Arrow choice in Valheim looks simple until you notice the damage split. The wiki’s own list shows arrows like the Poison arrow at 78 total damage — nearly double an Ironhead arrow’s 42 — but only 26 of that is Pierce; the other 52 is Poison. Since damage resistance applies per type, “highest total damage” and “best arrow” are frequently different answers.
One mechanic governs all of it, and the wiki states it plainly: arrow damage is added to base bow damage before any other damage calculation. That means your bow and your arrow stack additively at the start, then multipliers and resistances apply to the combined figure.
All numbers below come from the Valheim Wiki’s Arrows page.
All 12 arrows, by real damage and type
| Arrow | Total damage | Damage split | Knockback |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wood arrow | 22 | Pierce 22 | 10 |
| Flinthead arrow | 27 | Pierce 27 | 10 |
| Bronzehead arrow | 32 | Pierce 32 | 10 |
| Fire arrow | 33 | Pierce 11 + Fire 22 | 10 |
| Ironhead arrow | 42 | Pierce 42 | 10 |
| Obsidian arrow | 52 | Pierce 52 | 10 |
| Needle arrow | 62 | Pierce 62 | 15 |
| Silver arrow | 72 | Pierce 52 + Spirit 20 | 10 |
| Carapace arrow | 72 | Pierce 72 | 15 |
| Poison arrow | 78 | Pierce 26 + Poison 52 | 10 |
| Frost arrow | 78 | Pierce 26 + Frost 52 | 10 |
| Charred arrow | 82 | Pierce 82 | 15 |
The three rows that matter most for decision-making are the last three. Charred arrow is the strongest pure-pierce arrow at 82 — every point of it is Pierce, so it gets none of the resistance penalty that split-damage arrows absorb. Poison and Frost arrows are tied at 78 total but only 26 Pierce, meaning most of their damage is conditional.
Why the highest-damage arrow is often the wrong pick
Look at what happens to a Poison arrow against anything that resists poison. You are paying for 78 damage but only 26 of it is reliable; the other 52 can be partially or fully resisted. Compare that to a Carapace arrow at 72 pure Pierce — slightly lower on paper, but all 72 lands on the same resistance curve as your bow.
The same logic makes the Fire arrow a trap for anyone reading the total column. At 33 total it looks like a downgrade from Bronzehead (32) that costs extra to make, and only 11 of its damage is Pierce. It is a specialised tool, not an upgrade.
This is why the honest ranking is not a single ladder:
- Best pure damage (no resistance risk) — Charred arrow (82 Pierce), then Carapace arrow (72 Pierce), then Needle arrow (62 Pierce).
- Best for enemies weak to a specific element — Poison arrow (52 Poison), Frost arrow (52 Frost), Silver arrow (20 Spirit).
- Best value while progressing — whichever pure-Pierce arrow matches your current metal: Wood → Flinthead → Bronzehead → Ironhead → Obsidian → Carapace → Charred.
Silver arrow and the Spirit damage niche
The Silver arrow deserves its own note because it is the only arrow in the game with Spirit damage — 20 of its 72 total, with 52 Pierce backing it. Spirit damage matters against the undead-type enemies that dominate the Swamp and the Mountains at night. If you are clearing Sunken Crypts or fighting skeletons and draugr, Silver arrows do something no other arrow type does.
That makes it the clearest example of why total damage is the wrong column to sort by: an Obsidian arrow (52 pure Pierce) beats a Silver arrow’s Pierce component by exactly zero, but the Silver arrow’s Spirit 20 is effectively free damage against the creatures that take the most from it.
Knockback is a real difference
Most arrows have knockback 10. Three break away: Needle, Carapace and Charred arrows all have knockback 15 — 50% more. Higher knockback means more stagger and more distance created per hit, which is genuinely useful for kiting, but it also pushes enemies out of your follow-up range.
If you are fighting something you want to keep at arm’s length, the 15-knockback arrows help. If you are trying to chain headshots on a stationary target, the extra push can cost you.
Arrow cost versus arrow benefit
The wiki does not publish per-arrow material costs in the summary table, and this guide will not invent them. What the table does make clear is the tier structure: arrows track the metal progression (Wood, Flint, Bronze, Iron, Obsidian, Silver, Needle/Carapace, Charred), so the practical rule is to shoot the best arrow you can produce in bulk.
Arrows are consumable and you will lose a large fraction of them. Carrying 200 Charred arrows into a routine Mistlands run is usually worse economics than carrying 200 Carapace arrows, because the difference between 82 and 72 Pierce rarely decides a fight, while the material cost difference is significant at scale.
How arrows interact with your bow
Because arrow damage is added to bow damage before other calculations, the two multiply together rather than one scaling the other. A stronger bow raises the base that the arrow adds to, which is why endgame bow play depends on both halves. If you are comparing bows, the weapons guide and the best weapons tier list cover the bow side of that equation.
The Woodsman and Bow skill levels also feed into this — see the combat guide for how bow skill affects draw speed and damage. For where each arrow material becomes available, the biome progression guide lays out the order, and the crafting guide covers the workbench and forge levels. If you are new, the beginner guide covers your first bow.
Related guides
- Valheim hub — all guides for this game.
- Advanced Valheim tactics.
- Valheim base building guide.