What are the best bows for Nightblade in ESO?

Nightblade is the class in ESO that fills the rogue archetype of traditional RPGs, and obviously they should be expected to use the bow and arrow in a lot of builds. Fighting at long range might be safer, but it requires the right tool for the job in order to be effective.

On this list we will go over some of the best bows for Nightblades in ESO, their unique characteristics and why should you consider using each of these bows in your build.

10. Agility

To start things off, we have the most accessible bow on this list, which is a great pick for beginners, the Agility bow. Agility is focused on Stamina DPS, granting an increase in Maximum Stamina and Weapon and Spell Damage. Also, it is a PvP reward, so all of you who enjoy PvP can get this weapon while having fun in the battlegrounds.

What the Agility Bow excels in:

• Good choice for players who are not going to build 2 sets of 5 pieces;
• Provides a lot of Maximum Stamina, making for more damage and allowing you to spam skills;
• Very high Weapon and Spell Damage, guaranteeing good overall DPS.

How to get the Agility Bow:

• PvP Rewards.

Full Weapon Details

9. Piercing Spray

Piercing Spray is the doom of every tank. This weapon is acquired through the Asylum Sanctorium on the Clockwork City DLC and absolutely destroys the defenses of your foes. In combination with other resistance debuffs, this can guarantee true damage caused to your enemies, which is just devastating. Also, it hits on an area, making it a great source of AoE damage as well.

What the Piercing Spray Bow excels in:

• Directly boosts the Arrow Spray skill and its morphs;
• Can deal with tankier enemies, debuffing your target’s resistances;
• Very strong AoE damage.

How to get the Piercing Spray Bow:

• Asylum Sanctorium (Clockwork City DLC).

Full Weapon Details

8. Thunderous Volley

The Thunderous Volley Bow is a weapon that can be acquired on the Maelstrom Arena for those who own the Orsinium DLC or have an active subscription. This bow provides a very high increase in DPS to your Volley skill, turning you into an AoE machine that can destroy hordes of enemies with ease from afar.

What the Thunderous Volley Bow excels in:

• Extremely powerful AoE damage;
• Very long range for an AoE focused build;
• Directly boosts the Volley skill and its morphs.

How to get the Thunderous Volley Bow:

• Maelstrom Arena (Orsinium DLC).

Full Weapon Details

7. Kinras’s Wrath 

Kinras’s Wrath is an amazing bow that you can get in the Black Drake Villa Dungeon if you have the Flames of Ambition DLC or an active subscription. What makes this bow so strong is the fact that you get a constant source of Major Berserk on your character and Minor Berserk on you and your party members, increasing the overall damage output by a very good amount.

What the Kinras’s Wrath Bow excels in:

• Constant source of Major Berserk and Minor Berserk;
• Very high Weapon and Spell Damage, making for constant high DPS;
• Good choice for Critical builds with high Critical Chance.

How to get the Kinras’s Wrath Bow:

• Black Drake Villa Dungeon Drops (Flames of Ambition DLC).

Full Weapon Details

6. Pillar of Nirn 

Another DLC bow, Pillar of Nirn drops in the Falkreath Hold Dungeon, which is part of the Horns of the Reach DLC. This bow deals great amounts of Bleed Damage, which also hits in a small radius around your target, increasing your AoE DPS.

What the Pillar of Nirn Bow excels in:

• Powerful AoE Damage;
• Very strong Bleed Damage;
• Good balance of three main offensive stats: Maximum Stamina, Weapon Damage and Critical Chance.

How to get the Pillar of Nirn Bow:

• Falkreath Hold Dungeon Drops (Horns of the Reach DLC).

Full Weapon Details

5. Spriggan’s Thorns

Spriggan’s Thorn is an absolute classic when it comes to Stamina DPS builds. This bow drops in Bangkorai, which is part of the base game, making it a very easily accessible option. It increases your damage by a great amount and is an especially good option for players who play on the offensive and rely on their class and weapon skills to get the job done without any proc effects.

What the Spriggan’s Thorns Bow excels in:

• Very accessible option for new players who wish to improve their build fast and easily;
• Provides high Maximum Stamina, Weapon Damage and Offensive Penetration;
• Great for players with aggressive playstyles.

How to get the Spriggan's Thorns Bow:

• Bangkorai Overland Drops.

Full Weapon Details

4. Briarheart

Briarheart is a very balanced option for Stamina DPS players, providing you with increases in overall damage and criticals. On top of that, you get a small source of sustain through Self Healing. This bow is a part of the Orsinium DLC, and it drops on the Wrothgar Overland.

What the Briarheart Bow excels in:

• Great option for builds focused around Critical Damage;
• Provides very high DPS with high Maximum Stamina, Weapon Damage and Critical stats;
• Constant self healing when dealing Critical Damage.

How to get the Briarheart Bow:

• Wrothgar Overland Drops (Orsinium DLC).

Full Weapon Details

3. Sheer Venom

Sheer Venom is a Bow that increases your execution potential by a huge amount. Not only does it increase your Weapon Damage and Maximum Stamina, it also provides additional damage to your execute skills, which scales off the missing health of your target. You can get this bow at the Imperial City Prison Dungeon if you own the Imperial City DLC.

What the Sheer Venom Bow excels in:

• High DPS provided by Maximum Stamina and Weapon Damage;
• Good for builds focused around Poison Damage;
• Boosts directly all of your execute skills, making it much easier to finish off enemies and deal damage to low HP bosses.

How to get the Sheer Venom Bow:

• Imperial City Prison Dungeon Drops (Imperial City DLC).

Full Weapon Details

2. New Moon Acolyte

New Moon Acolyte is another classic pick for Stamina DPS Nightblades, providing high values in three of the most important offensive stats in the game: Weapon Damage, Offensive Penetration and Critical Chance. Furthermore, this bow’s set bonus provides one of the highest increases in Weapon Damage in the whole game.

What the New Moon Acolyte Bow excels in:

• Extremely high increase in Weapon and Spell Damage;
• Great balance of three important offensive stats: Weapon Damage, Offensive Penetration and Critical Chance;
• Good for builds that have high Stamina Recovery and don’t need very high Maximum Stamina or in combination with sets that provide a big increase in Maximum Stamina.

How to get the New Moon Acolyte Bow:

• Crafting (Dragonhold DLC).

Full Weapon Details

1. Caustic Arrow

The Master’s Bow, or the Caustic Arrow Bow, is easily the most highly regarded bow by ESO players. It gives an insane increase in Weapon and Spell Damage for only 2 equipment slots, with the only requirement of your target being afflicted by your Poison Arrow. While obtaining the Perfected version of this bow might be a lot of work, it certainly is worth it.

What the Caustic Arrow Bow excels in:

• Direct synergy with the Poison Arrow ability and its morphs;
• Very high increase in Weapon and Spell Damage;
• Only takes 2 equipment slots for a very powerful damage increase.

How to get the Caustic Arrow Bow:

• Dragonstar Arena.

Full Weapon Details

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