Using the Pulse Bow to attack
Target Dummies. Note how the ricochet causes the bolt to pierce fewer enemies.
The Pulse Bow is a unique Hardmode bow that auto-fires a high-velocity glowing light blue bolt, which is unaffected by gravity, will pierce enemies, can ricochet, and flies for 3.5 seconds (about 480 tiles) before dissipating. It is purchased from the Traveling Merchant for 45: on the 
Desktop version, 
Console version, and 
Mobile version it is available after defeating all three mechanical bosses, while on the 
Old-gen console version, it is available after defeating Plantera.
The projectile can pierce or ricochet five times in total, dissipating upon the sixth hit. Each ricochet causes the bolt to pierce one less enemy and vice versa.
Like other bows and repeaters, it can use any arrow type as ammunition. However, the Pulse Bow converts all arrows to its special bolt. Normal effects of various arrow types are canceled, except for their damage statistic. The Pulse Bow has a base 11% critical strike chance as opposed to the usual 4%.
The Traveling Merchant will use it for self-defense once a world is in Hardmode.
Its best modifier is Unreal.
Notes
- Each ricochet or hit enemy will reduce the projectile's base damage by 10%.[1] For example, if used with Wooden Arrows, it will only deal 50 / 40 base damage ( 62.5% / 61.54% of the original damage) after five ricochets/enemies.
- The Pulse Bow operates differently compared to other bows. Even though it consumes arrows, its projectiles appear as if they were cast by a magic weapon in that they emit a particle glow, ricochet, pierce, dissipate in midair, and are unaffected by gravity.
Tips
- Its piercing and ricochet abilities make it useful in confined spaces, such as the Dungeon.
- If shot at the right angle, the Pulse Bow's projectiles can ricochet through one-block walls. This appears to happen when the projectile hits a block at an entry angle of 40 to 50 degrees, and is easier to pull off when first bouncing the projectile off of another surface. This useful trick can be used in many situations to attack enemies behind cover.
- Because the Pulse Bow cancels additional arrow effects, damage is the only factor that should be considered in choosing an arrow type. The highest base damage of 99 / 82 can be achieved with Venom Arrows.
- The Endless Quiver will work as usual, allowing the Pulse Bow to fire bolts indefinitely.
- This weapon is very similar to the Stake Launcher, both firing piercing projectiles unaffected by gravity and suitable for crowd control on flat arenas.
- When the Pulse Bow is fired against a hammered slope, the bolt will hug the slope and follow it up, instead of ricocheting off, and shoot out at the end of the slope with the same incident angle. The height of the slope which the bolt can climb is limited.
Trivia
- The Pulse Bow's color scheme is similar to that of Shroomite equipment.
- The changelog for 1.4.0.1 claims an increased damage reduction of 20% per hit (instead of 10%). This was not put into effect, however.
- The Pulse Bow has the highest listed base damage of all bows in the game.
History
- Desktop 1.4.4:
- Damage decreased from 85 to 80.
- Now sold after all three mechanical bosses, instead of after Plantera.
- Desktop 1.4.0.1:
- Damage increased from 65 to 85.
- Use time decreased from 22 to 20.
References
- ↑ Information taken from the Desktop 1.4.0.5 source code, method
HandleMovement() in Terraria.Projectile.cs. There may be inaccuracies, as the current Desktop version is 1.4.4.9.
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