This guide will show you where to get the strongest Warrior Bows in Horizon Forbidden West and the Burning Shores expansion, their stats, perks, and upgrade resources needed!
Warrior Bows compensate for their lack of range and precision with firepower. They are not as versatile as the Hunter Bows but combining both weapons grants a lot of flexibility for all playstyles.
Warrior Bows in Horizon Forbidden West are great for quickly building up elemental status and inflicting elemental damage to enemies who are very close and don’t give you enough time to use a Hunter or Sharpshoot bow.
We strongly recommend that you read our guide on how gear works and how to gear up in Horizon Forbidden West if you are new to the game. It will help you better understand the stats and values each weapon and its upgrade and how they impact your gameplay and combat performance.
Table of contents
What the damage numbers mean
Each bow in the game allows you to utilize different types of arrows. Some deal impact damage, others can freeze, shock or burn the target. Some are ideal for bypassing armor and others are perfect for taring off components from the machines.
When reading the tables below for each bow, you will sometimes see two numbers for one arrow type for the elemental arrows, like this: 25 | 53. The first number is the impact damage the arrow will deal and the second one is the elemental buildup it will cause when it hits the target.
When your focus is to build up an Elemental Status on a machine, you only care what the second number of the arrow’s stat says.
Some weapons have a different icon on the second row, one that looks like a shield. This is the Tear damage. If a machine is weaker to a specific elemental damage, hitting it with an elemental arrow will also cause it to take slightly more Impact damage than the listed in the weapon’s stat. But the difference is marginal.
If a weapon’s ammo type has two numbers that are not elemental, they are usually again Impact and Tear (shield) or Explosive (blow-up) icons.
Interactive Tables
The Ammo Upgrades, Coil and Perks, and Upgrade Costs tables in this guide are interactive. The numbers at the top represent the upgrade levels, click on them to see the requirements and stats at each level.
Very Rare Warrior Bows
The Very Rare Warrior Bows are perfect for the mid and late game. Some of them may serve you well past the ending of the story and into the End Game.
Adhesive Warrior Bow
This is the only Warrior Bow in the base game that gives you access to Adhesive Arrows. Adhesive ammo is amazing for slowing down or immobilizing the biggest and strongest targets, especially when you are trying to remove a specific component.
You can purchase it from Adabund at Hidden Ember for 1062 Shards 1 Rockbreaker Circulator and 1 Large Machine Core.
Ammo Upgrades
0
25 | 53
27
I
26 | 53
28
II
30 | 56
29
III
33 | 61
31
IV
38 | 65
34
V
44 | 70
36
Coil and Perk Upgrades
+10%
Knockdown Power
+10%
Knockdown Power
+10%
Knockdown Power
+10%
Knockdown Power
+10%
Component Tear
+25%
Knockdown Power
+10%
Component Tear
+25%
Knockdown Power
+25%
Component Tear
Upgrade Costs
Metal Shards
127
Braided wire
4
Small Machine Core
4
Medium Machine Core
1
Metal Shards
450
Large Machine Core
2
Metal Shards
600
Luminous Brainstem
1
Deathrattle Warrior Bow
You can use this weapon immediately after using the Knockdown Shot skill to inflict a considerable amount of increased damage to a knocked-down enemy.
You can buy it at Scalding Spear and Thornmarsh for 1437 Shards, 1 Slaugherspine Circulator, and 1 Large Machine Core.
Ammo Upgrades
0
28 | 59
11 | 30
I
31 | 63
13 | 32
II
35 | 66
14 | 34
III
39 | 71
16 | 36
IV
45 | 76
18 | 39
V
52 | 82
21 | 42
Coil and Perk Upgrades
+25%
Overdraw Damage
+25%
Overdraw Damage
+15%
Knockdown Damage
+25%
Overdraw Damage
+15%
Knockdown Damage
+10%
Shocked Enemy Damage
+25%
Overdraw Damage
+40%
Knockdown Damage
+10%
Shocked Enemy Damage
+30%
Overdraw Damage
+40%
Knockdown Damage
+10%
Shocked Enemy Damage
+30%
Overdraw Damage
+40%
Knockdown Damage
+25%
Shocked Enemy Damage
Upgrade Costs
Metal Shards
127
Braided Wire
4
Small Machine Core
4
Medium Machine Core
1
Metal Shards
212
Braided Wire
6
Bellowback Sac Webbing
1
Shell-Walker Lighting Gun
2
Metal Shards
300
Braided Wire
10
Bellowback Circulator
1
Large Machine Core
1
Metal Shards
450
Shell-Walker Primary Nerve
1
Large Machine Core
2
Metal Shards
600
Luminous Brainstem
1
Firestorm Warrior Bow
The Firestorm Warrior Bow offers the most variety of ammo out of all the bows listed in this catalog. With the possibility to shoot Fire, Acid, and Shock arrows you can face almost any enemy in Horizon Forbidden West.
You can only get this weapon after completing the side quest The Gate of the Vanquished.
