Attack
Guard
Scaling
Requires
PassiveShortbow is a Light Bow in Elden Ring. The Shortbow scales primarily with Strength and Dexterity is a good Weapon for those wishing to do damage at range, but not wanting to use Magic Spells.
Shortbow is not a great bow, but it's low requirements make it a suitable for melee builds, as some enemies are very awkward to fight with melee weapons, but aren't deadly enough against players to consider changing a build or using a lot of room in your inventory to carry a heavy bow.
Small bow made to fire arrows over great distances. Other than its ability to fire off arrows in rapid succession, it is also well-suited for use on horseback.
To use a bow, arrows must also be equipped.
Where to Find Shortbow in Elden Ring
The Shortbow weapon can be found at the following location:
- Starting Equipment for the Bandit Class
- Can be bought from the Nomadic Merchant for 600 Runes. He is located south-east of Coastal Cave.
[Elden Ring Map Link] - Chance to drop from bow-wielding Marionette Soldiers
Elden Ring Shortbow Notes & Tips
- Weapon Skill: Barrage
- This weapon can be infused with Ashes of War
- It cannot be buffed with Magic and Consumables
- The Shortbow can be upgraded by using Smithing Stones
- Sell Value:
100 Runes - Base drop rate is 2% (at 100 Discovery).
- One advantage this has over something like the longbow is that you can fire arrows while galloping. Very useful for hunting animals.
- Probably your cheapest and easiest option if all you want to do is apply buildup with arrows.
- NOTE: As of Patch 1.09, the scaling values of this weapon were changed. Please refer to the Upgrades Table of this weapon below.
- Other notes and player tips go here
Moveset & Videos in Elden Ring for Shortbow
Shortbow Upgrades in Elden Ring
Please see the Upgrades page to understand the weapon bolstering process.
Requires regular reinforcement with Smithing Stone [1], Smithing Stone [2], Smithing Stone [3], Smithing Stone [4], Smithing Stone [5], Smithing Stone [6], Smithing Stone [7], Smithing Stone [8], and Ancient Dragon Smithing Stone.
This upgrade can be enchanted with Magic or boosted with Consumables.
| Attack Power | Stat Scaling | Passive Effects | Damage Reduction (%) | ||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shortbow | Phy | Mag | Fir | Lit | Hol | Sta | Str | Dex | Int | Fai | Arc | Any | Phy | Mag | Fir | Lit | Hol | Bst | Rst |
| Standard | 65 | - | - | - | - | 20 | E | E | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Standard +1 | 68 | - | - | - | - | 20 | E | E | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Standard +2 | 72 | - | - | - | - | 21 | E | E | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Standard +3 | 76 | - | - | - | - | 22 | E | E | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Standard +4 | 80 | - | - | - | - | 23 | E | E | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Standard +5 | 83 | - | - | - | - | 24 | E | E | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Standard +6 | 87 | - | - | - | - | 24 | E | E | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Standard +7 | 91 | - | - | - | - | 25 | E | E | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Standard +8 | 95 | - | - | - | - | 26 | E | E | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Standard +9 | 98 | - | - | - | - | 27 | E | E | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Standard +10 | 102 | - | - | - | - | 28 | E | E | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Standard +11 | 106 | - | - | - | - | 28 | E | E | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Standard +12 | 110 | - | - | - | - | 29 | E | E | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Standard +13 | 114 | - | - | - | - | 30 | E | E | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Standard +14 | 117 | - | - | - | - | 31 | E | E | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Standard +15 | 121 | - | - | - | - | 32 | E | E | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Standard +16 | 125 | - | - | - | - | 32 | E | E | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Standard +17 | 129 | - | - | - | - | 33 | E | E | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Standard +18 | 132 | - | - | - | - | 34 | E | E | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Standard +19 | 136 | - | - | - | - | 35 | E | E | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Standard +20 | 140 | - | - | - | - | 36 | E | E | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Standard +21 | 144 | - | - | - | - | 36 | E | E | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Standard +22 | 147 | - | - | - | - | 37 | E | E | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Standard +23 | 151 | - | - | - | - | 38 | E | E | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Standard +24 | 155 | - | - | - | - | 39 | D | D | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Standard +25 | 159 | - | - | - | - | 40 | D | D | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
AnonymousDon't use this as your primary weapon. Instead use it as a low stat requirement method to apply status effects to your enemies. Even non-casters can get a few quick shots in with Barrage to slap on some Scarlet Rot, then fight as usual to more easily take down enemies and bosses.
- Anonymous
Probably the best choice before getting Black Bow as it has barrage, all of good Shortbow mechanics and it is very cheap and early (even better if youre Bandit)
Light bows might not be great bows, but they're still the "greatest" bows
- Anonymous
I got this from the merchant near the beach stumbling blindly down the cliff. Used it all the time. Now still in my first play through at 270 hours or so and I still use it at +25.
Are there better bows? Maybe, but this one is mine!
- Anonymous
- Anonymous
This page makes light bows sound like they are inferior without giving the full picture. They have a better moveset to all the other bows apart from the black bow but that is not available until you have access to Leyndell royal capital. They have a jump shot, a back-step shot and can quickly let off an arrow straight out of a dodge-roll. Shortbows can take the 'barrage' and 'rain of arrows' AoW both make it very easy to proc status effects. They are not going to knock Omen flat on their arse like a greatbow but that does not mean the light bows are not great bows.
- Anonymous
I feel like the bandit class should start with a crossbow, it fits more.
- Anonymous
Amazingly versatile piece of kit for a strength build. Pulls enemies, applies status effects, explodes barrels, kills pesky critters and fires rapidly on horseback and on foot. 10/10 Would pew again.
- Anonymous
Why does it say that this cannot be infused with ashes? It can.
- Anonymous
- Anonymous
Even at 80 strength 18 dex and two-handed, the classic Shortbow, which have a better strength scaling (25.5 str 25.5 dex scaling) have less damage than the Composite Bow (22.5 str 45 dex scaling). Then there's the Misbegotten Shortbow that have around 14% more damage (not counting arrows) but the range start to be too low.
- Anonymous
I just checked this and it seems you can now apply ashes of war to this weapon.
- Anonymous
Why is it that you can't apply ashes of war to this but you can apply ashes of war to a Composite Bow? That's utter BS, FROM.
- Anonymous
I don't mind the bow or design, it reminds me of a medieval Simon's Bowblade design.
Bummed that this is the best scaling shortbow in the game. Was hoping we'd get a super cool endgame bow like in bow of want in DS2
- Anonymous
One advantage this has over something like the longbow is that you can fire arrows while galloping. Kinda fun hunting animals like that
- Anonymous
One advantage this has over something like the longbow is that you can fire arrows while galloping. Kinda fun hunting animals like that
- Anonymous
- Anonymous
Probably you cheapest and easiest option if all you want to do is apply buildup with arrows
- Anonymous
Bow builds rise up and let's show these people what we can do.
36 base damage? Cmon Miyazaki, these bows look so cool, give us some much better ones :/
- Anonymous
i long for the DS2 days when even a shortbow did good damage. this is just tool for sleep arrows, nothing else.
- Anonymous
Goated
1
+13
-1