- v50 information can now be added to pages in the main namespace. v0.47 information can still be found in the DF2014 namespace. See here for more details on the new versioning policy.
- Use this page to report any issues related to the migration.
v0.31:Crossbow
| This article is about an older version of DF. |
(This article also covers bolts, arrows and quivers for completeness' sake.)
Crossbows are the only ranged Template:L that Template:L can carry. A dwarf will open fire at a range of about 20 tiles, but the bolts may travel further and hit something by accident. Crossbows can fire at targets on higher or lower Template:Ls; doing so hurts the range slightly, even when firing from higher to lower levels. There seems to be a "line of sight" rule, of about a 1:1 ratio (height difference to distance from edge of level) but the exact formula is not known.
A Template:L does a fine job at Template:L the internal organs of a Template:L while also doing some damage to outside parts. This is of limited use against creatures without organs, such as Template:L or Template:L, but excellent against creatures with more "normal" internal anatomy. Occasionally a bolt will get stuck in a target; the only known use for this is that a Template:L dwarf may grab the bolt and twist it in the Template:L.
Crossbow usage
Once you tell a dwarf to use a crossbow (either from the military/weapons sub-menu, or by viewing the dwarf and accessing the soldiering sub-menu), he will pick it up if he has either the Template:L Template:L enabled or if he is in the Template:L. He will then pick up a Template:L and Template:L, preferring Template:L bolts if available. A dwarf can carry one stack of bolts in his hands, and one in his quiver.
When in range Template:L use crossbows to fire Template:L. If they are engaged in melee they will use the crossbow as a club, using their Template:L skill.
Dwarves often do not return to base and pick up more bolts if they run out if there are enemies nearby; instead, they will enter melee.
Construction and quality
Crossbows can be constructed from Template:L, Template:L or Template:L. Wooden and bone crossbows are created at a Template:L; metal ones at a Template:L using the Template:L or Template:L skills, respectively.
The Template:L of a crossbow is added to the Template:L/Template:L and Template:L skills. The Template:L used in construction of a crossbow does not affect the damage done when firing, but does affect the damage done when it is used as a melee weapon.
Using Template:L ammunition will not result in a bad Template:L for the maker, whether or not it breaks, nor will trading it away. However, losing even one masterpiece bolt out of an original stack of 25 will, if at 1/25 of the usual penalty (which is still sizable; see Template:L for a full discussion). If a single masterwork bolt left outside is stolen, or if a wounded enemy escapes with a masterpiece bolt stuck in them, it's possible to cause a Template:L. For this reason it may be wise to, as policy, either forbid masterwork ammo until the maker has churned out several stacks of them, or just Template:L them away.
Related information
Off-Hand Items
According to this forum discussion, marksdwarves are able to wield their crossbows one-handed, and so can use another item in their second hand. If they use a Template:L, they may carry it plus an extra set of bolts in the off hand; if they use a Template:L, they still suffer no penalty to the crossbow usage but cannot carry the extra set of bolts.
Bolt
Bolts are used by crossbows and Template:L. Making bolts from Template:L or Template:L gives a Template:L of 25 bolts, whilst making them from a stack of Template:L gives a stack of {5 x number of bones}.
Metal bolts are created at the Template:L and require the Template:L labor enabled. Wood and bone bolts are created at the Template:L and require Template:L and Template:L labors, respectively. Higher levels of Template:L will tend to produce higher Template:L bolts. The Template:L and quality[Verify] of the bolts (not the crossbow) affects the amount of Template:L done.
If you Template:L a stack of bolts, the same decoration will be applied to every bolt in the stack simultaneously. In older versions this allowed to generate stacks of huge value - value of decoration was multiplied by amount of bolts in the stack. This has been fixed now and decorated bolts are no longer that valuable.
In Template:L, bolts can also be thrown for about the same results as firing them, except that it uses the Template:L skill and doesn't destroy the bolts if you happen to miss.
Quiver
A Quiver is an item used to store Template:Ls or Template:Ls. It is worn on the body, like a Template:L.
Quivers are made of Template:L at a Template:L. Dwarves equipped with a crossbow will automatically wear quivers if they are available, and carry a stack of bolts in it. This allows a dwarf to carry one extra stack of bolts, typically Template:L or Template:L training bolts in the hand, and Template:L ones in the quiver.
Invaders, merchants, and migrants often have Template:L and Template:L quivers, even though you can't make them yourself.
In adventure mode, a quiver can hold any number of arrows and bolts.