Ammo Upgrades
0
11 |29
11 | 29
11 | 30
I
12 | 30
12 | 31
12 | 31
II
13 | 32
14 | 32
14 | 33
III
15 | 34
15 | 35
16 | 36
IV
17 | 36
17 | 37
18 | 38
V
20 | 39
20 | 40
21 | 41
Coil and Perk Upgrades
+15%
Critical Hit Damage
+15%
Critical Hit Damage
+15%
Critical Hit Damage
+15%
Melee Follow Up
+15%
Critical Hit Damage
+15%
Melee Follow Up
+25%
Critical Hit Damage
+15%
Melee Follow Up
+25%
Critical Hit Damage
+40%
Melee Follow Up
Upgrade Costs
Metal Shards
127
Braided Wire
4
Small Machine Core
4
Medium Machine Core
1
Metal Shards
600
Elemental Clawstrider Sac Webbing
2
Luminous Brainstem
1
Metal Shards
300
Braided Wire
10
Bellowback Circulator
1
Large Machine Core
1
Metal Shards
450
Shell-Walker Primary Nerve
1
Large Machine Core
2
Metal Shards
600
Elemental Clawstrider Sac Webbing
2
Luminous Brainstem
1
Renegade Warrior Bow
The frost ammo that this bow shoots combined with Drenched Enemy Damage make this a weapon for very specific occasions but when those moments present you’ll be happy to have it in your arsenal. Those Fireclaws and Thunderjaws won’t stand a chance!
You can buy it at Thornmarsh for 1062 Shards, 1 Rockbreaker Circulator, and 1 Large Machine Core.
Ammo Upgrades
0
26 | 55
11 | 28
I
28 | 56
12 | 29
II
32 | 59
13 | 31
III
35 | 64
14 | 33
IV
40 | 69
17 | 35
V
47 | 74
19 | 38
Coil and Perk Upgrades
+5%
Critical Hit Chance
+5%
Critical Hit Chance
+5%
Critical Hit Chance
+5%
Critical Hit Chance
+10%
Drenched Enemy Damage
+15%
Critical Hit Chance
+10%
Drenched Enemy Damage
+15%
Critical Hit Chance
+25%
Drenched Enemy Damage
Upgrade Costs
Metal Shards
127
Braided Wire
4
Small Machine Core
4
Medium Machine Core
1
Metal Shards
300
Braided Wire
10
Large Machine Core
1
Metal Shards
450
Elemental Clawstrider Primary Nerve
1
Large Machine Core
2
Metal Shards
600
Luminous Brainstem
1
Legendary Warrior Bows
The highest tier weapons in Horizon Forbidden West are the Legendary ones. They are color-coded in “orange” and are usually given to you as a reward of a quest chain. Some can also be purchased from vendors.
Carja’s Bane
Don’t get fooled by the fact that it only shoots Fire and Light Arrows, its power lies in its perks and the five weapon coil slots available. There’s no better weapon for close combat, especially if you are specializing on the Warrior skill tree.
To get this legendary Warrior Bow you must complete all four Gauntlet Runs.
Ammo Upgrades
0
30 | 66
14 | 31
I
32 | 73
14 | 35
II
34 | 82
15 | 40
III
39 | 86
16 | 50
IV
42 | 97
17 | 53
V
48 | 112
20 | 57
Coil and Perk Upgrades
+10%
Agility Damage
+10%
Corroding Enemy Damage
+10%
Agility Damage
+10%
Corroding Enemy Damage
+25%
Agility Damage
+10%
Corroding Enemy Damage
+25%
Agility Damage
+25%
Corroding Enemy Damage
+10%
Knockdown Power
+25%
Agility Damage
+25%
Corroding Enemy Damage
+25%
Knockdown Power
+15%
Melee Follow Up
+25%
Agility Damage
+25%
Corroding Enemy Damage
+25%
Knockdown Power
+15%
Melee Follow Up
Upgrade Costs
Metal Shards
600
Luminous Brainstem
1
Metal Shards
800
Luminous Brainstem
2
Metal Shards
1000
Luminous Brainstem
3
Metal Shards
1200
Luminous Brainstem
4
Metal Shards
1500
Luminous Brainstem
5
Eye of the Storm
The Eye of the Storm Warrior Bow is a great versatile element al damage building weapon. It also comes with a small chance to instantly corrode your target.
To get this legendary Warrior Bow you must unlock the Burning Shores region and visit the Hunter at Fleet’s End. The bow costs 3000 Shards and 8 Brimshine.
Ammo Upgrades
0
16 | 43
15 | 41
15 | 42
I
17 | 46
16 | 44
16 | 45
II
17 | 48
17 | 46
17 | 47
III
19 | 52
18 | 50
18 | 51
IV
20 | 56
19 | 54
20 | 55
V
23 | 61
22 | 58
22 | 60
Coil and Perk Upgrades
+2%
Instant Corroding Chance
+10%
Concentration Damage
+2%
Instant Corroding Chance
+10%
Concentration Damage
+10%
Overdraw Damage
+6%
Instant Corroding Chance
+10%
Concentration Damage
+10%
Overdraw Damage
+6%
Instant Corroding Chance
+20%
Concentration Damage
+15%
Overdraw Damage
+6%
Instant Corroding Chance
+20%
Concentration Damage
+25%
Overdraw Power
+15%
Aerial Enemy Damage
+6%
Instant Corroding Chance
+20%
Concentration Damage
+25%
Overdraw Power
+40%
Aerial Enemy Damage
Upgrade Costs
Metal Shards
600
Luminous Brainstem
1
This concludes our list and guide for the best and strongest Warrior Bows in Horizon Forbidden West and the Burning Shores expansion.
