Crossbow Needs love.

[Paul]

I'm having both an archer and crossbowman - with the archers being a few levels higher - I must say the crossbow character seems more powerful. The rate of fire is not that far apart as it was pre-patch(big). The higher accuracy(better due damage nerf) and the piercing damage type make a big difference. With the presence of cover the crossbowman is alot stronger.

As an archer, who got further nerfed with the newest patch(211), I have to pick lesser armored targets because of cut damage. The shot speed is lower now compared to crossbows, so I have to deal with the more bend trajectory. Furthermore one big side-effect of the crossbow reloading process is that the average crossbowman has a better awareness of his surroundings than the archer. Being able to hold his aim steadily allows him to use cover more effectively compared to an archer, who has can't delay his shots without massive loss of precision.

[Heroin]

I'm having both an archer and crossbowman - with the archers being a few levels higher - I must say the crossbow character seems more powerful.

Sorry Paul, but if you're being serious and not trolling here, then I'd have to say you're doing it wrong. In heavy armor (cuir bouilli over mail + gauntlets), there are archers who 2-shot me. Since it also takes 2 shots from a siege xbow to kill me, I'd say advantage bow, since it is much easier for the bowman to shoot me twice than it would be for the xbowman.

If I get hit by an xbow bolt, I will head for cover immediately until I know where it's coming from. Which means that with slow reload times of xbows, landing a second shot on someone is nearly impossible unless that person is a complete moron.

[Paul]

I doubt the 2 hit claim - unless it's at least 1 headshot or a PD 10 build (aka Blind Bowman). I think you are doing it wrong.

[Greziz]

I hope you realize with the new bow changes powerdraw is INCREASING ACCURACY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[SharpG]

I 100% agree with OP, ive been attempting to use a pure crossbow build and it's not even close to being a viable option. The innaccuracy is atrocious, im using a siege crossbow and it is an absolute joke. The fact that it is incredibly inaccurate, an extremely lengthy reload time, AND takes more then one hit means an extremely useless weapon.

My suggestions for making crossbow builds more viable it to first of all, add some extra requirement that prevents melee builds from taking it as a secondary weapon (Is it possible to add a certain amount of crossbow proficency to a weapon's requirements?). Second, either reduce the reload time significantly, OR increase the accuracy and damage. I mean shouldn't a "Sniper" crossbow be able to kill someone in one hit? Considering shields/zigzagging practically counters everything but a lucky shot I would say it's perfectly balanced.

Crossbows can't be used at range due to accuracy, crossbows can't be used at close range due to lack of damage, and medium range is pure luck. Crossbows VS an archer...WITH the crossbow being used behind cover, the archer STILL controls the fight because he can choose when to shoot while the crossbow simply hopes to get lucky with his one shot every 15 seconds.


So to sum it up..
-Make crossbows a primary weapon (Increasing it's requirements), NOT a secondary
-Reduce reload time, OR increase damage and accuracy

[Socrates]

The only thing really needed is to increase crossbow's shoot speed so the bolts will fly much farther and faster. Right now the arcs for crossbows are really weird and insane. With the speed of crossbows you are trying to make them long-range weapons, but then again the shoot speed is so poor the crosshair has to be way high to shoot a person, because of the messed up arc.

[Dravic]

I hope you realize with the new bow changes powerdraw is INCREASING ACCURACY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

REALLY?!

Can someone confirm this?

[bruce]

I 100% agree with OP, ive been attempting to use a pure crossbow build and it's not even close to being a viable option. The innaccuracy is atrocious, im using a siege crossbow and it is an absolute joke. The fact that it is incredibly inaccurate, an extremely lengthy reload time, AND takes more then one hit means an extremely useless weapon.

What. One of my alts has a heavy crossbow (regular one). It's accurate enough for medium distance shooting.

My suggestions for making crossbow builds more viable it to first of all, add some extra requirement that prevents melee builds from taking it as a secondary weapon

Upkeep. A sniper+steel bolts is somewhere in the league of almost 20K. That's a hell of a lot to pay for a secondary weapon... for the same price and a tad extra you could upkeep transitional armor, for instance.

Second, either reduce the reload time significantly, OR increase the accuracy and damage. I mean shouldn't a "Sniper" crossbow be able to kill someone in one hit? Considering shields/zigzagging practically counters everything but a lucky shot I would say it's perfectly balanced.

- It's fairly accurate
- It's quite damaging, and no, killing just about everyone in one hit would be bad.

Learn to aim. Shooting people who've obviously spotted you and are zigzaging is doing it wrong.

