While swords, axes, and maces dominate close combat in Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2, a skilled crossbowman can end a fight long before an enemy ever reaches striking distance. In the right hands, the crossbow isn’t just a ranged option—it’s a precision weapon capable of silently eliminating armored knights, thinning enemy camps, and completely controlling encounters.
Updated for the 2025 patches and DLC, this guide will teach you everything you need to know to become a lethal marksman:
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How crossbows actually work (and why many players misuse them)
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The best crossbows for early, mid, and late game
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Which bolts to use against armor, animals, and elite enemies
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How to build Henry into a devastating ranged hunter
🎯 Pro Tip:
The crossbow is the easiest ranged weapon to use effectively in KCD2. Compared to bows, it offers faster bolt travel, a flatter trajectory, and far easier aiming. True mastery, however, comes from proper timing, stamina control, and ammo choice.
Core Mechanics: How to Aim, Reload & Control the Crossbow
Crossbows behave very differently from bows. Understanding their rhythm is more important than raw aim.
Equipping & Loading
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Equip a crossbow in your weapon slot
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Equip bolts in your ammo slot
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Without bolts, your crossbow is completely unusable
Drawing (Cocking) the Crossbow
Unlike bows, crossbows must be manually cocked.
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PC: Right-click (Hold)
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Console: LT / L2
This action:
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Consumes stamina
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Prepares the weapon to fire
Aiming & Firing
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Hold the aim button to aim
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Release to fire
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Holding a cocked crossbow too long causes heavy sway, drastically reducing accuracy
👉 Key Rule:
Only cock the crossbow when you’re ready to shoot.
Reloading
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After every shot, you must fully cock the crossbow again
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Reload speed is:
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Not affected by perks or skills
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Determined entirely by crossbow type
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How to Get Your First Crossbow (4 Reliable Methods)
You won’t start with one—but getting a crossbow early is very doable.
1. Purchase from Traders
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Sold by blacksmiths, armorers, and hunting suppliers
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A Hunting Crossbow is available early at the archery range near Trosky Castle
2. Loot from Enemies
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Bandits, soldiers, and knights sometimes carry crossbows
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Bandit camps and battlefield loot are great sources
3. Quest Rewards
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Several hunting and mercenary quests reward crossbows
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Always check ranged weapon rewards before selling loot
4. Stealing
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Crossbows can be stolen from armories or weapon racks
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Requires high Lockpicking or Pickpocketing
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Best for stealth-focused builds
Best Crossbows in KCD2 (2025 Comparison)
Crossbows are primarily defined by their loading mechanism, which determines power and rate of fire.
| Crossbow Name | Loading Mechanism | Power | Best For & Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pasha’s Crossbow | Hand-drawn (Fast) | 240 | Sustained combat. Reward for Magic Arrow quest if you side with Pasha |
| Reinforced Heavy Crossbow | Windlass (Very Slow) | 550 | Maximum armor-piercing damage. Found near Devil’s Den or during Taking French Leave |
| Ornate Field Crossbow | Goat’s Foot Lever | 380 | High power and reliability. Reward for early main quests or buy from Master Wenceslas (Kuttenberg) |
| Ornate Hunting Crossbow | Hand-drawn (Fast) | 200 | Early-game and poison use. Loot from Nebakov Fortress or buy west of Maleshov |
| Field Crossbow | Goat’s Foot Lever | 350 | Strong early power. Always sold near Nebakov mill by Hired Hand Jakesh |
🔎 Important:
Final damage also depends on:
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Bolt type
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Marksmanship skill
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Active perks
The listed power is the weapon’s base potential.
Choosing the Right Bolts (Ammo Matters)
Your bolt choice can be the difference between a kill and a wasted shot.
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Common Bolts (90 dmg):
General-purpose and cheap -
Piercing Bolts (110 dmg):
Essential against plate armor and elite enemies -
Hunting Bolts (100 dmg):
Optimized for animals and wildlife -
Fine / Sharpshooter’s Bolts (130 / 125 dmg):
Highest damage bolts in the game—rare and expensive, but deadly
👉 Rule of Thumb:
Always carry Piercing Bolts once armored enemies become common.
Building the Perfect Crossbow Hunter
Key Stat: Agility
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Increases draw speed for all ranged weapons
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Crucial for reducing downtime between shots
Key Skill: Marksmanship
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Improves accuracy and control
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Leveled only by using bows and crossbows
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Best trained through:
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Hunting
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Archery ranges
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Must-Have Perks
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Eagle Eye:
Increases accuracy and critical hit chance (more headshots) -
Steady Aim:
Reduces sway while aiming—vital for long-range kills -
Train Hard, Fight Easy! (Strength):
Lowers strength requirements, letting you wield heavy crossbows earlier
Final Strategy & Community-Tested Advice
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Play to the Crossbow’s Strengths:
Best for ambushes, camp clearing, and opening strikes -
Target Priority:
Use your first bolt to eliminate the most dangerous enemy (usually armored knights) -
Not Ideal For:
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Horseback combat
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Close-quarters brawls
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Bolt Drop Exists:
At extreme ranges, aim slightly above your target
💬 Community Consensus:
Pairing the Reinforced Heavy Crossbow with Piercing Bolts allows reliable one-shot kills on heavily armored enemies—dramatically reducing encounter difficulty.
One Shot. One Kill.
With the right crossbow, the correct bolts, and proper timing, a single shot from the shadows can decide the outcome of an entire fight. Equip wisely, aim patiently, and let your enemies fall before they ever draw steel.
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