Equip and verify the loadout
Equip a bow that matches the character's displayed requirements. Add a quiver if the build uses one, then check total Equip Load again—bow, quiver, melee backup, and armor all count. Open the rune menu to confirm the live slot compatibility and Focus costs rather than relying on an older guide.
Input prompts depend on controller or keyboard bindings, so follow the current on-screen aim, normal attack, charged attack, and rune prompts. The combat principles below remain the same after rebinding.
Find the working range
Together Patch 1 gives full bow damage inside an intended range, then applies gradual falloff farther away. Arrows also curve downward near the end of their range. The goal is to recognize the band where the arrow path is predictable and the target is far enough away to react.
Practice against one repeatable target:
- Fire close enough that the trajectory looks almost flat.
- Move back in small steps and repeat.
- Mark the distance where the arc becomes obvious or damage begins to fall.
- Move one band closer and treat that as the default working range.
Do not judge a bow from shots taken beyond that band. You are testing falloff at that point, not the weapon's normal output.
Normal and charged shots
Normal shots are the safe default for moving targets and short openings. Release, read the enemy, and relocate. Charged shots need a longer confirmed window; use them after a whiff, during a slow approach, or when a co-op partner has stable aggro.
The mistake is beginning a charged shot because the target is currently far away. Distance can close during the draw. Watch the enemy's next available action, not only the space between characters.
Stamina and repositioning
Shoot in planned groups, then leave stamina for a dodge or sprint. A bow player at zero stamina is not safely ranged; they are a stationary target waiting for the gap to close. If a running attack or weapon-specific move includes evasive frames, remember that Patch 1 raised stamina costs on Siren's Call and Pale Ash running attacks.
Use terrain for angles, not exploits. Doorways and ledges can narrow lines of fire, but the build still needs a close-range answer when an enemy reaches the same space.
Runes and Focus
Patch 1 reduced Multishot damage, raised Skyfall Shot to 100 Focus, and increased Arrowstorm's area and damage radius. It also fixed Ilaria's stamina runes for bow slots. These changes make job assignment more useful than copying an old four-rune bar.
- Pick one single-target spend for a long opening.
- Pick one group, control, or escape tool.
- Keep normal shots as the Focus-earning foundation.
- Confirm the current cost and preview in the live menu.
Hotfix 8 allows rune-slot swapping on unique weapons, but unique runes still cannot be destroyed or replaced with newly inserted runes. Plan around that boundary before investing in the item.
Troubleshooting
- Shots feel weak: move closer before changing stats; you may be outside effective range.
- Arrows miss low: account for gravity or shorten the shot.
- Enemies always reach you: reduce the number of consecutive shots and reposition earlier.
- Rune never available: the cost exceeds the build's Focus loop; use a cheaper job-specific option or improve generation.
- Dodge suddenly changed: re-check bow, quiver, backup weapon, and armor under Equip Load.
For a complete attribute and equipment plan, continue to the Bow Build. The weapon database lists all 12 current bows with their in-game icons.