Summary
- Oblivion Remastered allows for a variety of nuanced archer builds with versatile ranged weapons and magic.
- The Daedric Bow is a strong choice for late-game archery builds with its high damage output.
- The Hatred's Soul bow is the strongest in the game with high fire damage and speed-draining effects.
The few inevitabilities in life are death, taxes, and Skyrim players gradually getting absorbed into the stealth archer vortex. Where Oblivion Remastered is concerned, players have a little more versatility in how they use their ranged weapons, and combined with the broader magical experience, this makes for plenty more nuanced archer builds that players can specialize in. While in the early game, a solid bow is a great foundation until something better comes along, by the late game, players are looking for something more. Their 'forever bow,' perhaps.
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So, whether players are channeling their Dragon's Dogma Arisen and playing a magick archer, or they're a steel-clad tower launching arrows from afar in heavy armor, there are a collection of bows that represent the pinnacle of archery, and the final step in the player's journey to become a bow-wielding master in the late game. These late-game bows in Oblivion Remastered are ranked by their overall effectiveness in combat and—where applicable—the strength of their enchantments, but it's important to note that Oblivion Remastered's scaling system means players will want to pick up any enchanted bows after reaching level 19 for maximum effectiveness.
6 Bow Of Harm
A Simple But Effective Bow
- Effect: Damage Health 8pts
- Location: Random Loot
This Glass Bow appears as random dungeon-based loot from level 14 onward. Level 14 is squarely in the mid-game, rather than late game, of Oblivion, but its useful enchantment and high-quality material mean that this bow can definitely hold its own in the late game when in the hands of a skilled archer.
Glass material is one of the most beloved in Oblivion Remastered for its aesthetics and effectiveness, and players lucky enough to pick up the 
Bow of Harm should consider putting it to use even if archery is only their backup option. It will help players glide through the mid-game and well into late game until some of the later entries on this list make an appearance.
5 Daedric Bow
A Staple In Elder Scrolls Titles
- Effect: 20 Damage (no enchantment)
- Location: Random Loot, Merchant Inventory
The 
Daedric Bow typically reflects the pinnacle (or something close to the pinnacle) of standard weaponry in the Elder Scrolls series, and it is no different in Oblivion Remastered. Forged in dark practices similar to how daedric artifacts are made, these are some of the strongest weapons in the game, and the Daedric Bow is a great choice for late-game players with a build that specializes in archery.
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Daedric gear is added to the leveled list beginning at level 20, so make sure to keep an eye out for them in chests and merchant inventories once this level has been reached. But be warned, these items typically have a price tag that matches their huge damage output.
4 Bow Of Infliction
A Specialized Bow With A Powerful Enchantment
- Effect: Damage Agility 5 pts, Drain Marksman 15 pts for 60 sec.
- Location: Daenlin at the Archer's Paradox in Bravil
Using an ebony-tier item for its base, the 
Bow of Infliction is slightly weaker than a Daedric Bow in terms of its raw damage output, but what puts this bow ahead is its unique and incredibly useful enchantment, perfect for dungeon-delving at high levels. This bow is sold at the archery-specific store in Bravil, the Archer's Paradox, with a base value of 5240 gold (this is before merchant markups, so bring a big coin purse to Bravil).
The Bow of Infliction is perfect for firefights against other archers since it drains their skill, and against fighters honing in on the player, draining agility makes them less effective in close combat anyway. The damage and enchantment make this bow an excellent choice for high-level players, so long as they have some gold to spare.
3 Perfect Madness/Amber Bow
Immensely Powerful Bows From The Shivering Isles
- Effect: Damage Health 20pts
- Location: Available from level 23 with Madness Ore/Amber at Cutter's Weapons, Crucible
The Shivering Isles is often renowned as some of the best DLC for any game, period. It takes the familiar fantasy world of Oblivion and turns it on its head (though, of course, this DLC is included in the remastered base game). Players at level 23 and above can procure this truly magnificent weapon when they have the appropriate material. This perfect rendition of either the Madness Bow or Amber Bow has some visual differences, but otherwise operates the same, with a hefty damage health enchantment on them.
Players who go to Cutter's Weapons below level 23 with the right materials will still receive a powerful bow, but not a 'perfect' one that can carry them through the end game and up to whatever level they desire.
2 Bow Of Soul Storms
Two Incredibly Powerful Enchantments In One
- Effect: Shock damage 20pts, Soul Trap for 5 seconds.
- Location: Available as leveled loot in the Shivering Isles.
Another item waiting for players at the far end of the leveled lists is the Bow of Soul Storms. The final incarnation of the random enchanted weapons from the Shivering Isles, this bow deals a good chunk of damage while also trapping the target's soul, effectively sourcing its own re-enchantment with every successful kill.
This weapon is a great choice for late-game players who have a lot of enchanted weapons and staves they like swapping between, as, when used correctly, this powerful bow will fill more than enough soul gems to keep two or three weapons filled, even with constant use.
1 Hatred’s Soul
The Strongest Bow In The Game
- Effect: Drain Speed 30 pts for 45 seconds, Fire Damage 35 pts
- Location: Available in the Chorrol Oblivion Gate or Gates that use the same layout
At the highest possible level tier, this bow has the highest damage output among all bows in Oblivion Remastered— save for any enchanted monstrosities the player may have created themselves. This bow can actually be found in the game quite early, but Oblivion veterans know that there are certain items to hold out for until a higher level is reached, and Hatred's Soul is one of them.
Draining Speed by a devastating 30 points can be vital for offensive bow builds who want to deal heavy damage before an enemy closes in, as 30 points is enough to get another shot in before a foe closes into melee range. At 35 points of fire damage, in conjunction with Hatred's Soul arrows, there's no bow that packs a punch quite like this one.
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OpenCritic Reviews
- Top Critic Avg: 82 /100 Critics Rec: 87%
- Released
- April 22, 2025
- ESRB
- Mature 17+ // Blood and Gore, Sexual Themes, Violence
- Publisher(s)
- Bethesda
WHERE TO PLAY
- Engine
- Unreal Engine 5
- Genre(s)
- Action, RPG, Open-World, Adventure
