Arrows and Ammo in WoW Classic

By Treesz · Updated Oct 12, 2026

In World of Warcraft, an arrow is ammunition for bows and crossbows, and a bullet is ammunition for guns. In Classic Era, Hardcore, Season of Discovery and the TBC Anniversary realms, every ranged shot uses one, and the ammo you carry adds damage per second to your ranged attacks. Ammunition was removed from the game in Cataclysm (patch 4.0.1), so retail and MoP Classic hunters never buy ammo.

How ammo works

Arrows for bows and crossbows, bullets for guns. There is no separate crossbow ammo. Thrown weapons need no ammo at all.
The ammo slot. You place a stack in the ammo slot of the character window; each Auto Shot and ranged ability uses one. Stacks hold 200 in Classic.
Damage bonus. Each ammo type adds a fixed amount of damage per second to your ranged weapon, so better arrows are a straight damage upgrade.
Run out and you stop shooting. With an empty ammo slot, a hunter has no Auto Shot and no shot abilities, which is why hunters carry several stacks into every raid.
Not only hunters. Warriors and rogues can equip a bow, crossbow or gun to pull enemies; a small stack of ammo is enough for them, or they use a thrown weapon instead.

Quivers and ammo pouches

A quiver (for arrows) or ammo pouch (for bullets) is a special bag that holds only ammunition. In Classic and The Burning Crusade it also gives 10–15% faster ranged attack speed, which makes it one of a hunter's most important items. Only one quiver bonus applies at a time.

Quiver	Ranged attack speed
Quiver of a Thousand Feathers, Ancient Sinew Wrapped Lamina, Harpy Hide Quiver	15%
Knothide Quiver, Clefthoof Hide Quiver (TBC)	15%
Ribbly's Quiver	14%
Quickdraw Quiver	13%
Heavy Quiver	12%
Hunting Quiver, Medium Quiver	10%

Wrath of the Lich King moved the haste into Auto Shot itself (patch 3.1.0), and in Cataclysm quivers became ordinary bags.

Best arrows in Classic Era

Arrow	Damage per second added	Where to get it
Doomshot	+20	Rare drop in Lower Blackrock Spire
Thorium Headed Arrow	+17.5	Quest reward
Ice Threaded Arrow	+16.5	Alterac Valley reward
Explosive Arrow	+14.5	Engineering
Jagged Arrow	+13	Vendors

For guns, Miniature Cannon Balls (+20.5) and Thorium Shells (+17.5) fill the same places.

Best arrows in TBC Anniversary

Arrow	DPS added	Where to get it
Timeless Arrow	+53	Honored with the Scale of the Sands
Mysterious Arrow	+46.5	Revered with the Violet Eye
Adamantite Stinger	+43	Engineering 335
Warden's Arrow	+37	Revered with the Cenarion Expedition

Bullet equivalents are Timeless Shells (+53), Mysterious Shells (+46.5) and Adamantite Shells (+43). The legendary bow Thori'dal, the Stars' Fury creates its own Nether Spike arrows (+63), so its owner never needs to buy ammo. Timeless Arrows depend on the Scale of the Sands reputation, which comes from the Battle for Mount Hyjal raid, so they become available as that raid progresses.

Tips for hunters

Carry spare stacks. Long raids and trash clears use thousands of arrows; running dry mid-fight ends your damage.
Fill the quiver. The quiver holds your ammo and gives the speed bonus, so keep it stocked and use your normal bags for everything else.
Upgrade ammo with reputation. In TBC, the jump from vendor arrows to reputation arrows is one of the cheapest damage gains available.
Keep the type matching your weapon. Switching from a bow to a gun means switching to bullets.

Shot timing around Auto Shot is covered in attack (swing) timer. If you're gearing a hunter on the Anniversary realms, see our WoW Classic Anniversary services.

FAQ

Do hunters need arrows in retail WoW?

No. Ammunition was removed in Cataclysm (patch 4.0.1). Retail and MoP Classic hunters fire without ammo.

Do crossbows use arrows or bolts?

Arrows. WoW has no separate crossbow bolts.

Does a quiver still give attack speed?

In Classic Era and TBC Anniversary, yes, 10–15%. From Wrath of the Lich King onward, no.

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