Ivy Bow

The Ivy Bow applies a root on every hit — the target is briefly immobilized for 0.8 seconds, unable to move. It sounds powerful, but the short duration and lack of any damage component keeps it at B-tier. Where the Ivy Bow shines is in early Endless Mode runs when you haven't found a Venom Bow yet, and in specific map configurations where holding enemies in place for your Defender is more valuable than killing them outright. It's a solid placeholder item that should be Cauldron'd for something better the moment a higher-tier option appears.

How the Root Mechanic Works

Every hit from an Archer with the Ivy Bow equipped applies a root debuff to the target. The root is a 100% proc chance — every single hit roots. The target cannot move for 0.8 seconds, but can still attack if it has a ranged or melee ability.

Key root interactions:

• Roots do not stack with themselves — a second root applied while the first is active refreshes the 0.8s timer rather than extending it.
• Fast-attacking Archers near-permanently root single targets — if your attack interval is under 0.8 seconds, the target never gets a chance to move.
• Roots apply to bosses but with reduced duration (approximately 0.3 seconds for bosses). This can briefly interrupt boss movement but won't hold them in place.
• Rooted enemies remain vulnerable to all damage — they just can't move. Your Defender's melee attacks, Healer AoE, and other Archer attacks all deal full damage to rooted targets.

When to Use the Ivy Bow

The Ivy Bow is a B-tier item, which means it's good enough to carry you through early rounds but not something you want to build around for the endgame. Specific situations where it earns its slot:

• Early Endless Mode (Rounds 1–30) — The root duration is long enough relative to early enemy HP that most enemies die while rooted. Effectively free crowd control at this stage.
• Chokepoint maps — If a map has a narrow corridor where enemies bunch up, rooting the lead enemy causes the group to pile up behind it, creating a dense cluster for AoE damage items.
• When you haven't found a Venom Bow yet — The Ivy Bow is a common Rare drop. If your Archer slot is empty and this is available, equip it until something better shows up.
• Healer uptime — A rooted enemy stays inside the Healer's aura radius, but the Healer doesn't heal enemies — so this is only relevant if you're trying to extend enemy time inside a specific zone for damage multiplier items.

Ivy Bow vs. Venom Bow

The Venom Bow is strictly better than the Ivy Bow in nearly every scenario past Round 30:

• Venom Bow deals damage (DoT + burst) while also slowing. Ivy Bow roots but deals no bonus damage.
• Venom Bow's slow has longer effective crowd control uptime against high-HP enemies (repeated burst procs). Ivy Bow's 0.8s root refreshes but doesn't accumulate.
• Venom Bow is Epic tier, Ivy Bow is Rare — if the Cauldron offers you a Venom Bow, take it.

The only scenario where Ivy Bow beats Venom Bow is when you specifically need instant, guaranteed immobilization on the first hit — for example, if you need to stop a specific enemy from reaching your base on a critical wave. The Venom Bow's slow only activates on the 5th stack, which takes several hits.

When to Cauldron It

The Ivy Bow should be Cauldron'd as soon as you see a higher-tier option appear:

• If the Cauldron offers an Epic-tier bow (Venom Bow, Emerald Bow), take it immediately.
• If you're past Round 35 and the Ivy Bow is still your main Archer item, consider Cauldron-ing it even if the replacement is another B-tier item — variety in your kit is better than over-relying on crowd control.
• Keep it if your run has no other control options and you're struggling with elite enemies that reach your Defender — the guaranteed root buys time that flat damage items don't.

Item FAQ

Does the root prevent enemy abilities?

The root prevents movement only. Enemies with ranged or melee abilities can still use them while rooted. Boss abilities are not interrupted by root (only stun from items like Ban Hammer can interrupt boss attacks).

Can the Ivy Bow root proc multiple enemies simultaneously?

The Ivy Bow roots the single target hit by the Archer's arrow. It does not have AoE root. However, if paired with the Emerald Bow's pierce, each enemy the arrow passes through is individually rooted on hit — effectively rooting an entire column simultaneously.

Is the Ivy Bow worth taking in Story Mode?

Yes, in Story Mode the Ivy Bow is often one of the better early items. Story Mode enemies have lower HP than Endless Mode late waves, so the 0.8s root provides effective crowd control throughout most missions. It's particularly good against the sprint-type enemies in Missions 3–5.