the title of one of the best Greatbows to use in Elden Ring. The damage donei is comparable to a melee weapon.
Best Crossbow: Pulley Crossbow
This Corssbow is all the rage in Elden Ring! Allowing you to fire a burst of Bolts at once makes up for the Pulley Crossbow’s moderate damage and range. Players using this slightly closer to their enemies will watch them melt away as a rain of Bolts destroys them. This is a good pick for several bosses and tough enemies in game.
The downside to the weapon is exhausting your supply of Ammunition fairly quickly for the sake of a better hit rate. However, it is easy to inflict status ailments with this weapon.
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Best Ballista: Hand Ballista
Ending off this list, we have the Hand Ballista which, despite its name, is a massive Ballista that deals a ton of damage. A player can put down almost any enemy with a single shot using this.
Coupled with the high damage output, the Hand Ballista offers a good reload time and a decent range which names it a great weapon to use. The stability is better compared to other Ballistas in the game.
Conclusion
This has been our guide on how to use a bow in Elden Ring. The key word here is practice. Enemies in Elden Ring are aggressive and do not like standing still. Therefore, practice to improve your aim and melt enemies with your superior archery skills.
We hope you learned something new and useful that aids you in your future battles. If you found this guide helpful, leave a comment below and let us know. Good luck, Tarnished!
