All Bow Challenges in Crimson Desert (& How to Beat Them)

TL;DR

• There are 6 Bow Challenges in Crimson Desert, all named Bow Aimed at Fate (I through VI) and listed under the Mastery category.
• Each challenge is locked behind a Sealed Abyss Artifact you must pick up in the world first — progress doesn’t count before you find it.
• Completing all 6 unlocks the Master of Bows trophy and achievement.
• Rewards include Infinite Arrows I, Insight I, Headstart I, Greater Infinite Arrows, Aptitude I, Composure I, plus Abyss Artifacts and Faded Abyss Artifacts across all six.
• Challenges can only be completed as Kliff — not as Damiane or Oongka.
• Unlock all six artifacts as early as possible so progress counts in the background as you play.
• Efficient route: Hernand (I + II) → Pailune (III) → Crimson Desert region (IV) → Demeniss (V) → Pailune/Ridgepath area (VI).

Bow Challenges in Crimson Desert are six mastery trials that test different parts of archery — timed kills, kill streaks with specific arrow types, aerial combat, long-range shooting, and Focused Shot proficiency. Every challenge stays locked until you physically pick up its Sealed Abyss Artifact in the open world. This guide has every artifact location, what each challenge requires, how to beat each one efficiently, and what you earn for completing them.

For more on bow builds and related Abyss Gears, see our OP Infinite Arrow Archer Build, the Best Weapon Abyss Gears guide, and the full Crimson Desert Guide Hub.

How Bow Challenges Work in Crimson Desert

Bow Challenges are part of the Mastery — Goyen’s Advice category. Each challenge is a Sealed Abyss Artifact hidden somewhere in the open world, usually near roads or landmarks. When you pick up the artifact, the challenge activates and you can start working toward its requirement. Progress does not count retroactively — kills or actions you performed before picking up the artifact are ignored.

The artifacts appear as purple icons on your minimap when you’re nearby, but they are not marked on the main map by default. They are found along roads and at intersections, so exploring on foot or horseback is the most reliable way to stumble on them. Once you pick one up, you can track challenge progress in your Challenge Log at any time.

When a challenge is complete, stand still, sheathe your weapons, and use the Sealed Abyss Artifact from your inventory to claim your rewards. You must be stationary and unequipped to use it.

For help navigating the world efficiently to find these artifacts, use our bell tower and fog of war guide to unlock the full map first. See also our fast travel guide to move between regions quickly.

Before You Start — Bow Preparation Tips

A few things to sort out before you chase these challenges:

• Refine your bow. Several challenges require killing enemies quickly. A refined bow deals significantly more damage, making timed kills and kill streaks far easier. See our guide on how to reinforce equipment to get your bow up to scratch.
• Upgrade the Marksmanship skill. This directly increases bow damage and makes every challenge that requires kills easier.
• Unlock Focused Shot. Challenges III and VI both require or heavily benefit from Focused Shot. You cannot meaningfully complete Challenge VI without it. Check best skills to level up first to prioritize it.
• Stock Explosive Arrows and normal arrows separately. Challenge I is best done with Explosive Arrows. Challenge II specifically requires normal arrows only — switching arrow types mid-streak resets your count.
• Stock Replenishing Arrows or set up Infinite Arrows. If you’re running an archer build, get the Replenishing Arrows setup before doing these challenges. The Infinite Arrows Abyss Gears you earn from these challenges are the foundation of any end-game archer build.
• Pick up all 6 artifacts as soon as possible. The moment you pick an artifact up, progress starts counting. Get all six early so they tick in the background as you play through the story normally.

Bow Aimed at Fate I — 5 Bow Kills in 60 Seconds

Sealed Abyss Artifact Location

Found in Hernand, at the intersection directly west of Glenbright Farm. It’s far south of the “D” in “Hernand” on your map, to the west of the farmhouse itself. Look for the purple minimap icon when you’re in the area.

Challenge Requirement

Defeat 5 enemies with a bow within 60 seconds.

How to Complete Bow Aimed at Fate I

The 60-second window sounds tight, but it’s very manageable in Hernand where enemies are weaker than in later regions. The key is grouping up targets before the timer starts.

• Find a patrol or camp with at least 5 enemies standing close together — Hernand has plenty of these near the farms and outposts.
• Use Explosive Arrows. The AoE damage can hit multiple enemies per shot, and in Hernand, most enemies die from a single Explosive Arrow, letting you chain kills rapidly within the 60-second window.
• Upgrade your Marksmanship skill and refine your bow beforehand if you’re struggling — higher damage means faster kills and more seconds to spare.
• Charged Shot is also effective if you’ve unlocked it, as it deals high single-target burst damage for fast one-shot kills.

