- TL;DR: The Torque Bow is a Locust precision bolt launcher — hold the trigger to charge, release to fire an explosive bolt.
- A fully charged bolt deals massive damage to enemy weak points — the best single-shot damage in the game when it connects.
- Hold too long and the bow auto-fires. Charge timing is everything.
- It also has large scythe-like blades on the limbs for brutal close-range melee executions.
- Found in the campaign in Act 3, Chapter 5: Desperate Times. Ammo first appears in Act 3 Chapter 1.
- In Horde Siege, Marksman unlocks it earliest at Level 17. Breacher gets it at Level 21.
- Best mods: Mobile Target Laser (charge reticle while moving) and Stake Bolts (faster charge, increased crit damage, blind-fire accuracy).
- Rated A-Tier in PvE and reaches S-Tier in PvP in skilled hands.
What Is the Torque Bow in Gears of War E-Day?
The Torque Bow is a Locust weapon and one of the most iconic in the entire Gears of War franchise. It is a mechanical crossbow that fires explosive bolts using magnetic coil technology. It has appeared in the series since the original Gears of War, and in E-Day it returns as a high-skill precision tool that rewards players who take the time to master it.
It works differently from every other weapon in the game. You do not just aim and shoot. You hold the trigger to charge the bow. A short charge sends out an underpowered bolt with limited range. A full charge fires a devastating explosive bolt that can take off limbs, destroy weak points on elite enemies, and one-shot most standard opponents. The tradeoff is the time you spend stationary while charging — you are exposed and the bow glows bright while you power it up, making you an easy target.
Beyond the bolt, the Torque Bow has large scythe-like blades mounted on its forward limbs. These are not decorative. They enable powerful melee attacks and close-range executions that are among the most brutal in the game. The Torque Bow is genuinely versatile — a precision long-range weapon and a heavy melee tool in one package.
For the full weapon list, see our Gears of War E-Day all weapons list.
Torque Bow Weapon Type and Stats Overview
- Weapon Type: Precision Bolt Launcher
- Origin: Locust weapon
- Fire Mechanic: Hold trigger to charge, release to fire
- Bolt Type: Explosive — detonates on impact or after a short delay
- Auto-Fire Warning: Will fire automatically if held at full charge too long
- Melee Feature: Scythe-like blades for close-range attacks and executions
- PvE Tier Rating: A-Tier
- PvP Tier Rating: S-Tier (high-skill ceiling)
The Torque Bow has the highest skill ceiling of any weapon in E-Day. At a basic level it is decent. In skilled hands, it becomes one of the most devastating tools in the game — especially in PvP where the explosive bolt can stick to cover and walls as a denial trap, and where a precise hit sticks to an opponent’s body and detonates a moment later.
How Charging Works – The Most Important Mechanic
Before anything else, you need to understand the charge system. This is what separates Torque Bow players from Torque Bow users.
Hold the trigger to charge. The bolt loads and the bow builds tension. You will hear a whining sound from the magnetic coils as it charges — and you will see the barrel glow brighter. That glow makes you visible to enemies, so be aware of your surroundings before charging up.
Release the trigger to fire. Do not hold too long. If you hit full charge and keep holding, the bow auto-fires on its own. An auto-fired bolt that lands somewhere unintentional — on cover in front of you, for example — can deal splash damage to yourself. Learn the charge window and release deliberately.
A partially charged bolt will still travel and detonate, but its penetration and damage are significantly weaker. An undercharged bolt can bounce off a target instead of sticking. Always aim for a full or near-full charge before releasing against anything worth hitting.
The bolt sticks to enemies and surfaces. When it sticks to an enemy, they have a brief moment before it detonates — but they almost certainly cannot escape the blast in time. When it sticks to a surface near an enemy, the detonation radius can still down them. Both are valid plays.
Where to Find the Torque Bow in Campaign
The Torque Bow first appears in the campaign in Act 3, Chapter 5: Desperate Times. This is a late-game weapon — you will not have it for the first half of the campaign at all. However, Torque Bow ammo starts showing up in Act 3, Chapter 1, and you can first pick up a Torque Bow from a Locust Theron Guard enemy during a cutscene encounter in that section. Grab it whenever you can before the guaranteed unlock in Chapter 5.
