PC Does anybody even use crossbows and bows anymore?

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Blasphemous

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Like in the title, I find myself in a place where there is no advantage to using either of the bow weapons.

Silenced SMG is better in every way, ammo is not an issue since my stealth build means one bullet = one zombie put down.

I suppose there are builds where these weapons might still be useful in the late game but as it is, there's just too many disadvantages.

In the early game, with a lucky find of a regular or compound version, it's feasible and projectiles can be mass-produced but as soon as you find the books that increase ammo loot in containers and in general improve looting, getting more bullets is no longer an issue.

I'm thinking about possible changes that would allow crossbows and bows to keep up the pace and remain competitive but other than drastically increasing the damage or adding some default sneak multiplier on top of other sneak-related bonuses, there's not a lot of options. Anybody else feels the same?

 
I still use them as my primary ranged weapons. In fact, a18 is the first time I'm seriously using the crossbow. Late in the game explosive bolts are great for crowd control. I'm currently working on a build with a primary focus in knives and archery.

 
Yep. All the time in SP. Great for sleepers when you wann kill some of them silent, explosive and flaming arrows are good for groups. Fully modded and skilled a crossbow is a beast.

 
I use the crossbow all the time. It's my favorite weapon for long-range combat. If you use the crossbow strategically it is very effective and you save a lot of ammunition for the horde night.

 
Maybe I should set a higher zombie count for the horde night then.

As for silent kills, my SMG plus silencer seem to work very well, including shooting zombies near-point blank while other zombies continue to sleep 2-3 meters away.

I've discovered that long range shooting is rather infrequent and if anything, it's mid-to-close range in my games, especially factory clear quests.

I have to try the explosive bolt crowd control, I seem to remember it being somewhat buggy before and thus falling into obscurity.

 
In my current game I'm using a T6 compound xbow. Headshots are 1 shot kill on everything under an irradiated feral zombie biker it seems (default settings). Doing solo tier 5 poi's with a full ranger book set I barely use any ammo at all, I save that for the horde nights. I tried a T6 compound bow but the damage was noticeably lower and wasn't getting single headshot kills. Possibly a low rolled one, don't know. I'm doing it more for fun as I know it's vastly quicker to just baseball bat things down and this build results in me dumping 10 points into stealth/hidden strike that are ineffective during bloodmoon. Though going in with a group it's also a waste of points as allies waking zeds up results in no hidden strike bonus, just something to keep in mind if you end up going that route.

 
Like in the title, I find myself in a place where there is no advantage to using either of the bow weapons.
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With he rage mechanic I like to pelt zombie with arrows until they stagger then I run in for the kill. That way when they rage I'm not in their face already. Also silent shots while in indoors and cheap ammo are good reason to use them.

Using a bow as your only weapon on horde night seems like using a screwdriver to drive in a nail. You need the right tool for the right job and I don't think I've ever heard TFPs say they are trying to make every weapon as equally useful in every situation as possible.

 
With he rage mechanic I like to pelt zombie with arrows until they stagger then I run in for the kill. That way when they rage I'm not in their face already. Also silent shots while in indoors and cheap ammo are good reason to use them.
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Well said. The biggest advantage of the bow over other weapons is the fact you remain 100% silent when firing it and cheap ammo as you stated. It is the best weapon in game for stealth kills and is or should be the primary weapon of choice when playing with a stealth build.

If a player is good enough and has the right perks and books you can clear an entire POI without ever waking a single zombie.

 
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Well said. The biggest advantage of the bow over other weapons is the fact you remain 100% silent when firing it and cheap ammo as you stated. It is the best weapon in game for stealth kills and is or should be the primary weapon of choice when playing with a stealth build.
If a player is good enough and has the right perks and books you can clear an entire POI without ever waking a single zombie.
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I play exclusively single player so one of the previous posts about allies waking up zeds is moot.

I do however play an AGI build with stealth. Currently at level 99, I have all the stealth perks, all the books and all tier 6 weapons.

POIs usually stay quiet unless I misstep somewhere but weapon usage doesn't seem to wake anything up anymore.

Still think that silenced SMG is better than a crossbow. The only stuff that doesn't insta-gib are irradiated cops and bikers.

Haven't seen a green wight yet but I expect them to require more than one shot as well.

 
I'll take a cross bow with me when I'm specifically going hunting. The instant shot makes rabbits and chickens easier to kill then with the bow.

Seems like I always find an iron cross bow before I find a wooden bow. Dunno if that's just me, or rng. Probably rng though.

The bow is great to attract the attention of 1 Z and then spear/club them down, at least until I get a wooden bow, then it's arrow time.d

 
I play exclusively single player so one of the previous posts about allies waking up zeds is moot.I do however play an AGI build with stealth. Currently at level 99, I have all the stealth perks, all the books and all tier 6 weapons.

POIs usually stay quiet unless I misstep somewhere but weapon usage doesn't seem to wake anything up anymore.

Still think that silenced SMG is better than a crossbow. The only stuff that doesn't insta-gib are irradiated cops and bikers.

Haven't seen a green wight yet but I expect them to require more than one shot as well.
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true true. Yeah I can never be stealthy when playing with friends because they 1. prefer gun blazing approach or 2. they just are not very good at being silent and always seem to wake up the poi.

In A18 I have not got above level 50 do to restarting the game or I stop playing for a week and I forget everything I did so I start a new game.

So when you are a high level and have the skills and right books silenced guns never wake zombies?

 
Yeah always, which is another reason I am making a full agility build. Top for night POI bow or crossbow. Crossbow ensures 1 hit kills on sleepers

 
Used to use them a lot outside horde nights, but have ditched them completely in a18. No need to be silent or conserve ammo, and guns are easy to find. But guess this will be balanced in the future.

 
So when you are a high level and have the skills and right books silenced guns never wake zombies?
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They wake them but you'd literally have to stand next to two sleepers and shoot one point blank.

Or use silenced AK, since even with that mod, they're still pretty loud. Hence SMG.

Missing and hitting a wall with a silenced gun also seems to wake up zombies close to the point of impact.

 
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