The only thing really needed is to increase crossbow's shoot speed so the bolts will fly much farther and faster. Right now the arcs for crossbows are really weird and insane. With the speed of crossbows you are trying to make them long-range weapons, but then again the shoot speed is so poor the crosshair has to be way high to shoot a person, because of the messed up arc.

It's not messed up. It has significant drop, that's it - but it's fairly predictable. Of course hitting moving targets at long range is tricky, but I hope you're not suggesting that it should be easy to do (why?). It is fairly easy to hit people with it mid-range, where with good cover the crossbow is excellent.

[SharpG]

What. One of my alts has a heavy crossbow (regular one). It's accurate enough for medium distance shooting.

Upkeep. A sniper+steel bolts is somewhere in the league of almost 20K. That's a hell of a lot to pay for a secondary weapon... for the same price and a tad extra you could upkeep transitional armor, for instance.


- It's fairly accurate
- It's quite damaging, and no, killing just about everyone in one hit would be bad.

Learn to aim. Shooting people who've obviously spotted you and are zigzaging is doing it wrong.

It's not messed up. It has significant drop, that's it - but it's fairly predictable. Of course hitting moving targets at long range is tricky, but I hope you're not suggesting that it should be easy to do (why?). It is fairly easy to hit people with it mid-range, where with good cover the crossbow is excellent.

A sniper crossbow's aim is trash and the spread of a sniper xbow shot is significant enough to make it impossible to actually snipe which is obviously its intended purpose with a 10 second reload time.

And the reason I brought up xbows being used as a secondary weapon is because most people use the cheaper  (5kish) light crossbow as one, which means it cant be super powerful as it only requires strength, this punishes dedicated xbow users, xbows should have more requirements to make it used by a dedicated class but the weapons should also receive a significant improvement

[Dravic]

@Up

Indeed.

Maybe something a bit silly?
Crossbow wielding? (mastery is already used) It would be just used as req for xbows, or if chadz want it would faster reload? And it would require 4 str/point.

Mixed with xbow stats buff would be great!

[bruce]

A sniper crossbow's aim is trash and the spread of a sniper xbow shot is significant enough to make it impossible to actually snipe which is obviously its intended purpose with a 10 second reload time.

Learn to aim. Seriously.

And the reason I brought up xbows being used as a secondary weapon is because most people use the cheaper  (5kish) light crossbow as one, which means it cant be super powerful as it only requires strength, this punishes dedicated xbow users, xbows should have more requirements to make it used by a dedicated class but the weapons should also receive a significant improvement

I think what you want is a rifle (which a crossbow isn't, really). There are other games and even warband mods which feature rifles.

By the way, a lot of people would want to play a rifleman then.

[SharpG]

Learn to aim. Seriously.


I think what you want is a rifle (which a crossbow isn't, really). There are other games and even warband mods which feature rifles.

By the way, a lot of people would want to play a rifleman then.

Stop undermining what I have to say by telling me the typical "LRN2PLAYNUB". There is such thing as unbalance in this game, and crossbows just happen to be one of the underpowered weapons. And what the heck, really dude? Where did I ever say I want a rifle. I never said to remove gravity or reload time. A sniper crossbow with a 10 second reload time should be accurate, I never said I couldn't hit things at close range, and considering you're the one with the alt and I'm the one with the main who has a crossbow, go try it out a bit more buddy, Especially the Sniper crossbow.

[Rumblood]

I doubt the 2 hit claim - unless it's at least 1 headshot or a PD 10 build (aka Blind Bowman). I think you are doing it wrong.

I think the archers who have even PD7 are rare. I went with 15/24 PD5 and cant 2 hit mail, much less plate. 

The archers I know who DID go to PD7 couldn't hit much with the best bows, they had to drop down.

[Rumblood]

Stop undermining what I have to say by telling me the typical "LRN2PLAYNUB". There is such thing as unbalance in this game, and crossbows just happen to be one of the underpowered weapons. And what the heck, really dude? Where did I ever say I want a rifle. I never said to remove gravity or reload time. A sniper crossbow with a 10 second reload time should be accurate, I never said I couldn't hit things at close range, and considering you're the one with the alt and I'm the one with the main who has a crossbow, go try it out a bit more buddy, Especially the Sniper crossbow.

I have no problem with picking off galloping HA's at distance with the sniper xbow. Given its slow delay, it is far more accurate and much more deadly than a bow.

No buff.

The only argument you might make would be in regards to a dedicated xbow build. Yes, that would be a severely limited class. A few have tried it, but it really isn't viable currently, and I don't see much that will change that. Certainly, buffing it so that 2h spamming tincans also have a super accurate 1 hit 1 kill ranged weapon on their backs is not the answer.

[Szelky]

Repeating FTW