Elden Ring has plenty of weapons as a survival RPG, and players are always looking for the best one to be fighting monsters with. Here’s a shortlist of the best ranged weapons in the game.
What are the Best Ranged Weapons in Elden Ring
Ranged weapons can be extremely effective and lethal in battle if they’re used at the right time. Even during close combat, you might decide to move away from the enemy due to reasons such as health loss and to recuperate your FP. In these situations, you might want to use a ranged weapon to continuously deal damage to your opponent even from a distance.
Read Next: Most Powerful Weapon in Elden Ring and How to Get It
In Elden Ring, ranged weapons come in the form of Ballistas and Bows. The Ballistas have two weapons that can be quite powerful, and we will be listing the strongest bows in the game. Some of these need to be upgraded to reach their full potential, so keep in mind that even if you don’t have these bows, you can upgrade the existing ones with Somber Smithing Stones to get the best possible use out of them.
Hand Ballista
Ballistas let the player fire Greatbolts from a long distance so that they’re not in the middle of the battle. They’re also usable with Ashes of War and can be used in many ways. The Hand Ballista is one of these ranged weapons that lets you hit your enemies from a great range, as a counter-attack to deal out maximum damage before the enemy can even spot you coming. It also enables you to break an opponent’s stance before attacking with a more powerful hit.
The Hand Ballista has a requirement of 30 Strength and 14 Dexterity to wield. The location of this item is in the Weeping Peninsula, at the top of the Forest Lookout Tower. You will need to travel west from the Bridge of Sacrifice to find the Tower. The weapon cannot be infused with Ashes of War but can be upgraded with Smithing Stones to deal a maximum damage of 600.
Jar Cannon
The second Ballista ranged weapon is Jar Cannon, which requires 34 Strength and 12 Dexterity to wield. It is also slow to reload, so players must be careful about incoming attacks before deciding to use this weapon. As it can be used from a great physical distance, the Jar Cannon is useful in ranged combat. To make up for its slow reload speed, it deals immense damage to your enemies by firing Greatbolts.
You can find Jar Cannons in Volcano Cave which is North of Mt. Gelmir. The boss Demi-Human Queen Margot will be waiting for you at the end of the Cave, and you will need to defeat them to get the Jar Cannon which drops when they are killed.
Horn Bow
Elden Ring also has Bows and Crossbows as ranged weapons which allow the player to inflict damage on the opponent from a distance. This is useful as you don’t have to encounter powerful enemies in close combat and can avoid all their melee attacks. By being quick on your feet, you can keep away from your opponent and slowly hack away at their health with a powerful bow, albeit with the use of ammunition that you need to craft.
The Horn Bow has a weapon skill of Mighty Shot and it makes a worthy addition to your battle arsenal. It requires 10 Strength, 14 Dexterity and 12 Intelligence to wield, and can be further upgraded with Smithing Stones to be made into a stronger weapon. At level 25, it deals 159 Damage with each shot.
You will find this weapon in Hallowhorn Grounds in Siofra River, where there is a body underneath some stairs. The bow will be obtained if you loot the body.
Pulley Crossbow
Crossbows are ranged weapons that work similar to bows but deal more damage. They are also slower to reload and require a more skilled hand as they can be more difficult to aim. The range is shorter than bows, and they require bolts instead of arrows.
As for the Pulley Crossbow, you can use the weapon skill of Kick to push your enemy away and put some distance between each other. This will allow you more time to plan and shoot. It requires 16 Strength and 16 Dexterity to wield it and can be upgraded by Smithing Stones.
To find the Pulley Crossbow, you will need to go to the Craftsman’s Shack and find the Site of Grace near it. The Crossbow will be around this Site.