Reward

• x1 Abyss Artifact
• x1 Infinite Arrows I

Infinite Arrows I is your first step toward the core archer build. Stack it with the Infinite Arrows II and III you’ll earn later for effective infinite arrow conservation. See our guide on getting unlimited Abyss Artifacts to also farm the Abyss Artifacts rewards efficiently.

Bow Aimed at Fate II — 7 Consecutive Kills with Normal Arrows

Sealed Abyss Artifact Location

Still in Hernand, on the north side of the road southeast of Claphade Outpost. Head north of the “A” in “Hernand” toward the lake that’s southeast of Calphade Outpost. The artifact is in the south region of the Deepfog Basin.

Challenge Requirement

Defeat 7 enemies in a row using only normal arrows.

How to Complete Bow Aimed at Fate II

The “in a row” requirement is the tricky part. Switching to a different weapon or arrow type — including Explosive Arrows, Poison Arrows, or your sword — resets your consecutive kill count back to zero. You must commit to the bow and normal arrows for the entire sequence.

• Equip normal arrows only before starting and don’t switch away from them until the challenge completes.
• Find a route with a steady stream of enemies — Hernand enemy camps and patrol routes work well here since enemies are weaker and die more reliably from normal arrow shots.
• Use Charged Shot to one-shot weaker enemies quickly and maintain your streak without waiting for multiple hits to land.
• Use Evasive Shot to keep distance while attacking — staying mobile prevents counter-attacks that might force you to switch weapons to survive.
• Don’t use Force Palm, sword attacks, or any non-bow move at all during the streak. Even non-killing melee hits can reset the counter.
• If you’re using Abyss Gears on your bow, make sure none of them trigger melee follow-up effects automatically.

Reward

• x1 Abyss Artifact
• x1 Faded Abyss Artifact

Faded Abyss Artifacts are used for respeccing your skill tree, which is useful when you want to adjust your build as you progress.

Bow Aimed at Fate III — Hit 3 Enemies Mid-Air with a Bow

Sealed Abyss Artifact Location

Found in Pailune (Demeniss border area), at a stone memorial along the road southeast of Beighen Candlery. Head southeast from Beighen Candlery and look for it near the roadside shrine.

Challenge Requirement

Hit 3 enemies with a bow while you are in mid-air. Landing on the ground resets your counter back to zero.

How to Complete Bow Aimed at Fate III

This is the most mechanically demanding of the six challenges. The counter resets the moment you touch the ground, so you have to hit all three enemies during a single sustained airborne period. Explosive Arrows do not count for this — it requires three separate arrow hits on three separate targets.

The reliable method:

1. Find a spot with at least 3 enemies grouped relatively close together.
2. Double jump to get off the ground.
3. Use Force Palm (R3 / press both sticks) up to three times while in the air to boost your altitude as high as possible.
4. Once you’ve gained maximum height, press Square / X to open your wings and begin gliding.
5. While gliding, use L2 / LT to enter aim mode — this slows time while you’re airborne, giving you more time to line up shots.
6. Use Focused Shot to quickly mark and hit three separate enemies before you land.

Height is everything here. The more altitude you have when you start gliding, the longer you stay airborne and the more time you have to hit all three targets. Try this from the roof of a building or from an elevated position near an Abyss gate. If you’re near an Abyss sky island, jump from there and glide down into a group for maximum airtime. Do not use Explosive Arrows — the splash damage from one shot will not count as three separate hits.

Reward

• x1 Abyss Artifact
• x1 Insight I

Insight I adds Critical Rate to your weapon socket. Upgrade it through Synthesis at any Witch to eventually reach Insight III for the full crit build payoff. See our Abyss Gears List for full details on Insight tiers.

Bow Aimed at Fate IV — Shoot 3 Birds from Over 15 Metres

Sealed Abyss Artifact Location

Found in the Crimson Desert region itself, in the Valley of Grief, west of the Well of Reflection and south of the final “R” in “Forebearer’s Barrens” on the map.

Challenge Requirement

Take down 3 birds with a bow from a distance of over 15 metres.

How to Complete Bow Aimed at Fate IV

This is one of the more straightforward challenges once you’re in the right area. Birds in flight are always more than 15 metres away — the sky gives you the distance automatically — so you just need to find birds and shoot them.

