Demon’s Souls Compound Short Bow Location Guide

The Compound Short Bow is one of five bows in Demon’s Souls (not counting the Lava Bow, which must be crafted with the Hard Demon’s Soul). It’s a great early-game option for ranged players and is easier to get than the Compound Long Bow, which is located in the Shrine of Storms, a notoriously difficult area — even for leveled players. 

Indeed, the Thief class starts the game with the Shortbow, and the Hunter class starts with the Longbow. However, the Compound Short Bow deals more base damage than both of those, so it’s worth seeking out even if you started Demon’s Souls as one of those classes. 

Here’s how to get the Compound Short Bow. While it can be dropped by Silver Skeletons in Shrine of Storms, this guide will cover the easiest way to get the bow: by defeating the Phalanx Demon and gaining access to the Lord’s Path in Boletaria Palace.

You can see how to beat Phalanx over in our guide for how to level up. 

Compound Short Bow Location

First defeat Phalanx, then travel to The Lord’s Path Archstone (1-2) at Boletarian Palace. When you spawn at the stone, go straight ahead and through the tunnel in front of you. Continue through the tunnel into the next area, which has several Hoplites on either side, carriages, and dead horses.

Remember that Hoplites are vulnerable to fire, as well as attacks from the rear. Go through this area, and ascend the stairs at the end.

You will find yourself on a rampart looking toward the castle and city in the distance. You will also notice two towers on the rampart. The Compound Short Bow is at the top of the second tower.

How to Get to the Second Tower

There is a Red Dragon flying in this area. It breathes fire along the ramparts, killing you and anything else in its path. 

Go out to the first set of wooden barricades (shown in the image above) on the rampart, just past the charred bodies on the ground to the right. Once you reach the wooden barricades, turn around immediately and go back to the entrance.

You should hear the Dragon’s wings flapping, signaling its approach. As soon as the Dragon starts breathing fire, start running across the rampart to the first tower. Don’t stop to pick up any items; you may get caught in the Dragon’s next pass if you do, and the fire will kill you instantly.  

Once in the first tower, there are two paths to take: either repeat the same process of waiting for the Dragon and crossing the second rampart between the towers, or take the small set of stairs to the right. 

If you go along the second rampart, wait for the Dragon to fly over and breathe fire. Then run behind it. Be careful, though: there are four Archers guarding the entrance to the second tower.

If you take the stairs in the first tower, exit through the archway to the outside of the tower. Take the stone staircase down two flights. At the bottom, take a right and follow the path forward through the iron gate. 

Be careful of the Dregling to the left of the cart just after the first wooden barricade, and continue past the large hole in the right wall. Very shortly after that hole in the wall, you will see a torch hanging on the left wall and the path starts going upward.

Move forward slowly; there are five dogs here that will easily kill you. Try to take them on one or two at a time. 

After you kill the dogs, continue up the path until you reach an open iron gate with an archer on the other side of it. Destroy the barricade just before and to the right of the iron gate to reveal a passageway (shown in the image above). Take the stairs up, exit to the outside of the tower, and continue to the top of the tower. 

There are two archers at the top of the tower. The bow is on the body at their feet. 

Compound Short Bow Ammo, Stats, and Upgrades,

The Compound Short Bow can fire regular arrows, heavy arrows, fire arrows, rotten arrows, and holy arrows. It is perfect for the Armor Spider boss fight in 2-1, Stonefang Tunnel’s Smithing Grounds. 

This bow has a base damage of 40 (10 more than the Short Bow) and a range of 50. It can be upgraded to +10 with Hardstone and Sharpstone. The +10 variant deals 80 damage. You’ll need 18 Strength and 10 Dexterity to wield it. 

It can also be upgraded to a +5 Quality Bow using Clearstone; a +5 Sticky Bow using Spiderstone; and the Lava Bow using the Hard Demon’s Souls. The Quality and Sticky variants require a Compound Short Bow +3. The Lava Bow requires a Compound Short Bow +7 and the Red Hot Demon’s Soul (received for defeating Flamelurker in Stonefang Tunnel, The Tunnel City). 

That’s all you need to know about how to get the Compound Short Bow in Demon’s Souls. If you found this guide helpful, consider giving it a share!