Recurve Bow

A late-game bow from Primitive Plus

Primitive Plus, a DLC of ARK: Survival Evolved, adds the Recurve Bow, an advanced weapon for ranged combat. As its in-game text puts it, the bow "Requires arrows to fire." The ARK Wiki calls it the most powerful weapon that fires arrows once unlocked, with damage and rate of fire slightly above the Crossbow, and notes that as of Primitive Plus v1.4 on PC no current bow does more damage. The level 65 unlock and the Beeswax in its recipe make it a late-game weapon, in the wiki's view.

Damage next to the Crossbow

• Stone arrows: 110 damage at 100% weapon damage, against 95 from a Crossbow.
• Obsidian Arrows: 150 against 75, twice the Crossbow's figure. The wiki rates the Recurve Bow as the best choice for them, as they are ineffective from a Crossbow.
• Tranq Arrows: a hit adds torpor at once equal to 2 times the weapon damage, then 2.5 times the weapon damage over the next 4 seconds. The wiki puts one shot from a primitive Recurve Bow at 180 torpor, against 157.5 for a Crossbow, and shots landed within those 4 seconds stack immediately.
• Flame Arrows: about 100 instant damage plus burning, 320 damage in total within a few seconds against most creatures.

Many creatures take extra damage from headshots, flying creatures take 50% more, and these bonuses carry over to Tranq Arrow torpor.

Handling

It is loaded by hand like a Bow, but its loading time is much shorter, shorter even than a Crossbow's. It fires every type of arrow, so it can tame creatures with Tranq Arrows, and like other bows it cannot be used underwater. Damage depends on weapon quality and arrow type.

Crafting and repair

The engram unlocks at level 65 for 35 engram points, and the wiki names the Smithy as the crafting station. Ingredients:

• 20 Wood
• 150 Fiber
• 40 Leather (Primitive Plus)
• 45 Beeswax (Primitive Plus)

The wiki gives a crafting time of 5 seconds and 1 XP per craft. Repairs take 10 Wood, 75 Fiber, 20 Leather and 22.5 Beeswax. The bow weighs 7 and has 80 durability.