10 Magic Arrows to Keep them at Range
Sometimes in these posts I present huge campaign-bending artifacts, because that’s fun. Other times we just need a list of cool arrows to spice up our gameplay, here they are.
Splitting Arcane Bolt
This metal arrowhead reflects shades of purple, it seems cracked.
When shooting this arrow, make an attack against a target creature and roll as normal against its AC. If the attack hits, the arrow instead splits mid-flight in 1d4+1 purple arcane darts. Each dart hits one different creature within 60ft of the original target and it deals damage as if hit by your attack plus an extra 1d4 as force damage.
If you don’t hit the original target creature with a dart, the arrow splits in arcane darts right in front of it, making it stumble. It is Frightened by you until the end of your next turn.
Tracker
When moving this dark wood arrow around it seems to emit a faint blue smoke from the tip.
After you hit a creature or an object with this arrow, you start seeing a faint trail of blue smoke coming from your quiver and leading to the target. This smoke is only visible by you and lasts 24 hours. If the target moves out of sight the smoke keeps leading to it without traversing solid objects, the path can slightly change and adapt to new obstacles but remains a quick way to the target.
On a Critical Hit the effect lasts for 2d4 days instead.
Lingering Slasher
This long and sharp arrowhead has elvish runes inscribed in it, they faintly glow green when the arrow is nocked.
After you damage a creature with this arrow, it doesn’t get stuck on it but starts flying around the target, leaving a green trail in its arcs. For 1 minute on each of your turns you can use a Bonus Action to make an attack with the flying arrow. The target must be within 30ft of the creature it last struck. You don’t add your Dexterity modifier to the damage of this attack, otherwise it’s as if shot with the weapon you made the first attack with.
Matchmaker
Heart shaped silver point, this elegant arrow feels heavier than it looks.
After hitting a creature with this arrow, it keeps going forward in a straight line, in the same direction it was shot. If the arrow doesn’t hit something before having travelled for 60ft, nothing else happens and you roll damage as normal for the attack.
When the arrow hits another target it binds the two points together and pushes them toward each other:
If the arrow hits a solid object, heavier than the creature, the creature falls prone and is pushed until it comes within 5ft of the object. Roll the attack damage plus an extra 1d6. If the object is lighter than the creature it counts as another creature.
If the arrow hits another creature, they both fall prone and are pushed simultaneously toward each other, travelling the same distance until they meet in the middle. Roll the attack damage plus an extra 2d6, both creatures take damage from your attack.
Any creature damaged by this arrow is bound by a silvery cord that doesn’t stretch more than 5ft, pinning them to an object or to another creature. Two creatures can still move together but never move away from each other more than 5ft. This cord lasts 1 minute.
Bright Sun
A golden sun is depicted on the steel, the point of the projectile shines white.
This arrow shines bright light in a 20-foot radius and dim light for an additional 20 feet.
When you shoot this arrow with an attack and it hits a creature or an object, it creates a burst of white light. The arrow also stops and bursts if it travels 60ft without strucking anything.
When the arrow bursts it becomes a 10-foot radius sphere of light, it sheds bright light for 60ft and dim light for an additional 60ft. The sphere of light persists for 10 minutes and can’t be moved from the point the arrow landed. Furthermore, any creature that sees the burst: WIS14 or be blinded for 1 minute, Save Ends. A creature that knows about the arrow can use its Reaction to avert their eyes and automatically succeed the saving throw.
Shrouderer
A black arrow that doesn’t seem to reflect light and does not emit sounds when shot.
Shooting this arrow while concealed doesn’t reveal your position. A creature damaged with this arrow becomes invisible for 1 minute. When the creature attacks or uses an action to interact with another creature it can WIS14 to stop being invisible on a success. A willingly creature can choose not to try and become visible again.
You can otherwise use one of your attacks to shoot the arrow in a point within range, a black thick magical darkness creeps from that point in a 30-foot sphere, creatures are in full cover and blinded while in the fog.
Snare
A very thorny and slim arrowhead on a solid, almost unbendable, body.
A creature hit by this weapon is pierced and snared to the ground. Roll damage for the attack plus an extra 2d6. The creature’s speed becomes 0ft. It can use its Action to break the arrow or rip it out of its body. When it does so, its speed returns to normal and it takes 2d6 slashing damage.
Breezeway
A light-weight arrow, made of a light colored wood, chill to the touch.
