Crossbows in Salt and Sanctuary are one of the many Weapon types a player can choose from. They are used for ranged attacks and consume Bolts upon firing. Bolts can be retrieved from any hit enemy after the enemy died like any regular drop. Crossbows can also interrupt most humanoid enemy attacks, when shooting them at the right moment just as they wind-up for an attack, setting them up for a riposte for a chance to cause massive damage.
Crossbows
| Name & Icon | Attack | Dex Scale | Mag Scale | Special | Wgt | Class |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Platoon Crossbow |
10.0 | E | - | - | 4 | 1 |
 Bloodwood Crossbow |
14.0 | E | - | - | 8 | 2 |
 Hellfire Arbalest |
9.0 / 9.0 | E | D | Fire | 16 | 3 |
 Predator Lockbow |
24.0 | E | - | - | 10 | 4 |
 Adrasteia |
9.0 / 9.0 | D | E | Fire | 8 | 5 |
AnonymousA year ago, I said that it was almost impossible to riposte after a parry with a crossbow on enemies with quick recovery (cf : the "Parrying confirmed" comment). The main issue being the long reloading animation. There are two consistent ways (that I know of but most likely the only ones) to bypass that problem :
1) Get your equip load to 10% or lower. You'll be so quick on your feet that it will make up for the recovery time. Not quick enough to get the riposte after a backstep though. Which makes sense, you use that move to get away, not closer. But you need a lot of points in Endurance and I mean A LOT ! Even with max Endurance (265 points), you pretty much have to be naked. And you don't want that in NG+7...
2) You go for the parry while in mid-air. When you'll land, the reloading animation will be cancelled and you can immediately go for the riposte. You can even land right in front of your opponent. This is BY FAR the best and safest option because, depending on the enemy, you can dodge attacks at the same time. So even if you time it wrong, you have a chance to get away unharmed. On a side note, you can also use this trick to spam bolts a bit quicker.
- Anonymous
If your main weapon has poor reach (e.g. daggers) or poor air game (e.g. spears), then you might consider using crossbows. They cover both weaknesses and provide you with a backstep(*) move, which often puts you out of harms way when timed properly and sometimes stops your enemies from attacking by parrying them. In the case of poor air game, you can hold your crossbow in fire stance to get some momentum mid-air. Keep in mind that they add quite a bit of weight, so you might want to invest in Endurance a little more but definitely less than for "Great" weapons.
Crossbows are all about utility, not damage. But you can use them to wear down your enemies before finishing them off with your main weapon or the other way around from a long distance. Now, you might argue that guns are a better alternative and I would agree. But guns have limited reach as well as a much shorter backstep (roughly half as long), are quite heavier, and use expensive ammo which is not retrievable from enemies (though at some point, you won't have any other use for gold than buying ammo). You could use both since they are tied to the same skill, Marksman.
(*) The backstep move happens when you fire your crossbow right after a light attack. It isn't available for every weapon. In general, it doesn't work with great weapons meant for 2-handing (Greatswords, Greathammers, Greataxes and Reapers). The exception being Poleaxes, more specifically their light attack which is the same as Spears. Then, not any light attack will trigger it. This will depend on your weapon (except for Spears/Poleaxes/FIST, for which it can be triggered at any time). For example, the backstep can be triggered after the first and second light attacks of a dagger, not the third or the forth, but for the fifth it works (it's pretty much the second light). Another example with whips, which only have 2 light attacks. The first light works but the second doesn't. So when you're spamming, keep track of what you're using. It takes some getting used to, but it's not that difficult. I recommend experimenting and practicing with your main weapon so you can learn to use it at the appropriate time and for style points. The same rules apply to guns.
Oh and don't forget to try the possibilities mid-air.
- Anonymous
Just like with pistols, you can parry with crossbows. But because of the long start-up and recovery animations, it is difficult to time and almost impossible to get the riposte off of enemies with quick recovery (i.e Dread Horseman, Alkymancery Knight, White Knight).
- Anonymous
i find them a bit weak compared to bow(better dmages cheaper arrow) and pistols(counter hit ftw).
If you're confused about whether to use a crossbow or a gun, I'll write down a list of their strengths and weaknesses. Crossbows are lighter and their ammo is easier to buy in bulk. They also have great range, a bit better than guns and/or throwing weapons. But, they are weaker compared to guns, and their reloading animation can be cumbersome. Guns, on the other hand, are stronger, and suit a ranger better if they want damage. The damage is even comparable to some bows, and they are great for parrying. But guns are heavier and their range is very poor. Their ammo is also more expensive. My personal preference are guns, but I hope this list helped you make up your mind.
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