Why do Crossbows Suck?

[Hussar]

In every edition of DnD the crossbow has been the red headed stepchild of ranged weapons. It did far less damage than a bow in AdnD, required load times in later DnD.

Why are bows just so much better?

 

[Morrus]

The poster boy for the longbow is Robin Hood. The crossbow only has William Tell. Just not the same!

 

[Ahnehnois]

Probably because of a fear of high base damage and because the system doesn't allow any better representation than that of the nastiness of being hit with a crossbow bolt.

 

[RangerWickett]

Well, if you're sufficiently strong and trained, I think a bow is better than a crossbow, unless the target is point blank.

But Russ, clearly you don't watch The Walking Dead.

 

[innerdude]

In every edition of DnD the crossbow has been the red headed stepchild of ranged weapons.

In Savage Worlds they're not. Even at high levels, 4-5 guys with crossbows aiming at a party of 4 characters is more than enough to make them sit up and take notice. One of the things I LOVE about Savage---ranged weapons are effective, deadly, and MUST be strategically countered . . . just like in real life.

Standing out in the open against any reasonably competent ranged weapon foe is a recipe for major pain.

 

[billd91]

Well, the heavy crossbow did a little more damage per hit vs large targets and had a longer range than a longbow. It also rocked at hitting hitting things in general and was a little better than a longbow at that thanks to the weapon vs armor type tables. Once specialization turned up, it had a great point blank range and cost one less proficiency slot than longbow specialization. So, I'm not so sure it was the red-headed stepchild in all editions.

I think 3e/PF handles it reasonably well too. Its crit potential balances off the goes just fine. Its ease of use for the general populace does too. I think the possibility of making mighty/strength bows should be added with each crossbow being given a strength rating. Include that and I think everything would be golden.

 

[GSHamster]

Traditionally, isn't the crossbow open to more classes than the bow? The longbow is pretty much limited to fighters and elves, I believe. Rogues could use shortbows.

So there, the restricted weapon gets to do more damage.

Second, I think that between Robin Hood and Legolas, the bow archetype is simply stronger than the crossbow, and that gets reflected in the game.

 

[MerricB]

The poster boy for the longbow is Robin Hood. The crossbow only has William Tell. Just not the same!

Yes. One has a cool overture, and the other hasn't!

(Actually, I wonder if William Tell is a more popular myth in Europe than Robin Hood...)

Cheers!

 

[Ryujin]

Two words; weapon proficiency. In some versions crossbows are a Simple Weapon, while more conventional bows are Military Weapons. While not completely congruent with reality, that's sort of 'reality adjacent.'

There are also role playing aspects. If one of my players said that he was covering a prisoner with a drawn longbow I'd have him start rolling endurance checks to see how long he could hold it. A crossbow just is.

 

[GSHamster]

Also, maybe there's an unconscious bias away from guns. Being mechanical, the crossbow represents the step in-between bows and guns. But most D&D players want a world with swords and bows, not guns.

So a slight depression in the value of a crossbow pushes people way from the path that leads to guns, and back to the bow.