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Bow

From Fire Emblem Wiki, your source on Fire Emblem information. By fans, for fans.
Revision as of 21:27, 22 August 2021 by Amppelix (talk | contribs)
This article is about the weapon type. You may be looking for Bow (NES), the most basic version of the weapon type in the NES games.

Bows in the Fire Emblem series

The Bow (Japanese: Bow) is a type of physical weapon in the Fire Emblem series. Existing outside the weapon triangle, bows possess average power and accuracy, and cannot be used to attack adjacent enemies. However, they can attack distant enemies and additionally offer the ability to do increased damage to flying units.

With a total number of 79 different weapons, bows are the third-scarcest physical weapons in the series (above daggers which currently has 47 different varieties and gauntletss which have 10 varieties); usually, there are few bow-wielding classes per game—except for Genealogy of the Holy War and Thracia 776—and so far, Alm, Lyn, and Claude are the only main characters to wield them in their native class progression, and even then the former two must have class changed to their advanced forms.

In Fire Emblem Fates, their Hoshidan counterpart is called the yumi (Japanese: 和弓 Japanese bow). They are almost exactly the same as bows and share a weapon level, differentiated by the effect of that, when equipped, they increase the wielder's resistance by 2, and, on average, they have higher might and lower hit rate.

Bows in the Fire Emblem series by types

Basic bows

Weapon Available in: Notes
FE01 FE02 FE03 FE04 FE05 FE06 FE07 FE08 FE09 FE10 FE11 FE12 FE13 FE14 FE15 FE16 FE17
Bow --
Bronze Bow --
Iron Bow --
Steel Bow --
Silver Bow --
Broken Bow --
Toy Bow --
Glass Bow --
Slack Bow --
Long Bow --
Great Bow --
Emblem Bow --
Rienfleche --
Rubber Bow --
Violin Bow --
Cupid's Bow --
Brass Yumi --
Iron Yumi --
Steel Yumi --
Silver Yumi --
Rusted Bow --
Mila's Bow --
Luna --
Training Bow --
A means that the weapon is available in that game, while a indicates the contrary.

Crossbows

Crossbows are a subcategory and exclusive to Fire Emblem: Radiant Dawn. These weapons rely on their own might for damage, ignoring the user's strength.

Weapon Available in: Notes
FE01 FE02 FE03 FE04 FE05 FE06 FE07 FE08 FE09 FE10 FE11 FE12 FE13 FE14 FE15 FE16 FE17
Bowgun --
Crossbow --
Taksh --
Aqqar --
Arbalest --
A means that the weapon is available in that game, while a indicates the contrary.

Critical and skill-granting bows

There have been some bows with a high crit in the series, with the Killer Bow being the most known of them. In Awakening, three new skill-granting bows were introduced, allowing units to access certain skills.


Weapon Available in: Notes
FE01 FE02 FE03 FE04 FE05 FE06 FE07 FE08 FE09 FE10 FE11 FE12 FE13 FE14 FE15 FE16 FE17
Bowgun --
Killer Bow --
Brave Bow --
Short Bow --
Venin Bow --
Meisterbogen --
Silencer --
Quick Bow --
Astra --
Underdog Bow --
Superior Bow --
Crescent Bow --
A means that the weapon is available in that game, while a indicates the contrary.

Effective bows

While almost all bows are effective against flying units, some of them can also deal increased damage to other units, such as monsters.


Weapon Available in: Notes
FE01 FE02 FE03 FE04 FE05 FE06 FE07 FE08 FE09 FE10 FE11 FE12 FE13 FE14 FE15 FE16 FE17
Blessed Bow --
Beacon Bow --
Laguz Bow --
Cleave Bow --
Hunter's Bow --
Spellbane Yumi --
A means that the weapon is available in that game, while a indicates the contrary.

Magic bows

These bows inflict magical damage instead of physical. Both of these bows also inflict damage in the 1-2 range.


Weapon Available in: Notes
FE01 FE02 FE03 FE04 FE05 FE06 FE07 FE08 FE09 FE10 FE11 FE12 FE13 FE14 FE15 FE16 FE17
Bright Bow --
Shining Bow --
Radiant Bow --
Magic Bow --
A means that the weapon is available in that game, while a indicates the contrary.

Close range bows

Certain bows first introduced in Fates allow their usage in one-space melee combat, a trait that had seen in bows in legitimate gameplay since Gaiden (where all of that game's bows have melee capability) only one other time. Unless otherwise specified, these bows hit in the 1-2 range.


Weapon Available in: Notes
FE01 FE02 FE03 FE04 FE05 FE06 FE07 FE08 FE09 FE10 FE11 FE12 FE13 FE14 FE15 FE16 FE17
Mini Bow --
Double Bow --
Iron Shortbow --
Steel Shortbow --
Silver Shortbow --
Iron Hankyu --
Steel Hankyu --
Silver Hankyu --
Sidelong Yumi --
A means that the weapon is available in that game, while a indicates the contrary.

Longbows

The following bows can attack from a distance of two or three tiles, which allows users to attack without retaliation.


Weapon Available in: Notes
FE01 FE02 FE03 FE04 FE05 FE06 FE07 FE08 FE09 FE10 FE11 FE12 FE13 FE14 FE15 FE16 FE17
Longbow --
Double Bow --
Iron Longbow --
Steel Longbow --
Silver Longbow --
Towering Bow --
Spy's Yumi --
A means that the weapon is available in that game, while a indicates the contrary.