The Torque Bow is found being used by Locust Theron Guards — elite Locust warriors who appear in Act 3 as you push deeper into the campaign. When you take one down, always check for the Torque Bow drop. These enemies show up before the official chapter unlock.
By Act 3 you should have extra mod slots unlocked from secondary objectives and Hard Cases. Make sure they are ready before you pick up the Torque Bow. See our Act 2 walkthrough for secondary objective locations that unlock mod slots early, and our secondary objective locations guide for the full list across all acts.
How to Unlock the Torque Bow in Horde Siege
The Torque Bow is a late-game unlock for most classes in Horde Siege. Here are the unlock levels:
- Marksman: Level 17 (unlocks earliest)
- Breacher: Level 21
- Medic: Level 28
- Assault: Level 30 (unlocks latest)
The Marksman class gets it earliest and is also the best class for using it effectively. The Torque Bow fits the Marksman playstyle naturally — staying at range, using the Pulse Drone to tag priority targets, and then taking them out with high-damage precision shots. More on that setup below.
The Breacher is the second-earliest unlock at Level 21, and the Torque Bow pairs well with the Breacher’s close-in playstyle too — the scythe blades and melee execution potential suit the Breacher’s execution-reward armor mods. More on that below as well.
Best Mods for the Torque Bow
The Torque Bow has two mods that transform how it plays, and both are worth unlocking as soon as possible:
Mobile Target Laser
This is the most impactful mod for general Torque Bow use. It allows the charging reticule to remain visible while hip-firing, which means you can charge the bow while moving instead of being locked in a static aim. This directly addresses the weapon’s biggest weakness — being a stationary target during the charge phase. With this mod, you can charge while repositioning behind cover, readjust your angle, and then release the shot without ever fully stopping. It makes the Torque Bow significantly safer and more fluid to use.
Stake Bolts
This mod removes the explosive properties of the bolt in exchange for increased critical hit damage and a faster charge speed. This sounds like a downgrade but it is not — for precision play it is strictly better. Faster charge speed means less time exposed while powering up. Higher critical damage means weak-point hits on bosses and elite enemies deal far more damage than the standard explosive bolt would. Most importantly, Stake Bolts combined with the Mobile Target Laser allows you to land accurate blind-fired shots from cover. Hip-fire a charged Stake Bolt from behind a wall with the laser showing you the aim point — it is one of the most rewarding plays the weapon offers.
Laser Sight (Blindfire Mod)
A dedicated laser sight mod adds a laser to the Torque Bow that remains visible during blind fire from cover. One reviewer confirmed equipping this mod and turning Boomers into explosive pincushions from behind solid cover without ever exposing themselves. Combined with Stake Bolts, this creates a cover-based precision weapon that does not require line-of-sight at all.
For the complete list of every mod available, see our Gears of War E-Day all mods list. For unlocking additional slots for these mods, check our guide on how to unlock more weapon mod slots.
How to Use the Torque Bow Effectively
Always Aim for Full Charge
A partial charge is not worth firing in most situations. The bolt loses penetration and may not stick to the target. Wait for the charge window to complete before releasing. In a fast-moving fight, this means you need to start charging before you have a clear shot — read enemy movement and predict the window, then pop out from cover with a charged bolt ready to go.
Target Weak Points on Bosses and Elites
The Torque Bow is the best single-hit weapon in the game for targeting weak points. A fully charged bolt on a boss’s exposed weak point deals more damage than almost anything else available. In boss fights, use the Torque Bow whenever the weak point is exposed and hold your other weapons for crowd control. With Stake Bolts equipped and the critical damage boost active, this is the fastest way to break through boss armor and elite Locust shields.
Do Not Hold at Full Charge
The auto-fire trigger is a real hazard. If you reach maximum charge and hesitate, the bow fires by itself at whatever angle you are pointing. This can hit cover in front of you and deal splash damage back. Develop the habit of releasing the moment the charge is complete. If you miss the window and do not have a clear shot, let the auto-fire happen in a safe direction rather than panicking and sweeping the aim.
