BOW/BOW PVE DPS BUILD

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Bow/Bow PvE DPS


Last updated: Update 47 - 13th October 2025

Bow DPS build focused purely on group PvE content. This setup takes the most optimal options available while fully committing to using Bows on both bars. It’s made for Dungeons and Trials, working well in both organized and unorganized groups.


THEME


In this build, I'm making 2 suboptimal choices for the sake of Theme

  • using Bows on both bars. For example Dual Wield with a Greatsword on backbar would be stronger
  • using a Bow spammable - Lethal Arrow. For example a class spammable like Escalating Runeblades would be stronger

From that point, the build always chooses the strongest option


SUBCLASSING


Combination

Dragonknight - Ardent Flame

Nightblade - Assassination

Templar - Aedric Spear

Base Class

This build can use either Dragonknight, Nightblade or Templar as your base class.


SKILL SETUPS


Base Setup

A base setup that will work for most situations and which should be your starting point when making situational setups

Front Bar Back Bar
Slot 1: Lethal Arrow Slot 1: Flames of Oblivion
Slot 2: Blazing Spear Slot 2: Poison Injection
Slot 3: Merciless Resolve Slot 3: Molten Whip
Slot 4: Killer's Blade Slot 4: Endless Hail
Slot 5: Acid Spray Slot 5: Venomous Claw
Ultimate: Incapacitating Strike Ultimate: Standard of Might
INFO arrow_down
SITUATIONAL arrow_down
ROTATION arrow_down

Final Setups

A few examples of final setups you could end up with after applying the situational skills to the base setup

A setup for trash packs

Front Bar Back Bar
Slot 1: Lethal Arrow Slot 1: Flames of Oblivion
Slot 2: Blazing Spear Slot 2: Proximity Detonation
Slot 3: Merciless Resolve Slot 3: Molten Whip
Slot 4: Killer's Blade Slot 4: Endless Hail
Slot 5: Acid Spray Slot 5: Anti-Cavalry Caltrops
Ultimate: Incapacitating Strike Ultimate: Shooting Star

EXPLANATION:


PASSIVES

There are no passives you need to skip with this build

  • Class
  • Weapon
  • Armor
  • Guild
  • Racial
  • Craft

Class - Ardent Flame

Combustion - High Priority

Warmth - High Priority

Searing Heat - High Priority

World in Ruin - High Priority


GEAR


Base Setup

A base setup that will work for most situations and which should be your starting point when making situational setups

Switching gear for trash packs isn't worth it unless you're using gear-swap addons

Default setup

Gear Slot Set Weight/Type Trait Enchantment

Head

Slimecraw Medium Divines Stamina

Shoulders

Ansuul's Torment Medium Divines Stamina

Chest

Ansuul's Torment Medium Divines Stamina

Hands

Ansuul's Torment Medium Divines Stamina

Belt

Tide-Born Wildstalker Light Divines Stamina

Legs

Tide-Born Wildstalker Medium Divines Stamina

Boots

Tide-Born Wildstalker Medium Divines Stamina

Necklace

Velothi Ur-Mage's Amulet Jewelry Bloodthirsty Increase Physical Harm

Ring

Tide-Born Wildstalker Jewelry Bloodthirsty Increase Physical Harm

Ring

Tide-Born Wildstalker Jewelry Bloodthirsty Increase Physical Harm

Frontbar Main Hand

Ansuul's Torment Bow Precise Flame

Backbar Main Hand

Thunderous Volley Bow Infused Weapon Damage

When choosing different situational sets you should replace Ansuul’s Torment if the Situational set has Minor Slayer and Tide-Born Wildstalker otherwise, as they're both sets that are decent in both Single Target and AoE fights. You can even replace them both if a situation calls for 2 situational sets, like for example bringing Slivers of Null Arca and Highland Sentinel to a fight which is both Single Target focused and stationary.

For example, a default setup for trash packs would replace Slivers of Null Arca with Sul-Xan’s Torment

SITUATIONAL arrow_down
ALTERNATIVE arrow_down

Final Setups

A few examples of final setups you could end up with after applying situational rules to the base setup

This is the crafted gear setup you can start with

Gear Slot Set Weight/Type Trait Enchantment

Head

Tide-Born Wildstalker Medium Divines Stamina

Shoulders

Tide-Born Wildstalker Medium Divines Stamina

Chest

Order's Wrath Medium Divines Stamina

Hands

Order's Wrath Medium Divines Stamina

Belt

Order's Wrath Light Divines Stamina

Legs

Order's Wrath Medium Divines Stamina

Boots

Order's Wrath Medium Divines Stamina

Necklace

Tide-Born Wildstalker Jewelry Bloodthirsty Increase Physical Harm

Ring

Tide-Born Wildstalker Jewelry Bloodthirsty Increase Physical Harm

Ring

Tide-Born Wildstalker Jewelry Bloodthirsty Increase Physical Harm

Frontbar Main Hand

Assassin's Guile Bow Precise Flame

Backbar Main Hand

Assassin's Guile Bow Infused Weapon Damage

CHAMPION POINTS

Warfare

Fitness

ADDITIONAL INFO:


RACE

The difference between best and worst race is about 5% of DPS and there is no content in the entire game that you'd be blocked from completing because of choosing a bad race.

Best race for 12-man content - Dark Elf

Best race for 4-man content - Khajiit

Other decent options: Orc, High Elf, Wood Elf, Imperial, Redguard


MUNDUS

Use The Thief Mundus, which increases your Critical Chance


ATTRIBUTES

HEALTH

0

STAMINA

64

MAGICKA

0

You should always put all 64 attribute points into Stamina


FOOD

Your sustain can vary greatly because it's impacted by your race, the amount of synergies provided by your teammates, or even by the fact whether you're debuffed in a certain fight. Choose the food with more Stamina Recovery if you can't sustain


With Max HP - for most content:


Without Max HP - for parsing or content where you know you can get away with it:


POTIONS

Use the Weapon Power potions (Increase Weapon Power, Weapon Critical, Restore Stamina). They'll greatly improve your sustain and provide Major Brutality which you need. You can craft them by combining Blessed Thistle, Dragonthorn and Wormwood.

There are better potions but they're expensive. Heroism potions (Heroism, Restore Stamina, Restore Magicka) can provide a 100% uptime on Minor Heroism buff which generates ultimate. If you can afford them and decide to use them, you'll have to get Major Brutality from a different source, like for example from Venom Arrow or from a group member using Igneous Weapons. They're crafted by combining Dragon Rheum, Dragon's Blood and Columbine.


PARSE

Combat Metrics screenshot of the 147.7k parse

Recording of a 147.7k parse

OTHER PARSES

Null Arca/Tide-Born - 143k DPS


GAMEPLAY

Logs of Veteran Trials I've finished using this build


THANKS FOR READING

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