Horizon Forbidden West Hunter Bows Full List and Locations Guide

This guide and catalog will show you where to get each Hunter Bow in Horizon Forbidden West, its stats, perks and resources needed for each upgrade!

Hunter Bows are the most versatile weapon in Horizon Forbidden West. You can find a Hunter Bow that’s good for almost every situation. In this game Hunter Bows lack the firepower of Sharpshooter Bows or Bold Blasters.

Hunter Bows in Horizon Forbodden West are a great utility for building up elemental status and inflicting elemental damage as well as tearing off components among other things.

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.

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, 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.

Uncommon Hunter Bows

This is a catalog of the lowest tier Hunter Bows available in Horizon Forbidden west. They are only useful for the early game and offer up to two arrow types of the basic tier.

Hunter Bow

Aloy will receive this weapon at the start of the game, you don’t have to complete any objectives or spend any shards. This weapon adds Acid Arrows to your arsenal after you upgrade it. Acid is quite valuable early on.

Ammo Upgrades

Perk Upgrades

This Hunter Bow does not have any perks.

Coil Upgrades

This weapon has only one weapon coil slot which can be unlocked at its Level III upgrade.

Upgrade Costs

Fire Hunter Bow

This is one of the most affordable and easy to find fire-shooting weapons. You can buy it at Chainscrape for 127 Shards and 1 Bristleback Circulator.

Ammo Upgrades

Perk Upgrades

This Hunter Bow does not have any perks.

Coil Upgrades

This weapon has only one Weapon Coil Slot which can be unlocked at the Level III upgrade.

Upgrade Costs

Whisper Hunter Bow

A bow to use at low levels when even weak machines pose a threat. The increased stealth damage is great to do as much damage as possible before getting spotted by enemies. You can buy it at Barren Light and Plainsong for 149 shards.

Ammo Upgrades

Perk Upgrades

Coil Upgrades

This bow only has one weapon coil which can be unlocked after doing the Level III upgrade.

Upgrade Costs

Rare Hunter Bows

The “blue-colored” tier is the second weakest after Green and will serve you well in the early levels to mid-game. Hunter Bows from this tier can have up to three arrow types each.

Berserker Hunter Bow

With this bow you gain access to a different playstyle that isn’t as direct as what Aloy is used to do but it can be very useful in the right situations. You can find it inside a supply cache in a greenhouse, at Legacy’s Landfall.

Ammo Upgrades

Perk Upgrades

Coil Upgrades

This bow has a total two Weapon Coil Slots. The first one is already unlocked, the second slot is available with the Level IV upgrade.

Upgrade Costs

Frost Hunter Bow

Frost and Acid ammo are effective against some of the strongest machines. This bow gives the user access to both types of ammo, the best thing is that it is unexpensive. You can buy it at Plainsong for 549 Shards and 1 Scrapper Circulator.

Ammo Upgrades

Perk Upgrades

Coil Upgrades

This bow has a total of two Weapon Coil Slots. The first is already unlocked, second slot is unlocked with the Level IV upgrade.

Upgrade Costs

Purgewater Hunter Bow

Purgewater ammo is not easy to come by in the game. This bow is the most reliable way to do Purgewater damage before getting weapons of higher rarity. You can buy it at Scalding Spear for 632 Shards and 1 Lancehorn Circulator.

Ammo Upgrades

Perk Upgrades

Coil Upgrades

This bow has a total of two Weapon Coil Slots. The first one is already unlocked, the second becomes available with the Level IV upgrade.

Upgrade Costs

Pyre Hunter Bow

The only Hunter Bow of this rarity with access to both Fire and Advanced Hunter Arrows. You can buy it at the Maw of the Arena for 549 Shards and 1 Fanghorn Circulator.

Ammo Upgrades

Perk Upgrades

Coil Upgrades

This bow has a total of two Weapon Coil Slots. The first one is already unlocked, the second becomes available with the Level IV upgrade.

Upgrade Costs

Slicing Hunter Bow

A weapon that is great for any player wanting to farm important components like Tremortusk Tusks or Thunderjaw Tails. You can buy it at Plainsong for 549 Shards and 1 Clawstrider Circulator.

Ammo Upgrades

Perk Upgrades

Coil Upgrades

This bow has a total of two Weapon Coil Slots. The first one is already unlocked, the second becomes available with the Level IV upgrade.

Upgrade Costs

Sun-Touched Hunter Bow

The Sun-Touched Hunter Bow rewards players who can land their arrows in weak spots. Its true potential is fully unlocked after getting the Advanced Hunter Arrows. You can buy it at Scalding Spear and Thornmarsh for 632 Shards and 1 Tracker Burrower Circulator.

