Originally posted by warrenchmobile:

Why doesn't the crossbow stay loaded?

Gravity, I expect. Look at a picture of a crossbow. The crossbow string can be pulled back along the tiller to a locking mechanism which will hold the string in the fully drawn position. A bolt or quarrel is then placed atop the tiller and nocked onto the string.

As long as the prod (the bow part of the crossbow) is held horizontally, gravity keeps the bolt in place. Rotate the crossbow more than 45 degrees or so through the vertical, and the bolt falls off of the tiller.

If one stows one's crossbow to switch to an axe, spear, sword, or mace, is it not quite likely that it will be rotated more that 45 degrees through the vertical and the bolt will fall off the tiller?

It would still be drawn back though, and most crossbows have an arrow retainer to keep it in place and help prevent mishaps.

My experience so far the issue is moments where you need to run for a moment, so you need to stow the weapon, and then get it back out when you got distance, having to reload again feels unnecessary and doesn't really mesh well with how Valheim plays, the arbalest is storng but not so strong it can justify reloading everytime you stow the weapon. It just needs to relax its restrictions to make it up to par with bows.

You can justify it with the realism viewpoints if you wish, but thinking of the gameplay, If you could prepare it and leave it prepared, you'd just gigasnipe everything with sneak attacks while travelling. It's not supposed to make bows completely obsolete.

you still get the advantage of using only 2 stamina to load and taking time between your shot doesn't result in wasting stamina. also it will reload faster as you level your crossbow skill. just by the time you get the crossbow your use to your reload speed from having 30-50 bow skill

Skoll and Hati with crossbow are my go-to weapons for gathering missions in Mistlands. Hear a Gjall, get height, load in sneak, shoot, walk behind cover while reloading, pop up and repeat. To be effective it's just changing the order when you sprint (shoot-reload-sprint instead of shoot-sprint-reload), don't stow it unless you're going melee. All these weapons have uses and the creativity within our own playstyles is what keeps me logging hours haha.

Originally posted by Road to 1 MMR:

It shouldnt be a question of realism or reality. Were fake spirit vikings in a made up part of norse mythology swinging ice maces and shooting mosquito noses out of metal bows. Nothing is realistic as it is. In games crossbows are generally slower but more powerful, and Ive never played a game that didnt let you hold the shot. Fun is whats most important.

Mount and Blade Warband, Chivalry, Mordhau

Originally posted by Van N00b:

So a crossbow is only useful when defending a base?

crossbow is amazing just about everywhere. just dont unequip it after loading. It's only a 5% movement speed debuff, it's not the end of the world (and sniping while gliding/floating is fun).

If you need to run in combat, just run. putting away your weapon in combat will get you killed more often than not with that long slow walk animation to equip/unequip htings.

the insane damage it does is worth it

Originally posted by Rethys:

Originally posted by cswiger:

Real bows and crossbows will break if you try to keep them under tension all of the time. That's why you string your bow before using it and need to unstring it afterwards.

This tidbit is brought to you by the Archery merit badge.

100% this is the truth of it. Crossbows were not used in single combat, they were used behind the lines shooting at cavalry and infantry or from defensive fortifications. Even after the invention of the crossbow, the British Long Bow continued to be the go-to ranged weapon on the attack because of the rate of fire, and even then was usually used behind a line of infantry to protect them. Crossbow =/= assault weapon.

All true, however, I also see OPs point about being able to ready it and stow it (tho I wouldn't do that in the real world for safety reasons).

Side note, I remember hearing in some history class eons ago that people were pissed about cross bows because it simply didn't take nearly as much training to be able to use vs a longbow.

Yeah agreed, having to load it every time you take it out makes it incredibly obnoxious to use. It doesn't help that even sprinting will reset the bar to load it, making it somehow even more annoying to fight with.

Originally posted by WTF R U DOING!?:

the insane damage it does is worth it

With few exceptions like hunting, what counts is DPS... I bet a high tear bow does more DPS...?! But then i dont own a xbow yet, will test as soon as i get one.....

Gravity, I expect. Look at a picture of a crossbow. The crossbow string can be pulled back along the tiller to a locking mechanism which will hold the string in the fully drawn position. A bolt or quarrel is then placed atop the tiller and nocked onto the string.

As long as the prod (the bow part of the crossbow) is held horizontally, gravity keeps the bolt in place. Rotate the crossbow more than 45 degrees or so through the vertical, and the bolt falls off of the tiller.

If one stows one's crossbow to switch to an axe, spear, sword, or mace, is it not quite likely that it will be rotated more that 45 degrees through the vertical and the bolt will fall off the tiller?

Real bows and crossbows will break if you try to keep them under tension all of the time. That's why you string your bow before using it and need to unstring it afterwards.

This tidbit is brought to you by the Archery merit badge.

Originally posted by cswiger:

Real bows and crossbows will break if you try to keep them under tension all of the time. That's why you string your bow before using it and need to unstring it afterwards.

This tidbit is brought to you by the Archery merit badge.

100% this is the truth of it. Crossbows were not used in single combat, they were used behind the lines shooting at cavalry and infantry or from defensive fortifications. Even after the invention of the crossbow, the British Long Bow continued to be the go-to ranged weapon on the attack because of the rate of fire, and even then was usually used behind a line of infantry to protect them. Crossbow =/= assault weapon.

So a crossbow is only useful when defending a base?

It shouldnt be a question of realism or reality. Were fake spirit vikings in a made up part of norse mythology swinging ice maces and shooting mosquito noses out of metal bows. Nothing is realistic as it is. In games crossbows are generally slower but more powerful, and Ive never played a game that didnt let you hold the shot. Fun is whats most important.