Summary
The stealth archer build is one of the most popular ones inSkyrim, and for good reason. Bows allow players to do so much damage from afar without the enemy being able to react. While having the right perks to ensure damage is high and stealth is decent is a great start for such a build, having a powerful bow is really what it boils down to.
Skyrimhas a whole range of bows that are decent, but some of the most powerful ones can sometimes be difficult to find or get one’s hands on. While a few of these powerful bows require the player to complete specific quests, others can be found in loot, and some can be crafted with the right perks and materials.
Updated on July 17, 2025, by Ritwik Mitra:Skyrim is one of the most beloved open-world games of all time that fans can’t get enough of to this day. The modding scene, numerous re-releases, and incredible gameplay variety have ensured that Bethesda’s magnum opus will be played by numerous players to this day. Players can be everything from a rough melee fighter to a spellcaster who prefers to hang back while their companion functions as a tank. Of course, players can also pursue the stealth archer build that has become so popular with players, making it important for players to acquire thebest bows in Skyrimto shoot down their foes in style.
23Orcish Bow
Starts Appearing In The World After Level 6
Skyrimcan be really tough in the early going, and players are bound to die at the hands of some enemies before they get a grip on things. This makes it important to acquire thebest bows inSkyrimso that players can take out dangerous opponents from afar without putting themselves in harm’s way. Exploring a settlement and fulfilling quests should be more than enough for players to gain a few levels, leading to the Orcish Bow becoming a rather common spawn.
It may not seem like much, but this bow can potentially be a godsend in the early game for players who are struggling to defeat tough enemies without losing all of their health in the process. Enchanted versions of this bow may be harder to find, but a regular Orcish Bow is decent enough for players who want to understand how archery works in the early to mid-game before moving on to some of the other bows they can get their hands on.
22Bow Of The Hunt
Found In Clearspring Tarn
Animal hunting is valuable in the early going for players who want to loot everything in sight and attain a small fortune. While maintaining a cash flow isn’t all that important once the Dragonborn has a decent hoard of gold at their disposal, there’s nothing wrong with trying to find a way to make hunting more efficient until then. This can be achieved if players head to Clearspring Cave and find a special bow at the altar inside.
Given how some enemies inSkyrimare just wild animals with nothing to lose, it’s easy to see why the Bow of the Hunt can be useful here. In such situations, it can potentially become one of thebest bows inSkyrimas long as players know what to expect from this ranged weapon. It may be replaced throughout the game, but players can always keep this bow handy if they want to hunt without any issues.
21Nord Hero Bow
Crafted At The Skyforge
The Companions are some of the most intriguing people players will encounter inSkyrim. Going through this questline to eventually discover that everyone in this guild is a werewolf is a fun reveal, with the Dragonborn getting the opportunity to unlock this transformation not long after.
Players who see this questline to the very end will be able to forgesome powerful weapons via the Skyforge, including one of thebest bows inSkyrimfrom a cosmetic standpoint. The Nord Hero Bow may not boast of any special enchantments but is pretty fun to use in the early goings before players eventually find more valuable bows to drop enemies from the shadows.
20Elven Bow
Starts Appearing In The World After Level 19
The Elven Bow may not seem all that special in the late game, but players who have struggled to gain some levels and find decent equipment will be more than pleased by the look and feel of this weapon once it starts spawning in the game world. Not only does it look pretty neat, but the Elven Bow can hit for some serious damage too.
It’s a sleek-looking bow, and finding an enchanted version of this bow feels even better. Players will eventually outgrow this weapon as they progress through the game, but the memories they’ll have of downing enemies with a single shot won’t be forgotten anytime soon.
19Firiniel’s End
A Unique Elven Bow
This bow is much better than most players would think, despite its low base damage of 13 points. In addition to it, however,Firiniel’s End does frost damage for 20 points, which is a special damage type that affects both the target’s health and stamina pool. It’s also just a nice-looking bow overall.
To get it, players will have to jointhe Dark Brotherhood and start the quest Bound Until Death. The bow can be found on the balcony facing the wedding couple on their left and can be used to finish the assassination.
18Nordic Bow
Included In The Dragonborn DLC
Players with theDragonbornDLC have a decent low-end bow in their hands: the Nordic Bow. It has a pretty unique design that differs from most base game bows, which makes it fun to use. They can also becrafted easily with 3 Steel ingots and 1 Quicksilver ingot, so long as the player has unlocked the Advanced Armor perkfromtheir Smithing skill tree.
It’s also possible to find Nordic Bows randomly in various chests, or there’s even one guaranteed to be found in Skaal Village if players decide to visit Morwen. Frea also carries one in her inventory in Skaal Village, so it can be stolen from her if players are desperate enough.
17Nightingale Bow (Levels 19-26)
Obtained From Karliah
Although it’s better to wait until level 46 before finishing the Thieves Guild quest and getting this bow, the lower-end version of the Nightingale Bow isn’t entirely garbage. It can serve the player well if they’re truly desperate for a good bow around levels 19 and 26.
At levels 19-26, the Nightingale Bow will deal 15 points of freeze damage and 7 points of shock damage. To get it, players will need to complete the Thieves Guild questline, which eventually leads them to become a Nightingale.
16Drainspell Bow
A Unique Ancient Nord Bow
When it comes to weapons that look unique, the Drainspell Bow does the job. This ghostly weapon might not be thebest bow inSkyrim, witha measly 14 points of base damage, but it’s great against magic users as it drains 15 magicka pointsfrom the affected target.
To get the Drainspell Bow, players will need to enter the Labyrinthian dungeon duringa College of Winterhold quest, The Staff of Magnus.
15Gauldur Blackbow
Dropped By Sigdis Gauldurson
Similar to the Nightingale Bow, the Gauldur Blackbow comes in several different flavors depending on what level the player is at when completing the quest. For best results, players should wait at least until level 19 before getting this bow. The best version drops at level 36 and above.
The Blackbow will always have the effect of absorbing a target’s magicka. At levels 19-26, it will absorb 20 points, 27-35 will absorb 25 points, and its highest version at level 36 and above absorbs 30 points of magicka. Levels 18 and under will have a reduced base damage of 8, which is nearly half of the higher base damage version.To get this bow, players will need to defeat Sigdis Gauldurson during Forbidden Legend. He can be found inside Geirmund’s Hall.
14Supple Ancient Nord Bow
A Stronger Version Of The Ancient Nord Bow
Ancient Nord bows are very common to come by when traveling in the various Nordic ruins of Skyrim. However, most of them are weak, except for this slightly more powerful variant, the Supple Ancient Nord Bow. While the Ancient Nord bow does 8 base damage,the Supple version does almost twice the damage at 14 damage points.
This bow isn’t very hard to come by. It will start to appear at higher levels as loot starts to get better.The best spot is usually a Nordic dungeon, and these bows are a staple for many Draugr and skeletons thatlurk in these dungeons.