Use the Scythe Blades for Executions
When an enemy goes down in front of you at close range, the Torque Bow melee execution is one of the most brutal in E-Day. The forward blades are large and deal serious damage in melee range. Do not switch to a pistol or secondary to finish off a downed enemy if the Torque Bow is already in your hand — the blade melee is faster and earns execution rewards if you are running armor mods that benefit from them.
Use Bolts as Proximity Traps
A bolt that sticks to a surface near an enemy lane is a proximity trap. In Horde Siege, fire a charged bolt at a wall in a chokepoint when enemies are approaching. The detonation radius will catch anything that walks past. This is especially useful for E-Hole mouths — fire a bolt into the entrance, let it stick to the interior wall, and it will detonate on the next wave of enemies emerging. It is a different approach to lane denial than the Gut Puncher, but equally effective in the right setup. See our Gut Puncher weapon guide for comparison.
Torque Bow in Horde Siege – Marksman and Breacher Builds
Marksman Class
The Marksman is the best class for the Torque Bow. The combination of the Pulse Drone and the Torque Bow creates one of the most effective priority target elimination setups in Horde Siege. Deploy the Pulse Drone to reveal and tag high-value enemies across the battlefield. Your squad can see them through walls. You can now charge the Torque Bow with confidence — you know exactly where the target is and where it is moving. Release a fully charged bolt on the tagged target the moment it steps into your sightline.
The Marksman’s passive critical-hit damage bonus directly boosts the Torque Bow’s best quality. Every weak-point hit deals more damage because of the class passive. Add Stake Bolts and the critical damage mod, and the Torque Bow on a Marksman becomes the single most damaging precision shot available against priority targets in the game.
Recommended Marksman loadout with Torque Bow:
- Tactical Gear: Pulse Drone with Focal Lens mod
- Primary: Longshot — Precision Long Barrel, Marksman Scope, Full Metal Jacket
- Secondary: Torque Bow — Mobile Target Laser, Stake Bolts
- Armor Mod 1: Stay Frosty — improved defense and weapon stability while aiming
- Armor Mod 2: Critical Tempo — critical kills reduce Pulse Drone cooldown
Pair the Longshot as your primary for reliable long-range work and use the Torque Bow as your secondary for priority target and boss weak-point moments. Critical Tempo means every Torque Bow weak-point kill charges your Pulse Drone faster, keeping the squad’s enemy visibility up constantly.
Breacher Class
The Breacher with a Torque Bow is a different playstyle but equally valid. The Breacher’s execution-reward armor mods — Blood Mag, Proximity Regen, Hemostatic Valve — all trigger from executions. A Torque Bow bolt at mid range that downs an enemy sets up a blade execution at close range, which then triggers your health recovery and cooldown refunds. It is an aggressive loop: fire from distance, push in on the downed target, execute with the scythe blades, recover health and cooldown, repeat.
Breacher’s Adrenaline Injector also makes the charge window safer — pop the Injector before stepping out to charge the bow and you take reduced damage during that vulnerable period.
Torque Bow in PvP – Versus Mode Tips
In Versus, the Torque Bow is rated S-Tier at its skill ceiling. In the hands of an experienced player, it is arguably the most dangerous single weapon in a PvP round. Here is why — and how to use it correctly.
A bolt that sticks to a player detonates after a short delay. They cannot remove it. In most cases they cannot reach cover in time. A body stick — anywhere on the torso, limbs, or head — is effectively a down. This is more forgiving than the Longshot’s headshot requirement. You do not need a perfect shot. You need the bolt to connect.
The key PvP challenge is the charge time. Experienced opponents listen for the charging sound. When they hear the magnetic whine, they know a Torque Bow player is preparing a shot and will actively break line of sight. The answer is the Mobile Target Laser mod — charge while still moving so the sound begins but the opponent cannot predict your shooting angle. Step out from a different angle than expected and release.
In Versus, the Torque Bow is also useful for denying objectives. A charged bolt placed at the base of a capture point or bomb site forces opponents back even if it does not stick to them. The threat of detonation is enough to create movement, and that movement opens up opportunities for your teammates.
Torque Bow vs Longshot – Which Is Better?
