One of the most effective ways to playThe Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrimis with a combination of stealth and archery. After all, why risk a hand-to-hand fight when it’s easier and safer to snipe enemies from across the map?
This is why Bound Bow is a fan-favorite spell in the Conjuration school. A Bound Bow is almost as strong as a daedric bow, which is hard to beat until players get most of the way through the Smithing perk list. The spell also comes with a quiver of 100 bound arrows, which deal as much damage as daedric arrows. This guide will explain howSkyrimplayers can get their hands on the Bound Bow spell as soon as possible.
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Spell Merchants
Bound Bow isan Adept-level Conjuration spell. Because of this, the spell won’t appear in any spell merchant’s inventory until players have at least 40 skill points in Conjuration.
A fast way to boost Conjuration is to cast a bound weapon spell (Bound Sword is a Novice spell and easy to find) while an enemy is nearby. The enemy doesn’t have to be dangerous and players don’t get any Conjuration experience for attacking with a bound weapon, so the best strategy is to run circles around a mudcrab and keep casting and sheathing Bound Swords to level up.
Once the Dragonborn has reached 40 Conjuration, the Bound Bow spell tome will appear in the inventories of three spell merchants. The first is Falion, the court mage of Morthal who spends his time in his private home by the docks. The second is Calcelmo, the court mage of Markarth. His workplace is to the left in Understone Keep. The third is Phinis Gestor,the Conjuration professor of the College of Winterhold. His quarters are in the Hall of Countenance, but he spends most of his day in the Arcanaeum.
Players should note that if Bound Bow doesn’t appear in these merchants' inventories, it may be thanks to bad luck or because players have reached 40 Conjuration too recently. Try waiting two days for their inventories to reset and then try again.
Fort Amol
There’s an even faster way for players to get the Bound Bow spell tome than through practice and purchasing.Skyrimhas a Bound Bow spell tome in a single guaranteed location, and that location is the Fort Amol Prison.
Fort Amol is due east of High Hrothgarand southwest of Windhelm. The best way to find it is to follow the river south from Windhelm, then look for the fort southwest of the river fork near Mixwater Mill. When players first come across it, its occupants are rogue mages, but one of the civil war factions will take it over after that.
To reach the Fort Amol Prison area, look for the door that’s just to the left of the fort’s entrance. There isn’t much in this area, but one of the buckets in the main room has a lantern in it.Lift this lantern outto find the Spell Tome: Bound Bow.
The Bound Bow isn’t a great way to get Conjuration experience, but it’s one of the most deadly weapons players can use during the early game. Regular bows may become better options during the late gamethanks to Smithing and enchantments, but a Bound Bow is a great way for an archer character to reach those late-game levels.
The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrimis available now on PC, PS3, PS4, PS5, Switch, Xbox 360, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
