History Main / InvisibleBowstring

* Shana and Miranda's bow in ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfDragoon'' follows this trope, understandable for a [=PS1=] game.
* ''VideoGame/GuildWars'' plays this trope straight, while its [[VideoGame/GuildWars2 sequel]] {{invert|edtrope}}s it with visible bowstrings and invisible arrows (while aiming).
* None of Rena's bows in ''VideoGame/{{Elsword}}'' have bowstrings, not even the crossbow used in her Wind Sneaker class. Possibly justified in that she's firing magic arrows made of nature energy.
* The bows in ''VideoGame/FireEmblemHeroes'' don't have strings due to the fact that they'd be impractical to animate on the puppet-like sprites, but most of the accompanying artwork for the archer heroes have proper bowstrings.
* Subverted in ''VideoGame/WarcraftIII'', in that the bowstring ''is'' visible... it's just a very ''wide'' one with no thickness. Heroic archers even have their hero glow effect along the bowstring. Interestingly, this is true even in the case of {{Energy Bow}}s

Probably everyone knows how bows and arrows work - you hold the wooden part of the bow, you attach the arrow's non-pointy end to the bow's string, you pull the arrow while stretching the bow and its string, you aim, and then you release the arrow, letting the physics catapult it in the desired direction.

* Actually {{justified|trope}} for Shaft from ''ComicBook/{{Youngblood}}''. His bow is based upon alien anti-gravity technology, therefore nullifying the need for a string. Presumably, the point of this is making it easier to store and maintain.

Can be considered {{justified}} in the case of a magical weapon (whether or not it's an EnergyBow). Presumably there is a magical "string" or force field or something that is providing the potential energy. Theoretically, could also be applied in the case of [[ClarkesThirdLaw sufficiently advanced]] technology: since while one needs ''something'' to transfer the energy into the arrow, it needn't be a physical object.

Can be considered {{justified}} in the case of a magical weapon (whether or not it's an EnergyBow). Presumably there is a magical "string" or force field or something that is providing the potential energy. Theoretically, could also be applied in the case of [[ClarkesThirdLaw sufficently advanced]] technology: since while one needs ''something'' to transfer the energy into the arrow, it needn't be a physical object.

* Actually {{justified|trope}} for Shaft from ''ComicBook/{{Youngblood}}''. His bow is based upon alien anti-gravity technology, therefore nullifying the need for a string. Presumably the point of this is making it easier to store and maintain.

* Many Myth/RobinHood, ComicBook/GreenArrow or ComicBook/{{Hawkeye}} figures suffer from either this or stiff plastic strings.
* As with wargames figures (above), military miniatures hit the the limitations of casting in metal, resin or plastic, which preclude providing strings on archer figures' bows. [[https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/archers_7588.jpg Some makers have tried, but the result, on a 25mm figure at least, is generally vastly over-scale]].

Can be considered [[JustifiedTrope justified]] in the case of a magical weapon (whether or not it's an EnergyBow). Presumably there is a magical "string" or force field or something that is providing the potential energy. Theoretically, could also be applied in the case of [[ClarkesThirdLaw sufficently advanced]] technology: since while one needs ''something'' to transfer the energy into the arrow, it needn't be a physical object.

* In ''VideoGame/ClockTower3'', Alyssa uses a bow without a string. [[JustifiedTrope Justified]] in that she is shooting energy arrows from an [[EnergyBow energy bow]].

Can be a subtrope of LazyArtist, unless [[JustifiedTrope justified]]. Can overlap with [[EnergyBow Energy Bows]], which lack strings sometimes. See also {{Hitscan}} for another weapon trope brought about by technical limitations.

* ''VideoGame/GuildWars'' plays this trope straight, while its [[VideoGame/GuildWars2 sequel]] [[InvertedTrope inverts]] it with visible bowstrings and invisible arrows (while aiming).

* ''Gods: Lands of Infinity'' has this.

* The essential problem is OlderThanDirt, as artists in AncientEgypt had the problem of representing archers firing bows without the strings obscuring their faces. (As some of the people being depicted were pharaohs, not showing their faces clearly might have been considered ''dangerously'' impolite.) One common solution was to draw the string passing ''behind'' the user’s head, although of course in reality that would mean that the string would smack the back of the archer’s head and the arrow wouldn’t go anywhere.

[[AC:Toys]]
* Subverted for Aiyana the Autumn Elven Archer and Amazonian Archer from Boss Fight Studio ''Virtuvian H.A.C.K.S.'' series. Their bows don't come with a string, but the bows have hooks on each side, meaning that you can attach a string onto their bows.
* Many Myth/RobinHood, ComicBook/GreenArrow or ComicBook/{{Hawkeye}} figures suffer from either this or stiff plastic strings.
* Bow-wielding models from tabletop wargames, such as ''TabletopGame/{{Warhammer}}'', typically don't have strings on their bows since the scale of the models would make sculpting them pretty much impossible.
* Also present in military miniatures, where the limitations of casting in metal, resin or plastic preclude providing strings on archer figures' bows. [[https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/archers_7588.jpg Some makers have tried, but the result, on a 25mm figure, is generally vastly over-scale]].
* Both [[VideoGame/Dota2 Windranger]] and [[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaTwilightPrincess Link ver. DX Edition]] from the ''Toys/{{Figma}}'' line don't have strings on the bows.

* Hank the Ranger's bow in ''WesternAnimation/DungeonsAndDragons'' has no string -- unless Hank readies an arrow, in which case a magical one appears. His arrows are the same, in that they only show up when he mimes nocking one.

Can be a subtrope of LazyArtist, unless [[JustifiedTrope justified]]. Can overlap with [[EnergyBow Energy Bows]], which lack strings sometimes.