Players getting intoAssassin’s Creed Valhallaright afterAssassin’s Creed Odysseywill immediately notice some gameplay changes. For those players that loved the archery from the previous game, that’s one instance where things changed rather drastically. Players won’t beswitching between arrows in thisAssassin’s Creedgamelike they were before and will need to rely on abilities and skills to get various effects.
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Assassin’s Creed Valhallahas three different types of bows, each using a different type of ammunition. Hunter bows, Light bows (faster, quicker draw speed), and Predator bows (stronger, scoping) each use Hunter, Light, and Predator arrows respectively, but other than that there’s no way to change arrows. Instead, players wanting to make use offire, poison—or most notably—explosive arrowswill need to invest in certain skills. These can be fun to use in the heat of battle, but finding and unlocking these enhancements can take some time and effort.
Explosive Arrows can make Eivor’s plundering easier—but first, it needs to be found, and it can be tricky to locate without a blueprint as to its location and surroundings.
Updated August 08, 2025, by Stephen LaGioia:As if this Viking adventure wasn’t epic enough, Ubisoft has recently released a free questline and a wrap-up of the previous three DLC packs, tagged “The Last Chapter”. As its name implies, this will be the final journey for Eivor and should serve as anice bridge leading up to the upcoming AC Mirage—which looks to dial back the vastness and complexity somewhat. In the meantime, players will likely be even more inclined to power up their Viking explorer as much as they can, and the impactful explosive arrows serve as an effective way to do this.
These potent arrows can be particularly useful in the grueling later portions of the game, especially with the DLC’s slew of tougher foes like the Frankish Knights, and thevast lineup of the Order.Of course, these are also useful for plundering and gathering items—which can feel overwhelming at times with the ever-expanding world of AC Valhalla. And so, we decided to venture back and revisit this handy guide, further laying out the details behind explosive arrows and their location.
The Skill For Explosive Arrows
To enable explosive arrows,the useful skill in questionis calledIncendiary Powder Trap, which allows shots fired from Eivor’s bow to deal damage in a wide area.
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This is an ability that can be acquired somewhat early on. As touched on, it actually has more use in exploration than in combat, as the explosion can break walls that would haverequiredAssassin’s Creed Valhallaplayers to use an explosive pot instead. This can be handy as it can bypass quite a bit of time and hassle seeking out one of those elusive pots—not to mention carrying them to Eivor’s destination in one piece.
Where To Find The Incendiary Powder Trap Upgrade
This skill can also beupgraded to a second level, with the second book being located inBriggworth in the region of Suthsexe.
Explosive arrows aren’t themost overpowered ability inAssassin’s Creed Valhalla, but they will certainly come in handy. The explosive arrows, however, are great for breaking obstacles that might otherwise require Eivor to find an explosive pot, so having this ability handy can save a lot of time later on. Still, they can also work fairly well when it comes to distracting and disrupting enemies, though it’s a good idea to keep one’s distance when using them.
Assassin’s Creed Valhallais available now on PC, PS4, PS5, Stadia, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X.
