The Dragonbone Bow, added in Dawnguard, is the hardest-hitting standard bow in the game at 20 base damage. It is also one of the heaviest at 20 weight, so you pay for that power in carrying capacity.
It looks like a hunting bow that got very ambitious: similar lines, but extra spikes and a bone-pale colouring. Crafted from 
dragon bone and an 
ebony ingot at the very top of the Smithing tree, it is the end-game choice for archers, with its value reaching 2,725 gold.
Stats
| Type | Bow |
|---|---|
| Skill | Archery |
| Material | Dragonbone |
| Damage | 20 |
| Weight | 20 |
| Value | 2725 gold |
| Speed | 0.75 |
| Stagger | 0 |
| Critical damage | 10 |
| Add-on | Dawnguard |
| Item ID | 020176F1 |
Where to find
- One of the Keepers in the Soul Cairn uses this bow along with dragonbone arrows. Once you are level 45, both can be looted from its body.
- Otherwise, forge it yourself at any blacksmith’s forge from two dragon bones and an ebony ingot, which is far easier than waiting for a Keeper to oblige.
Crafting and upgrading
Crafting at a forge: 1 × Ebony Ingot, 2 × Dragon Bone. Requires the Dragon Armor Smithing perk.
Improving at a grindstone: 1 × Dragon Bone. The Arcane Blacksmith perk doubles the improvement.
Compared with other bows
Base stats of all regular (unenchanted) bows in Skyrim, weakest first:
| Weapon | Damage | Weight | Value |
|---|---|---|---|
| Long Bow | 6 | 5 | 30 |
| Hunting Bow | 7 | 7 | 50 |
| Ancient Nord Bow | 8 | 12 | 45 |
| Imperial Bow | 9 | 8 | 90 |
| Orcish Bow | 10 | 9 | 150 |
| Nord Hero Bow | 11 | 7 | 200 |
| Dwarven Bow | 12 | 10 | 270 |
| Falmer Bow | 12 | 15 | 135 |
| Forsworn Bow | 12 | 11 | 145 |
| Elven Bow | 13 | 12 | 470 |
| Nordic Bow | 13 | 11 | 580 |
| Supple Ancient Nord Bow | 14 | 18 | 235 |
| Falmer Supple Bow | 15 | 20 | 410 |
| Glass Bow | 15 | 14 | 820 |
| Ebony Bow | 17 | 16 | 1440 |
| Stalhrim Bow | 17 | 15 | 1800 |
| Daedric Bow | 19 | 18 | 2500 |
| Dragonbone Bow | 20 | 20 | 2725 |
Tips and notes
- Improve it at a grindstone with a dragon bone; the Dragon Armor perk doubles the improvement.
- Forging needs Smithing 100 and the Dragon Armor perk.
- Compared to the Daedric Bow, it has a faster draw but fires arrows at a slightly slower speed.
- Pairs naturally with Dragonplate Armor.
Stats from the Skyrim LE 1.9 master files (Dawnguard.esm, record DLC1DragonboneBow). Values are base values before perks, smithing improvements and enchantments.