You can use one of your attacks to shoot this arrow in a direction, it travels 60ft or until it’s stopped by a solid object, then it activates. The arrow also activates if you hit a creature within 60ft of you.
When the arrow activates, it creates an area of effect in a line 10ft wide, that starts from you and ends where the arrow landed. Inside the line, heavy wind blows in the same direction the arrow was shot in, doubling the speed of any creature going in that direction and halving the speed of any creature going against it. The wind also prevents any projectile from reaching a creature inside the line. This effect lasts for 1 minute.
Royal Bullet
A golden arrow, bolt or bullet, with someone’s name written on it.
This arrow gives (at least) a +3 bonus to hit and damage to the attack made with it.
If the attack is aimed at the creature whose true name is written on it, it instead confers a +10 bonus to the attack and damage roll.
Serpent Bite
This hooked point depicts a vicious snake, it drips green liquid when knocked.
A creature damaged by this arrow becomes poisoned. At the end of its turn it takes 1d6 poison damage and can CON14: on a failure the poison damage at the end of its next turns is increased by 1d6. If the creature fails the saving throw for the third time it also becomes paralysed. If the creature succeeds the saving throw for the third time it ends any effect provoked by this arrow.
The arrow can also be dipped in a small amount of contained liquid. If this is done for 1 minute the arrow loses its properties but any creature that ingests the liquid will be automatically affected by the arrow’s effect as it has already failed 3 saving throws.
Unlocker
This arrow’s point is shaped like a generic key, and looks ineffective.
You can use this arrow’s tip as thieve’s tools when attempting to pick a lock, if you do it gives you a +5 bonus to the check. If the roll is a natural 1 the arrow’s tip breaks in the lock, making the lock unpickable and the tip unusable.
You can also shoot the arrow at the lock from at least 10ft of distance. When you do so the DM determines the appropriate DC, usually 20. If you hit, the target is unlocked and the arrow breaks unless you rolled a natural 20.
Hooks & Variations
These arrows are meant to be one-time consumables tools to spark the creativity of the archer in your group, and as Consumables the main problem is that they’re gonna save them for as much as possible, never really using them as intended.
One way to encourage the use of the arrows is to drop them in bundles, let’s say 1d4 of them. If they’re all of the same type the player can now experiment, if they are different they’re gonna take a little more time deciding the appropriate moment for each. Test the waters and don’t give out the arrow types you don’t particularly enjoy dealing with. It’s cool to have a one-time trick, but you don’t have to come to the point at which you have to design the encounters with the arrows in mind.
A +1 or higher base bonus to attack and damage rolls is also a good way to give them a little extra edge and hope for an actual use in combat.
Finally there’s one trick to push your ranger to reach for their magical quiver of tricks: make sure the party faces many mini bosses, lieutenant-type enemies that pose a threat, stand out of the crowd of monsters, but are not the main villain or boss of the adventure. Perfect targets for your OP shot.
Of course remember: they don’t have to be arrows! Darts, bolts, bullets, everything can be easily reskinned (or reforged in game) to suit your weapon of choice!
Are you a player asking your DM for these cool tricks? Ask them how you can acquire materials to craft them in your downtime!
Here are some places you might get yourself some arrows, plus some rollable types and quantities:
| d10 | Location | Arrow Type | Quantity |
| 1 | In the quiver of a dead elven warrior. | Splitting Bolt | 1 |
| 2 | In a bundle made of leaves. | Tracker | 1 type I 1d4 type II |
| 3 | As a reward for an archery contest the country nobles are having. | Prey Seeker | 1 type I1 type II |
| 4 | Just the arrowheads, in different burial vases. | Matchmaker | 1 type I 1 type II 1d4 type III |
| 5 | From the quiver of the lieutenant, that didn’t manage to use all of them against the party. | Bright Sun | 1d6 same type |
| 6 | A body part of the slain monster could be turned in this particular arrow(s) with time and money. | Shrouder | 1d4+1 same type |
| 7 | Just the arrowheads, shining in a river bed. | Snare | 1 type I 1 type II 2 type III |
| 8 | Offered by a master archer to aid in the quest they just proposed. | Breezeway | 3 same type |
| 9 | Stuck in the armor of a fallen enemy, still not expended. | Royal Bullet | 1d4 different types |
| 10 | Attached with string to an elegant magic bow. | Serpent Bite | 1d6 different types |