• Stay in the Crimson Desert region for this challenge. The open desert terrain has no trees obstructing your sightlines, and vultures perch in large groups on rock formations throughout the area.
• Approach a group of vultures on the rocks to cause them to take flight, then back up and shoot them as they fly away from you. They’ll naturally be at or beyond 15 metres once airborne.
• Use Focused Shot to mark and lock onto birds in flight — it makes hitting moving targets in the air significantly easier.
• If you’re struggling to find birds, look for vultures near cliff edges and rock outcroppings across the Crimson Desert. They respawn, so revisit spots if needed.
• Normal arrows work fine here. Explosive Arrows are unnecessary and wasteful since one bird per shot is all you need.

Reward

• x1 Abyss Artifact
• x1 Faded Abyss Artifact
• x1 Aptitude I

Aptitude I gives +10% Skill EXP gain and slots into armor. It’s particularly useful in the early game when you’re grinding skill points. Extract it from armor if it arrives pre-embedded, or slot it directly into a glove or boot socket. See our guide on how to get skill points to pair it with the best grinding methods.

Bow Aimed at Fate V — Defeat 5 Enemies from Over 20 Metres

Sealed Abyss Artifact Location

Found in Demeniss, on the side of the road south of the Gate of Truth, at the intersection southeast of Beighen in a small wooden shrine.

Challenge Requirement

Take down 5 enemies at once from over 20 metres away using a bow.

How to Complete Bow Aimed at Fate V

“At once” here means all 5 must die from a single engagement at range — not necessarily from a single arrow. The 20-metre distance is the harder part to manage, as many enemy camps in Demeniss are harder to pull at long range than those in Hernand.

• Use Explosive Arrows. The AoE lets you damage multiple enemies with one shot from range. Fire into a tightly grouped cluster of 5+ enemies from beyond 20 metres to potentially kill several at once.
• Community players have had consistent success against the mechanical wasp enemies in Delesyia. Normal enemies in most camps may not register properly — if your counter isn’t moving past 1/5, try a different enemy type or location.
• Another confirmed method: head to Bellanor Hunting Grounds, back up to create distance, then double jump and use three Force Palm boosts for height. From the air with wings open, use a Charged Shot into a group of enemies with Volcanic Eruption active to deal fire AoE damage to multiple targets simultaneously from long range.
• Use Focused Shot to mark multiple enemies before firing — this helps confirm distance and target priority.
• If enemies are too spread out, try luring them into a tight group before backing up to 20+ metres and firing.

Reward

• x1 Abyss Artifact
• x1 Greater Infinite Arrows

Greater Infinite Arrows gives a 100% chance to not consume arrows, but it has durability and will break after extended use. For sustained play, the 60% + 40% combination of Infinite Arrows III and II from Elowen’s synthesis is more reliable. Save Greater Infinite Arrows for tough boss fights where arrow conservation is critical. See the full setup in our OP Infinite Arrow Archer Build guide.

Bow Aimed at Fate VI — Hit 5 Different Enemies with Focused Shot

Sealed Abyss Artifact Location

Found in Pailune, near the Ridgepath Post area. This is the furthest challenge from the early-game starting areas, so plan a trip through Pailune to pick it up when you’re in that region.

Challenge Requirement

Hit 5 different enemies using Focused Shot.

How to Complete Bow Aimed at Fate VI

This is the easiest challenge in the entire set — and the most relaxed. There is no time limit, no streak requirement, and no special positioning needed. You just need to use Focused Shot on 5 different enemies. They don’t even need to die from the hit.

• Unlock Focused Shot first — you literally cannot complete this challenge without it. It must be purchased from the skill tree. Check your skill tree and confirm it’s unlocked before attempting.
• Once you have Focused Shot, simply activate it and target 5 different enemies one at a time. Walk through any enemy camp in Pailune or any other region and use Focused Shot on each target.
• The 5 hits don’t need to be consecutive or within a time limit. Use it on 1 enemy at a time across multiple encounters if you prefer — progress carries over.
• Any enemy type counts. No need for specific zones.

Reward

• x1 Abyss Artifact
• x1 Faded Abyss Artifact
• x1 Composure I

Composure I increases Spirit Regeneration, which is valuable for builds that use Spirit-heavy moves like Turning Slash frequently. Upgrade it through Synthesis to Composure III for +6% Spirit Regen from a single armor socket. Purchase the Composure Blueprint from Elowen in Hernand if you want to craft additional copies.