Character's bows

Fire Emblem: New Mystery of the Emblem and Awakening feature some bows named after archers and snipers of the series. These weapons can be used by any unit with enough skill, and all of them have an enhanced crit.


Weapon Available in: Notes
FE01 FE02 FE03 FE04 FE05 FE06 FE07 FE08 FE09 FE10 FE11 FE12 FE13 FE14 FE15 FE16 FE17
Gordin's Bow --
Ryan's Bow --
Kleine's Bow --
Wolt's Bow --
Innes' Bow --
Anna's Bow --
Niles's Bow --
Mikoto's Yumi --
Setsuna's Yumi --
Python's Bow --
A means that the weapon is available in that game, while a indicates the contrary.

Sacred and personal bows

Personal bows are truly rare in the series, appearing only in the Tellius duology and Fates. There are few sacred bows as well, with all of them featuring bonuses to stats or an unusual extra function.


Weapon Available in: Notes
FE01 FE02 FE03 FE04 FE05 FE06 FE07 FE08 FE09 FE10 FE11 FE12 FE13 FE14 FE15 FE16 FE17
Parthia --
Yewfelle --
Mulagir --
Nidhogg --
Rolf's Bow --
Lughnasadh --
Pursuer --
Fujin Yumi --
Skadi --
Failnaught --
Tathlum Bow --
The Inexhaustible --
A means that the weapon is available in that game, while a indicates the contrary.

Miscellaneous bows

Weapon Available in: Notes
FE01 FE02 FE03 FE04 FE05 FE06 FE07 FE08 FE09 FE10 FE11 FE12 FE13 FE14 FE15 FE16 FE17
Dual Yumi --
Illusory Yumi --
Surefire Yumi --
Bamboo Yumi --
Harp Yumi --
Raider Yumi --
A means that the weapon is available in that game, while a indicates the contrary.

Classes capable of using bows

There are 34 different classes which, at some point in the series, have been able to wield bows.


Class Wields bows in: Notes
FE01 FE02 FE03 FE04 FE05 FE06 FE07 FE08 FE09 FE10 FE11 FE12 FE13 FE14 FE15 FE16 FE17
Archer --
Sniper --
Hunter --
Horseman --
Hero --
Bow Knight --
Aurum --
Master Knight --
Warrior --
Bow Fighter --
Arch Knight --
Bow Armor --
General --
Baron --
Emperor --
Ballista --
Iron Ballista --
Killer Ballista --
Poison Ballista --
Nomad --
Nomadic Trooper --
Blade Lord --
Ranger --
Fleet --
Bonewalker --
Wight --
Maelduin --
Marksman --
Bow Paladin --
Silver Knight --
Assassin --
Bride --
Outlaw --
Adventurer --
Apothecary --
Merchant --
Mechanist --
Priestess --
Kinshi Knight --
Oliphantier --
Conqueror --
Commoner --
Noble --
Wyvern Master --
Barbarossa --
A means that the class wields bows in that game, while a indicates the contrary.

Etymology and other languages

Names, etymology, and in other regions
Language Name Definition, etymology, and notes
English

Bow

Spanish

Arco

Bow

French

Arc

Bow

German

Bogen

Bow

Italian

Arco

Bow

Yumi

Names, etymology, and in other regions
Language Name Definition, etymology, and notes
English

Yumi

Yumi (Japanese: ) is the Japanese word for bow. When discussed in English, "yumi" refers specifically to the traditional Japanese style of bow, which are distinguished by their asymmetrical bodies and their great size compared to their user.

Spanish

Yumi

As above.

French

Yumi

As above

German

Yumi

As above.

Italian

Yumi

As above.

Gallery

Weapon types
Physical weapons ArtAxeBow (Ballista)CannonballGauntletsDaggerLanceSword
Magical weapons Anima (FireThunderWind)Black magicDarkLightStaffTome (Blue tomeColorless tomeGreen tomeRed tome)White magic
Other weapons BreathCrest StoneSpecialStoneStrike, beast, and monster weapons
Bows and Crossbows
Basic bows BowBowgunBow of ZoltanBroken BowBronze BowClarisse's BowEmblem BowGlass BowGordin's BowGreat BowInnes' BowIron BowKiller BowLong BowRienflecheRubber BowRusted BowRyan's BowShort BowSilencerSilver BowSlack BowSteel BowToy BowTraining Bow
Bows with secondary effects Anna's BowAstraBeacon BowBlessed BowBrave BowCleave BowCrescent BowCupid BowHunter's BowLaguz BowLunaMeisterbogenMila's BowNiles's BowQuick BowPython's BowSuperior BowUnderdog BowVenin BowViolin BowWolt's Bow
Magic-based bows Magic BowRadiant BowShining Bow
Ranged bows Double BowIron LongbowLongbowSilver LongbowSteel LongbowTowering Bow
Close-range bows Double BowIron ShortbowMini BowSilver ShortbowSteel Shortbow
Crossbows AqqarArbalestBowgunCrossbowTaksh
Regalia and personal bows FailnaughtLughnasadhMulagirNidhoggParthiaRolf's BowTathlum BowThe InexhaustibleYewfelle
Yumi
Basic yumi Bamboo YumiBrass YumiIron YumiSilver YumiSteel YumiSurefire Yumi
Yumi with secondary effects Dual YumiHarp YumiIllusory YumiMikoto's YumiRaider YumiSetsuna's YumiSpellbane Yumi
Ranged yumi Spy's Yumi
Close-range yumi Iron HankyuSidelong YumiSilver HankyuSteel Hankyu
Regalia and personal yumi Fujin YumiPursuerSkadi