Both are long-range precision weapons with very high ceilings. Here is the honest comparison:
- The Longshot is more consistent. A Perfect Reload headshot is a guaranteed down. The scope makes distant targeting easier. It requires precise aim but the reward is immediate. See our Longshot weapon guide for full details.
- The Torque Bow has a higher ceiling but a harder floor. A full-charge body stick in PvP is a down without a headshot. A weak-point hit in PvE deals more raw damage than a Longshot shot. But the charge window, the auto-fire risk, and the exposure during charging make it harder to use under pressure.
If you are a newer player, the Longshot is more reliable. If you are comfortable with the charge timing and want the highest possible damage output against bosses and in PvP, the Torque Bow is the better pick.
How the Torque Bow Fits Into the Full Weapon Roster
The Torque Bow is E-Day’s high-skill single-shot weapon. It sits at the top end of the precision category alongside the Longshot and Breechshot, but it plays completely differently from both. The others are conventional firearms. The Torque Bow is a charged bolt launcher that punishes precision and rewards patience.
Quick links to the other precision and ranged weapons in E-Day:
- Longshot — consistent sniper, headshot-focused. Longshot weapon guide
- Breechshot — mid-range marksman, round-by-round reload and axe melee. Breechshot weapon guide
- Hammerburst — burst-fire rifle, accurate mid-range. Hammerburst weapon guide
- Gut Puncher — timed-detonation grenade launcher, cover denial. Gut Puncher weapon guide
- Ripper — sustained-fire LMG, S-Tier DPS. Ripper weapon guide
Where to Play Gears of War E-Day
Gears of War E-Day launched on October 6, 2026 for Xbox Series X|S and PC. Get it through official channels here:
Available on Xbox Game Pass at no extra cost to subscribers.
Frequently Asked Questions – Torque Bow in Gears of War E-Day
What type of weapon is the Torque Bow in Gears of War E-Day?
The Torque Bow is a Precision Bolt Launcher. It is a Locust weapon that fires charged explosive bolts. You hold the trigger to charge, release to fire. Bolts stick to enemies and surfaces before detonating.
How do you use the Torque Bow correctly?
Hold the trigger to charge, then release to fire. Always aim for a full charge before releasing — undercharged bolts have poor penetration and may bounce off targets. Do not hold past full charge or the bow auto-fires. Use the Mobile Target Laser mod to charge while moving so you are not a stationary target during the charge phase.
Where do you find the Torque Bow in the campaign?
The Torque Bow is first available in Act 3, Chapter 5: Desperate Times. Ammo and enemy-dropped versions begin appearing from Act 3, Chapter 1 onward — you can pick one up from a Locust Theron Guard before the official chapter unlock.
What class unlocks the Torque Bow earliest in Horde Siege?
The Marksman class unlocks it at Level 17, the earliest of any class. The Marksman is also the best class for the Torque Bow thanks to the Pulse Drone synergy and the critical-hit damage class passive.
What are the best mods for the Torque Bow?
The two best mods are Mobile Target Laser (lets you charge while moving, eliminates the stationary-target weakness) and Stake Bolts (removes explosive damage in exchange for faster charge speed and dramatically increased critical hit damage). Together they enable accurate blind-fire shots from cover without exposing yourself.
Is the Torque Bow good in PvP?
Yes — it is S-Tier in PvP at high skill levels. A bolt that sticks anywhere on an opponent’s body is effectively a down, which is more forgiving than the Longshot’s headshot requirement. The challenge is the charge time and audible charging sound. The Mobile Target Laser mod addresses this by letting you charge while moving.
What is the auto-fire risk on the Torque Bow?
If you reach full charge and continue holding, the Torque Bow automatically fires in whatever direction you are pointing. If that direction is a wall or cover in front of you, the bolt detonates and deals splash damage back to you. Release the trigger deliberately as soon as the charge is complete to avoid this.
Does the Torque Bow have a melee attack?
Yes. The Torque Bow has large scythe-like blades on its forward limbs that enable powerful melee attacks and close-range executions. These are second only to the Chainsaw Bayonet in melee strength and are well worth using when a downed enemy is close.