Ammo Upgrades

Perk Upgrades

Coil Upgrades

This bow has a total of two Weapon Coil Slots. The first one is already unlocked, the second becomes available with the Level IV upgrade.

Upgrade Costs

Very Rare Hunter Bows

The Very Rare Hunter 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.

Lighting Hunter Bow

Purgewater and/or Shock ammo are strong against twenty-four of the forty-three machines found in the base game. When combined with other types of elemental damage you can take them down in a matter of seconds. This bow might not do so by itself but it will certainly make everything easier for you. You get this after completing the side quest Need to Know.

Ammo Upgrades

Perk Upgrades

Coil Upgrades

This bow has a total of three Weapon Coil Slots. Two are already unlocked, the third slot becomes available with the Level V upgrade.

Upgrade Costs

Marshal Hunter Bow

One of the few bows that can shoot both targeting and berserk arrows. It might not be versatile, but its great at what it does. You can buy it at the arena for 84 hunting medals.

Ammo Upgrades

Perk Upgrades

Coil Upgrades

This bow has a total of three Weapon Coil Slots. One is already unlocked, the second and third slots are available with the Level II and Level V upgrades respectively.

Upgrade Costs

Seeker Hunter Bow

This bow is very good against machines that are weak to Frost ammo. Like Fireclaws, Slaughterspines, Slitherfangs and Tremortusks. You can buy it at Fall’s Edge for 1062 Shards, 1 Sunwing Circulator, and 1 Large Machine Core.

Ammo Upgrades

Perk Upgrades

Coil Upgrades

This bow has a total of three Weapon Coil Slots. One is already unlocked, the second and third slots are available with the Level II and Level V upgrades respectively.

Upgrade Costs

Sunshot Hunter Bow

A great weapon to take down those annoying Skydrifters, Sunwings and Stormbirds. You can get it only after completing all Salvage Contracts in Stillsands.

Ammo Upgrades

Perk Upgrades

Coil Upgrades

This bow has a total of three Weapon Coil Slots. One is already unlocked, the second and third slots are available with the Level II and Level V upgrades respectively.

Upgrade Costs

Vanguard Hunter Bow

A good choice for anyone who wants to keep things simple. You can buy it at Scalding Spear and Thornmarsh for 147 Shards, 1 Tideripper Circulator and 1 Large Machine Core.

Ammo Upgrades

Perk Upgrades

Coil Upgrades

This bow has a total of three Weapon Coil Slots. One is already unlocked, the second and third slots are available with the Level II and Level V upgrades respectively.

Upgrade Costs

Wildfire Hunter Bow

With Advanced Fire and Acid Arrows, this weapon is one of the best options to take down heavy-armored machines like Rollerbacks, Behemoths and Shellsnappers. You can buy it at Thornmarsh for 1437 Shards, 1 Shell-Walker Circulator and 1 Large Machine Core.

Ammo Upgrades

Perk Upgrades

Coil Upgrades

This bow has a total of three Weapon Coil Slots. One is already unlocked, the second and third slots are available with the Level II and Level V upgrades respectively.

Upgrade Costs

Legendary Hunter 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.

Death-Seeker’s Shadow

The Legendary Death-Seeker’s Shadow hunter bow can shoot Advanced Hunter Arrows, Advanced Shock Hunter Arrows, and Targeting Hunter Arrows. You can buy The Death-Seeker’s Shadow at the arena for 80 medals.

Ammo Upgrades

Perk Upgrades

Coil Upgrades

This bow has a total of five Weapon Coil Slots. Three are already unlocked, the fourth and fifth slots are available with the Level II and Level V upgrades respectively.

Upgrade Costs

The Sun Scourge

A very versatile bow that allows you to deal Frost, Acid and Fire damage. A must get in the arsenal of any player maxing out the Hunter skill tree. You get it as a reward after completing all Rebel Camps.

Ammo Upgrades

Perk Upgrades

Coil Upgrades

This bow has a total of five Weapon Coil Slots. Three are already unlocked, the fourth and fifth slots are available with the Level II and Level V upgrades respectively.

Upgrade Costs

Emperor’s Reign

A great Hunter Bow for dealing damage on the move. Upgrade to the Death-Seeker’s Shadow from the base game when it comes to dealing Impact and Tear damage. It deals Berserk damage instead of Shock. The other two types of arrows are identical between the two weapons.

You can purchase The Emperor’s Reign hunter bow from the Hunter at Fleet’s End for 3000 Shards and 8 Brimshine. To access the area, you need to have purchased the Burning Shores DLC and have completed the main story of the game.

Ammo Upgrades

Perk Upgrades

Coil Upgrades

This bow has a total of five Weapon Coil Slots. Three are already unlocked, the fourth and fifth slots are available with the Level II and Level V upgrades respectively.

Upgrade Costs