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Crossbows are ranged weapons that use bolts for ammunition. Crossbows have the greatest range and intrinsic damage, particularly against armored enemies, but take significant time to reload. Crossbows can be loaded with special bolts which deal additional effects like elemental damage or knocking back the opponent. Furthermore, their requirement is strength-based, not dexterity-based like bows. Due to the physical design of a crossbow, their damage is not affected by any stat (just as higher strength would not make a bullet fire harder). This gives them a disadvantage to high level archers, but makes them well-suited for low-level archers, or as alternate weapons for warriors.

Increasing Damage[]

Damage can be increased in a few different ways when it comes to crossbows.

  • Tier up the weapon material using Exploits.
  • Use of equipment, Talents and Spells that increase aim speed, base damage, critical chance or critical damage directly or indirectly (hexes while using elemental bolts for instance).

Properties[]

Name Attribute Attribute Modifier Aim Time Speed Modifier
Crossbows -- -- 0.8 0.0

Scaling[]

Tier Base damage Armor penetration Critical chance Range Requisite Runes
Elm (Tier 1) 8.00 5.00 2.00 40.00 10 strength 0
Ash (Tier 2) 8.80 6.00 2.20 42.00 12 strength 0
Yew (Tier 3) 9.60 7.00 2.40 44.00 14 strength 1
Whitewood(Tier 4) 10.40 8.00 2.60 46.00 18 strength 1
Ironbark (Tier 5) 11.20 9.00 2.80 48.00 24 strength 2
Sylvanwood (Tier 6) 12.00 10.00 3.00 50.00 26 strength 2
Dragonthorn (Tier 7) 12.80 11.00 3.20 52.00 30 strength 3
Vhenadahl (Tier 8) 13.60 12.50 3.40 54.00 34 strength 3
Ancestral Heartwood (Tier 9) 14.40 13.75 3.60 56.00 38 strength 3

Crossbows[]

Dragon Age: Origins[]

Name Damage
Critical chance Armor penetration Strength modifier Runes Enhancements Notes
Antivan Crossbow
Varies
Requires: 10 strength
8.00 2.00% 5.00 0 Sold by Alimar at his shop in Dust Town and by Cesar in Denerim Market District.
Crossbow
Varies
Requires: 10 strength
8.00 2.00% 5.00 0
Darkspawn Crossbow
Varies
Requires: 10 strength
8.00 2.00% 5.00 0 +0.5 armor penetration
-1 dexterity
Nugbane
Whitewood
Requires: 18 strength
10.40 2.60% 8.00 0 +3 damage Unobtainable by normal means
Antique Warden Crossbow
Varies
Requires: 14-30 strength
9.60 to 12.80 2.40% to 3.20% 7.00 to 11.00 0 +1 damage
Rapid aim

Requires the Warden's Keep DLC
Dwarven Defender
Sylvanwood
Requires: 26 strength
12.00 3.00% 10.00 0 +3 dexterity
+6 damage vs. darkspawn
This item is unobtainable by normal means, see Dwarven Defender for a workaround.
Precision-Geared Recurve
Sylvanwood
Requires: 26 strength
12.00 3.00% 10.00 0 +1.5 armor penetration
+4 attack
Sold by Garin in Orzammar Commons, and reward from Master Ignacio during The Trial of Crows.
Sailor's Crossbow
Sylvanwood
Requires: 26 strength
12.00 3.00% 10.00 0 Rapid aim Can be bought in Lothering before it gets destroyed by Darkspawn.
Imperium Crossbow
Dragonthorn
Requires: 30 strength
12.80 3.20% 11.00 0 Increased damage vs. demons (PC version)
+ 2 damage -1 dexterity (console version)
You can pickpocket this crossbow from the merchant in Lothering.

Dragon Age: Origins - Awakening[]

Name Damage
Critical chance Armor penetration Strength modifier Runes Enhancements Notes
Beastmaster
Dragonthorn
Requires: 30 strength
12.80 3.20% 11.00 0 +2 damage
Rapid aim
+20 damage vs. beasts
Found inside a chest near the ballista during The Assault on Vigil's Keep quest.
Longshot
Ancestral Heartwood
Requires: 40 strength
14.40 3.60% 13.75 0 +10 damage
Rapid aim
+15% ranged critical chance
+10 attack
Purchased from Glassric the Weaponsmith in the City of Amaranthine

Dragon Age II[]

Name Damage
Critical chance Armor penetration Strength modifier Runes Enhancements Notes
Bianca
Red Cedar
Requires: Level 1 (Inquisition)
5 + 5.38 * LVL physical damage (Dragon Age II)
45 (Inquisition)
1 to start (Dragon Age II)
4 fully upgraded (Dragon Age II)
Empty Rune (Inquisition)
see Bianca upgrades The only weapon Varric Tethras can use in Dragon Age II

Restriction: Varric Tethras (Dragon Age II)
Varric Only (
Inquisition)
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