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.