This is why...

[Kafein]

With 0 wpf you will have to pay upkeep almost every round though. And you only aim well at close distance with 0 wpf.
I don't think it is unbalanced to be honest.

Crossbows should only be barely better than other ranged crap when used without dedicating your char to it.

[Gheritarish le Loki]

I was there! I saw your team of little yellow men, it was great fun and cool to see 10 guys wearing same clothes and doing the same thing!!

[rustyspoon]

With 0 wpf you will have to pay upkeep almost every round though. And you only aim well at close distance with 0 wpf.
I don't think it is unbalanced to be honest.

Cost is the worst way of balancing anything especially since you don't have to worry about it after retiring once and selling an heirloom point.

Also, a regular crossbow with steel bolts does 60(!) pierce damage and being accurate with it doesn't matter much. You can either shoot into a crowd where you'll most likely hit someone; or you can shotgun someone up close. If that doesn't kill them, pull out your sword and hit them once.

Crossbows will always be a problem especially as pewpew is becoming more and more popular. I don't know why people play a game with FANTASTIC melee mechanics and then just want to shoot each other all day. 

Though back to the original topic, I do find this really funny. 

[Gorath]

Crossbows will always be a problem especially as pewpew is becoming more and more popular. I don't know why people play a game with FANTASTIC melee mechanics and then just want to shoot each other all day. 

Because it's easier, takes no effort, less learning/skill and the melee guys can't shoot back.  It's like playing an FPS vs people that only carry the knife and have had their movement slowed down to a snails pace.

But anyways, you are now going to be flamed as a whining bundle of sticks for this remark most likely because that seems to be the response in my experience as I've been asking this same fucking question since the damned TW forums and even back in Native when everyone and their brother started pew pewing.

[Overdriven]

No...it's because it's also one of the only MP games where you can use archery/xbow. Just the same as any other aspect of the period in this game. A lot less people tend to be ranged than melee, so not everyone is doing it. It's just melee bitch and moan a lot about ranged.

[tankmen]

No...it's because it's also one of the only MP games where you can use archery/xbow. Just the same as any other aspect of the period in this game. A lot less people tend to be ranged than melee, so not everyone is doing it. It's just melee bitch and moan a lot about ranged and cavalry.

fixed it for you  .

joking aside most people are two hand or pole arm with no shield not even 0 Difficulty ones. That is why they bitch, but its there own damn fault, if there was a large increase in 1h/w shields then you'd see less range on due to being unable to hit any one aware of them. i have 5 shield skill as two hand, i quit 1 hand because so many things shot around or through my shield but had no other areas to put my points in.

[rustyspoon]

i quit 1 hand because so many things shot around or through my shield

Yeah, that is always my response to the "buy a shield" comments. If there is more than one ranged player on and they aren't complete idiots it's easy to shoot around a shield.

[Leshma]

If a guy is using kite shield, has about 3-5 shield skill and is noobish enough, I being noob archer, will kill him. Most people raise shield to protect their face and that's when I strike at their sneakers.. uhm I mean shoes.

Also 2H guys don't want to use shields because they slow you down significantly.

[Kafein]

Every1 has an xbow cos 2handers now own the game and shielders are in deep **S. As simple as that.

This. Buff shields. At least maybe we are going to see more than 5 of them each round if the coverage wasn't so fucked up. Actually unless you have 6+ shield any projectile can go through a shield model simply because the actual coverage is smaller than the shield model.

And even if this isn't true, I think that shield coverage should be buffed back to pre-shield nerf. Even if "force fields" aren't realistic, they balance this class, and the whole game because more numberous and more effective shielders leads to less ranged garbage.

Actually, shields are totally fucked up in many melee situations (too many backpedallers mostly). So buff shields back and see the game balancing itself better.

Also 2H guys don't want to use shields because they slow you down significantly.

I forgot that. Shields turn a player into a meatshield ready to be ganked. A shield significantly reduces tactical options because you move slower than everyone else.

[Varric]

They're almost like muskets!

[Teeth]

Cost is the worst way of balancing anything especially since you don't have to worry about it after retiring once and selling an heirloom point.

Sure, flush 70 hours down the drain to use a crossbow with 0 wpf, which has the cost/effectiveness of a equus africanus asinus turd. I thought it was a brilliant idea to start carrying an xbow alongside my 2h. Every round I spent about 3 minutes shooting and reloading my xbow, but my average battle score was way lower than without it. It costs a lot of time and gold without actually granting you much kills, or fun for that matter.

Oh yes and the weight of course!

This. Buff shields. At least maybe we are going to see more than 5 of them each round if the coverage wasn't so fucked up. Actually unless you have 6+ shield any projectile can go
Actually, shields are totally fucked up in many melee situations (too many backpedallers mostly). So buff shields back and see the game balancing itself better.

I forgot that. Shields turn a player into a meatshield ready to be ganked. A shield significantly reduces tactical options because you move slower than everyone else.

Shield has other tactical options, breaking stalemates etc. I really dont see the need to buff shields. I see dozens of super effective shielders and every good shielder is a huge challenge, especially because of the leftslash, which at closerange hits very fast and always hits the face.

[PieParadox]

Sure, flush 70 hours down the drain to use a crossbow with 0 wpf, which has the cost/effectiveness of a equus africanus asinus turd. I thought it was a brilliant idea to start carrying an xbow alongside my 2h. Every round I spent about 3 minutes shooting and reloading my xbow, but my average battle score was way lower than without it. It costs a lot of time and gold without actually granting you much kills, or fun for that matter.

Oh yes and the weight of course!
Shield has other tactical options, breaking stalemates etc. I really dont see the need to buff shields. I see dozens of super effective shielders and every good shielder is a huge challenge, especially because of the leftslash, which at closerange hits very fast and always hits the face.

How to use the crossbow:

Shoot good/armoured players when they are coming towards you/attacking teammates.

Melee everyone else.

edit: Just like in real life!

"Arbalests were sometimes considered inhumane or unfair weapons, since an inexperienced arbalestier could use one to kill a knight who had a lifetime of training. "

http://www.medievalwarfare.info/weapons.htm#crossbows

[Tears of Destiny]

The Catholic Church even banned their use on other Christians (not that anyone payed much attention to that law just like the "no bloodshed on Sundays" law).

[Christo]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eiTMIgKnVog

 

[Earthdforce]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TwyE3WJ4AWo
This is why...