Fang Bows: Ash Fang, Storm Fang, Root Fang & Blood Fang Crafting, Stats & Best Variant

The Ash Fang is Valheim's sixth bow and the Ashlands-tier bow, crafted at the Black Forge from Ashlands materials. It is also the base for three gemstone variants: Storm Fang, Root Fang and Blood Fang. Each variant changes how the bow plays, so picking one is the biggest gear decision an Ashlands archer makes.

The short answer: Storm Fang is the best variant for most players, Root Fang edges it out in some situations, and Blood Fang is a trap. In 1.0 the Fang family is no longer the top tier: the Nord Bow line from the Deep North sits above it.

Crafting the Ash Fang: Your Base Bow

The base Ash Fang needs a Level 3 Black Forge, so you need the Black Forge plus at least two upgrade structures (Black Forge Cooler, Vice, Metal Cutter or Gem Cutter). The materials take some effort:

• Bonemaw Tooth: dropped only by the Bonemaw, the sea serpent of the Ashlands waters. Each kill drops 8-9 teeth. Sail prepared with an Abyssal Harpoon and ranged weapons, because it hits far harder than the Ocean Serpent.
• Ashwood: chopped from Ashlands trees.
• Charred Bone: dropped by Charred enemies throughout the biome.
• Flametal: smelted from Flametal Ore in a Blast Furnace.

Full upgrade budget

Upgrade costs rise with each level. Taking the base bow all the way to quality 4 costs 40 Ashwood, 76 Charred Bone, 35 Flametal and 35 Bonemaw Tooth in total. You rarely want to, though: see the warning below.

Storm Fang: The DPS King

Storm Fang is the Iolite variant and the one most experienced archers recommend. It adds a flat 10 Lightning damage to every shot at every quality level, plus a 20% chance to trigger Chain Lightning on hit.

Why Chain Lightning matters

Fire into a group of Charred enemies, which describes most Ashlands fights, and one proc can hit up to 6 nearby targets. At high bow skill your fire rate rises enough that Chain Lightning adds roughly 30% more damage against groups.

Pair it with Frost Arrows

The frost slow keeps enemies bunched together longer, which means more Chain Lightning value. Veterans past bow skill 70 report melting Fallen Valkyries before they close the distance. The Lightning damage also gets around the Pierce resistance most Ashlands enemies have.

Cost

A Level 4 Black Forge turns 1 Ash Fang, 5 Flametal and 1 Iolite into a Storm Fang. Because upgrade costs escalate, reaching quality 4 costs 35 Flametal and 7 Iolite in total, on top of the Ash Fang.

Root Fang: The Solo Player's Secret Weapon

Root Fang is the Jade variant, and it deserves more respect than it gets. It adds 10 Poison damage to every shot and has a 20% chance to apply Immobilized on hit, stopping an enemy in its tracks.

At a fast fire rate that is roughly one root every five shots, which buys time to line up more shots or close in for a melee finisher.

Best uses

• Fallen Valkyries: fast and terrifying up close, but root one as it lands and you can unload on it while it is stuck.
• Hybrid builds: root an enemy at range, swap to your sword or axe, close the distance and finish it while it cannot move.
• Steady damage: the Poison ticks over time between shots.

When to skip it

If you already use the Staff of the Wild, you have roots on demand, and Root Fang only doubles up on crowd control. Storm Fang offers more in that case. If you do not run magic, Root Fang fills the gap nicely.

Blood Fang: The Disappointing One

Blood Fang is the Bloodstone variant and the weakest of the three. Its effect raises damage by 0.2% for every point of health you are missing. With 250 HP and 100 missing you gain 20%; a meaningful 40% means sitting at half health in a biome where most things kill you in two or three hits.

The community has asked for a rework. It does not scale with Blood Magic, and the risk is not worth the reward. Save your Bloodstone for weapons where the effect makes sense. If you already crafted one, Storm Fang or Root Fang will still serve you better in almost every situation.

Fang Bows vs Spinesnap: Which Ashlands Bow to Use

Many players reach the Ashlands with a quality 4 Spinesnap already in hand. It deals 84 Pierce and 20 Spirit (104 total) with 400 durability. A quality 1 Ash Fang deals 82 Pierce with no Spirit and has 300 durability.

Why the Spinesnap holds up

The Spinesnap's 20 Spirit is very effective against the undead Charred. A fully upgraded one can one-shot unaware Charred Twitchers and Charred Marksmen with basic Wood Arrows, and its extra durability helps when combat is near-constant.

When the Fang pulls ahead

Upgrade Storm Fang or Root Fang to quality 2 or 3 and the higher Pierce, growing Spirit and gemstone effect start to outperform the Spinesnap. Chain Lightning and Immobilize add something the Spinesnap cannot match.

Treat the Spinesnap as your workhorse for early Ashlands exploration, and the Fang bows as the upgrade once your Black Forge can craft and upgrade them.

Best Arrow Pairings for Fang Bows

Most Ashlands enemies resist Pierce, so the usual rule of firing your highest-tier arrow does not apply here.

Frost Arrows: the top pick

Frost Arrows deal 52 Frost on top of 13 Pierce, and the Frost gets around Pierce resistance. The slow keeps enemies in range longer. The cost: each batch of 20 needs a Freeze Gland, so you will farm Drakes in the Mountains regularly.

Wood Arrows: free and good enough

At bow skill 70 and above, the bow's own Pierce and Spirit do the heavy lifting and the arrow is just the delivery. Three free Wood Arrows deal more total damage than one expensive Frost Arrow, and you never run out. Veterans keep Frost Arrows for tough enemies and use Wood Arrows for exploring and trash.

Charred Arrows

Charred Arrows are the Ashlands ammunition, made from Charred Bone, Ashwood and Feathers. They hit hard but deal pure Pierce, so they struggle against the biome's Pierce-resistant enemies. Use them in the Mistlands or Plains, and keep Frost Arrows as your Ashlands primary. In 1.0 the Bloodgold Arrow from the Deep North outclasses them.

Combat Tips for Fang Bow Users in the Ashlands

The Ashlands is the hardest biome for archers: most enemies resist Pierce, smoke and haze cut visibility, and fights usually involve several enemies. Standing still to draw in a big fight will get you killed.

What works

• Open, then swap: fire a few shots to thin the group or root a priority target, then switch to melee when enemies close in. Keep a melee weapon and shield on quick slots.
• Sneak attacks: the 3x backstab multiplier makes an opening shot on an unaware enemy hit very hard.
• Emergency pillar: carry 10 Wood and 50 Stone. Place a Workbench, raise a ground pillar with the Hoe, and shoot from the top. It works against anything that cannot fly, and is great for clearing Charred Fortresses from the perimeter.
• Fire resistance: always bring Fire Resistance Barley Wine. Dying here costs skill levels, and losing 5 bow skill points to a forgotten drink takes hours to recover.

What Comes After the Fang Bows

Valheim 1.0 adds three bows beyond the Ashlands. The Nord Bow is crafted from Bloodgold and Timberwood with a Mould: Nord Bow. It can then be turned into the Thunderblood Bow (Lightning damage) or the Frostfire Bow (Frost and Fire damage), much like the Ash Fang's gemstone variants.