Pre-Hardmode Bows in Terraria – Our Picks for the Very Best
Introduction to Bows in Terraria's Pre-Hardmode
Bows are essential ranged weapons in Terraria that launch arrows at your foes. Although not as quick to fire as repeaters, pre-Hardmode bows deliver a substantial impact and offer an array of fantastic options waiting to be discovered on your Terraria Server Hosting!
The Wooden Bow is where your archery adventures begin. Simple yet effective, this bow fires basic Wooden Arrows that deal 10 damage. A perfect starter weapon to hunt critters and slimes.
Upgrade to the Shadewood Bow as soon as you can. Found in chests underground, this bow shoots Flaming Arrows that ignite enemies, dealing 15 damage. The fiery fun will carry you far!
Once you defeat the Eater of Worlds or Brain of Cthulhu, grab a Demon or Tendon Bow. These bows fire precise Unholy or Jester’s Arrows that track enemies, dealing 25 damage. Skeleton archers beware!
The ultimate pre-Hardmode bow is the Sharanga. Dropped rarely by Skeleton Archers in the Dungeon, this bow transforms any arrow into a Spectral Arrow that homes in on foes, passes through walls, and deals 40 damage. The Sharanga makes short work of any pre-Hardmode boss or invasion!
With an array of bows to discover and arrows to craft, you'll be pew-pewing your way to victory in no time. The fun's just begun - Hardmode bows await!
#5 Tendon Bow: A Basic but Reliable Option
The Tendon Bow is a great starter bow in Terraria that will serve you well into the early game. Crafted solely from Crimtane Bars, this bow is easy to make once you've set up a basic Crimson world. Is typically craftable shortly after defeating the Eye of Cthulhu. This is due to the eye dropping a minimum of 30 Crimtane or Demonite Ore, which can then be smelted into 10 bars of the respective material.
This bow deals 19 damage with a knockback of 1 and a 4% critical strike chance. Not too shabby for how early you can get it! The Tendon Bow fires arrows extremely quickly, letting you pelt enemies with a barrage of pain. You'll mow through basic enemies and feel like an archery master in no time.
The high speed also means you can stunlock opponents, preventing them from fighting back. Bosses won't stand a chance against your furious fire! The Tendon Bow's high use speed pairs excellently with special arrows like Frostburn Arrows for extra damage over time or Jester's Arrows for bouncing chaos.
Accessories and Reforging
To maximise the potential of your Tendon Bow, reforge it to ‘Unreal’ and pair it with archery-boosting accessories like the Archer Emblem or Sniper Scope. These will increase your damage and critical strike chance, allowing you to one-shot many enemies.
While outclassed later on, the Tendon Bow remains a personal favourite for its fast, fun firing. This bow will carry you through much of pre-Hardmode with style. For an easy-to-craft weapon, the Tendon Bow packs a real punch and deserves a spot in any archer's arsenal.
#4 Molten Fury: High Damage but Slow Speed
The Molten Fury is one fiery bow that packs a punch! This Hellstone-tier bow inflicts a whopping 31 damage per hit at “fast” speed. When equipped with ordinary Wooden Arrows, it transforms them into blazing Flaming Arrows. Talk about an upgrade!
The Molten Fury is a total powerhouse and your top choice for single-target DPS. Those pesky Eye of Cthulhu and Eater of Worlds won’t stand a chance against this bad boy. The rapid fire rate means you’ll be spamming flaming arrows and melting through bosses and events.
Downside
Its slow reload time. Since it sacrifices some speed for high damage, you’ll need to make each shot count. This bow is best suited for more stationary targets instead of highly mobile enemies. When facing hordes of fast-moving foes, the Hellwing bow may be better suited due to its piercing ability.
Still, if you’re looking to utterly dominate bosses and deal massive damage in a short time, the Molten Fury should be at the top of your list. Its high DPS and flaming arrows are ideal for quickly taking down single targets before they have a chance to attack. Pair this bow with high-damage arrows like Jester’s Arrows for even more firepower!
#3 Bees Knees: Great for Taking Down Early Bosses
If you’re looking to take on some early bosses in Terraria, the Bees Knees bow is your new best friend! This baby summons a swarm of bees to pester your enemies into submission. How’s that for power? The Queen Bee has a 33% chance of dropping this bow, so farm her a few times and you’ll have it in no time.
Rapid-Fire Pain
The Bees Knees shoots fast, fires bees just as quick, and has a high chance of not consuming arrows. You can spam enemies with a cloud of bees that chase them down and sting them silly! The Queen Bee will wish she never met you.
Sweet As Honey
There’s no bow as satisfying to use in pre-Hardmode as The Bees Knees. Its unique ability and synergies make it a must-have for any aspiring Terrarian looking to breeze through bosses. Once you get a taste of its power, you’ll be hooked. The Bees Knees is the bee's knees!
#2 Hellwing Bow: Fantastic DPS With Wooden Arrows
The Hellwing Bow is your ticket to flaming victory over the Wall of Flesh! This fiery bow converts normal Wooden Arrows into blazing bat projectiles that can pierce endlessly. With a use time of only 13, meaning you can rapid-fire to your heart’s content, the Hellwing Bow deals massive damage at an insane rate.
Can be discovered with a 1/5 (20%) chance in Shadow Chests within the Underworld. Additionally, it holds a 1/5 (20%) chance of being found in Obsidian Lock Boxes acquired from Obsidian Crates and Hellstone Crates.
The best part is, the Hellwing Bow uses common Wooden Arrows as ammo. No need to craft rare, expensive arrows. Your standard Wooden Arrows become incendiary missiles, igniting everything in their path. Use this bow with abandon, firing as quickly as possible to melt enemies before they can even reach you.
With fantastic DPS, piercing shots, and a blazing fast use time, the Hellwing Bow tops our list as the best pre-Hardmode bow in Terraria. Once you obtain this bow, the forces of darkness will flee in terror from your flaming wrath!
#1 Sharanga: Potent Damage with the Spectral Arrows
The Sharanga bow is your top pick for dealing major damage before entering Hardmode. This bad boy turns any arrow into a Spectral Arrow—and those ghostly projectiles pack a punch!
To craft the Sharanga, you’ll need two Molten Furies and ten Hellstone Bars. Take those ingredients to an iron anvil and craft away. The Sharanga has 36 damage points and 2 knockback, making it a force to be reckoned with in pre-Hardmode.
Once you have your Sharanga equipped, any arrows you fire, whether standard arrows or Flaming Arrows, become Spectral Arrows. These ethereal arrows deal double damage and ignite enemies, sapping their health over time.
The Sharanga’s high damage and the damage over time from the igniting Spectral Arrows allow you to defeat most pre-Hardmode bosses with ease. Skeletron, Queen Bee, and even the Wall of Flesh will fall swiftly to a barrage of Spectral Arrows.
For maximum damage, use Flaming or Hellfire Arrows with the Sharanga. Their effects will be transferred to the Spectral Arrows, dealing extra burning damage to enemies. You can also boost your damage further with Archery Potions or the Swiftness Potion to improve arrow speed and velocity.