All Bow Challenge Rewards Summary

• Bow Aimed at Fate I: x1 Abyss Artifact, x1 Infinite Arrows I
• Bow Aimed at Fate II: x1 Abyss Artifact, x1 Faded Abyss Artifact
• Bow Aimed at Fate III: x1 Abyss Artifact, x1 Insight I
• Bow Aimed at Fate IV: x1 Abyss Artifact, x1 Faded Abyss Artifact, x1 Aptitude I
• Bow Aimed at Fate V: x1 Abyss Artifact, x1 Greater Infinite Arrows
• Bow Aimed at Fate VI: x1 Abyss Artifact, x1 Faded Abyss Artifact, x1 Composure I
• Master of Bows trophy/achievement — unlocked on completing all 6

Tips for Completing All Bow Challenges Efficiently

• Pick up all 6 artifacts immediately. The moment you find each artifact, challenge progress activates. If you pick up artifacts early, bow kills and shots you do naturally while playing the story count toward them. Don’t wait until late game to start hunting them.
• Do Challenges I and II first, in Hernand. Hernand enemies are the weakest in the game. Timed kills (I) and kill streaks (II) are significantly easier here than in Demeniss or the Crimson Desert region, where enemies have more health and hit back harder.
• Use the Crimson Desert region for Challenge IV. The open desert terrain with its unobstructed sightlines and plentiful vultures makes the 15-metre bird shot requirement trivially easy compared to more forested areas like Pailune.
• Challenge III is the skill check. The mid-air requirement with a counter that resets on landing is the one that requires practice. If you’re failing it repeatedly, focus on building more height before opening your wings — use Force Palm three times in a row after your double jump for maximum altitude.
• Challenge V requires the right enemy type. If your counter isn’t registering, try different enemy types. The mechanical wasp enemies in Delesyia are the most commonly confirmed solution from the community.
• Challenge VI requires Focused Shot to be unlocked. Confirm it’s in your skill tree before attempting. Without it, the challenge simply cannot be completed.
• Don’t switch weapon types mid-challenge II. Any non-bow action resets the 7-kill streak. Stay fully committed to your bow and normal arrows for the entire sequence, even if an enemy gets close.

How Bow Challenges Fit Into the Archer Build

The rewards from these six challenges form the backbone of a powerful archer build. Infinite Arrows I (from Challenge I) and Greater Infinite Arrows (from Challenge V) stack with the crafted Infinite Arrows II and III to give you effective arrow conservation across all situations. Insight I from Challenge III upgrades into Critical Rate boosts through Synthesis. Aptitude I improves your Skill EXP gain while you grind out the archer skill tree. Composure I keeps your Spirit up for sustained combat.

Once you’ve completed all six, pair these rewards with the gear in our OP Infinite Arrow Archer Build for the full setup. For the best bow to use, see our Golden Knotted Ancestral Bow guide and our guide on the Crimson Warden’s Bow. The Divine Echoes Bow is also worth considering for endgame.

If you’re building a hybrid melee-ranged character, these bow challenges pair naturally with the weapon Abyss Gears and dual-wield setup covered in our Best Dual-Wield Swords Build guide — swap to the bow for ranged situations and back to dual blades for close quarters.

Master of Bows Trophy and Achievement

Completing all 6 Bow Aimed at Fate challenges unlocks the Master of Bows trophy on PlayStation and achievement on PC and Xbox. This is one of the more manageable trophy/achievement unlocks in the game, since all six challenges are doable across normal play without any single-playthrough-only conditions. If you’re going for the full Crimson Desert trophy list, this is a comfortable early check-off — especially if you pick up all the artifacts as soon as you reach each region.

Where to Get Crimson Desert

Available on all major platforms:

• Steam (PC)
• Epic Games Store (PC)
• PlayStation Store (PS5)
• Xbox Store (Xbox Series X|S)

Final Thoughts

The Bow Challenges are one of the more satisfying challenge sets in Crimson Desert because each one is genuinely different. Challenge I gets you practicing timed burst kills. Challenge II teaches you arrow discipline. Challenge III is a proper airborne skill test that most players struggle with at first. Challenge IV is a scenic side trip that doubles as a vulture hunt. Challenge V pushes your long-range setup. And Challenge VI is a free reward for learning Focused Shot, which you should have by then anyway.

Pick up every artifact as soon as you can access each region, do Challenges I and II in Hernand while enemies are easy, and tackle the harder ones once your bow and skills are refined. By the time you claim that sixth reward and the Master of Bows unlocks, your archer build will have the foundation it needs to carry through the rest of the game.

For more challenge guides, see our All Sword Mastery Challenges guide, the All Power Challenges and Boss Locations guide, and the full Trophy List and All Achievements guide.